Astrology is HUGE. It’s made its way to mainstream attention, and it has stayed there ever since.
Even since newspapers, and even before that, you could find your horoscope at the drop of a hat. And with the advent of the internet, it’s only spread even more.
However, there is a bit of a blind spot. When you scroll past news sites and mainstream horoscope sources, you only usually get details on your sun sign. Maybe even your moon sign if you’re lucky.
What they don’t understand is that astrology is so much more than just the sun!
The Sun is only one planet (Yes, it’s a planet. Settle down, we’ll get to that later) that fits in a much larger system with the other planets. When you realize that all these pieces fit together, you get a more holistic view of what the stars have to say.
Now, to address the elephant in the room. Yes, the sun is considered a planet. The moon is a planet, too. In fact, even Pluto is still considered a planet. Of course, astronomically speaking, that wouldn’t fly. But with regards to Astrology, the Sun and the Moon are considered planets and even called “luminaries.”
The reason for this is that astrology’s views of the cosmos are primarily centered on Earth. That’s also why we don’t include the Earth in our charts because we live on it.
In astrology, each planet rules over a particular aspect of our lives and represent a unique set of qualities and characteristics. And, depending on their position in the Zodiac chart, they can express themselves very differently.
How PLANETS influence your zodiac sign
Sun
The Sun naturally rules Leo and takes 1 month to transit between signs.
The Sun is so powerful that it represents the sum of who you are in the present and the ideal self you continuously strive to be. If you were to give a basic rundown of who you are as a person, that information might very well encapsulate your Sun.
As the giver of life, the Sun also symbolizes our conscious thoughts and our ego, which polices our basest thoughts and desires. It represents choosing reason over instincts. It does not frame our ideal self as something static and innate to us, but rather it represents our core drive to achieve this ideal self.
In fact, people who embrace their Sun placement within reason usually feel more fulfilled and happier overall.
Moon
The Moon naturally rules Cancer and takes 2 to 3 days to transit between signs.
As a counterpart to the other luminary, the Moon represents the subconscious. It is indicative of our id: that which determines our deepest desires and our base instinctive reactions. It also represents femininity and the mother in particular.
You can see this in our emotional and reactionary nature. It tells of the darker, more personal, and vulnerable side that we keep hidden from those we do not intimately trust. It also talks about what makes us feel safe and how we try to protect our inner world.
Interestingly, the Moon can be a more powerful indicator of one’s personality than the Sun. It is especially true for those with a Water lunar sign.
The Moon and the Sun have their respective pulls on the earth that creates a balance. Like the luminaries, we have to balance the importance of the Moon in our lives to be truly happy.
Mercury
Mercury naturally rules Gemini & Virgo and takes 3 to 4 weeks to transit between signs.
Just like in mythology, Mercury is the messenger planet of communication and expression. When it isn’t trying to disrupt life as you know it during its retrograde periods, it can be a great boon in our society today.
Mercury decides on our way of speaking and our choice of words. It determines whether we have an easygoing and casual tone or speak tritely and politely 24/7.
Aside from that, Mercury is also the planet that deals with reasoning and coordination. It affects our organization skills and ability to parse and analyze information.
All in all, Mercury is all about how we take ideas in the world and how we tie it up in a neat bow for someone else to understand.
When we act according to Mercury, we can be communicative, critical, and curious. But we can also be indecisive, pedantic, and easily upset.
Venus
Venus naturally rules Taurus & Libra and takes 4 to 5 weeks to transit between signs.
Venus is THE planet of love, lust, and romance. It is the planet of pleasure and all things beautiful.
This planet, named after the goddess of love, does not disappoint. Interestingly, Venus is also affiliated with money matters, especially the frivolous for-fun purchases we make.
Venus determines our attitudes and approaches to matters of the heart. Depending on its position when we were born, it tells a different story about the people we love and the things that bring us joy.
It also helps determine our spending habits, mainly how much we spend on leisure and entertainment and what kinds of gifts we buy. Additionally, it can determine what type of leisure activities and entertainment we spend time and money on.
Mars
Mars naturally rules Aries and takes 6 to 7 weeks to transit between signs.
Named after the god of war, Mars is a very masculine planet.
Embodying our primal, animalistic nature, it represents our survival instincts. It is the planet of aggression, competition, sex, and passion.
If Venus deals with romantic attraction, then Mars is all about carnal desires. As with all things, we must have a balance between the feminine and the masculine. To achieve happiness, we must balance our fierce passions with our more gentle emotions.
Mars tells us about the things we fight for and how we fight for them. It is the push that gets us up in the morning, and it is what determines whether or not we grit our teeth or buckle in the face of adversity.
Jupiter
Jupiter naturally rules Sagittarius and takes 12 to 13 Months to transit between signs.
As the gentle giant of the bunch, Jupiter is the planet of happiness, good luck, optimism, and abundance.
But that’s not all. Named after the king of the gods, Jupiter is a planet of understanding and insight.
Jupiter decides our behavior towards others, especially when it comes to matters of tolerance and generosity. It determines what we look for in people we trust. And it also determines where we look to gain wisdom and insight.
On the one hand, Jupiter can positively affect us by giving us the ability to show mercy, grace, and have a sense of humor. On the other hand, Jupiter can also lead us to excess, irresponsibility, and blind optimism.
Saturn
Saturn naturally rules Capricorn and takes 2 to 3 Years to transit between signs.
Where Jupiter speaks of growth, Saturn is the exact opposite.
Often called the father figure of the cosmos, it is the planet of restrictions and limits. It represents structure and discipline. If the other planets were pages of the book of our lives’ stories, then Saturn would be the spine that holds everything together.
While everyone usually sees it as a harbinger of negativity, Saturn seeks to help us understand ourselves and the world around us. It is, for all intents and purposes, the checks and balances.
Saturn’s place in the cosmos determines our sense of responsibility. It tells us about what worries and scares us. And it tells us what our limits are, with regards to the other planets.
Uranus
Uranus naturally rules Aquarius and takes 7 Years to transit between signs.
Named after the god of the sky, Uranus is a planet of originality and change. It deals with where the winds of change blow. And t represents innovation, progress, and technology.
Interestingly, because it moves so slowly, many people in a generation share the same Uranus position. That said, this planet is the generation gap personified.
Uranus determines if we are the movers and shakers who forge a path or if we are the ones that follow. Depending on its position, we can see the gist of the generation’s zeitgeist and the aspects of our lives and society we wish to change.
To an extreme, it can also show areas of our lives that are in flux. It can also determine the aspects of society that we refuse to conform to.
Neptune
Neptune naturally rules Pisces and takes 10 to 12 Years to transit between signs.
Neptune is the planet of the subtle and all things spiritual. Named after the god of the sea, it represents dreams and illusions, inspiration, and confusion.
As is the case with the other slow-moving planets, Neptune’s position will be the same for many people in a generation.
Positively speaking, Neptune brings forth a strong intuition and spiritual enlightenment. Negatively speaking, it can bring forth deception, addiction, and guilt.
Neptune also tells of our coping mechanisms and what we do to escape the harshness of reality.
On that note, Neptune may distort the planets it comes into contact with. We may find that the messages we glean from the other planets are fantastical and maybe too good to be true. Thus, leaving us detached from reality and susceptible to disillusionment.
Pluto
Pluto naturally rules Scorpio and takes 12 to 15 Years to transit between signs.
Named after the god of the underworld, it’s almost poetically cruel when scientists took away its planet status.
That said, this planet gets dark, literally and figuratively. Pluto represents transformation and upheaval. This transformation could include almost anything, and that just serves to show the extremes that this planet can control.
Pluto determines our obsessions, struggles to gain control, the deeper truths we want to uncover, and whether or not we are willing and able to find what we seek.
As the slowest moving planet, we can determine its effect on our personal life by examining the other planets it affects. These planets may represent aspects of our lives that will change, whether we like it or not. It is on us then, to either accept Pluto’s energy and be born anew or to reject its call and leave destruction in our wake.