Suggestions for someone who does not connect with their sun sign/natal chart?

bryn

Getting into tarot has naturally exposed me to a lot more to folks who are interested in astrology as well. I tend to be quite skeptical of astrology, but thought I'd learn more about my sign and natal charts to get the gist of what it's about. I'm a Leo, but have to say that I don't really see any of the typical characteristics of this sign in me at all. I'm not particularly loud, boisterous, the life of the party, or enjoy being the center of attention. While I'm outgoing with friends, I'm definitely quite reserved with strangers or in a professional setting. Long story short, I don't really feel related to this archetype, and was wondering if any of you had similar experiences, but managed to still take an interest in your natal chart or other aspects of astrology?
 

tapasr_57772aeb7

Getting into tarot has naturally exposed me to a lot more to folks who are interested in astrology as well. I tend to be quite skeptical of astrology, but thought I'd learn more about my sign and natal charts to get the gist of what it's about. I'm a Leo, but have to say that I don't really see any of the typical characteristics of this sign in me at all. I'm not particularly loud, boisterous, the life of the party, or enjoy being the center of attention. While I'm outgoing with friends, I'm definitely quite reserved with strangers or in a professional setting. Long story short, I don't really feel related to this archetype, and was wondering if any of you had similar experiences, but managed to still take an interest in your natal chart or other aspects of astrology?
Research western sidereal astrology, or vedic if you want a little Hinduism in your spiritual diet. In sidereal you are probably a cancer. Also keep in mind that sun sign astrology is garbage. You have a moon and an ascendant, and both of these will color your personality to a degree.

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Barleywine

A birth chart is a kind of matrix or mandala that has to be read as a whole using the judicious art of synthesis, which is a technical way of saying "weighting." Essential dignities are one of the ways we do this. In simplistic terms I sometimes think of the signs as "lenses" through which the energies of the planets are filtered. So if we have Mars in Aries, we might think of it as a double dose of "red" (what my French-Canadian mother-in-law used to call "red-red" - or very red - in her inventive English) and everything that implies symbolically. Mars in Scorpio might be seen as a tempering of red with a kind of blue-green, producing an "off-purple," and "purple prose" is one way to describe the kind of prurient language that Scorpio is sometimes associated with. These are fanciful notions with a serious intent.

When I was learning astrology, much was said about the planets showing the "what" in a three-part combination, the houses the "where" and the "signs the "why" and "how." I also used to think of it like a three-person sports commentary team on TV; you have one announcer describing the on-field action, another analyzing the "play-by-play," and a third - usually a retired jock - providing the anecdotal "color."
 

Minderwiz

I'm a Leo - Leo rising, which is what the traditional definition of a Leo would be. The Sun sign being secondary to the Ascendant. But the description of a Leo you give, doesn't fit me either. I'm not loud or boisterous, though I do like to be the centre of attention. I'm certainly not the life and soul of the party but then I know I don't have to be. I do like showing off a bit, and I do like performing - I was a college lecturer for nearly 40 years and there's no better way of showing off, than teaching (provided you know the stuff). My Sun though is in Libra, it's Fall and so I'm a little shy and uncertain about myself.

Now don't be taken in by Sun Signs, unless you were born around dawn, they don't carry a lot of weight. Indeed those Sun Sign columns only work because the Sun is the easiest planet to predict in terms of it's placement at any one time of the year but it's not infallible, according to the dates given for those columns, I should be a Scorpio. Also those columns do assume you were born at or around dawn, and their predictions are based on that assumption. That's why they are largely wrong, though for some people they work very well.

You also need to look for your Ascendant (which requires you to know the time you were born) and at the positions of the Moon and the other seven visible planets (as these are the more important ones but by all means add in the outers if you want).

There are a number of ways you could try and assess your personality, the most frequent being the 'element count' for Modern Astrologers. but the Traditional Temperament calculation actually fits in better with psychology. Many of the theories of learning differences seem to be base on it (though the authors wouldn't admit that).

Ascendant, Moon and Sun are the basis of that approach and those are the three key personality indicators. You should be able to find those placements if you go to Astro.com and enter your natal details to get your own chart.

So the thing to pick up from this thread is that Sun Signs are but one of many factors that you need to identify begin to blend to get a more tempered and rounded view of your character.
 

bryn

@RohanMenon Thanks for including those links - I was not aware about the history behind the current meanings! Definitely gives me something to think about.

@All Thanks for the tips on how to dive a little deeper into my chart and interpret my sun sign in the context of other information. Unfortunately I am studying for an exam this week (!!) but will look more into the aspects you mentioned this weekend and post an update :)