Birth chart

Our personal natal horoscope provides us with a powerful tool for understanding our own energy signature and how it is affected by other energy forms including matter. A detailed examination of the birth chart takes time, but reveals one s essence. 

Another technique for using the planetary system of healing involves a more in-depth study of the birth chart and of the whole self, rather than just the treatment of passing symptoms and illnesses. It offers much deeper and longer-lasting balance and wellness. In this approach, the birth information of the individual is examined, and planetary affinities are determined. 

The concept behind this is that at the time of birth, the planetary energies are locked up in physical material and have a determined reflection, stamping their influences and energies at each level of being. The rulership of the various houses in the birth chart reveals all types of personal qualities, such as strengths, weaknesses, disease and health tendencies, and affinities for certain methods of treatment. 

In alchemical works, the pattern of life/death/rebirth is often repeated upon the subject in various forms. For example, during distillation, our liquid passes into an invisible state then condenses and manifests in an improved form. The alchemists viewed this as analogous to death, a visit to the spiritual world then rebirth in the physical. Similarly during recrystallization, our matter is dissolved into a medium and becomes clear, then made to reappear as an improved form. In astrology, the birth chart shows the imprint of the cosmos on the individual at birth. So too during those periods of rebirth of our matter there is the imprint of the heavens. By repeatedly reinforcing a particular planetary power during these multiple rebirths, our subject becomes polarized to that force. 

Astrology has many forms. In this book, I focus on natal astrology, the interpretation of a birth chart to gain insight into yourself and others. Using real life examples, I show you how to construct your birth chart (or how to get it on the Internet), how to interpret its component parts, and how to use that information to gain insight into yourself and others. 

One of the most charming aspects of astrology, in my opinion, is that virtually all birth charts, calendars, and books on the subject are strewn with tiny, mysterious-looking symbols. Until you know those symbols by heart, their presence can be distracting and confusing. That s why I usually spell out the names of the signs, planets, and aspects. With actual birth charts, however, words are insufficient. I present those horoscopes just the way a professional astrologer would — covered with symbols. 

Memorizing those symbols is incredibly useful. But you don t have to do it. Instead, you can turn to the Cheat Sheet at the beginning of this book, where you can find a neat list of every symbol you need to know. The Cheat Sheet enables you to translate the symbols back into English. That way, when you re looking at a birth chart and you see something like this ... 

In this book, whenever 1 refer to a planetary position such as the one in the preceding example, 1 describe it as 26°23 Gemini. I usually don t spell out the words degree (°) and minute ( ). I assume that you know them. On birth charts, 1 go further and omit those two tiny symbols. Instead, the charts in this book announce planetary positions by using boldface type for the degrees and regular type for the minutes, as follows 26 23. 

I assume that you have access to a computer and can get on the Web, where you can easily obtain your birth chart. (You can also cobble one together yourself, using only the material in this book.) That horoscope combined with this book enables you to explore astrology in a multitude of ways. 

You ll also find the Appendix, which lists the positions of the Sun, the Moon, and the planets, including Chiron. This is the section of the book to turn to when doing a birth chart. It tells you where the planets were (and will be) between 1930 and 2012. 

Certain facts and principles are essential. I discuss most of them in the early chapters. But when you need to recall a fact in order to understand another aspect of a birth chart, I try to remind you, gently, using this icon. 

I don t know why astrology works, any more than Sir Isaac did. But I can assure you that it does work. The pattern that the planets made at the moment of your birth — that is, your birth chart or horoscope — describes your tendencies, abilities, challenges, and potential. It doesn t predict your fate, though it does make some fates more easily achievable than others. The exact shape of your destiny, I believe, is up to you. 

In this chapter, I delve into the astronomy behind astrology, the signs of the zodiac, and the components of the birth chart. 

Just as every birth chart includes all the planets, every horoscope has all 12 houses. The sign on the cusp, or beginning of the house, describes your approach to it. For instance, if the sign of the bull is on the cusp of your house of work, your attitude toward your job is Taurean, making you dependable, productive, and a bit of a plodder, regardless of whether that house is crammed full of planets or empty. 

If you were born at any other time or place, you have to make adjustments. Using an ephemeris, a table of houses, and the principles of high school algebra, you can come up with a close approximation of your chart. Should you insist on precision (perhaps because you have a dose of Virgo in your birth chart), you need one more item, which I explain in the following bullet. 

Chaos Astrology (mm. chaosastrology. com) The free birth chart offered at this Web site is longer than most — plus, it includes the actual chart, if you know where to look. The trick is simple After you feed in your birth information and your astrological profile appears on the screen, click on the sun/moon icon at the top of the page. Lo and behold Your actual birth chart appears. 

Locating your planets Guestimating your Ascendant Discovering your houses Putting it all together to get your birth chart... 

Putting together a basic birth chart involves these steps Looking up the planets, figuring out your Ascendant, making the wheel of the horoscope, and placing the planets on the wheel. After that, you re ready for the true art of astrology interpretation. 

To illustrate the process, let s go back to Nicole Kidman, who was born on June 20, 1967, at 3 15 p.m. in Honolulu. To make her birth chart, begin by looking up her planets in the Appendix. Here s what we find for that day ... 

Astrologers see Mercury as the symbol of communication, speech, writing, knowledge, the intellect, reason, wit, and learning. Its position in your birth chart determines the way you think, the speed with which you gather facts and process information, the style with which you express yourself, and your ability to tell a story (truthful or otherwise), give a speech, and use language. 

Uranus is a shocker. In a birth chart, it represents the part of you that s most original and inventive, that shuns convention, craves freedom, and attracts — or creates — abrupt change. It can stir up senseless rebellion, studied eccentricity, restlessness, turmoil, and agitated states of mind. It can also herald unexpected, life-altering events, typically in areas where you haven t been paying attention. Uranus, it must be said, can shatter your world. 

Uranus spends about seven years in each sign. Like Neptune and Pluto, it makes its greatest impact on generations. In an individual chart, its influence is subtle — most of the time. But when it s prominent in a birth chart, Uranus is the mark of geniuses, idealists, iconoclasts, nonconformists, eccentrics, inventors, revolutionaries, and astrologers. 

And when, over the course of its 84-year cycle, it stimulates the Sun, the Moon, and the other planets in a birth chart, it can beget turmoil, foolish accidents, hair-raising relationship upheaval, amazing job shifts, and — in short — whatever mayhem it takes to loosen you up and liberate you. 

The sign that Uranus occupies in your birth chart determines the way you and other members of your generation shake off the burden of expectation, rebel against the established order, liberate yourself from fear, and express your most original self. 

Neptune doesn t affect everyone equally. Like the other outer planets, it tends to influence generations more strongly than individuals. But there are exceptions. How can you tell if you have a powerful Neptune Neptune occupies a prominent position in your birth chart if... 

Like Uranus and Neptune, Pluto primarily influences generations. Its influence in an individual s birth chart is usually subtle — unless Pluto occupies a prominent spot in your chart. Pluto is prominent if... 

Alternatively, you could go to the Internet, as described in Chapter 2. That s the fastest, cheapest, and most reliable way to get an accurate birth chart. If going online isn t an immediate possibility, 1 recommend that you abandon the search for precision, at least temporarily, and make an educated guess. 

If you have an accurate copy of your birth chart, you can find your Midheaven on or near the cusp of the tenth house at the twelve o clock spot. If you re using the material in this book to determine your Ascendant (see Chapter 3), assume that your Midheaven is in the same sign that appears on the cusp of the tenth house. Either way, your I.C. is directly opposite the M.C., at or near the lowest point of your chart. 

Thinking about the houses of your birth chart Talking about the Sun and Moon in the houses Considering the planets in the houses Pondering the empty houses in your chart... 

Every birth chart embraces all twelve houses —no more, no less. In most charts, one or two of those houses prove to be especially important thanks to the presence of several planets. The more planets you find squeezed into a house, the more important the matters of that house are likely to be. Table 12-1 lists the twelve houses along with the areas of life that they cover. 

Venus, the planets that ruled her love life. (For a discussion of the T-square, see Chapter 14.) This is an unusually bad combination of aspects. Her chart clearly held the potential of a life-threatening accident involving a lover. In addition, at the time of her death, the position of the outer planets in the sky heightened the perils that were lying in wait in her birth chart. 

When amorous Venus meets generous Jupiter in a birth chart, the result is an outpouring of affection, a love of luxury, and an appreciation of art and beauty. 

If amorous Venus and unconventional Uranus link up in your birth chart, you re likely to be the impetuous star of your own romantic soap opera. 

Chapter 14 A Guide to Interpreting Your Birth Chart... 

Whenever you find a birth chart with a true singleton — that is, a bucket chart with one planet sitting apart from all the others — you have found a key to the person. Consider these examples from my files ... 

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