For example, if you were born on December 5th, 1987, your primal triad would consist of Sagittarius (sun), Gemini (moon), and Libra (ascendant). You also have the option of plugging your birth details into an online chart builder if you just need a quick refresher. Many experienced astrologers recommend Astro. com as a reliable, authoritative source for birth charts, horoscopes, and other tools of the trade. [2] X Research source

Each sun sign has a list of associated traits that are commonly displayed by the people born under that sign—Scorpios are generally understood to be passionate, courageous, and loyal; Capricorns are dependable, reserved, and well-disciplined; Virgos are practical, analytical, and industrious, etc. [4] X Research source If you were painting a portrait of your personality, your sun sign would be the broad strokes, while your moon and ascendant signs would fill in the fine details.

It’s not unusual for people to identify more strongly with their moon sign than their sun sign, since it contributes so much to the way they feel at any given moment. For this reason, some astrologers refer to an individual’s moon sign as their “secret self. ”[6] X Research source

If other people often mistakenly confuse you for a different sun sign, it may be because they’re actually picking up on traits associated with your ascendant sign.

You could also try describing yourself using traits associated with each of your signs: “I am peaceful, contemplative person with a courageous heart that the world sees as generous and sincere. " This exercise can also be useful for helping you better understand your friends and loved ones.

The “outer planets”—Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto—are believed to be linked to luck, fears, dreams, changes, and transformative potential, though these don’t describe personal qualities as much as external circumstances. If these sorts of categories sound familiar, it’s because they often serve as the basis for many daily horoscopes.

Fire signs, for instance, are often characterized by passion, excitement, creativity, and impulsiveness, while air signs are celebrated as intellectual, communicative, and social-minded. Relying on the elements alone can be misleading, so don’t read too far into these classifications. They’re just one piece of a complex puzzle.

Signs that fall under the “cardinal” modality are more likely to be ambitious and unafraid to take the initiative, with “fixed” signs being stubborn and resistant to change and “mutable” signs showcasing flexibility and emotional resilience. [13] X Research source The modalities are there to show how variation can exist even within signs and elemental groupings, putting a finer point on your findings.

Beneath each of your chart headings, list a few keywords that reflect your subject’s character based on their birth chart. In the case of a Taurus moon, these might include “emotionally stable” under “Thoughts and Communication,” “faithful” and “possessive” under “Love and Relationships,” and “industrious” and “uncompromising” under “Strengths and Weaknesses. ” In other words, you’re contemplating the natures your subject’s various signs, elements, and modalities and using your observations to theorize about what effect they might be having on their dealings with themselves and others.

A person’s ruling planet (also known as their “chart ruler”) can also provide a major clue as to what they’re like and how they interact with the world. An Aries (which is ruled over by the fierce planet mars) will probably be aggressive, and competitive, even if their moon and ascendant signs offer a bit of a counterbalance. [16] X Research source Even traits that only appear once or twice can potentially be quite pronounced if they have a very close aspect, or their associated planet has a strong influence over the subject (as in the case of ruling, personalized, and dignified planets).

Aim for roughly 2-5 pages in total. Any shorter than that and the picture you paint may be incomplete; any longer and you risk boring your client or overwhelming them with information. To make your write-up easy to follow, divide it up into sections and label them with the same headings you used to take notes while examining your client’s chart.

If your subject asks you a question that doesn’t have a clear answer, don’t be tempted to make something up in order to save face or put them at ease. Instead, remind them that while astrology is a wonderful tool for gaining knowledge of self and other, it can’t predict the future or right wrongs miraculously. [19] X Research source When you’re done, print out a copy of your report for your subject to take with them, or email them the document you put together during your meeting.