This post is part of a series on basic chart interpretation and how to read a natal chart. The other steps are listed below and will be developed soon.
Step 3 – Preparing for the interpretation – margin notes
Step 4 – Your interpretation – detailed notes
Preparing for the Interpretation – Margin Notes
Once you have the correct chart data, have cast the chart and printed it with the appropriate coloured highlights on the page the next step is the written notes you will make and first you will do the margin notes.
At this stage your are not using you astrology journal to take notes for a client that will be used to capture basic astrology interpretation meaning.
You will typically use loose paper with lines and, wait for it, a margin.
Margin
The margin is the column on the left side of a ruled page.
Margin notes are any notes you put in a margin. Simple.
Yes, but exactly what notes will you put in a margin when you do a chart interpretation?
Margin notes can be either handwritten astrology glyphs or astrology short form codes (used when typing or emailing).
Example Chart – Stephen King
Below is Stephen King’s chart.
Five Main Points for Chart Interpretation
The five important details for margin notes are:
The Balances
The Ascendant Complex
The Chart Ruler Complex
The Sun Complex
Major Aspect Patterns
Example Margin Notes for Stephen King
The Balances
Polarity
Active = 4 and passive = 3.
Hemispheres
NH = 6, SH – 1, EH = 4 and WH = 3.
Quadrants
Q1 = 3, Q2 = 3, Q3 = 0 and Q4 = 1.
The Ascendant Complex
ASC 29CA51.
Ascendant aspects
ASC-60-SU, ASC-60-VE, ASC-0-MA, ASC-120-JP, and ASC-120-NN.
First House Planets
PL and SA.
The Chart Ruler complex
MO SG 5th
Aspects of the chart ruler
MO-120-SA, MO-120-PL and MO-60-ME.
The Sun Complex
SU VI 3rd.
Sun aspects
SU-0-VE, SU-90-UR and SU-45-PL.
Major Aspect Patterns
Mini grand trine 1
(MO-120-PL)-60-ME
ME focal planet 4th
Mini grand trine 2
(MO-120-SA)-60-ME
ME focal planet 4th
Subsequent Margin Notes
After the five main points you will list in order:
The Moon complex (if not already done as the chart ruler)
The final dispositors complex (if not already done as the chart ruler)
The rest of the planets in order in the houses by angular, succedent and cadent
At the end, you will have everything listed in the chart. But the first five things will be the important issues and the ones that the client is dealing with already.
Interpreting a chart is easy when you break down the steps and do them in order of importance and order of relevance.
You do not need to be looking at a Chiron semi-sextile the North Node aspect as the first thing you consider.
Nor do you interpret from the planets in Aries first and then Taurus. Understand the weight of the planet and its prominence within a chart.
They used to say “If you want something doing give it to a busy woman.”
I suppose now it would be a busy person. But it seems that the more you do the more you can do.
The less you do the less you want to do.
How to find the time
After years of tweaking I have settled on a loose timetable that suits my family. I say loose because that is what it is, flexible and evolving.
My work week
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday
My full workday follows much the same pattern all week from Monday to Thursday. Friday and the weekend are different.
5:00 – 7:00 – Writing time.
7:00 – 8:00 – Family breakfast.
8:00 – 10:00 – Client or class prep for that day.
10:00 – 12:00 – Client consultations.
12:00 – 12:30 – Lunch.
12:30 – 1:00 – Walk outside in the fresh air.
1:00 – 2:00 – Emails and catch-up.
2:00 – 4:00 – Client consultations.
4:00 – 7:00 – Family time and dinner.
7:00 – 9:00 – Evening classes.
If I don’t have clients or classes in a particular day then the prep and consultation time goes to writing.
I teach assorted astrology classes for four days a week. Each course is over six weeks at a time. Courses are usually in the fall, winter and spring. Sometimes I offer classes in between as well if there are overflow students on the wait list. This is also the time when I do one-to-one mentorship or speciality classes like student exam prep.
Writing means working on my client written astrology reports, book manuscripts, articles, eBooks, preparing lecture notes, blog post prep and other writing. This is creative time and not answering emails or queries which is done later in the day.
Friday
On Friday mornings I work until noon just like the other days. Then I have a standing lunch date with the love of my life and take the rest of the day off and spend time with him.
The weekend starts here.
Saturday
Sometimes I have afternoon classes or lectures but not every week.
Saturday is the day for workshops and more group activities. I also like to browse the book shops and spend some time in the great outdoors.
Sunday
I like a slow Sunday morning.
I pick up some magazines or read the astrology trade periodicals and have coffee and brunch. Maybe I’ll take a nap in the afternoon.
I read somewhere that Oprah stays in her PJs all Sunday. I think she has something there.
When our children were younger we had a “No other people’s kids in the house on Sunday” rule.
This meant all sleepovers when other people’s kids came to stay in our home had to be from Friday to Saturday so we could have Sunday in peace.
Sunday is like the twelfth house in a chart and a time to reflect, replenish and recharge.