Why Do I Need My Birth Chart, Again?

Ptolemy's zodiac

On getting to know your birth chart:

We've all seen horoscopes in magazines––your life for the next month summarized in a paragraph. Waiting at the dentist, I'd read my paragraph and wonder ... It's impossible for astrologers to know me, so how do they do this? And why does it seem to fit sometimes?

One-paragraph horoscopes are usually pretty sketchy. But what about someone like Susan Miller, whose Astrology Zone is hugely popular? Susan offers really detailed monthly horoscopes for each sign, complete with discussions of what's happening in the houses. How about that?

Astrologers like Susan Miller and Rob Brezsny (Freewill Astrology) look at what's happening in the sky (as all astrologers do) and then relate those influences to each sign of the zodiac as a whole.

So, with all the planets stampeding through Aries lately, we could say, wow, these Aries planets are opposite Libra, and squaring Cancer and Capricorn, so things will be jumping for anyone whose Suns are in those signs.

That's actually likely to be true in most cases, which is why Susan Miller and Rob Brezsny have lots and lots of readers who gain insights from their work. The problem, from my point of view, is that all Libras are not created equal. Neither are Aries, Taureans, Geminis, or anyone else ...

My Sun is in Libra. In the ordinary way of speaking, I'm a Libra. Except I'm not at all like Libras are typically described. I wasn't usually able to see myself in horoscopes, either, which is maybe why that's not the kind of astrology I do.

My Sun is at 0 Libra, for one thing, so I'm right on the edge. (Some people find me a bit edgy, too, but that's another story.)  I also have other powerful planets in my chart, some in intense combinations, which bring different energies into play.

For me, relying on a whole-sign horoscope doesn't work. For example, Susan Miller's horoscope for Libra for last month (March) turned out to be dead right in some ways. Now it's April, though, and I seem to be on a completely different track that what's she's describing.

Please note, I am not saying Susan Miller is a bad astrologer––not at all. She's insightful, she's intuitive, and she's a good writer. In fact, I'm using Susan as a contrasting example because she is a good astrologer, and I'm happy to recommend her.

I'm pointing out that the style of interpretation Susan offers often doesn't work for me because I'm not a typical Libra.

The experience that led me into astrology was seeing my own birth chart and understanding what it said. Well ... beginning to understand it, anyway, as it continues to unfold.

For me, the real gold lies in seeing the reflection of a unique individual in a birth chart. That's the part of reading charts that intrigues me, excites me, and fills me with awe. We've all got the same parts, and we're each put together differently. Every chart is amazing.

If you read monthly or weekly horoscopes and learn everything you want and need to know, that's fabulous. If horoscopes don't seem to reflect your situation, it's time to get to know your birth chart.

Another note: Getting to know your birth chart doesn't mean you need to become an astrologer. Starting out with a few basics is enough. In fact, following along with Rising Moon is a great way to begin.

Paying attention to where the New and Full Moons fall in your chart, watching how things unfold for you at those times (which come up every few weeks), will begin to highlight where the sensitive spots are for you personally. Over time, you'll get a feel for which times of year are more active for you, when things seem to shift or issues come to a head.

So, for now, keep in mind:

• Horoscope styles of astrology are based on treating each sign of the zodiac as a whole.
• This style works great for some people, and less well for others.
• If you find horoscopes hard to relate to, getting to know your birth chart is a powerful alternative.
and
• Getting to know your birth chart is a great idea even if you like horoscopes!

Free birth charts are available HERE or HERE ... or contact me to schedule a reading.
     

Chart Layout: What Are We Looking At?

The chart as a map ... feel free to download!

As the New Moon in Aries draws near, we've got some space for learning a bit more about charts and how they work. This fiery New Moon will be one to prepare for, so let's dive in:

It's helpful to know what you're looking at when you look at an astrological chart. Basically, charts are maps. They're real maps in one way, and symbolic maps in other (and perhaps more important) ways.

Charts are a map of the sky from our perspective here on Earth.

The sky overhead looks like a great sphere, around which the stars and planets move. The Sun, Moon and other visible planets rise and set, and the wheel of the zodiac moves through the seasons.

The horizon cuts through the middle of the chart. Any planets above the horizon are in the visible, public part of the sky––whether we can actually see them with the naked eye or not, they're considered "visible." Planets below the horizon are in the hidden, private part of the sky.

One simple rule of thumb that reflects this is, people with most of their planets, especially the personal ones (Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars) above the horizon will tend to be extroverts. Those with most planets below the horizon will tend to be introverts.

Each of the cardinal directions has a place on the chart, and each direction has multiple meanings. South is at the top, which puts East to the left (the opposite of typical land maps). East is associated with the dawn, which explains why that point on the chart is the Rising Sign: Your Rising Sign is literally the sign of the zodiac that was rising at the moment of your birth, which is, symbolically, your dawn.

Here's another example chart, this one for Marlon Brando, whose birthday is today.

Checking out the East point on this chart tells us Brando had Sagittarius rising, the expansive, generous, liberal-minded sign ruled by Jupiter.

Looking around, we see that Brando's Sun and Moon are in Aries, together close to the bottom of his chart. Sun and Moon together tells us he was born at a New Moon, and the bottom of the chart placement tells us he was born around midnight (11:00 pm, actually).

Marlon Brando's Moon is at 13 Aries and his Sun at 14, so today's Last Quarter Moon is square his Sun, which is conjunct today's Sun. 

We could also notice how many of his planets are below the horizon, including all his personal planets, and say, hmmm, this is an introvert's chart.

It might seem odd to think of someone as well known as Brando as an introvert, but many actors are surprisingly private people––they hide in their roles. And anyone who buys a Polynesian island as a refuge as a strong need to get away from things.

Here's one more example for today, Brando's birth chart done with actual house sizes instead of the equal-appearing houses I prefer.

Technically, this version is more accurate because it places the chart angles and house cusps in exact positions around the 360 degree circle of the zodiac. Maybe I will grow to prefer this format, but for now, I like to see the Midheaven straight up, reflecting the symbolic positions.

Looking at the same chart in two formats, you can see what's emphasized in each chart, and which format you might prefer.

Let me emphasize that both charts are accurate, and both provide exactly the same information. The difference is in how they're presented, how they're drawn.

I'm hoping this additional background will make it that much easier to look at your chart and tease out the details you need. Look for more on the New Moon in the next few days!
    

Finding Our Growth Points

point of contact

Sensitive places in our birth charts

At each New Moon, I point all of us to our birth charts, to learn where the New Moon will fall and therefore how it might touch our charts. This Sagittarius New Moon cycle feels like a good time to say more about how that works.

Everyone has a birth chart, and everyone's chart is at least slightly different. The closest charts, of course, will be those of twins (and other multiple birth babies) born in the same location mere minutes apart.

To create a birth chart, we need the date, time and location. Here's Michelangelo's chart, just to show that time is no barrier as long as the information is available.

More often than you'd think, the exact time of birth is unknown. In such cases, there are complicated ways to figure out what the most likely time of birth was. There are some easier seat-of-the-pants ways, which are the only ones I know, but true chart rectification (as it's called) is a specialty all its own.

So, one way or another, you get your chart. It looks complicated. It IS complicated. Each of us is uniquely and wonderfully complex and why shouldn't our charts reflect that?

Over time––getting a chart reading from an astrologer you like, reading on your own––you begin to learn your way around your chart. My sun in Libra in the Second House, my Virgo Moon conjunct my Ascendant and Pluto, my Mercury-Neptune conjunction in the Third, all offer pictures and ideas about who and why I am that help me understand and respond to life in interesting ways.

The real proof of the pudding, though, is what my chart can tell me about what's happening in my life right now.

To get to that kind of insight, I need to (1) have my birth chart somewhere I can easily get to it ... i.e., on my computer, (2) pay some attention at least some of the time to what's happening in the sky, astrologically, and (3) connect those two together.

I don't do this every moment of every day. Really, I don't. I also get confused and sometime make mistakes when answering off the cuff questions, like suggesting an evening planet was probably Venus when she's appearing in the morning sky these days. (The planet in question was Jupiter.)

But I do pay attention, and when things come together in a particular way, I learn something.

Real life example: Michelle Suzanne creates a weekly podcast for Sasstrology which I've been following and like. She described the now-happening shift of Venus into Sagittarius as possibly leading to a feeling of never having enough––Sagittarius being about, among other things, always wanting more, and Venus being about our relationships, creativity, money and values.

Now, I'd never quite thought of Venus in Sagittarius that way, but the ides caught my attention. Sure enough, on the day of the shift (without immediately realizing this was happening), I found myself sinking into one of those never-good-enough morasses.

Then, the astrological light went on––Venus at 0 Sag was squaring my Moon at 0 Virgo! Any time anything went through 0 Sag, this would happen, and since Virgo Moon are notoriously self critical, this is suddenly no surprise.

Astrology in that moment offered me a shift (which is why I like it). Yes, I was feeling very not-all-that, and now I could ask myself why and how that was happening. What did I want that was missing from my life? How could I engage Venus and the Moon, Sagittarius and Virgo, to either help me get it, or let it go?

Are there other ways to do this? Sure there are, and they work just fine. Astrology happens to work for me, and is also fun.

I'm available for chart readings! Chart readings make lovely gifts, this being the gift season and all. Readings are a wonderful way to open the door into your chart, an intriguing way to get you know your wonderfully, magically unique self.