We take a look at how to calculate an astrology chart, the different types of astrology birth charts, and how to read an astrology chart wheel.
How Does Astrology Work?
Astrology is an extremely divisive discipline, with scientists generally dismissing it as nonsense, while devotees of the astrology chart reading countering that you cannot argue with its demonstrable accuracy on personalities. As this useful and even-handed blog on West Texas University’s website argues, both positions are right in so far as its view that horoscopes both work and do not work.
On the question of whether the alignment of stars and planets does truly affect every individual's mood, personality, and environment, depending on when he was born, the blog says a categorical ‘no’ – at least according to science. As it outlines, the position of the sun relative to the earth does cause seasons. And the position of the moon does cause tides. But scientific research reports no correlation between astronomical bodies, people’s birth dates, and their outcomes in life.
As they write, ‘For instance, Peter Hartmann and his collaborators studied over 4000 individuals and found no correlation between birth date and personality or intelligence. In one of the most famous experiments, Shawn Carlson had 28 astrologers make predictions and then tested the accuracy of their predictions. Before conducting the experiment, he fine-tuned the method so that various independent scientists agreed the method was scientifically sound, and also so that all of the astrologers agreed the test was fair. As published in Nature, he found that astrologers could do no better at predicting the future than random chance. These results agree with fundamental science.’
It argues that, instead, if an object affects a person, it does so by one of the four forces of nature: gravity, electromagnetism, the strong nuclear force, and the weak nuclear force.
But can be able to read horoscopes affect wellbeing and mood? Yes, it argues. It says that finding astrology chart meaning taps into a psychological effect known as the placebo effect, which – unlike horoscopes – is scientifically verified. They say, ‘The placebo effect is the mechanism at work with astrology. Many people believe in astrology. When they read their horoscope and follow its advice, they feel better. But it is the belief itself and not the astrology that is making them feel better. Many pseudo-scientific treatments – from crystal healing to homeopathy – help people through the placebo effect. Believing in a treatment that does not actually do anything may help, but believing in a treatment that does is even better.’
So that’s the science – but what of the fun that you can have with examining an astrology wheel chart? We’ll guide you on that next. Meanwhile, you can read the full article here to make your own mind up.
Why You Should Start Your Year With A Chart Reading
For those who prefer to flout the science in favor of the sheer enjoyment that learning how to read a star chart astrology can bring, it is a good idea to start your year with a chart reading. Way more than just your sun sign, a natal chart reading is based on your date, place, and minute of birth and where the planets were at the particular moment you first drew breath. As such, it is entirely tailored to the individual.
Writing in Shape Magazine, Anna Svobodo discusses how the fact that some years seem so eventful while others slip by without much incident had got her wondering whether there was any astrological foundation for the variation. Duly, she got her natal chart read – and discovered that there was, indeed, a correlation between planetary activity, her sign, and what was going on in her life. As she writes, ‘While people have been using a version of astrology since 1000 BCE to make sense of their existence on this planet, it's likely gaining popularity as more people look for a reprieve from highly distracting digital lives. Astrology helps you to look inward, reset, and get up close and personal with yourself — because after all, it's hard to understand someone else if you don't first know yourself.’
The article explains that your sun sign – the one everyone knows – represents your core identity, while your ascending sign rules how everybody else sees you. The position of the moon in your chart, meanwhile, rules your emotional and habitual life.
So when should you get a chart reading? This article argues that if you are in a state of transition in your life, you need to circumnavigate hitting a wall, or you want to change direction, it can be incredibly useful to check in with the cosmos. But, as Svobodo makes clear, it is important to come with an open mind and the knowledge that it’s a tool to help you gain insight, rather than something that is going to be able to predict precisely when, say, you’ll meet the love of your life or bag the job of your dreams.
To find your chart, there are free resources online, books you can buy, or you could choose to consult an astrologist IRL. To read the full article, click here.
Types Of Astrology Charts
When considering the question, ‘Do I want to discover my astrology chart?’, the first thing to ask yourself is whether you are a believer or a skeptic. If the answer is that you do believe – or at least that you would simply like to have some fun with it – then the next question must be, ‘What kind of astrological chart am I most drawn to?’
There are, believe it or not, some 80 branches of astrology, with subsets within each of the schools. Outlining the different forms for Refinery29, Leslie Hale, a psychic astrologer at Keen.com, and Stephanie Powell, head of content for Astrology.com sum up the main variants as follows: natal astrology, horary astrology, electional astrology, mundane astrology, medical astrology, and relationship astrology.
They explain that natal astrology is the one we’re all most familiar with, based on the time of your birth. Leslie Hale says, ‘When you are looking at natal astrology, you're looking at the chart that everyone has, that's a blueprint of their life. We look at it and say, 'What is the promise of the natal chart? What is the promise of your life?' We can see what are your greatest strengths, greatest weaknesses, things like that.’
Horary astrology, they explain, goes back to the practice’s origins and is used as a divination tool to ask specific questions of the cosmos. The astrologer will create a chart for the exact moment and location the question was asked. This form of astrology has been handed down through the generations and is generally not self-taught.
Electional astrology is about finding the best possible time for an event. It is often used to ask when the optimal moment might be for a wedding or to make a big move in your life. Mundane astrology, meanwhile, is used to predict world events. As Hale says, ‘This goes back hundreds, thousands of years because in the very beginning astrologers weren't so much geared towards looking at individual charts, they were geared towards looking at the astrology of nations and kings and queens.’ And as Powell adds, it’s a form that also requires an interest in history to spot patterns.
A medical astrology chart is another ancient branch of the art form, connecting various body parts and ailments with the planets and zodiac signs. Powell explains, ‘When you look at someone's birth chart, you can see different types of medical issues that they might have. For example, Leo rules the heart, Mercury shows where the ‘action’ is in the body, and Mars is related to energy levels.’ It is important, however, to seek medical advice if you are worried about your health.
Finally, relationship astrology looks at the compatibility between two people based on their signs. One way to do this is synastry, which, as Powell explains, is ‘when you lay one person's birth chart on top of another person's birth chart and see where the planets show up.’
The other method is composite chart astrology, which finds the mid-point between two people’s planets and rising signs. Powell says, ‘This shows how your relationship is viewed by the world, how you're seen as a couple and can shine some light on the destiny of your relationship.’
To read the full article, click here now.
How To Read A Natal Chart Using Planets As A Guide
The art of reading a natal chart is one that astrologists can spend many years learning. However, there are basics that the interested layperson can pick up nonetheless and thus unlock what looks like a pinwheel with random symbols scattered all across it.
A natal chart plots planetary placements according to your time and date of birth, represented by glyphs. These then reflect aspects of your personality. As Mary Grace Garis writes for Well + Good, ‘The main significance to these planets and their placement is that they represent different aspects of your personality. So if you ever hear an astrologer say something like ‘your Venus is in Gemini’ or ‘your Venus sign is Gemini,’ they're referencing that a certain star sign (in this case Gemini) influences whatever personality trait that the planet (Venus) pertains to.’
Once you have your chart in front of you, note that your sun is denoted by a circle with a dot in the middle; your moon by a crescent moon; your rising sign by an upward pointing arrow; Mercury by a circle with two horns underneath; Venus by a circle with a cross beneath it; Mars with a circle with an arrow pointing diagonally (a male symbol); Jupiter with a ‘4’ featuring a curved arm; Saturn with a curly ‘h’ with a cross on top; Uranus with three vertical lines, with a bulbed end on the center line and a horizontal line cutting through the middle; Neptune with a trident; and Pluto with a wine glass with a circle at its center.
For more in-depth insights on each symbol and what they mean, read the full article here.
Best Tips To Get The Most From An Astrology Reading
If you decide to visit an astrologist, several tips can come in handy for getting the most out of reading. Firstly, do feel free to take notes or to record what is said – sessions can be as long as an hour, so it’s very hard to hold all the information in your head. It can be useful to come back to information later too.
Secondly, do not feel you have to sit there in silence. Being an active participant is really helpful – that way, you can ask questions as you go along, and clarify any points that might be confusing.
Do also be open. The whole point of coming to get an astrological reading is to have an insight into ourselves, not to be closed to new ways of looking at our lives.
For more on these, plus other tips, visit Astrology With Andy’s blog here.
Summary
From needle chart astrology to Chinese and western astrology compatibility charts, there are a plethora of styles of astrology out there. It is important to understand what you are looking for in a session with an astrologist, and what branch of the practice you are keenest to explore. While science doubts the veracity of astrology, it can be a fun way to open your mind to new ideas and different ways of looking at yourself – just don’t expect it to tell you exactly when and where you are going to meet a tall, dark, handsome stranger.
Updated October 2023
