An astrological chart, or Horoscope, is a picture of
the heavens, looking out from Earth, based on the date, time, and location of
an event.
Most often this event is thought of as the birth of an individual,
but it can be any event, such as a marriage or the start of a new job. That
moment in time and space represents the union of the physical world with the
spiritual world...the uniting of body and soul.
The process of learning astrology begins with learning the symbolism associated
with each of the Planets,
Signs, and
Houses. In astrological
use, the Sun and the Moon are called the "lights", but are included in references to the
Planets.
Once the individual symbolisms are committed to memory, the real work begins.
The meanings of one set of symbols must then be integrated with the meanings of
each of the other sets of symbols. How the characteristics of one planet
are expressed in each sign must be absorbed, followed by an understanding of how
each of those combined characteristics handles the interests of each of the
houses.
Add to that the nuances of how the Elements and Qualities affect the Sign's
energy and how the Aspects (angular distances) between Planets change the feel
of their basic personalities. Then you can begin to sense the totality of
a given moment.