The following is my approach in astrology, as someone who gives astrological consultations.
I do not use the zodiac signs (e.g. Aries, Taurus, and so forth) in my charts, for the reason that it is not possible to verify whether the zodiac signs, in their content, objectively correspond to the qualities of the universe in that aspect of space aligning with that 30 degree part of the zodiac. In my view, astrology is not merely a symbolic system, but astrology is implied to offer, at least in part, some causal explanation for events, facts, and qualities on the Earth. In this way, there is reliance on the premise that the zodiac signs signify true qualities of the universe in alignment with that area of the zodiac. Because we cannot verify whether the particular signs, such as Aries or Sagittarius, do thus correspond, it is not possible to be in a state of certitude or knowledge when the signs are involved in a given conclusion in astrology. (A state of knowledge is here understood to imply an understanding about how all the relevant parts are working in the system.)
In addition, I use the equal house system, where the exact degree of the ascendant degree begins the first house. This is because if we cannot be certain that the zodiac signs, and their divisions, truly indicate facts to us about the cosmic pattern ‘out there’, then neither will it be reasonable to permit the start of the first house to be wherever the beginning of the zodiac sign is, instead of match the exact degree of the ascendant. In the equal sign system, the ascendent degree determines the start of the first house. In the whole sign system, the start of the first house is made to match the start of the zodiac sign in which the ascedent degree resides. I use the equal house system, since the house framework then becomes more fitted to the data of that particular individual.
Next, it follows to describe my view about the houses. The houses seem to be more explanatorily reliable than the signs, because the houses correspond to directions and facts that everyone can observe and agree upon. In other words, we can all agree that the fourth house signifies the direction immediately below, but whether Taurus is accurately describing the region of space ‘out there’ cannot be so easily determined (and in my view, it cannot ultimately be proven or demonstrated). An underlying premise connected with the houses seems to be that the spatial orientation of the Earth corresponds, in some way, to the characteristic structures of the individual at the moment of birth, due to two further premises: (1) that actions of individuals are themselves actions of a larger sequence of cosmic organisms, and (2) that the Earth exists, in a certain way, as one particular oversoul for any particular human being born, or living, on the Earth. In this way, the house system, which maps the directional positions relative to the horizon at the location where the individual was born, might be said to be an image, in a certain way, of the configuration of the individual. Admittedly, the strength of my reasons for giving credence to the house system are less strong, compared to the proposition, for example, that the planets energetically affect life on Earth.
Next, we come to the planets. I work with the visible planets up to Saturn. I do not include Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto in my astrological system, since they cannot be observed by our senses, and I prefer to include the planets that can be directly observed in order for the astrological system to be more natural. For each planet, I consider just one aspect, the opposing, seventh aspect, which I interpret neuturally as signifying, in a prominent way, the presence of that planet or celestial element. I do not work with either (1) the aspects in Vedic astrology assigned to some planets, such as the fourth, seventh, and eighth for Mars, or (2) trines, squares, or sextiles from tropical astrology, since I feel that there is less certitude or confidence about what these aspects are said to signify. (For example, the trine and square are geometrically significant, but are there circumstances in which the trine yields difficulty? Why should not the triangular pattern involve strain at times, and the square pattern effortless support? For Vedic astrology, can we independently verify that Mars yields a more prominent aspect eight houses from itself, rather than five?) In contrast, the planet’s own position, and its immediate opposing, seventh aspect, are easy to acknowledge as signifying relevant energetic influences of that planet.
In this way, the astrological system I use involves (1) the Sun, Moon, the lunar nodes, and the planets up to Saturn and (2) the houses in an equal house system, where the first house begins at the exact degree of the ascendant, without (3) the zodiac signs.
I believe that the planets and the houses furnish a very complex web of data that can offer interesting insights. In addition, if we are using just the planets and the houses, I feel that there can be more confidence in the conclusions that are drawn about patterns and astrological insights, since there is less reliance on data that cannot be independently proven, such as the content of the signs. In other words, the planets and the houses refer to objects that we can see, and directions that we can ourselves map, and thus require a fewer number of beliefs that we cannot prove, or support, with our own independent resources.
I work with the natal chart of the individual. Although in Vedic astrology, there are additional charts that are used based on additional divisions, I only use the natal chart. The focus of my consultation work is to observe the patterns that are present in the natal chart in order to offer thoughts, ideas, and, hopefully, insights about the psychology and the karma—individul and other-related—associated with that individual.
I regard this practice in astrology as being exploratory and interesting, and has having some type of causal, explanatory force on events and facts in the world, due to the premises that (1) the energies and parts of any system or whole are interconnected, (2) the planets are parts within the whole of the solar system, (3) the substratum of matter can also be explained as an interconnected web of energy, as quantum physics indicates, and therefore, (4) that the nature of the planets and their positions yields, in some way, some concrete effects for life on Earth.
The astrological framework, involving (1) the Moon, Sun, lunar nodes, planets, and (2) the houses, becomes fitted, through the data point of the birth time and location, to the particularity of an individual, and permits me to offer elements of wisdom and insight in a customized, astrological configuration. The astrological framework, at least partially, serves as an intermediary for me to communicate spiritualistic ideas, responsive to the configuration of the natal chart, that may otherwise fail to intelligibly register or relate, due to one reason or another.
If you are interested in adventurously exploring these things in astrology, being okay with a large margin of error, and if you feel that this might resonate with you, you may be interested in my reading or session. It is important to note that the ideas I share in the reading or session are to be taken more as hypotheses than as demonstrated conclusions. I work in this area in an exploratory way, interested in detecting relevant patterns and insights from the celestial data, confident in the premise that all things are interconnected.