How To Read Your Natal/Birth Chart
Hello, lovely soul friends!
I am Nancy, the owner of Astrology and Angel Mediums. I love astrology, so it felt like a natural effort to help people understand their own astrology a little bit better. I hope that with this effort, I can bring you some easy to comprehend astrology information. Plus, having an appreciation for what qualities, challenges, obstacles, and common characteristics are typically ingrained within your astrological makeup and personality, will assist you in being able to be more personally aware.
I love learning and self-education is the backbone of my work. I am constantly researching, reading, practicing, and always keeping an open mind to every interaction as a modality of learning. I am also so blessed to know some of the most amazing Astrologers who constantly share their recommendations, suggestions, and also knowledge with a little shrimp like me.
Astrology was my gateway drug. I recall watching Walter Mercado daily and being obsessed with his predictions. Reading my horoscopes in the newspapers, magazines (yeah - I am old) and wanting to learn as much as I could about it, once I was a bit older and focused on it.
I have long loved Astrology and find it to be a fascinating, intricate, and deeply involved subject. There are so many facets, sub-facets, and even microcosms within the umbrella of Astrology. I would never be to able to explain it all to everyone (nor am I equipped to do so), but I do like having people learn how to dive in. Where this journey takes you, is up to you completely!
This a great article to show you how to work with what you got, how to understand what a Natal/Birth Chart is, and a simple way to read your chart - as well as include some of my favorite free resources and books that I find the most useful and helpful.
Hey, baby....what's your sign?
Sun sign astrology is the form of astrology most commonly found in many newspaper and magazine columns. It is a simplified system of astrology which considers only the position of the Sun at birth, which is said to be placed within one of the twelve zodiac signs. This sign is then called the sun sign or star sign of the person born in that twelfth-part of the year. Most people are familiar with their sun sign, and always identify strongly with this image.
It is the sign that when people ask, is the one they know from magazines, newspapers, or being told by others of how *insert sign name here* they are being. Oh, you are being secretive and sexy.... pssshhhh... what a Scorpio! Wow, you're such a dedicated worker and you love having nice things, but you act so old.... what a Capricorn! Oh, you are being such a cry baby, drink like a fish, and can't deal with reality......Just blame it on my Pisces, baby! So on, and so forth! That is just scratching the surface! I am sure you have heard it all about being your sign. Well, astrology dives in a lot deeper than that.
"The soul of the newly born baby is marked for life by the pattern of the stars at the moment it comes into the world, unconsciously remembers it, and remains sensitive to the return of configurations of a similar kind." - Johannes Kepler
When we are born the planets are all aligned in certain signs and angles. When someone asks about your natal chart, this is what they are asking about. What does your personal snapshot look like? Or how can you figure it out? Natal Charts are calculated for the exact time and location of the native's birth for the purposes of gaining insight into the native's personality and potential. Commonly used alternative names for the natal chart include birth chart, horoscope, natus, nativity, radix, geniture and genethliac chart, among others. The chart shows the positions of the sun, moon, planets, and potentially other celestial objects, all referred to as the native's "planets," within the frames of references defined by the astrological signs and houses.
This is a sample chart with the ruling signs, planets and houses included. You can see quick descriptions of the house descriptions.
One of my favorite free chart services is through Cafe Astrology. You will need your date, time, and place of birth in order to get the most accurate information. Another fun and exciting website that does create gorgeous, and of course: FREE charts is Astro-Charts. They have some great information that shows you dominant patterns, formations, as well as elemental information. Each chart is unique, so it is fun to check out all the various ways your own Natal Chart makes you - well... awesomely - YOU!
Think of your birth chart as a 12 sliced pizza (see image above). Each slice may have it's own special toppings or flavor, or not much on there at all. This is important to remember. Each pizza (or every person) has different slices working in their favor (or challenging them).
"Being aware is being aware of one's own mind and the games it plays on itself." - Robin Macnaughton
The Sun Sign
"The Sun rules our inner personalities - who we are to those who know us best."
- Rosemary Breen
This is what the Sun Sign (or glyph) looks like in your natal chart.
The Moon Sign
"The Moon rules our emotional nature, how we react in situations, and what is needed in our lives to make us feel emotionally safe and secure."
- Rosemary Breen
Explanation of Moon Signs and the Significance
This is what the Moon Sign (or glyph) looks like in your natal chart.
Your Moon sign describes your emotional and instinctual energies. Another key component in the makeup of the basic ego/personality, your Moon sign reveals those things you do instinctively, how you are likely to react emotionally, how you give and receive nurturing, as well as the genetic or cellular memories carried within the unconscious mind. It describes your emotional, instinctual, genetic and intuitive makeup.
Moon Signs help define our emotional development, or express the unconscious side of our personality. It explains why we do what we do. This is where we retreat for comfort, childhood memories, and peace. This can also be the place where anger, hate, jealousy and fear may be found. The Moon also influences our senses depending on its placement in the birth chart. Most people will have their Moon in a Sign that is different from their Sun. This is why many people with the same Sun Sign can be so different from each other. They may feel that when they read a description of their Sign, that it is not representative of them. It may feel incomplete, or even completely inaccurate. Moon Signs may be a much more accurate description of what a person is like.
The Moon is said to represent your instinctual self, which many people keep hidden. On points where your Sun and Moon Signs are compatible, they will work together to help you get through the hardships and accomplish your goals. Where they are not compatible, you will feel conflicting desires or be at odds with yourself in some way.
Ascendant or Rising Sign
"You simply have to put one foot in front of the other and keep going. Put blinders on and plow right ahead."
- George Lucas, Taurus Rising
What does Ascendant or Rising mean?
This is what the Ascendant (or Rising) Sign (or glyph) looks like in your natal chart.
The Ascendant (or rising sign) is often considered the mask one wears when meeting others. Perhaps it is most aptly thought of as the automatic responses to one's environment. The Ascendant shows our natural defenses and how we cope with day-to-day issues. The energies of the sign and condition of the Ascendant are most overt and obvious to others. The Ascendant shows an individual's first, natural reaction to new people and situations.
The rising sign, or Ascendant, (the external self) is second in importance only to the Sun-Sign (the inner self). For most people who know you less than intimately, it may be the determining factor as they see, identify, and know you. It also influences how you view, act, and react to others and the environment. While your Sun-Sign is determined by your birth date (and in some border-line cases the time), the rising sign (ascendant) must be calculated for the exact birth time and place. Theoretically, the rising sign advances one degree (of 360 degrees of a full circle -- a 24-hour day) every four minutes, meaning each 30-degree sign takes about two hours to move upward -- due to counterclockwise axial rotation of planet earth -- across the ascendant point: the eastern horizon.
The Ascendant sign will always be the First House (or slice) of your chart. This house rules the head, face, upper lip, and upper jaw, cerebrum (brain). The 1st House (or pizza slice) is about identity. This house also rules the personality, attitude, how you see the world, how you look, appearances, your worldly outlook, and self-awareness and how you respond. It describes how you see yourself and how others see you. It can also describe your physical appearance. Other keywords include: the self, ego, anima, projected image, expression of inner motivation, soul purpose, initial approach to life, the aura.
BIG TIP TO REMEMBER: Anyone who has the same Sun Sign as your Rising Sign will automatically feel like or become your competition. So all are your competition. Notice how you act and react in a group when a Taurus is present. Both of you will be competing for the attention of anyone else present. This should not turn into a dual. This is something you should know and use in order to build your character and personality. You should be a better person because of this information and you should leave all people better than you found them, including your competition. After all, your Rising Sign is all about your personality, appearance and worldly outlook. These competitive people can be just about anyone - spouse, boyfriend, girlfriend, friends, family members, children, co-workers, etc. It's just downright fascinating!
Well, I hope that you enjoyed this post on how to check out and discover reading your own Natal/Birth Chart. This only covers the Sun, Moon, and Ascendant information that I found to be the most valuable. I love the subtle differences that goes through in the various planetary stations. How do you feel your own placements play out for you in your chart? Do you feel that knowing the difference between certain signs and their planetary influence helps you understand yourself a bit better?
