top of page
☉ SUN - RULES LEO ♌, LUMINARY, INNER OR
personal planet
The Inner or Personal Planets show the native’s innate personality, the Outer Planets enhance or dominate it. A fixed star or luminary, takes 30 days to go through one sign , travels 1° per day, the centre of our Solar System.
Symbol - the saviour, Christ, Sol Invictus, Mithrais, giver of unconditional love through its radiance of light and warmth.
Myth - Apollo drives the radiant chariot of the Sun across the heavens.
Glyph ☉- the circle represents unlimited potential, spirit and the animus or male principle, also represents the conscious principle of spirit - a mirror to the Moon, the dot represents the focal point of that potential - focused potential, consciousness or the realisation of spirit and soul into matter.
In the chart (WHAT) - represents father, husband and strong male influence on the native, vitality, self-esteem.
In the signs - it represents how the natives reflects their basic soul urge and potential.
In the houses - shows where the native will express their soul urge, their reason for incarnating.
Appearance - strong, radiant and powerful ego, physical strength and willpower.
Rules - heart and general health and vitality, fathers, leaders, rulers, nobility, royalty, spine.
Keywords - creative, honest, loyal, vital, success, selfishness, similar to Leo.
Sun-Planets
personal planet
☽ MOON - RULES CANCER ♋, LUMINARY, INNER OR
The Moon takes 27.3 days to rotate around Earth and is exactly related to the human female ovulation. The Moon takes 29.5 days to travel from New Moon to New Moon which is called the synodic cycle or the Lunation Cycle. It takes two and a half days to travel through one sign and travels between 11° and 15° per day. Also known as Luna, is the largest know Moon in our Solar System, causes the tides and cycles of nature and reflects the Sun’s light.
Symbol - is the unconscious reactions and instincts of the native, anima or feminine principle of Carl Jung.
Myth - Luna, Diana and Artemis, the huntress of the night, she is the twin sister of Apollo. She hunts the forests, is chaste and is never seen without the viewer being killed or made an example of. She rules the human life cycle from birth, fertility and on to death.
Glyph ☽ - the half circle represents soul and receptive feminine principle, also described as the unconscious principle - a mirror to the Sun.
In the chart - shows mother, wife and other strong feminine influences, family, social side of native, the general public, inherited or genetic traits.
In the signs - represents the emotional reactions of the native, how others perceive them.
In the houses - where the native is moody and fluctuates the most, where they will explore subconscious feminine traits.
Appearance - round face much like Cancer.
Rules - breasts especially of women, stomach, female reproductive system and cycles, lymph system and body fluids, emotional and mental health.
Keywords - nurturing, loving, emotions, family, sociability, protectiveness, moody, irrational, cyclic behaviour, sensitivity, feelings, the subconscious.
☿MERCURY - RULES VIRGO (PASSIVE) ♍ AND GEMINI (ACTIVE)♊-
inner or personal planet
The smallest planet in the Solar System (astronomers are not sure if Pluto is smaller), never more than 28° from the Sun, has an 88 day year, varies between 3 - 5 weeks to travel through one sign, goes retrograde often. It is postulated that Vulcan is a planet within the orbit of Mercury which will rule Virgo when it is discovered, this will leave Mercury to rule Gemini only.
Symbol - symbolises the superficial or conscious mind, the mental activity of the native. It is also known as a convertible planet, has both male and female traits and so is androgynous or hermaphrodite, neither male nor female, bridges between Moon and Sun - spirit and soul.
Myth - Hermes, the messenger of the Gods who never grew older than Peter Pan, ageless, active and a cunning trickster.
Glyph ☿ - crescent of receptivity, circle of spirit and the cross of matter.
In the chart - children of the native, siblings, youth in general, travel.
In the signs - shows how the native applies their conscious mind, how they think and what they are interested in, what stimulates their mind and how much they worry.
In the houses - shows where the native uses their mind and where their creativity comes from and is applied through communicating.
Appearance - thin and active manner, quick moving with eyes darting about.
Rules - the five senses, hands, fingers and skin.
Keywords - communications, conscious mind and thought processes, intellect, intellectual pursuits, creativity, youth, children.
Never more than 48° from the Sun, also known as the Morning and Evening Star, rising and setting before or after the Sun as it races in front of and then behind the Sun in its travel around the Earth. It takes approx. one month to travel one sign. Persephone (a TransPluto planet - which is yet to be discovered) is hypothesized to be beyond Pluto’s orbit, if and when this planet is discovered it will rule Taurus leaving Venus to be the sole ruler of Libra.
Symbol - of love and society, how the native relates, relating and connecting, benefic or ‘good fortune’ planet.
Myth - Venus (Greek Aphrodite) is the most beautiful of the Goddesses ruler of love, beauty, the arts and social graces.
Glyph ♀ - the circle of spirit over the cross of matter, the universal sign for ‘female’.
In the chart - women, particularly young women, shows the cash flow of the native and how they relate with society at large.
In the signs - shows how the native relates to others and what they are attracted to, sexuality.
In the houses - shows where the native expresses their talents, seeks relationships, who they are attracted to, where they are most charming and social, where they spend the most money.
Appearance - beautiful, graceful, vain, often poor skin and hair condition.
Rules - beauty, the arts, diplomats, mediators, parathyroid gland, glands in general, kidneys, skin and veins.
Keywords - relationships, beauty, artistic talent, charm, attractiveness, mediating, relating, connecting, sociability, money as cash, comfort, peace, harmony.
♀ VENUS - RULES TAURUS (PASSIVE) ♉ AND LIBRA (ACTIVE)♎ - INNER
or personal planet
♂ MARS- RULES ARIES ♈ -
inner or personal planet
Orbits the Sun every two Earth years (and so takes two years to complete one zodiac cycle), known as the Red Planet, takes two months to travel one sign.
Symbol - energy and drive, shows natives ‘direction’ as indicated by the arrow in its glyph, requires goals he otherwise becomes directionless and a hyperactive nuisance.
Myth - the God of war, governing heat, fevers, blood and pestilence.
Glyph ♂ - the cross of matter exalted and directed on the circle of spirit, the opposite of Venus both of which operate as the male and female archetypes (male / female polarity).
In the chart - represents young men, energy and the ambitions and drives of the native.
In the signs - shows how driven the native is and whether they have a low or high drive or in what direction they are driven, backwards, forwards or stand still unsure, physical potency and sexual potency.
In the houses - shows where the native expresses their ambitions and expends their energy, at what makes them angry.
Appearance - generally muscular and energetic, red colouring to hair and face flushed, restlessness.
Rules - blood, muscles, sinus, adrenal glands, external sex organs, libido, surgery, weapons, blood pressure and fevers.
Keywords - drive, strength, sex act, aggression, energy, impatience, violence, surgeons, military services, fights, tools and weapons, accidents, danger.
Moon-Planets
Mercury-Planets
Venus-Planet
MARS-PLANETS
The largest planet in the Solar System, takes 12 years to circle the zodiac which means that it takes 1 year to travel through each sign. Jupiter helps bridge or link the personal with the generational planets.
Symbol - symbolises the expansion and expression of self through wise judgment and fun, the major benefic or ‘good fortune' planet.
Myth - Jupiter is the Roman Jove or Greek Zeus, son of Saturn and King of the Gods, he fathered the other Gods and Goddesses. Also Bacchus and Dionysus, let’s party!
Glyph ♃ - the crescent of soul over the cross of matter.
In the chart - shows where the native is expansive in their personality, generally represents the native’s uncle and in later life their teachers or guides. May indicate addictive and gambling habits as well as hyperactivity and impulsivity.
In the signs - shows how the native uses their wisdom, religious and moral aptitude, their level of generosity and outgoing nature, how they give in life.
In the houses - house position is more important than sign position for all the outer planets, shows where they use these Jupiterian qualities, where they will be successful, most optimistic and joyful.
Appearance - often overweight or slim, noble or overbearing appearance, benevolent like Santa Claus.
Rules - liver, obesity, gall bladder, arterial system, lungs, spleen, kidneys, blood quality, growth hormone, law, advisors, judges, religion, addiction, gambling, teachers, millionaires, middle age spread.
Keywords - philosophy, law, religion, morality, wisdom, success, expansion, abundance, ulture, business, addictions, gambling.
♃ JUPITER - RULES SAGITTARIUS ♐ - OUTER AND
bridging planet
JUPITER-PLANETS
♄ SATURN- RULES CAPRICORN ♑ - OUTER
and bridging planet
Saturn, the second largest planet, takes roughly 28 years to complete its journey around the zodiac and is the important cyclic planet ruling the 7 year cycles of human spiritual evolution. Takes two and a half years to travel through one sign. Saturn, like Jupiter, helps bridge the personal and the generational planets.
Symbol - the ruler of time, karma and fate, the 7 year cycle, the tester of those on the path to
knowledge, possibly the most important planet as it consolidates our lessons and prevents us
from moving forward before we are ready.
Myth - Saturn, the son of Uranus, ate his children until Zeus (his son) conquered him, also known as the ‘Father of Time’ (Chronos).
Glyph ♄ - the cross of matter over the crescent of soul.
In the chart - often the parent that taught discipline, older people, grandparents, old age, lessons to be learnt.
In the signs - how the determination and responsibility of the native is used, type of lessons the native is to face.
In the houses - more importantly shows where the lessons of life are, where the native will apply their ambitions and feel the most need to order and structure their lives, where they are the most disciplined or in need of discipline, where they are the most inhibited and afraid.
Appearance - generally thin and bony, sometimes hunch backed with poor skeletal structure.
Rules - skeleton, teeth, nails, land and minerals in the land, the public service, positions of responsibility, ambition, organisations and institutions.
Keywords - structure, organisation, limitation, consequences, consolidation, inhibition, ambition, achievement, fear, fate and karma, destiny, lessons, isolation, loneliness, determination, discipline, age, time.
SATURN-PLANETS
♅ URANUS - RULES AQUARIUS ♒ - OUTER
or general planet
Uranus takes 84 years to orbit the Sun and so the same period to orbit the zodiac, takes 7 years to travel through one sign, discovered in 1781, the archetype of rebellion, revolutions and freedom from suppression, half the size of Saturn and twice the distance from the Sun.
Its early eccentric orbit was so disturbed that astronomers came to think that there was another planet beyond to so affect its orbit (it was Neptune of course).
Symbol - symbolises the Fool in Tarot, the unpredictable element within our psyche.
Myth - Uranus was the Heaven and Gaia his wife the Earth, he was castrated by his Titan son Saturn, our original patriarch and sky God. May also represent Prometheus.
Glyph ♅ - the cross of matter between two crescent souls over the circle of spirit, to fully utilise the spirit we must first embrace matter with our soul.
In the chart - a higher octave of Mercury as it is connected with intuition though this is debatable in some circles, similar to Mars because of its ruthless nature but again this is debated in some circles, shows revolution, rebellion, the ‘Lightning Bolt’ of illumination and action of the mind, freedom, expression, tension, stress, nervousness, dynamic change, psychosis and mania when out of balance, genius when balanced.
In the signs - how the native shows the need for freedom of expression.
In the houses - more important, where the native is in need of freedom, where they express intuition and intellect, their needs for independence and change, originality and where they act the craziest.
Appearance - dignified and eccentric, eyes active watching to gain a clear perception of events.
Rules - biological cycles, nervous system, brain and spinal cord, eccentricity, geniuses, mind, intellect, inventors, electricity, computers, systems, scientists.
Keywords - eccentricity, manic behaviour, bi-polar, illuminating, inventions, brilliance, genius, freedom of disruption, change, opportunity, expression, rebellion, revolutions, impulsive, logic, excitable, tension and nervousness.
URANUS-PLANETS
or generational planet
♆ NEPTUNE - RULES PISCES ♓ - OUTER
Discovered in 1846 while the western world was discovering alternative modes of living and thinking - philosophy was evolving as it challenged the dogma of scientific empiricism, facts, logic and tunnel vision of the left brain. Thus evolved spiritualism, hypnotism and drug
therapy. Neptune takes 165 years to journey through the zodiac and spends 14 years in the one sign, it travels about 2° each year.
Symbol - symbolises the passive escape from the limitations of logical minded society, the development of mind exploration through spiritualism like Theosophy and Steinerism and drugs (opium - laudanum, cannabis, snuff, tobacco, alcohol).
Myth - Lord of the waters, knows no limitations and cannot be contained or moulded. As the brother of Jupiter he was given rulership of the seas.
Glyph ♆ - the cross of matter entering the crescent of soul, gaining of wisdom through joining matter and the soul.
In the chart - illumination, illusion, confusion, abandonment, betrayal, disillusionment in the natives psyche.
In the sign - shows how the native expresses spirituality.
In the houses - most important, shows where the native will need most Earthing, where they are most disillusioned and confused, also where the native will apply their true spiritual nature, where is most idealist, imaginative and most sensitive to the outside world.
Appearance - fluid fleshy skin, attractive in an etheric way, vague and dreamy.
Rules - body fluids, aura, pineal gland, solar plexus, infections, influenza, hidden illness, sleep, dreams, addictions, psychologists, artists, fishermen, ocean workers, film industry, imagination and fantasy.
Keywords - sensitivity, illusion, disillusionment, confusion, dreams, spirit, idealism, compassionate, escapism, addiction, sleep, deception, psychosis.
NEPTUNE-PLANETS
PLUTO - RULES SCORPIO ♏ - OUTER
or generational planet
Pluto takes 248 years to orbit the Sun and zodiac, varies its time in each sign (from 12 to 32years) due to its elliptic orbit. It is a small planet, smaller than Mars and is in co-rotation with its moon Charon, both together they are less than 1/5 of our Moon’s mass and can almost be
called a double asteroid. Due to the gravitational effects on Neptune and Uranus’ orbits astronomers believe that there is another planet further out, because Pluto is so small and may not be the planet influencing their fluctuating orbits. This hypothetical planet is known as
a ‘TransPluto’ planet called Persephone but is yet to be discovered. Pluto however is the most powerful of all the known planets and as such its discovery in 1930 heralds another archetype into our consciousness, that of total destruction following the invention of the atomic bomb.
Symbol - Pluto symbolises the complete evolution and transformation of the soul through annihilation, this can be through spiritual practices, kundalini awakening or by a personal crisis precipitating massive changes to the native’s priorities.
Myth - Pluto is the ruler of the Underworld, keeper of the dead in both Tartarus (the punishment side of Hades or Hell) and the Elysian Fields (the reward or heaven side of Hades). He walks the Earth under a veil of invisibility and no-one escapes the Grim Reaper.
Glyph - the circle of spirit over the crescent of soul on the cross of matter joining the three or Trinity showing their importance in descending order.
In the chart - represents crisis and traumas, spiritual transformation through crisis, psychological crisis and balance.
In the signs - is generational and only shows change when the archetype enters a new sign thus its meaning into our consciousness as it travels through the zodiac.
In the houses - most important, shows where the native is most susceptible to crisis and deep and long lasting psychological change and evolution, shows the depth of character and depth of fear the native experiences (along with Saturn), the house where the native is
undergoing continual change and transformation and where they need to evolve the most, where they exhibit the most control and power and the need for control and power, also shows the level of spiritual, occultic or esoteric development and the level of psychosis or potential mental illness.
Appearance - intensity of gaze and manner, dark piercing eyes.
Rules - politics, underworld crime, theft, the regenerative power of the body to heal itself, immune system and defence system, sexuality, Thymus
Gland, eliminations of toxins, the healing crisis, kundalini, astral travel, chi or life-force.
Keywords - collective unconscious, regeneration and elimination, power, intensity, control, transformation, evolution, secrets, mass control, kundalini and tantric sex for enlightenment, invisibility, destiny, karma, fate, extreme violence, annihilation.
PLUTO-PLANETS
CHIRON - ASTEROID, OUTER OR GENERATIONAL PLANET,
no rulerships
Discovered at 10:00 am 18th October 1977 by Charles T. Kowal in Pasadena California, USA, it has an orbit of 50 years and is about 1/5 the mass of our Moon and resides between the orbits of Saturn and Uranus, its orbit is on an angle to all the other planet orbits (except Pluto’s). It once came as
close to Saturn as its moon Phoebe in 1664. Chiron is so small that it is also called a planetoid or a large asteroid, however due to its orbit, like that of a planet, it is labelled a planet by astrologers. It lasts roughly 4 years in each sign. It is similar in effect to Pluto and is known as the Wounded Healer.
Symbol - symbolises the emergence of the new age healing phenomenon, links our inner with our outer consciousness. Shows our innate inability to heal ourselves, our psychological blind-spot. The fundamental wound we receive at birth.
Myth - Chiron was the wise ruler of the centaurs but rather than debauchery and fun he chose the path of teaching and healing. He taught all the great humans and Gods of ancient times but when Hercules shot a poisoned arrow into his foot he discovered that he was unable to heal himself so he traded his immortality with Promethius.
Glyph - the K of its discoverer (Kowal) over the circle of spirit.
In the chart - is strongest when aspecting the major angles and inner planets.
In the signs - shows how the native learns and uses their wisdom and healing potential.
In the houses - shows where the native is wounded and in need of healing, where their fundamental wound lies, where the natives wisdom and charisma appears most, shows where the native is able to give of their healing nature.
Appearance - inconclusive as yet.
Rules - still being argued about, some prefer Virgo others as the co-ruler of Sagittarius,personally I don’t think it needs to rule any sign, it is a free and eccentric planet and most powerful when touching a sensitive position in the chart.
Keywords - wounded healer, charisma, hands on healing, healing crisis, teacher, new agehealing, psychic and shows emotional or psychological wounds, religious or cult evangelists, prominent in wise healers and teachers. More keywords will come up as you search the
literature and explore your charts.
☊ THE NORTH NODE -
the dragons head
This shows the natives destiny, when presented natally in the chart you can read it by the signit is in and the house it resides in as well as the aspects it makes to the other planets. The North Node is called the Dragon’s Head, exactly opposite is the Dragon’s Tail at the same degree but the opposite sign. For instance if the North Node is at 12° Taurus then the South Node will be at 12° Scorpio.
There are many texts that explain the Nodes, you may wish to purchase them, however, they do tend to focus on the spiritual aspect which is strong on interpretation and rhetoric but weak on fact and proven research. Remember that this book aims to teach you not only the art of astrology but also the science of psychology. If psychology was based on unproveable arguments, (“sounds OK, but...”) then there would be many mystical psychologists out there with scant theoretical and factual foundations screwing many people up. In other words we would be in a bigger mess using systems and techniques based on imaginary facts and wishful thinking. The Nodal interpretations given in many books are based on astrological theory but whenever they begin to interpret the future and past lives be careful, because you can’t prove what they say, ever, they can say whatever they want and no one is game to say, “That's rubbish!”. Past lives and future destiny, both are open to fantasy and magical illusions, be careful and apply some basic skepticism before you believe it. In my practice I do use the Nodes, but am wary of over interpreting their spiritual meaning.
Having said that let’s look at what they do in the signs and houses. The North Node shows social skills and social ineptness, whether the native is sociable or is shy and escapes from social engagements. One aspect that you can look for here is North Node conjunct (next to) the Ascendant, this generally indicates that the native avoids social occasions and has often left school early because of social problems, teasing and shyness. North Node in the 7th can be interpreted as the native eventually meeting their soul mate, though I don’t believe that we only have one soul mate, there are many people on this earth with the same patterns that match ours, just look at the planets Moon, Sun and Venus, if they are compatible then you
have a soul mate.
A positive North Node shows a positive person destined to do positive things, is socially capable and will probably have positive experiences in life. Look at the aspects that the Node makes with the other planets to gain more insight. A negative North Node is someone with less capable social skills and possibly inclined to experience less joy in life due to their shyness.
CHIRON
NORTH NODE
bottom of page