The sign that the planet falls in shows how you express that energy. There are several different groups that the signs fall into. Each sign belongs to one of the elements fire, earth, air and water; one of the modes cardinal (initiating), fixed and mutable (adaptable) and one of the polarities positive (active) or negative (receptive). The combination of these makes up the unique meaning of each sign. Briefly, these are:

	Aries The ram. Fire, cardinal, positive. Assertive; pioneering; action oriented; selfish and rash.
	Taurus The bull. Earth, fixed, negative. Loyal; practical; patient; inflexible and lazy.
	Gemini The twins. Air, mutable, positive. Versatile; curious; communicative; superficial and inconsistent.
	Cancer The crab. Water, cardinal, negative. Protective; nurturing; sympathetic; moody and possessive.
	Leo The lion. Fire, fixed, positive. Generous; playful; dramatic; arrogant and narcissistic.
	Virgo The virgin. Earth, mutable, negative. Discriminating; analytical; modest; critical and fussy.
	Libra The scales. Air, cardinal, positive. Diplomatic; sociable; cooperative; indecisive and passive.
	Scorpio The scorpion. Water, fixed, negative. Emotional; penetrating; intense; secretive, and vindictive.
	Sagittarius The centaur. Fire, mutable, positive. Enthusiastic; idealistic; outgoing; irresponsible and tactless.
	Capricorn The goat. Earth, cardinal, negative. Responsible; persistent; ambitious; pessimistic and overly conventional.
	Aquarius The water bearer. Air, fixed, positive. Independent; inventive; non-conforming; impersonal and detached.
	Pisces Water, mutable, negative. Imaginative; compassionate; dreamy, escapist and deceptive.

For example, the planet Mercury describes how you communicate with other people. If it's in go-getting Aries, you're likely to be assertive whereas if it falls in diplomatic Libra, you probably have a strong dose of charm.

Obviously, there are many more meanings associated with both the planets and the signs in this way. As well as indicating types of energy, the planets also refer to certain people in your life, for example Mercury represents your siblings and neighbors. They are also associated with different objects in the same way. The relationship between the planets and the signs can be quite complex. They are happier, or fit more easily, in some signs than others and this affects how they express their energies.

The relationships between the planets are also important. Astrologers call these relationships "aspects". Planets that are close together in your horoscope blend their energies. For example, if the Moon and Mercury are close together in your horoscope, you can articulate what you feel and your mode of communication is emotional. Those that are opposite often act as if they're in a tug of war. For example, if Venus is opposite Saturn in your horoscope, you are cautious in building new relationships. A number of different aspects are used when delineating your horoscope ranging from flowing, easy connections to stressful and difficult connections.

To know in which areas of your life the signs and planets have most effect other factors need to be looked at. As the earth turns the zodiac appears to move across the sky. There are twelve zodiac signs and one circle is completed every twenty-four hours. That means that about every two hours the sign that rises on the eastern horizon changes. The sign that's rising at the place and time you were born is called your rising sign or ascendant. That sign describes your outer personality, what you reveal of yourself to the world in general. (Without your time of birth, you can't calculate your ascendant although experienced astrologers can often work backwards from your personality and events in your life to work out what it's likely to be.)

The ascendant is sued to divide your horoscope into a further twelve sections. These are the houses and show the different areas of life. For example, the seventh house describes your close relationships. The house that a planet falls in describes in what area of your life it manifests most strongly. The basic meanings of the houses are:

Each of the different parts of the chart are put together like pieces of a jigsaw, and by combining the meanings of the planets, signs and houses, every issue and every situation that can possibly occur in your life can be described.

Your horoscope is a map that appears as a two dimensional chart. It shows the planets frozen in their position at the moment of your birth. Interpreting these positions exposes a lot of information about you. This doesn't suggest that everything in your life has already been decided. It's up to you to decide how to play the hand that life has dealt you, but your horoscope helps you to do this by reflecting your natural inclinations, showing lessons you have to learn and outlining issues you need to face. Understanding your horoscope gives you insight into the reasons you behave as you do.

Although your horoscope remains the same throughout your life, the planets continue their cycles amongst the stars. By comparing where the planets are now to where they were when you were born is how astrologers make forecasts. Some combinations will be more difficult than others. If you know when a difficult time may occur for you personally, you can prepare for it. You can also work out when would be a good time for you to undertake a course of action, for example apply for a new job. Your horoscope is a map of your life, and it's up to you to choose which direction you want to take on it.