Natal Charts

According to Astrostyle.com: “An astrology birth chart—also called an astrology natal chart—is a map of where all the planets were in their journey around the Sun (from our vantage point on earth) at the exact moment you were born. An astrology chart reading can reveal your strengths and weaknesses, your opportunities for soul growth, the best timing for your most important moves.”

I believe that a natal chart actually reflects our contract with the Divine Source. We are born under certain agreements with God, and the very second that we are born the stars align in a particular way to reflect the agreements that we have made with our maker.

Astrology is an ancient art that extends WAY beyond your personal horoscopes. The movement and positions of celestial bodies can have a profound impact on your love life, work life, and everything in between! Understanding the patterns of the universe gives you the insight you need to navigate life.

A major part of Astrology is using the movements (transits) and relationships (aspects) of the planets to forecast what will be happening in our lives. Together with your Astrology birth chart, these astrological events can help us better understand current universal opportunities. Learn more about the planets in Astrology and how they affect YOU!

The chart itself looks kind of like a pie chart but the most pertinent information will be found below. It will show the Planet / Luminary / Other Body or Position, then the Astrological sign that was in that body at the moment of your birth, and then the numbers reflect degree of a sign a given planet was transiting during the time of the birth chart. The higher the number, the closer the planet is to going into the next sign.

Your Sun Sign describes the heart and soul of your personality, what motivates and drives you, and who you are learning to become.

So, you will write down next to your Sun what sign it was in, what energy (Cardinal / Fixed / Mutable) that Sign is, and what Element it is associated with. Later, you will also write down what planet that Sign is associated with.

Your Moon Sign describes your instinctive and emotional nature. While your Sun Sign describes the qualities you are learning to develop, your Moon usually describes who you already are.

Ascendant is another way of saying “Rising Sign” and your ascendant shows the way you project yourself, how others see you, and the kind of experiences needed to make your life meaningful.

Mercury is the first planet from the Sun. In Greek mythology, Mercury was Hermes - the winged messenger god. The movements of Mercury are believed to influence communication here on Earth. Mercury rules the signs of the intellect Gemini and Virgo.

Where Mercury falls on your natal chart can inform the way that an individual thinks and makes sense of their world.

Several times each year Mercury slows down in its orbit around the Sun, creating an optical illusion of moving backward. We call this Retrograde, and when Mercury is in retrograde, communication often breaks down, misfires or otherwise stalls. From dropped cellphone calls, to computer problems – here on Earth we often see a communication breakdown when Mercury is in retrograde. In fact, many people scale back on using technology during retrogrades, and some even refuse to sign contracts or start new projects during this time.

Mercury is not the only planet to go retrograde, although it does so more frequently than the other planets. We’ll talk about Retrogrades in a moment.

Venus is the second planet to the sun, and the closest planet both to Earth and our moon. In Greek mythology Venus was known as Aphrodite, goddess of love and beauty. Venus was formed from the foam of the sea and rose from the waters to bestow her beauty upon us. Venus rules the signs of Taurus (representing money) and Libra (representing love and relationships). 

In your natal chart, Venus will indicate how you feel about wealth, your home, your relationships, and your health – that which is closest to you and often affects you the strongest. 

Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun, named for the Roman God of War (the Greeks called him Ares). Mars is the patron saint of the military forces and although he is synonymous with war, Mars believed that war should only be declared in order to establish a lasting peace. 

Mars in your natal chart reflects your will – about sex, passion and energy, and how you choose to express it. Mars highlights the lengths you will go, to get what you desire.

Jupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun, and the largest in our solar system. Because it is the largest and one of the brightest planets in our constellation, it is often visible to the naked eye and was known to even ancient civilizations long before the invention of the telescope. Named for the Roman god Jupiter (Zeus in Greek), God of the sky and thunder and King of all of the Gods.

Our largest planet actually emits more energy into space than it receives from the Sun! Anytime Jupiter shows up in a birth chart will indicate where a person has a great quantity of something.  (Jupiter is in my 10th house, which bodes well for me in business)

Where Jupiter falls in our chart highlights our beliefs in something greater than ourselves. It’s our spiritual and religious life, and our relationship with God. Therefore, it also reflects our morals and values. It also influences our travels in life.

The sixth planet from the Sun, the second largest in our solar system, Saturn is a gaseous planet about nine times larger than Planet Earth. Named after the Roman god of wealth and agriculture, Saturn on your natal chart represents boundaries. Saturn is a constricting energy, bringing structure and meaning to our world. Saturn is about the time in your life, and matter (your physical self) and helps us to define the many segments of our lives and where we may need more self-control.

Saturn represents father figures – our literal fathers and those who form us through mentorship or even neglect.

Uranus is the planet of genius. It gives people who are born with it a social conscience, great independence of mind and originality in their thought. This astrological significator can make you creative, innovative and quick-witted or impulsive, erratic and irresponsible.

It is the planet of awakening, individuality and liberty. It represents invention, genius, and personal power, as well as such positive attributes of vibrant health and intuition.

Neptune is the eighth planet from the Sun. It is the fourth-largest planet in our Solar System, 17 times larger than Earth. Neptune is named for the Roman god of the sea. Within your natal chart, it signifies new horizons, spiritual healing and service to others or – alternately - becoming lost in a foggy world of fantasy and dreams. More often than not, Neptune highlights confusion in the House wherever it resides in your birth chart.

Pluto, currently classified as a ‘dwarf planet’ is the ninth planet from the Sun, primarily made up of ice and rock. It’s small – about one/sixth the size of our Moon and was only discovered in 1930. Named for the Roman God of the Underworld, Pluto is all about rebirth, regeneration and redemption. It demands that we shed what no longer serves us, and to transcend from a lesser being into a more evolved one. Pluto loves destruction and it rules death, obsessions, kidnappings (!), coercion, viruses and waste. (Probably doesn’t shock you that when COVID19 begin, Pluto and Capricorn had both combined in Saturn.) Pluto also governs crime, the underworld, any kind of subversive activities including dictatorships, and all that is hidden and secretive.

Where Pluto demands that we shed our skins and release old, unsustainable habits, shows up in what Star Sign it is in on your chart.

True Node isn’t a planet in our constellation, but rather the real position of the Moon’s node at any time. Your True Node (often referred to as North Node) in your natal chart is considered your ideal life path: a path that you should follow in order to reach your fulfilment and ultimate satisfaction. It represents the skills, talents, knowledge, and attitudes one needs to develop in this life to reach your highest potential.

Additionally, you have a South Node that serves as a counterpart to your True Node. They work as a team and always land in zodiac signs that oppose each other. Together, they point out your life’s greatest lessons including what you have already mastered, where you are going and what you must accomplish to get there. Essentially, your True Node points the direction to where you’re going karmically, and South Node informs where you already have been. 

Chiron is also not a planet, but an ice body between Saturn and Uranus, that orbits the sun with a unique and erratic orbit. Chiron goes through many retrogrades and in fact, Charlie’s Chiron was retrograde in Gemini at his birth. 

In the natal chart, Chiron is symbolized by the “wounded healer.” It represents our deepest wound, and our efforts to heal the wound. Chiron was named for the centaur in Greek mythology who was a healer but who, ironically, could not heal himself. When Chiron moves through the universe, it reveals what is broken in our society. Chiron asks what holds us back and what makes us feel liberated. 

The Midheaven (MC) is the cusp of the tenth house of a natal chart, and always found at the top of the printed chart. It’s the public face of the individual, how they are viewed and treated by the world, and often reflects our social standing and reputation.

Your Midheaven represents your top achievements, your accomplishments and the responsibility you play in the larger world.

In addition to the planets, there are other celestial bodies that show up in a person’s Natal Chart. One of the more obscure ones is the mysterious Black Moon Lilith.

Black Moon Lilith marks the furthest point of the moon’s orbit around the earth. Essentially, the moon’s elliptical orbit has two center points – earth, and Black Moon Lilith. It is not a planet, but rather a point in space without a physical body, transverse from the Earth. Black Moon Lilith stays approximately nine months in each sign, making a revolution every eight years and nine months.

Black Moon Lilith represents our most primitive urges and impulses, our repressed sexuality and the darkest parts of our psyche. She may also reveal hidden fantasies and fetishes.

Houses

While all the information above is pertinent to the day that an individual is born, the Twelve Houses reflect the exact moment and location of their birth – providing even greater influence and evidence of the person they will become.

When a person’s House falls in the same ruling sign as that House, we refer to it as being ‘on the cusp’ of that sign.

1st House

The First House is also going to be an individual’s Ascendant or Rising Sign (see above). The First House is ruled by Aries and the planet Mars. It reflects how others see us including first impressions, how we view our lives and even our physical presence.

2nd House

The Second House reflects our values including material possessions and personal wealth. It highlights how much material security a person might need in order to feel safe and to thrive. The Second House is ruled by Taurus.

3rd House

The Third House is ruled by Gemini and the planet Mercury. It governs communication, conversations, and the subconscious mind. Charlie’s 3rd House is on the Cusp.

4th House

The Fourth House is ruled by Cancer and the Moon, and it governs your home, your family particularly your mother, your past and what makes you feel secure.

5th House

The 5th House is ruled by the zodiac sign of Leo and helps determine the personality of an individual. This is a very masculine expression of the self, creative and efficient, but it also signals someone who does not consider the opinions or needs of others. These are fiery individuals who are pleasure-seeking to a fault. They love to eat well, gamble, dance and play, as well as entertaining through costumes.

6th House

The Sixth House is ruled by the zodiac sign of the Virgo and the planet Mercury. It determines our professional lives, as well as our professional training and methodologies. Your 6th House reflects your daily life and discipline, including diet, nutrition and exercise, and other forms of self-improvement. It also reflects the routines in our life, our relationship with pets and animals, and the ways that we serve our communities.

7th House

The 7th House is ruled by the zodiac sign of Libra and the planet Venus. It helps determine our relationships with others including marriages and partnerships, as well as companions, legal representatives and counselors. It also reflects the way we approach contracts and obligations.

8th House

The 8th House is ruled by Scorpio and the planet Pluto. It is the home of transformation, our attitude about life, death and sex, as well as any addictions. It reflects divorces, inheritances, taxes and money that others owe us.

9th House

The 9th House is ruled by the zodiac sign of Sagittarius and the planet Jupiter and thus, is on the Cusp for Charlie. This House rules the individual’s belief systems, their sense of adventure, their religion and philosophies, as well as appreciation for other cultures. It also rules commerce and publishing.

10th House

The 10th House is ruled by the zodiac sign of Capricorn and the planet Saturn. It rules career, our position in society and the contributions we make to the world around us. It also reflects our view of authority and achievement, father figures, the law and our most ambitious plans for achievement.

11th House

The 11th House is a succedent one, also ruled by the zodiac sign of Aquarius and the planet Uranus. It stands for friends and acquaintances, groups of people and organizations, dreams, goals and aspirations, people’s sense of purpose and belonging to groups, also for humanity.

12th House

The 12th House is ruled by Pisces and the planet Neptune. It represents what hides behind our public face, the way that our soul develops, our dreams and our Karma – it also indicates a person’s relationship with prison.

Retrogrades

Retrogrades are not inherently negative, despite what you may believe about them (particularly the way that Mercury Retrograde fucks with telecommunications). When a planet is retrograde, it often indicates a more inward focus (or inhibition) of that planetary energy, rather than an outward expression of it. It also can pinpoint where a planetary energy is difficult to handle, handled clumsily, or repressed outright.

There are some astrology experts who believe that where planets are retrograde in a person’s natal chart, shows the ways that they were limited or repressed in their earliest years. What was young Charlie prohibited or discouraged from doing, as it relates to these planetary influences?

A.            An inward focus needed of this energy?

B.            A planetary energy difficult to handle, or handled clumsily? 

C.            Or a planetary energy that was suppressed?

You will have the opportunity to learn much more about your natal chart and even how to do reports for others. Stay tuned - and subscribe to our email and follow us at Facebook and Instagram.