CHAPTER ONE

THE SOUL MAP

Astrologers see the birth chart as a map for the soul. Learn how to interpret yours to improve self-awareness and nurture growth.

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Astrology Today

Astrology is an ancient art. The first astrological birth charts are believed to have originated in ancient Egypt around 4500 BCE. The Babylonians created an astrology system around 1800 BCE, then, after the fall of Rome around 500 CE, the Greeks and Chinese developed their own systems. Although astrology then waned in popularity and influence, it never disappeared completely. However, it was not until the early twentieth century that interest in astrology re-emerged – not as a predictive or divinatory technique, but as a psychological tool for greater self-awareness.

The genesis of the New Age and self-help movements from the 1960s onwards significantly increased the popularity of astrology as a self-help tool. Modern Western astrology is now firmly rooted in the psychological and personal growth approach, with growing numbers of people seeking out a spiritual perspective. The art of astrology is no longer seen as something highly complicated which only professionally qualified astrologers can use; it is accepted as a popular and practical craft that anyone can learn about and apply to their daily life with positive and healing benefits.

Indeed, the millennial mystic renaissance suggests that astrology today goes way beyond newspaper-style sun-sign horoscopes. It can offer you the tools to understand yourself better and identify paths that can help you navigate life’s opportunities and setbacks, heal your wounds and develop your full potential. And during times of stress, people find as much reassurance, hope and insight in astrology today as they did centuries ago.

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Your Astrological Blueprint

Your birth chart, or natal chart, is your astrological blueprint. It is a guide to the potential of your personality and your likely journey or evolution through life, according to the position of the planets in the sky at the time you were born.

Your birth chart can reveal your potential strengths as well as your possible weaknesses, or the challenges you need to overcome and learn from to evolve on your journey through life. It can also divulge the optimum time for you to make important decisions in your life and your compatibility with other people. You don’t need to have your birth chart drawn up by a professional to get the most out of this book, but if you would like to have this done at some point, be aware that you will need to know the time, date and place of your birth.

If you’re not sure what time you were born, ask your relatives first or do some research, but if nothing comes up, simply enter 12 noon. This does mean you can’t accurately estimate your rising sign and other aspects of your birth chart, but don’t despair as there is still much of value you can discover simply from your date of birth. Indeed, your birthday isn’t just your special day, it is also the golden key to your astrological personality and deepest desires.

If you do decide to get your birth chart drawn up, it can reveal incredible insights about yourself and the areas of your life you are likely to flourish in. But be aware that what it reveals is potential only. Whether you develop that potential is up to you. You can choose to dance or you can choose to sleep under your stars.

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Decoding Your Birth Chart

Your birth chart resembles a wheel. Decoding it can help you determine the position of the sun and the planets when you were born, which in turn will enable you to understand yourself and your life better. Be aware that the sun is the most powerful celestial and astrological body in your chart. Every month, and over the course of a year, it moves full circle through 12 astrological constellations or signs known as the zodiac: Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius and Pisces. Each sign is also linked to one specific element – earth, air, fire or water – and its associated characteristics (see here).

Here are some important terms you will need to know:

• SUN SIGN: the position of the sun and the zodiac sign it was passing through when you were born, and the most important part of your birth chart.

• RISING SIGN: the zodiac sign that was rising up when you were born. It is also known as the ascendant. Along with the moon sign, this is the next most important part of your birth chart.

• MOON SIGN: the position of the moon and the zodiac sign it was passing through when you were born.

• THE PLANETS: each planet was in a sign when you were born and will also impact your personality and potential (see here).

• THE 12 HOUSES: the first house on your birth chart is where your rising sign is located. From there, move anti-clockwise to discover which signs fall into the other 11 houses. Each house is associated with a different aspect of your personality and life (see here).

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PLANET SYMBOLS

Sun: Image

Moon: Image

Mercury: Image

Venus: Image

Mars: Image

North Node: Image

Saturn: Image

Uranus: Image

Neptune: Image

Pluto: Image

Jupiter: Image

Part of Fortune: Image

ZODIAC SIGNS

Aries: Image

Taurus: Image

Gemini: Image

Cancer: Image

Leo: Image

Virgo: Image

Libra: Image

Scorpio: Image

Sagittarius: Image

Capricorn: Image

Aquarius: Image

Pisces: Image

Refining and Recording Your Birth Chart

To understand and interpret your birth chart, and become your own astrologer in the process, follow this step-by-step guide.

1 Know your sun sign. Who you are, your sense of self and what drives you are revealed by your sun sign. See here to learn the meaning of your sun sign.

2 Know your rising sign. How other people see you or the image you present to the world can be found in your rising sign. See here to identify your rising sign.

3 Know your moon sign. Your emotional self and inner world are defined by your moon sign. See here to discover your moon sign.

4 Know your planets. Your personality traits, deepest desires and opportunities for growth are written in the stars. See here.

5 Know your houses. Different aspects of your life are represented by the different houses. See here.

6 Know yourself. At this stage, you may want to buy a blank notebook or diary to record any new insights from an astrological perspective. There’s no predicting what treasures you might uncover about yourself and others in your life.

7 Know peace. Work through all the astrology fixes from shown here onwards or choose the ones that seem most fitting to bring the cosmic forces in your life into balance, and heal, uplift and transform all areas of your life.

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