WHAT A BIRTH CHART LOOKS LIKE
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We have many times mentioned the term Birth Chart in this book but it might actually be valuable to explain what one looks like!
Essentially the Birth Chart is a map of the heavens at the moment of a person’s precise time, date and place of birth. Consequently the Birth Chart is a circular glyph that has a center (the person) a horizontal horizon line, an east and west point and an above (zenith) and below (nadir) point.
The great circular band around the chart is the Zodiac. This is divided into twelve equal sections, defining just where each of the Signs of the Zodiac was located at the birth moment.
Within the outer band of the Zodiac are twelve additional divisions that indicate the twelve Houses of the Birth Chart, each reflecting somewhat the twelve Signs of the Zodiac. There relate directly to specific areas of life experience.
Essentially the Birth Chart is a map of the heavens at the moment of a person’s precise time, date and place of birth. Consequently the Birth Chart is a circular glyph that has a center (the person) a horizontal horizon line, an east and west point and an above (zenith) and below (nadir) point.
The great circular band around the chart is the Zodiac. This is divided into twelve equal sections, defining just where each of the Signs of the Zodiac was located at the birth moment.
Within the outer band of the Zodiac are twelve additional divisions that indicate the twelve Houses of the Birth Chart, each reflecting somewhat the twelve Signs of the Zodiac. There relate directly to specific areas of life experience.
Significant to the Birth Chart is the point on the Zodiac at the Ascendant. The Ascendant is the point on the eastern horizon in relation to where the individual was born which represents the persona (or mask of personality) that the person will present to the world.
Directly above the center of the chart is the cusp (beginning) of the 10th House that is also known as the MC (Medium Coeli). Being the most elevated of the Zodiac it represents the place where that individual’s expression (career or public standing) will be most apparent.
House systems
To complicate things a little for the beginner, it should be stated that astrologers tend use a number of House Systems when drawing-up an astrological Birth Chart. This is often subject to personal preference (or in many cases the system that they first learned when beginning to study astrology).
For the purposes of simplicity the chart above is using an Equal House System and this should work perfectly well for the time being. However when the student becomes more proficient with the Language of the Stars they might want to experiment with a number of different systems to establish which one works best for them.
Some of the more popular ones to be considered would be the Placidus, Koch and Regiomontanus.
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