One of the typical novice mistakes in practical Astrology is to attempt natal chart reading by splitting it into separate parts. For instance, starting with Venus in Virgo description, switching to Mercury’s aspect to Pluto, jumping to Mars in the 9th house and polishing it with a definition of a planetary stellium or fixed star, results not in a chart reading but rather fractured pieces of information. This approach is usually adorned with standard and frankly, blunt “textbook” interpretations like “Jupiter in the 5th house means an abundance of children”. Which causes even more confusion, because this way, inevitably, different components of the chart will contradict one another.
It’s not for me to tell you that human nature is a little bit more complex than a rigid formula-like standardized portrayal. And though at the start of learning Astrology it’s hard to avoid preset old-school interpretations since they help to grasp the essence of a certain sign, planet or aspect, it’s necessary to realise that they are just a stepping stone in studying the subject and should not be used in actual chart analysis. Likewise, the initial separate learning of all the components of the chart is an educational process, but not a way of chart interpretation in professional reading.
Imagine the difference between the exquisite salad with complex ingredients and elaborate seasoning, and separate bowls of randomly chopped vegetables with salt and pepper shakers at reach.
Personal natal chart analysis is (like a salad) synthesis of all its elements. It develops from general to specific, from main to secondary, from prominent to subtle but always as an ensemble of all the components because they are interconnected and can not be taken out of the context of the natal chart.