Uno, Dos, y Tres: Sun/Moon/ Rising; "The Big Three"

So, what exactly is an astrology birth chart? Imagine it as the ultimate cosmic blueprint, capturing the precise positions of the sun, moon, planets, and other celestial bodies when entering this world. Like a divine snapshot, your birth chart reveals the influences shaping your personality, strengths, weaknesses, and potential future glories.

Sounds pretty dope, right? Welcome, stargazers and holistic educators (and anything/everything in between), to a brief 411 of your cosmic cocktail!

First, let's discuss "The Big Three": your sun, moon, and rising signs.

Your sun sign represents the essence of your being, your core identity. Think of it as the dance floor of your birth chart. Whether you're a fiery Leo strutting with confidence or a thoughtful Virgo perfecting every step, the sun illuminates your charisma and purpose.

Now, cue the dazzling moon—the planet that controls the tides of our emotions. In this cosmic cabaret, your moon sign reveals your deepest desires and emotional makeup. Are you a Pisces moon, floating in dreamy waters, or a Scorpio moon, with a fiery intensity that could rival a thousand suns (aka, do you have "I'll kill you in your sleep energy -- no judgment from this fellow water sign)? No matter where your moon resides, it shapes your innermost self and ignites the rhythmic beats of your heart.

Finally, your rising sign, or your Ascendant, determines your presentation to the world. Think of it like a suit of armor, akin to the ego you project. Simply put, your rising sign is the first impression you give to others. While our sun sign gives us insight into our true essence, our rising sign adds a captivating touch to how others see us. Imagine it as a photo filter, enhancing your cosmic snapshot with a touch of flair and excitement.

So, how do you determine your Sun, Moon, and Ascendant? I like using the website Cafe Astrology for a detailed explanation of birth charts. All you need to do is input your birthday (MMDDYYYY), place of birth (City, State), and exact time of birth. In about 1 minute or less, you'll be graced with a thorough explanation of your celestial placements. Trust me, you'll need to block out a solid 2 hours to get through it all-- it's lengthy (chunking is typically the best approach). To the best of my ability, I'll try to give any astro newbies and curious intermediates seeking easy takeaways/tips and tricks for navigating your chart in future posts; fear not!

What if you don't know your time of birth? Sadly, you will not know your Ascendant or "House" placements, but you'll still get an overview of your other planetary placements correlated to your divine personality. In other words, to avoid being too frou-frou, you'll have a sense of your Mars placement, Venus, Saturn, etc. In an effort to avoid inundating you with information in one post, we'll stick to the "Grande Tres" (Big Three) in this post.

In the meantime, I'm linking this to our Learn section on the site, but I like to follow @sanctuarywrld on Instagram for easy-to-read graphics that overview astrological concepts; here's one of my favorites related to our Big Three:

(this picture is used for educational purposes only, The Conscious Crabs do not own the rights to this picture)