A Bit About Astrology and Natal Charts

©Josephine Wall

"Astrology is a language. If you understand this language, the sky speaks to you"- Dane Rudhyar

     Astrology has been around since ancient times helping people better understand themselves and their life purpose. The placement of the planets at our time of birth creates a map called a natal chart. This map shows us the personality traits, interests, circumstances, and life lessons that we were born into in this lifetime. However, we all have freewill, so not everyone will follow the path their natal chart shows them. The natal chart does show things you need to do to fulfill your life purpose though, so it would be a good idea to act upon most of the information you get from it. Some aspects in the natal chart though (such as a negative personality trait) you can exercise your freewill upon to better yourself.

             A natal chart is comprised of the Sun, Moon, the 8 planets of the solar system and the moon's nodes. Some of the asteroids can also sometimes be included in a natal chart, particularly the "planetoid" Chiron. Each of these bodies are in a specific zodiac sign at the time of a person's birth. Some planets though, such as the outer planets can be in one zodiac sign for an entire generation and therefore won't have as personal a meaning. Where the planets were located in the sky at the moment of a person's birth will decide which "houses" in the natal chart the planets will end up in. The houses each represent a different area of life where the "drama" of the planets is acted out. There are also four angles in the chart that are important, the ascendant, the descendant, the MC and the IC. These are also all colored with a zodiac sign and each can describe certain parts of life. The relationships between the planets in a chart are called aspects, they show what planets work together and what planets don't "get along" amongst other things. Another component of a chart worth mentioning, is the elemental and modality balance. Each zodiac sign is ruled by a certain element (earth,air,fire,water) and modality(cardinal,mutable, fixed). Every person has a certain dominant element and modality in their chart which can show basic personality traits and general energy flow of the chart.