  Psychology is soul logic and a birth chart is the users manual. And you only need to know three simple, essential basics to read any birth chart. And they are...  PLANETS: The frequencies of mind & matter ASPECTS: The conduits that blend & modify the frequencies. SIGNS: The prism of elemental archetypes that color the frequencies.  Imagine your mind is a melody. . . PLANETS are the notes ASPECTS are their arrangements SIGNS are the instruments    Using an alphabet analogy, Planets, Aspects & Signs are the 28 letters of the soul [psyche]. Once committed to memory, like a five year old learns to read, you can begin to sound out any birth chart like an open book. A quick keyword list of the Planets, Aspects & Signs...  Planets & Signs are descriptive and well-known, but not Aspects. So most people know them only as the full moon, when an opposition aspect between the Sun & Moon makes the world a little crazy.    .    Aspects are fundamental, but a non-descriptive name obscures their crucial function. So the casual observer overlooks the very foundation of astrology, the interplay of planetary frequencies. So why not conduits? 
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 Nothing beats seeing the hills and valleys of your inner landscape confirmed on a birth chart, even the less appealing ones. It's continuously illuminating and empowering in a way nothing else comes close to. But the lines & glyphs are initially confusing, so I designed an easy-to-read chart I call a BirthPrint™, to bring the Planets, Aspects & Signs alive with meaning for everyone.  No one knows you better than you know yourself, so you have the most to gain by reading your own BirthPrint, with some simple instructions to guide you.  And if you prefer the guidance of a professional astrologer, knowing your celestial landscape will spur more probing questions & deeper insights to broaden your self-understanding. Like mathematics & phonetics, astrology is a practical system everyone can [& should] utilize.    We're all immersed in an ocean of electromagnetic frequencies and guided by free will. So who wouldn't want a map? 
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   If you know enough astrology to wonder why I haven't mentioned the ascendant [or rising sign], it's because it requires an exact birth time to calculate, and many people don't know theirs. An exact time also determines what houses your planets occupy, and though enlightening, neither is essential information. The Planets, Aspects & Signs are the only essentials and require only a birth date, month & year to calculate. And assuming you're fortunate to know your exact birth time, here is an overview of the ascendant & 12 house wheel. BirthPrints are calculated with it [natal] and without it [solar]. [A solar BirthPrint displays the 12 house wheel as a silent backdrop.] |
 WITHIN THE PSYCHE PLANETS: Psycheological frequencies ASPECTS: Conduits that blend & modify the frequencies* SIGNS: Elemental color that infuses the frequencies** * integrative, facilitative, challenging, harmonious, driving or polarizing ** fire, earth, air & water  BETWEEN INDIVIDUALS: PLANETS: Psycheological frequencies of each individual ASPECTS: Conduits that connect their frequencies & indicate chemistry* SIGNS: Elemental color of their blended frequencies** * integrative, facilitative, challenging, harmonious, driving or polarizing ** fire, earth, air & water  MAPPING TIME PLANETS: Moving frequencies above to stationary frequencies within ASPECTS: Conduits of frequencies above to those within to forecast* SIGNS: Dominant elemental color of frequencies above to within** * integrative, facilitative, challenging, harmonious, driving or polarizing ** fire, earth, air & water 
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10 PLANETS:
The frequencies of mind & matter6 ASPECTS: Conduits that blend & modify the frequencies. 12 SIGNS: A prism of elemental archetypes that color the frequencies.   the conscious mind sun ~ moon ~ mercury ~ venus ~ mars   I am will ~ heart ~ ego ~ vitality ~ essential self The Sun is the centerpoint of consciousness we call 'ego'. It's the core of self-identity that casts its light over the whole personality. Planets in aspect to the Sun are supercharged and prominent and planets in conjunction to the Sun are the most prominent, as they merge with the self-identity. For example, Sun conjunct Venus heightens grace & charm and these souls know just what they want and how to get it. Add Mars to the mix, a triple conjunction of the will, desire & drive, makes for highly magnetic souls determined to achieve their goals. Aspects to the Sun indicate the early experience of father that shapes the self-identity, and childhood experience in general directs the aspects' expression. For example, Sun conjunct Neptune integrates the ego/will with creative transcendance, indicating a father who's highly creative, an escapist through drugs, alcohol, absence or mental illness, or a complex blend. Thus laying the subconscious tracks for how you express that potent aspect. Childhood role models do matter, so knowing your aspects enables you to consciously direct them and lay new tracks if needed. And the sign the Sun occupies shines its elemental color throughout the personality. [fire earth air or water]   I feel emotion ~ intuition ~ instinct ~ habits ~ memory ~ bodily function The Moon is the seat of emotion, memory, intuition & instinct. Planets in aspect to the Moon influence the emotions and indicate the early maternal relationship, and later the relationships to females in general. For example, Moon opposite Pluto is a polarization between emotions and divine will, indicating an early power struggle with mother that compels a conscious determination to be your own emotional master, while unconsciously attracting people or circumstances that challenge or oppose you. Circumstances reflect inner dynamics/aspects, so conscious awareness of them enables you to direct them more productively, and your birth chart is the singular means to do that. In a man, maternal feelings are projected onto romantic relationships. And the sign the Moon occupies colors the emotions with elemental light. [fire earth air or water]   I think intellect ~ reason ~ discernment ~ perception ~ communication Mercury is reason & logic, how you process your surroundings and organize & express your thoughts. Mercury is never more than one sign from the Sun and when they share the same sign there may be a singlemindedness of the will & intellect. As with all the planets, aspects to Mercury enhance or inhibit its frequency. For example Mercury in aspect to Jupiter expands & uplifts the mentality and the impulse to communicate, while Mercury in aspect to Neptune enriches the mentality with deep imagination. And Mercury in aspect to both Jupiter & Neptune is common in storytellers and, well, big fat liars. It's all in how you use it. Both easy & challenging aspects can express in a positive or negative way, largely determined by early programming. So knowing your inner landscape as well as you know your early experiences enables you to consciously direct your aspects to work for you and not against you. I really can't say that enough. And the sign Mercury occupies gives it elemental color. [fire earth air or water]   I desire desire ~ magnetism ~ creative/procreative ~ attractiveness ~ charm ~ pleasure Venus is the longing for an ideal. It's desire and attraction, receptivity and romance. And while lovers may come & go, creative self-expression is all yours. Creativity keeps the fruits of Venus sweet, with no broken hearts or morning regrets. And if your creation isn't what you were striving for, it's a breeze to refine or work a compromise. Try that in a romance with a full-on narcissist and all you create are more tears. Venus' frequency is creative & procreative and biology directs most young adults to the latter, come what may. It's in your later years when loneliness looms that creativity promises the deepest satisfaction. Planetary aspects indicate early programming and planets in aspect to Venus enhance or inhibit its beautiful light. For example, Venus & Saturn in a harmonious trine may develop patience & caution towards what you desire; while Venus & Saturn in a stressful square may develop an expectation of disappointment. Saturn always constricts what it aspects, so knowing your 'conduits' helps ease & direct their influence. And the sign Venus occupies gives it elemental color. [fire earth air or water]<   I assert drive ~ assertion ~ physical/sexual strength ~ force ~ competition Mars makes love & war & whatever else involves the willful assertion of energy. Bodily motion is Mars in action and aspects to Mars modify its physical & sexual force & vice-versa. For example, Mars conjunct Moon lends force to the emotions, while the Moon softens Mars' edges. And the Moon/Mars conjunction dramatically powers the intuition. Mars square Moon agitates emotions, while the emotions are directly engaged in the expression of force. Mars square Moon souls are tightly wound balls of energy who may gravitate towards, and be very good at, competitive sports, dance or any organized expression of drive & emotion. And all aspects between Mars & Moon heighten these tendencies, connecting Mars' pure drive with the Moon's emotions & bodily function. And the sign Mars occupies gives it elemental color. [fire earth air or water] the subconscious mind jupiter ~ saturn   I expand aspiration ~ joy/faith ~ optimism ~ expansion ~ generosity ~ understanding Jupiter is aspiration, optimism, benevolence & faith. Jupiter in aspect to other planets lifts & expands their frequencies. Jupiter seeks knowledge, truth and understanding and awakens the adventurer within. A Jupiter aspect is generally a blessing whose only downside may be overenthusiasm. For example, Jupiter in aspect to Mercury makes an enthusiastic communicator, but nobody wants rolling eyes at the chatterbox, so watch your content & pacing. Jupiter & Saturn govern the subconscious and it should be stated that the subconscious & unconscious planets influence conscious planets more significantly than the other way around. Because the unconscious is dominant - 90% dominant! And the Signs are more prominent in the conscious planets, so the sign Jupiter occupies does color its expression, though it's undetectable on the surface.   I restrict discipline ~ doubt/fear ~ purpose ~ effort ~ temperance ~ contraction Where Jupiter is benevolence, Saturn is tough love. The Inner Critic brings limitations, restrictions & ruthless self-analysis. Saturn brings a sense of lacking or doubt and at its best the determination to overcome it. Saturn is the Reaper of past actions or inactions, whether or not you remember what you sowed. And you can patiently dismantle the resulting obstacles or cover them with defeatist graffiti as a monument to failure. Because you're free to see obstacles as opportunities, or not. All planets in aspect to Saturn acutely feel its contraction, and Mars often feels it the most. For example, Saturn in hard aspect to Mars [square, quincunx or opposition] indicates early suppression by an authority of the drive, or will to act, and possibly physical or sexual abuse. Chronic procrastination is one of the milder patterns that may result, as it just feels safer not to act. The positive side of a Saturn/Mars aspect is a strong drive to prevail against restrictions. And knowing your aspects enables you to consciously alter programming. And once you know your aspects as well your name you can consciously alter your actions in the moment... "Damn Mars/Saturn square doubt demon...just breathe and move forward." Every aspect is a potential strength and an opportunity for achievement & growth. And the sign Saturn occupies subtly colors its expression. [It's believed Earth is Saturn-ruled. Some say Satan, but that's just a bad rap] the unconscious mind uranus ~ neptune ~ pluto   I expose divine mind ~ ingenuity ~ independence ~ revelation ~ [r]evolution Uranus is the divine mind that gives rise to [r]evolution. It's Awareness with a capital A and the 'genius frequency' common in the charts of big thinkers. Uranus gets to the logical core and jolts with sudden revelation. Uranian types are ahead of their time and driven to disrupt the status quo. In its highest expression Uranus inspires collective progress, while those who dwell in fear recoil. In its lowest expression Uranus wreaks havoc & chaos. Uranus requires conscious direction and aspects & early experiences indicate the direction it's inclined to go. A prominent Uranus shatters crystallized perceptions one way or the other, and when resisted a bigger tsunami awaits. Change is inevitable and awareness and conscious direction obviously lead to the best results. Uranus is the ruler of Aquarius, the waterbearer of revelation & technology ushering in the new age. Uranus inspires inventors and entrepreneurs to think in new ways, because that's what Uranus is all about. And the sign it occupies subtly colors its expression.   I inspire divine inspiration ~ imagination ~ escapism ~ creativity ~ transcendance Neptune is divine inspiration and soaring imagination and its Purpose is creative enlightenment & transcendence. Neptune is Creative with a capital C and the frequency of artists & healers. Music is its universal language and healing sound is Neptune-in-action. Neptune awakens the spirit that longs to return Home to Paradise. Drugs enable a seductive sneak peek, but some lose their way in pursuit of Nirvana and the 'real world' falls to ruin. Neptune's highest expression is creative self-expression that inspires artists, poets & healers to the benefit of humanity. Planets in aspect to Neptune are touched by its magic, so if your Neptune is in aspect to conscious planets, there's great potential to bring out its creative & healing magic. With the harder aspects [square, quincunx or opposition] beware of seductive deceptions, in others or yourself. Neptune & Pluto have been in a facilitative sextile for most of the last century - a collective opportunity to enlighten & transform humanity? The sign Neptune occupies subtly colors its expression.   I transform divine will ~ insight ~ regeneration/degeneration ~ transformation Pluto is divine will & insight and its Purpose is empowerment & transformation. Pluto is Power with a capital P and the mythical Phoenix energy, the will to rise from the ashes & begin again. Pluto is explosively intense and purposeful and never easy, but always effective. In aspect to conscious planets, Pluto lends a potent strength of will & emotional force that when unleashed can overwhelm, so temperance is key. Pluto in aspect to conscious planets, especially Sun or Moon, indicates a deep sense of powerlessness in childhood that grows into a determination to become master of your destiny, or die. Pluto has profound creative & destructive power and the sign it occupies subtly colors its expression.       THE CONSCIOUS MIND: sun ~ moon ~ mercury ~ venus ~ mars will ~ emotion ~ intellect ~ desire ~ drive the surface experience of life   THE SUBCONSCIOUS MIND: jupiter ~ saturn expands ~ contracts records & programs    THE UNCONSCIOUS MIND: uranus ~ neptune ~ pluto divine mind ~ divine inspiration ~ divine will knows ALL & guides your eternal spirit     CONJUNCTION: 0°: integrating; strengthening SEXTILE: 60°: facilitating; balancing SQUARE: 90°: frictional; stressful TRINE:120°: harmonizing; mellowing QUINCUNX: 150°: driving; frustrating OPPOSITION: 180°: polarizing; unbalancing [0°-9° orbs of influence] You'll come to recognize these patterns in time:  A brief description of each: Grand Sextile: A rare pattern; also known as the 'Star of David' it contains other patterns within it and is highly creative, constructive and beneficial. Kite: An energizing, facilitative pattern that plays out according to the planets involved. T-Square brings a lifetime of intense experiences and accelatered growth and suggests an eventful life. An in-depth overview: Grand Cross: Brings many challenges for the purpose of the soul's accelerated growth. Yod: A rare pattern [only 1-2 degree orb] referred to as the 'Finger of Destiny'; it's said to indicate past life experience playing a primary role in the present life. Grand Trine: A blessing, often on otherwise challenging birth charts. Last and least are the 6 minor aspects that generally reinforce the 6 major aspects. [I often include the semi-square in my calculations & others if there's a call for them] The orb of influence is only 1-2 degrees & online charts mostly ignore them:                   The 12 signs lend their elemental color most dominantly to the conscious planets. The signs are less perceptible in the unconscious, but still lend their hue. And the sign of your ascendant may subdue or enhance your Sun sign. Check your planets here.   impulsive ~ headstrong ~ independent [CARDINAL FIRE] The first sign of the zodiac expects to be first in all things. And no matter how timid Aries the Ram may seem, you'll see their Mars temperament soon enough. Aries' enthusiasm is contagious and they project their fiery spirit into every possible circumstance. (opposite sign: LIBRA)   nurturing ~ sensual ~ loyal [FIXED EARTH] Taurus are nurturers and lovers of beauty, comfort & tranquility. Ruled by Earth [Venus' twin!], no one works harder for their fruits than Taurus. And the Bull is patient, steadfast & reliable, not 'stubborn'. Taurus calms the minds of more restless souls, so like their ruling planet. [The original glyph for Earth was the Venus glyph in reverse;s why was it changed?] (opposino ote sign: SCORPIO)   communicative ~ mercurial ~ highstrung [MUTABLE AIR] To spot a Gemini in the crowd, look who's talking to everyone about anything. Mercury, 'the winged messenger', is Gemini's ruling planet and their purpose is to interact, inform, inquire & charm their audience so they keep listening. Gemini is both the Twins and an air sign, so don't try to pin them down to what they might have said then, just enjoy the ride. (opposite sign: SAGITTARIUS)   sensitive ~ moody ~ nurturing [CARDINAL WATER] To spot a Cancer in the crowd, look who's clinging to the wall. The Crab would rather just stay home. Nothing is so desirable to Moon-ruled Cancer than home & family, who they live to nurture. Their emotions are as changeable as the lunar phases; helpless to stem the tide they can only ride it out. So be patient with them and their loony laugh will return and tickle your heart, as always. (opposite sign: CAPRICORN)   strong-willed ~ creative ~ courageous [FIXED FIRE] A Leo's heart is as big as the Sun, their ruling planet, and they naturally assume the world revolves around them. They're courageous to a fault and whether roaring or purring they invite the delight of their loyal friends and the fear & resentment of the jackals in the jungle. And take it all in stride. (opposite sign: AQUARIUS)   [speculative]analytical ~ practical ~ hard-working [MUTABLE EARTH] Virgo's quiet grace and graceful sensuality belies a steel trap mind. Nothing goes unnoticed by their Spock-logical brain, grounded in potently psychic perceptions they're determined to make sense of. Wheatbearers listen & comfort & tend to the needed things. And to earthy Virgo, heaven is in the details. (opposite sign: PISCES)   artistic ~ idealistic ~ charming [CARDINAL AIR] Venus-ruled Libra matches Virgo in their gracious demeanor and seek tranquility to maintain their delicate equilibrium. Symbolized by the Scales, Libras often fall into frustrated debates in pursuit of truth. It's just so hard to know what's true when you so clearly see all sides. (opposite sign: ARIES)   intense ~ private ~ passionate [FIXED WATER] Pluto-ruled Scorpio has a piercing intensity and is driven to expose what's hidden. Knowledge is power & nothing is as it seems and the Scorpian Phoenix will prove it. They're rumored to be sex-obsessed, because sexual union in its perfect form promises endless depths & transformation. (opposite sign: TAURUS)   philosophical ~ optimistic ~ adventuresome [MUTABLE FIRE] Jupiter ruled Sagittarius is the adventurer of the zodiac, compelled to learn, explore and expand. Their fiery spirit ignites their surroundings and brutally candid, they mean only the best. An Archer's arrows pierce to the heart of things to uplift and enlighten. (opposite sign: GEMINI)   ambitious ~ determined ~ competitive [CARDINAL EARTH] Capricorn the Goat is born to ascend a mountain no one else can see. They're determined to accomplish their goals and at their best, no one is more reliable. Capricorns become younger in spirit over time, as they stop their climb to smell the flowers. (opposite sign: CANCER)   inventive ~ rebellious ~ independent [FIXED AIR] Aquarius is the Waterbearer of revelation and change. Uranian spirits can't be held back or tied down and their steely will is matched only by their opposite, the Lion. Humanitarian to the core, Aquarius sees the Big Picture and is driven to assist in the evolution of humanity. (opposite sign: LEO)   imaginative ~ intuitive ~ sensitive [MUTABLE WATER] Neptune-ruled Pisces are dreamers. They swim in the waters of inspiration and absorb their surroundings like a sponge. Pisces' imagination taps into the qualities of all 12 signs and their empathy is unmatched. They're born poets and so close to the source of all our dreams. (opposite sign: VIRGO) |
 Remember that 'A-HA!' moment when you sounded out your first word? Reading your first BirthPrint is like that. The only obstacle to learning astrology is the belief that it's complicated, when it's as simple as learning to read. And once you memorize the 28 letters of the soul, every BirthPrint comes alive with meaning. Astrology is both grounded in and proceeds like mathematics, so you can stop at the basics and do just fine, or keep on learning, as deeply as your heart desires.    We may perceive our inner landscape as a whole, but acute awareness of its separate parts is natural and common, especially when the head & heart are in conflict. They celestially correspond to Mercury & Moon - mind & emotion - two of the 10 frequencies that compose the psyche.    It's a conceptual leap to perceive your inner landscape as an exquisite tangle of planetary frequencies, let alone that it's easily mapped and observed. But once you shift gears into this expanded reality it's a cinch to learn to read it. And the deeper you go, the more interesting it gets.    As Above, So Within They say the human mind is 90% unconscious - YIKES! But we all have windows into the murky depths and a few of us have revolving doors. And it's the planetary aspects that create the openings, from the conscious to the unconscious. Many are born with these openings and all of us experience them through time, from the planets above to the planets within. And whether they open easy or hard they always shed light where you need it. Simple and profound.  Every planetary aspect has a range of expression that depends on your state of awareness, and seeing them on full display is how to bring out their best.  And nothing sinks in like repetition, so let's do an...  and the Signs add elemental color. So simple!  Below are three examples of a revolving aspect door into the unconscious. We'll use conscious SUN [will] in aspect to unconscious PLUTO [divine will]. And three different aspects to demonstrate how they choreograph planets: CONJUNCTION [integrate], SQUARE [stress] & TRINE [harmonize].  And we can't forgot the SIGNS...  So here's a quick look at how the Signs color the Planets in Aspect... This time we'll use SUN & JUPITER in a CONJUNCTION aspect to demonstrate how the Signs play their part. The SUN is will & ego and JUPITER expands & uplifts; and the CONJUNCTION merges the two frequencies into one bright & beautiful whole. So here's how SUN CONJUNCT JUPITER may shine in every sign... in Aries [fire] will take you to your favorite sporting events; in Taurus [earth] will offer their assistance in every practical matter; in Gemini [air] will buy you the books they've been talking about; in Cancer [water] will cook you casseroles to keep you fat & happy; in Leo [fire] will paint you a picture of your cat, or any cat; in Virgo [earth] will fill your cabinet with wonderful supplements; in Libra [air] will offer unsolicited advice to resolve your romantic discord; in Scorpio [water] will hire a detective to find out if s/he's cheating on you; in Sagittarius [fire] will take you rock-climbing, then to the casino; in Capricorn [earth] will give you solid, unsolicited business advice; in Aquarius [air] will drag you to the political rally of their choice; in Pisces [water] will write you a poem and mean it. And you know how some who denigrate astrology will say "I'm nothing like my zodiac sign?" Assuming that's true and not a total lack of self-awareness they're deeply invested in, it's because the interplay of planetary frequencies dominates. The Sun Sign casts its light on the whole personality, but Planets in Aspect lay the foundation.   It's common to begin your analysis with the Sun, as it's the centerpoint of consciousness we call 'ego'. Or you can go where your eyes lead you, and what's prominent on the BirthPrint™ is usually prominent in the psyche. And unlike a book, you can begin anywhere - there's no wrong way to read a BirthPrint. Every planetary aspect illustrates a unique function of your psyche, just waiting to be analyzed as part of your complex, multi-faceted psyche. However, it is logical to first look at the prominent aspects. For example, planets in conjunction attract the eye and they're highly significant in the psyche. Also prominent is any planet with four or more aspects, reaching out & touching those other planets. Here are two stark examples...   The first BirthPrint has many conjunctions, all conscious planets conjunct the unconscious, indicating a highly evolved soul who lives life deeply, whether he likes it or not. A common frustration may be knowing what others miss. The second BirthPrint has Saturn in aspect to 7 other planets[!], so Saturn DOMINATES, while her Sun/Jupiter conjunction & Mars/Neptune conjunction soften Saturn's severity with enthusiasm & creativity. The planets lay the foundation of the psyche & the signs color their dynamics.  The inside scoop on everyone is a work-in-progress on page four, to get the hang of analyzing every kind of psyche. In the meantime the world library is literally at your fingerips, with so much astro info your head will spin. And check out this keyword list of 260 aspect blends.  that's what she said |
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