You and Your Birth Chart
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He who knows others is wise; he who knows himself is enlightened. – Lao-tzu, The Way of Lao-tzu |
This website does not tell you how to cast your horoscope, rather it is a comprehensive resource that helps you discover what the planets and houses really mean for you, once you have your own personal birth chart or natal chart in front of you.
You may have used software on your own computer to create your own birth chart, or perhaps you have visited one of the many free websites online to have your horoscope calculated for you. If not, there is a list of websites that provide free calculations at the end of this book.
Please note that if you do not have an accurate time of birth and place of birth, then the calculations for the houses, Ascendant and Midheaven will be highly approximate and may be unreliable.
Now that you have your birth chart information in front of you, you may be wondering, 'But what does it all mean?' This book provides all the interpretations and explanations for the planets, houses and other elements that appear in your personal birth chart.
People often scoff at the idea of astrology. 'How can one sign define one twelfth of the entire population?' they ask. 'Everyone is completely different from each other!' They are right in saying that every person is unique, but every person's full natal horoscope or birth chart is also unique and differs from everyone else's! Even twins will have slightly differing charts, because the sky is constantly changing as the stars move across the heavens. Every four minutes the ascending star on the eastern horizon, or the Ascendant, moves by one degree. Even one degree can produce small but essential differences in house division.
The Moon also moves at a fast rate across the sky, so the time of birth may be necessary in calculating which sign it is occupying. This is why the time of birth is so important, and it also explains why each individual horoscope is absolutely unique to that person. The only way two people can have the same chart is if they are born at exactly the same time and at exactly the same longitude and latitude. When people are born on the cusp between signs, their time of birth will clarify which is their true Sun sign.
The diverse ingredients of your birth chart all blend and meld together to form your personality. Sometimes they clash, and sometimes they complement each other beautifully, but this intricate synthesis is what makes you complex, different and unique.
Consider your birth chart as a whole to get the entire picture. The Sun sign carries a lot of weight in your horoscope, as do the Moon and the Ascendant. The other planets and signs add to and refine the information that is stated in it. The Houses fine-tune the definition of your character even further. For example, if it states in your Sun sign that you are dreamy and impractical, as in Pisces, read on and see if this is diluted or emphasised by other aspects. A Taurus Moon may say that you are a practical person. This is not a contradiction. It simply means that although you are a dreamer, you do have a practical side that can back up your dreams. On the other hand, if no other aspects in your Chart indicate practicality, you will probably need the help of others to realise your dreams. Every person is a complex combination of seeming contradictions that fit together to make an interesting whole.
What about environmental factors? Free will? These factors are no less important than you thought they were. Your natal or birth chart simply gives you a detailed guide to the building blocks of your personality. It always has been, and always will be, up to you what you do with them. If you like, your chart shows you your default characteristics. For example, if stubbornness is aspected very strongly in your chart, this shows that your natural reaction will involve some degree of stubbornness, unless you consciously decide to try and change that aspect of yourself.
After all is said and done, it comes down to whether you really want to change. Taking an extreme example, everybody has the possibility to climb Mt Everest, but how many decide to actually go ahead and do it? You might call that supposed stubbornness 'sensible caution' and not see the need to change. Nor should you change if you don't want to.
This brings us to an important point. Your chart may confirm your ideas and suspicions, or it may surprise you. Perhaps you might not agree with it at first. 'Me, materialistic and possessive?' or 'Me, selfish?' The chart tells you the truth, good and bad, not what you might want to hear. Before you discount any parts to your birth chart, show it to your friends or loved ones who know you well, and ask their opinion about the conclusions offered. You might be in for a surprise, maybe even a little shocked, at what they think.
I hope that you gain a lot of enjoyment from finding out about the interpretations of your personal birth chart, and even learn a little about yourself. It will help you make the most out of your life by using all your potential to the utmost.