Andromeda DavisTo get the most specific and accurate horoscope reading personalized to you, you’ll need a birth chart. A birth chart determines where the heavenly bodies were located at the exact moment of your birth. In this article, we’ll introduce you to the most common factors that are considered when interpreting a personalized birth chart.
Relying on your Sun sign alone for an astrological forecast is a very vague and broad reading. To get the most accurate horoscope reading, you need a birth chart. This is what truly explains how people of the same zodiac sign differ. A birth chart reveals the specific personality traits that are unique to you alone.
The key elements of a birth chart in astrology
When creating a horoscope reading from your birth chart, each combination of a planet, sign, and house that occurred at the exact moment of your birth, results in a unique expression that relates to you personally.
The essential ingredients
Your birth chart will consider three primary things: The twelve signs of the zodiac, the twelve houses of the zodiac, the planets and their relationships to the zodiac and one another.
Here are the most important elements that are considered in a reading of your birth chart.
1. Your Sun sign
Your zodiac sign or Sun sign is determined by the date of your birth. This determines your core personality traits.
The date and time of your birth will consider what house your sun sign is in, as well as the relationship of other planets.
2. Your Moon sign
Your Moon sign is defined by which particular zodiac sign the moon was present in at the specific time of your birth.
Your Moon sign is the second most influential factor in your horoscope. It rules and shapes your unconscious and subconscious mind. It reveals your hidden nature and true inner spirit, the nature that is not reflected by your public face.
Your Moon sign determines your instinctive natures, emotions, intuitions, and feelings. It reveals what is really driving you from the inside, your actual self-identity.
In your birth chart, your Moon sign is affected by which element it is in Air, Fire, Earth or Water.
3. The inner planets
The inner planets are those which orbit the sun more quickly and have a day-to-day influence on your life. The inner planets are Mercury, Mars, and Venus.
Mercury is both a messenger and translator, which helps you to understand your world. It also influences communications, as well as miscommunication.
Venus rules love and romance, as well as, seduction, desire. It also influences relationships, friendships, harmony and passions, as well as, money and prosperity.
Mars rules energy, vitality, actions, motivation, ambition and determination. It influences our animal instinct, and as a result, our most primal desires and passions. It also has an effect on our anger.
4. The outer planets
The outer planets are farther from the sun and take at least 7 years or more to travel through each sign of the zodiac. As a result, they are considered to have “generational” effects on our lives, occurring only 2-3 times within our lifespan.
In classical astrology, the outer planets are Jupiter and Saturn, as these are those that can be seen with the naked eye. In modern astrology, the outer planets include Neptune, Uranus, and Pluto.
Jupiter rules positivity, enthusiasm, and optimism. It is associated with good fortune.
Saturn rules discipline, boundaries, authority, restrictions and limitations. Saturn highlights where we will face are the toughest internal challenges in life.
Uranus rules awakenings, breakthroughs, innovation, liberation and independence. It is associated with “midlife crisis.” It remains in a single sign approximately 7 years.
Neptune is associated with intuition, spiritualism, and mysticism. It influences our dreams, visions, and imagination. It remains in a sign for approximately 14 years.
Pluto rules Revelation. It is associated with uncovering hidden truths. It influences when and if our hidden powers will be released. It reveals where we will face both creative and destructive elements.
5. Houses
There are twelve segments in astrology known as “houses.” Houses are based on the Earth’s 24-hour rotation on its axis. These houses are arranged on a circular chart or wheel, which are read in a counterclockwise manner. Each house is ruled by a particular zodiac sign and is connected with traits related to that sign.
Your birth chart will look at which house each planet, the sun, and moon were all in at the exact moment of your birth.
The combination of planetary traits and influences, as well as, the traits and influences associated with each house work together to give a unique expression into your personality, as well as events that have occurred or may occur in your lifespan.
Space limitations restrict us from giving a full explanation of all the traits and influences of Houses in this article, but see our previous article on “Understanding Houses in Astrology.”
6. Trines
A trine means “threefold” or “triple.” In astrology, trines are relationships of three celestial bodies that are 120 degrees apart within the zodiac. In your birth chart, trines relate to planets being located within a harmonious angle of support. These represent hidden relationships that provide a natural flow which produces a unique set of energies and interplay.
7. Squares
A square in astrology is where the relationships of two celestial bodies are 90 degrees apart within the zodiac. These two planets only share the “modalities” of being either cardinal, fixed or mutable – but nothing else. In your birth chart, squares relate to a battle of wills between the influences of these celestial bodies.
They reveal conflicting parts of your inner nature. These revelations will encourage you to use self-reflection and discipline to work on your personal growth and find balance in your life.
Shea Lee
