Natal Chart

Astrology uses planetary movement and placemeant to make estimates about a greater universal image. Using planetary signs help you understand where you fit in the universal picture. Each planet (luminary planets included such as the sun, the moon, and Pluto) represent something in our lives.

Your own personal zodiac combination are based upon where the planets were located at the time of your birth and their houses in what is known as the natal chart.

Sun Sign: Your Focal Point

The Sun in astrology symbolizes the core essence of who you are – your individuality and sense of self. It describes what is likely to motivate you, and why. The Sun Sign describes the prime focal point within the personality structure, and is of major importance. Understanding and developing these aspects of self will help develop and expand your sense of authenticity. Understanding the house in which your Sun is found will give even greater detail.

Moon Sign: The Inner You

Your Moon Sign describes your instinctive or emotional energies, your innate reactions, and the things you need to feel comfortable or secure. It can reveal your emotional, genetic and intuitive makeup. Whilst your Sun Sign describes qualities you are learning to develop and become, your Moon Sign describes those that you already are. It also explores your moods.

Mercury Sign: Communication

What style of communication do we use? How do we make decisions? How do we pick up, process, absorb, and exchange information? Mercury also assists in your intellect, and more importantly, how you learn or obtain information.

Venus Sign: True Love and Romance

Your Venus sign governs how you view relationships, what you want in a relationship, how you act in a relationship and to some extent the type of person you are attracted to. It is also your appreciation of beauty, art and harmony.

Mars Sign: Sex and Aggression

Mars is energy, action and desire; the animal instinct. Unlike the Sun, which is the embodiment of creative energy, Mars is raw energy. It’s divisive, scattering energy in an outward direction. It represents how a person goes after their goals, their drive and energy, their initiative, courage, and combativeness. It’s aggressive and aids our survival. Angry? That is Mars coming through.

Jupiter Sign: Optimism & Growth

Jupiter’s position by sign in the natal chart (that is, the sign that Jupiter occupies in the birth chart) reveals how we express our generosity and tolerance. It shows how we go about improving our lives, as well as how we build our trust in others and faith in the universe. It also expresses our knack with luck and fortune.

Saturn Sign: Ambitions & Authority

Saturn governs ambition, career, authority, hierarchy, and conforming social structures. It concerns a person’s sense of duty, discipline and responsibility, and their physical and emotional endurance during hardships. Saturn also rules our fears and where we pull back the reins on ourselves.

Uranus Sign: Reformation & Insight

Uranus symbolizes sudden flashes of insight, moments of revelation, and spurts of creativity. It is your intuition awakening you to a world beyond our social structure. This can also mean rebellion and your openness to change.

Neptune Sign: Mysticism

Neptune is linked to spirituality, extrasensory observations, magic and ritual; daydreaming, fantasy, fairy tales, theatre, ghost stories and sensitivity, but also drunkenness and sexual abuse. Intuition and Imagination is found here.

Pluto Sign: Endings and New Beginnings

Pluto shows the area of life where you'll personally face the intense powers of creation and destruction. It's the doorway through which volatile compressed pockets of self, spirit and primal energy lies hidden, your rebirth and how you view death.

References

1. Labyrinthos.com

Defining Astrology

Is it a science, a myth, a superstition, or a religion?

Astrology follows the art of science in that it wants to explain through observation, primarily through the use of the stars, the sun, the planets and the moon.

Religious connotation is not strange to possess as astrology can be originated with Mesopotamian culture, where they believed the heavenly bodies were gods.

Astrology has its roots in spiritualism, and fortune telling, giving it that sense of mysticism; but these days it is a tool used for learning more about one's self- health, relationships, marriage, business, careers, tendencies, and even habits.

"According to Carl Jung, our Soul speaks to us through the language of images and symbols. Astrological planets are archetypal symbols. Astrology provides techniques for receiving and translating concepts and knowledge in ways our human minds can understand."Dr. Athena Perrakis

Astrology is a lot about psychology and has been categorized as a metaphysical discipline more then it is a pseudoscience. It is a combination of scientific knowledge and intuition.

Other definitions used for astrology is the "study of patterns and relationships" as well as the "study of influence that distant cosmic objects have on human lives."

Scientific Astrology

• Astrology focuses on the natural world such as the influence heavenly bodies (the sun, moon, planets, and constellations) have over earthly events

• Astrology aims to explain the natural world by using movements and predictions of the heavenly bodies to explain earthly events and human personality trait

References

1. https://undsci.berkeley.edu

2. https://www.sagegoddess.com

3. https://gabriellalimaus.wordpress.com

What is a Cusp?

Being born on a "cusp" is when one is born at or near the beginning or the end of an astrological sun sign. "Cusp" individuals are defined by inner conflict and change.

Image Credit: My Dream Symbolism

While the length of the "cusp" period is debated, it is agreed if you were born within the first five days or the last five days of a sign, you're "cusp-born". This means you're either being influenced by the astrological sign before you or after you.

“If you are cusp-born, you are under the influence of both signs. However, much like being a traveler leaving one country and crossing into another, you must actually be in one country- you can't be in two countries at the same time. One sign is always a stronger influence.” Woolfolk

"Cusp-born" individuals may find themselves experiencing a sort of identity crisis, not knowing whether they are one sign or another. Inevitably, the sign that the sun was actually in will always be the primary.

The Cusps

• The Cusp of Power Aries/Taurus (April 17th | April 23rd)

• The Cusp of Energy Taurus/Gemini (May 17th | June 23rd)

• The Cusp of Magic Gemini/Cancer (June 17th | June 23rd)

• The Cusp of Oscillation Cancer/Leo (July 17th |July 23rd)

• The Cusp of Exposure Leo/Virgo (August 17th | August 23rd)

• The Cusp of Beauty Virgo/Libra (September 17th | September 23rd)

• The Cusp of Drama and Criticism Libra/Scorpio (October 17th | October 23rd)

• The Cusp of Revolution Scorpio/Sagittarius (November 17th | November 23rd)

• The Cusp of Prophecy Sagittarius/Capricorn (December 17th | December 23rd)

• The Cusp of Mystery & Imagination Capricorn/Aquarius (January 17th | January 23rd)

• The Cusp of Sensitivity Aquarius/Pisces (February 17th | February 23rd)

• The Cusp of Rebirth Pisces/Aries (March 17th | March 23rd)

Being "Cusp-Born"

Understand that being born within a "cusp" inherently means an individual draw strengths and weaknesses from two signs.

This can bring as many positives as negatives so educating yourself on the sign before you or after you that you share your cusp with can help you harness a world of possibilities.

References

1. The Only Astrology Book You'll Ever Need by Joanna Martine Woolfolk

2. Tarot.com

3. astrology.com