The Very Basic Elements of Astrology

by Hank Friedman

Revised May 2018

Several years ago, a fledgling astrologer wrote in and said

that he liked my tutorials, but he needed a very basic
introduction to astrology to get started, and asked me if I
would write one, so here it is.

Astrology is the study of the sky and its reflection of life and
events on Earth. I deliberately use the
word reflection because I don't believe in a causative model
(i.e. that the physical planets actually directly influence us).

Imagine, as an analogy, a palm reader telling someone that a

particular line on their hand causes them to be challenged in
their career. Instead, people understand that their
palm reflects their life themes, and so do birth charts.

Astrologers work with many types of charts, but foremost is

the birth chart, which is a depiction of the sky at the moment
and place of a person's birth.

Here is an image of the visible sky for Paula Abdul's birth

date and time:
Western birth charts, like the circle chart below, depict the
visible sky in the top half of the chart, and the sky on the
opposite side of the Earth as the bottom half of the chart.

Paula's astrological chart wheels look like these:

The round chart on the left is the style used in Western
astrology, and you can see how it matches the image above.

The square chart on the right is a North Indian style chart

as used in Vedic astrology. Here the Ascendant and First
House are at the top, instead of at the left.

The point in each chart marked As is called the Ascendant

or Rising Sign, I.e. the sign rising at the Eastern Horizon at
the time of the chart, and it is the most important point in a
chart. You can learn about it here.

The Ascendant

The Most Important Point in The Horoscope

by Hank Friedman
In both Western and Vedic astrology, the Ascendant, along with the
First House Lord (ruler), and First House occupants, are among the
most important factors in a person’s chart. Some astrologers think
that the Ascendant is just one’s image, or mask, but in reality, the
Ascendant is the most individual point in the chart, the place that
truly represents you. That’s why two people will be much more
similar born two days apart at the same time of day (i.e. with the
same Ascendant) than people born two hours apart on the same day.
That’s also why the Ascendant is considered to be the most
important point in both Vedic and Tibetan astrologies.

Part One: The Western Ascendant and

Temperament

The following sections are based on the Tropical zodiac (as used in
Western astrology), and the Equal House System, and use the word
Ascendant to refer to the actual rising sign. All of the factors
influencing the Ascendant and the First House (i.e. occupants of the
First House, the lord of the First House, and aspects to the
Ascendant and its lord) may modify these delineations.

The Ascendant represents many facets of a person:

1. The Gatekeeper.

The Ascendant as Gatekeeper determines which planets in a

person’s chart will have full expression and which will not.

The person identifies with planets in the same sign as the Ascendant,
and these planets become able to express themselves completely and
without restraint. Planets in the same element as the Ascendant, but
not the same sign, can usually express themselves without effort, too.
 People disidentify with planets in the opposite sign to the
Ascendant (and in that opposite sign’s element), and as a result, the
person has much less conscious access to them, and cannot embody
or express them as easily.

One of my best friends, for example, has the Sun in Leo and
the Moon in Aries, but his Libra Ascendant is the predominate
influence, and he often over-defers instead of asserting himself.

Planets in the next sign after the Ascendant (and in that

element) can also express themselves relatively easily, as they are
likely to fall in houses 1, 5, and 9, but they express themselves in a
manner that is modified by the rising sign.

Examples:

Julia Roberts has Cancer rising. She is often referred to as

doe-eyed, and her obvious sensitivity and vulnerability create a great
deal of her appeal. These are Water sign rising qualities, and her
rising sign also facilitates the expression of, and softens, her Scorpio
Sun, and makes her First House Leo Moon come out in a gentler
manner.

Warren Beatty has an Aries Sun, but has often been

characterized as too subdued and too unexpressive. While his
7th house Sun has clearly expressed itself, especially in his pattern of
initiating many relationships, his Virgo rising has kept him much
more reticent, introverted, and inhibited than most people would
expect of an Aries.

Henry Kissinger is world-renowned as a diplomat, and his

Gemini rising allowed his Libra Moon full expression in life. All of
his Air planets, allowed expression by his Air rising sign, have made
him articulate, adaptable, and supremely intellectual.
2. The Interface with the World.

The ascending sign determines a person’s relationship with

the world. The person approaches the world trustingly and
enthusiastically with a Fire sign rising, cautiously and sensitively
with a Water sign rising, pragmatically and professionally with an
Earth sign rising, and intellectually or aesthetically or sociably with
an Air sign rising.

To the Water sign rising person, the world is loud, intense,

and impactful. To the Fire sign rising individual, the world is their
playground and an audience to express themselves to. To the Earth
sign rising person, the world is a place to prove themselves and/or to
conform to. To Air sign rising person, the world is interesting, and a
nice place to visit.

Examples:

Oprah Winfrey owes much of her assertiveness, leadership

qualities, and her ability to rebound from life’s adversities to her
Sagittarius Ascendant. Even though her two fire planets (Moon in
Sagittarius and Pluto in Leo) are muted by their respective 12th and
8th house placements, she has become an incredible pioneer. Clearly
her rising sign has helped her to access these qualities and to
approach the world with courage.

Similarly, Paul Gauguin, the great painter, was able to break

new ground in art due to the strength of his Leo rising, which
enabled him to depart from convention (even though he had a Virgo
Moon in the First House) and to live passionately instead of just
living a life of the mind (Gemini Sun).

The music star Prince is clearly an introvert, with large

privacy issues, who spends much of his time at home. His Scorpio
rising shows the need to retreat, and to keep the world at bay (in
spite of his extroverted Gemini Sun).

3. The Embodiment.

Individuals embody very differently depending upon their

rising sign. A person’s energy level, way of caring for their body and
handling their physical needs, and even their awareness of their
physicality are largely governed by the Ascending sign (and factors
that affect the Ascendant and First House).

Those with Earth signs rising, especially Taurus, are likely to

be very embodied and grounded, but sometimes use their bodies as
tools, as means to an end.

Fire rising sign folk feel the energy and vitality of their
bodies, but their emotions strongly affect their body’s energy level.

With Water rising, one’s body can be depleted by negative

moods, and there can be trouble digesting if one eats while upset.

Air rising people tend to disassociate from their bodies and

their embodied feelings, and thereby lose sight of their bodies’ needs.
This may result in bodily neglect, physical problems or running out
of steam.

4. The Self-Image.

The Ascendant shows how a person conceives of themselves,

how much they think about themselves, how much they inhibit
themselves, and how much they trust themselves.

Earth sign people usually tend to be more self-contained, self-

controlled, perfectionistic, and conscious of their reputations. (E.g.
Warren Beatty, mentioned in #1.)

Fire sign people tend to be confident (or even over-confident),

uninhibited, and freely expressive. Bette Midler has a brash, bawdy,
and “out there” presentation that is completely congruent with her
Aries rising.

Water sign people are often quite vulnerable to criticism, are

likely to alternate between intimacy with others and withdrawal, can
merge with other people’s projections on them, and sometimes feel
ashamed of their sensitivity. (See Julia Roberts, mentioned in #1.)

Air sign people often smooth over interpersonal issues and try
to please others, then can become very upset, they keep themselves
separate from their own feelings too long, and can lose sight of their
own perspective. Jim Morrison’s iconoclastic image and disdain for
convention are perfectly represented by his Aquarius Ascendant. He
indeed seemed cold, separate, and strange (fittingly the author of the
song, “People are Strange”).

Part Two: The Vedic Ascendant and Success,

Popularity, and Effectiveness

The following sections are based upon the Sidereal Zodiac, Whole
Sign House System, and Traditional Rulerships (e.g. Jupiter rules
Pisces, Mercury rules Virgo, Saturn rules Aquarius, and Mars rules
Scorpio).

1. Vitality and Athletic Ability.

The Ascendant is considered strong in Vedic astrology if it is

occupied and aspected by benefics (Moon, Mercury, Venus, and
Jupiter) and not occupied nor aspected by malefics (the Sun, Mars,
Saturn, and Nodes) and its lord is strong (in its own sign, exalted,
retrograde, or with dig bala). A person with a strong Ascendant
tends to be both energetic and athletic. I was surprised, for example,
to find clients with Sidereal Moon or Mercury --not planets Western
astrologers associate with physicality -- in their own sign in the First
House, who have been extremely athletic.

Arnold Schwartzenegger is an excellent example of this

configuration, with Mercury in Gemini in the First House conjunct
the Ascendant. A winner of Mr. Universe titles 5 times, he was a
natural in bodybuilding.

Venus Williams, a tennis champ since the age of 18, has her
Ascendant lord, again Mercury, in Gemini, with Virgo rising.
Mercury is notably unaspected by malefics (by Vedic methods) and
is therefore a pure and strong benefic.

2. Success in Life.

When the Ascendant is strong, the individual experiences the

full ability to succeed at what they undertake. They are blessed with
common sense, the ability to utilize their gifts, and good fortune.

Paul Newman is a prime example of an individual who can do

no wrong. He has been tremendously successful as an actor, and also
sponsors an important drug abuse program. His Newman’s Own
food brand is wildly lucrative, out-grossing all of his films (and he
gives every penny of profit generously to charities). Newman’s
Ascendant lord Jupiter is in the First House (in its own sign).

James Dean, on the other hand, seemed to “do no right”.

Reckless, self-destructive, moody, and alienated from his family,
James’ Ascendant lord is in its weakest sign (Mars in Cancer) and
undoubtably lead to his early death.

(Note: In Vedic astrology, it is actually common to have factors in a

chart that ameliorate and even enhance the placement of a weak
planet. While James Dean had no chart factors ameliorating his
weak Ascendant lord, but many famous people with weak Ascendant
lords do, such as Doris Day and Albert Einstein.)

3. Wealth, Influence, and Power.

A strong Ascendant is often found in the charts of the mover-

and-shakers of society. The health of their selfhood enables them to
“scale the heights” and have a major influence on the world.

Tony Blair, the British Prime Minister, has been both very
influential and popular, and through his marriage, acquired
considerable wealth. His Ascendant lord, Venus, is in its sign of
exaltation, and a strong Jupiter is in the First House near his
Ascendant.

Bill Gates, one of the richest men in the world, and the
creator of Microsoft Windows, the dominant operating system for
personal computers, has a disputed birth time. My teacher, Hart de
Fouw, uses a Gemini Ascendant, and accurately predicted Mr.
Gate’s recent legal problems in advance. With a Gemini Ascendant,
the chart ruler Mercury is once again exalted in an angle, an
excellent indicator of influence and power.

4. Health.

The Ascendant is one of the primary factors in longevity and

general well-being. Those with a strong Ascendant can fight off
disease and thrive.

Ginger Rogers, famous dance partner of Fred Astaire, was

healthy throughout her life. Her Ascendant is unaspected (by Vedic
aspects) and her Ascendant lord, Venus, is strong by virtue of being
in the 4th house (where it gains directional strength or dig bala) and
is also aspected by benefics (without any malefic influence).

Christopher Reeve, on the other hand, has several problems

with his Ascendant: it is exactly conjunct Ketu, the South Lunar
Node, and its lord is doubly weak – the Moon is dark and in its
weakest sign (the latter partially ameliorated by its association with
its dispositor Mars). Neither his Ascendant nor its lord has the
aspect of any benefic planet. As most of my readers will know, he
suffered a great accident that left him paralyzed and unable to
breath on his own. He died at a young age.

5. Popularity and Manner.

The Ascendant determines how likeable a person is. Those

with Ascendants without benefic influence may find it hard to be
accepted, while those with supported Ascendants may become
popular without effort.

Harrison Ford is an incredibly popular actor. His manner is

well liked, and he is considered handsome, friendly, and kind. His
Ascendant lord, Mercury, is exalted in the 10th house, and associated
with Jupiter, too.

Janis Joplin, contrawise, was soundly rejected by her peers. A

social misfit and an unhappy and overweight child, she only gained
popularity towards the end of her short life, and had a hard time
receiving it. Her Ascendant, like that of Christopher Reeve, is
exactly conjunct Ketu. Her fame and success were indicated,
however, both by the strength of her Ascendant lord, and the aspect
of Jupiter on the First House.

6. The Ability to Use One’s Gifts

A Vedic chart may have planets in powerful positions or

combinations with other planets (these are called yogas), but for
their gifts to manifest, such planets must have a relationship with the
Ascendant. The planet(s) can occupy the First House or aspect the
Ascendant or its lord, or be the Ascendant lord or occupy the same
house as the Ascendant lord.

For example, Bobby Fischer’s exalted Mars aspects both the

First House and the First Lord (who is in Mars’ own Aries Tenth
house), enabling him to be able to easily access his fiercely
competitive spirit.

For this article, I spent an hour searching for famous people

lacking integrated gifts, to no avail. The very fact that they
succeeded meant that their inner resources had to be integrated with
the Ascendant and its lord.

But once, I had a client with many planets either exalted or in

their own signs, and none of them were connected to the Ascendant
or Ascendant lord. In fact, he had Saturn and Mars aspecting his
First House, and his manner was indeed intense and abrasive. He
had been told by other astrologers how great his chart was, but he
never understood why that greatness had never manifested. He
understood that he had talent, but he just couldn’t express or use his
gifts effectively in life.

Part Three: Appearance: The Effect of Planetary

Influences on the Ascendant

Both Vedic and Western astrology see the Ascendant, the

planets aspecting it, and other factors influencing the Ascendant
such as First House occupants, as the key to the appearance of a
person.

It is often stated that those with Venus rising are attractive,

for example.
 In both Western and Vedic astrology, each planet, and the
rising signs it rules, corresponds to a particular “look”. In Vedic
astrology, one’s primary dosha (Ayurvedic constitution) is indicated
by planets influencing the Ascendant.

If the birth time is uncertain, these attributions can be very

helpful in ascertaining a person’s rising sign, but it is very important
to understand that one seldom finds a “pure Ascendant” where only
one planetary factor has influence.

Commonly, many different planets affect the rising sign and

First House (including any planets in the 7th house) and so it becomes
much more difficult to isolate a single planet or sign as the
predominate influence on a person’s appearance. For example, in
my chart, I have Leo rising, so the Sun influences my appearance,
but Saturn is in the First House, and Jupiter is in the 7thhouse and
aspects both the Sun and Saturn, so I have three primary planetary
influences upon my appearance.

The following are some themes I have observed with a planet

rising and/or in the First House. (These are not textbook
delineations, but instead personal insights.) Please understand that
the sign each planet is in, and any other planets influencing the
Ascendant, can alter the expression of each planet greatly. Also, in
the cases where I specify gender, it is deliberate; I noted the pattern
for men or women, but not both. Note also that the closer a planet is
to the Ascendant, the stronger the effect. I use a 5 degree orb in my
work.

Sun: With the Sun rising in a man’s chart, the person is likely to be
comfortable with himself, communicate easily (and sometimes
volubly), and to champion his own ideas.

Moon: The phase and sign of the Moon are such primary factors
that they strongly color the type of effect that the Moon rising has in
a person’s chart. Much to my surprise, however, I have not found
women in general with the Moon rising to be particularly warm or
affectionate, but have seen them be very involved with their children.

Mercury: An active and communicative mind is often present in

those with Mercury rising.

Venus: With Venus rising, the person seems accessible,

approachable, and attractive.

Mars: Mars rising gives the person a directness in their approach

that can appear bossy or dominant to others. These are often very
fast people; they think, walk, and talk quickly.

Jupiter: Jupiter rising or in the First House can sometimes add

weight to the body, especially in women’s charts. In general, the
person likes themselves, and has an open and outgoing manner.

Saturn: A person with Saturn rising often seems serious, and

sometimes insecure. They may indeed be inhibited, self-contained, or
have self-doubt.

Uranus: Those with Uranus rising have a mind of their own. Their
nervous system may be sensitive, but in any case, they follow their
own beat.

Neptune: Because Neptune is a very “absorbing” planet, its

expression in a person’s chart will depend upon life’s influences
upon the person.

Pluto: In charts where Pluto is rising – without other influences --

I’ve often seen that the person is out of touch with their own power
(such people often project their Plutos/power onto others). In a few
cases, I’ve also seen the acting out of great intensity.
Rahu/North Node: The North Node (aka Rahu) is such a chameleon
that predicting its effect is difficult (it takes on the qualities of all of
the planets that influence it). Nevertheless, I’ve seen extremes of
either narcissism or self-effacement with Rahu rising, and in some
cases very short or very tall stature.

Ketu/South Node: Here the pattern of self-effacement is often

present. The person is mild-mannered and can be easily overlooked.

Part Four: The Angles and The Strongest Planets

When I first started doing astrology, I used the Placidus House

System for all of my work. At one of my visits to the Sphinx
metaphysical bookstore in Boston, I was psychically instructed (by
my Angels) to purchase an astrology book, <I>The Astrology of
Inner Space </I>by Carl Payne Tobey.

In this book I discovered a compelling argument for the use of the

Equal House System, where the degree on each house cusp is the
same as the degree of the Ascendant, in sequential signs. For
example, if I have 25 degrees of Leo as my Ascendant, then I have 25
degrees of Virgo as the beginning of the Second House, etc. In this
system, the Midheaven is not the beginning of the 10thhouse; instead
the 10th house cusp has the same degrees as the Ascendant, and its
sign is ten signs forward from the Ascendant.

I began comparing and testing the two house systems, and found that
the Equal House System was by far the more accurate one. (I
subsequently discovered that the largest research study ever done in
astrology was on house systems, and after a decade of research
involving scores of astrologers and thousands of charts, it reached
the same conclusion: that for both natal and predictive work, Equal
Houses were the most accurate.)
Whether you decide to use the Equal House System or another
housing method – I realize that different systems speak to different
people – always pay attention to planets that aspect the Ascendant.
That’s because planets at the same degree as the Ascendant, in any
sign, are among the strongest planets in a person’s chart. For
example, Antonio Bandaras has 6 degrees Pisces rising, and Mars in
Gemini at 5 degrees, so his Mars becomes greatly strengthened, and
one of the most powerful planets in his chart. No wonder he has
often been chosen for “martian” roles (e.g. the gunfighter, bandit,
rebel, etc.).

As I learned Vedic astrology, I came across a verse in the Vedic

classical work Phaladeepika (one of the foremost classics in Jyotish)
that stated: if a planet is at the same degree as the Ascendant, it gives
its full effect. In other words, this ancient work confirmed my own
findings.

The Strength of Planets as a result of their Aspect to the Ascendant

Angle to the Orb to be used Strength of Planet

Ascendant
Square, at Top of 5 degrees ++++++++
Chart
Conjunct 5 degrees +++++++
Square, at Bottom 5 degrees +++++
of Chart
Opposite 5 degrees ++++
Trine 2 degrees +++
Sextile 2 degrees ++
Quincunx, 1 degree +
Semisextile
As the above table illustrates, planets at the top of the chart (square
to the Ascendant) and rising are the strongest, while planets that are
trine or opposite the Ascendant are still emphasized, but much less
so. I have not yet researched the result of combining the Vedic
principle of dig bala with the above weighting system, but if they do
synergize, then Saturn at the Descendant (or Moon or Venus at the
bottom of the chart) would become very, very strong.

Remember, however, that the closer to the actual degree of the

Ascendant, the stronger a planet is. So for a chart with 15 degrees of
Aries rising, a planet at 17 degrees of Aries (2 degrees away from the
Ascendant) would be stronger than a planet at the top of the chart at
10 degrees of Capricorn (5 degrees away from the square to the
Ascendant).

One final note: I have two close friends with very similar charts, but
one has Neptune at the top of his chart (square his Ascendant) by
Equal Houses, and the other has Neptune conjunct the MC. The first
person is a pioneer in New Age music and art, and is very Neptunian
in his style and tastes. The second person (with Neptune conjunct the
MC) has a business with Neptune themes (fountains, etc.) but is not
very Neptunian in other ways. In other words, planets at the
Ascendant degrees are much stronger than planets at the MC’s
degrees.

Part Five: Conclusion

The Ascendant influences everything about us, our comfort in

being alive and embodied, our self-confidence, our ability to utilize
our gifts, our health, and our success in life. We can certainly learn
how to support ourselves if there are factors challenging the
Ascendant, and we can give thanks for what already strengthens
ourselves and our Ascendant.
 We can bolster our Ascendant in many ways. We can pace
ourselves (and accept our physical limitations) if our energy is
uneven. We can learn how to prop up our self esteem and rid
ourselves of the negative messages we’ve received as children (and
that we have perpetuated ourselves). We can ask for feedback, and
apply it, if our manner unconsciously alienates others. And we can
work to develop our gifts if accessing them doesn’t come easily.

In any case, a careful examination of our own Ascendant, and

those of others, gives us many great insights into the nature of each
person’s lot in life, and their life’s journey.

The sign rising (Ascendant) changes sign about every two

hours, as depicted in the following animated Winter Solstice
chart (for one day, starting at Sunrise):
In the above animation, you can see the Sun rise,
culminate, set, and anticulminate, as the Ascendant
changes sign (look where 9:00 would be on a clock face)
during each two hour interval.

In the chart for a person born during the day, the top half of
the chart is illuminated by the Sun, which is, of course,
visible during the day. For a night-time birth, the Sun is on
the opposite side of the Earth, and so the top half of the
chart is shown above as black, for night.

Beginning astrologers often ask, "Why is South at the top of

the chart instead of North?" The answer is that astrology
developed in the Northern Hemisphere, and one has to face
South to see the planets in the visible sky. (E.g. At noon, the
Sun can be seen high in the sky when facing South.)
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Every chart has within it several components:

1. The Planets.
Charts show the positions of the planets at the moment of
birth. Their positions are show both by sign and by house.

You can click on any of the planet names or symbols above

to open a page describing each planet in greater detail.
 The Sun

Astronomy: From Earth's perspective, the Sun makes a one year revolution around
us. The Sun is not only the source of all life on Earth, but the cauldron from which all
of the elements in the Earth were created. The Sun is responsible for 10% of the
ocean tides.
Correspondences: Ruby, diamond, cat's eye, gold; sunflower, marigold, musk,
saffron, rice, citrus, cinnamon, all aromatic herbs; deep yellows, orange, gold, amber,
all shades of brown; eagle, starfish, firefly, all felines, peacock, lion, cock, horse;
Sunday; circles, full curves; sweet and pungent flavors; kings, magistrates, religious
and spiritual leaders, those in authority positions, jewelers, bankers; heart,
circulatory system, thymus, spleen, constitutional diseases and defects, anemia,
hemophilia, energy depletion, hereditary illnesses; from 23 to 41 years of life.
Principles: Wholeness, uniqueness, fulfillment, assertion, confidence, self-
realization, leadership, creativity, administration, individuation, independence,
gallantry, generosity, dignity, purposefulness, loyalty, self and Self.
Actions: Shining, leading, teaching, playing, dancing, achieving, climbing, promoting,
approving, aiding, developing, creating, generating, energizing, reassuring, daring,
rallying, strengthens, backing, enlightening, opening, actualizing, defending,
protecting, pioneering, giving, empowering.
The Gifts of the Sun: The ability to provide the warmth, encouragement, support,
and inspiration to allow others to blossom and individuate. Unbridled creativity,
humor, and passion that brightens others' days. Enables one to accept oneself, warts
and all, and to allow a full unfoldment of one's own beingness.

The lessons Sun has to learn:

1. Let others shine (to not hog the limelight).

2. Become immune to flattery and similar manipulations by cultivating humility.
3. To become a Source of Light instead of simply entertaining.
4. Learn to express upsets without dumping intense negative energy upon
others.
5. Mastery in becoming patient, calm, willing to surrender, listen, and cooperate.
6.
7. The ability to let go of others.

2. The Signs.
There are twelve signs of the Zodiac:

(You can click on any of the sign names or glyphs to find out
more about them, and their corresponding planet and
house.)
As you can see above, each of the signs resides in an element.
Fire signs are assertive, expressive, warm, and extroverted;
Earth signs are practical, grounded, conservative, and
disciplined; Air Signs are verbal, visual, social, and cerebral;
and Water signs are tender, receptive, nurturing, and
sensitive.
Again, you can click on any of the sign names or symbols
above to open a page describing each sign in greater detail,
including information on the planet ruling the sign and the
house associated with it.

Each sign spans a total of 30 degrees, and in charts, planets

are shown at the specific degrees of a sign that they occupy.
E.g. in the Western chart above, the Sun is at 28 degrees of
Gemini.
3. The Houses.
There are twelve houses in each birth chart, numbered one
through twelve.

To learn about the meanings of each house, click

here and here.
4. The Aspects. There are five major aspects used in birth
chart work.

The lines you see drawn between planets (in a chart) are the
aspect lines.

You can learn about the aspects by clicking here.

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Putting it all together
The task of the astrologer is to put all of the chart factors
together to weave an understanding of the person.

One simple metaphor is that the planets are the actors, the
signs are their roles, and the houses the stage upon which
they appear. And the aspects are the relationships between
the actors.

As such, each planet expresses the energy of the sign it

resides in, in the planet's own unique way, in the areas of life
represented by the house it occupies.
For example, Paula Abdul has the planet Venus -- the artist,
singer, creative one -- at the top of her Western chart in the
house of career, in the sign of Leo -- the Queen.

I hope this very basic introduction will help you on your

astrological way