In the Who-What-Where that is the natal chart, the Planets describe WHAT is happening, as the Houses indicate the WHERE and the Signs the HOW. Astrologically, the Planets represent various symbolic types or "flavors" of energy, or models of behavior. While this energy will be spiced differently depending upon the Houses, Signs, and Aspects, the basic flavor expressed by the Planets will remain the same underneath -- Caccitore or Tandoori, in the end, it's all chicken! Of course, there's an obvious difference between coq au vin and McNuggets...this is where interpretation of the gestalt, the chart as a whole, comes into play.
All astrologers will calculate the positions and aspects of the two Luminaries, Sol and Luna, our Solar System's Sun and the Earth's Moon, along with those of the eight planets (or seven planets plus Pluto!) orbiting our Sun. The Sun and Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn are known as the "inner planets." Of this group, the Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus and Mars are called the "personal planets." Ouranos, Neptune and Pluto are known as the "outer planets," sometimes called the "transpersonal planets," as their time orbiting Sol is much longer and thus their influences are more strongly felt among entire generations of people, rather than on a one-to-one basis. Some astrologers also focus on other celestial bodies, such as the Asteroids, Centaurs, and Lunar Nodes. The following is -- as always! -- very general information regarding the place of the Planets in the astrological chart.
The Sun could be described as the heart of our Solar System, and of the astrological chart as well: ...one Star in the company of Stars of whose fire we are created, and to which we shall return....As Sol is the center of our Solar System, the Sun in the natal chart represents the "center" of the individual...his or her ego, individuality, and will. The Sun is, simply put, our basic identity, without which there would be no light and warmth in our lives.
The Sun is a stripped-down image of one's individual psyche, corresponding to a sense of what one was meant to be, of what one would be if there were no additional influences modifying one's life and actions. The Sun is our nature -- minus the nurture factor. While by no means affording a complete picture of the individual (or even, necessarily, the majority of the picture), Sol plays an absolutely vital role in our sense of who we are, who we can be, and who we were meant to be.
Luna is our Earth's singular satellite, and has some most important connotations within the astrological chart. Whereas the Sun, Lord of the Day, represents our conscious personality, the Moon -- the Lady of the Night -- deals with our subconscious personality, our emotions, instincts, moods and mannerisms, as well as our early childhoods. Thus, Luna symbolizes the nurture factor, the complement of Sol's "nature."
In the natal chart, the Moon also provides clues about our mothers or mother figures, our attitudes toward nurturing and "maternal" behavior in general. The Moon in the natal chart is the single most intimate and personal of the heavenly bodies, yet, paradoxically, the Moon's position and aspecting also determine how the individual will function and react to "the masses," large segments of society...the public. Luna also functions as a sort of repository for our memories, and Her influence will be felt when we look back on our early lives and home environment.
Our general emotional nature will be strongly colored by Luna's filters, including Sign, House placement, and aspects in the natal chart.
With the planet Mercury, we move out of the area of the unconscious, instinctive reaction and into the milieu of the conscious mind, the intellect, the reason. "As a man thinketh, so shall he be:" there are those who consider Mercury's placement in the natal chart, through Sign, House, and Aspect, an indication of the "inner you," as the Ascendent represents the "outer you."
Mercury's placement will show the way that one communicates, whether this communication is verbal or non-verbal. In mythology, Mercury was the "Messenger" who acted as a Divine middleman between the world of the gods and that of humans, carrying messages and interpreting them. Astrologically, Mercury rules the Central Nervous System -- in other words, the "communication system" between the brain and the rest of the body. One's thoughts, speech, writing skill and handwriting, and ability to communicate -- effectively or ineffectively -- with, and relate to, others are all Mercurial matters.
"The pen is mightier than the sword:" natal Mars may show its influence in a splashier manner than natal Mercury, but to underestimate the power of Merc's chart placement would be a grave mistake indeed!
Venus is frequently called the "Planet of Love." It might be more accurately referred to as the Planet of harmony, or of union -- the union of opposites, of course. Venus is definitely the Planet of "Relationships," as Venus perceives differences as well as similarities...the relationship of one thing to another. The effects of Venus placement in the chart will not always be sweet and happy: Venus rules beauty, but this is the beauty of natural things; nature red in tooth and claw is also indicated here! A tiger is beautiful; this does not make it tame.
The placement of Venus is your natal chart will indicate the way you interact and express yourself with others, your approach to social situations, your desire to form partnerships with others, and the way in which you go about it. It will also indicate the types of things that bring you pleasure, and the manner in which this pleasure is expressed. And yes, Venus, with her complement Mars, will indeed reveal much about one's approach to romantic and sexual matters. Venus governs sensuality, which includes far more than sexual preferences and behavior, of course: our approach to all five of the senses will be influenced by our natal Venus placement. All artistic and creative matters fall under the realm of Lady Venus.
Some astrologers call Venus "The Lesser Benefactor" (as Jupiter is known as "The Greater Benefactor"). This indicates that Venus rules matters of luck and fortune of a generally "lesser" aspect: winning ten bucks playing Lotto, as opposed to hitting ten million, for example!
Mars is all about those primal drives that beguile or bedevil us, and the ways we express (or suppress) them. That rush of adrenaline -- intended to give us the ability to fight or flee in the face of mortal danger; in modern times perhaps more likely to give us high blood pressure or ulcers -- is very much a Martial function. Same thing with the rush of sexual desire the sight of an actual or potential partner brings. The energy of Mars is about things that arouse us, that stir us. If it's atavistic, it's probably Martial!
Mars in the natal chart will give plenty of warning about the things likely to rouse us to anger, as well as to passions of all sorts, and will govern our actions and reactions once we've been so roused. Very generally, if natal Mars is located in an Earth Sign, the things that tend to engage our emotions and make us want to act will be physical or material in some sense; whereas with Mars in a Water Sign, the reaction would tend toward people, places, and circumstances which engage the emotions. In an Air Sign, our instinctive reactions may tend to pass through the filter of the intellect before we're actually moved to take action, and with natal Mars located in a Fire Sign,our reactions will be instinctive and possibly instantaneous.
As Venus is sometimes said to represent the power to draw others to us, Mars represents our power to actively pursue what we want. Anything requiring a strong measure of courage, inspiration, spontenaity, and the taking of a definite step will be within the domain of the planet Mars. Obviously, both physical strife and physical love (union) require these qualities to varying extents, and the position of and aspects to natal Mars will reveal this side of you to yourself.
Ahh, Jupiter, IAO-Pater, the Greater Benefactor and one helluva planet! :->
There's not much of a "downside" to Jovian energy: if Saturn is the Disciplinarian of the Zodiac, then Jupiter is surely its Disneyland Daddy!
Natal Jupiter is the planet that spins the Great Cosmic Wheel of Fortune -- please note, this is not necessarily "good" fortune! As the planet of abundance, the Jovian natal placement will reveal areas where there will be abundance in your life. This abundance is somewhat generic -- a strong emphasis on "health" from Jupiter may indicate radiant, effortless good health or, conversely, the abundant need to emphasize the physical due to a disability or simply a less robust constitution.
Other Jovian matters include religion and politics, printing and publishing, legal matters and foreign travel, and personal growth and expansion of all types. Optimism and generosity are two keywords of Jupiter. What makes you feel generous? When do you feel most confident? IAO-Pater holds the answers, or at least the key.
Ok: Saturn is kind of like the opposite side of the Jupiter coin: where Jovian energy is expansive and abundant, Saturnine energy is disciplined and restrictive. Thus, Saturn tends to get a bad rap among some. Historically, astrologers have viewed Saturn as a "malefic" planet, Jupiter as a "benificent" one. In actuality, every human being needs a measure of both qualities: that killer end-of-harvest feast can only be thrown when the harvest is actually in. When the work is done, it's time to celebrate. The influence of Saturn ensures that the work actually gets done first: discipline before revellry. Or not, of course, depending on one's natal Saturn placement!
Saturn in the birth chart will lead you to look at authority, and at authority figures, and to plot your relationships with them. It may indicate where obstacles lie in one's life, and provide valuable clues as to how to deal with them. The relationship of the individual with his or her biological father or father-figure can often be discerned through analysis of Saturn's natal placement as well.
Poor Saturn gets tagged with terms like "disciplinarian," "taskmaster," and "judge." In fact, such fine qualities as endurance, a sense of responsibility, and wisdom gained through experience and leading to understanding, are all wrought in Saturn's bright furnace. Saturn urges you to make your own destiny. It is the second side of the double-edged blade whose obverse is freedom. This is one great planet. Be not afraid.
Ouranos, more commonly called "Uranus," is all about the unexpected. Sudden changes of all sorts, the urge to rebel rather than conform, and the desire for and means of expressing our individuality aggressively are all Ouranian matters. While Saturn leads one to learn all the rules, Ouranos represents the joy inherent in breaking them. Questioning taboos, tweeking traditions, changing horses in midstream just to see what will happen, even building a better mousetrap...all matters Ouranian. While Saturn represents the slow, steady upward course of progress, Ouranos rules the sudden breakthrough, the lightning flash of genius, the AHA!s and Eureka!s of life. Also, naturally the sudden idea which goes nowhere, the lightning flash that scorches rather than illuminating, the AHA! that turns out to be an Oh-No! Such is the way of the world.
Ouranos urges us to smash stereotypes -- not because they are invalid, but simply because they are there. With practice, we begin to identify rules of our own to live by, and have perhaps less drive to break them. This is generally called maturity. However, the foliage in the way must first be cleared, before any new paths may be cut through the jungle. Ouranos will clear the way for you.
Neptune is the astrological Lord of Illusions. The energy of this planet is changeable and illusory, and Neptune's influence may be felt in one's attitude toward and experiences with alcohol, drugs, and other mind-altering substances. One's capacity for imagination is part of Neptune's forte, as are the general richness of and feelings about one's inner life. This is a planet that rules the mysterious, the fantastic. The dreamy creative genius and the obsessive paranoid are both operating within Neptune's realm.
Neptune is all about the quest for the escape from an unappetizing or painful reality, as well as the flight of fancy for fancy's sake. Fantasies, illusions, dreams, hypnosis meditation, and a strong receptive energy are all matters Neptunian.
While Pluto has recently been "demoted" to Minor Planet status, don't let that fool you -- Pluto exerts an impressive amount of force in Things Astrological. Pluto is an eccentric planet. That's not a judgement call, it's a cosmological reality!
Pluto is the furthest planet from the Sun -- usually! -- andby far the smallest planet in our solar system --always, so far! ;->
It's the only planet in our system that hasn't been visited by a spacecraft. Even its orbit is highly eccentric: at times bringing it closer to the Sun than Neptune is. It also rotates in an opposite direction from the other planets.
Pluto's satellite, Charon, is the largest moon (with respect to the planet it orbits)--before Charon's discovery in 1978, the Earth's moon held that place. In fact, there are those who have described Pluto and Charon as a "double planet," rather than a planet-with-satellite.
Pluto moves extremely slowly, taking about 248 years to complete its cycle around Sol. Thus, its influences are much clearer among entire generations of people, those born within the 14 to 30 year period as it travels through each sign. Because it was only discovered in 1930, traditional astrology is obviously silent with regard to Pluto, and modern astrologers have not yet had time to observe how Pluto's energy is filtered through each sign.
In the individual natal chart, Pluto's strongest influences may be discerned through study of its house placement and its aspects to other planets.
Far-away Pluto may be, its effects are still quite strong, because Pluto is, plain and simple, the planet of revolution... sweeping change and violent overthrow (this violence may be actual or symbolic). Regeneration through destruction. Death. Transcendence. Heavy stuff!
Some other Plutonian matters are nuclear energy, mass movements, mob rule, enforced conditions, and secret obsessions. It also rules crime generally, kidnapping and organized crime specifically, industrial revolutions, dictatorships, and large-scale labor strikes, and the natural human urge to tear down and rebuild. While the energy of Pluto is sometimes faint, it's never inconsequential, nor is it subtle. Remember, along with the destruction and upheavel, Pluto holds the seeds of redemption, regeneration, rebirth.