If you check your horoscope every day, have CoStar and The Pattern downloaded on your phone, or dabble with tarot cards, you probably think you’ve got astrology down pat. But, according to personal astrologer Hedy (also known as Nymph of Neptune), your birth chart is where it all begins and ends. “Reading a birth chart may really expose areas of your life that you may not be aware of, both conscious and unconscious,” she explains. “It’s about finding psychological equilibrium and taking charge of your life so you can better regulate your tendencies,” says the author.
Do you want to learn more? We turned to Nymph of Neptune for all of the answers to this ostensibly complicated process.
In This Article...
What exactly is a birth chart?
In a nutshell, your birth chart depicts the position of the planets in the sky at the time of your birth. Nymph of Neptune explains, “It’s a snapshot or map of the position of the planets or stars at the time you were born.” “Each planet has a unique impact on a different part of our lives, as this demonstrates.”
In essence, this means that we all have personality traits from numerous zodiac signs in our horoscopes, and these traits correspond to different aspects of our lives. Venus, for example, regulates relationships, so if your Venus is in Scorpio, it implies you embody those qualities in your relationships, such as passion, intensity, loyalty, and sexuality.
How do you read your birth chart?
You’ll need the date, exact time (to the minute, if possible), and location of your birth to get your birth chart.
You can use an astrology app online or utilize apps like The Pattern and CoStar to get the details of your birth chart and make horoscopes based on that information. However, Nymph of Neptune strongly advises that you have yours read by a personal astrologer first. “Apps don’t give the whole story,” she says, adding that having your chart reviewed by an expert can reveal all of your behavioral tendencies. “Astrologists are able to see everything that is put out in front of them, including patterns, needs, and actions. And I believe that many have problems in relationships because they are chasing someone who will not meet their requirements. Seeing an astrologer, on the other hand, may assist someone in identifying their wants, which may be something they aren’t aware of.”
What are the key components of a birth chart?
A birth chart, as Nymph of Neptune explained, shows where each planet was at the moment of your birth, and each planet governs a distinct part of your life. When you read your horoscope, you refer to your sun sign, which essentially represents who you are at your heart. Your moon sign, on the other hand, is significant since it relates to your emotional self and the type of nurture you had as a child. Nymph of Neptune explains, “It connects to your relationship needs and what you need in your adult life.” Your rising sign is determined by the constellation that was visible in the sky at the moment of your birth, and it describes how people see you when they meet you for the first time: “basically, what external features you present to the world.”
The other planets reflect other elements of your life as well.
Venus represents relationships, Mercury represents communication, Mars represents action and aggression, Jupiter represents expansion, Saturn represents self-discipline and fears, Uranus represents innovation and progress, Neptune represents the subconscious and healing, and Pluto represents power and intensity. You’ll be able to detect your traits, habits, and actions if you know which sign each planet belongs to. This will show you both your strengths and areas where you need to improve.
The houses, which symbolize the earth’s rotation around its axis, are another feature of your birth chart. “There’s a 12-house system,” Nymph of Neptune explains, “and each house represents a distinct life topic or sector.” Depending on whatever planet and sign they’re in, the houses provide greater insight into each part of your life.
The first house represents your ego and sense of self; the second house represents material possessions; the third house represents community and communication; the fourth house represents home and family; the fifth house represents creativity and romance; the sixth house represents health and work; the seventh house represents partnerships; the eighth house represents death, sex, and transformation; the ninth house represents travel and philosophy; the tenth house represents public image and career; the eleventh house represents death, sex, and transformation; the twelfth house represents death
Does it appear to be difficult? Consider the following scenario: Your birth chart uses the formula “planet + sign + house,” which helps you comprehend your patterns when added together.
How would your birth chart differ from someone else’s?
Quite a bit, actually. Your personal planets, like as the moon, Venus, rising, Mercury, and Mars, can change signs every few hours to days, which is why your horoscope might differ dramatically from someone born only a few days later.
Pluto, Uranus, and Neptune, on the other hand, are quite sluggish, changing signs only every few years or so. As a result, these planets recognize generational shifts and qualities, and they will be comparable to your peers of a similar age. “Pluto was in Scorpio at the time, which regulates sex, which explains why people born in the 1990s are hypersexualized. This suggests that this generation is more sexual than past generations “Nymph of Neptune opined.
What can a birth chart teach you?
Reading your birth chart, according to Nymph of Neptune, can reveal areas in your life that need improvement and help you understand why you act the way you do in all facets of your life. She claims that it “illuminates all of our behavioral patterns, both good and harmful.” “It allows us to emphasize the positive aspects while highlighting the negative ones. You can stop them in their tracks once you grasp why they happen.”
Consider the following scenario to see how that works in practice: “If you have Mercury and Mars in your horoscope, you’re more likely to have angry outbursts. However, if they realize this and perhaps take up a sport like boxing, it may be possible for them to regulate their fury in this way “Nymph of Neptune opined. “Or it could simply make them more aware of the fact that they’re doing it.”
Can you read your birth chart multiple times over?
Yes, and depending on what’s going on in your life, you might even find yourself yearning to return to it. “There’s more depth in your birth chart every time you look at it,” says Nymph of Neptune. “I go back and check what I’ve missed when things happen. It gives me a mental boost and clarifies what I’ve been missing because we all go through stages of spiritual development. So, in January, we may be really focused on how we express anger and how we deal with our feelings, but by June, we may need to be reminded of that.” For example, let’s say your chart indicates that you overlook your personal needs in a relationship and that you’re having relationship problems. Reading your chart can then serve as a reminder of this propensity, allowing actual transformation to take place.
How would each year be affected by your birth chart?
The planets are constantly moving and hence appear in different positions at different times throughout the year. This implies that a planetary retrograde or transit into a particular sign can have an impact on your life in ways you may not be aware of unless you have your birth chart to show you which sign and house each planet is in. This is why the Nymph of Neptune recommends year-ahead chart readings so you can see what the following year holds for you.
Mercury retrogrades, which occur three times a year, are an excellent example of this. Mercury is traditionally associated with communication and technology, but you may experience a retrograde if Mercury is in your home sector, for example. “Mercury could show up during the retrograde in this situation by causing a leak on your roof, which is completely different. It could be happening in a less visible area, or it could be happening in a more internal setting, such as your intimate home. It won’t effect your work, house, or travel in this situation, but it could suggest that you’re thinking about some things more and processing them differently “Nymph of Neptune opined.
Can a birth chart determine relationship compatibility?
“Without a doubt,” says Nymph of Neptune. “You’d be able to see each individual’s trends in relationships and whether they had similar needs for relationship compatibility. The moon, Venus, and Mars are the most important planets in this sign. In fact, incompatible sun signs may have Venus indications that are quite similar, which is more relevant.” Perhaps you should already inquire about your crush’s birth date?
What is astrology’s true meaning?
Astrology is defined as the study of the purported effects of the stars and planets on human affairs and earth events based on their locations and aspects. 2 astronomy is an obsolete term.
What are the three major astrological signs?
Growing up, you were undoubtedly asked what your zodiac sign was a few times. Perhaps you recognized yourself in the description, or perhaps it didn’t feel quite right. The reason for this is because your zodiac sign (also known as your sun sign) is simply a small part of your horoscope, whereas each of us has a full map of planets that influenced our birth. You may receive a much more realistic picture of your personality by learning about your full horoscope and all of its placements!
Finding out what your “big three placements” arethe sun, the moon, and the ascendantis the first step in getting to know your horoscope. These three planets each represent a different aspect of you, and when combined, they form a remarkably accurate portrait of your personality. Here’s a quick rundown of these opportunities.
What are my astrological signs?
Learn about the significance of each sign’s ruling planets in astrology.
- Mars is the governing planet of Aries. It’s worth pinning.
- Venus is Taurus’ governing planet.
- Mercury is Gemini’s governing planet.
- The moon is Cancer’s governing planet.
- The sun is Leo’s governing planet.
- Mercury and Chiron are the ruling planets of Virgo.
- Venus is Libra’s governing planet.
- Pluto is the governing planet of Scorpio.
What is the best way to predict my marriage astrology chart?
Inauspicious planets promote marital delays, while auspicious planets cause early marriage. If Mercury or the moon are in your seventh house, you will marry between the ages of 18 and 23. If Jupiter is in your seventh house, you will marry between the ages of 24 and 26.
Is it true that the time of birth matters in astrology?
Let’s start with why your precise birth time is significant in astrology. According to Gold Ring Astrology, your own journey on Earth begins the instant you are born and take your first breath. The beginning of your spiritual journey begins the moment you enter the human world, with the blueprint of your life being sewn in that precise moment.
One reason is that the time of birth is significant. Your ascendant, or rising, sign (the sign that was rising over the eastern horizon at the time of your birth) is determined by the exact hour of your birth (via Mind Body Green). The way you see the world and how others see you are both represented by your ascendant sign (via Allure).
Is it true that many believe in astrology?
Christine Smallwood’s fascinating piece, “Astrology in the Age of Uncertainty:
Astrology is currently experiencing widespread popular acceptability that has not been seen since the 1970s. The transition began with the introduction of the personal computer, was expedited by the Internet, and has now reached new levels of speed thanks to social media. According to a Pew Research Center poll from 2017, about a third of Americans believe in astrology.
Astrology, like psychoanalysis before it, has infiltrated our collective vernacular. At a party in the 1950s, you could have heard someone talk about the id, ego, or superego; now, it’s normal to hear someone explain herself using the sun, moon, and rising signs. It isn’t just that you are aware of it. It’s who’s saying it: folks who aren’t kooks or deniers of climate change, who don’t find a conflict between utilizing astrology and believing in science…
I ran a short Google search and discovered the following Pew report from October 2018:
The religion breakdown was the only thing that surprised me about this table.
I had the impression that mainline Protestants were the rational ones, but they believe in astrology at the same rate as the overall population.
But, hey, I guess they’re ordinary Americans, so they have average American ideas.
Only 3% of atheists believe in astrology, which is also unexpected.
This makes sense, yet it seemed reasonable to me that someone may not believe in God but believe in other supernatural things: in fact, I could see astrology as a type of replacement for a traditional religious system.
But it appears that is not the case.
Brian Wansink has been compared to an astrologer who can make astute observations about the world based on a combination of persuasiveness and qualitative understanding, and then attributes his success to tarot cards or tea leaves rather than a more practical ability to synthesize ideas and tell good stories.
Does Brian Wansink, on the other hand, believe in astrology?
What about Marc Hauser, Ed Wegman, Susan Fiske, and the rest of the bunch who call their detractors “second-string, replication police, methodological terrorists, Stasi, and so on?”
I doubt they believe in astrology because it symbolizes a rival belief system: it’s a business that, in some ways, competes with rah-rah Ted-talk science.
I wouldn’t be shocked if famous ESP researchers believe in astrology, but I get the impression that mainstream junk-science supporters in academia and the news media feel uncomfortable discussing ESP since its research methods are so similar to their own.
They don’t want to be associated with ESP researchers because it would devalue their own study, but they also don’t want to put them under the bus because they are fellow Ivy League academics, so the safest plan is to remain quiet about it.
The greater point, however, is not astrology believing in and of itself, but the mental state that allows individuals to believe in something so contrary to our scientific understanding of the world.
(OK, I apologize to the 29% of you who don’t agree with me on this.)
When I return to writing on statistical graphics, model verification, Bayesian computation, Jamaican beef patties, and other topics, you can rejoin the fold.)
It’s not that astrology couldn’t be correct a priori:
We can come up with credible hypotheses under which astrology is real and amazing, just as we can with embodied cognition, beauty and sex ratio, ovulation and voting, air rage, ages ending in 9, and all the other Psychological Science / PNAS classics.
It’s just that nothing has come up after years of rigorous research.
And the existing theories aren’t particularly convincing: they’re speculative world models that may be good if the purpose was to describe a real and enduring occurrence, but they’re less so without actual data.
Anyway, if 30% of Americans are willing to believe such nonsense, it’s no surprise that a significant number of influential American psychology professors will have the kind of attitude toward scientific theory and evidence that leads them to have strong beliefs in weak theories with no supporting evidence.
Indeed, not only support for specific weak theories, but support for the fundamental principle that pseudoscientific views should be treated with respect (although, oddly enough, maybe not for astrology itself).
P.S.In defense of the survey respondents (but not of the psychology professors who support ideas like the “critical positivity ratio,” which makes astrology appear positively sane in comparison), belief in astrology (or, for that matter, belief in heaven, gravity, or the square-cube law) is essentially free.
Why not believe these things, or not believe them?
Belief or denial in evolution, climate change, or unconscious bias, on the other hand, can have social or political consequences.
Some opinions are purely personal, while others have a direct impact on policy.
I have less patience for famous academic and media elites who aggressively support junk science by not just expressing their trust in speculative notions supported by no real data, but also attacking those who point out these emperors’ nudity. Furthermore, even a hypothetical tolerant, open-minded supporter of junk sciencethe type of person who might believe in critical positivity ratio but actively support the publication of criticisms of that workcan still cause some harm by contaminating scientific journals and the news media with bad science, and by promoting sloppy work that takes up space that could be used for more careful research.
You know how they say science corrects itself, but only because individuals are willing to correct themselves?
Gresham’s law is also true, but only when people are willing to distribute counterfeit notes or money they think is counterfeit while keeping their lips shut until they can get rid of their wads of worthless stock.
P.P.S.Just to be clear:I don’t think astrology is a waste of time, and it’s possible that Marc Hauser was onto something real, even while faking data (according to the US government, as mentioned on Wikipedia), and the critical positivity ratio, ovulation, voting, and all the rest…
Just because there isn’t enough evidence to support a theory doesn’t mean it’s untrue.
I’m not trying to disprove any of these assertions.
All of it should be published someplace, along with all of the criticism.
My issue with junk science proponents isn’t simply that they advocate science that I and others perceive to be rubbish; they can also be wrong!
However, they consistently avoid, deny, and oppose valid open criticism.
P.P.P.S.Remember that #notallpsychologists.
Of course, the problem of junk research isn’t limited to psychology in any way.
Professors of political science, economics, sociology, and history, to the extent that they believe in astrology, spoon bending, or whatever (that is, belief in “scientific paranormalism as describing some true thing about the natural world, not just a “anthropological recognition that paranormal beliefs can affect the world because people believe in it), this could also sabotage their research.
I suppose it’s not such a big problem if a physicist or chemist believes in these things.
I’m not attempting to shut down study into astrology, embodied cognition, ESP, beauty-and-sex-ratio, endless soup bowls, spoon bending, the Bible Code, air anger, ovulation and voting, subliminal smiley faces, or anything else.
Allow for the blooming of a thousand blooms!
Given that a sizable portion of the populace is willing to believe in scientific-sounding notions that aren’t backed by any good scientific theory or evidence, it should come as no surprise that many professional scientists hold this viewpoint.
The repercussions are especially evident in psychology, which is a vital field of study where theories can be hazy and where there is a long legacy of belief and action based on flimsy data.
That isn’t to say that psychologists are awful people; they’re merely working on difficult challenges in a field with a long history of failures.
This isn’t a critique; it’s just the way things are. Of course, there is a lot of excellent work being done in the field of psychology. You’ll have to work with what you’ve got.
