The easiest way to describe what the planets signify in astrological terms, is an ACTION. The planets are the action you take, the houses where you take those actions, and the signs color those places and those actions. The planets are the most important thing to learn first, because an understanding of what actions these planets represent will help you understand the signs more easily. If astrology were a sentence, the planets would be the verb in the sentence. Each planet is represented in the chart, just as your popular sun sign is, and just as important.
THE SUN: The Sun represents our ego. The Sun Sign is very popular in mundane astrology as the ego corresponds to our conscious sense of self, but it is not "ALL IMPORTANT". The Sun also corresponds to how we experience our father or masculine parent, and the masculine tendencies in both men and women. The Sun will say something about our will, and what traits by sign, house, and aspect that we can aspire to be.
THE MOON: The Moon is pure emotion, essentially feminine counterpart to the Sun’s ego. The Moon is you first reaction to any given situation, and often the part of yourself you do not always like. The Moon can show how you experienced your mother or feminine parent, and shows the feminine tendencies in both men and women.
MERCURY: Mercury is how we process information, and how we communicate. Wherever Mercury is in your chart, it shows your basic intellect, how you learn, how you think. Mercury is very close to the sun. Because of this, it often spends time in the same sign as the sun. In the greater amount of charts, this means the ego and intellect work together. In a smaller percentage of people, Mercury is just behind or ahead of the sun near the change of sign. Someone born with Mercury out of sign from the sun has a tougher time with communicating what their needs are, and often feel they are "taken wrong" No matter what they say. The good part of this is that once you find the problem, it is easier to work with. Mercury is the first planet that has a "retrograde" pattern. In a chart, the effect of Mercury Retrograde will sometimes show up as a problem with communicating sometimes a learning disability or a stutter. Depending on all the things related to Mercury in any given chat, these things can be slight to very exaggerated. This is usually an indication of having to learn and relearn how to communicate in this life. Folks with Natal Mercury Retrograde tend to unconsciously internalize their thoughts and ability to communicate.
VENUS: Venus is often called the planet of love, but the truth is Venus doesn’t hold the depth for emotion the way that the Moon does. Venus is more the planet of self indulgence…what you love to do to make you feel good. This may sound a little tacky, but it is actually very healthy. If you did not have Venus tendencies, you’d never want for ice cream or sensuality. You would never be pleased at buying something new; you’d probably never shop for anything at all. You’d be a martyr. All things considered, Venus, though SEEMINGLY superficial, has a place in your life, and an important one. Venus also works with the moon in the way that it is the feminine side of you. In some cases, women act out their Venus with no problems. Men tend to not identify as much with Venus, and pick a partner that lives their Venus placement for them. Done in a healthy way, this works out for all involved. Done in an unhealthy way, this can set up "bad relationship patterns" that the man keeps finding the same type of person and having the same problems over and over again. We see the Venus trap a lot.
MARS: Mars shows our assertion, our aggression, and our willingness to take action. This is like Venus’ male counterpart. Mars gets a bad rep for being the god of war, and where we can be violent. Mars, like Venus, however, has its place, and if used in a healthy way, is a greatly important part of our makeup. If you didn’t have Mars, you would never get out of bed. You wouldn’t have a job, because you’d need to assert yourself to get one. It also shows the sex drive as well. All "drives", in fact, are inherently Martian. Men will often tend to live out their Mars just fine. Women tend to project Mars, to find a man to live out her Mars for her, again, it can work out, but imagine the patterns that can take place when a woman sub consciously lets men live out her aggressive side for her again, unhealthy relationship patters find their beginning here.
JUPITER: Jupiter has been called the planet of luck in the past, yet I have honestly never seen it bring luck to everyone it touches. This is simple to see, sometimes we have no luck at all *L* but Jupiter is still there. So, it is rather the planet of EXPANSION. Jupiter helps us along for the better OR the worse. Jupiter is usually seen as a benevolent planet, but I say that no planet symbol is good or bad, it is all how you deal with it. If there is a tendency in the chart to be a sweet person, for example, and Jupiter touches it, it can make the person amazingly wonderful to be around, or so sweet you can’t stand them, you see? If a person uses Mars in a aggressive way, and Jupiter’s influence is near, this can be a volatile person, how ever, if the same person used Mars to be healthily assertive, Jupiter would make him unstoppable in getting things done. Jupiter standing alone could indicate benevolence, a joyous, spiritual side of a person. However, anything can be taken overboard where Jupiter is concerned, and eventually an expanding balloon pops!
SATURN: Saturn is the planet of maturity. This is like the Daddy of Astrology. If you are good and learn your lesson, Daddy releases you to go on to the next. If you don’t, Daddy holds you back, limits you, and makes you learn all over again. This is the essence of Saturn. Many people who know a little about astrology fear Saturn. This is because Saturn was personified by Christianity’s Devil as its symbol for many many years. Saturn was seen as personal sorrow and ruin by the by gone astrologers. The Saturn symbol IS the pain, fear, and limitations in one’s life. However, this is the pain we face to grow and learn. Saturn says, "No Pain, No Gain". Yet, even this has its purpose, because without Saturn’s lessons, we would never grow, never evolve through the door that leads to the higher mysteries of life. Saturn keeps your feet on the ground so you don’t lose your head in the abstract. Though there comes a time when we WANT to search for the abstract, Saturn is necessary for us to function in this physical world, and to learn the lessons the Higher Self set out to learn in this life. This planet is incredibly important, and we could do several weeks (at least) worth of information on Saturn alone. I will have more specific Saturn articles and information for you up soon!
URANUS: The first of the outer planets whose symbolism reflect entire generation is Uranus. Uranus is the planet that breaks free of the Saturn restraints. Uranus is what Saturn’s lesson prepared us for, in essence. Uranus is symbolized best as a non-conformist. Uranus is the planet of upheaval and change. Uranus is the planet of the humanitarian ideals. The problem with this is that Uranus lacks any focus. The symbolism portrayed is of one who doesn’t see the forest for the trees. It just wants to jump in and change things, never thinking of the outcome, and tends to be impersonal. To use a Star Trek analogy, (Gotta love Spock!) "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, or the one". Uranus "thinks" this way. Establishment is fought wherever Uranus is.
NEPTUNE: Another generation planet, it is far away, it moves very slowly, and it stays where it is for a long time. Neptune is where you lose yourself, your ego, to All That Is, whether for you it is a God or gods or spirits, drugs or alcohol, anything you use to escape the physical is Neptune symbolism. Neptune is basically the psychic you as well. Just from that simple explanation, I am sure that the pros and cons of this planet are apparent.
The smallest planet with the biggest attitude. Pluto is slow. It takes over 200 years to go around the sun. It’s effects are not only generational, but long lasting. Most people will never live to see it move more than four or five signs from where it was at their birth. Pluto’s symbol is that which is the area of your life you are always working on. Pluto symbolizes death, though not necessarily in the physical sense. This is where things are constantly broken down to start a new. Pluto’s gift to us, however, is that it is evolution personified. If we, in our lifetimes learn to master the Pluto symbol, then we can truly lift above the conflicts of life and really learn of ourselves. Pluto is seen best in your mind like a Phoenix rising from the ashes, death and rebirth into something incredible. In the meantime, its lessons are a real pain. Things in the chart associated with Pluto never seem to work, plans in this area often fall apart, and it is hard to keep focused. This is not something that cannot be overcome, as the Higher Self didn’t decide on this life so that we could give up, there is a solution, and every solution is as different as there are people.
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Sub-Map of Beginner Pages
|Tips on Learning Astrology|Signs|Planets|Rulers| |Elements|Masc. & Fem.|Qualities|Houses| |Aspects|Astrology Chat/Class|Rising Signs|
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© 1998 Nancy Leigh Jobes, O.M. All Rights Reserved. Do Not Copy Without Permission.