Your Birth Chart: Understanding the Planets

Your Birth Chart, or Natal Chart, is a symbolic snapshot of the sky with respect to the Earth at the moment you were born.

It’s your unique heavenly roadmap and can reveal the fastest, least dramatic way to meet your destiny.

Birth Chart analysis can help you understand your inner conflicts, obstacles, most suitable career, the types of partnerships that will make you truly happy, and even tragic events you might have experienced on your life’s journey.

Astrology is one of the best self-discovery tools you’ll ever come across. Getting your Birth Chart done is the first step to uncovering its superpowers.

Astrological Systems

There are different types of astrological systems. The most popular are Western Tropical Astrology and Vedic Astrology.

Western astrology is based on the “tropical calendar” and the four seasons, while Vedic astrology charts are based on the sidereal system, which looks at the changing, observable constellations.

Numerous free online resources and mobile apps can produce Birth Charts in minutes. 

Please note that your Sidereal Birth Chart will look dramatically different from your Tropical Birth Chart. This site is dedicated to Western astrology, so the information below is valid for Tropical Birth Charts only.

There are different house systems in the Tropical Western Astrology: Placidus, Koch, Regiomantus, the whole house system, and many more. 

My preferred system is Placidus. I am also occasionally checking transits through the whole house system to ensure I don’t miss anything important.

Both systems work, but I find Placidus provides more information.

Birth Chart Structure

In a nutshell, a Natal Chart is composed of ten planets: two luminaries (the Sun and the Moon), three fast-moving personal planets (Mercury, Venus, and Mars), two slow-moving social planets (Jupiter and Saturn) and three very slow-moving outer planets (Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto).

Additional secondary elements in the chart are the Lunar Nodes, Lilith, Chiron, and other asteroids.

The exact geographical location and time of one’s birth are key to an accurate Birth Chart.

The typical chart’s layout is a ‘pie-like’ Zodiacal wheel consisting of 12 houses with planets scattered all over it. Differently coloured lines connect them, showing various aspects they form with each other.

At first glance, it can look overwhelming, especially if you’re a beginner. Worry not! The more you learn about the planets, aspects, and houses, the clearer it all becomes.

Celestial Bodies

Each planet and luminary has its own symbol. 

The symbols for the planets were developed for use in both astronomy and astrology. 

The main significance of the planets and their placement is that they represent different aspects of your personality. For instance, if you hear an astrologer saying ‘your Mars is in Scorpio’, it means they are referring to a set of personality traits typical of the planet Mars when it lands in the sign of Scorpio. 

Key Things to Look For in a Birth Chart

• Planets and luminaries (their zodiac signs and which of the 12 houses they are placed in)
• The aspects formed between plates (trines, squares, oppositions, etc.)
• The balance of elements (planets and luminaries in fire, earth, air, water signs) and their qualities (cardinal, fixed or mutable signs)
• The position and signs of the Nodes of the Moon

To simplify Chart’s structure:

Planet – a symbolic representation of what is happening (event/ relationship/ personality trait, etc.)

The sign it lands in – how and why this particular event/relationship/personality trait is prominent.

House – The area of one’s life where this event/ relationship/ personality trait is most evident.

Personal Planets 

Personal planets (including the luminaries – the Sun and the Moon) have the biggest impact on our day-to-day circumstances and relationships.

These planets are closest to Earth and are the quickest to move through the houses in our chart.

Personal planets:

• The Sun (luminary)
• The Moon (luminary)
• Mercury
• Venus
• Mars

The Ascendant/ Rising Sign 

An Ascendant is not a planet.

It is the astrological sign that is ascending on the eastern horizon at the specific time and location of your birth. 

Your Ascendant sign is the key factor defining one’s appearance, first impression, and overall vibe. It’s the ‘mask’ we wear in public. 

Let’s say you’re a Cancer Sun and have a Sagittarius Rising.

When you first meet new people and say you’re a Cancer, they may assume you’re shy, moody, and introverted.

However, more often than not, your Sagittarius Rising qualities will overpower your Cancerian traits. Many will be surprised to find out you are a Cancer since you’re so outgoing and super-friendly.

The ruler of your Ascendant/ Rising sign is the ruler of your Birth Chart.

E.g., using example above, if your Rising is Sag the ruler of your Birth chart is Jupiter.

Jupiter becomes the planet that influences your chart the most, even though it is not a personal planet.

Important note

N. B.: Be sure to check your Ascendant, Moon and Sun signs to get a full picture when you read your horoscopes.

When you read a horoscope for your Sun sign only, you only get a glimpse of what’s in store for your personal and professional life. Your Sun sign (related to the day you were born) might be an important component of your identity, but it’s only a small fraction of the whole story. Very often, your Ascendant (or Rising sign) is the most accurate representation of you as an individual, as it rules your first house of the self and therefore has the biggest impact on your personal horoscope. 

(Related article: Big 3 in Your Birth Chart: Why It Is Crucial for Unlocking Your Destiny)

The Moon sign represents your emotional and psychological imprint and is worth checking out as well, especially if your primary focus at present is on matters of the heart. 

(Related article: Understanding Your Moon Placement: the Key to Unlock your Subconscious)

Social / Transpersonal Planets

Jupiter and Saturn are known as social planets. They are the most distant planets that are still visible from earth. Jupiter spends roughly one year in each Zodiac sign.

Saturn spends about 2.5 years in a sign, with its approximately 29-year orbit.

That explains why people born in the same year (or couple of years) often have these planets in the same sign.

Jupiter and Saturn placements are important in the individual horoscope, but they also represent themes which transcend the individual.

Jupiter represents our values and ideals systems as a collective.

Saturn represents societal structures, rules and boundaries.

The Greater Benefic

Jupiter bestows blessings wherever it lands in your Birth Chart. It shows the area of life where you can expect good fortune and success.

However, if badly aspected, Jupiterian blessings can be delayed and, in some extreme cases, even denied. 

Jupiter rules over good fortune, justice, windfalls of all kinds, abundance, success, and foreign lands. It expands and blesses everything it touches.  

The Greater Malefic

Saturn, on the other hand, shows where we are likely to experience delays, obstacles, and disappointments.

The great benefic, Jupiter, expands, and the great malefic, Saturn, constricts. 

Strong Saturn in a Birth Chart, especially in hard aspects to personal planets, very often signifies a string of karmic lessons and delays on the way to success and self-realisation. 

The blessings promised by well-placed personal planets are often delayed and, in some rare cases, even denied when they are touched by Saturn.    

Saturn is also known as the Lord of Karma.

It’s vital to respect and be mindful of the lessons Saturn is teaching us.

If mastered wisely, Saturn can bless us with the most solid, long-lasting results that even greater benefic Jupiter can’t always grant us. 

The Lord of Karma should not be feared but respected, as he is the Lord of Legacy, too. 

Outer Planets

The outer planets are assigned a global significance.

These slow-moving planets affect worldwide circumstances far more than our individual destinies.

However, their transits can affect us in the most profound ways, especially when these planets change signs or change the house they transit.

These are extremely rare occasions and can have the most profound impact on our individual journeys as well as our collective destiny.

Uranus

Uranus is the planet of rebellion, sudden changes, electricity, breakdowns, and breakthroughs.

It is also known as the ‘higher octave of Mercury.’

Uranus rules over sudden unexpected events, explosions (both physical and social, like revolutions), shocking world events, radical changes in social norms, inventions and discoveries. 

Neptune

Neptune is known as the higher octave of Venus. It represents unconditional love and compassion.

It rules over dreams, the subconscious, illusions, fantasies and all things magical.

The shadow side of Neptune rules over deceptions, confusion, addictions, exiles, fraud, and deception.

Pluto

Pluto is a tiny but extremely powerful planet that has proven to have a major influence on both world’s affairs and individual lives.

Pluto rules over resources, vast financial gains, powerful transformations, death, destruction, nuclear power, and world wars.

Pluto is the higher octave of Mars.

The Cosmic Takeaway

 Astrology is one of the most powerful self-discovery tools ever. It’s all about understanding your psyche and unlocking your true potential.

Studying your Birth Chart is one of the most important steps you can take towards the path of self-discovery.

Astrology is an art, not a religion or modern science. 

It is a unique blend of spirituality, creative expression, and psychology.

Whichever combination works best for you will determine how you incorporate Astrology into your life.

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Use this free Birth Chart calculator to create your Natal Chart in case you haven’t had a chance to get it yet.

N.B.: Remember that it’s ideal to have your EXACT time of birth on hand. Use 12 p.m. noon if you have no way to get this information. The best option, of course, is to get a personal reading with a professional astrologer who can provide birth-time rectification. Birth time and birthplace are crucial pieces of information for your Natal Chart, as they determine the unique position of the houses and planets that can help you understand transits and their impact on your personal journey.

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