Astrology is a tool that helps us understand how we think, act, relate, and love. When we interpret our birth chart, we realize that many planets besides the Sun and the Moon influence our astrological personality. Find out which ones and how they do it.
The word planet evolved from a Greek word meaning "wanderer." The planets owe their names to classical mythology: Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto. For Astrology, the Sun and the Moon are also considered planets.
The Elements and the Planets
Like the signs, the planets are also linked to the Elements, one of the fundamental aspects of astrological symbology. Each planet governs one of the Zodiac Signs prints its symbolic energy.
The signs correspond to the constellations in the sky, which the Sun illuminates as it passes through the ecliptic. The ancient planets (that is, the planets known in antiquity) are related to specific deities of mythology, which, in turn, represent areas of life and personality archetypes.
The Primitive Qualities and Characteristics of Planets
The Primordial Qualities (Hot and Cold / Dry and Wet) are the basis of all the energetic symbology present in astrology. Inspired by the characteristics of nature and matter, they subtly regulate cosmic energy.
Sun
Qualities: Hot and Dry
Element: Fire
Temperament: Choleric
Moon
Qualities: Cold and Humid
Element: Water
Temperament: Phlegmatic
Mercury
Qualities: Mercury does not have a defined quality since it tends to absorb the qualities it comes into contact with. However, it is considered "Cold and Dry when viewed in isolation without any other influence."
Element: Earth
Temperament: Melancholic
Venus
Qualities: Cold and Humid
Element: Water
Temperament: Phlegmatic
Mars
Qualities: Hot and Dry
Element: Fire
Temperament: Choleric
Jupiter
Qualities: Hot and Humid
Element: Air
Temperament: Bloody
Saturn
Qualities: Cold and Dry
Element: Earth
Temperament: Melancholic
Modern planets (Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto) and Chiron have not been attributed these attributes. These date back to the beginning of astrological studies when they were still unknown because they were not visible to the naked eye.
Or, to put it another way:
Sun and Mars - "Hot and Dry"
Saturn and Mercury - "Cold and Dry"
Venus and the Moon - "Cold and Wet"
Jupiter - "Hot and Wet"
The Action of the Planets in the Personality of the Signs
Knowing the astrological meaning of the planets present in our birth chart helps us know the various facets of our personality, tendencies, and potentials. This self-knowledge allows us to work on the most unfavorable traits that potentially hamper our total growth.
In the birth chart, the planets are placed in a House (which represents the various spheres of our life) and in a sign. The planets emphasize the sign's energy to express itself in the house.
That is, the planets use the sign's energy to express themselves in a specific area of life. For example, having Venus in Pisces in the 10th house means that the potential of Venus uses the energy of Pisces to express itself in your career and in the way you approach the problems of professional success.
Among the planets, we have the Aspects that indicate the relationships between the different areas of life (between the Houses), the energies between the planets, and the energies between the signs.
Imagine a person who was born on February 25. The sun sign is Pisces since the Sun was in Pisces' zodiac zone.
However, the Moon (which governs the emotions) was in Aries, Mercury (ruler of the mind), Scorpio, Mars (ruler of physical strength), Taurus, and Venus (ruler of relationships) in Capricorn, and so on, with the other planets.
In this example, although the base personality is Pisces, the various nuances of this person's personality would reflect the specific characteristics of each of the planets present in their birth chart.
Influence of the Planets on the Personality of the Signs
Sun
Sign: Leo
Area of Influence: Personality, main concerns, vitality
The Sun represents our basic astrological personality, identity, ego, and consciousness. We know our sign through its position at the time of our birth. It is, therefore, our main sign. The central archetype of our personality and the most powerful indicator of who we are.
The Moon represents our emotional, sensitive and subconscious nature. The Sun is how we see ourselves for some astrologers, and the Moon reflects who we are. Of all the planets, the Moon is the one to pay the most attention to. After all, it's about preserving our emotional well-being. The Moon changes sign every two and a half days.
The inner planets, or personal planets, represent the main facets of our astrological personality. Mercury rules the mind, Venus the loving nature, and Mars the impulses. The location where these planets are located in our birth chart reveals how we express various energies.
Mercury
Signs: Gemini and Virgo
Area of Influence: Communication, intellect, reason
Mercury rules the mind, intellect, and communication. This planet indicates how we speak, learn, write, and reasonჴ€”our intellectual interests, curiosity to learn, or how we assimilate new knowledge.
Venus rules loving nature, values, and creativity. This planet reflects harmony, beauty, art, and abundance. It reflects our strength of attraction, charm, and success in social relationships. The position of Venus in our birth chart indicates how we relate to aesthetics, relationships, and wealth.
Mars rules physical exertion, attractions, and sexuality. The positioning of this planet in our birth chart reflects our urges and sexuality. It shows our most basic instincts: what attracts us and what dislike. It reflects how we behave in our emotions.
Social planets, less personal than previous planets, reflect how we relate to the outside world. Jupiter rules religion, philosophy, and humor, while Saturn rules society, government, and traditions.
Jupiter
Signs: Sagittarius and Pisces
Area of Influence: Expansion, optimism, abundance
Jupiter is the most cheerful, lively, and the fun planet. It represents humor, abundance, optimism, generosity, expansion, and luck. Leadership, enthusiasm, financial stability are some of the positive energies of this planet that are reflected in our astrological personality.
Area of Influence: Restriction, pessimism, structure
Saturn is the planet of obstacles, responsibility, and ambition. The adversities present to us throughout life allow us to grow and mature personally.
This planet helps us think about our decisions in the face of a dilemma, failures and learning for the future. In our birth chart, the sign-in which Saturn is found reveals the challenges we have to face and what we must work on to achieve our goals.
Outer Planets - Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto
These three distant planets from Earth represent the most esoteric aspects: the mystical and hidden qualities of life that push us from our comfort zone to a higher level of existence. Uranus rules intuition and the future, Neptune rules healing and spirituality, Pluto is power and transformation. They are magical planets that bring depth and greatness to our lives.
Uranus
Sign: Aquarius
Area of Influence: Rebellion, eccentricity, agitation
Uranus is the planet of intuition, revolution, and the future. The influence of this planet on our astrological personality leads us to test our limits and take risks. It encourages us to want more and in a different way, to make revolutions and break with a past that does not serve us. Innovation, creative genius, and resourcefulness are expressions of the presence of Uranus energy in our lives.
Neptune is the planet of healing and spirituality. It is a mystical, sensitive and pious planet that reveals our most profound energies. It governs dreams and illusions. Positively, it elevates our creative spirit, and it is the patron of artistic expression and harmony. Negatively, it can lead to credulity, impracticality, and illusion.
Area of Influence: Transformation, obsession, power
Pluto, the "dwarf planet" of our Solar system, represents power and transformation. It is the most powerful planet in Astrology, and it governs death, rebirth, and transformation. It closes and starts movements when passing from one sign to another. It reflects each generation's difficulties, passions, and changes on Earth.
Area of Influence: Suffering, dilemma, resignation, fusion, healing
Chiron's highly eccentric orbit has associated it with the concept of a bridge that unites worlds, with the integration between two realities, two opposites, with dilemmas. This star represents the union between the spontaneous "I" and self-awareness, the will to solve personal dilemmas and paradoxes. However, given its recent discovery, its astrological significance is still discussed.
The Primordial Qualities (Hot and Cold / Dry and Wet) are the basis of all the energetic symbology present in astrology. Inspired by the characteristics of nature and matter, they subtly regulate cosmic energy.
These three distant planets from Earth represent the most esoteric aspects: the mystical and hidden qualities of life that push us from our comfort zone to a higher level of existence. Uranus rules intuition and the future, Neptune rules healing and spirituality, Pluto is power and transformation. They are magical planets that bring depth and greatness to our lives.