Birth Charts in Astrology
Each of us has a unique birth chart that shows our individual talents, tendencies, comfort zones, areas for growth and the types of pursuits that will give our lives purpose.
Nobody has the exact same chart as you. By witnessing all the ways you are unique, and accepting or even leaning into these differences (instead of trying to cover them over to fit in) you can transform them into your superpowers.
The ancient wisdom in the birth chart can help you step into a life that’s truly yours. If you've been feeling stuck and unsure of where you want to go next, a birth chart reading can be an excellent circuit breaker.
What is a birth chart?
Sometimes referred to as a natal chart or simply the zodiac chart, the birth chart shows the position of the planets and other important aspects at the moment you took your first breath. It sets up the foundations for your personality and illuminates your life's purpose.
An example birth chart example (mine).
The qualities captured within the birth chart stay with you for life but they may be expressed differently as you grow. My sun is in the sixth house, suggesting I shine through service. In the past, this saw me very happy working for an employer and on other people's creative projects. As I near my 40s, it has me exploring how I can inspire others through work that's truly mine.
Our birth charts never change but the planets above us are constantly moving. By layering the current/future planetary movements on top of your birth chart, we can see how these shifts might impact you as an individual. This forms the basis of predictive astrology. By using the birth chart as a basis, then layering on transits and progressions, we get personal insights that can be inspiringly accurate.
Do I need to know my time of birth?
To calculate the ascendant or rising sign, it's important to have an accurate time of birth. The ascendant sets up the position of each of the 12 houses, relating to areas of your life (see below), so it's a vital piece of the puzzle.
It's possible to look at your birth chart without a time of birth but there'll be significantly less information within it. I offer a soul growth reading for people who don't know their birth time but this session includes a wealth of extra astrological information from outside the birth chart to fill the gaps.
I don't identify with my star sign!
Fair enough. I didn't really either when that was all I was looking at.
Your star sign represents one part of your personality - not the entire thing! In your birth chart, your star sign is shown by the position of the sun but all the other planets will be impacting you too. Pop astrology relies on this one data point heavily because it can be easily determined with your birth date. And glossy magazines love to keep things simple.
The sun is an important force in our solar system and the sign it's placed in does carry significant weight in our chart. But the moon and the rising are arguably equally important. I've heard the sun described as our computer operating system and the other planets as our software. Of course we won't feel like a Pisces if we are running a whole suite of Virgo software on top!
All 12 signs show up somewhere in our chart. I'm sorry to everyone who says they don't like Scorpios or Geminis because you have these signs in your chart too! We are complex beings and don't fit into tidy boxes, unfortunately.
You won't necessarily have planets in all the signs in your birth chart. But the sky never stops shifting and any empty houses in your charts will be activated by transiting planets at different times in your life.
The big three: the sun, moon and rising
The sun, moon and rising are the key players in the birth chart. So often we attract and connect with people who share one or more of our big three.
The Sun = the key to your full self-expression. This shows us how we shine. We may need to grow into some of its characteristics.
The moon = the key to your emotional satisfaction. It shows us how we feel deep down. It down and comes out when we’re at home and completely relaxed.
The ascendant / rising sign = the key to your confidence. It shows us how we project ourselves into the world. It speaks to how we see ourselves and the way others see us.
The inner planets
Along with the sun and moon, these planets impact our day-to-day lives and experiences.
Mercury = the key to rewarding communication.
Venus = the key to our love language and self-worth.
Mars = the key to our assertiveness and getting unstuck.
The social planets
Jupiter and Saturn are the most distant planets visible to the naked eye. They bridge the gap between the personal or 3D and the otherwordly outer planets.
Jupiter = the key to opportunity and reward.
Saturn = the key to worldly and public achievement.
The outer planets
These slow movers and heavy hitters define our unconscious. They help us reach depths of awareness not often experienced in our day-to-day lives.
Uranus = the key to your individuality and aliveness.
Neptune = the key to your intuition.
Pluto = the key to transformation and empowerment.
Some additional elements
I also look to a few additional elements in my readings. There include:
Chiron = (a commet) our greatest wound and our path to healing.
North node = pointing to purpose, greater happiness and fulfilment.
Lunar Lilith = our blind spot.
The twelve astrological houses
There are 12 houses in the birth chart, which show where the action is happening in our lives. They offer another layer of insight into how the planets function in our chart.
1st house = sense of self, identity and physical body.
2nd house = wealth and what we value.
3rd house = day-to-day communication, short trips and siblings.
4th house = home, family and our roots.
5th house = romance, creative projects, children and what lights us up.
6th house = daily routine, work, service, health and pets.
7th house = 1:1 relationships and partnerships.
8th house = intimacy, other people's money, passive income, transformation and the occult.
9th house = mental expansion, communication and travel.
10th house = career and public standing.
11th house = larger community, friends, followers, hopes and dreams.
12th house = wellbeing, solitude, rest, intuition, spirituality, mental health and letting go.
The angles
These are the most sensitive points on your birth chart. In readings I check for anything happening at these angles, as it’s often felt strongly and immediately related to.
The Ascendant AC / Descendent DC is an axis in the chart relating to the self and the other:
The Ascendant = the most sensitive location for our sense of self and individual identity.
The Descendant = the most sensitive location for our 1:1 relationships.
The Midheaven MC / Imum Coeli IC is an axis in the chart relating to our career and home life.
The Midheaven = the most sensitive location for our career, public standing and the legacy we leave to the world.
The Imum Coeli = the most sensitive location for the family we are from and the one we create for ourselves. It relates to our roots, ancestry, where we feel most nurtured and at home.
The aspects
Looking just at the placement of the planets within the birth chart isn't enough. We need to look at the relationship between the planets to get the complete story.
The aspects show up in the birth chart as red lines for the more challenging or activating aspects (e.g. oppositions and squares) and blue for the more harmonious aspects (e.g. trines and sextiles).
The aspects speak to the flow of energy between the planets. Challenging aspects can cause tension or conflict which encourages us to grow. Harmonious aspects represent an easy flow of energy between two planets which may be taken for granted.
Where to from here?
A birth chart reading is a great way to gain a deeper understanding of yourself and clarity on your direction.
You can pull up a free birth chart by visiting www.astro.com, choosing ‘charts and calculations’, then ‘extended chart selection’, and ensuring ‘natal chart’ is the chart type selected.
If you’re interested in learning more or booking in for a reading let’s chat; I can't wait to meet you. You’ll find more info about readings with me here.
