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Beginners Guide: How to Read Your Birth Chart?

Read birth chart
Most of us see the Birth Chart as a puzzle. We know it has the answers to many of our questions, but we do not know how to find the answers. The criss-cross lines and strange symbols look daunting. And, experienced astrologers perform so many calculations when doing a reading! Who wants to do so much math!!
Well, your fears are not unfounded. Reading a birth chart is not easy. But learning how to read one is not that difficult! Understanding the basics of a birth chart and how to interpret it will help you know more about yourself. It will make you aware of your potential, your strengths, weaknesses, and possible challenges you may face in your life. Isn’t this better than looking at it like an unsolved puzzle? And, whenever you want to do a deep dive or have very specific questions, you can always go to an experienced astrologer.
Come, let’s try to piece together this interesting puzzle!

The Components of a Birth Chart:

Your birth chart shows the position of the stars and planets at the time of your birth. It is the foundation of your astrological profile. It is used for your readings, compatibility check with a potential romantic partner, and for answering your queries regarding various aspects of your life such as your education, career, family life, and marriage prospects.
To create a birth chart you need your exact time of birth, place of birth, and your complete date of birth (DD/MM/YYYY). You can easily create your birth chart online via our birth chart calculator for free.
The birth chart is based on simple principles of geometry. It is a complete circle divided into 12 equal parts of 30 degrees. Each of these bifurcations belongs to a sign in the zodiac. These bifurcations are used to plot the exact position of the planets at the time of your birth. After all the planets are placed as per their location, you get the following information:
  • Your Sun Sign
  • Your Moon Sign
  • Your Rising/Ascendant Sign
  • Planetary placements as per Zodiac Signs
  • Planetary Placements as per the 12 houses of the birth chart
  • Relationship between the planets based on the aspects they form with each other

What are the Benefits of Knowing How to Read a Birth Chart?

If you know the basics of reading a birth chart you can get insight into how your life may shape up if you follow the path the universe has planned for you. You can also use this insight to shape your life as you want to. Some important information that you can glean from the birth chart are:
  • Your nature, traits, and habits
  • Your hidden potential/talents
  • Your weaknesses/possible addictions that you must protect yourself from
  • Your strengths
  • How you see yourself, how other people and the society at large perceives you
  • What do you seek in your closest relationships and what you can offer to them
  • What qualities you seek in your partners
  • How you conduct yourself in public and in relationships
  • Fields of study you may find success in
  • Careers which you may flourish in
  • The sources of income that may be available to you
  • Your health profile and precautions you may need to take for your well being
  • Your family life and nature of the relationship with family members - parents, siblings, spouse, and children
  • Obstacles you may face during your life
  • Possible favorable and unfavorable periods

What Should You Look for in Your Birth Chart?

There’s a lot of information available in your Birth Chart. But you only need to learn to identify and understand only some of it for a basic reading:
The Planets:

Sun Sign A

In your birth chart the Sun is represented by a circle with a dot in the middle - ☉. The Sun sign is one of the most important parts of your astrological profile. It signifies your personality, ego, individuality, and how you express yourself. To find your sun sign in your birth chart look where your Sun is placed. The zodiac sign in which your Sun is placed is your Sun Sign.

Moon Sign B

Moon is represented by a crescent moon - in the birth chart. The moon sign represents your emotions, subconscious mind, and your intellect. It also governs your mood. The moon also reflects your wishes, desires, and fears. To find your moon sign in your birth chart look for the crescent moon symbol. The zodiac sign in which your Moon is placed is your Moon sign.

Rising Sign P

Also known as the Ascendant, your rising sign is the sign that was rising on the Eastern horizon at the time of your birth. It is represented with an upward-pointing arrow with a horizontal line crossing it in the middle. The rising sign rules your appearance, style, and the self you show to the outside world. To find your rising sign in your birth chart look for the upward arrow symbol. The zodiac sign in which your Rising is positioned is your Rising or Ascendant.

Mercury Sign C

The planet Mercury is shown as a circle with two horns and a cross below it. Mercury is the planet of communication. It governs your communication skills and how you express yourself. To find your Mercury sign in your birth chart look for Mercury’s symbol. The zodiac sign in which Mercury is positioned will dictate your communication style and abilities.

Venus Sign D

The planet of love and beauty is depicted as a circle with a cross underneath it. Venus rules your love life, relationships, wealth, and power. It is the provider of luxury, comfort, and all the fine things in life. You can find the sign of this planet in your chart by looking for the symbol of Venus. The zodiac sign in which the planet of love is present will decide how you love and conduct your relationships.

Mars Sign E

Fiery Mars is represented by a circle with an arrow pointing diagonally in the birth chart. Mars shows your initiative-taking abilities, leadership qualities, and your will power. It also rules your temper. And it governs how you express yourself sexually. To find your Mars sign in your birth chart look for the symbol of Mars. The zodiac sign in which Mars is positioned will define the traits of your Mars.

Jupiter Sign F

Jupiter is the planet of good fortune, luck, abundance, and growth. The placement of this planet will influence your luck, future prospects, and wealth. In your birth chart, Jupiter is represented by the number 4 with the upper left side curved like an arm. The zodiac sign in which planet Jupiter is placed will rule your luck and fortune.

Saturn Sign G

The taskmaster of the universe, Saturn gives you life lessons, teaches you discipline, and encourages you to lead a life of ethics and honesty. If you do well in the challenges Saturn puts forth, you are also rewarded handsomely. To find which sign Saturn is located in your birth chart look for curly letter h with a cross on the top side.

Uranus Sign H

Look for three vertical lines cut horizontally with a small dot at the bottom end of the middle line to know which zodiac lends its features to your Uranus. Uranus dictates your ability to innovate, understand new technology, and how you deal with the new and unknown. It also governs your relationship with the environment and society you live in.

Neptune Sign I

Your dreams, wishes, and creativity is ruled by Neptune. To know which sign this planet is placed in look for a trident. This sign will govern your interest in art, technology, and creativity.

Pluto Sign J

Depicted with a wine glass with a circle in the center of the glass and a cross on the stem, Pluto represents transformation. Whatever the sign in which it is placed rules, will be an area/aspect of life where you will experience change and growth.

Chiron U

Depicted by a key, this minor planet highlights your wounds, hurts, and areas of your life that are in need of care and healing and how you do it. The sign-in which this planet is placed will determine your ability and style of caring for yourself and evolving as a better version of yourself.

Planetary Aspects

Aspects are the relationships planets form between themselves. These aspects in turn impact different areas of your life, your thought processes, and your personality.

The 12 houses: To fully comprehend your birth chart, you also need to have an understanding of what each house of the birth chart governs.

House 1: The first house represents the self - you. It rules your physical features and personality.
House 2: This house rules your wealth, earning, material belongings, and expenses.
House 3: The third house in your birth chart rules your communication skills, creative abilities, intelligence, interests, and predisposition.
House 4: The fourth astrological house represents your mother, home, family life, and early education.
House 5: This house relates to your progeny, romance, entertainment, and artistic talents. It also rules your higher education.
House 6: The sixth house in your birth chart symbolizes your profession, health, diseases, enemies, and debt.
House 7: The seventh house is the house of marriage, partnership - personal and professional, and other important relationships in your life.
House 8: The eighth house in the birth chart signifies death, resurrection, sex, other people’s possessions, and research.
House 9: The ninth house represents fortune and luck. It governs higher learning, values and ethics, religious beliefs, and travels.
House 10: This is the house of career and profession. It represents your capacity to take action regarding your profession, your father, and authority and respect.
House 11: The eleventh house in the birth chart governs how you are perceived in society. It rules your friends and colleagues.
House 12: The last house of the birth chart represents your karma, fears, unconscious mind, pain, and enemies.
Now that you know what to look for, it’s time to Read the Birth Chart!

How to Read the Birth Chart:

Before you start reading the Birth Chart, take a notepad and list down all the above planets. Make three columns. In the first two, note down the zodiac sign and the house each planet/star is placed in. This is the basic analysis. Once you are done with listing down the details, it’s time to list down the qualities of the planet/star, the zodiac sign it is in, and the features of the house the planet/star is located in. Do this exercise in the third column.
This information will give you a basic understanding of your strengths, weaknesses, values, ambitions, and relationships. It will help you understand your motivations to do or to not do something. With this basic reading you will be able to gain insight into your life’s purpose, the career paths open to you and the work you need to do on yourself to evolve as a human being.

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