How Your Birth Chart Connects To Your Astrocartography Map
If you’re like me, you might have come across astrocartography without much prior knowledge of astrology. And that’s okay!
The discovery of astrocartography, which explains how we feel in relation to place, was what piqued my interest into the realm of astrology.
Understanding the Connection Between Astrology and Astrocartography
If Astrocartography is what you’re interested in, there is no need to first become an expert on astrology. However, understanding some of the basic terms and meanings will help you not get overwhelmed in the process, and read your own map in no-time.
If you’re new to locational astrology, start with Astrocartography 101: A Beginner’s Guide to Locational Astrology.
What Is a Birth Chart
Your birth chart is the foundation of both astrology and astrocartography. Also called the natal chart, the birth chart is a snapshot of the sky at the exact moment you were born. It is essentially what astrology revolves around. It shows your personality, characteristics and major life themes.
To pull up your unique birth chart, you need your date, time and place of birth.
There are many aspects to a birth chart, but there are just three major ones that are key to get moving onto your astrocartography map.
The 12 Houses in Astrology (and What They Represent)
When you first pull up your birth chart you will see that the circular wheel is divided into twelve sections. These sections can either all be the same size, or vary in sizes, depending on the house system you use.
These sections are called the houses, and they represent the twelve major themes in our life. They start on the left in the wheel and anti-clockwise, all the way around.
Here is a brief overview of each house:
1st house - Your appearance and physical body. Self-identity and how you come across to others.
2nd house - Cash, property and material possessions. Values and self-value.
3rd house - Communications, siblings, neighbours, early education.
4th house - Home and family. Where you belong.
5th house - Romance, creativity, kids. Pleasure and vices.
6th house - Daily routine, work routine and health.
7th house - All relationships and partnerships. From love to business partners and clients.
8th house - Birth, death and life’s mysteries. Joint finances, debts, and sex.
9th house - Study, travel, and higher learning.
10th house - Your career and reputation. Ambition and recognition.
11th house - Friends and networks. Hopes and dreams.
12th house - Your fears and secrets. Your spirituality and introspection.
The Zodiac Signs in Your Birth Chart
Next, there are the zodiac signs which we all know. What you might not know is that we all have the influence of each zodiac sign in our life. We are so much more than just our sun sign (the sign that our sun is placed in).
Each zodiac sign is present in our birth chart, and they are, just like the houses, always in the same order, starting with Aries, all the way to Pisces. However, which house they are in is different for everyone. Aries is in my fourth house, meaning that the 5th house is in Taurus, and so on.
Here is a brief description of the signs:
Aries - Action and drive. Courage, independence, and new beginnings.
Taurus - Stability and comfort. Values, sensuality, and persistence.
Gemini - Curiosity and communication. Ideas, learning, and connection.
Cancer - Emotions and belonging. Home, family, and nurturing.
Leo - Expression and confidence. Creativity, joy, and warmth.
Virgo - Service and refinement. Health, habits, and practical details.
Libra - Balance and relationships. Harmony, beauty, and justice.
Scorpio - Depth and transformation. Power, intimacy, and authenticity.
Sagittarius - Courage and adventure. Optimism, big picture and philosophy.
Capricorn - Structure and ambition. Responsibility, goals, and legacy.
Aquarius - Innovation and individuality. Community, change, and vision.
Pisces - Sensitivity and intuition. Imagination, compassion, and spirituality.
The Planets in Astrology
The last thing and very important aspect for reading your astrocartography map, are the planets. Through understanding which house and which sign they are placed in, we get an idea of how they are playing out in our life.
If you’ve already generated your own astrocartography map, you will be able to use the below descriptions as a general guide for your lines as well.
The Sun - Your essence and vitality. Where you shine and express individuality.
The Moon - Your emotions and needs. How you nurture and feel safe.
Mercury - Communication and thinking. How you learn, speak, and connect.
Venus - Love and attraction. How you relate, create harmony, and enjoy beauty.
Mars - Drive and motivation. How you act, assert, and pursue what you want.
Jupiter - Growth and optimism. Faith, abundance, and life philosophy.
Saturn - Lessons and discipline. Structure, responsibility, and long-term goals.
Uranus - Change and liberation. Innovation, rebellion, and awakening.
Neptune - Dreams and intuition. Imagination, spirituality, and illusion.
Pluto - Transformation and power. Depth, rebirth, and hidden truth.
Chiron (asteroid) - Healing and wisdom. Your wounds and how you heal them.
Astrology House Systems Explained: Whole Sign vs. Placidus
Finally, a quick note on the house systems. There are a variety of house systems used in astrology, with the two most popular ones being Whole Signs and Placidus.
The reason this is important to understand, is because when you pull your birth chart up in different free softwares, or even research using an AI assistant, the house system changes what houses your planets and signs are in. This makes for quite a different expression of the information.
Whole Signs House System
Whole sign houses are one of the simplest and most intuitive ways to read your chart. This is my personal house system of choice, that I use for all my client and personal work.
In the whole sign house system, each house aligns entirely with one zodiac sign. This means that all your 12 houses are the same size. Your first house starts at the sign of your ascendant (or rising sign) and covers the entire house.
For example, if you’re a Capricorn rising, your entire first house is Capricorn. Each house is exactly 30 degrees, unlike other systems where houses can stretch across multiple signs or vary in size.
So, following this example, your second house would be Aquarius, the third house Pisces, and so on.
Placidus House System
In the Placidus house system, the houses stretch across multiple signs and vary in size. It offers a more dynamic, time-based view of your chart, reflecting the movement of the Earth’s rotation at your moment of birth.
This means that for example, the first house can be partially in Capricorn and Aquarius. Aquarius can then cover part of the second house as well.
How To Pick Your Preferred House System
There is no right or wrong when it comes to picking a house system. It is often recommended to start with one system that intuitively feels right. It is often the system that the astrologer or app uses that you’re getting your astrology information or first reading from.
As you’re gaining more astrology knowledge, you can play around with multiple systems and see which resonates most with you.
Connecting The Birth Chart To Your Astrocartography Map
You now have a better understanding of the key elements in your birth chart. As mentioned in the 101 of astrocartography, the better you understand your birth chart, the more personalised your astrocartography will become.
So play around with the above cheat sheets. Have a look at the planets, and see what houses and zodiac signs they are in. Use the keywords to form a sentence.
Here’s a personal example of my sun placement:
My Sun (where I shine) is in Pisces (compassion and intuition) in the 3rd house (communication).
This means focus in my lifetime might be in communicating with others in a compassionate and intuitive way. And here I am, having become an energetic therapist and astrocartographer!
Now I have much more of an understanding of my personal sun. Taking this to the astrocartography map will tell me more about how my sun lines will play out for me.
During a reading I would love to guide you through your unique lines, supporting you to finding true belonging.
FAQs about the Birth Chart
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Not necessarily. Booking a reading with a professional astrocartographer allows you to be guided through the process, taking away only what you truly need. If you would like to gain an understanding of your map by yourself, then knowing some of the basics of astrology is beneficial.
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Having access to your correct birth time is essential to a correct astrocartography map and birth chart. You will usually find it on your birth certificate or family records. If those aren’t available, you can contact the local authorities or hospital in your city of birth for your records. If non of those options are successful, you can book a birth chart rectification reading with a certified astrologer.
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AI is a very helpful tool that can bring us valid information, yet unfortunately is not always correct, especially when it comes to astrocartography. Additionally, it is not very good at reading your chart and map using all of your unique data. Therefore it is always recommended to get a reading with a professional astrocartographer.
