Foundations of Natal Astrology: #2 The Planets and What They Represent

The Planets in the Natal Chart: Astrology

In our last Foundations of Astrology post, we examined the four essential components of a birth chart: planets, signs, houses, and aspects. Today, we begin unpacking those components, starting with the planets.

The Role of the Planets

The planets in the natal chart represent the core parts of the nature of the individual whose chart we are exploring. Each planet points to a fundamental psychological function or drive that shapes how life is experienced.

There are several useful ways to think about how the parts of a natal chart work together. You might think of the birth chart as a play or a film, where the planets are the actors, the characters who bring the story to life. Or you might see it as a personal school of life, with the planets as the teachers. Some of these teachers are kind and supportive, while others may feel distant, demanding, or restrictive. Each planet offers a life lesson you are here to work with and learn from.

Every person has the same ten planetary bodies in their natal chart. Other things can be considered, such as asteroids and fixed stars, but those are best left aside until you have a strong grasp of the ten primary planets.

In each chart, the placements of the planets by sign, house, and aspect make the life and the learning entirely unique and individual.