The Natal Chart
A Natal Chart is essentially a map of your life. It’s a snapshot of the heavens at the moment you were born. You can think of it like a photo of the planets and of the universe. Once developed, this ‘photo’ is what the universe has to say about who you are and what you may become. The seeds of the future are always shown in the present, but can we read them? This is what the study of astrology is all about. Reading the signs of the times and listening to what they have to say about us, now and in the future. This week’s blog looks at understanding what your natal chart is.
What is a natal chart? It is a chart cast using your date of birth (day, month, and year), time of birth (am/pm), and place of birth. With this information, your natal chart can determine your personality, the person you are and who you can become!! How? By looking at the placements of the planets and the way they interact with each other. The planets will not be in the same place at the time of your birth again for another 26,000 years. There are no two personalities that are the same in the world. Your natal chart is as unique as your fingerprint!!
The “big three” in astrology form your personality, it's like a pyramid. We have the Sun on top with the Moon and Rising sign at each bottom end. There is a treasure trove of information in a natal chart!!
The Ascendant in a natal chart is known as the Rising Sign. It is the starting point of the first house in a chart. Contrary to the standard horoscope analysis in the newspaper, where the personality of a person is based on the Sun Sign (the sign where the sun is), astrologers usually put emphasis on the characteristics of the first House, or Ascendant, to project a personality profile. And if you read my New and Full Moon horoscopes, then you will know I recommend using your Rising sign rather than your Sun sign to find out what could be going on for you.
The Rising Sign is the zodiac sign that was on the eastern horizon at the time you were born. This is shown by the thick black vertical line and labelled ASC on the left side in the chart above. Everything above that line was visible at your time of birth, and everything below it was not.
The Midheaven is the point where the sun is found at midday. This is the other thick black line and is labelled MC at the top (and IC at the bottom). The sign where the Midheaven is found can show you the type of career you will have, what you will reach for in life, what you are going to achieve and how, and also the things that will make you happy.
The Chart Wheel represents the space surrounding where we were born. It is as if we were standing outside with the sky above us (upper part of chart) and the Earth beneath our feet (lower hemisphere).
The outside ring of the wheel represents the zodiac. The zodiac stretches in a circle through all 360 degrees of the surrounding sky, and this circle is divided into sections of 30 degrees, which make up the 12 signs. The next ring of the chart contains the position of the planets. In the Chart Wheel, the planets are placed in their zodiac positions. Planet positions are measured within signs by degrees, minutes, and seconds of circular arc. Each degree contains 60 minutes of arc and each minute of arc contains 60 seconds of arc. Each planet is represented by its Glyph, followed by the degree and Glyph of the zodiac sign it is in, and then the arc minute.
The wheel is then divided into 12 sections called Houses. The houses are numbered from 1 to 12 in the next ring. The pie-like lines that divide one house from the next are called house cusps.
The centre of the chart will contain red and blue lines. These represent the aspects the planets are making to each other. We can think of these aspects like a conversation. Some will be easy and are when the two planets come together. Some will complement each other, some will clash. Sometimes the energy will flow, and other times it will show us where we need to grow or a problem we need to solve.
Here is an overview of the Planets and some of what they mean:
Sun: The Sun is associated with a sense of power. The house that the Sun occupies will be strongly emphasised. The activities of that house will be of great importance to the person throughout their life. The characteristics of the sign associated with the Sun are usually intensified. The positive aspect of the Sun is creativity, affection and generosity. The negative trait of the Sun is arrogance.
Moon: The Moon conveys the sense of instinct and cyclic changes. The Moon is the second most important planet aside from the Sun. The characteristics of the Moon sign usually reflect the personality of the subject. Habits, emotions, motherhood, family and social response are the associations of the moon. Positiveness of the Moon is imaginativeness, business shrewdness, maternal instinct and patience. Negative traits include stubbornness, unreliability and irrational behaviour.
Mercury: Mercury is communication. Mercury is associated with computers, intellect, science and mental perception. The positive characteristics of Mercury are good memory, logical, communicative and clever. The negative traits are mental constipation, argumentative, nervous and sarcastic.
Venus: The keywords of Venus are love and harmony. Venus is associated with feelings, love, beauty, arts, and fashion. The positiveness of Venus is friendly, well-mannered, artistic and lovable. The negative traits are selfish and unrealistically romantic.
Mars: Fire and energy come to mind with Mars. In ancient times, Mars was regarded as the bringer of wars. It has been perceived as the most powerful planet. Aggression, quickness in action, war and weapons and masculinity are always associated with Mars. The negative traits are boisterous, war-like and quarrelsome.
Jupiter: The keyword of Jupiter is expansion. Jupiter is sometimes known as the good planet. The House in which Jupiter is found is usually associated with very favourable outcomes in that department of life. The expanding quality of the planet can also be associated with the physical size of Jupiter, it is the largest planet in the solar system. Positive traits are compassion, optimism, and sportiveness. Negative traits can be extravagance, irresponsible, indulgent, over-optimistic, and care-free.
Saturn: Limitation and hardship are the main attributes of Saturn. A person always encounters limitations on the activities in life that are characteristic of the House where Saturn is. Saturn is always associated with slow-moving, difficulty, and tension. Because Saturn is a planet that tests the success or tenacity of a person's action, Saturn is positively associated with perseverance and fortitude. As well, Saturn sometimes is associated with ill health. The positive traits are trustworthiness, tenacity, and discipline. The negative traits are self-pitying, depressive, and difficult.
Uranus: Sudden changes best represent Uranus. Uranus is associated with modern science, medicine, sex and telecommunication radio systems. The positive traits are inventive and original. The negative traits are sexually perverted, abnormal and impulsive.
Neptune: The keyword of Neptune is unknown. Neptune may reflect the hidden potential capability of a person. The positive traits are subtle, artistic and sensitive. The negative traits are indecisive, careless, and unworldly.
Pluto: Due to its recent discovery (1930), astrologers have not been certain of what Pluto is best to associate with a person's characteristics. The best to associate with Pluto is the marking of a new beginning (the end of a cycle) of a life event. Pluto very often is symbolically associated with business, the hidden and unconscious power. The positive traits are financial astuteness, able to start new in unfavourable circumstances. The negative traits are underworld association and seediness.
The fast-moving, inner planets are the personal planets. They are personal to you. They are the Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus and Mars. The slower-moving, outer planets are generational planets. Jupiter and Saturn are social planets. Jupiter expands and Saturn restricts. Pluto will stay in the same sign for 30 years.
When we look at a natal chart, we can see our strengths as well as the areas where we may struggle. It can guide us to where we might need more help and support, and also allow us to understand why we do certain things. We can also look at our natal chart in relation to where the planets are today. This adds another ring to the chart wheel and shows us what is going in our life now. This allows us to plan and prepare for the future. I hope you have found this week's blog interesting. If you would like to dive into your natal chart using the moon as your compass, then book a Moon Reading using the button below.
