“Whether you have a long-standing relationship with astrology or are just beginning your journey, this book is a valuable addition to your shelf. It provides a solid foundation for beginners and offers new insights and perspectives to seasoned professionals. Laurie Farrington has delivered the book we’ve all needed and been waiting for—even though we may not have realized it.” —from the foreword by Theresa Reed, author of Astrology for Real Life   Each of us possesses an individual astrology chart, cast for the moment of our first breath. This natal chart is a complex document with a mind-boggling amount of information hidden within its patterns and symbols. Even for those with a firm knowledge of the language of astrology, the amount of information involved can be overwhelming.   Understanding the basics of signs, planets, houses, and aspects is the first step for anyone interested in this topic. It must then be determined what is most important and how to merge the many astrological patterns into a coherent whole. Master astrologer Laurie Farrington distills her decades of experience into a clear and concise system you can use to prepare and interpret natal charts, whether your own, those of friends and family, or for your clients as a professional astrologer.   How to Read and Interpret a Birth Chart provides sixteen guideposts to work systematically with each and every chart you encounter so that you will be able to understand any birth chart with confidence.   The topics covered include: Day Charts/Night Charts Hemisphere/Quadrant Balance The Moon—Mother and Inner Security Expression and Navigation of Personality Balance of Life Development—Planetary Rulership