If you’re an astrology lover, but aren’t familiar with all of the terminology that goes along with it, you’re not alone. Let’s learn together! Here are some common astrology terms defined and explained.
Retrograde
Erin Magner, a writer for wellandgood.com explains this phenomenon really well. She states, “You know when you’re stopped at a traffic light, the car next to you starts creeping forward, and you feel like you’re suddenly going in reverse? That’s essentially what’s happening when a planet is in retrograde: The earth is orbiting past the planet at a faster pace than that planet is moving, so the other planet appears to be moving backward. It’s often associated with things going haywire—AKA the dreaded Mercury retrograde—but you can also look at retrograde periods as an opportunity to slow down and troubleshoot the hidden bugs in your life.”
Houses
Have you ever heard this term referenced? Houses are found on the zodiac sphere and are also divided up into twelve “pie pieces”. Each one represents an area of life and adds deeper meaning in terms of explaining your sign and how it interacts with various planets. The above mentioned article also breaks down each house meaning in the following way. It says, “1st house: The self, new beginnings, independence. 2nd house: Money, material possessions, day-to-day work tasks. 3rd house: Communication, ideas, short-distance travel. 4th house: Home, family, emotions. 5th house: Creativity, fun, romance. 6th house: Health, organization and routines, service. 7th house: Relationships (both professional and romantic), contracts, marriage. 8th house: Sex, mystery, other people’s money. 9th house: Learning, spirituality, long-distance travel. 10th house: Achievement, tradition, authority. 11th house: Friendships, technology, humanitarianism. 12th house: Intuition, the arts, endings.”
Ascendant
You may have also heard the term ‘rising sign’ instead of ascendant. These two terms are interchangeable. It’s used to describe your personality, style and physical body. Identifying this aspect of astrology can help you uncover what gives energy to you physically. It can also help you learn more about the way you approach life in general.
Natal Chart
A natal chart is a map of the sky at the exact moment you were born and from the exact location. In the astrology world, this information is said to tell a lot about your personality as well as the challenges and opportunities you will have in your life. Pair this information with your sun sign (the location of the sun the moment you were born) which reflects your core essence. Also, compare it to your moon sign (the location of the moon the moment you were born) which reflects your emotions. Lastly, see how it compares to your rising sign. This will give you the most accurate depiction of how your life will pan out.
There are many different facets of astrology and a large number of terms that go with each one. These explanations will help shed some light on some of the commonly used words/phrases.
