by Carole Somerville

Created on: September 12, 2009   Last Updated: September 14, 2009

The horoscope or astrological chart is a map of the heavens drawn up from the time of the birth of a person, an event or a question to be analysed.

Once the astrologer has drawn up the birth chart through calculations based on a given exact time, date and place of birth, he has before him a wealth of information which can be of enormous benefit to his client.

This chart is the blueprint of a person's character potential and a glimpse of their life's journey through the cycles of the planets and their links with the planets in the chart.

Astrological Interpretations and Your Horoscope

An astrological interpretation is not just based on the Sun Sign. It will incorporate the Sun, Moon and all the planets and their relationships with each other. Every planet occupies one of the twelve signs and also one of the twelve houses in the zodiac. How the nature of the energy of the planet is activated will depend on the sign and house in which it is placed. The planets are linked to each other through different angular relationships. Also considered will be the Rising Sign and the Midheaven.

The Analysis of a Horoscope - How Horoscopes work

So, not only does each planet, sign and house convey character potentials and likely trends throughout differing areas of life, but the energies of the planets, depending on how they are situated in the Chart may also relate or combine with each other in certain ways through what astrologers call their aspects. All this when weighed together will give an insightful astrological analysis.

Psychological Counselling and Astrology

Through the birth map, the astrologer might see the reason why Jack can't settle in his poorly paid, routine office job is that with Leo rising, Taurus on his 10th house cusp and Mars in Libra, Jack would be much better suited to a career dealing with others, offering a degree of personal freedom and providing a good wage to satisfy his more material needs.

He might advise Maud that if she were to allow her Sagittarius husband who also has Venus in Aquarius a greater amount of freedom and encourage his enjoyment of social and group activities rather than attempting to curb his needs in these directions, they'd both find a greater understanding and appreciation of their relationship.

Reading the Horoscope

Reading the horoscope is not as simple as it may at first appear. Clairvoyance is not involved; intuition may of course be of help but astrology is basically an art based on ancient observations. There are hundreds of individual aspects and characteristics which make up each individual horoscope and these must be carefully weighed up, depending on the various strengths and weaknesses of the planets before the astrologer can offer his observations.

This is not to say our life is predestined and we have no freewill. Astrology will give an indication of how the planets correlate with personality and life trends; it is up to us to decide how we might use these potentials. Sometimes the most challenging chart can be seen as a great opportunity for growth.

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