How To Understand Your Natal Chart Report

Have you ever wondered what your birth chart looked like or what it can do for you? Your birth chart is like a photograph taken at the exact moment of your birth showing you what sign is rising, where the sun and moon are alongside eight other planets… and this is just the start of it!

The birth chart can show you what areas of your life you may be strong or weak, where you can compensate for any weaknesses and also where you can build upon your strengths.

The planets don’t stop moving at your time of birth, they are continually moving and interacting with your birth chart. Sometimes in a good way, sometimes in a not so good way. Think of it like a dance… sometimes you get the rumba, other times a slow waltz. These interactions with the current planetary positions and your birth chart are called transits and they are what an Astrologer would look at to tell you what was around in your life right now, what was coming up for you in the future and the best timing and action to negotiate the situation.



Let’s look at what makes up the birth chart.

Ascendant. This is the face you show to the world and people you meet when they first meet you.

The Sun. The Sun represents who you are as a person. It rules Leo.

The Moon. The Moon is for your emotions. It rules Cancer.

Mercury. Mercury is for communication and thought processes. It rules Gemini and Virgo.

Venus. Venus is also an emotional planet but it has the extra depth of beauty, fairness and the feminine. It rules Taurus and Libra.

Mars. Mars is for your energy and where you might direct it. It rules Aries.

Jupiter. Jupiter is the planet of luck and expansion. It rules Sagittarius.

Saturn. Saturn tends to give wisdom and life’s lessons. It rules Capricorn.

Uranus. Uranus is erratic and hard to contain/control type energy. It rules Aquarius.

Neptune. Neptune is intuitive, sensitive and very much linked to the spiritual side of life. It rules Pisces.

Pluto. Pluto is for transformation and big changes in life. It rules Scorpio.

Fire, earth, air, water

You might also have heard of elements and zodiac signs within the birth chart. These are fire, earth, air and water.

Fire signs are: Aries, Leo, Sagittarius. They are known for action and rushing into situations.
Earth signs are: Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn. These signs are more practical and grounded.
Air signs are: Gemini, Libra and Aquarius. Intellect rules these signs.
Water signs are: Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces. Emotions and intuition are strongest in these signs.

Here’s a handy piece of information for those of you who are interested in tarot. The minor aracna cards in tarot are all linked to one of the four elements of astrology! The fire signs are linked to Wands. Earth signs are linked to Pentacles. Air signs are linked to Swords. Water signs are linked to Cups. The 22 cards in the major arcana in tarot also have 12 cards in them linked to one of the 12 astrological signs. Emperor/Aries, Heiophant/Taurus, Lovers/Gemini, Chariot/Cancer, Strength/Leo, Hermit/Virgo, Justice/Libra, Death/Scorpio, Temperance/Sagittarius, The Devil/Capricorn, The Star/Aquarius, The Moon/Pisces.

Houses

Now let’s look at the houses. The house system shows where the energy of the planets is coming into play. The first house is always what your rising sign is however if you have small and large houses (sections of the chart) then you might find that a few signs overlap in a house and other signs have smaller houses.

The first house: aka the ascendant/rising sign. This is what you first show to the world. You might be a quiet piscean but with a leo rising you will shine and be hard to miss.

The second house: This is what you value most in life. It not only stands for the value you place on possessions but also your own values.

The third house: Shows how you communicate not just verbally but how quickly you process information.

The fourth house: aka the IC. Nurturing and family values come into play in the fourth house.

The fifth house: Creativity and expression are strong in this part of the chart.

The sixth house: Your health can show up in this house alongside your work ethic.

The seventh house: aka the decendant. This is the house of relationships whether they be love or business partnerships and the harmony you experience.

The eight house: Delving deeply into life, death and transformational issues.

The ninth house: Philosophical matters alongside education and higher learning.

The tenth house: aka the midheaven where it is meeting the 9th house shows what you are aiming to achieve especially In career and recognition.

The eleventh house: Linked to friendships and social groups.

The twelfth house: Emotions and creativity.



Here we have a birth chart showing the 12 signs and 12 houses with a short explanation for each position. Astrologers read the chart and can also look at a point in time to see what is going on for the chart and what planets are interacting right now and in which house. These are called transits and they can be set for any date in time you wish to look at whether this be in the past, present or future.

The ascendant is in Gemini giving a strong sense of communication and love of words. This individual would be able to process information quickly.

The Sun is in Aries (18 degrees) in the tenth house allowing for determination in reaching the heights of success.

The Moon is also in Aries (11 degrees) in the tenth house adding emotional strength when it comes to reaching goals.

Mercury is in Pisces (21 degrees) in the ninth house allowing for a strong grasp on the metaphysical aspects of life. There would be a lifetime of learning or higher education with this placement of Mercury.

Venus is in Taurus (7 degrees) in the eleventh house. This is a strong placement for Venus as it rules Taurus. It feels right at home in here and would give the person a taste for the finer things in life. Security would be important whether this is in relationships or personal life. The eleventh house aspect of this placement means this person would value friendship in relationships.

Mars is in Capricorn (5 degrees) in the seventh house. Relationships may not run smoothly with Mars (planet of war) in the seventh house of relationships. Whilst it is true it can add intensity to a relationship it can also cause friction yet the qualities of Capricorn would always strive for practical resolution.

Jupiter is in Pisces (10 degrees) in the ninth house. This is a lovely placement of Jupiter. It not only is in a sign which allows it to explore concepts without limitation the ninth house adds value to what is learnt. There would also be a strong intuitive, creative streak for this individual.

Saturn is in Sagittarius (9 degrees) in the sixth house. This person can work hard! The placement of Saturn in the sixth house give a lot of energy to get the job done at all costs. There is also a tendency with Saturn in Sagittarius to learn from what is being done and not repeat past mistakes.

Uranus is in Sagittarius (22 degrees) in the sixth house. Again this gives a drive to getting the job done but at the same time allows for bursts of energy and intuition to guide the person to the best course of action to take at work.

Neptune is in Capricorn (5 degrees) in the seventh house. This Neptune can give a focused and down to earth grasp on a situation which would come in handy due to it being in the seventh house of relationships.

Pluto is in Scorpio (6 degrees) in the fourth house. Pluto is right at home in Scorpio as it is the ruler of that sign making this a strong placement for Pluto. It would give an insightful character and because it is also in the fourth house there is a tendency to use this insight when it comes to home and family.

There is a whole heap more that can be done with natal chart analysis, showing the aspects planets make to each other. Trines (90 degrees) and conjunctions (zero degrees) are considered smooth and positive whilst squares (120 degrees) and oppositions (180 degrees) are not. You can even look at your natal chart report in comparison to your partner’s report and see where the strengths and weaknesses are which gives you a better understanding of where you are both coming from. Now that’s a handy thing to know!