How To Use Your Astrological Natal Chart

In simple terms, your natal chart is the astrological positions of the planets at the exact time you were born. No two are exactly alike, even for identical twins, because each person’s time and place of birth are different. Free chart makers are widely available online, and all you’ll need is your time and place of birth.

So, once you find yours, what do you do with it? Your birth chart is a kind of road map for life. It will spell out your strengths and weaknesses, as well as hidden dangers, behavioral patterns and potential opportunities.

Each of the planets, including the Sun and Moon, are placed in one of twelve houses (segments) of your chart, representing hours of the day. The movements of the larger planets like Jupiter and Saturn point to larger trends like work habits and societal change.

The ascendant, or sign which was on the horizon at the time of birth, is a powerful insight into one’s personality as well, so it’s helpful to know precise times. An over- or under-abundance of elements or particular Zodiac signs will also provide a mirror to the owner of the chart.

We’ve all read our daily horoscopes and may know something about what being a Gemini or Virgo or Taurus may entail, but what can we do, practically, with a natal chart? Quite a lot! It’s wise to look at our chart on at least two occasions annually: the start of the year as well as our birthday.

The soul of the newly born baby is marked for life by the pattern of the stars at the moment it comes into the world, unconsciously remembers it, and remains sensitive to the return of configurations of a similar kind ~ Johannes Kepler

Overlapping the natal chart with another chart showing the transits (current positions) of the planets is an excellent way to plan for the best times to do things: look for a new job, have a difficult conversation, begin a search for a partner. The same applies to the opposite: there are poor times to travel, for instance, or to start a new health program.

Trained astrologers will look for these patterns, but with some study, you can also learn to spot them for yourself. It’s also possible to look at auspicious dates in history to see how the planets were aligned.

Natal charts are the perfect way to see how we might get along with others. Former First Lady, Nancy Reagan was known to examine potential White House staffers’ charts. It’s possible to compare your chart to someone else’s using what is called a synastry chart, using composite averages from both, or an overlay to examine similarities and differences.

We are born at a given moment, in a given place and, like vintage years of wine, we have the qualities of the year and of the season of which we are born. Astrology does not lay claim to anything more ~ Carl Jung

Likewise, when looking at future events, one can calculate good or bad days to plan a wedding, for example. If you’re expecting a child, you can even project their expected arrival date – although the time of birth will determine an ascendant, and the Moon moves through Zodiac signs every few days.

Our natal charts are so much more than glyphs and lines. They are, like our fingerprints, unique to us. If you haven’t looked at yours before (or not for a while), have a chart done and take a closer look – it might just offer that missing piece of your life puzzle you never knew you had.