Whether you believe in astrology or not, it can offer a tremendous gift, which is self awareness. If we can notice the patterns of our behavior, our affinities, weaknesses and shortcomings, we can actively take steps towards self improvement and spiritual growth. If we are lucky enough to know the exact details of our birth, we have the option of looking at the position of the planets, at the exact moment we took our first breath, and see our cosmic fingerprint. Our birth chart is exactly that, and can be read like a map to a persons personality, affinities and weaknesses.

Interpreting a persons birth chart, has 3 primary components of layers that help shape our character, which include the planets, the signs, and the houses. For better understanding think of it with this analogy— consider the planets as Actors, each with their natural talents, skills, and personalities. They have roles they are perfect for, and others, they aren’t, but any skilled actor can make the best of the role they are given (seeing Glenn Close play Jack Sparrow would certainly be interesting, but many of us would be scratching our heads) and the planets work the same way.

When two actors work together, we see the chemistry, sometimes they work well, others not so much. The same is with the planets and the aspects they form to each other. The signs are the costumes they wear, adding flavor, color, and heightening the performance personality, bringing the actor farther into their role. In astrology, it colors our inner characteristics. The houses are the setting the story takes place in, which further characterizes the the actors experience, and in the case of astrology, allows us to narrow down the way a planet’s energy will manifest in the eyes of everyone else, and the individual’s life.