What is a birth/natal chart?

A birth chart or natal chart is a diagram of the sky at the exact moment you were born. In addition to the 10 planets (the moon and Pluto are considered planets), there are several points throughout the chart that are calculated using the elliptical orbits of the sun and moon. These are the Ascendant, or rising sign, the Descendant, the Medium Coeli (abbreviated to MC and also called the Midheaven), the Imum Coeli (abbreviated to IC), the North Node, and the South Node. 

What are houses and signs?

Each planet and point signifies a basic human drive and/or need and thematic obstacles and experiences. In a chart, these signifiers reside in both a house and a zodiac sign. There are 12 houses, each representing an area of life such as career/public image (the 10th house) or money and resources (the 2nd house). There are also 12 zodiac signs, which denote the style and “energy” of planets and houses. For example, Aries is courageous, aggressive, and confident. Gemini is curious, dualistic, and adaptable. Each sign has its own set of personality traits that describe the way it influences the presence and behavior of the planet or house that resides in its constellation. 

Do people actually believe in this? 

Yes! Everybody needs something to get them through life: prayer, baths, cardio, meditation. For some people, it’s the stars and the personal connection to the cosmos. Astrology is the same as any other self-help or religious/spiritual practice. If you find support, inspiration, and comfort in knowing your birth chart or paying attention to transits, then good for you! If not, no judgments, no pressure, no problem. 

But how does it work???

Who knows :) The earliest discovered astrological studies were from Mesopotamia in the years 1900 to 1700 BC. Ancient astrologers recorded events first, and then connected them to planetary movements, so the designations of planets, signs, and houses aren’t random. For the last 4,000 years, these designations have been somewhat peer reviewed and tracked with similar results. However, I personally find the mystery of it more satisfying than having a scientific explanation. 

What is a chart reading? 

A reading is when an astrologer looks at a person’s birth chart and weaves a narrative of the person’s life, or of a particular subject/issue. This means taking into account which planets and points are in which houses and in what signs, and how these combinations might manifest in the material world. 

For example, in my chart the moon is in the 4th house in the sign of Taurus. The moon represents emotional needs, the 4th house is of the home, emotional foundations, and family, and Taurus is the sign of stability, groundedness, and security. My emotional health and well-being lies in the accessibility of a stable home environment. I’d much rather stay in with my partner and our bunny than go out, and I don’t like being away from my apartment for more than a couple days. I need predictability in my day to day routines, and changes to my environment take some time to adjust to. If you’re not a “believer” in astrology, you could argue that everyone needs a safe and stable place to live and that it would affect anyone’s mental health if they didn’t. While this is true, it’s the degree to which it impacts your emotional health when all other variables are equal that matters. An unhoused person might have anxiety because their shelter is not safe or always available, but if they had their moon in Sagittarius in the 9th house, even after obtaining a steady and safe living situation they would need broad, expansive (Sagittarius) travel or cross-cultural (9th house) experiences to feel emotionally fulfilled. 

What can a birth chart reading tell me? 

Generally, your chart can show you your strengths, weaknesses, communication style, career paths, ideal partnerships, emotional needs, and life narratives around identity, finances, and family, and the ways you're meant to grow and evolve in this lifetime. It cannot tell you about the timing of specific things, mistakes, regrets, or bad decisions, potentials for injury/illness/death, and anything not directly related to yourself and your lived experience. In certain cases, dynamics and experiences with parents, grandparents, siblings, and partners can be seen, but not always.

It’s also important to note that the chart is a map of potentials, so it can’t tell you exactly what your life is like or going to be like. It’s up to you to explore whether or not the interpretations of your chart match what you know to be true. It’s totally ok If you don’t believe your interpretations are accurate, astrology is not for everyone after all, but make sure it’s not because you don’t want it to be true, or because you can’t see something from any other perspective than the one you’re used to. I would recommend going into a reading with an open mind, only then can you tell if the interpretations are helpful for you. 

What is a “channeled” astrology reading?

Different astrologers have different styles of reading. Usually, when an astrologer is looking at your chart, there can be a number of interpretations that are applicable, and it’s up to you to know which ones apply. This is always the case when watching astrology channels on YouTube, they have to go over all scenarios because they are actually reading for a multitude of people at one time. In channeled readings, I can usually tell which interpretation is specific to you, and other variables that surround the message also come through, which normally don’t when going just off of aspects, planets, etc. This doesn’t mean that I haven’t studied astrology and am purely going off of what I think, on the contrary, I am also learning more and consulting texts to double check my work. It just means that in addition to my intuition, I sometimes have a little help from the other side :)