 LESSON TWO: THE PLANETS
Western Astrology uses the ten planets
in our solar system. Each planet is associated with a particular sign, and
thus inherits the qualities of that sign, so the sign is known as the PLANETARY
RULER. If you study astronomy you are one step ahead towards understanding
Astrology. It is necessary to know some Astronomy because the actual physical
characteristics of the planets are also used, in part, to interpret Astrological
Charts.
| PLANET |
RULER |
QUALITY |
+ / - |
ELEMENT |
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS |
| SUN |
LEO |
FIXED |
+ |
FIRE |
Fiery, bright, Center of attention |
| MOON |
CANCER |
CARDINAL |
- |
WATER |
Dark and Light, Reflective, Secretive |
| MERCURY |
GEMINI |
MUTABLE |
+ |
AIR |
Small, Cool, Quick, Talkative |
| VENUS |
TAURUS |
FIXED |
- |
EARTH |
Small but powerful, Beautiful |
| MARS |
ARIES |
CARDINAL |
+ |
FIRE |
Fiery, War, Simmering, Hot |
| JUPITER |
SAGITTARIUS |
MUTABLE |
+ |
FIRE |
Magnanimous, Expansive |
| SATURN |
CAPRICORN |
CARDINAL |
- |
EARTH |
Hard, Commanding in size, Rocky, Hills |
| URANUS |
AQUARIUS |
FIXED |
+ |
AIR |
Transforming, Ever-changing, Huge |
| NEPTUNE |
PISCES |
MUTABLE |
- |
WATER |
Small, Elusive, Hard to pinpoint |
| PLUTO |
SCORPIO |
FIXED |
- |
WATER |
Secretive, Concentrated, Powerful |
The following table
illustrates some basic interpretations used for the planets when "reading" a
chart:
| PLANET |
BASIC INTERPRETATIONS |
| SUN |
Basic nature, Male principle, Ego, Personality, Leader |
| MOON |
Emotionals, Feelings, Female principle, Moods, Instinct |
| MERCURY |
Communication, Reason, Intellect, Words, Quick |
| VENUS |
Enjoyment, Beauty, Charm, Harmony, Love, Sensuality |
| MARS |
Animal nature, Desire, Ambition, Force, Assertive |
| JUPITER |
Benefactor, Expansion, Leisure, Optimism, Distance, Fun |
| SATURN |
Teacher, Lessons, Structure, Tradition, Wisdom |
| URANUS |
Awakener, Sudden, Transformer, Eccentric, Unusual |
| NEPTUNE |
Solvent, Escapist spiritual urge, Intuition, Delusion |
| PLUTO |
Power, Rebirth, Fusion, Birth, Death, Transmutation |
THE CHART
A CHART is the
"map" used by an Astrologer to give an integrated visual representation of the
individual. The chart is a one dimensional tool describing the locations of the
planets as they were visible on the horizon from the place and time of birth.
Naturally, flattening a three dimensional universe into a one dimensional picture is full
of compromises, but it works well enough. A chart is often compared to a
pizza: a circle divided into 12 sections, called Houses. Another analogy used to
describe the chart is that it represents the Play of life; the Houses are the different
stages used to enact the play, and the planets are the various characters in the play
THE HOUSES
Each section of the chart (or slice of
the pizza) is called a HOUSE. The amount of "real estate"
covered by each House represents a particular area of life. The Houses are numbered
from one to twelve going counter-clockwise around the CHART wheel.
The Chart always contains an East/West Axis that splits the chart into two equal
hemispheres, and that axis represents the horizon. The West portion of the axis is
known as the ASCENDANT. and the East Portion is called the DESCENDANT.
The First House always begins at the Ascendant, and the Twelfth House always
ends at the Ascendant.
Each House is ruled by a particular
sign, and that sign is known as the Natural House Ruler. Also, each House is
Associated by a particular Planet. The Planet is determined by the Sign of the
Natural House Ruler.
| HOUSE |
RULER: SIGN / PLANET |
A FEW BASIC INTERPRETATIONS |
| FIRST |
ARIES
/ MARS |
Personality,
the way you appear to others |
| SECOND |
TAURUS/VENUS |
Personal resources, Talents, Wealth |
| THIRD |
GEMINI / MERCURY |
Communications, Siblings |
| FOURTH |
CANCER / MOON |
Home, Family life, place of comfort |
| FIFTH |
LEO / SUN |
Fun, Children, Creativity. Love affairs |
| SIXTH |
VIRGO / MERCURY |
The work you do, Food, Service to Others |
| SEVENTH |
LIBRA / VENUS |
One to one relationships |
| EIGHTH |
SCORPIO / PLUTO |
Death & Rebirth, Sex, Shared resources |
| NINTH |
SAGITTARIUS / JUPITER |
Philosophy, Religion, legal affairs |
| TENTH |
CAPRICORN / SATURN |
Career, Life Direction, Purpose |
| ELEVENTH |
AQUARIUS / URANUS |
Friends, Associations, Groups |
| TWELFTH |
PISCES / NEPTUNE |
Hidden, Secrets, Self-undoing, Karma |
|
