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Reading A Birth Chart Before We Start For most people this is the most exciting part of the tutorial. Just in case you've jumped ahead, let me make a few points. At this point you will be reading a chart with many glyphs on it and I will assume that you know or have a general knowledge of the meanings of the signs, planets, and houses by now. There is no substitute for memorizing and learning them. If you have not learned the glyphs, signs, houses, and planets and are reading this section, you will likely get confused. We will, once again, be using Albert Einstein's birth chart. At this point I want to acknowledge that this chart was made using Expert Software's program Expert Astrologer. The last time I checked, it was available off the shelf in many computer stores and office supply stores for about $12.00. You can also order it through www.expertsoftware.com. Before you begin this section, be sure to print out a copy of the birth chart. There is a link to it below. If you need to, you can keep referring back to it, but it will be much easier if you have a printout. |
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Reading Albert Einstein's Birth Chart Second House: The second house is personal values and possessions. The second house cusp is at 16CAN16, which means Cancer rules the second house. Cancer is nurturing, but also requires nurturing. Cancer is about home and security, so when it comes to possessions or money, this person will be concerned with it. He will most likely want to make sure he can take care of himself financially. The Moon is also in the second house, at 19CAN37. Remember what rules Cancer? The Moon does. That means the Moon is in its sign of rulership, so it is strengthened. The Moon is emotions. Since the Moon is in Cancer, his emotions will tie in with family and home and be centered there. Since it is in the second house, again, his emotions will be centered around his values and possessions. (If you remember, Einstein was strongly opposed to the atom bomb, but felt it was necessary. He wore a button with "2%" on it since he had figured out that if 2% of the world's population everywhere refused to fight, there would be no war - even though I have dwelt on material values here, he was definitely strong in keeping his own ethical views.) Third House: The third house cusp is at 4LEO27, so Leo rules the third house, which is about communication and early learning. He not only may be dramatic or strong in his communication, but he will have an interested in fun or arts or communication. This person will be more likely, as a child, to learn what he likes. (Einstein, as most of us know, had trouble in school until later. He said he loved math because a relative started teaching him algebra and made it so fun he loved it and that's why he pursued math and science.)
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Fourth House: His fourth house cusp is at 26LEO50, so it is also ruled by Leo. He certainly will have pride in his home and family and want to enjoy his home and family. He may tend toward the extravagant in home furnishings. Uranus is in the fourth house, at 01VIR31. Since Virgo deals with work and service and health, he will probably be creative in dealing with work. This also indicates a sense of altruism in work and service. Since the fourth house deals with home and family, he will be giving and altruistic in his home life as well. Uranus can also indicate sudden change, which could apply here to family and home life (fourth house) as well as work and service (Virgo), and even in health (Virgo). Fifth House: The fifth house cusp is at 28VIR48. While Virgo can be altruistic, it is also the analyst. He may be selective in romantic attachments, but on the other hand, he would likely have a sense of altruism in the relationships he is in. He won't be too extravagant in seeking entertainment and likely won't have many children, and will probably be particular in dealing with any he does have. Sixth House: This house is ruled by Scorpio, with the cusp at 14SCO14. While a dedicated worker, he may likely have to deal a lot with authority and authority figures and with secrecy in the work place. There is a lot of potential for transformation and change connected with this person and his place of work. He will have a strong drive in his work.
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Eighth House: The eighth house, which is death, other people's money, and sexuality is ruled by Capricorn, with the cusp at 16CAP16. He likely will not be coming into large amounts of money. Capricorn will restrict much of the activity in what this house rules, but it is also likely to be an area where he will learn many lessons. Mars is in this house, at 19CAP37. Mars in Capricorn indicates he will put a lot of energy into his career. Since Mars is in the 8th house, he will have a strong drive in the areas the 8thhouse rules (mentioned above). Ninth House: The cusp is at 4AQU27, so this house, which includes higher learning, religion, and morals is ruled by Aquarius. He will be interested in and study the unusual or the technical or scientific. He will also look for friends with interests in areas of higher learning or that share his values.
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Eleventh House: The cusp is at 28PIS48. This house rules friends, but also wishes, hopes, and dreams. He may have a tendency to feel sorry for his friends and will also be interested in what is different and what others may not understand. Venus (at 4ARE36) and Neptune (at 7TAU36) are both in this house. Venus in Pisces indicates much of what he values and is important to him will be in the ethereal and the mystical fields. With Venus in the eleventh house, that basically emphasizes this inclination, since it means he is also interested in dreams and wishes. Neptune is the mystic, and it rules Pisces, so with it in Taurus, it will mean he is idealistic. He may not always be aware of what is going on with his friends and who is real friends are. His beliefs or dreams will also be idealistic. Twelfth House: The cusp is at 14TAU14. Secrets and other aspects ruled by the twelfth house will be tied in with his values and material possessions. Once again, like what we saw in the second house, he will be concerned with his values and material goods, since this can also be sorrows. Pluto is in this house at 25TAU05. Pluto includes transformation, and since it is in Taurus, much of his learning in this life will revolve around possessions and values. Other lessons will deal with the mystical fields ruled by the twelfth house.
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Overall: Do you notice how he has a lot of fears or worries that are tied into finances or personal values? That is also an area for him to learn lessons in. This is typical. It is often the area where we have the most insecurities and fears where we have the strongest potential to learn in life. Notice how most of the planets are above the line from 9:00 to 3:00 if this were a clock? That is the part of the chart that deals with working with others instead of ourselves. This person will be more focused on learning and working with relationships and other people than he will with himself.
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Aspect 1: Sun and Mercury Conjunct: Since the Sun and Mercury are aligned (within a few degrees), they are conjunct. His thinking and communication will be closely tied to his identity. Since these planets are conjunct, they reinforce each other. Aspect 2: Mars and Moon Opposition: Mars and the Moon are opposite each other, within a few degrees. His energy will be in opposition with his emotions. He will have to work at finding ways to make sure the places he wants to exert his energy will not take him in a direction opposite from his feelings. Aspect 3: Jupiter and Pluto Squared: Jupiter and Pluto are almost at right angles. They are squared. Squares indicate energy, but also, possibly, conflict. There will be a lot of energy going back and forth between his spiritual growth and change (Pluto) and his beliefs. This could lead to conflict between the two, but also to him coming on strong in the area of growth or spirituality. Aspect 4: Sun and Moon Trined: The Sun and Moon are roughly 120 degrees apart, so they form a trine. This is a favorable aspect, and will indicate harmony between his identity (Sun) and his emotions (Moon). Aspect 5: Mercury and Neptune Sextile: Mercury and Neptune are 60 degrees apart, so they form a sextile. These are reinforced by a sextile. His thoughts and communication will tie in with the Neptunian areas of beliefs or mysticism. If you look at the lower right hand corner of the chart, you will see all the planets (and a few other things) listed along the bottom and up the right side. Look at the Moon glyph in the bottom row and follow that column up until you see a triangle in one of the boxes. If you follow that triangle over to the right, you see the Sun glyph. The triangle says there is a trine with the Moon and Sun. An asterisk indicates a sextile, a triangle a trine, a box is a square, a line with two circles is an opposition, and a line with one circle is a conjunction. These are standard symbols for aspects. I picked one each of the most used aspects. This should give you an idea of how they work. As you can see from the chart, there are more aspects. I did not go into all of them. Try to figure out the others by yourself!
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Another point: The rising sign is Gemini. Do you remember what planet rules Gemini? Mercury does (see, I knew you'd get that one right!). That means the planet Mercury is the chart ruler. What Mercury rules (thoughts, communication) will be important to this person. Also, the house and sign where Mercury resides will be important to this person. Other points of importance similar to the rising sign (or ascendant) are the descendant, which is opposite the rising sign. Where the ascendant deals with the person's presentation, the descendant will govern their relationships. (Notice it is also the seventh house cusp and the seventh house rules partnerships.). The two other house cusps that are important are the fourth house cusp, called the nadir. This tells us about what is inside the person, or what they are like inside themselves. The last major cusp is the midhaven, or Medium Coeli (M.C.), which will effect career and responsibility and is the tenth house cusp.
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The Next Step I have given you a sample reading. The best way to learn is to practice. I bought Expert Astrologer and printed out charts for friends, read them on my own, then compared them to the notes in the program. Remember, though, this is only one program and one point of view! Also remember when a friend gives you their birth time and place, they are, in essence, giving you permission to look into their entire life. They may not want to give you that ability. On the other hand, they may be so flattered about you reading their chart, they may just be eager to help you. The next section includes notes on other parts of astrology, including some features on this chart that have not been discussed. It is a "catch-all" section of points I wanted to include. I saved them until after we looked at a birth chart because I felt it would be easier to study the signs, planets, and houses, then use them at least once before trying to learn more.
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Aspects express where planets are in relationship
to each other. I'm going to cheat and say for a list of several
aspects, see the Reference Section. I'm going to explain several of
them as I show you examples while we are reading this chart.
The rising
sign is also called the ascendant. This point or line on the chart
indicates how a person will present him or herself to others. It is
always at 9:00 (when compared to a clock), and is the first house cusp.
Many readers use the rising sign as a starting point when looking at a
chart. Basically, when you read the first house cusp and the sign it is
in, you are determining the rising sign. The three things that say the
most in a chart is the person's Sun sign, their Moon sign, and their
rising sign.