The natal chart is the cornerstone of all astrological analysis. It is a snapshot of the heavens at the time and place of birth. The natal chart for an individual reveals a plethora of information about the entity in terms of both their past incarnations and their intentions for this life. Unraveling the natal chart reveals unconscious motivations and patterns as well as the potential for growth.
Below is a very brief analysis of a natal chart for a 48-yr old female. This represents just a few major points that I feel are significant. It starts with some general information and then gets more specific.
Natal Chart (click to enlarge)
Hemispheres
The horoscope chart is divided into four major quadrants. The cusps of the 1st, 4th, 7th, and 10th houses represent the dividing lines of these quadrants. The 1st house/7th house cusp line (bold horizontal line) represents the horizon. All planets above the horizon at the birth are above this line and all planets below the horizon are below this line in the chart. This line represents the divide between the inner and the outer focus of the individual.
In this chart, the planets are relatively evenly balanced above and below the horizon line but the major outer planets are located below the horizon. This would suggest that, in general, she tends to make decisions based on a combination of outer motivations (i.e. laws, family expectations, and friends) and inner motivations (i.e. personal values, independent preferences, and creativity). However, with the outer planets below the horizon, this would suggest that with maturity, she is gaining more of an ability to discern based on her own inner beliefs and yearnings without the need for outer approval.
In terms of the left and right sides of the chart, for the most part most of the planets are located on the right side. This suggests that she is someone who tends to be relationship-motivated in terms of taking action and making changes to her life direction. Unlike her, people with planets dominant on the left side of the chart usually get cues for life changes through inner yearnings rather than through the people in their lives. She may, for example, be more prone to taking a class recommended by a friend rather than seeking out the class to begin with.
In this case, we would say that she welcomes the assistance of others for her life direction and that she has a tendency to judge her choices according to what she values, regardless of external expectation (at least with maturity). As she matures, she is developing more of an ability to go forth with her own direction according to her own discernment and set of personal morals without as much of a need for outside approval. But other people continue to be important components of her life direction.
Elements & Qualities
Each of the 12 signs of the zodiac has one element and one quality associated with it. The elements include fire, earth, air, and water while the qualities include cardinal, fixed, and mutable.
In terms of the elements, she is relatively balanced. She has average fire and earth energy, slightly less than average air energy, and slightly more than average water energy. Fire is the energy of inspiration and creativity while earth is the energy of practicality and order. Air is the energy of intellect and sociability while water is the energy of the soul and emotional realm. She is relatively balanced between these energies and has ample access to them leading to less of a need to overcompensate in any of these realms through self-exaggeration or through attraction in relationships.
In terms of the qualities, she is relatively balanced as well. She has average mutable energy, slightly above average fixed energy, and slightly below average cardinal energy. Cardinal energy has to do with leading, and starting new projects. Fixed energy has to do with loyalty and sticking with things which have already started and seeing them through to the end. Mutable energy has to do with flexibility and the ability to adjust in life.
In general, we would say that she has a slightly more difficult time getting new projects off the ground but once they are in motion she tends to stick with them and adjust herself as needed to ensure their completion. However, with relative balance in these expressions, the affects are more subtle.
The Ascendant (or Rising Sign)
Most people are familiar with their astrological Sun-signs which are based on what time of the year you are born. But most people are unaware of their ascendant sign which is the sign that was rising on the eastern horizon at the time of birth. In the natal chart, this is the sign which is where the 1st house begins. The ascendant, or rising sign, represents our ‘front door’. It represents how we present ourselves to people when they first meet us and is used by us as a shield, or a mask. It represents how we perceive we are supposed to be in order to be accepted by our family, friends, and anyone else in our lives.
In this chart, we see that the sign of Leo was rising on the eastern horizon at the time of her birth. Leo is an expressive, generous, and leadership type of energy. But it can also be attention-loving, prideful, and bossy. Somewhere along the line, she perceived that being an expressive leader that approached life enthusiastically was the ‘acceptable’ way to be. She perceived that standing out and being ‘special’ were highly valued qualities. Also, because she presents herself this way, most people would describe her as such upon meeting her. They would say that she is generous, out-going, and expressive but that she may tend to be a little bossy and attention-seeking at times.
While this mask operates as a shield when we are younger, over time, the positive attributes become a useful tool for us along our life path.
The Moon
If anyone is able to penetrate the mask and enter through our front door then this is where people meet up with our ‘burglar alarm’. The Moon in our charts represents our unconscious programming and our reactive instincts when we feel threatened or worse…when we feel vulnerable. It also represents are perceived needs in order to feel safe.
With this chart, the Moon was in the sign of Pisces at the time of her birth. Despite her confident Leo mask, when she is at her most vulnerable, she will become extremely sensitive and be more prone to escapism. She is highly tuned into others’ needs and while her ‘capable’ Leo mask will attract many people in need of her direction and leadership, she may often feel overwhelmed and as if she has bitten off more than she can chew (at least early in life). Her Leo appearance gives others the impression that she can handle anything and she may perceive that she is ‘supposed’ to handle whatever is thrown her way. But this Pisces moon reveals a more vulnerable and sensitive side to her personality that is not readily apparent but which unleashes itself through her unconscious reactive patterns when she is stressed and/or in fear.
The Moon is found in the 9th house of freedom, adventure, and higher learning. Combined with the escapism of Pisces, she may be tempted to ‘run’ away from commitments and seek greener pastures. There may be an underlying unconscious desire to ‘keep moving’ which can be triggered during times that require more solid commitments as is required with relationships. She may need more time to herself and for herself when she feels threatened and may unconsciously perceive any form of permanence as a threat to her freedom.
The Sun
Imagine a life without fear or the need to protect ourselves. Imagine if we perceived that it was ‘okay’ to come across as who we really are inside. In that imaginary life we would come across with our true inner essence which is represented by our Sun sign energy. The Sun represents our ‘true self’ and the life force from which our embers burn. The greatest gift that we can offer the world would be to fully express our Sun energy and use it in the most positive way that we can.
In this chart, the Sun was in the very first degree of Aquarius (0°) at the time of her birth. At its most positive, Aquarius energy is independent, inclusive, and objective. Negatively, Aquarius energy can be aloof, opinionated, and rebellious. Aquarius energy is about understanding in its highest form. Having this Aquarius Sun in her 6th house and flirting with the 7th house cusp gives her the urge to focus her Aquarian energy in the realm of service and one-on-one consultation. This gives her the ability to give objective advice to others which may include advice or service regarding health (6th house), for example.
With Leo rising, a Pisces Moon, and an Aquarius Sun she is likely to attract people who are in need of her direction since she presents herself as someone who can take charge (Leo Rising). She is quite capable of tapping into the needs of others (Pisces Moon) and as long as she can remain detached and objective (Aquarius Sun) she can serve others by delivering sound advice and direction perhaps as a health counselor of some kind (6th house/7th house cusp).
Image of the Masculine and the Feminine
In most cases, our images of the masculine and the feminine are developed through our perception of our parental figures. Like us, our parental figures are complex and dynamic but there are always those parts of them that seem to stick out more significantly to us. We will often even disagree with our siblings in terms of our perceptions of our parents as well. While there is no overarching objective description of our masculine and feminine influences found in our birth charts, there is the subjective impression and our personal perception of those influences.
In this chart, the Sun is in Aquarius in the 6th house (7th house cusp) and it is conjunct Saturn in Capricorn and Mercury in Aquarius. When I see this configuration, it conjures up an image of the masculine (father figure) that is intelligent and perhaps distant with a good sense of structure and practicality. There may be a perception of emotional unavailability and/or perhaps even physical unavailability. She has, within herself, a masculine expression that is reflected by this image of the masculine. To her, being practical, intelligent, and aloof are perceived to be beneficial ways of approaching the world.
The Moon is in Pisces in the 9th house and is conjunct Venus in Pisces, squaring Mars in Cancer, and sextiling Saturn in Capricorn. This conjures up an image of the feminine (mother figure) that is the sensitive teacher type that struggles to balance her own honest desire for freedom with her obligation to the rules by which she lives. There may be a perception of martyrdom and sacrifice associated with this image as well. Perhaps the mother-figure was perceived to be the home-body that desired to experience more freedom while suppressing her true anger with the situation. Within my client there exists this expression of the feminine as she finds it difficult to show her sensitive side in an honest manner and may suppress her frustration and instead approach the world in a more aloof manner. This suppression of her true feelings can lead to strong temper outbursts as well (as she may have perceived in her mother-figure).
Her parental influences are obviously more dynamic than these simple descriptions but she picks up on these particular ‘parts’ of her parental influences because these qualities are mirrors for her own inner imbalances and life’s work. It is impossible to see our own face without a mirror, and our parental influences often play this reflective role for the purpose of our own inner recognition.
Her Resume
There are some clues in a natal chart as to what themes have been prevalent in the person’s past before the current incarnation. Any karmic issues (energetic imbalances) are revealed and often present themselves in our lives for the purpose of resolution, or alignment.
In her chart, there are several indicators that suggest that she has previous experiences where she neglected emotional connections on some level. In taking action to explore the world and/or spread her beliefs she may have neglected her place of residence and the people from whom she would have received support. At the same time, she may have also neglected to support the genuine emotional experiences of others when they did not align with her abstract beliefs. This type of energetic experience could have manifested in many different ways and certainly hasn’t been her only experience. But the point is that part of her experience in this life is balancing out this emotional neglect on some level.
This is why she struggles in this life with authentic expression of her emotions and why she tends to fall back on habits of escape and freedom when she perceives that she is being pinned down or hemmed in. It is also why she tends to trend toward inaction and avoidance and it is a struggle for her to take action and participate in life especially with regards to making commitments. She is learning that ignoring problems and detaching from them does not make them go away and that creating a support system takes effort.
Her Contract
The natal chart can also serve as a contract for the current life in terms of intentions and growth. Parts of our contract deals with balancing out our karma from the past while other parts deal with breaking new ground and having new experiences.
While there is much information with regards to her intentions, one theme dominates the overall picture. She is here to fully participate in the physical world and to make concrete steps to produce tangible results with whatever it is that she chooses. She is here to make connections and create support systems rather than running from them. These realms of life are outside of her comfort zone on a soul level and she is here to master them so as to better balance herself. Part of this participation requires total devotion to her cause and/or life-style and the willingness to completely die and be reborn if needed in the process. I mean this figuratively, of course, but major transformations and re-births are probably a big part of her life experience.
Earlier in life, she used her Leo mask to project an image of light, confidence, and generosity and, with time, she is actually developing these qualities. Parts of her intentions in this life involve developing this ‘light’ and shining it on others through her service to them. Over time she has developed the ability to connect to and empathize with others. She can focus her ego on them and highlight for them a proper course of action, for example. But, it is only through her willingness to face the discomfort of connection that she will find a way to use her sensitivity to the needs of others as a way to help them rather than as an excuse to escape from their perceived grasp.
Staying grounded and maintaining participation is a challenge as the temptation to drift away and escape is strong. But with effort and perseverance she can learn how to best serve humanity by highlighting the paths of others through such outlets as counseling, therapy (perhaps physical massage) or some kind of guidance profession. Even without these professions, she will certainly find herself in the role of ‘guide’ throughout her life.
Current Spotlights
While the natal chart is a snapshot of the time and place of birth, the planets keep moving after our birth at their different rates of speed. By tracking the location (green planets on the outside of the chart) of the planets relative to our natal charts we can recognize time periods of significance with regards to the planets involved. While there is much more going on with this chart than I will discuss here, the following are some of the more significant recent/current happenings in my opinion.
Pluto (planet of deep transformation and renewal) has been opposing her natal Mars (12th house) from her natal 6th house of work, service, and health since early 2008 and this is finishing up just before the start of 2010. This period has represented a deep transformation in her daily routines with an emphasis on her career and public image. Transformations in the work arena (perhaps related to health issues) are likely to continue for more than a decade and/or she will be taking on a new line of work that is more spiritual and intense. Over the past 2 years she has probably experienced her masculine energies more readily and has had an opportunity to face her habits of ‘inaction’ and ‘non-participation’. Her ambition and old hurts and anger may have been fueled due to her new found intensity to ‘do’ something. Very intense events associated with ‘others’ can be associated with a Pluto opposition to Mars. She no doubt has probably experienced anger coming from others as well, especially if she has continued to deny and/or suppress her own anger.
The triple conjunction of Neptune, Jupiter, and Chiron has been hovering around her 8th house (shared resources, transformation, and healing) cusp through most of 2009 while opposing her natal Uranus in her 2nd house of tangibility and personal resources. Through her relationships (marriage, business partners, and/or clients) with others this year she has experienced an opportunity to heal. Perhaps in combination with the urgency represented by the Pluto transit above she has been able to reveal herself more authentically to others and thereby heal in the process. If she works with clients, she may also have learned lessons through their experiences that she can use in her own life.
The current Saturn/Uranus opposition is occurring in her 3rd/9th houses, respectively. These are the houses of information, communication, learning, teaching, and travel. Through this transit (November 2008 through August 2010), she is restructuring her communication and ensuring that it is more authentic and she is saying what she actually feels. She is forming new connections and learning new information (possibly teaching it as well) in unconventional ways or through unconventional mediums. This opposition between Saturn and Uranus is also forming aspects to her natal Moon/Mars square between her 9th/12th houses, respectively, over the course of 2009/2010. Again, her hidden anger is up for appraisal and adjustment. She may also find that a more authentic path for her involves working in more spiritual realms and she may begin restructuring her life to reflect this realization. This may involve old feelings coming up and new feelings that have never been experienced. The Pluto transit mentioned above has opened this path of elimination and transformation with regards to her anger and inhibitions. Now the Saturn/Uranus opposition has arrived and is restructuring this realm according to her authenticity.
Finally, Mars will retrograde (appear to move backward) from December 20, 2009 through March 10, 2010. This retrograde of Mars will occur mostly within her 1st house of self-image and personality. Late December through March will be a time of pulling the archer’s bow back and aiming for a target. Then the spring of 2010 will be a time of moving forward with her new self-image which will certainly involve a new overall personal expression. She may feel ready to take on the world by the time April 2010 rolls around. From early November 2009 through late April 2010 this Mars retrograde in her 1st house will also be forming aspects to her natal Mercury/Neptune square between her natal 7th/4th houses, respectively. Her typically creative (though sometimes muddled) mind will be energized and new information will flow to her, perhaps through psychic mediums. It is important to think before speaking or acting, however, as the information may not be as clear as it appears and her direction may be muddled or confused as well.
Advice
The period of 2008-2010 is an important period for her to ensure that she is authentic in her expression. It is all too easy for her to fall into patterns of deception (though perhaps mostly unintentional) where she hides her true feelings as she does not perceive that she is naturally supported as her authentic self. However, as she develops her own support systems and concretely maintains them she is creating a platform for her own authentic expression that can produce tangible results in the form of guiding others. It is important that she recognizes that her participation is important and that includes involving her true self and not a created version of herself. What she has to offer is far more valuable than what she may perceive is wanted from her.
This current time is not easy, but with willing participation in the process, she can come through on the other side knowing that her authentic expression will earn her the opportunity to receive the support that she desires. Anger is a gift and can be used properly if given the chance. She is learning this now for better or for worse. Also, square pegs do not fit into round holes. And while she may know that a round hole fits her best it is up to her to present herself as the true round peg that she is. Only then will she be truly supported for who she is and be able to fully participate in this game of life.
And so it is…
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