In Episode 260, astrologers Lisa Shaim and Chris Brennan discuss the first steps to take in interpreting a natal chart and what astrological factors to focus on in natal astrology.
New students of astrology often learn different techniques, but they are often unsure of the order and priority you should give to the various factors when looking at a new chart.
As there are many different approaches to astrology, astrologers tend to develop different approaches or prioritize different things, and this is evident. To prepare for this episode, we started on Twitter.
The purpose of this episode was to outline our approach to what we prioritize when looking at a new chart, although many of these factors are consistent with many of the major traditions of Western astrology.
See the show notes below for a complete breakdown of the steps we recommend.
This episode is available in audio and video versions at the bottom of this page.
News and announcements
The British Astrological Association is hosting an online astrology conference this week, 26-28 June 2020!
The conference is titled “Serving the Future” and will feature 6 workshops, 4 plenary sessions and 5 tracks with speakers from around the world.
You can register to attend the conference live or purchase recordings Astrological Association website.
Show notes
Here are some of the topics we discussed, with links to related resources:
Preliminary considerations
- What’s the first thing you look at when you pull up a new birth chart?
- What are the main things you should consider in each chart?
- One thing I understood from the answers was that it depends on what you are looking for.
- What is context?
- What information are you looking for?
- What is the purpose of special consultation?
- What catches your eye?
- Having a built-in system with respect to each table offering something unique.
- Which techniques speak in some way to the diagram as a whole?
- Or what placements indicate major themes in a person’s life?
- Some techniques are traditional.
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- The first steps then depend on what the trade you are following emphasizes
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What our steps should prioritize:
- Ascendant / Ascendant
- Comment: time of birth, does it look round
- Ascendant ruler: house, sign, aspects
- Sect – day or night schedule
- Sun: sign, house, aspects
- Moon: sign, house, aspects
- Most favorable benefic based on sect (Jupiter by day, Venus by night)
- A sect based on the most negative planet (Mars by day, Saturn by night)
- Stationary planets (one week before / after birth)
- Notable chart patterns: stellium, T-square, etc.
- Planets combine angular degrees and angular planets combine sign
- Elemental or modality emphasis
- Close aspects, applicable aspects, difficult aspects
- Counseling topics:
- The common sign is the ruler of the planet, house and house
Time:
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- Annual occupations
- What is a protected house for the year?
- What is the ruler of the year?
- These are transits involving the house or ruler
- Transits
- Slow-moving transits are currently underway
- Through which houses Saturn and Jupiter transit
- Proximity to Saturn return or other Saturn angles
- Close outer planet transits
- Recent retrogrades
- Recently occupied houses will fall
- Take a look at the progression
- Any nearby planetary stations
- Proximity to the new or full moon
- Zodiacal Releases: Spirit, Eros
- Annual occupations
Time signs
Here are some timestamps for the topics covered at various points in the episode:
00:00:00 Login
00:06:55 Looking at the obvious
00:09:26 Traditional approaches
00:11:50 Sun, moon, rising
00:12:50 Birth Time and Ascendant
00:16:20 Day or night schedule
00:17:25 Position of sun and moon
00:19:00 Lord of Ascension
00:23:53 Houses ruled by sun and moon
00:24:40 Planets in the first house
00:27:07 Analysis of the Big Three
00:29:56 Moon and feelings
00:36:09 Positive and challenging planets
00:46:28 Judy Blume’s schedule
00:52:47 Stationary planets
00:57:09 Graphic patterns
01:01:14 Planets combine degrees of angles
01:07:00 Elements and styles
01:11:49 Close and difficult aspects
01:13:39 Summary
01:17:02 Drawing example Scorpio rising
01:22:08 Chart topics
01:25:50 Chart example Taurus rising
01:33:35 Chart example Virgo rising
01:39:45 Timing technique
01:40:22 Annual productions
01:42:42 Transit
01:44:22 Saturn and life stage transits
01:46:42 Solar eclipse
01:49:03 Secondary progressions
01:51:12 Zodiacal release
01:53:46 The importance of context
02:00:00 Closing remarks
Watch the video version of this episode
Video version of this episode on how to read your birth chart:
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Transcription
Here is the full transcript of this episode: Episode 260 Transcript
Listen to the audio version of this episode
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