Guess the Writer: An Natal Chart Guessing Game

On this episode I describe the natal chart of a famous writer without telling you who it is until the end. I did this first of all because I thought it would fun, but also so I could show you the initial steps you should always take when interpreting a natal chart.

As I mention in the podcast, this writer is famous, no longer alive and wrote in English. I don’t tell you when they lived or their gender because that would make things too easy.

Here’s what their natal chart looks like:

The steps for approaching a natal chart interpretation:

Step 1: Look at the ascendant. The ascendant is the power point located in the first house (abbreviated here as AC) and indicates the sign and degree that was on the eastern horizon at the time of birth. This writer’s ascendant is in Virgo.

Step 2: Find the ruler of the ascendant and note which sign it is in, which house and any major aspects it is making to other planets. Since Mercury rules the sign of Virgo, this writer’s ascendant ruler (Mercury) is in the 8th house in the sign of Aries.

Aries is a Mars-ruled sign, so to better understand what Mercury is all about here, we need to also look at Mars, which is in Gemini in the 10th house. These planets are in what is called mutual reception (i.e. Mars is in a Mercury-ruled sign and Mercury is in a Mars-ruled sign), which strengthens their bond.

In a nutshell, this means this is a person who is direct, not afraid of conflict or heated discussion who is courageous in their actions (or words especially). They do not stay quiet about taboo topics (8th house) and this is something they are publicly known for (10th house).

Step 3: Look at the sun. The sun here is in Taurus in the 9th house. In ancient astrology, they say the 9th is “the house of joy” for the sun. Among other things, the sun stands for intellect, perception and the higher self, which makes it quite at home in the 9th, which is the place of higher learning, religion and philosophy.

Taurus is a Venus-ruled sign, so it’s important to take a peek at Venus. Like Mercury, Venus is in Aries in the 8th house. This suggest again someone who prefers conflict and action over harmony and passivity. Whoever this writer was, they were likely quite a bossy person, but also someone who could get the ball rolling.

These pursuits also work well with the striving of Mars in the 10th because the two planets are in a trine (i.e. flowing and harmonious) aspect to each other. The symbol for the trine aspect in the table is a blue triangle.

This writer’s sun is also in opposition to Jupiter in Scorpio in the 3rd house. Jupiter in the third suggests a positive relationship with (possibly many) siblings and the surrounding area where the writer lives; this relationship is likely to be intellectual and philosophical in nature, but may also be intense and take on an obsessive tone (Scorpio). However, since Jupiter also trines Mars in the 10th (Mars also rules the 3rd), this relationship likely supports the writer’s public reputation and career in some way.

Step 4: Look at the moon. The writer’s moon is in Aquarius in the 6th house conjunct Saturn. This is not an easy placement of the moon. The moon is what makes us feel comfortable and secure; it’s about what nourishes us and mothering in general. It is also a changeable energy that naturally fluctuates, as does the moon. However, in the Saturn-ruled sign of Aquarius conjunct Saturn itself, you could almost say this person’s moon is frozen, and parked in the 6th house, which is the house of illness and drudgery.

In contrast to the hot-headedness of all the Mars-ruled energy, this moon gives the writer a somber, melancholy tone and suggests hardship and sacrifice around mothering and mothers as well. However, both planets also make a trine to Mars in the 10th which suggests that whatever the pain and hardship this moon represents, it still supports the Mars tone of this chart, which is quite significant. Aquarius is also generally a progressive sign that strives to improve the welfare of others, so this might be a battle that Mars takes on as well.

Any guesses who this writer might be? Listen to the podcast and find out. ;)

XOXO

Rebeccah