An astrology reading uses a person's birth chart, built from their exact birth date, time, and location, to explore personality, timing, and life patterns. The reader interprets the position of the sun, moon, and planets at the moment of birth, along with how current planetary movements interact with that original chart.

During a session, an astrologer will often start with the basics: sun sign, moon sign, and rising sign, before moving into specific questions about love, career, or timing. A reader may point out active transits affecting a client's chart right now, explain why a certain pattern keeps repeating, or walk through compatibility between two people's charts if that's the focus of the reading.