DXP Chart Interpertation Guide

Hello all, welcome to the chart reading guideline thread. Do you recall the first moment you discovered you were more than just your sun sign? How much those newspaper horoscopes left out? How about when you saw your whole chart for the first time? All those symbols, colorful lines and random seeming numbers next to the signs names? Yeah...was an overwhelming mess of confusion, right? Well I know I've been there and thus recalling what it like finding all of this stuff frustrating gibberish that seems to work...somehow, I decided to make this thread to help people like in that spot like I was.

Also, I made this to help the people who know enough to read a chart, but not confident on reading charts for other people. While yes, there are other forums and sites you could go to if you were looking to do detailed chart readings, etc, I figured that shouldn't stop me from doing this for DXP. Even if a handful of lurkers and users get some help and use from this thread, then I know my time was well spent and that I accomplished my goal.

Vocabulary/Keywords

The signs: (Credit: Julia Parker)
Aries: Assertively, Urgently, Forthrightly, Selfishly
Taurus: Possessively, Permanently
Gemini: Communicatively, Adaptable, Restlessly, Versatility
Cancer: Protectively, Sensitively, Moodily
Leo: Impressively, Creatively, Powerfully
Virgo: Critically, Analytically, Carpingly
Libra: Harmoniously, Sympathetically, Resentfully
Scorpio: Intensely, Passionately, Jealously
Sagittarius: Philosophically, Freely, Exploitative, High-Handedly
Capricorn: Prudently, Aspirational, Calculatedly, Grumblingly
Aquarius:Pisces: Nebulously, Impressionable, Deceitfully

The Planets: (Credit: Julia Parker)
Sun: Self-Expression, Vitality
Moon: Response, Instinct, Intuition, Fluctuation, Emotion
Mercury: Mind, Communication
Venus: Harmony, Unison, Love
Mars: Physical, Energy, Initiative
Jupiter: Expansion
Saturn: Stability, Restriction, Limitation, Control
Uranus: Change, Disruption, Shock
Neptune: Cloudiness, Unreality
Pluto: Elimination, Eruptive Change

The Houses: (Credit: Julia Parker)

First (Asc): Psychological Motivation, Wellbeing
Second: Possessions, Feelings
Third: Siblings, Transport, Environment, Early Education
Fourth (IC): Home, Domesticity, Parents (Especially Mother)
Fifth: Creativity, Pleasure, Children, Romance, Risk-taking, The Father
Sixth: Health, Diet, Exercise, Hobbies, Routine Work
Seventh (Dsc): Partnerships, Relationships
Eighth: Sex, Inheritance, Investment
Ninth: Higher Education, Travel, Ideals, Challenge, Dreams
Tenth (MC): Aspirations, Ambitions
Eleventh: Social life, Objectives, Social Conscience, Friends
Twelfth: Seclusion, Escapism, Faith, Institutions.

Aspects

Conjunction: Two Planets/Points in the same sign. An orb of 8 degrees is allowed for anything other than the luminaries (Sun & Moon). For Luminaries it is a maximum of 12 degrees.

Opposition: Two planets 180 degrees apart, usually meaning both are in opposite signs. (I.E. Aries Mars and Libra Venus or Leo Sun and Uranus in Aquarius.) An orb of 8 degrees is allowed for any planet. Luminaries have an orb of 10 degrees allowed for them.

Square: Two planets 90 degrees apart, usually both planets are in the same mode, but have different elements in play. (I.E. Aries is Square to Cancer and Capricorn, all 3 are Cardinal Signs. Taurus is Square to Leo and Aquarius, all 3 are Fixed signs. Pisces is square to Sagittarius and Gemini, all 3 are mutable signs.)

Trine: Two planets 120 degrees apart, usually this means both planets are in the same element. (I.E. Sun in Leo Trine Mars in Aries. Cancer Moon Trine Pluto in Scorpio) an orb of 8 degrees is allowed for the planets. Luminaries get an orb of 10 degrees.

Sextile: Two planets 60 degrees apart, usually this means the two are in complementary elements. (Fire and Air Or Earth and Water.) (I.E.Virgo Mercury sextile Cancer Moon. Gemini Mercury Trine Aries Mars) An orb of 4-6 degrees is allowed for planets and luminaries.

Quincunx: Two planets that are 150 degrees apart. (Example: Aries Mars quincunx Scorpio Pluto) An orb of 2 degrees is allowed for planets. Luminaries have an allowed orb of 3 degrees.

Semi-Sextile: Two planets 30 degrees apart. (I.E. Venus in Pisces semi-sextile Sun in Aquarius) An orb of 2 degrees is allowed for planets and luminaries.

Exercise #1: Let's pretend your sun sign managed to have all these aspects within a chart. List out which signs have which aspects with your Sun sign.

Example:

My Sun is Capricorn.

Conjunctions: Capricorn Planets
Oppositions: Cancer Planets
Squares: Aries and Libra Planets
Trines: Taurus and Virgo Planets
Sextile: Scorpio and Pisces Planets.
Quincunx: Gemini and Leo Planets.
Semi-sextile: Sagittarius and Aquarius Planets.

Also, I won't move on the next section of the lesson until I see at least one person do the exercises. I don't want to just cram all the information on everyone and then have people tell me they need everything explained again cause they got lost or they needed something explained in more detail.

Here are some sites to use for reference, further studying, notes, etc:
astro.com
http://www.skyscript.co.uk/
http://astrofix.net/
http://astrolibrary.org/houses/

I can also give a list of books I'll be using as references for the lessons if anyone wishes to know.

Pisces
Conjunctions: Pisces
Oppositions: Virgo
Squares: Sag, gem
Trine: scorp, cancer
Sextile: cap, taurus
quincunx: leo, libra
Sem-sextile: aquarius, aries

Sun: Aquarius
Conjunction: Aquarius
Oppositions: leo
Squares: Scorpio, Taurus
Trine: gemini, libra
Sextile: Aries, Sagittarius
quincunx: Virgo, Cancer
Semi-sextile: Capricorn, Pisces

Sun in Virgo with the following aspects:

Sun Conjunction Mercury
Sun Conjunction Pluto
Sun Conjunction Mars
Sun Square Jupiter
Sun Trine MC
Sun Trine AS
Sun Sextile Neptune
Sun SemiSquare Venus

Sun-Scorpio
Conjunctions -Scorpio
Oppositions -Taurus
Squares -Aquarius and leo
Trines -Cancer and Pisces
Sextile- Capricorn and Virgo
Semi-sextile- Libra and Sagittarius
Quincunx- Aries and Gemini

Sun: Virgo

Conjunctions: -
Oppositions: Aries
Squares: -
Trines: Capricorn
Sextile: Scorpio
Quincunx: Aries
Semi-sextile: -

I hope I did it right :/

Posted by DwellingOnMove
"Sun - Aries
Conjunctions: Aries Planets"

This is not always true.
A planet in Pisces 28° is in Conjunction to a planet in Aries in 2°.

Aspects are defined on the basis of degrees.

Posted by SirHorns
...
Conjunction: ... An orb of 8 degrees ...

Opposition: Two planets 180 degrees apart.... An orb of 8 degrees ...

Square: Two planets 90 degrees apart...

Trine: Two planets 120 degrees apart... an orb of 8 degrees...

Sextile: Two planets 60 degrees apart...

Quincunx: Two planets that are 150 degrees apart.... An orb of 2 degrees...

Semi-Sextile: Two planets 30 degrees apart.....

conjunction exists when the two planets are 8 degrees apart.
strict conjunction: 0° part.
tolerated conjunction: 8 or 10° apart.

click to expand

He hasn't yet informed of how to make a circular chart, so above may not be easy for people to get if they don't have such a chart infront of them. I think he's trying to simplify as of now.

Posted by HappyCapper

Posted by DwellingOnMove
"Sun - Aries
Conjunctions: Aries Planets"

This is not always true.
A planet in Pisces 28° is in Conjunction to a planet in Aries in 2°.

Aspects are defined on the basis of degrees.

Posted by SirHorns
...
Conjunction: ... An orb of 8 degrees ...

Opposition: Two planets 180 degrees apart.... An orb of 8 degrees ...

Square: Two planets 90 degrees apart...

Trine: Two planets 120 degrees apart... an orb of 8 degrees...

Sextile: Two planets 60 degrees apart...

Quincunx: Two planets that are 150 degrees apart.... An orb of 2 degrees...

Semi-Sextile: Two planets 30 degrees apart.....

conjunction exists when the two planets are 8 degrees apart.
strict conjunction: 0° part.
tolerated conjunction: 8 or 10° apart.

He hasn't yet informed of how to make a circular chart, so above may not be easy for people to get if they don't have such a chart infront of them. I think he's trying to simplify as of now.

click to expand

Mhm.

Lesson One: The Big 3 and Decanates
When people ask what your big 3 are on this site, they're asking for your Ascendant/Rising Sign, Sun Sign and Moon Sign. All 3 are very important when it comes to reading a chart as they cover a person's personality, individuality as well as their emotions.

Rising Sign: Think of it as how the outside world looks at you at first glance. Your Outer personality, your image. Like a door to a house, the entranceway a person must see and go through before they can actually look inside the house.

Sun Sign: Your Will. Think of your sun sign as a role you were given to play in a grand drama. You being the leading actor/actress and the role you're acting as your sun sign.

Moon Sign: Your Instincts. The side that reacts before you have time to think. The hidden side of you.

Decanates/Decans: Think of the time the sun spends in your sun sign as a room, split into 3 parts. A beginning, middle and end. Decans are sub-divisions of a sign, which traits are emphasized by a person is influenced by which decancate they fall under. If you were born within the first 10 days of the sun being in your sign, you'd be 1st decan. If you were born the within the following ten days, you would be a 2nd decan. If you were born in the last 10 days of your sign, you'd be a 3rd decan.

Decans aren't limited to sun signs, they can be used for rising, planets and points as well. However, you'd be focusing on degrees for the planet in question. 0-10 degrees, is first decan. 11-20 degrees is second decan, while 21-30 degrees is third decan.

In the chart above, I underlined where you would find your Sun, Moon and Rising sign on the table, while circling where you'd find their symbols in the chart.

So reading the degrees.
The native here is a:
3rd Decan Aries Rising.
2nd Decan Capricorn Sun.
3rd Decan Taurus Moon.

Exercise #2: In your own words, how would describe this big 3 combo, personality-wise?
Exercise #3: Okay, for this, you'll need a partner. You'll tell your partner your Sun, Moon and Rising along with which decanates they fall under. You'll both then do an interpretation on their personality based only off their Sun, Moon and rising. Then you'll share how well they got the combination down.

You can use notes, sites, book, etc to help you get an idea. However, your interpretation, MUST be in your own words. NO Copy Pasting.

I'm in.Let's team up @RumiLove.
Ascendant -Gemini - 29*21' (3rd decan)
Sun-Scorpio 18*28' (2nd decan)
Moon - Taurus 21*15' (3rd decan)

I'll do the interpretation little later.Please don't mind 🙂

Aries Rising- 3rd Decan (23'48)
Virgo Sun - 3rd Decan (27'15)
Aries Moon - 1st Decan (4'17)

Anyone want to partner up? It'd be good practice to interpret someone else's before they explain it themselves 🙂

Posted by fauxfuchsia
Aries Rising- 3rd Decan (23'48)
Virgo Sun - 3rd Decan (27'15)
Aries Moon - 1st Decan (4'17)

Anyone want to partner up? It'd be good practice to interpret someone else's before they explain it themselves 🙂

Shall we? 🙂

Leo Rising- 2nd decan
Scorpio Sun- 3rd decan
Pisces Moon- 2nd decan

Fauxfuchsia, you're able to process large amounts of information and able to communicate it in a way that's easily understood. However, you can come across as too forward and assertive which may be intimidating for some people. That's when your sense of humor comes into play and work in your favor. Being that you are aware of your quick and aggressive nature, you try to remain detached from others because detached = better control of your temper and not letting as many things bother you.

Please tell me I at least got one of those right :p

Being a cancer rising, people who do not know you will easily talk n share their problems with you.You seem like a caring, emotional person who will nurture their feelings.You speak from your heart n hold your world of emotions on your sleeve for others to see.You can be quite transparent(but I'm not sure owing to your moon sign). You are known to be quite the sentimental type.You love to talk about the past, your childhood, and parents whether it is a positive or negative light.You'll treat people with an emotional grace(which we always see here 😄).At times you may seem moody n cranky.But if someone have betrayed you, you will most likely never let the hurt feelings go.With Aries sun n Scorpio moon you can come across as intense,overpowering,severe n excessive. You're very self possessed.One can't get away being glib with you.A very decent person n have every intention of being an excellent wife n mother.Not everyone will understand the severity of this commitment to yourself though.Because you may often lead an impetuous life that's quite different from your plans. However you'll always bounce back n find yourself.Your life is never dull.You can marry n can also do a number of other things to make a good career.You'll want a provocative, stimulating, remarkable man with good ethics.

@RumiLove This also so perfect 🙂 I always wondered why I'm not that 'typical' scorpio.It must be the Pisces toning it down then 😉

This is all so*

Well if anyone else is wanting to pair up I'm happy to do so, mine are:

Gemini rising, 1st decan
Virgo Sun 3rd decan
Pisces moon 2nd decan

Posted by HappyCapper

Posted by DwellingOnMove
"Sun - Aries
Conjunctions: Aries Planets"

This is not always true.
A planet in Pisces 28° is in Conjunction to a planet in Aries in 2°.

Aspects are defined on the basis of degrees.

Posted by SirHorns
...
Conjunction: ... An orb of 8 degrees ...

Opposition: Two planets 180 degrees apart.... An orb of 8 degrees ...

Square: Two planets 90 degrees apart...

Trine: Two planets 120 degrees apart... an orb of 8 degrees...

Sextile: Two planets 60 degrees apart...

Quincunx: Two planets that are 150 degrees apart.... An orb of 2 degrees...

Semi-Sextile: Two planets 30 degrees apart.....

conjunction exists when the two planets are 8 degrees apart.
strict conjunction: 0° part.
tolerated conjunction: 8 or 10° apart.

He hasn't yet informed of how to make a circular chart, so above may not be easy for people to get if they don't have such a chart infront of them. I think he's trying to simplify as of now.

click to expand

yeah.... i'm so sorry, I may be right, but you are even righter than me. 😉

Nice job Rumi and Teena.
@Akumo I'll read you're chart if no one else does. You'll have to settle for reading my big 3 though. 😄 (It's the Aries Rising/Cap Sun/Taurus Moon example I gave you all.~)

Okay, next up will be Merc, Venus and Mars.
Followed by Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto.
^- All will be covered this week.

Does anyone need any more references or have any questions before we move on to other planets?

Oh no, I think I ran my partner away 😭

Posted by femme
Oh no, I think I ran my partner away 😭

Shh~ Don't worry. I can read your chart if you and Akumo don't want to partner up and read each other's charts.

@femme

Leo Rising- 2nd decan
Scorpio Sun- 3rd decan
Pisces Moon- 2nd decan

I'm so nervous doing this because I hate getting things wrong but I have to get over that if I want to learn!

I like this combo. I'd say you're probably a very dreamy person who loves art and philosophy or anything along those lines that catch your interest, passionate and intense, sociable but reserved and you keep things you yourself and don't go telling people all about yourself unless you know you can absolutely trust them. Very curious and love to learn. You probably love entertaining people. Very intuitive and instinctive, good at understanding other people. Maybe a bit sensitive, worrying about other people and things. I personally think you'd probably have a good sense of humour. Loving, loyal and generous to those you're close with. All round I'd day fun loving, passionate, sensitive, secretive, intuitive, curious, etc.

Let me know how I did 🙂 (both femme and sirhorns)

Posted by femme
Fauxfuchsia, you're able to process large amounts of information and able to communicate it in a way that's easily understood. However, you can come across as too forward and assertive which may be intimidating for some people. That's when your sense of humor comes into play and work in your favor. Being that you are aware of your quick and aggressive nature, you try to remain detached from others because detached = better control of your temper and not letting as many things bother you.

Please tell me I at least got one of those right :p

Yes that is very good, it's all true 🙂

Posted by femme
Oh no, I think I ran my partner away 😭

Awww no sorry I didn't run away I just had a busy couple of days and I didn't have the time to sit down and think 😢

Nice work Fushia and thanks forr helping out a fellow classmate, Rumilove.
Okay next set of planets!



In this chart we have:
Mercury in Capricorn (1st Decan)
Venus in Pisces (1st Decan)
Mars in Cancer (2nd Decan)

This time, let's see how each of you would describe this combination for a person.

Posted by fauxfuchsia
@femme

Leo Rising- 2nd decan
Scorpio Sun- 3rd decan
Pisces Moon- 2nd decan

I'm so nervous doing this because I hate getting things wrong but I have to get over that if I want to learn!

I like this combo. I'd say you're probably a very dreamy person who loves art and philosophy or anything along those lines that catch your interest, passionate and intense, sociable but reserved and you keep things you yourself and don't go telling people all about yourself unless you know you can absolutely trust them. Very curious and love to learn. You probably love entertaining people. Very intuitive and instinctive, good at understanding other people. Maybe a bit sensitive, worrying about other people and things. I personally think you'd probably have a good sense of humour. Loving, loyal and generous to those you're close with. All round I'd day fun loving, passionate, sensitive, secretive, intuitive, curious, etc.

Let me know how I did 🙂 (both femme and sirhorns)

You summed me up so well! And your big 3 is pretty awesome too. All that fire, yass.

Posted by fauxfuchsia

Posted by femme
Oh no, I think I ran my partner away 😭

Awww no sorry I didn't run away I just had a busy couple of days and I didn't have the time to sit down and think 😢

click to expand

Aww it's really no worries. I tease sometimes (sometimes = all the time) lol

...umm, anyone there? Did the exercise scare everyone off?

Haha yeah it did scare me off, but only because I've got pressing assignments and I'm finding it hard to focus. I'll try and do this tomorrow, but right now I need to go to sleep. Here are mine:

Mercury Libra 22°32'14
Venus Scorpio 9°35'54
Mars Cancer 21°43'29

Posted by RumiLove
@fauxfuchsia --can I partner up with you? 🙂

Yep! Lets interpret 😄

"In this chart we have:
Mercury in Capricorn (1st Decan)
Venus in Pisces (1st Decan)
Mars in Cancer (2nd Decan)

This time, let's see how each of you would describe this combination for a person."

ok now im confused @champranger because i read 'describe this combination for a person' to be describing the merc venus mars combo, not the specific combo he mentioned, but now you've said that, he couldve meant the specific combo and im really confused now it could be either way

@SirHorns so what did you mean?

This time, I wanted to see how you all would do interpreting the same aspect.
I suppose I should have said for me, so that no one would get confused.

Posted by champranger

Posted by SirHorns

In this chart we have:
Mercury in Capricorn (1st Decan)
Venus in Pisces (1st Decan)
Mars in Cancer (2nd Decan)

This time, let's see how each of you would describe this combination for a person.

With Mercury in Capricorn, time is likely important to you and you are likely very realistic. You don't want to waste time on ideas that lacked practical value. Very reliable and dependable, you will likely prefer to take on tasks that produce results that are of practical value and you will likely have found the most time-efficient approach to completing such tasks. But under the serious nature of Saturn, you are a soft-hearted romantics. While with Saturn's influence on your Mercury, you may appear condescending but really, you are a sensitive and compassionate person. Your mercury may get frustrated with people who don't see things that may be obvious to you, but with Cancer Mars, you are like a pressure cooker. With tendency to avoid confrontations, you may be slow to act on your frustration and thus inner tension builds. But then when this frustration surfaces, your frustration may be coming out more strong and explosive, if you decide to communicate your anger. Maybe you have idealism as to what kind of person you would like in a partner. But unless you have an established connection where you feel safe and secure to open up, and that it's realistic possible for you to have a future with that person, you would not let your idealism cloud your sense of reality.

(How's it for a start? I couldn't work in the Scorp decan part for Cancer Mars 😢 ... )

click to expand

Very nice work so far!

Holidays. Hope everyone enjoyed them.
Still waiting on the interpretations on the inner planets before moving on.

Posted by RumiLove
I'm sorry for all the typos and grammatical errors 😢

I meant silent not Solent
Disorderly not disirderly

I actually looked those words up before figuring out they were typos. 😆
Nice work on the interpretation!

Okay, I'll be posting the Jupiter and Saturn lesson and exercises soon.
So if you want a crack of interoperating the inner planets, go for it folks.

I'm going on holidays for 2 weeks, so carry on without me and I'll catch up when I get back 🙂

I forgot about this til now. Are we still doing this? Because I'm still keen 🙂

Posted by fauxfuchsia
I forgot about this til now. Are we still doing this? Because I'm still keen 🙂

We stopped after Mercury, Venus and Mars...If others are still in, I could continue.

I'm in Sir 👋