Questions and Opinions on Interpreting Charts

My questions are the following:

When interpreting a chart, what do you feel is the most important aspect to the interpretation (i.e. the planet placement in the houses, the signs, the aspects between planets, etc.) Or are they all important and make up a sentence of sorts?

Are there certain methods that any of you use that helps you break down the chart easily to understand it and interpret it?

How much of interpretation of a chart is intuitive as compared to factual based on exact information (when doing the interpretation for another person)?

And finally, How much do chart interpretations usually run for?


Anything extra that is similar to these questions that you want to add is much appreciated.

Thanks.
 

Draco

Well-known member
I'm still developing my methods for natal interpretation, but you have to work your way from the big picture down to the small details, the way I'm looking at doing it anyway.

In charts where I presume to know the birth time:

First I assess the general temperament, this is the cloth from which the person is cut, and all other more detailed considerations are the finer embroideries upon that garment, all that follows should be interpreted in the context of that temperament. A choleric Virgo is a different creature to a phlegmatic one.

Assessment of temperament gives us twenty different general 'types' all on it's own, either those that are mainly one temperament, or those that are a mixture of two.

The significators of the temperament would then be observed, to glean more information about how the native might go about the expression of that temperament in their particular case - a sanguine with Jupiter in Pisces trine Venus, is different to a sanguine with Jupiter in Gemini square Saturn.

Also, it is well to consider, as I am sure Tim will point out, what sector/s of the chart the planets occupy. I would add further layers of detail, to identify the nature of a persons externalised/internalised qualities, such as the phase of the Moon, whether the planets are oriental or occidental, what gender of signs the planets are in, if they are in halb or hayz etc. All interpreted within the context of the temperament and it's expression of course.

The Moon's relationship with the Sun is particularly important it's own right.

Then I would seek to identify the Lord of the Geniture, the strongest planet in the chart by way of essential and accidental dignity, the latent strength that the native is invested with, how this power might be expressed in life, and what they might do with it for the best - all in context of temperament.

Then onto identifying the Significator of the Manners, concerning Mercury and the Moon, logic and imagination. This is either shown by a mutual aspect of Mercury and the Moon, a planet in the first in the same sign as that on the ascendant, or usually it is more difficult and requires ascertaining which planet most engages Mercury and the Moon mutually, which tells more about personality, aptitudes, way of thinking and how the temperament is expressed in an even finer, more indivdual way, it tells about the quality of mind.

Then it would be a case of exploring the chart in answer to whatever question has been asked.

That's the way I try and go about it anyway.

I'm still working on it.
 

wilsontc

Staff member
Interpreting Charts, to Alluring

Alluring,

Interpreting charts can only be done after a person understands astrology. If they don't, I suggest going to the link below. If they do, each person will develop their own way that the chart best "speaks" to them. For some this is focusing on all the details in the chart. For me, it is looking at the overall patterns in the chart.

Keywords (see Step 5) in link below help me a LOT in this process. I look to see which keywords keep coming up again and again in the chart. Also if chart/aspect patterns in a chart point to any sign/planet/house keywords in the chart. After I have an overall sense of the chart through house focus (as Draco mentioned), chart/aspect patterns, I look at receptions, rulerships, exaltations, etc. to see if any keywords are emphasized this way.

Interpreting,

Tim
 
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Ha. i just realized who you are Tim. I've used your steps before and it has filled in a lot of blanks for me. Thank you for your input because i think you did a great job with making natal charts easy to understand. thank you again.
 

23

Well-known member
I'm spontaneous and jump a lot around when looking at charts. Things grab my eyes and I tend to look at those things. Best to follow something like Tim's method where there is a bit of structure and logic. If I was doing a proper chart for someone (something that I haven't done), then I'd be like Time.
 
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