Understanding the Birth/Natal Chart Part 1...The Big 3

Note: The Phone number on this picture is out of date. If you would like to contact me please use the email in the picture above.

Thanks to my friend Richard Hill we will be using his birth chart to Research and discuss. The Astrological software program I use is called Solar Fire Deluxe and it creates some really beautiful images of charts and other things that I use in my life interpretations. My approach is slightly different than most astrologers; I also look at the psychology behind what the planets are saying. The Instant Astrologer by Lyn Birkbeck is another handy book as well as Astrological Insights Into Personality by Betty Lundsted that I use as a reference into your life.

The birth chart or natal chart is our universal fingerprint if you will. Everything that you need to know about yourself can be represented in your birth chart. A birth chart is the placement of the stars at the exact moment in time that you were born. This tells you what kind of energy you are working with and how it can manifest in your physical life. There are many different apporaches to interepreting this chart but all will tell you what you need to know.    

 

So let's begin with the BIG 3:
Ascendant/Descendant, The Sun and The Moon 

 

The 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock  opposition... Ascendant vs. Descendant (Sagittarius vs Gemini)

 

I  like to start at the 9 o'clock position of the chart which is called the ascendant. The ascendant can give you vital information as to how the client, in this case Richard, is perceived by the world. The ascendant, as well as the first house, represents the person's identity; character, first impressions and self expression. Here in Richard's chart we see that his ascendant is in the sign of Sagittarius which is an interesting placement because he is a Gemini. This is the most impersonal of the fire signs being born into the most personal of the air signs which makes him highly idealistic, likes to concern himself with foreign affairs, how the legal system works, philosophy and religious ideas. For richard his whole wolrd focused on the father; where the father was the center of everything. Sags traditionally seek out approval and love from their father or father figure when they are younger striving to be like them but internally know that they can't. Later the father dissapears and he is left with a void looking to others to replace what he lost with his father. With Saggitarius as  the Ascendant it shows that he grew up having everything and anything that he wanted. But for some reason his emotions were neglected. To compensate, Richard developed self-confidence and enthusiam but questioned his own personal values. Richard portrays himself as a superior being like he envisioned his father being and puts forth that kind of energy expressing himself with a grandiose sense of confidence and self assurance. Since Richard's ascendant is Sagittarius and the first house is also ruled by Sagittarius Richard's ruling planet is Jupiter. This planet governs the link between exterior being and your inner being. We will talk more about Jupiter in part 2...

 

At the 3 o'clock position we have the descendant which also represents the 7th house. The Descendant represents the "OTHER" person inside of you or your shadow. it also represents the equal and opposite reaction to the Ascendant. Simply stated it is the alter ego, better half or your projected self. In this case we see that the Descendant is in Gemini. Richard will naturally attract people who embody the characteristics of Gemini due to his broad and effortless grasp of all manner of things. Geminis adore learning and knowledge and for someone like Richard to engage their intellectual talents makes them all the more attractive because they have found someone on their level.  To the Gemini Richard becomes a role model and is put upon a pedestal. This can be a tricky opposition because Sagittarius energy is such that they can talk a big game but not much to show for when called on it and when the Gemini energy realizes this it begins to scorn them intellectually making Richard come off as smug or pretentious. Richard can handle this most of the time unless the Geminis multitude of information annoys him. Sagittarius energy is one of positivity and romance but with Gemini on the Descendant it can become a worrisome nature that takes on a inept quality. Normally Richard would put this on the OTHER but it is actually his own worry and ineptness that he's trying to hide. If he is honest with himself about his doubts then he will be more self confident. Since the 7th house is also ruled by Gemini making Richard's ruling planet Mercury which governs  relationships. Again we will talk more about Mercury in part 2...

 

The Suns Position in GEMINI

After we take a look at the Ascendant I look at the position of the Sun which describes the will and purpose of Richard. The sun represents spirit, heart, what is most important to you; negatively, your conceit and egotism. Since Rich's sun is in Gemini one of his life goals is to interact and meet as many people as he can in this life; make connections with them and learn. Geminis like to know alot of people but do not like to know them more than they have to. Sort of like taking a taste test. If you want a deep involvement you may need to look somewhere else. Geminis love to multi task usually involving hands, quick wits, and making sure that their group stays connected. Downfalls can be unreliable, evasive and indifferent. As a gemini child Richard shared the added pressure of living up to his father expectations that we see in the ascendant but it is manifesting in this aspect as well. Gemini children look up to the father and put him in the brightest of lights thinking that they can never reach them. Like sags they do everything they can for the approval and love of their father but it too is also denied.

 

Sun in the 7th House... 

Due to the sun's placement in the 7th house Richard lives vicariously through the lives of others especially one significant persons life but  has to be careful because he does have a tendency to put his life in the hands of others taking on their persona. So do not loose yourself in others Richard you may not be able to tell which is which! But in all areas of self growth and discovery relationships in particular are when Richard will bloom. He tends to seek out people who are his true mirror's reflection in order to gain self knowledge. Due to his father's dissmissal of him as a child Richard feels more comfortable with women than men and has a distinct lack of trust for men. So the type of women that he might seek out would be one that has superior intelligence, perfect body, and can keep up with his adventures. If he has a hard time communicating his own feelings and understanding hers its because he really doesn't know how to convey them. The woman may have to work extra hard to gain his trust but it will be worth it in the end.    

 

The Moon's Position in LEO    

The moon is reflecting what the sun represents: your feeling responses, reactions to "OTHERS" will, your childlike security needs, represents mother, family, survival instincts, sympathy and sense of belonging. Negatively fear of the unknown, insecurity, defensiveness. This represents your SOUL and also gives clues as to your previous life. Richard's moon is in Leo, a fire sign, which also goes into what we have already discovered: that he looks to the father for all of his cues. His childhood was set in a father-dominated atmosphere which put a high price on perfection. which means that Richard needs to receive attention and acclaim in order to feel at his best. This stems from two possibilities in his life: 1 that he did not get enough attention in this manner as a child and as a result becomes uncomfortable with the attention not quite sure what to do with it. Or 2 he did get alot of attention and expected it into adulthood which makes him upset if he doesn't get noticed, reconized or appreciated. In order to function Richard needs a means of getting attention, holding it and justifying it. But needs to prepare himself for constructive criticism because the child in him will get upset if it doesn't receive unconditional admiration from others. When stressed out he might show off to gain attention or can become arrogant. He may be proud of his mother or she might be proud of him. Leo's are usually generous to a fault if they think it will get them the approval that they deserve. This can also give him a double standard when it comes to life because everythiung he knows he learned from dad.

 

Moon in the 9th House...

This placement shows that he has energy, enthusiasm and is aware that the world is bigger than you imagined it to be. He keeps chasing that which is the mystery of life and may have developed the ability to read signs and omens. Richard is happiest when life is moving in motion. His caring and nurturing ability can take on a crusader-like tone and his well being is essentially a spiritual matter. He finds comfort in adventure, exploring the world through higher learning, travel, religion, and philosophy.

 

Polarities: The triangle that makes up the Big 3

By just taking a brief look into the BIG 3 we have discovered that Richard is not a true Gemini- but rather a blending of Sagittarius, Gemini and Leo energies put together to equal a GEMINI. The main theme here is that Richard came into this life overshadowed by the presence of his father in all aspects of his life and transfered all of that knowledge/ life experience into what he knows today.  This is a unique element placing because it is a triangle with 3 positive sides. An all positive polarity is due to the fact that there are 2 fire and an 1 air sign that happen to oppose one of the fire signs. So he adds to the table Intuition, creativity, initiative, adventure and vision times 2 for the fire elements and Thinking, concepts, ideals, principles, impartiality for the air. fire and air signs are known collectively as masculine or positive signs due to them latching onto a strong male presence first in life or taking after their "father figure." This shows that Richard is all male for lack of better wording. When there is all positive masculine energy between the sun, moon and ascendant it is said that the person is all mind or living through the spirit. There is a lack of feminine or negative energy to balance this all logic and intellect. Richard even "thinks" his feelings rather than take the time to feel them. As a result he often doesn't pay attention to what woman have to say. Something he learned from his father. This can turn into him looking for a woman with impossible ideals to live up to redirecting his ideals on what a woman should be. unfortunetly due to this kind of placement Richard will be dissapointed in any woman whom he feels is too human because humans make mistakes and his woman has to be perfect. You may see this as flinting from one woman to another in search of the one or  it can manifest as violence towards women for not being the person that he wants them to be. In this case its the first not that latter.