Your natal Astrology chart is a map of your personality, skills, life lessons, unresolved issues and your purpose for being here. Here is an easy way for beginners to look at your Astrology chart and understand your primary energetic information.
The Astrology chart is set up as a circle, or wheel, the spins counter-clockwise. The perspective of the chart is looking down from above. The circle is 360 degrees and is divided in 12 segments are “Houses” of 30 degrees each.
Here’s the basics:
An Astrology chart has four quadrants created by two thick black lines: The AC running to left to right to the DC and the IC running bottom to top to the MC.
The AC is your Ascendant, or Rising Sign, denoted by “AC”. This is the zodiac constellation that was rising above the horizon when you were born. Knowing your exact birth time gives you the degree and sign of your AC. The AC begins the chart at the First House on the left side of the chart, the House of Self. Your AC qualities are what people see first about you; it is your first impression energy.
The DC is your Descendant and is the direct opposite degree of your AC. The DC begins your Seventh House of Relationships. It is the DC that attracts you into a relationship with another and showcases qualities that are in harmony with you. “Opposites attract”. The DC is also the energy that balances you.
The IC, or Imum Coeli, is the root of your Astrology chart. The IC begins your Fourth House of Feelings and it is in the sign of your IC that you feel most grounded and centered. It is the energetic vibration that resources you to reach higher towards your MC.
The MC, or MidHeaven, is the zenith point of your Astrology chart. Your MC is the place where your Spirituality (Ninth House) comes together with your Career and contributions to the world (Tenth House). The qualities of your MC are what take you into your Highest Self that can make a difference in the world.
An Astrology chart is an Archetypal story of your life. Breaking down the chart into three layers: House, Zodiac Sign and Planets, simplifies and helps you learn about yourself. Think of understanding the layers as this metaphor: the planets represent “What” as in the type of energy expressed, the zodiac signs represent “How” as in how the energy is expressed and the houses of the zodiac represent the “Where” as in the areas of life the energy will play out.
Of these the most important to understand in astrology are the Sun, Moon and your Ascendant. This is the trilogy: the Yang (Sun), the Yin (Moon) and the personality (Ascendant), the mask you wear, or the way you approach the world. Knowing your Sun, Moon and Ascendant (AC) signs can give you your basic energetic vibration. The Sun represents Self, the Moon represents Emotions/Subconscious and the Ascendant represents the vibration that you are emerging as in this lifetime.
HOUSES:
Like a clock, there are 12 segments or Houses in an Astrology chart that govern the themes of our earthly life. Each House has a natural ruling Zodiac sign and ruling planet. These characteristics play a part as they set the stage for how you experience that part of your life. If your AC is not Aries, then you will have a different sign and ruling planet overlaying the natural vibration of the house. This information helps to color your understanding and experience.
SIGNS:
There are 12 Zodiac signs that each govern a House and give it its characteristics. The Zodiac signs are the “How” you express that House’s energy. The Zodiac signs are determined by the Sun flowing through these 12 constellations in one solar year.
PLANETS:
There are nine planets that are mapped in a Western Astrology chart. The planets are shown in the degree and constellation they were in at the time of your birth. The Planets represent the characters in the house where they are residing. They express the “What” energy.
EXTRAS:
ASTEROIDS:
There are many Asteroids in our solar system. In your Lunar Ladies Astrology chart, we add in the the five Feminine Asteroids: Ceres, Juno, Pallas Athena, Lilith and Vesta. They each represent a face of the Goddess expressing Herself within your feminine vibration.
CHIRON:
Chiron is the planetoid of “The Wounded Healer”. The House and Sign that your natal Chiron falls is where you are bringing in a wound to heal. Once your wound is acknowledged and understood, the healing process can begin.
NORTH/SOUTH NODE: The North and South Nodes of the Moon represent areas of our vibration where our Soul wants to grow the most. The South Node represents skills, talents and any unworked out “stuff” from your most recent past life. Bringing into harmony your South Node House and any planets there, ricochets positive Soul energy to propel into your North Node House. Your North Node is an area of your Soul’s journey that you have not yet experienced. It will feel foreign and new. Most likely you will not feel inclined to that area of your life in that sign’s vibration. But it is here that you will grow the most in this lifetime. It is not the easiest experience but it will be worth it!
ASPECTS:
The Aspects are relationships between planets. This is how the planets relate or talk to each other. If you are using the metaphor of a movie or play, the Aspects are the movie or play transcripts. The are harmonic and dissonant Aspects. The harmonic Aspects are: sextile (symmetry), trine (flow), oppositions (opposites are in a deep harmony). The dissonant Aspects are: conjunction (intensity), square (tension), and yod (requires a spiritual understanding).