There is a bit more to it than that. The interpretation of these charts will always be done from within a framework of understanding. What I mean by that is - like if you tell your memories or dreams to a Freudian or a Jungian analyst, you're going to get different interpretations from each of them because they will be looking at that information from different frameworks of understanding. 2000 years ago you might have been told that you were fated by the will of the gods of love and war to have such and such a destiny. Nowadays you're more likely to hear that until you work through your relationship issues you're going to keep finding yourself attracted to this or that sort of partner. Different concepts but it's the same thing happening.
I began studying Astrology in 1985 (along with the study of Tarot, the I Ching, Buddhist, Taoist and Hindu philosophies) and before that had spent six years studying psychology and western philosophies; sometimes full-time, sometimes part-time. I have also worked with my hands for a living - doing woodwork, painting, sound and lighting for theatrical productions.
The Planets The Signs The Houses and The Aspects.
These are the basic building blocks of the Astrological Birth Chart (Natal Horoscope). The Zodiac is the circle of twelve Signs around the ecliptic. (The path described by the apparent movement of the Sun against the background of the sky - not that you can see this background when you can see the Sun. That's one to think about!) The circle divided into 12 segments. The Sun moves once around the circle each year. The circle turns around the Earth once each day (that's what it looks like from here) and the Houses are derived from dividing that daily revolution into twelve segments.
The Sun at the end of March is in the Sign Aries. Just after sunrise that point (degree - 30 degrees per Sign - 360 degrees around a circle) that point is in the 12th. House, by midday going into the 9th. House and at sunset is moving from the 7th. into the 6th. House. Each of the Planets, at any given time, is in a Sign and a House.
At one time the Planets
(astrologically rather than astronomically speaking) were the moving lights
in the sky. The Sun, The Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn. These
were the changes that were seen to influence us. Allow that we
are influenced by changes we do not see signs of, and you can allow Uranus,
Neptune, Pluto, Chiron (a very small planet that orbits between Saturn and Uranus),
numerous asteroids (becoming more numerous every day) and even the Uranian Points
(these 'planets' have not actually been discovered yet but some people swear
by them) and Arabic Parts.
When I'm interpreting a chart I use the major planets and Chiron, and also consider
4 of the asteroids.
The Aspects between Planets
are to do with resonance. If you imagine the line around the circle stretched
out, a long string, like a guitar string. Fixed at each end, that string can
vibrate. Fixed also in the middle, if one side vibrates then the other will
resonate with it and a sympathetic vibration happens. Resonance like this will
occur when the string is divided at specific points along its length. Some points
produce harmonic resonance and some produce disharmonic resonance. These points
correspond to certain angles around the circle (30 degrees, 60, 90, 120, 180
and others).
If the positions in the Zodiac of two planets are 90 degrees apart, for example,
then those planets are said to be in Square Aspect. Astrologers will allow a
certain amount of give or take with the angles - it doesn't have to be exactly
90 degrees or exactly 150 degrees - the Aspect is still found to be effective.
The amount of leeway allowed (orb) is dependent on the type of chart being considered
and the planets and angles involved.