Each astrologer has their strengths and weaknesses, and it's hard for a beginner to know which books and authors are reliable and which are not.

Among the themes are:

1. The power of the rising sign. The Ascendant controls the expression of all of the points in the chart.

2. The importance of the first house. Separate from the considerations in #1 is the fact that if there are planets in the first house, then they often have a profound impact on not only the self image but on the whole manner of expressing and embodying oneself. Never ignore first house planets.

3. Focality. The method used to determine which planets are strongest is as follows:

     A. Planets conjunct, square, or opposite the Ascendant within 6 degrees or less are very, very strong in the chart.

     B. The Sun and Moon are always important, as are planets in tight (5 degrees or preferably less) aspect to them.

     Note: with both A and B above, the closer the planet or aspect to the Sun, Moon, or Rising, the stronger the emphasis. Therefore a planet 2 degrees from being exactly square the Ascendant is much stronger than one 5 degrees above the Ascendant. Note also that I specifically omitted the M.C. from this consideration.

     C. Bucket Handles. If a planet (or group of conjunct planets) is alone in half of the sky (i.e. with no planets in the two houses on either side of them), then they are very much strengthened and very important in the chart.

     D. Stationary Planets. If a planet stood still within a day of the birth date, the planet becomes stronger and more important in the interpretion.

4. The Strongest Aspects. Some astrologers don't realize that the strongest aspects in the chart carry the most energy. Draw a chart with only aspect lines having one and a half degree orb or less. This "x-ray chart" will show you the strongest dynamics in the chart.

5. Accurate Assessment of Predominances.  There must be a clearcut predominance for this theme to be important, but just counting numbers is not enough. If a person has their Rising, Sun, Moon, and another focal planet (other than Saturn*) in fire, they definitely have a fire predominance.

*Since Saturn has difficulty in Fire and Water signs, omit counting it in assessing how many planets are in fire or water (if it is in those elements).