Methods of chart interpretation

[Epsilon]

Hey, everyone.

I've been studying astrology for a long time now (almost two years). I know what all the planets, signs, and houses represent. But I really struggle with chart interpretation and even more with synchronization. Completing the puzzle of a chart reading. I really think Wilsontc's astro-sentence method is a great, simple method that works, but it seems like there are so many factors that go into a chart reading.

Take the sun in my chart, for instance. (Click on the thumbnail image of the chart in my signature in order to see my chart.) The sun is an easy planet to memorize. It basically represents identity, self-expression, and vitality. Being in Taurus, the sun shows:

• I'm a patient, determined, placid, materialistic, possessive, and stubborn individual. I express myself slowly. My health is very enduring. [Sun in Taurus]

• I identify with my home and parents. I also express myself through my home. I am able to express myself well to my parents. My home helps me "recharge my batteries." [Sun in fourth house]

• In this case, I'd usually look at which house Leo, ruler of the sun, is on, but Leo is intercepted in the seventh house. For the sake of depth, let's assume Leo is the cusp of the seventh house.

• That would show that I deal with a lot of people [seventh house] in my home [fourth house]. This is where things start to get confusing. Or my parents dealt with a lot of people. Factor in Taurus, and maybe the dealings were financial matters. The dealings proceded slowly.

• I guess another way you could look at it is my spouse [seventh house] is approved by my parents [fourth house]. Wait, maybe they weren't approved by my parents. After all, the sun opposes Pluto. But it makes trines to Uranus and Neptune too, and a conjunction to Mercury! Okay, maybe it's more beneficially aspected after all....

• And then there are the aspects. I find opposition to be very difficult to interpret. Sun opposition Pluto. Basically, you can see my identity/self-expression is unable to coexist with my need for power. What does that even mean? And then you have to take into account the signs of each planet, and the houses, and which houses each planet rules. It's really tough.

I guess what I'm looking for is some advice or explanation of how to interpret a natal chart. Maybe a small demonstration? I'm aware of the rule we have here at the AstrologyWeekly forums, so I'll make an effort to interpret my own chart, but please help me out. I think I have the potential to be a good astrologer, with Neptune and Uranus conj. Ascendant. And Neptune and Uranus trine Sun. Uranus is, of course, debateable as the significator of astrology, but I personally think it is. Sometimes I also think maybe I'm too young (15 years old) right now to fully grasp this deep science, as much as I hate to say that. Or maybe there's just something I don't understand. I don't want to shallowly interpret a natal chart... I want to be able to gather wonderful insights about other people.

Looking at my chart, which you can find in my signature. Just click on it to get a much bigger view. I'll just look at some of the key planets in my chart. I already attemped to look at the sun above, so I'll skip that one.

Moon in Sagittarius in eleventh house. Trine Venus. Trine Mars. Conjunct North Node.

Optimism, fun-loving, careless, blunt [Sagittarius] modifying emotions, instinctive reactions, mother [Moon] focused on friends, hopes, wishes [eleventh house].

• Around friends, my emotions are generally happy (or optimistic), and I bluntly show my emotions.

• I typically respond to situations in an optimistic, carefree, and blunt way.

• I wish I were nurtured more. There's not much Sagittarius in that... just Moon and eleventh house.

• I hope to be a father one day. (Moon represents motherhood, but I think general parenthood too.)

• My mother is a fun-loving, optimistic, blunt, carefree person, who focused on her friends and dreams.

• So, now my jovial, blunt emotions/reactions focused on friends and wishes is trining [ease, cooperation] Venus [love, affection, femininity] in Aries [impulsive, direct, selfish] in second house [money, possessions, self-esteem/worth]. Impulsive, direct, selfish love and direct affection, which are focused on self-esteem and money/possessions. And this is cooperating/ease with my jovial, blunt emotions and reactions focused on friends and wishes. Sorry, but what does that even mean?

• My jovial, blunt emotions/reactions focused on friends and wishes is easing and cooperating with Mars [masculinity, energy, drive, anger, lust] in Leo [showy, dramatic, ambitious] in seventh house [other people, spouse, open enemies]. All I can really think of, for both Moon trine Mars and Moon trine Venus, is that both of the traits in each aspect can co-exist with each other.... and co-operate to form something, but I don't know what that something is...

• My jovial, blunt emotions/reactions focused on friends and wishes are combined with what I must develop in this lifetime. Actually... this shouldn't be too hard. I really need to cultivate my emotions and optimism in this lifetime. And I really ought to focus on friends and fulfilling my hopes and dreams.

I suppose I'll try the Ascendant too.

Practical, ambitious, disciplined, reserved, pessimistic, fatalistic, over-conventional [Capricorn] modifying outlook on life, first impression on others, how you act toward others [Ascendant].

• I look at life pessimistically, conventionally, and fatalistically.

• My first impression on others is that I'm a practical, ambitious, reserved, pessimistic, conventional person.

• I act in a disciplined, reserved, and conventional manner toward others.

• Neptune conjunct Ascendant. I look at life with rose-colored glasses... and I see an illusion instead of the real thing. My first impression on others is that I'm an unrealistic dreams, who can see the good in everyone. Also, because Neptune rules the second house, money, possessions, and self-esteem are very important to me.

• Uranus conjunct Ascendant. I look at life more differently than most people. My first impression on others is that I'm ingenius, rebellious, and unpredictable.

• Sun Trine Ascendant. My identity and self-expression are at ease with/cooperating with my Ascenant... I guess my sun sign is rather obvious to others... I act Taurean.

• Pluto sextile Ascendant. I have the opportunity [big sextile word] to easily transform or rebirth my life.

A lot of things contradict each other. Looking at life pessimistically [Capricorn] and with rose-colored glasses on [Neptune]. First impression on others is that I'm practical [Capricorn] and unrealistic [Neptune]. I don't know. And is it me, or does it seem robotic? I don't know how to synchronise it and to make it into a flowing chart reading.

 

[aquarius7000]

Re: Help with Reading my Chart, Please

Hi Epsilon,

Simple as it all looks when you read the attributes of each sign/planet individually, the challenge lies in connecting it all to complete the puzzle and see what sort of a picture appears in entirety on the surface of the puzzle.

Taking the example of your ascendant (self-image and how the world sees you) which is Capricorn, one can say that you do come across as an ambitious, disciplined and reserved individual at first sight; but, to these qualities, get *added* those of Neptune and Uranus, as both planets, due to their close proximity to your Asc, co-rule it. Therefore, the difference between somebody who only has a Cap Asc, without these planets on it, and yourself is that this person would come across as quite a strong/pure Capricorn, whilst you come across as one with Cap qualities (conventional, realistic), but which are mingled with some Uranian (un-conventional, unpredictable..) and Neptunian (dreamy, un-realistic..) ones (a bit of a cocktail, you see). Then there are also aspects to consider, so, keeping to your Asc, we see that it is sextiled by Pluto, which means that the Plutonic qualities get added on to your Capricornian+Neptunian+Uranian Asc. However, since a sextile (minor supporting energies) is not as powerful as a conjunction (energies synergise), it gets measured a point lower on the astrological yardstick. Therefore, when you start with the basics: Sun, Asc, and then move on, more and more keeps getting *added* due to aspects, etc; so, basically, a chart becomes an aggregate of signs, planets, houses and aspects, and where nothing can be taken singularly. This is also the basic difference between people, who study Astrology; and those, who are only able to identify themselves with/understand Sun Signs. A Taurean is never only a Taurean (practical, patient, stubborn..), but much more complex.

Start out by studying what each planet stands for: eg Sun=conscious and basic personality/being. Then see in which sign it falls: eg Taurus => Sun becomes basically Taurean in nature pragmatism, patience..; move on then to the house this Sun is located in: eg fourth => family/home is the area of life, which is your main focus; then begin to see which other planets are connected to your Sun through aspects: eg Sun trine Neptune => how your basic personality takes on Neptunian qualities= compassion, spirituality, also easy faith and trust (seeing things through rose-coloured glasses)...., and since the aspect is that of a trine=> energies of Sun and Neptune easily combine or intermingle with eachother, so your Taurus Sun becomes quite a fair bit Neptunian in character. This way you can go on and on, and see what else affects your Sun, and you see that Sun is also trined by Uranus- but the orb (orb=next thing to consider) is a less stronger one than that between Sun & Nep; this shows you that the effect of Nep on your Taurus Sun is much stronger through a 3°orb than that of Uranus through a 5° orb.


Hope this helps you put together your astrological puzzle.
aquarius7000

 

[Shining Ray]

Re: Help with Reading my Chart, Please

Time to break your chart into little pieces and see if we can put it all back together again (kind of like charlie and the chocolate factory where Mikey is put into a billion pieces and transferred whole again in the television this is what I am going to do with you .

Lets look at the Sun in your chart. (Idea: Astrology For Yourself)

The Sun Key phrases

My source, centre, will, vitality and life force.
My potential for creative expression
My ability to focus my talents and to realize my life purpose.

My planet the Sun is in the sign of ... Taurus. My Sun represents my purpose will, and power. I can best express this potential by fulfilling my need to be resourceful, productive and stable (key words for Taurus). However when I am using these sign qualities unskillfully, I may be materialistic conservative too security orientated.

After you have examined your Sun sign try and see how your Sun (sense of self) interacts with the rest of the chart. This level of interpreting is now for the more advanced student.

This is how it is broken down; using your Sun opposition Pluto aspect:
Sun = planet A Pluto = planet B

Planet A:

Planet/Sun = what (my basic identity and conscious purpose)

Sign/Taurus = how (my need to be resourceful, productive and stable)

House/4th where (establishing foundations, roots, and the source of emotional security.)

Planet A (Sun) forms an aspect to planet B (pluto) -

The opposition opposes creates tension with/needs to balance with:

Planet B

Planet/Pluto = what (my capacity to transform and renew myself.)

Sign/Scorpio = how (my need for deep involvements and intense transformations)

House/10th = where (through my career, accomplishments, fhow I unction in society. Authority figures, persons in power.)

Now, in your own words synthesize the above sentences, to form a few lines of interpretation.

Your sense of identity seems to be deeply rooted in your family, and your past. Throughout the course of your life you will cultivate being practical, persistent and enduring. The Sun in your chart represents your true sense of purpose, and is the source of your power. Following along the path of the Sun will give your life the direction you need as you 'develop' your personal resources in your private life, maybe through property, real estate or by making your psychological foundations more stable.

However, since Pluto the planet of deep transformation is connected to your sense of purpose (Sun) it is vitally important for you to know when you are in need of change and new growth. Your life may involve periodic changes which seem to erupt into your personal life and shake YOUR sense of your security and safety, especially through how you function in society, you may need to balance your home and public life.

You will learn what true inner self sustainment means from the very roots of your being. You need to balance your need for a career and powerful place in the world/society with your opposite need to feel firmly established in your roots. You can probably interpret more accurately, through adding your own experiences of this aspect. You might look at powerful authority figures in your life, your ambitions, and what inner security and upheaval/changes and transformation and achievement in the outer world mean to you. Look at your whole Sun profile this way until you build the reading up, and you can read it more fluidly with less 'astrological jargon'.

 

[starlink]

Re: Help with Reading my Chart, Please

Hello Epsilon! I must congratulate you on your great effort here to interprete your chart. This thread is also very helpful to anyone else struggling with this problem of synthesizing.
You were puzzled by this:

So, now my jovial, blunt emotions/reactions focused on friends and wishes is trining [ease, cooperation] Venus [love, affection, femininity] in Aries [impulsive, direct, selfish] in second house [money, possessions, self-esteem/worth]. Impulsive, direct, selfish love and direct affection, which are focused on self-esteem and money/possessions. And this is cooperating/ease with my jovial, blunt emotions and reactions focused on friends and wishes. Sorry, but what does that even mean?

and:

My jovial, blunt emotions/reactions focused on friends and wishes is easing and cooperating with Mars [masculinity, energy, drive, anger, lust] in Leo [showy, dramatic, ambitious] in seventh house [other people, spouse, open enemies]. All I can really think of, for both Moon trine Mars and Moon trine Venus, is that both of the traits in each aspect can co-exist with each other.... and co-operate to form something, but I don't know what that something is...

Mars square Mercury shows a sharp mind and a direct way of telling others what you think.

As you can see from your natal chart, Moon, Mars and Venus are forming a
Grand Trine and the trine is between your 11th, 7th and 2nd houses, in other words, Friends, others and your selfworth /finances.
Now, you can look at astrology from a mundane and from a psychological perspective. I use the latter to figure out how a person is or could be as a person and the mundane part to explain the income potential (2nd), the aspirations, group potential (11th) and what could be expected in relationships (7th).
As you see, all three work well together but each one has a particular other aspect they have to deal with which are:
1. the opposition from Venus to Jupiter
2. the inconjunct from Moon to Sun
3. the square from Mars to Mercury

These more difficult aspects are very necessary for you to spurr on that "lazy" trine. Trines can be too easy for an individual at times and result in less effort and input because things just seem to be presented on a silver platter.

OK, the trine between these 3 houses show that relationships seem to be a very enjoyable and also necessary issue in your life. Moon signifies your emotional feelings and where you feel most at ease. This is in the 11th house, i.o.w. amidst friends. Moon rules your 7th house, so all relationships, business as well as intimate one's play a very prominent role in helping you to feel secure (Moon). When others are nice to you and your relationship with them is OK, your self-esteem is boosted, you feel more confident (Venus in 2nd and ruler of Venus, Mars, in trine to Moon).
You could go to extremes to please others, shown by Jupiter (ruler of your Moon) in opposition to Venus (ruler of your Sun). Probably a way of doing this is maybe giving very nice presents to your friends (looks like you could be a big spender, also for yourself) or inviting them to your home (Sun in 4), in short, doing a lot of things to please others so that you will remain in their good books.This could well be shown by the "selfish" side of Venus in Aries.

Then you said:

and co-operate to form something, but I don't know what that something is...

I think that this is the purpose of that co-operation, that deep down this being nice and co-operative with everybody, is your way of obtaining emotional satisfaction and security.

A lot of things contradict each other. Looking at life pessimistically [Capricorn] and with rose-colored glasses on [Neptune]. First impression on others is that I'm practical [Capricorn] and unrealistic [Neptune]. I don't know. And is it me, or does it seem robotic? I don't know how to synchronise it and to make it into a flowing chart reading.

__________________

First that Saturn, ruler of your Ascendant. It is not pessimistic at all, if anything it shows that you can be very creative and able to transform ideas into reality. Saturn is in mutual reception with Uranus, they very much sustain one another. Unpredictable?? I dont think so either. Uranus is very well aspected by your Sun. Again, I think people might see you as very special. Different yes, but this can be very interesting.

Now that square to Pluto and Pluto in the 10th opposing your Sun, shows you can be quite dominant and intens and people will (sometimes be forced) to listen to you. It can show power issues you could have with authority and one of your parents, probably the father, but nothing that you could not resolve as seen by the sextile to Pluto and the trine to the Sun from Uranus.

Neptune in Capricorn is not as vague and unrealistic as when situated in Sagittarius for instance. Capricorn will keep you with your feet on the ground as does the trine to earthy Sun in Taurus.

You could indeed be a good astrologer if you ask me.
I hope this has given you a bit of insight on how things can work together.

Cheers, Starlink

 

[wilsontc]

chart interpretation

I really struggle with chart interpretation and even more with synchronization. Completing the puzzle of a chart reading. I really think Wilsontc's astro-sentence method is a great, simple method that works...

• [to understand the 4th house] In this case, I'd usually look at which house Leo, ruler of the sun, is on...
• And then there are the aspects. I find opposition to be very difficult to interpret. Sun opposition Pluto. Basically, you can see my identity/self-expression is unable to coexist with my need for power. What does that even mean? And then you have to take into account the signs of each planet, and the houses, and which houses each planet rules. It's really tough.

I guess what I'm looking for is some advice or explanation of how to interpret a natal chart. Maybe a small demonstration?...is it me, or does it seem robotic? I don't know how to synchronise it and to make it into a flowing chart reading.

I'm pleased that the astro-sentence method has helped you out in chart interpretation. Although I know you have already done this step, as a reminder, it is also important to see how inside world/outside world and self/other "balances out" in your chart. You have 6 planets in or near the bottom (inside world) and 6 planets in or near the top (outside world) in your chart, so you are "balanced" between focusing on the inside and the outside world. You have 8 planets in or near the left (self) side of your chart and 2 planets on the right (other) side of the chart, so you focus more on yourself than on others. And since you have more planets in or near the bottom (inner world) left (self) side of your chart, you use your self-awareness to examine your inner world. So astrology becomes a tool of "self-discovery". As you remember from Step 5 of the basic astrology website (link attached below this post), the opposition is an aspect of "over-excitement" so Sun (self-expression) opposite (energy is over-excited by) Pluto (transformation, also power) indicates that the Sun energy "excites" the Pluto energy and the Pluto energy "excites" the Sun energy. The result is they are both very strong and both "pulling in opposite directions" - the result is a kind of "tug of war" between self-expression and power. Richard Nixon also had this in his chart (and you might want to research his power issues if you don't recognize the name). The challenge with challenging Pluto aspects is to learn to SHARE power.

That is the basics of the intro to astrology website and you have done very well with it. Another tool you can use to quickly get the "big picture" of your chart is chart patterns. You have a "splash chart", so you scatter your energy into a lot of different projects. More about the splash chart here:
http://www.bobmarksastrologer.com/Splash.htm

Also look for planets which are close to the four points (Ascendant, Descendant, Midheaven, and IC). You have planets close to your Ascendant (self) and IC (inner world), so you have a strong self-focus and inner world focus.

Another very useful tool to get a "quick read" on where the focuses are in the astrological chart are aspect patterns. The Grand Trine has already been mentioned (although personally I think the Moon Mars trine might be a little too wide to be a "real" Grand Trine). You have an Easy Opposition (sometimes called a "wedge") to your Ascendant (self), further indicating the importance of "self" in your life:
http://www.lunarliving.org/astrology/mysticrectangle_wedge.shtml

You have another Easy Opposition to Mars (being, also action, anger) in the 7th house (relationships), which indicates a need to be active in relationships but also warns of possible anger issues in relationships.

And here's something about rulerships of houses. The house ruler is the planet which rules the sign on the CUSP of the house. So if you want to find the house ruler of the 4th house, you don't look to see where the ruler of the Sun in the 4th house is: instead, you look to see what is the sign on the cusp of the 4th house. The sign on the cusp of the 4th house is Taurus (ruled by Venus). So you look to see where VENUS is in the chart. Venus is in the 2nd house (physical, also personal values/money). This suggests when you focus on your home (4th house), you are concerned about your personal values and your money (2nd house, where the planetary ruler of the 4th house is). I find house rulerships make the chart too complex for easy interpretation, but many astrologers use house rulership with good results. More on house rulership here:
http://www.cafeastrology.com/natal/rulersofhousesinhouses.html

I also like to look for least aspected planets (planets with no or only one aspect to other planets). In your chart, you have two least aspected planets: Saturn (duty, also structure, restriction) and Moon (home, also emotions). Least aspected planets are energies you do not "connect into" so you may OVERdo these energies. So you may OVERdo your structuring (leading to restriction) or your home/emotional issues (leading to emotional upsets). Remember a little of these planetary energies goes a LONG way. More here on unaspected/least aspect planets:
http://astrology.findyourfate.com/astrology-unaspectedplanets.htm

And look for planets at 29 or 0 degrees in the chart, since these planetary energies will be strong in the chart. In your chart, that's Saturn. More on the power of 29 degrees (and 0 deegree) planets here:
http://karma.astrology.com/anaretic.html

And that should help you out on "looking over" future charts! Happy astrologizing!

Happily astrological,

Tim

 

[EJ53]

The content on this thread is both comprehensive and helpful to anyone engaged in the study of natal astrology - and Epsilon appears to be more than capable of absorbing/llearning from the extensive advice given here.

But, after 2 years of studying, this feedback would have caused "information overload" for me. So, with hindsight (and for the future), I wonder if it might have been better to catagorise comments. For example (quoting from "How to Write an Astrological Synthesis" by Terry Dwyer) :-

1. Knowing which chart factors to use.
2. Attaching the right degree of importance to each factor.
3. Finding the right interpretation for each factor.
4. Reconciling contradictions.
5. Placing the right degree of emphasis or weighting on different traits.
6. Wording the synthesised notes into coherent/useful sentences.
7. Arranging the sentences in a logical and meaningful sequence.

Of course, the information relating to each of these catagories is already on the thread - but would such categorisation have made it be easier to assimilate?

Overloaded with useful advice from experienced astrologers.

EJ

 

[astrologer50]

Three most important things in a natal chart are Asc, Sun sign and moon sign, where is the chart ruler Asc deposited and two or more planets in a house.

Now basically your sun sign is your 'core beliefs, values, ego' and Asc is your physical body, mode of expression and mask and persona that we all wear and hide behind, but definitely not what's going on underneath. What's going on underneath is your Sun sign. Moon sign, house placements and aspects describe your emotional and intuitive responses, also describes your view of your mother, as saturn describes your father by sign and house position.

So, think of a glass milk bottle the bottle is your Asc and your sun the milk, but the milk still has to 'come out' through the glass neck of the milk bottle....

Now aspects within a natal chart represent 'facets' of our personality, because we are all multifaceted beings. What these do is 'break down and compartmentalise' these facets into smaller bite size chunks. This does take quite a lot of self analysis and objectivity to 'see yourself' and why you do certain things and behave in certain ways. Actually it can be quite good therapy...

Now considering i teach and lecture on Equal house (the oldest and most reliable and traditional) your Sun/Mercury are both in 4th house of Cancer, therefore like myself you will prob fight to the death for family, energy will always go to and from 4th house.

Your Asc ruler Saturn is in 2nd house, quite often there is a fear of poverty here, and the square to Pluto will give ambition, structure and depth and strength

Your Pluto in 11th house is a bit of a loner. Venus in 3rd house opp Neptune in 9th. Lots pleasure from communications, learning, very direct and to the point but bit over the top cos of opp to Jupiter.

Jupiter how you expand and grow could well be through travel, studying, the law and 9th house matters.
Mars in 7th house well aspected with a trine to venus, suggest rather lively partners

Uranus in the 1st wants to appear different physically somehow. With these two planets SO close was there anything unsual about the birth? When you were 1year old for example when SA Asc conj Uranus, was there any accidents? Was your mother on drugs just before the birth?

Aspects are internal things that split up and compartmentalise your personality, by describing facets if you like of why and how you behave the way you do.....

Angular houses are like shop windows, always visable to others, but suceedant houses the energy of the planets are in the shop stood behind the counter and cadent houses are in the back storeroom only coming out in case of emergency and a passing trigger/transit.


So please look and evaluate for yourself the value of different House systems, thankfully the house meanings are unilateral.

 

[ananntha]

i found your explanations very helpful since i ''struggle'' with the same issue as epsilon. i studied all the basic things and now i stare at the chart trying to write the ''story''.. it s like i have the necessary words without the linking ones..

 

[Frank]

The methods I use differ somewhat from what other astrologers here use. If you have a good grasp of Planetary energies, Sign modifications of those energies, the topics that the Houses cover, and the flow the Aspects describe, my methods might be helpful to you.

First off, I don’t look at Sun/Moon/Ascendant first (at least not as has been described earlier).

The first thing I look at is the Ascendant and its Domicile ruler – and that planets condition and dispositor. If the Ascendant Domicile ruler is not in it’s Own Domicile, I follow it to what I call the chart Root – the planet or planets that the chart disposes to.

For example, If Virgo is rising, and Mercury is placed in Capricorn, and Saturn is placed in Scorpio and Mars is placed in Aries, Mars would be the Root of that particular placement – and possibly of the entire chart.

You can read the article I posted here for more detailed information about using Dispositors and Chart Roots:

http://www.astrologyweekly.com/forum/showthread.php?t=17099

I don’t immediately look at the Sun and the Moon because they might not be the most prominent Planet in a specific chart. What I do look for though is whether it is a Day or Night chart. In my opinion, the Moon will be more important in a Night chart (Sun below the Horizon). Both the Moon and the Sun can have difficulty when it comes to Essential Dignities – Unless the Sun is in Leo or Aries or (in a Day chart Sagittarius), it’s not going to be very Dignified. Unless the Moon is in Cancer or Taurus (or in a Night chart) in an Earth sign, it also wouldn’t be high in Dignity.

I would also look at Planets close to the Angles - they will be pivotal in a native’s life – whether for good or ill, depending on their condition. Even planets in the Cadent houses – because those will Solar Arc direct to the Angles fairly early in life and color the native’s personality, outlook, and tendencies for the rest of his or her life.

In my opinion, Midpoints should also be considered, especially the MC/Ascendant midpoint if there are any planets equal it by 45-degree multiple aspects.

Also check declination, for Planets in high focus there – either at 0 degrees declination or out-of-bounds.

Once you have a grasp on what the basic energy level of each planet is, then you can go though the topics associated with each house, and how the Domicile ruler of the sign on the cusp affects it by dignity and aspect.

Good Luck!

 

[starlink]

Very good Frank, very good! I usually start with an overview, how many planets below or above Asc. and how the East/West parts are occupied. Then the quadrants.
Then I look at elements. Which one's are strong, which weak and which are lacking.
Doing only that already gives you a good feel of the chart.

After that I look at Ascendant and do the same you do, finding the last dispositor. I actually do this a lot, also when delineating. Rulers are of utmost importance to me, more so than the natal placement of the planets. I see that as general energy. Where the energies are utilized and how (aspects) is more important.

Recently, I now also look at dignities of planets, probably because of my involvement in Horary. I must admit that traditional astrology gives a lot of extra info. I dont go further than detriment, fall, exhaltation and rulership. I leave the terms and falls to horary.

This is actually a very good learning thread and deserves those stars!!

i studied all the basic things and now i stare at the chart trying to write the ''story''.. it s like i have the necessary words without the linking ones..

Ananntha and Epsilon dont worry about the confusion you feel at the beginning. This is perfectly normal and all aspiring astrologers go through this phase. Slowly but surely things will sink in. Just take it step for step. Learning this art takes a lot of time, patience and determination. I hope you guys have a bit of Scorpio and Capricorn in you so you wont give up when things get tough!!
I used books to help me out for years. Now after about 30 years, I still once in a while look things up, not anymore because I dont know what it means, but to read about other people's feelings and interpretations of the same aspect.
Astrology is fascinating. It is like playing bridge, every game is different and so is every chart!

Cheers, Starlink

 

[Shining Ray]

I was bored with nothing to do and I thought I would extend on this thread and show an example of interpreting a chart, but it's just me really probing Obama for the day . This thread is probably better moved to Tim's Barack Obama thread. I would have put it there myself, but I started posting it here.

Asc: Link to what Asc means

The Ascendant shows how you want to present yourself to others, the impression of yourself that you consciously strive to project. So, it is the first impression others get of you. The Ascendant is the cusp of the 1st House, i.e. its starting point. Whereas the Ascendant is the image of yourself that you project, the rest of the 1st House shows how others perceive you as they get to know you. But the Ascendant is the role you play, and the way you prefer others to perceive you.

Key words to remember for the 1st House/Asc ​

How others see me, image, appearance. Outer Personality.​

Aquarius Rising​

Barack Obama was born when the 11th sign of the zodiac was rising. Aquarius is a fixed Air element. The sign is known for being different, but he can also be conservative, this is because Obama is ruled by two planets Saturn and Uranus. Obama will consciously strive to project qualities such as an innovative image, friendliness, humanitarianism, he can have interest in social groups, he aspires towards a broadminded and intellectual approach. Aquarius is "people orientated" - Obama would like to be perceived this way, and he projects of a progressive, civilised, approach. Obama aspires towards "change" and progressive movements.

Quote: Martin Schulman - You will find new way to deal with old problems. And, whether or not your ideas are traditionally acceptable, they will work for you. You understand the current of life and your karmic role as a catalyst for change, bringing about evolutionary and revolutionary improvements in yourself and others. (Uranus in 7th house - others, public, relationships). You can create a consciousness of change which is humanity's hope for the future.

Key words for Aquarius - mental, intuitive, original, social, experimental, tolerant, friendly, universal, freedom loving, humanitarian.

We can look briefly at his chart rulers now, and will also refer to them throughout the reading. The sign of Aquarius is ruled by Saturn and Uranus. Saturn is the traditional ruler, and Uranus is the Modern ruler. Read this on Asc ruler.

Obama's Saturn is placed in it's sign of Capricorn (like a double Capricorn), he is ambitious, with organizational ability, responsible, and prestige and social standing is important. Obama was born with a strong sense of duty and a determination to succeed whatever the cost. There can be sensitivity to public opinion with Saturn here, a defense against feelings of inadequacy. Saturn in Capricorn is placed in the house commonly referred to as the house of karma, a kind of bondage, or isolation. The 12th house is the last house on the zodiac wheel and there is a connection with selfless service in this house. The greater Good... According to Stephen Arroyo - The twelfth is the area of LEARNING on the Emotional and Soul level. This awareness takes place through gradual growth of awareness that accompanies loneliness and deep suffering through selfless service, or through devotion to a higher ideal.

The cadent house also relates to the mind, and Saturn can have irrational fears. There is a strong feeling of obligation a sacrifice to pay ones debt. According to Astrology Weekly - A Twelfth House Saturn suggests that your career or area of responsibility in the world relates in some way to work in seclusion, or for the care or education of others - perhaps in social work, hospitals, prisons, universities, religion or the arts. Your nature is acquisitive, reserved and inclined to solitude, with a desire to work unpretentiously, unobserved, and live peacefully or alone. With this placing of Saturn you may experience negative inner pressures related to subconscious insecurity, secret sorrows, fear, loneliness and disappointment. You may at some stage suffer false accusations by secret enemies.

Father Figure Saturn in 12th and Sun-Neptune

Obama's parents met in 1960 in a Russian language class at the University of Hawaii at Mānoa, where his father was a foreign student on scholarship.The couple married on February 2, 1961, and Barack was born later that year. His parents separated when he was two years old and they divorced in 1964.Obama's father returned to Kenya and saw his son only once more before dying in an automobile accident in 1982.

Obama has Sun in Leo (Father) in the 6th house square Neptune in Scorpio 9th. The father may have felt invisible, mysterious, and Obama has a great yearning for a "father figure", a savior/Christ like figure is archetypal here. He can have a weak and diffused self image, shown by Neptune. The father is often ineffectual or missing, with this aspect. Obama therefore has difficulty seeing himself clearly, because he didn't have an early solid role model. He can also be affected by dreams and visions of collective hopes (Neptune in 9th). Obama has Jupiter in the 12th house and Neptune in 9th house (planets in each-others houses), and Jupiter squares Neptune (a powerful combination). Obama may be prone to suffer delusions of grandeur and an exaggerated mental fantasy. Therefore he can suffer deep disillusionment and disappointment, and this combined with the weight of the world on his shoulders, he may at times feel he has failed as an authority figure or he is an ineffectual leader, or "father" to the people. This could bring up insecurities around his own self-image. I do like Obama . He has expressed the good qualities.

 

[Cosmiccradle]

I use the Almuten method, working from the strongest planet to the weakest. By the time the calculations are done and all things have been taken into consideration it's easy to see what needs to be said and what doesn't. When all planets have been examined, from everything from speed to placing, from aspect to motion, from rulership to house positiom things become quiet clear as to where the weight lies within the chart. Naturally the Asc./Moon/Sun play a large roll. Also I use tight orbs, and only allow for wider orbs if the orb is increasing and applying. If I may use an example of someone I know. The Almuten gave the following insight. A kind and powerful person, a real go-getter. So in his chart my foundation was built on the Sun, Venus, Mars and Pluto. I am constantly checking to see if the weighing system holds true and if it coincides with the interpretation of the chart of the person.

Almuten

Sun 37.8
Moon 2.7
Mercury -4
Venus 37.88
Mars 35.32
Jupiter 16.02
Saturn 16.99
Uranus 11.83
Neptune 22.45
Pluto 29.41

Ibn Ezra

Sun 26
Moon 31
Mercury 11
Venus 27
Mars 33
Saturn 15
Jupiter 18

Ptolemy

Sun 4
Moon 4
Mercury -5
Venus -5
Mars 5
Saturn 4
Jupiter 6

Dorothean/Egyptian

Sun 4
Moon 4
Mercury -5
Venus -5
Mars 5
Saturn 4
Jupiter 6

 

[Kannon]

Epsilon,

To test the accuracy of the birth chart, I go straight to the Asc/1st house figurre. In order for this chart to accurately reflect you, you must be a person who is managerial and takes charge, with a life emphasis of promoting self to others, at times to irritating effect. This is because of the Cardinal sign, Capricorn, on the Asc, which takes control tacitly, but confidently, plus an interception of signs in the 1st-7th, which further emphasizes promoting yourself to others. With Mars in the 7th, squaring Mercury, this will irritate others at times, but you should be able to smooth this out normally. This chart would be excellent for an independent salesperson. If you're not the kind of person who can sell anything to nearly anyone, then this chart needs adjusting.

Start with this... What's the chart ruler supposed to be? Saturn. Where is it? Aquarius in 1st house. This puts emphasis on YOU in a group mind or collective-mindedness. You in control. Managerial, together, etc.

The interception of signs in 1st-7th creates an emphasis that would be there even if no planets were. This is the chart of an outside-the-box executive. Are you?

 

[zoidsoft]

Many of these posts are focusing on meanings that are based upon subjective/objective personal self image or psychological interpretation, but what if you want to know something concrete in the external objective world and have already figured out who you are in relation to the rest of the world?

There is a method (actually several) by Vettius Valens for predicting the concrete particular (such as a man has red hair, gets married at age 27, founds a successful business at 38, becomes widely recognized or famous at 51, etc). Valens wrote the Anthology nearly 1900 years ago in classical Greek and it has been translated by a number of scholars.

The first thing that Valens ascertains is the chart support or eminence of the native by taking the Sun's position by day or the Moon's position by night and looking at the condition of the 3 trigon lords based upon the signs they are in and whether they are in angular, succeedent or cadent houses. Valens used the whole sign house system. If these 3 planets were found to be angular and in their own domiciles, exaltations, etc then the chart was said to have great support and the planets Mars and Saturn will behave differently if they turn malefic (meaning that in a situation such as Watergate, that Nixon's aides took the blame before Nixon fell). If the planets were succeedent for the most part, then it is a middling condition and if they fell cadent and not in their own places, then life is difficult for the most part. Of course this is very general and there are ways to get a more exact idea of where the difficulties lie because we all usually have different kinds of things going on in different areas as described by the houses.

I can't go into the whole of the method of Valens here, but there is one technique that stands out above the others that is easily verifiable and would be useful even for novices known as Zodiacal Releasing (aphesis in Greek). Valens says that if the domicile lord of Spirit happens to be in the 10th sign counting from the lot of fortune, or if the 10th from fortune happens to be fortunate by having planets in their own domicile or exaltation, then when that sign has the timelordship, that is when they will become famous and what they do in that period is often what they are known for.

For example, John Travolta has the lot of fortune in Aquarius which makes Scorpio the 10th sign counting from fortune. He has the lot of spirit in Capricorn which means that Saturn is the domicile lord for spirit. Because Travolta has Saturn in Scorpio, we know before hand that when he reaches his Scorpio period that he will be famous and what he does during that time is what he is known for. Travolta is most known for his roles in Saturday Night Fever, Grease and Pulp fiction. Guess what? He was in a Scorpio period during the production and release of these three movies (first in 1977-78 and again in 1993-94).

Einstein was in a Mars Capricorn 10th period when general relativity was confirmed and he became the most famous scientist in the world. Hitler went into his 10th from fortune period and one day later the Nazi party took 108 seats in parliament.

We have been finding this to be a very reliable technique to find when career shifts occur and when one is most effective and for eminent nativities, when they become famous or when there is trouble for reputation.

 

[Joseph Astrologer]

Hi Epsilon

A lot has already been said on individual approaches. It's great to see people sharing freely. Take your time to absorb it all my friend.

I would only add that at 15 years of age, you are going fantastic in terms of getting your head across all the different areas. Don't be too hard on yourself, life is long and there are many experiences and wisdom to be gleamed along the way.

As you travel your path you will learn things about yourself, reflect on your energies - and observe other peoples vibes. You remind me a lot of myself when I was your age - i too have Sun (Pisces) in fourth house. This placement indicates one who will use their life to get to the roots of their existence. And by this I mean even beyond the powers of astrology! At this level we get to the nothingness of consciousness, the spirit in each of us which is beyond name, body and belief. It's a honour to have the sun in fourth house i have found.

We all remain 'students' in one sense when in comes to knowing ourselves. But this is the doorway to reading other peoples charts. Know your own chart deeply and honestly. Then one day you will take a chance, be courageous enough and begin to piece it all together. Try not to get too trapped in the conceptual understanding, stay in touch with your intuition, which leads to your third eye being opened (uranus conjunct ascendant helps here) - as this continues you will be able to channel insights about peoples charts.

Observations will come in a series of gradual developments, and for you with Mercury in Taurus, seeing something, touching your chart, writing on it in the privacy of your own space - will all allow you to understand not only the mechanics of astrology, but also allow you to perceive deeply without any 'tools'.

One last thing, your North Node Sag in 11th house - well, what can i say about this...no wonder you sense you'll be a great astrologer one day, with this North Node it's very likely my friend. Keep your perspective, feed your enthusiasm, and share with other experienced collegues & friends (like on this site!)

Good luck & warm regards **

 

[astrologer50]

zoidsoft,

Many of these posts are focusing on meanings that are based upon subjective/objective personal self image or psychological interpretation, but what if you want to know something concrete in the external objective world and have already figured out who you are in relation to the rest of the world?

There is a method (actually several) by Vettius Valens for predicting the concrete particular (such as a man has red hair, gets married at age 27, founds a successful business at 38, becomes widely recognized or famous at 51, etc). Valens wrote the Anthology nearly 1900 years ago in classical Greek and it has been translated by a number of scholars.

sounds like you are exclusively using Traditional methods for divination.....

House systems Traditional v Modern
http://www.astrologyweekly.com/forum/showthread.php?t=8463
Traditional astrologers using ancient outdated information (unproven) that hardly seems relevant in a modern world
http://www.astrologyweekly.com/forum/showthread.php?t=21385

I think POF and Lots are interesting, but I would not use them exclusively for divination purposes....

POF
http://www.astrotherapy.eu/ParsFortunae.htm
http://www.astrologyweekly.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-5210.html

“However, in the case of both significations one must keep in mind that no one indication in the chart, not even the Part of Fortune, can be taken by itself as a total indicator of any area of life. For health one must also look at the Ascendant, its ruler, the Moon and its ruler. Also the sixth and eighth houses as indicators of illness and death respectively have strong indications for health. For material prosperity one should also look at the second house, the tenth house, and their rulers.”
http://www.astro.com/astrology/in_fortune_e.htm

“The fortune indicated by this part is not necessarily materialistic or even tangible, though it can be. It depends on the sign and house location of the Part of Fortune. The benefit can be on the physical, intellectual, emotional, and/or spiritual plane of experience. In all cases it is through the cultivation and expression of this point that one will experience harmony and a sense of well-being.”
http://www.astroresources.com/fortune.htm

“The Part of Fortune represents worldly success, and is associated with the physical body and health as well. It can be indicative of the career or vocation. Worldly success and prosperity are associated with the Part of Fortune, and both its sign and house placement suggests innate abilities and talents--areas of life and qualities that are expressed naturally.”
http://www.cafeastrology.com/partoffortune.html
just found a site for calculating this and many more Parts or Lots --
http://www.noendpress.com/pvachier/arabicparts/index.php

 

[astrologer50]

"Some formulas listed here have both an AM and PM version. The PM version is a reverse of the AM version and when indicated, persons born in the daytime (Sun in 7th - 12th houses) should use the AM formula while persons born in the evening (Sun in 1st - 6th houses) should use the PM formula. Sometimes it's best to try both formulas."
Check the placement of the Sun in the chart, it must be sensibly placed relative to the horizon for the given time of day. For a day birth, the Sun must be above the horizon.

From astro.com explanations on POF
We use different formulae for Pars Fortunae for a day birth than for a night birth. You can change this rule with an option in the extended chart selection.
The day formula is: ASC + Moon - Sun
The night formula: ASC + Sun - Moon
Astrologers differ in their views about which formula to use for Pars Fortunae.
If you're interested in in-depth information, please read the article "The Lot or Part of Fortune" by Robert Hand in our "Understanding Astrology" section.

 

[zoidsoft]

zoidsoft,

sounds like you are exclusively using Traditional methods for divination.....

Nope. I'm good friends with Steven Forrest and have been practicing psychological astrology since 1975. Steven Forrest says that we should be building bridges between the various schools of thought. I have written about how this might be done and starting with the material of Rhetorius and the myth of Ur that Schmidt relayed to me once, I had an insight about the path of souls based upon the thema mundi and what Evolutionary astrologers say about the nodal axis:

http://www.astrology-x-files.com/x-files/evolutionary-astro.html

When the demiurge created the cosmos, the 4 elements were constantly changing into each other so that you could not point to something and say that it is a "such and such". This is where the Moon comes in to bring stability through the Khora (this is in Plato's Timaeus) so that manifestation can happen in the sub-lunary sphere. What this means is that when dealing with the material realm a decision (or many decisions in actuality) have to be made for something to have a material reality, but in the realm of spirit, everything has the ability to change from one reality to another. This is why synthesis works better than analysis in the spiritual realm (and therefore also in spiritual/psychological astrology), but the material realm prefers analysis and lines to be drawn so that one can say "this and not that".

When dealing with the concrete particular, these older techniques seem to work better, but the problem is that they do horribly at finding the meaning of spiritual matters by themselves and that is because the material realm is not where spirit resides. This would be a long exposition as to proofs but the reality is that each branch of astrology complements the other. Some get into the idea of fate in the traditional area, but there are many opinions on this and I am of the opinion that the fate concept should be demoted to the realm of the material causes of Aristotle rather than the efficient cause which the Stoics would prefer (Robert Schmidt says that the Hellenistic system was actually based upon material causes which means that absolute fate is impossible). If we actually choose the life of a Tyrant, Merchant, Farmer, etc, (as the Myth of Ur suggests) then attendant conditions would have to be met to be able to live out the chosen life after passing through the waters of forgetfulness, but that does not mean that what happens is rigidly controlled and can't be modified. I heard Demetra George (Eugene, Oregon) say one time that there are many choices, but they all lead to the same destination. It is the manner in how we get there where there is latitude.

 

[zoidsoft]

"Some formulas listed here have both an AM and PM version. The PM version is a reverse of the AM version and when indicated, persons born in the daytime (Sun in 7th - 12th houses) should use the AM formula while persons born in the evening (Sun in 1st - 6th houses) should use the PM formula. Sometimes it's best to try both formulas."

I've already accounted for these variations in the software that I wrote (Delphic Oracle and Timaeus). Valens says that "frequently Fortune becomes Spirit and vice versa". He also had the opinion that one should only use the nocturnal formula if the Moon was above the horizon... Most of this stuff has to do with how "chrematistikos" (telling or busy) a position is as Valens would say.

 

[zoidsoft]

zoidsoft,

“However, in the case of both significations one must keep in mind that no one indication in the chart, not even the Part of Fortune, can be taken by itself as a total indicator of any area of life...

In eminent nativities a pattern can be seen more clearly using just one point such as this which is why I used the above examples. However, you shouldn't do this without understanding the dynamics of the natal configuration because in many cases there will be exceptions. What I posted above is really an extremely condensed version of the overall method that involves far more than looking at the part of fortune (spirit lord in the 10th from fortune and angular trigon lords for example give a hint as to the magnitude of the effect varying from employee of the month to leader of a nation).

In the Hellenistic area, there are 3 basic realms to consider: the zodiacal realm, the planetary realm and the terrestrial realm. The lots and houses are on the terrestrial realm and deals most closely in the realm of the concrete particular at the final level of decisions where potential passes from the possible to the determined. The planetary and starry realms deal more with potentials and set the boundaries of the possible.