The Third Eye
True Astrology
by Nicole Howard
illustration by RAchelle
Is there an Astrology that exists beyond Chinese food placemats and lame newspaper and magazine horoscopes? Is there anything more left today of this ancient system besides the drunken pick-up line, “Hey baby, I’m a Libra, what’s your sign?” I’m an Aries, which usually scares people, and why shouldn’t it? I’m labeled egotistical, physically-orientated, strong-willed, and a lobotomist-to-self. I am not this, or maybe I am so egotistical that I don’t even recognize it. I’ve definitely got the Arian selfishness, but it’s because I have to, anyone who isn’t selfish is just plain stupid. You’re born alone, you die alone, take all you can get from the in-between.
A Natal Chart explains the “in-between” (or a person’s life) as a series of planetary influences. It provides an individual portrait in terms of the universe. According to Astrology, the exact date, time, and even location of my birth are highly significant; Signs, Planets and Houses conjoined to make me who I am today. Astrology says it picked me, but I am telling Astrology that I picked it. I picked a moment so I was born onto the universe, I picked a lifetime so I was born onto Earth. I even chose this body and made it into an outer picture of my internal being to suit what I needed to learn in this life. I’m my greatest artistic creation yet! My largest problem with Astrology is that I feel its planets are seeking to control me and tell me who I am and what to do. I’m fighting, but…
If I’m lost, where shall I seek an answer? The sky is where mankind, ancient and new, ultimately turns. The sky is Astrology’s prime symbol, its map and framework. Not much help to someone who just yesterday decided that the sky is only the Earth in reverse. How’s the same going to tell me more?
Getting a Natal Chart done will not tell you anything that you didn’t already know, but it might point out things that you weren’t looking at. Astrology is surprisingly technical; a Natal Chart print-out is a circular geometrical nightmare of angles, arcs and glyphs (astrological symbols for planets and signs). It reminds me of when I took Astronomy in college. I expected to have fun looking at constellations, only to find out that it’s all applied physics. Neither Astrology nor Astronomy are as simple as they first appear. Unicorn Books in Arlington, MA will do a Natal Chart computer print-out for $22.00; if you want someone to sit down and explain yourself to you it’s $85-150. I chose the longer and cheaper route, and spent hours madcap-ly deciphering astrological hieroglyphics amid numerous “Astrology ABC” books.
A Natal Chart abounds with any and all information that you could ever possibly want about yourself. It provides a complete personality profile and explanation for the type of life you are likely to live. It even highlights areas of growth, and where obstacles and hindrances can be expected. And yeah, it talks about love, family, career and money too. It gives so much information, that it is almost too much information; you could spend days looking at it and still glean stuff from it. I would hold Astrology in high regard if it would just tell me something really useful, like when I’m going to die. That’s about the only thing it won’t. However, the Nodes of the Moon identify personal karma and reincarnation, which is the next best thing. The person we are now is a summation of all the people we have previously been. By understanding who WE WERE, we know better WHO WE ARE. The South Node represents the influence of previous karma on this lifetime, while the North Node shows the new material to be absorbed. The Primal Triad is THE focal point of a Natal Chart. All three of the signs in the Primal Triad are equally important. The Sun Sign, Moon Sign and Ascendant join to form this skeleton of personality. Many people are all too aware of their Sun Sign, which is what magazine and newspaper horoscopes are based on. However, the Sun Sign is identifying ONLY one aspect of personality; the Ego. Since my Sun Sign is Aries, I am likely to express my Ego through Arian characteristics, such as Strength Of Will. The Moon Sign describes feelings, emotional responses and soul development. My Moon Sign is Aquarius, thus my emotional states are Aquarian in nature; I am likely to be concerned with Individuality and Nonconformity. The Ascendant is the sign that was rising on the Eastern horizon when we were born; it describes the “mask” we hide behind. My Ascendant is Scorpio, thus I am likely to appear Mysterious and Moody to other people. Oh yeah, Scorpios are Very Sexy too.
The majority of the Natal Chart is concerned with explaining Who You Are in terms of your own personal combination of 12 Signs, 10 Planets and 12 Houses. These are the basic words of Astrological language. The three functions join together to tell a story of the individual. The 12 signs – Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius and Pisces – are archetypes. We embody all of them. When an astrological sign shows up on a Natal Chart, it is simply identifying the “type” of energy that is predominant. The 10 planets – the Sun, the Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto – are psychological functions. They are the vehicles that the Astrological Signs express themselves through. The Twelve Houses describe the “arenas of life.” This is WHERE the energy of an astrological sign combines with the psychological state of a planet. Thus, when combined, a Sign, Planet and House will ask a question and provide an answer. The planet asks WHY?, the sign answers HOW AND WHY and the House says WHERE. The relationships between these three elements are the very essence of a Natal Chart.
These further subdivide into five aspects – Opposition, Square, Conjunction, Trine and Sextile. The aspects are geometrical angles between two planets, which can be likened to “marriages.” There are both good relationships and bad ones. Two of the aspects are considered “negative,” and represent difficulties that the person will experience and can overcome. When two planets are 180 degrees apart, they are in a state of tense Opposition. Likewise, when a Square is formed by a 90 degree angle, there is friction without mutual understanding. The other three aspects are positive ones. When 0 degrees apart, the planets have fused in Conjunction. When 120 degrees apart, there is harmony in Trine. Trine represents areas of life where there is unlimited potential for growth. At 60 degrees is the intense, dynamic Sextile, which represents stimulation into action.
A Natal Chart is exceedingly complex and it is impossible to define its intricacies in a book, never mind in this small monthly column. Much to the angst of my friends, I was like a spokesperson for Natal Charts when I first got mine done. Books describe this as a life-changing experience for some, which is actually kind of sad and pathetic. It is an interesting venture; it may explain some things that are happening to you, it might even help you identify new goals. The danger is that whether or not you are looking at your horoscope or your Natal Chart; you are still applying a system to fit you, instead of creating it. For me, my Natal Chart only rang as true as I let it. Astrology bears limitless capacity. There are no boundaries…
