This post is to help you understand how to analyze your natal chart.

There are so many ways of analysis and they are exposed in many astrology textbooks. Every astrologer has his own way of approaching this. Language we use in astrology to analyze consists of 12 signs, 10 planets and 12 houses. Good analysis is primarily characterized by astrologer’s clear vocabulary and linguistic skills. Of course, it is impossible to completely explain natal chart analysis in just one post. However, all my posts aim to lead you towards researching your natal chart and understanding astrology.

Analyze Signs of the Zodiac

Signs can be classified into two groups, based on the element (fire, water, earth, air) and modality (cardinal, fixed, mutable). We can associate each sign with a certain type of energy.

Here are a few examples for each zodiac sign:

Aries-innovation, impatience, sharpness, strength, energy, action

Taurus-endurance, property, slowness, material, natural, stable, solid

Gemini-adjustment, speedy, variability, playful, wordy, flexible

Cancer-emotional reactions, nostalgia, sentimental, family, feelings, intimacy

Leo-love, children, creativity, fun, dignity, respect, reputation, success

Virgo-details, criticism, perfection, help, tidiness, meticulousness, clean

Libra-friendship, equality, balance, relationships, team, justice, harmony, sharing

Scorpio-introversion, magnetism, charisma, intensity, struggle, endurance, passion

Sagittarius-adventure, expansion, ideals, philosophy, education, travel, hope

Capricorn-maturity, form, work, self-control, organization, planning, patience

Aquarius-modern, unusual, progressive, freedom, group, cool, humanitarian

Pisces-imagination, impressions, dreams, sacrifice, art, faith, ocean, invisible

Analyze Natal houses

The signs share a certain resemblance with houses. Each house and its size, unless equal house system is used, will tell us something especially if a sign/planet is also intercepted. Each house is ruled by a certain planet and it can be found in a different house. Some houses are empty and that is nothing “wrong with it”.

1. house-personality, attitude towards the world /life and how others perceive us
2. house – values, money, personal property, what we own and earnings
3. house-short trips, communication, expression, relatives, speech and thoughts
4. house-home, family, parents, roots, heritage, ancestors, instinctive fears
5. house – children, love, fun, risk, creativity, sports, hobbies and interests
6. home-serving others, work, practical part of life, disease, problems
7. house-other people, partner, marriage, contracts, relationships, partnerships
8. house- money, death, trauma, psychology, fears, other people’s money
9. house-travel, life philosophy, expectations, aspirations, attitude about religion
10. house-reputation, life role, career, visible external successes
11. house- clubs, associations, organizations, friends, social activities, wishes
12. house-secrets, vices, dream world, sacrifice, losses, spiritual, unconscious

Analyze Planets

Each natal chart is much more than a Sun sign. We need to take into account all ten planets in houses and what they represent. Every planet is in some sign in some house. It has or does not have a relationship with other planets or house cusps. Planets ‘feel’ better in some signs. Thus we distinguish the rulership, exaltation, detriment and fall.

We can pay attention to the degrees and their symbolism. We can deal with archetypes. What remains certain is that we can never fully analyze the natal chart. Especially not our own by ourselves!

Sun – who I am, how I represent myself, how I look and appear to others

Moon – what is my mood and habits, how are my relationships with family

Mercury – how I speak and think, what logic is leading me in life

Venus – what I consider beautiful, what I like, how I get along with others

Mars-what leads me to action, what is my energy like, how ambitious am I

Jupiter – how much I strive for wisdom and growth in life, how lucky am I

Saturn – how disciplined I am, what are my limitations, what am I afraid of

Uranus -how spontaneous, impulsive and risky I behave, how original am I

Neptune – how much I strive for ideals, what my dreams and desires are

Pluto – what haunts me and causes compulsive behavior

Aspects of the planets

We also need to pay attention to aspects between planets and their rulers. Aspects explain how much planets support or suppress qualities of a sign or a house. Challenging aspects can bring great success and are not necessarily bad. Main aspects are conjunction, square, opposition, trine and sextile. Inconjunction is also very important. We can pay attention to configurations after we have successfully mastered the basics.

It is important whether the aspect is applying or separating, which changes the quality. When analyzing aspects focus should be on exact aspects and ones with the one-degree orb. They are showing key life lessons and activities, especially if personal planets are aspecting slower planets.

Aspects outside elements are not so strong. Planets in conjunction work well together if they are of similar temperament and quality. Conjunctions with inner planets are more important. It is not the same whether they occur above or below the horizon. Aspects combining faster and slower planets are always dynamic and highly activated during transits.

How does an aspect manifest itself?

Every natal aspect is always active, but we are not always aware of it. We use some aspects more than others. It all happens without thinking and is like “an autopilot mode”. We always have a choice how we will use each aspect. There is no question that it is difficult for us because of some aspect. It is difficult for us because we are not ready to change behavior we have outgrown. The first step is to become self-aware.

For astrology beginners, one of the common techniques of analysis is to describe each house. This is totally OK for some natal charts. In some cases, it is more appropriate to just describe houses containing planets and aspects they make. In some cases, we can combine Moon, Sun and ascendant with MC. This approach will certainly show important life themes and archetypes. I plan to write about this in detail in the following posts.

Additional things

When we analyze, we have to put everything together, but not overdo the interpretation. It is not a question of the amount of information but the quality. Recognition of a client in the description is important. Some natal charts have a focus on only a few houses or only one significant aspect. That is why some definite rules cannot be derived because there will always be individuals to whom those rules do not apply.

I do not advise immediately adding minor aspects, midpoints, asteroids, degree meanings, fixed stars and Arabic parts before basics have been completely understood. Transits, progressions and directions as well as solar return charts should be left for the time when we have mastered the basics and practiced a great deal.

Closing remarks

Always go back to what is the simplest, because that is the essence of each chart. In analysis, we follow numerous rules but they differ in each school of astrology and depend on what type of information we want to get through it. I mostly let the natal chart itself and the person’s energy lead my analysis. That way I choose a technique that will be appropriate at a given time for that specific person.

Everything comes from experience and my analyses have changed a lot in the past ten years. The analyses I do in English are always different from those in my native tongue. It is necessary to remember that a person, not a natal chart, is always right. Astrological competence comes from consistency and great knowledge that is always being upgraded and expanded. Astrological competence never comes from improvisation.