From the outside in Astrology it looks mysterious and complicated. It seems there is a lot to learn. Zodiac signs, planets, houses and aspects combine to form a cosmic alphabet soup of complexity. However, learning the principles of astrology does not have to be difficult. In fact, astrology is a structured and ordered system. Once you have the secrets to understanding astrology, you can quickly go through its principles to start interpreting the charts yourself, practically overnight.

Tip number one: astrology is a closely interconnected system

The planets, the signs of the zodiac and the houses of the natal chart have similar meanings. Don’t worry right now. There is not as much to learn about astrology works as it seems at first glance. You can find a lot of information on the Internet that can teach you more about the close relationship of many aspects of the astrological system quite easily. Likewise, there are plenty of courses you can sign up for that will help you understand this ancient art and how it’s all connected, but closely connected. So when you learn one thing, you seamlessly move on to the next part, making the study relatively easy and progressive.

Tip number two: astrology is a language

The planets and the energetic connections they make mark the meanings of the zodiac signs as they are placed on your chart. The planets are nouns, the people, places and things in your life. Aspects are like verbs, action words. The signs of the zodiac are like adjectives, they color the action of the planets with their particular signature. The natal chart is the snapshot of the heavens at the time of your birth. You represent that single moment in time, the position of the stars at the moment of your birth.

Tip number three: all the planets have something to say about your personality

Horoscope columns in newspapers, while interesting and amusing, represent only the most fundamental form of astrology that is based on where the sun was at the time of your birth. However, all the other planets in the solar system have specific things to say about your personality. The sun represents your essential essence, the core of your personality. It functions as the Central Processing Unit of your computer. All the actions of the other planets pass through it and are colored by the orientation of the zodiacal sign in which the sun is located. The placement of the planets in different sectors of our charts, called zodiac houses, indicates how we naturally perceive the world around us.

The Moon represents your emotions, Mercury your thought processes, Venus your value systems, and Mars your survival instincts. These are your internal processes. That’s why we call them the personal planets. From here on, the rest of the planets represent external processes, the place from which we look at ourselves to understand the Universe. Jupiter represents our sense of something greater than ourselves, be it God or a sense of social order. Saturn represents the restrictions and burdens imposed by our roles in society. Uranus represents how we individualize ourselves, Neptune our sense of Universal consciousness and Pluto the transformation process for spiritual growth.

Tip number four: astrology is about repeating cycles

Our oldest ancestors looked up into the sky and watched the moon as it moved through its monthly cycles. The moon went from darkness to a band of light, to the peak of its cycle, the full moon, and then faded back into darkness. This basic repeating cycle represents the life cycle of all things. It is the basis of western astrology. A cycle that represents the endless cycle of birth, growth and liberation, is also a cycle of evolving consciousness. Once you understand the process of the repeating cycle, you will know a key element to understand how the planets work in our life. For example: In the New Moon: We act instinctively and impulsively before people and external events. We react spontaneously and unplanned. Sowing future projects.

Tip number five: the signs of the zodiac also represent this cycle

The annual cycle of the sun’s path should not be confused with the apparent location of the constellations. The meaning of the cycle of the sun is much like the cycle of the moon, a cycle of birth, growth and release, but in an annual cycle instead of a monthly one. When you look at a horoscope chart, you are looking at a representation of this repeating cycle in your own life. Beginning with the zodiac sign on the horizon at the time of your birth, your ascendant, each placement of a zodiac sign around the chart represents your sense of how the Universe works. Each of the houses represents a specific function in life. Each of the colors of the zodiac signs that work with their own signature. Each of the planets also has its own cycle. The interpretive work is based on the repeating cycles of the planets and how they relate to the planets in your chart in what we call aspects.

Tip number six: aspects represent the actions of the repetitive cycle

The planets, as they move in their orbits, will make energetic connections with the planets in your birth chart. There are dozens of interpretations of these aspects, but there is no need to sweat to memorize them all. Here’s how aspects work: Conjunctions are like the New Moon phase. They represent the fusion of energies that give birth to new situations. The sextiles are like the gibbous and crescent stages. Ideas take root. Opportunities present themselves. What we do with that energy is up to us. The squares are like the first and last quarter moons. There is resistance to incoming energies and changing situations. Objections are like the full moon stage. There is tension and competition.

Tip number seven: putting together all the horoscope information is an art, not a science

The practice of medicine is an art, and so is the practice of astrology. There is no magic way, no technique that will give you all the answers. Also, no matter how hard you study, you’ll never feel like you’ve learned enough astrology. And sometimes, despite everything you know, you will simply be wrong in your interpretation. The value of an astrologer is not in knowing everything about this ancient system of thought. The value of an astrologer is measured by how well the astrologer can encourage and inspire the person for whom he is reading. If you maintain that goal on your sites, no matter how much you learn, what you know will be a source of inspiration to other people.