Hello all.
I've read a few books about astrology and reading birth-charts
I understand many things but I always wonder what to look at when I start analyzing birth charts??? I don't know !!!
The main thing is to get a regular routine that you do each time so you don't overlook major things. And also, so you can learn by comparing and contrasting.
I prefer to go from LARGE to small. So start with big, over view things.
I usually look at the chart type first. Is it a bundle, a see-saw, a locomotive. StaRT by assessing the basic chart type and that will tell you a lot to just to begin with and keep in mind overall.
Then look at the table of elements and modes. See if the native has a balance or is strongly water or earth, no fire or air. See if the modes are balanced or if there is a dominance of fixed or a lack of mutable, etc. And make note of the basic count.
Once you have the big picture, then look at the major configurations. If there is a grand square or grand trine or a yod, staRT there. Look at the overall meaning of the major configurations.
Then, once you understand the chart type and basic elemental/mode count and major aspects, then you can go into the finer details and they will be in context of the overall personality. If you have noted that the native has a See-Saw pattern, has mostly Fire/Air, and no Earth,and has many oppositions, but no trines---then you have a back drop of information, before you have even begun looking at the individual planets.
So start with the Ascendant, look at the chart ruler, aspects it makes, where it is placed. And then go through each house, looking at planets placed within and house rulerships.
By then, you will have covered all of the basic info.