Planets
Learn what each planet represents and means at its base level. For example, Mercury = communication and the mind. Mars = action and drive. This helps you see how each planet expresses in specific signs. Identify what planet rules each sign.
Dominant Planets/Sect
In your own chart, determine the impact planets for when you are ready to chart their interaction with other planets. Arguably, the most important planet in your chart is the chart ruler and its house placement. If born in am, you have a diurnal chart (favorable planets Sun, Saturn,, Jupiter). If born in the pm, you have a nocturnal chart (favorable planets: Moon, Venus, Mars). Also, check the placement of the planet that is your decan ruler.
Predictive Astrology
The planets are constantly changing especially faster moving ones (Moon, Mercury, Venus, Sun). When planets change signs, they present changes to what you experience from your natal chart. For example, when Mars moves into a sign that squares your natal Mars, you may experience tension or conflict. Additional charts that use your birth chart as the reference point help understand current experiences and phases. Transits, solar arc, secondary progression, and solar return charts are the most common.
Planet + Signs
Learn how the planets and signs interact to understand the experience in your chart. Learn rulership, exaltation, fall, and detriment. Mars in its native sign of Scorpio may express easier with more purity in description than if you also have Jupiter in Virgo, a sign it traditionally struggles to fully expand in requiring very intentional lessonsd and reflection.
Elements/Modalities
Baseline understanding of the similarities of the elements. What makes a water sign, earth sign, air sign, and fire sign? They draw from the same essential source of energy in terms of expression.
If elements can be linked to "being" or expression, modalities can show the flow or way in which signs express and behave. Fire can be passionate but Aries is Cardinal. Cardinal signs move forward with pure direction but Leo is Fixed, it wants to arrange external things around what already "is", Taurus is Earth and so is Virgo but Virgo is mutable, shifting through information and changing approaches to be "exact". Taurus is fixed - more rooted and less impacted by new information.
Asteroids
Asteroids allow us to interpret even more nuance to an individual's chart that cannot be seen alone with the primary planets. These asteroids make connections to the planets, or if alone, they impact the areas of the house placement (just not as loud as a planet). For example, If you find yourself fascinated by the minds of others but can't figure out a why but have a Psyche in Gemini that could be why.
Houses
The birth chart is broken into 12 houses or areas of life. Studying the houses independent of signs supports allows you to understand the major themes and help gain insight into the subjects associated with that house no matter what planet or sign is there. You want to understand the planet+sign+house placement first of major placements (chart ruler, sun placement, and moon placement are a good start).
Aspects
Study the relationships between the planets in your chart and how they behave with each other. Do they blend like a conjunct? Polarize each other like an opposition? Present obstacles or pressure points like a square, or harmonize like a trine? A planet you may not pay a lot of attention to is important if it has a close degree to your Sun. Aspects to dominant planets are also important,
Degree Theory
Based on Nikola Stojanović’s degree theory, *Not all astrologers use this approach as it is relatively new compared to other astrological practices. each degree follows the zodiac order: 1° Aries, 2° Taurus, 3° Gemini, through 12° Pisces, then repeats with 13° Aries, 14° Taurus, and so on through 29° Leo. When interpreting your placements, you can apply degree theory to provide additional insight into the energy and tendencies of the individual.