Astrology Basics, an Introduction

The weather over the last few days has been so fabulous that I have been unable to sit in front of my computer. As someone who has a lot of fire in my chart it is imperative ( and that text has been bolded for added theatrical impact) that I get out, have some adventures and get plenty of sunshine! However, a dire consequence of this is that my blog has been sadly neglected. So, I have decided to whip myself with bunches of stinging nettles while wearing an itchy jumper and I am writing another blog post to alleviate the gnawing guilt! ( What can I say, you tend to be a little hard on yourself when you have Saturn conjunct your Ascendant!)

This post shall be dealing with a question that was recently posed to me by a friend on a forum that I frequent.

"please could you explain the basic mechanics of astrology aka the info you require to create a reading" (if that is the right way of putting it), the tools you use to create a framework (sorry if that sounds a bit corporate nobcheese-speak) and how do you astrologer gals and guys maintain impartiality aka if you were having tea with Russell Grant would the mechanics of astrology see each of you writing similar conclusions about the same person?"

Well, here goes. To do an in depth chart you need an exact time and the place of birth.

One of the main benefits of having the exact birth time is that you or the astrologer will be able to find out the Ascendant or rising sign for the chart which is important as this is the lens through which the rest of the chart is filtered. It symbolises how you relate to the world and how the world relates to you and in Esoteric Astrology it represents the highest development that can be achieved by your soul in this incarnation.

An accurate birth time will help you calculate other factors in the chart; for example as the Moon changes sign every 2 to 2.5 days it could help you decide if your moon sign is easy going, romantic and sociable Libra or dynamic, intense, charismatic Scorpio! If you were born on a day when the Moon changed sign and you don't know the time of your birth you may have to use a certain amount of guess work.

However, even without an exact time of birth it is still possible to find out your Moon sign and you can also find your Venus sign and Mars sign. Information like this can provide you with valuable insights into your emotional responses and how you relate to others. And yes, this can be used in the context of relations with the opposite gender which is something a lot of people want to know more about.

Some great free charts can be obtained from the Venus Group and Astrodienst and tables of Moon, Venus and Mars signs can be found at Cafe Astrology, this site also has some great articles for curious bods who wish to learn more about the fascinating art of astrology.

Pictured on the right is the birth chart and I will be writing a series of posts shortly to talk beginners through how this works.

But back to the task at hand; there are questions to be answered. The chart is based on where the planets were in relation to you at the exact moment you exited your mother and made your entrance in to the world.

As this is very real and very concrete information, the whereabouts of the planets will not change; the information the astrologer uses is the same whether they are dining with Mystic Meg or your Auntie Dorris.

This is why I like Astrology, because things mean what they mean, a good Astrologer will have studied Astrology for years and they will give you a reading based on the data that you have presented.

If that sounds easy do not be decieved, Astrology is an occult science, if you want to know how deep the rabbit hole goes you will have to do some research and read up on the subject, you could also follow my blog!