Identify your Sun sign to understand your core identity and life purpose
Identify your Moon sign to understand your emotions, instincts, and inner needs
Identify your Rising sign to understand your outward personality and first impression
Note the house placements of each planet to see which life areas they influence
Check the sign of each planet to see how its energy is expressed
Look at aspects between planets to see how they interact with each other
Pay attention to conjunctions for blended energy
Pay attention to oppositions for tension and balance
Pay attention to squares for challenges and growth
Pay attention to trines for ease and natural flow
Pay attention to sextiles for opportunities and support
Review the chart ruler to understand the main theme of the chart
Examine the midheaven to understand career and public image
Examine the IC to understand home, roots, and private life
Look at the north node to understand growth direction
Look at the south node to understand familiar patterns and past tendencies
Compare the balance of elements to see dominant energies
Compare the balance of modalities to see how energy is expressed
Read the chart as a whole rather than focusing on one placement alone