If you’re stumbling upon this page, you’re likely familiar with astrology, have looked at your horoscope in the paper or online, or just curious — and I warmly welcome you!
While astrology tends to get a bad rap for being “woo woo” these days, but that was not always the case. It was once revered as one of the “7 Sciences” that advisors and scholars had to learn through years of rigorous studies, prior to being even considered consulted by the king. Also consider, astrology was also used as basic form of navigation as well. For millennia humans have been staring at and consulting the stars, which we still carry on that innate human tradition today.
But how will consulting the stars help you, even during the day?
Easy, and you can consult astrology for nearly anything and everything, and you don’t need years of study to understand the basics. Some immediate benefits can be for self-awareness to planning your week to understanding relationships better.
We’ll cover some of the practical that anyone can practice right away — no prior knowledge required. Even better, there’s no “wrong” way to explore astrology. My promise to you is to provide simple, actionable advice throughout.
Foundations
Start With Your Big Three: Sun, Moon, and Rising Signs
You likely know your Sun sign, it’s the sign many seek out in published horoscopes. This is the month period you were born in. It’s the phrases like ”I’m a Scorpio, I can’t help being jealous” that many refer to. I would say you’re right — but not entirely.
That’s only a small part of the puzzle. The Big Three give a fuller picture than Sun sign alone.
Quick perspective check: we [by being on Earth] are not the only planet in the universe correct? Then, why stop there? Why would we ascribe meaning just to one planet or celestial entity?
Remember that ancient astrologers, while they didn’t have telescopes, they could see most of the most planetary bodies by the naked eye, and they developed a language system based on correlational patterns used for guidance and predictions. For daily practical use, you can ascertain a large amount of information just from looking at three parts of your natal chart — Sun, Moon, and Rising.
Sun: Your core identity, your ego [part of your psyche], general lifeforce
Moon: Your emotional inner world, physical needs, what you need to feel safe
Rising (a.k.a. Ascendant): How you filter and view the world (even your birth chart), how others perceive you
Prior to even applying this knowledge, knowing your Sun sign is limiting. Knowing these not only lay the foundations for future astrological learning, but this can help benefit in understanding why you react certain ways, why people might misread you, and what you need emotionally. This isn’t technical—just helpful self-knowledge.
How to Find Your Big Three Chart in Minutes
Before we start getting into the fun application, we need to get our information. I’ll show you how easy it is to get started with required birth data:
Birth date
Birth place
Birth time
Important note: If you don’t have an accurate birth time — Sun and Moon are still accurate and likely still resonate. Check with parents, birth certificate, or baby book for the birth time. Sometimes even requesting from the hospital for copy of birth certificate can be helpful.
Once you have that you can go to Google and search “natal (or birth) chart calculator” and hundreds of sites will populate and able to provide this basic information. Two of my favorite sites include : Astro-Seek & Astro.com
Use Your Sun, Moon, and Rising to Understand Yourself Better
Now that you have your Big Three in front of you, let’s break down what each one actually means for your day-to-day life — no astrologer decoder ring required.
Sun Sign: Your Core Self
Think of your Sun sign as your main character energy. It’s your life themes, what energizes you, what fuels you, and the essence of who you are when you’re being most authentically you.
For example: A Sun in Leo might genuinely love being center stage and leading projects, while a Sun in Virgo might prefer working behind the scenes, perfecting the details. Neither is better or worse — they’re just different expressions of core identity.
Practical application: Notice what environments or activities make you feel most alive. Does your work or daily routine align with your Sun sign’s natural tendencies? If you’re a social fire sign stuck in a solitary role with limited interaction or freedom of movement, that friction might explain why you feel drained.
Moon Sign: Your Emotional Operating System
Your Moon sign is where things get personal. This is how you process and express emotions, what you need to feel safe and comfortable, how to nourish your body, mind, and spirit, and how you recharge when life gets overwhelming. It’s your emotional inner world that not everyone gets to see.
For example: A Moon in Cancer needs emotional security, familiar spaces, and probably has a deeply important relationship with “home” (whatever that means to them). Meanwhile, a Moon in Aquarius needs space, independence, and might intellectualize emotions, rather than feeling the feelings.
Practical application: Example: self-care. If you have a water Moon (Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces), you probably need regular emotional processing time — journaling, therapy, deep conversations. If you have an air Moon (Gemini, Libra, Aquarius), you might process feelings by talking them through or intellectualizing them. Honor what your Moon actually needs, not what Instagram wellness culture tells you that you should need.
Rising Sign: Your Filter and First Impression
Your Rising sign (also called your Ascendant) is how you instinctively approach new situations and how others perceive you before they really know you. It’s your “social mask” — but not in a fake way. Think of it as the lens through which you view and interact with the world.
For example: Someone with Aries Rising might come across as confident, direct, and ready to take action, even if their Sun and Moon are in more reserved signs. A Libra Rising likely seems diplomatic, charming, and put-together, even if internally they’re a mess (we’ve all been there).
Practical application: First impressions : Ever feel like people completely misread you at first? That’s probably your Rising sign doing its thing. If you’re a sensitive Cancer Sun with a bold Sagittarius Rising, people might think you’re super outgoing and carefree — when really, you just present that way. Understanding this can help you be more patient with first impressions and recognize when your outer presentation doesn’t match your inner experience.
Putting It All Together: A Quick Example
Let’s say you’re a Capricorn Sun, Pisces Moon, Gemini Rising:
Your Sun (Capricorn) wants structure, achievement, and tangible results
Your Moon (Pisces) needs creative expression, emotional depth, and time to daydream
Your Rising (Gemini) makes you seem chatty, curious, and scattered to others
See the potential tension? Your core self wants to be serious and productive, but your emotional needs require flow and imagination, and people think you’re the fun, social one. No wonder you might feel pulled in different directions! Understanding these three parts helps you honor all of them instead of wondering why you can’t just “pick a personality.”
Your homework (if you want it): Write down your Big Three. Then for each one, jot down 2-3 ways you’ve seen that energy show up in your life this week. The patterns will start revealing themselves. Share in the comments what resonates with you!
If you would like to book a consultation to get an in-depth reading : Book Consultation
Feel free to download my introductory astrology guide PDF, containing information about each of the planets, aspects, houses and more!
Astro 101 Naos - 21.1MB ∙ PDF file. Download