A horoscope is a diagram showing the positions of the Sun, the Moon and the planets of our Solar System as seen at a given moment – the moment of birth – from a specific place on Earth.
It is usually drawn as a circle with the celestial bodies marked on it. The circle is divided into twelve sections of 30 degrees each, corresponding to the twelve signs of the zodiac. Each sign describes certain characteristic human traits, likely behaviour and potential for growth.
The horoscope is also divided into twelve astrological houses. Each house represents a different area of life, such as friendship, love, work or career.
The influence of the zodiac signs on different areas of life is determined by the planets placed in them, and each planet expresses itself differently in each sign.
The planets also influence the zodiac signs through rulership, and the signs in turn influence the houses of the horoscope.
The planets – which in astrology include the Sun and the Moon – are the main energy that expresses itself through the zodiac signs and the houses of the horoscope. There are two kinds of placement: by zodiac sign and by house.
The zodiac placement relates to a person’s character and to the inner side of life’s events and circumstances.
The house placement relates to the outer, formal side of those same events and circumstances.
A birth chart is a diagram of the positions of the Sun and the planets of the Solar System at the moment a person is born, drawn up according to the established rules of astrology.
The symbolism and meaning of the planets and signs are the key to interpreting a horoscope, an interpretation based on observations gathered over many generations.
What are the zodiac signs?
Knowledge of the zodiac signs is fairly widespread today, but it is not the whole of astrology. The twelve signs of the zodiac make up the astrological year.
Your zodiac sign symbolises the position (constellation) in which the Sun stood at the moment you were born.
Each sign is attributed certain characteristic traits that may apply to you. Your character and personality are illustrated in more detail by the positions of all the planets.
In your zodiac sign you can find a few truths about yourself, but the full description of a sign does not reflect your whole life.
Many people believe that the position of the Sun alone in the zodiac signs is enough to predict future events or judge compatibility between partners.
The zodiac signs are the most basic element of astrology. They modify the energy of the planets and describe how a person will put that energy into practice.
In astrology the zodiac signs are divided by element, gender and quality. There are four elements: Air, Fire, Water and Earth.
By quality, the zodiac signs are divided into three groups known as quadruplicities: cardinal, fixed and mutable signs.
They are also divided into two genders, masculine and feminine.
The individual zodiac signs should be seen as phases of human development. Regardless of your date of birth, which shows the phase in which you were brought into the world, over the course of your life you pass through all the phases of zodiacal development many times.
You can take in the experiences of successive zodiac phases, not necessarily those indicated by your horoscope. This, however, depends on your willpower and personal predispositions.
It is important to understand that every planet sends out radiation that harmonises best with one or two zodiac signs. So when a planet is in such a sign, its influence reaches its greatest intensity.
First published (Polish original): 24 July 2013. Written by astrologers and esoteric specialists working with our editorial team; edited and translated for HOROSCOP.SPACE. © All rights reserved.
