The Planets
Planets are the actors of the chart; each stands for a psychological drive or area of life. By speed they fall into three groups: the Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus and Mars are the personal planets that colour everyday character; Jupiter and Saturn are the social planets of growth and responsibility; Uranus, Neptune and Pluto move so slowly that a whole generation shares their sign, so they are the generational planets, read in a personal chart mainly by house and by their aspects to personal planets.
| Planet | Represents | Rules | Cycle |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☉ Sun | Self, will, vitality and life direction: who you are and who you want to become. | Leo | 1 year |
| ☽ Moon | Emotions, security, habits and inner needs; also mother and home. | Cancer | about 27.3 days |
| ☿ Mercury | Thinking, communication, learning, writing and short travel. | Gemini, Virgo | 1 year (often retrograde) |
| ♀ Venus | Love, beauty, values, attraction and how you relate to money. | Taurus, Libra | about 1 year |
| ♂ Mars | Drive, desire, competition, courage and how you handle conflict. | Aries (traditionally also Scorpio) | about 2 years |
| ♃ Jupiter | Expansion, opportunity, belief, learning and luck. | Sagittarius (traditionally also Pisces) | about 12 years |
| ♄ Saturn | Responsibility, limits, discipline, time and maturity. | Capricorn (traditionally also Aquarius) | about 29.5 years |
| ♅ Uranus | Change, independence, breakthroughs and surprises. | Aquarius | about 84 years |
| ♆ Neptune | Dreams, spirituality, imagination, idealism and confusion. | Pisces | about 165 years |
| ♇ Pluto | Deep transformation, power, crisis and rebirth. | Scorpio | about 248 years |
North Node and Black Moon Lilith
- ☊ North Node
- Where the Moon's orbit crosses the ecliptic, often read as the direction of growth in this life; the South Node opposite it is the familiar comfort zone.
- ⚸ Black Moon Lilith
- The point of the Moon's orbit farthest from Earth, often used for repressed desires, the uncompromising part of us and the shadow.
A planet is "retrograde" when, seen from Earth, it appears to move backwards; traditionally its energy turns inward and asks for review.
This is fixed text compiled from general convention, not a reading of any individual and not a prediction. For important decisions, please consult qualified professionals.