The Beginners Alphabets of Astrology

Those 12 Sun Signs are just one part of what I call the Alphabets of Astrology. The other parts of the Alphabets of Astrology are the Planets, Houses, and Aspects.

Please Remember This Important Point:

“The so-called Sun Sign horoscopes you see in newspapers and magazines aren’t true horoscopes at all. They’re generic and overly simplified—more entertainment than accurate astrological guidance.

While computer-generated horoscopes may offer more detail, such as planetary placements beyond just your Sun sign, they still lack the depth and integration of a true natal chart interpretation.

A real astrology reading looks at the full birth chart, considering how all the planets interact. That’s where real insight comes from—and that’s exactly what these astrology lessons aim to teach.

But before diving into the complexities of chart interpretation, we have to start with the basics: the Alphabets of Astrology.”

According to Astrology:

Each Planet has Functions. For instance, the Moon indicates your emotions, Mars your energy, etc.

Each Sign affects How the planet functions. Any planet in the Sign of Aries, for instance, will tend to be extra active. Any planet in the Sign of Pisces, on the other hand, will tend to function more through the imagination.

Each House shows Where in your life the planet is working the most. Any planet in your 2nd House, for example, will affect your money and possessions. Any planet in your 5th House will affect your love and romance.

Aspects are certain angles between planets. Planets aspecting each other are working together, for better or worse.

What’s the Difference Between a Sign and a House?

Picture a line drawn across the sky along the apparent path of the Sun. Now imagine that line extended around the world to form a circle. Astrologers divide this circle into 12 equal sections called Signs.

The point where that circle meets the eastern horizon is called the Ascendant or the Rising Sign. In your horoscope, the Ascendant is just as important as the Sun sign, something that some astrology books don’t mention. The Ascendant affects the way you start things and, frequently, the way you look.

The high point of the circle is called the Mid-Heaven and it affects the over all direction of your life.

If you make a line from the Ascendant to the opposite side of the horoscope circle, the point where it hits is called (naturally) the Descendant or the Setting Sign. The Descendant affects the type of people you attract as partners.

Make another line across the chart from the Mid-Heaven at the top to the bottom of the circle and you get the Nadir, the bottom of the horoscope. The Nadir shows something about your early home life.

From there, the circle is further divided into 12 Unequal sections called houses. The houses are unequal because the Ascendant and the Mid-Heaven are seldom exactly 90 degrees apart.

The difference between houses and signs is similar to the difference between North, South, East, and West, and left, right, front, and back. The Rising Sign is ALWAYS the sign rising on the eastern horizon, but that sign changes about once every two hours due to the rotation of the Earth. This is one reason why it is so important to have an accurate time of birth to cast the horoscope.

The houses have no names and are simply numbered 1 through 12 starting with the Ascendant as the beginning of the first house and going counterclockwise around the circle.

Again, the signs affect How the planets act in your life. The houses show Where in your life they have an effect.

Let’s take a closer look at the planets, signs, and houses through the lessons provided in Lessons  2.0 through 7.0.  You can click on the  Site-Map for an overview of the entire curriculum.