Explaining How Astrology Works Pt.3 - Approaches to reading a chart

by Robert Wilkinson

Reading an astrological chart is one of the more daunting tasks, given the sheer number of factors involved. It is almost as difficult as herding cats. When looking at a birth chart, what is important, and what is secondary? In the interests of sharing some of my technique of how to read a chart, I'll cover a few factors using the chart of a friend. I won't identify the gender or birth place, but will say it is a chart for December 10, 1960, born in the upper midwest of the US with middle decan Aquarius rising.

Fans of this site know I'm big on the Jones patterns, since they show the overall emphasis without regard to specific planetary signs or aspects, though these also are important. In this chart, the span runs from Mars in Cancer in the 5th up over the horizon through the Virgo, Scorpio, Sag, and Capricorn planets, finally ending with Venus at 1 Aquarius. This is a Bowl, since all the planets are in about half the signs. This shows in an acute sense of division between what is known and what is not, what is experienced and what is not, and what is possessed by the person versus what is needed in their outer world. All people with a Bowl are possessed of much, and want to "pour it out" to others. That all the planets are above the horizon except Mars shows a highly public existence, a la Lincoln and Queen Victoria.

To quote the Master, "the hemisphere emphasis reveals... Lincoln was compelled to lead an outer, practical and highly objective existence....the house position reveals a maximum self-emptying,... caution, or the agonizing uncertainty... before making his decisive moves." To paraphrase, the self-containment of the bowl makes a being apart, often misunderstood, but at its best offers "unbelievable resources" and the ability to find a happiness in carrying out the vision of an age. Again, from Dr. Jones, "He met people with a mixture of humor and understanding which protected his own highly sensitive feelings, and enabled him to become the living embodiment of everything worthwhile in the nation's tradition." Thus it can be inferred the person in question has these qualities, as well as the "pacesetter" factor of Mars leading the pattern, like Lincoln and Edgar Allen Poe. This person leads with Mars, and ends any given experience through Venus, the final planet in the span.

Another important factor in the chart is the Sun-Moon relationship, in this case about 97 degrees apart in the Disseminating Moon phase. This person is constantly analyzing, evaluating, innovating, renovating, synthesizing information and disseminating it to others to release new ideas through informing and inspiring. The Sun and Moon are in signs that are not harmonious to each other, showing a difficulty in coordinating everyday affairs, but also a gift of knowing how to compartmentalize things so one area doesn't unnecessarily interfere with the other. That the Moon is Disseminating and the Sun is in the 10th house of the chart are also indicators of a highly public life, one that will "illuminate" their world, however large or small. The Sun in Sag and Moon in Virgo shows a gift of seeing the big picture while knowing how to take care of the details involved in the work, with a tendency as well to get too scattered and then worry about the many things not being taken care of in an orderly fashion.

Now on to important aspects, or angles between the planets. The Moon is conjunct Pluto and its own North Node, showing this to be the evolutionary line of development. Due to Pluto, this person is very intense, very powerful, and can sometimes bring out the worst in people as well as the best. The Sag Sun is strengthened by the trine to Uranus in Leo, offering great creativity and an unfettered imagination. The Virgo Moon is strengthened by the Jupiter-Saturn conjunction in the 11th house, showing the best work will be done with friends, in groups, and in a larger form of world service serving to reorganize the social "rules" and assist the growth of society. This person will know some very powerful people who may lack imagination and be too rule-bound, an effect of the Mars retrograde in Cancer in the 5th house opposed to Jupiter and Saturn. This also creates the need to re-evaluate the rules and limitations in life to make sure they are not unnecessarily confining to the natural need for sensitive and creative self-expression of the Mars position.

Saturn is stronger than Jupiter, due to Saturn ruling Capricorn. Saturn is the strongest influence for all the planets since it is where "the buck stops," in terms of "dispositorship," or which planets are ruled by which based in sign position. Here every single planet is ultimately ruled by Saturn, since the rulers of all the signs track back to Saturn in Capricorn. As you know, I use the "Sabian Symbols," and these can be revealing of specific qualities where they fall. In this case, I won't go into them extensively (we'd be here till day after tomorrow!), but the Saturn is particularly revealing. It's symbol is "The Union Jack," a symbol of "supervision" and "the protection afforded to individuals and groups by powerful institutions in charge of maintaining order." We are told its keyword is "political power," and when positive, "the degree is the self's ever-widening spread of interest in its insatiable desire to leave some permanent imprint of itself on everything it touches."

Since it applies to the planetary ruler of the 12th house and is a planet in the 11th, we can assume that this part of the being is karmically ingrained in the psyche, and a major part of the karmic dharma lessons. This being has a great responsibility to be true to their higher goals and ambitions, and to live free and independently as they fulfill their duties meticulously. The freedom-independence quotient is very high due to the Aquarius rising, as is the visionary world-servant quality. This one marches to a different drummer, will never be hemmed in by others' limitations, Saturn is the ruler of the Ascendant in the affairs of this world, again emphasizing the Saturn in Capricorn influence. Uranus rules Aquarius in the higher realms, and its position in this chart shows a need for independence in all interactions, with each bringing their genius or special gifts to the common table of cooperation. Uranus retrograde shows an extraordinarily independent Spirit, a forerunner of the future with each answer opening a thousand new questions. The person in question is unhappiest when trying to conform to roles they have outgrown, or trying to follow someone else's logic, order, or discipliine. They must do things their own unique way, which of course may confound the Capricorn part of the nature which loves order.

I'll close now, with a reminder that all the contradictions of the personality can coexist, with each coming forth in different ways at different times. That is why it is necessary to regard apparently opposing personality traits in a chart in the light of the whole being. I have only touched a few of the factors I use in assessing charts, but hopefully you can extrapolate ways to look at your chart from what I've offered here. And the goal is personality integration, so remember that the traits in the chart will reappear again and again until we become conscious of all the ways we need to experience to come to value the higher self.

Another interesting observation I've made is that when you resolve a certain planetary function and become positive in your response to its challenges, then others will come into your life so that you may demonstrate the higher function to them. We learn more from example than talking. That's why our direct experience can serve to help others much more than philosophical speculations. Our experiences serve to help many to transmute the necessity to suffer what we once did. That's how interconnected we are. The planets are people in our lives. That's an amazing meditation to consider. Namaste.

© Copyright 2006 Robert Wilkinson. Last update: 8/27/2006; 10:52:55 AM.