A Basic Introduction to the Birth Chart and Why the Majority Only Knows Their Sun Sign

Example birth chart

When we say “My sign is Leo” we actually mean our Sun sign based on our birthdays. 

However a birth chart starts with the Ascendant. It is the sign that was rising on the eastern side, (from the point where the Sun rises every day) when we were born. 

In addition to the Sun, we have Moon, personal planets, Mercury, Mars and Venus; social planets Jupiter and Saturn; and collective planets Uranus, Neptune and Pluto. 

These planets all have their signs when we were born and they can be the same as or different from our Sun signs. 

Sun is our ego, personality, vitality and we know our Sun signs by our birthday, let’s say you were born on the 10th of August, so it is in Leo. 

Moon represents our emotions, and it can be in any other sign. eg. Scorpio. 

Mercury represents our communication and this is the most personal planet, and it cannot go far away from the Sun. 

If the Sun sign is Leo; Mercury's sign can only be Cancer, Leo, or Virgo.

Venus represents our love language; and it cannot go very far away from the Sun either. Let's say your Venus is in Cancer, while you have Sun in Leo.

Mars represents our action and motivation. Let's say your Mars is in Taurus.

So, we have: Sun in Leo, Moon in Scorpio, Mercury in Virgo, Venus in Cancer and Mars in Taurus. The personal planets are layered through the Sun. When we analyze them, we also need to consider the Sun sign. For example; Sun in Leo and Mars in Taurus is different from Sun in Virgo and Mars in Taurus.

So far, we have completed the inner circle; now we have the social planets; Jupiter and Saturn.

Jupiter is our luck, abundance, higher mind, and morality. People born on the same year usually have the same Jupiter sign; and let's say it is in Cancer.

Saturn is our structure, responsibility, and karma. It changes sign every 2.5 years. Let's say you and your generation have Saturn in Capricorn.

Then, we have the collective planets; these are the zeitgest and represent generations. Generations X, Y, Z etc. are based on the transits of the collectives: Uranus, Neptune and Pluto.

Uranus is the change, rebellion, creativity, and originality. It changes sign nearly every 7 years. Let's say you and your generation have Uranus in Capricorn.

Neptune is the ideals, dreams, religion, and spirituality. It moves very slowly. Let's say your generation and you have Neptune in Capricorn.

Pluto is transformation, challenge, and power. It moves very irregularly and slowly too. Let's say you have it in Scorpio.

So all these make:

Sun in Leo

Moon in Scorpio

Mercury in Virgo

Venus in Cancer

Mars in Taurus

Jupiter in Cancer

Saturn in Capricorn

Uranus in Capricorn

Neptune in Capricorn

Pluto in Scorpio.

These all together are the planetary signs in the example birth chart. (which is actually my chart, haha!)

And now let's say we have the Ascendant/Rising Sign in Taurus, and Taurus starts the chart and now we have the chart complete!

This is actually a very basic introduction into the complex system of astrology. But why do many only know their Sun sign?
In ancient times, during Renaissance; eg. in Ancient Greek, Egypt, Mesopotamia, astrology was highly valued and practised. 

This came to a halt with the French Revolution, Industrial Revolution, The Enlightenment and Age of Reason. Astrology was banished and there were attacks on its credibility so the widespread knowledge of astrology devolved into the superficial knowledge of Sun signs; until the 20th century. (Ancient astrologers knew that this was going to happen, and I strongly believe that they knew about the planets and asteroids that we do not even know yet, but it is the topic of another blog post).

Enjoy!