Mercury
In a horoscope Mercury represents how your senses perceive the world, your thought process, how you communicate and short distance or routine travels. The sign where Mercury is found will indicate the manner or style of your speech and thought process while its house position will tell us the areas of life that interest you mentally. With Mercury in Leo and the sixth house your mind works in an organized, creative, strong willed and stubborn manner that is geared toward the pursuit of pleasure, romance and becoming the center of attention. You think and act with flair, can express yourself dramatically and are no stranger to a mirror. Children, hobbies, the theater, creative self-expression, sports and possibly investments, are subjects that can easily occupy your mind. You think and communicate most easily about your job, coworkers and your work condition and circumstances, health, nutrition and pets. (Mercury in the sixth) You will also study, either in class or on your own, anything that can help you in your work situation. In fact, you probably have a number of ideas to improve your work conditions. The dualistic and restless nature of Mercury also tells the experienced astrologer that you prefer to experience variety in your work, can easily multi-trask, and often have more than one iron in the fire. However, with Mercury square Neptune you can too easily confuse facts with fiction, truths with untruths and reality from day dreams. This is more than just having a "blond moment". You must resist the urge to make the facts fit your beliefs and can too easily get involved in a tall tale. You are essentially a kind person with great sensitivity, compassion, imagination and intuition. But, for your own good, you must become as practical and realistic as possible as early in life as you can. In addition, problems could easily occur when traveling over water such as on a cruise. When traveling in foreign counties, (especially as the president) don't drink the water and don't be surprised when you encounter both illusion and deception. (Mercury square Neptune in the ninth) With Mercury also opposite Jupiter you can attempt too much both mentally and verbally. You have big ideas, lofty goals and believe you can mentally accomplish what ever you want. However, you need to take the time to think things through before you speak to avoid promising more than you can realistically deliver. With Mercury trine the MC you easily express your thoughts and communicative abilities to achieve status, respect and authority. You think a lot about your career and have the ability to plan your success. You also have the ability to say the right thing at the right time in the right manner and to the right people.

Venus
The position of Venus in a horoscope tells the astrologer about your romantic nature, sensuality, artistic inclinations and your desire for and ability to form relationships. The sign position of Venus tells the astrologer the manner in which Venus must express its harmonious, social and loving nature. Its house position tells the astrologer the areas of life you most enjoy, where you form relationships and where money may enter your life. With Venus in Cancer and the fifth house, you express your romantic nature in a protective, warm and sensitive manner. You love to protect, nurture and otherwise mother those around you making you a textbook, ideal parent. The concept of home and family is at the core of your traditionally oriented, romantic nature. To you the demonstration of a lot of love fulfills your need for domestic and romantic security. You love children, the pursuit of pleasure, the expression of artistic talent and, of course, romance. Sensual and popular, you seek a traditional relationship. You were probably born with artistic talent and could earn money from either your creative self-expression, sports or through investments. You should make a very loving parent producing beautiful and artistic offspring. You are one of the few with a chance to win a lottery or be lucky at cards, bingo or the stock market. Remember that one indication of anything is just a possibility so please be careful with your money. With Venus trine Neptune and sextile Pluto in the seventh, you can easily exhibit a magnetic, sensual appeal. You have a soft, dreamy and peaceful side easily influenced by music and film amd poetry, (Venus trine Neptune) and are a sensitive, compassionate individual who naturally wants to elevate love and sensuality to an ethereal, almost mystical plane.  Love at first sight could forever transform your life. (Venus sextile Pluto) You could meet the love of your life while involved in charitable work, in college or through a church setting. (Venus trine Neptune in the ninth house) Highly sensual and sensitive, you believe in the power of love. For you love is an all or nothing deal. (Venus sextile Pluto) In this area you will not compromise as there is no middle ground. Money could enter your life through either inheritance, investments or by your own creative self expression and endeavors.

What you have just read would be followed by a reading of each of the other planets in the signs and houses of the horoscope. The student would also interpret each of the houses by reading the sign on the cusp of that house along with its ruling planet and any planets located within it. Most natal reports would end with a brief overview of the life followed by a simple and rather general forecast of the coming years. These are the factors our students would consider when reading a natal horoscope which, unlike what you have just read, would average about 25 pages in length.