The most important thing is to remember interpretations. The entire card should be considered as a whole. The natal chart is replete with sometimes conflicting pieces of information about a person. If you are interested in how to decipher the natal chart yourself, then remember that each of its fragments should be considered as part of a single whole.
This means that you cannot take one piece of the map (for example, Mercury in Sagittarius) and decide that it determines the whole character of a person and his fate. If you do this, you will undoubtedly be mistaken. Of course, you will be tempted to dwell on one or another planetary meaning. This is a big mistake. For example, let's say that two people have Mercury in Sagittarius (meaning talkativeness). You may be tempted to assume that both people are frank and talkative. But, say, the first has the Sun in Capricorn, and the second has the Sun in Sagittarius. Although they both have Mercury in Sagittarius, the first person (Sun in Capricorn) will have a much more relaxed communication style than the second person (Sun in Sagittarius).
Read the map holistically
As mentioned above, if you are interested in how to decipher the natal chart, then you must remember that you need to consider it as a whole. Yes, by all means consider all the individual interpretations of each planet in its sign and house. But then you must bind all this together into a single picture, referring to the Ascending Sign in the natal chart.
It is as if each of us was a mosaic consisting of small individual images. In the natal chart, each individual planet in the sign and house is like one tiny individual image, one tiny part of the entire mosaic. Now two different completed mosaics, if you look close enough, may contain tiny pieces that are the same, but they are also parts of two completely different finished mosaics (this point is illustrated by the example of Mercury in Sagittarius above). Although mosaics contain similar pieces, the final products are not like anything. If it is important for you to know how to decipher the natal chart correctly, then remember the old adage: “Do not judge a book by its cover”.
Thus, the work of an astrologer is to take all fragments of the personality in the natal chart and synthesize them into a single whole. A surprisingly accurate portrait of a man appears.
Decoding planets in signs
Look at the natal chart and pay attention to what sign and house on each planet. Also pay attention to the sign of the Ascendant (Ascendant sign), in which the ruler of the Ascendant is located.
Now, if you are interested in how to decipher the natal chart, you can see the interpretation of each of your planets and the ascending sign. When you feel the basic energy of each planet and the objective qualities of each sign, you can include your own subjective understanding of its meaning in the decoding of the map.
The zodiac sign will show how the planet appears. Astrologers used to compare signs with stained glass windows through which the planet expresses itself. See if this analogy helps: present a sentence with a verb and adverb. The planet is a “verb”, and the zodiac sign is an “adverb”. For example, the Moon (feel, cherish, react) in the sign of Capricorn (restraint, coldness) means a person who consoles others in a cold and restrained way or who has difficulty expressing emotions. If you know how to compile and decipher the natal chart, then it should be obvious to you that this is not the best place for the moon.
Definition of an astrological house
Another point to remember is that the planet in the sign will be focused on the house. This means that the activity indicated by the planet will take place in the arena of your life, indicated by the house in which this planet appears. Do not forget that every home is a sphere of life - that is, work, home, friendship, etc. If you are interested in understanding how to decipher the natal chart, then remember that the Planet is the “what”, the zodiac sign is the “how”, and the “house” is the “where”.
Why is the astrological house so important?
Imagine that a person has Saturn in Capricorn in the 7th house, which can manifest itself as a conservative approach (Capricorn) to love relationships (7th House). But, say, this same person has Venus in Sagittarius in the 11th house. This person will be friendly and sympathetic (Sagittarius) in life situations and social groups (11th house), but at the same time carefree and detached (albeit reliable) in love relationships (Saturn in Capricorn in the 7th house).
Astrology is a powerful tool for understanding those seemingly contradictory trends that we all have. The birth chart tells it all. If you seek to understand how to decipher the natal chart, then over time you will be able to decipher all the conflicting details displayed on it.
Planet ruling home
Another influence on every house (in every aspect of life) is provided by the ruling planet of the House. The ruling planet of each house in your natal chart is the one that controls the threshold sign. For example, if you have Capricorn on the 7th house, then Saturn is the Ruler of your 7th house, because Saturn rules Capricorn. As a result, Saturn will have influence in matters of your 7th house, no matter what house Saturn really is in. The sign on each cusp of the house shows its attitude to its issues, while the planets in the house show real circumstances. For example, Capricorn in the 7th house means caution in the matter of forming partnerships. On the other hand, Saturn in the 7th house may indicate actual problems arising in partnership and marriage. If you want to know how to decipher the natal chart using an example, then understanding these subtle differences will help you a lot.
Aspects of the planets
Do not forget about the aspects. If you try to make an interpretation without taking into account aspects, then you will not understand how to decipher the natal chart. The interpretations for each planet, as well as the sign and house, must be changed depending on the nature of the aspects. Aspects can soften things and bring lightness, as well as lead to conflict with other planetary places. Aspects stimulate the planets.
Difficulties in deciphering aspects
Each planet has both light and difficult (or positive and negative) manifestations. For example, the energy of the Sun can be expressed both through generosity and creativity, and through proud arrogance, as well as an excessive desire to be special. Aspects of other planets indicate whether energies will be expressed easily and positively (if they get trigons and sextiles) or with struggle and conflict (if they get squares or oppositions). Again, the interpretation of the natal chart without regard to aspects is incorrect or, at least, incomplete.
The most important aspects
Immediately pay attention to alliances with any of the four angles (this means alliances with the Ascendant). When a planet connects to one of the angles, the influence of this planet may be the strongest influence on the map. Man will very strongly identify himself with the features of this planet.
Also pay attention to the alliances concluded by the outer planets (Uranus, Neptune and Pluto) with the inner (Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus and Mars). These alliances will radically change the interpretation of the inner planet, adding unique qualities to it. A union with Uranus adds rebellion and innovation, a union with Neptune adds confusion or sadness, as well as inspiration and a magical halo, and an alliance with Pluto adds strength to a person, but can turn into terrible and frightening events for his life. You should remember this if you are interested in how to decipher the natal chart yourself using an example.
For example, the man of the Leo-Sun, who has Pluto on the map, making the aspect of the Sun very “plutonic” in his spirit. This person would be one of the most silent and secretive Lions that are only known to astrology.