Author: Alison Price   –   Updated: October 2026

Start Here

Learn how to move beyond individual placements and see the birth chart as a complete picture.

Start Here

Begin at the Beginning

If you are new to astrology then start here.

This page links to all the basic astrology you will need to read a birth chart.

I have been creating astrology content for over twenty years and there is much to discover here at Starzology.

I have several categories or level of intensity for my articles on this site.

They are:

• Basic Natal Astrology
• Advanced Natal Astrology
• Forecasting Astrology
• Love and Romance Astrology
• Career, Vocation and Money Astrology
• Your Astrology Business Astrology
• Wellbeing Astrology

I love astrology and I am constantly adding to and tweaking the content on this site.

Come back often to see what is new.

Alison

What Interpretation Really Means

Terminology

There are many ways to discuss reading a birth chart but the core feature is the synthesis, or the reading of the many components in a chart.

Analysis

Analysis breaks things down into their smallest parts for study much like a huge pile of jigsaw pieces.

Analysis is the opposite of synthesis which brings thing together like the completion of a jigsaw puzzle.

Synthesis

Synthesis means to bring different things together to create something original.

Synthesis is a way to take all the little parts and bring them together in a cohesive whole by deciding what is important and what is not immediately of interest.

Synthesis is the opposite of analysis, which breaks things down into smaller parts.

Astrologer’s Insights

Every astrologer will bring their interpretation to the analysis and synthesis of a birth chart.

Even though the chart may be the same, different astrologers will interpret the chart from their worldview or in other words, through the lens of their own natal chart.

When you start to study astrology, you will learn the core meanings and keywords through analysis, but how you express the interpretation will be unique to you in your synthesis.

It’s like asking two visual artists to paint an apple, where Picasso’s apple will be very different to Monet’s apple, but the core meaning (see what I did there?) will be the same.

Delineation

Delineation is another word used by astrologers when interpreting charts.

You could say, “I delineated the chart” or “The chart delineation suggests…”

The definition of the word delineation is “A detailed portrayal or a clear, vivid verbal or written description of an idea, character or situation.”

What to Focus On

Relevance

To be clear, everything in a natal chart adds to the flavor of the person, but you do not have to dig into all chart components right at the start.

I see it as there being two ways, or levels, of chart interpretation:

• ❤️ Basic natal readings
• 🧡 Advanced natal readings

For more insights on what is in each category, check out the color-coded categories of my birth chart readings and astrology in general.

Basic Natal Charts

Briefly, the basic natal reading is the minimum you have to know to read a birth chart at a simple level.

Basic natal charts cover the four cornerstones of chart reading which are:

• Signs
• Planets
• Houses
• Aspects

You can add in the two main points of the Ascendant and the Midheaven here as well.

Advanced Natal Charts

Advanced natal readings include everything in the basic natal areadings and additionally the bells and whistles.

These are the things like:

• The Part of Fortune
• Anaretic degrees
• Antiscia
• Aspects of declination: the parallel and contraparallel
• Minor aspects like sesquiquadrates and semi-squares
• Lesser used aspects like quintiles, septiles and noviles
• Far outer planets like Eris and Sedna
• Retrogrades
• Cazimi, combust and under the beams
• Orbs
• Aspects applying and separating
• Lunar nodes
• Vertex
• And more

Sequence of Chart Interpretation

Sequence for The Art of Reading a Birth Chart

Below is the list of sections, or parts, which I use for every chart that I read.

These activities are listed in sequence and in order of importance.

• Part 1: Chart Balances
• Part 2: Ascendant Complex
• Part 3: Chart Rulers
• Part 4: Luminaries Complex (Sun and Moon)
• Part 5: Other Planet’ Complexes: Visible planets –  Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn
• Part 5: Other Planet’s Complexes: Outer planets – Uranus, Neptune and Pluto
• Part 6: Major Aspect Patterns

Resources

• Cornerstones of Chart Reading

Alison Price: Creative and Astrologer

Alison Price brings astrology down to earth and gives it room to play. Her approach combines solid astrological knowledge with curiosity, creativity and a healthy dose of humour. Through Create, Alison brings astrology to life with journal pages, drawing, colour and creative projects. Through Explore, she connects astrology with travel, places and the experiences that make life interesting. Alison offers Astrological Consultations and Coaching for Aspiring Astrologers.

You can reach Alison at [email protected].

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If you enjoyed this post, I urge you to explore some more creative, astrological articles from Starzology. – Alison ⭐