Sydney Astrology School

ASTROLOGY LEVEL 1 – WEEK 10

LOOKING AT THE CHART AS A WHOLE – OVERVIEW AND

REVISION

Planets in Signs in Houses

Putting planets, signs and houses together:
The planet represents a particular function = what
The sign flavours how this drive is expressed = how
The house is the area of life where the drive is expressed = where

Planets in different signs and houses represent different parts of us.

The planet is like an actor with a certain part to perform
The sign would be the character he plays, (costume, mannerisms and
behaviours)
The house would depict where the drama is occurring

Use Key words when expressing planets, sign and houses in the chart

1) The Planets - the ‘what’

The Personal Planets – issues with self

SUN: vitality, sense of individuality, creative energy, the life force, the heroic
journey, the conscious sense of self (ego)
-urge to be, to give life and to create
-need to be recognized and to express self, to shine.

MOON: emotional responses and needs, instinctual self, unconscious self,

soul.
- urge to nurture and be nurtured, domestic and emotional security urge
- need to belong, need for clan

MERCURY: communications, conscious mind (logical or rational mind)

- urge to express one’s perceptions and intelligence through skill or speech
- need to establish connections with others, need to learn, transportation of
communication.

VENUS: values, the feminine principle, giving and receiving from others,
sharing, blending, equilibrium, peace, aesthetics.
- urge to attract people and possessions to you, urge for pleasure, the social
and love urge
- need to create, a need for calming aesthetics, art and beauty,
- a need for union and blending, need to feel comfort and harmony

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MARS: desire, drive, willpower, the masculine principle, will toward action,
initiative, physical energy, to face fear and conquer adversity.
- urge to survive, sexual urge, to act decisively, self assertive and aggressive
urge
- need to achieve desires, to express bravery, courage,
- need for physical and sexual excitement
The ‘Teacher’ Planets – self interacting with society

JUPITER: expansion, optimism, luck, justice, ethics, philosophies, morality,

meaning, higher truth, beliefs, excess, faith, judgment, laws.
- urge towards a larger order or to connect self with something greater than
self.
- need for faith, trust, and confidence in life and self, need to improve self, to
make meaning of happenstance

SATURN: structures, boundaries, focus, responsible, integrity, contraction,

effort, accountability, commitment, solidarity. solitude, the firm foundation,
rules
- urge to build self’s structure and integrity, urge toward accomplishment and
security through tangible achievement,
- need for social position, need for authority, need to rely on one’s own
resources and work

The Trans-Personal Planets – self interacting beyond ‘personality’

URANUS: freedom, awakener, authenticity, the higher mind, individuality,

revolutionary, electrical impulses
- urge towards differentiation, originality, and independence from tradition,
urge to reform, to liberate
-need for change, evolution and expression without restraint

NEPTUNE: dissolve, release, detach, transcendence, imagination, dreams,

release, illusion, mystical, spirituality, unification, intangible, collective
unconscious
- urge to be free from the limitations of one’s self, and the material world.
- need to experience oneness with life, a complete merger with the whole, a
need to transcend the attached self and ego demands.

PLUTO: transformation, regeneration, elimination, destroyer, collective

psychology, obsession, resurrection, power, intensity, alchemy, compulsion.
- urge toward total rebirth, urge to penetrate to the core of experience
- need to dig deep and bring to consciousness the hidden self, need to let go
of the old through pain.
- the power from resurrection, the feeling of invincibility.

Rulership
Mars rules Aries the 1st House (it traditionally ruled Scorpio)
Venus rules Taurus and the 2nd House
Mercury rules Gemini and the 3rd House

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Moon rules Cancer and the 4th House

Sun rules Leo and the 5th House
Mercury also rules Virgo and the 6th House
Venus also rules Libra and the 7th House
Jupiter rules Sagittarius and the 9th House (it traditionally ruled Pisces)
Saturn rules Capricorn and the 10th House (it traditionally ruled Aquarius)
Uranus rules Aquarius and the 11th House
Neptune rules Pisces and the 12th House
Pluto rules Scorpio and the 8th House

2) SIGNS – the ‘how’

There are 12 signs:

Aries - initiating, courageous, headstrong, impulsive, child-like and pioneering

Taurus – simple, content, practical, determined, sensual and enduring
Gemini – quick, gregarious, curious, flighty, inquisitive, sociable and
adaptable
Cancer – sensitive, instinctive, moody and sentimental
Leo – playful, creative, grand and generous
Virgo – analytical, hardworking, healing, selfless, refined and discriminating
Libra – serene graceful, polite, diplomatic and calm
Scorpio – powerful, sensitive, intuitive, secretive, healing and passionate
Sagittarius – forthright, optimistic, honest, adventurous, opinionated and
confident
Capricorn – solid, reliable, real, mature and dependable
Aquarius – radical, eclectic, intelligent, free spirited and quirky
Pisces - dreamy, nebulous, intuitive, empathetic, psychic and illusionary

They are divided into Yang and Yin

- Starting from Aries as a yang sign, they continuously alternatively around the
zodiac in an anti-clockwise direction.
Yang signs (Fire and Air) tend to express their energy outwardly, directing
their own affairs.
Yin signs (Earth and Water) respond more inwardly, are more receptive,
allowing life to happen to them
The chart has 6 axis, representing polarities (opposites) of the same issue.
The polarities will either be yang – yang, or yin – yin

Elements - There are 4 elements – FIRE, EARTH, AIR and WATER

They are always in this order starting at Aries and going anti-clockwise
around the chart.

FIRE EARTH AIR WATER

Aries Taurus Gemini Cancer
Leo Virgo Libra Scorpio
Sagittarius Capricorn Aquarius Pisces

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They have these basics qualities:

FIRE EARTH AIR WATER

Action Sensation Thinking Feeling
Creativity Practicality Concepts Receptivity
Initiative Objectivity Ideals Empathy
Adventure Material Stability Principles Instinct
Vision Reliability Impartiality Security seeking
‘Fired with ‘Down to Earth’ ‘Air your Views’ ‘Going with the
Enthusiasm’ Flow’

Modes - There are 3 modes or qualities based on the beginning, middle and
end of the seasons.
When we speak of the zodiac signs we call them - CARDINAL, FIXED and
MUTABLE
They are always in this order starting at Aries and going anti-clockwise around
the chart.

CARDINAL FIXED MUTABLE

Aries Taurus Gemini
Cancer Leo Virgo
Libra Scorpio Sagittarius
Capricorn Aquarius Pisces

CARDINAL FIXED MUTABLE

Initiating Persisting Varying
Promoting Sustaining Adapting

There is a circular flow of life. We act (cardinal), we consolidate the results of

our actions in order to gain security (fixed), we learn from what we have done
(mutable) and, therefore we act again. Everyone participates in this cycle of
life, but our individual birth charts reveal which phases in the cycle are
dominant in this lifetime.

Whereas the elements represent the basic energies in the world, the modes
(or qualities), represent how they are applied. Each sign has a different
element and quality combination.

Aries Fire/Cardinal Taurus Earth/Fixed Gemini Air/Mutable

Cancer Water/Cardinal Leo Fire/Fixed Virgo Earth/Mutable
Libra Air/Cardinal Scorpio Water/Fixed Sagittarius Fire/Mutable
Capricorn Earth/Cardinal Aquarius Air/Fixed Pisces Water/Mutable

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3) HOUSES - the ‘where’

There are 12 Houses numbered 1 through to 12

1st -Identity in action, assertion, your basic approach to life, physicality,

2nd -Security, worth, values, self esteem, resources, talents, money,
3rd- Communication, perception, learning and teaching style, speech, siblings
4th- Roots, home, family unit, parents, heritage, culture, emotional self
5th- Self expression, creativity, joy, children, love, sex, specialness
6th- Service, skills, trade, schedules, the body, health, mentoring, day to day
work
7th- Relationships, partnering, close friends, blending, fairness, compromise
8th- Deep interaction, taboo, death, sex, merging money, trust, purging
9th- Laws, beliefs, travel, higher learning, ideals, concepts, religion,
exploration.
10th- Vocation, reputation, public position, status, concrete contribution
11th Direction, community, groups, social consciousness, the future
12th- Release, non attachment, spiritual awareness, seclusion, inner peace.

The ANGLES and the Succedent and Cadent Houses

The 1st house always starting at the Ascendant,

the 4th house always the start or cusp of the IC,
the 7th house always the cusp of the Descendant,
and the 10th house always the cusp of the MC

When we speak of houses, instead of calling them cardinal, fixed and

mutable, we call them angular, succedent and cadent.

The angular houses, correspond to the cardinal signs. Houses 1, 4, 7 and 10

The succedent houses correspond to the fixed signs. Houses 2, 5, 8 and 11
The cadent houses correspond to the mutable signs. Houses 3, 6, 9 and 12

Cardinal signs and/or Angular houses: Key word = Action (initiate and begin
new things)
Fixed signs and/or Succedent houses: Key word = Security (endurance and
will to preserve)
Mutable signs and/or Cadent houses: Key word = Learning (ability to be
flexible & adaptable)

We can also look at the houses by the element.

a) Fire Houses -1, 5, 9

‘Trinity of Action’. They represent an out pouring of energy into the world and
the aspirations and inspirations that motivate us to do so. (YANG)
Key words = identity (as our sense of identity determines our attitude towards
life).

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b) Earth Houses – 2, 6, 10
‘Trinity of Substance’. They represent our experience to try and satisfy our
basic needs in the practical world; possessions, money, health, reputation etc.
(YIN)
Key words = material (as we are dealing chiefly with the concerns of the
material world)

c) Air Houses – 3, 7, 11
‘Trinity of the Relationship’. They are associated not only with social contacts
and relationships of all types, but also with concepts and ideas. The social
and intellectual realms of activity are inseparable, for it is our ideas that
motivate us to seek out other people of like mind, and those very concepts
constitute a great deal of what is shared between any two people. (YANG)
Key words = social and intellectual

d) Water Houses – 4, 8, 12
‘Trinity of Soul/ Emotion’. They deal with the past, with the conditioning
responses which are now instinctual and operate through the emotions.
Planets in these houses show what is happening on subconscious levels, and
the ability to make it conscious. They relate to attaining emotional peace by
freeing ourselves from the grip of the past. At the deepest level, they
symbolize the most profound yearnings of the soul. (YIN)
Key words = emotional and soul.

The ASCENDANT and HOUSE CUSP RULERS

In an individuals chart, the sign on the cusp of a house energizes that house.
The sign on the cusp shows the:
- approach to and attitude toward this area of life
eg Libra on the 6th house cusp will attempt to create harmony at work and in
the area of health.
- qualities of experience you are likely to have through this area of life
eg. Pisces on the 2nd house cusp may experience material security as always
containing an element of idealism or doubt. There may be an elusive or
confusing quality when approaching the material world. This stems from the
need not to be attached to the material.

The Planet ruling the sign on the Ascendant is the Chart

Ruler.

A person with a Gemini ascendant has Mercury as their chart ruler.

The placement of Mercury in the chart will be linked to and will work through
the Ascendant
eg, if Mercury is in the 9th house a need to for mental questing, adventure and
strong opinions will be evident in the personality and the way they assert
themselves (1st House).

Every house cusp has a planet that rules that house.

The planet ruling the sign on the house cusp rules that particular house.

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The placement within the chart of a house’s ruling planet will be linked back to
the house that it rules.
eg If Sagittarius is on the 6th house cusp and its ruler Jupiter is in the 3rd
house. Then exploring and communication (Jupiter 3rd) will be linked in some
way to their skills and service (6th).

CHIRON
Chiron represents a wound, inadequacy, handicap or rejection issue to be
healed. This can be achieved by teaching and healing others. Mainly through
a sense of empathy, understanding and compassion for those who are
experiencing your particular wound. This can be achieved through being of
aid, spiritually, holistically or supportively.

The Lunar Nodes

The South and North nodes of the Moon as well their ruling planets are
extremely important components in natal chart interpretation.
Many habitual patterns that keep us stuck in this life are already there on our
‘tape’ when we are born and often played out again.

These patterns are found with the sign, house and ruling planet of the south
node. When interpreting the south node, look at how it may have been played
out in an unresolved manner, as this issue could still plague the client today.
This could range from the experiencing the horrors of war to never writing that
book they always had in their mind.

The North node points to the ‘way out’. The sign, house and ruling planet
beckons to be assimilated into this life story as a balance and healing from
any past issues. This area is usually less familiar and needs conscious work
with owning in this life, yet it brings the axis into equilibrium allowing the south
node to detoxify and fertilise anew.

An elementary guide with interpreting a Natal Chart

- Keep it simple, remember probably the only thing that the person knows is
their Star sign (Sun sign) so anything else you can add is something they
didn’t know.
- always use key words to begin with when describing planets signs and
houses rather than throwing in your own words at this stage.

1) What is the first thing you see / what stands out to you?
- Do not go too deep too fast; be aware you are energetically talking about
someone’s psyche. A throw away remark by you may be taken very seriously
by someone else and held onto for a long time.
Always take your the time to begin with and remember that Astrology is about
empowerment so emphasize the positive.

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- Keep the more negative manifestations in your mind but use them only in a
supportive/counselling way as warnings, to help them see other more
functional ways of expressing that particular energy.
- Get a feel of the chart by letting your intuition speak to you.
- Remember to engage from your heart not just from your head.

2) Hemisphere or Quadrant emphasis.

-upper hemisphere- focus is on worldly pursuits
-lower hemisphere- focus is on inner world, personal pursuits
-eastern hemisphere (left side) - learning through self proactively, need to
find self, separate from families, who am I?
-western hemisphere (right side) - learning through others reactively,
through relationships

3) Look for predominance or lack by Element and Mode

- The results usually give a good overall feel of the energy weighting.
- This will not be exact as it does not take house position into account so only
pay particular attention if there is a strong predominance or lack.

- Look if there are particular combinations of elements

eg. fire/earth split, fire wants spontaneity and earth stability.
eg. Water/air split- emotions/intuition versus rational thought.
- If they are missing an element or mode, they may attract it.
- Pay particular attention to Sun, Moon, and Ascendant for expressions
through modes and elements.

4) Sun Sign and House- path for finding identity

- what sign and house supports the expression of their Sun.
- how is the life force expressed, where do they find purpose and happiness
- often the relationship with father can be seen by the Sun sign and house
(also Saturn can be the father image of authority).

5) Moon Sign and House- the place to help a person be emotionally

nourished.
- how do they feel emotionally secure
- where is their need for emotional safety most needed.
- their level of emotional reaction
e.g. water moon may not understand why they are more emotional than
most people
- what sign and house will support them with their in feelings and urges
- often the relationship to mother is noted by the Moon sign and house

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6) Ascendant / Self
- the Ascendant is the filter, mask, or persona with which we meet life
- it describes how we take action in the world or begin any new project
- it expresses our personal style and our physical appearance
- it is the soul’s vehicle for expressing itself.
- The Ruler of the Ascendant, or Chart Ruler, is one of the most important
planets in the chart.
- The Chart Ruler by sign and house will show ‘how’ and ‘where’ the needs of
the persona/ascendant are to be satisfied for the soul’s purpose in the world.

7) Nodes
- the South Node carries the unresolved past life issues. It has a familiar
feeling on a soul level and there will be energy in the soul memory pulling us
back to this point.
- In this life time we need to focus on and develop the positive qualities of the
North Node for our own soul’s purpose, using the more positive attributes of
the South Node as balance and for the benefit of others.
- look at where the rulers of each of the nodes are located for additional
information.

8) Relationships
- look at the sign on the Descendant (7th house cusp) and any planets in the
7th house to see the energy that would benefit partnerships and what you
may need to attract.
- look at where the where the ruler of the 7th house is located for added
information
- look at the sign and house in which Venus is located for what the person
values or finds attractive
- look at Mars in the chart by sign and house for an idea on sexual desires.
It has been said that in a man’s chart Venus may show the type of woman,
and in a woman’s chart Mars the type of man she is attracted to.

9) Career
the sign on MC (10th house cusp) and ruler of MC and where it is located by
sign and house will give an indication of the type of careers which may be
suitable.
- also any planets in the 10th house or within a few degrees of the MC (either
side)
- the Sun has to be expressed somehow within our purpose to be happy and
fulfilled.
- sign on the 6th house cusp and planets in the 6th house will tell you about the
individual’s skills, trade or talents in service and how they deal with co-
workers and routines.
- sign on the 2nd house cusp, where the 2nd house cusp ruler is located and
planets in the 2nd house will relate to how you secure yourself, your worth and
the resources you can develop i.e. your talents or what makes you useful and
valuable.
- remember the 2nd, 6th and 10th houses represent the Earth terrains.
- the 11th house can tell you about project, goals and group activity.
- the 12th house can often depict ‘your calling’.

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10) Family / Roots

- Planets in the 4th house, sign on the IC (4th house cusp) and the ruler of the
IC and its location by sign and house will indicate family and early childhood
themes and experiences. It also tells us a lot about your deeper emotional self
on a very personal level and how you deal with ‘where you come from.’
-The Moon is an indicator of family (particularly mother) and past dynamics.
-Saturn and sometimes the Sun can be an indicator of the father
-The 10th/4th axis is also indicative of the parents, the 10th being the more
‘shaping’ parent the 4th the more ‘background’ parent.
- the 8th house can show what has been inherited
-the 12th can store childhood experiences from the first 7 years of life.

11) Chiron
- represents wounds and gifts. It is a major part of our healing process.
- are they still stuck in the wound or have they turned it around into something
that can aid and teach to others.

12) Themes
- bring together any themes which you have found

eg. Sun and Moon in Aries, a strong 1st house, and a New Moon personality
will bring up strong Mars themes. The person will appear to be very strong –
adventurous, courageous, action orientated.
Venus conjunct the Sun and planets in Libra in the 5th shows strong themes
concerning artistry, creativity and relationship.

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