Learning to read astrology charts
As you learn astrology you gradually begin to see patterns in natal charts rather than viewing it as a confusing array of lines and symbols. One way to do this is to look at the two lines which bisect the circle of the chart horizontally and vertically. These are are usually shown as thicker and bolder than the other lines dividing the 12 houses. These lines—the horizontal ascendant-descendant line, as well as the vertical mid-heaven-nadir line are called the angles of the chart and are very important.
Horizontal line
The horizontal division is the horizon line of the chart. The houses below this line relate more to our personal lives. This half of the chart is important but often largely invisible, like the foundation of a building. The half of the chart above this ascendant-descendant line, on the other hand, is more like the above-ground portion of a building—these houses relate to the public side of the individual. Some astrology books over-simplify this division, saying that people with most of their natal planets above the horizon are extroverts, while those with more planets below the line are introverts. However, the picture if usually more complicated than that.
If someone has most of their planets above the horizon line that means that this person’s public life holds great significance for them. They may be very happy in their home life as well, but they invest more energy, more of their essence in the actions they take in the public eye. Often, when something happens in their private lives, they will view that event in terms of larger social currents.
People who have the majority of their planets below the horizon line have the opposite orientation. They may have successful careers and have outgoing and vivacious personalities, but they rely on some private or inner life to animate them and give them the emotional sustenance they require. Upon reading something in the news, these people may have a very personal reaction to it, perhaps wondering how it will affect them or their family or possibly being reminded of a similar occurrence in their own lives. Some people have a balance with a roughly equal number of placements on either side of the line, showing that they need both public recognition and an emotionally rich private life.
Vertical line
The vertical line in the chart shows a division between houses on the left more related to self and houses on the right centered on contact with others. An individual with all of most of their natal planets on the left-hand side of the chart tends to be more self-focused. This can manifest in a variety of ways, both positive and negative. On the one hand, the person may seem selfish, but people with this kind of chart emphasis are also usually very self-reliant. They tend not to look to others to meet their needs and to form their opinions about social and political issues independently of their family, friends and co-workers.
People whose natal charts are weighted more to the right-hand side of the chart are more oriented towards others. They may be more solicitous of others, more likely to pick up on subtle cues about the emotions of those around them or more concerned about making sure the other person has a good time when they go out with a friend. However, these people also tend to rely on others to meet their emotional, and sometimes their financial, needs.
Quadrants
When we combine the meaning of these two lines, we see that several planets in the lower left quadrant of the chart reveal an inner-self focus. A chart heavy in planets in lower right quadrant relates emphasizes inward issues of how we interact with others. The upper right sector of the chart is about outward expression of relationships with others, while the upper left sector is about our public expression of our sense of self. None of these quadrants are “better” than the others—when learning astrology, it is important to let go of any desire to form value judgments. There are both negative and positive ways to express the energy of any chart, although some charts show the individual has chosen this lifetime to undertake more serious challenges.
