How to Read a Western Astrology Chart
...the Basics
I’ve been studying Western astrology for a good 25 years now, so sometimes I forget that a lot of people don’t even know the very basics — like how to read a chart in the first place or what all of those little symbols mean.
And just what the heck is an ascendant and/or rising sign?
To help out all astro newbies, as well as anyone who would like to understand the more technical side of understanding information in a chart wheel (interpreting what it means is a whole other kettle of fish!) I made this little video that goes through the basics of what you need to know, step by step.
I’ve included a chart with the symbols for the planets above, which includes the symbol for Earth (which looks, a bit eerily, like a target sign…).
Below you’ll find the symbols for the signs again.
FYI, I’m not really quite sure why this chart starts with Libra, as the natural zodiac always starts with Aries in the 1st and ends with Pisces in the 12th. I guess it doesn’t really matter. The symbols are there with the names, including the one for Sagittarius, which I forgot to mention in the video (sorry, Sag!).
I also mentioned looking at the full complexity of a chart without realizing that the changes I was making weren’t visible in my screenshare. Here’s what the more complete chart looks like (although the aspects chart is still missing).
And here is the list of (some of) the different types of house systems you can use to display the chart, something astrologers love to fight about (i.e., which one is the “right” one to use).
If you think all of that looks complex, just wait for my video/post about how to read a Jyotish chart. Here’s what they look like.
Yes, folks, there are three main Vedic astrology styles: the North Indian chart, the South Indian chart and the East Indian chart.
I’ll lay things out in a short video soon so you can get your bearings with understanding how these charts are built as well, so stay tuned!