Planets: the Who/What of the Chart
This is part of a series on astrology basics to help you understand the natal chart.
Astrology is a subject that I don’t think I will ever stop learning about. It takes dedication, patience, perseverance, and a genuine interest. It can seem daunting but determination will help you start to put all the pieces of the puzzle of the chart into place. I see astrology as a tool that can be used to gain a deeper understanding of ourselves. A common question I hear regarding astrology is whether or not the chart tells us the future and that is not how I see it. I see the chart as a potential, the choice is always ours. Following is a very brief and high level overview of some important concepts in Astrology. Also please keep in mind I follow a combination of traditional and Hellenistic astrology.
The planets are the who and what of the chart, they represent certain archetypes and areas of influence. The Sun and the Moon are considered planets but are referred to as luminaries. There are 7 planets that can be seen with the naked eye and 3 that are outer planets. The outer planets reign over more generational concerns due to the lengthy time it takes for them to travel around the Sun.
The Luminaries
The Sun is our vitality, our ego, our essence. The sun is the giver of energy to all planets, including ours. It spends about a month in each zodiac and takes a year to pass through all of the zodiac signs.
The Moon is our emotions, our inner nature, and how we care. The moon’s energy rules our daily lives on an hour to hour basis. It spends about 2 1/2 and it takes 28 days to travel through all of the zodiac signs.
The Inner Planets
Mercury is how we communicate, how we reason, and how we think. Mercury is about rapid movement and quick wit. Thanks to the infamous retrogrades, Mercury’s time in each sign can vary from 15 to 60 days. Mercury takes about 88 days to make it way through the entire zodiac.
Venus is what we value, how we love, and how we interact with others. Venus has an appreciation for the beautiful and harmonious parts of life. Venus visits each zodiac for about a month and makes it through all of them in 225 days.
Mars is our drive, how we take action, and how we approach a situation. Mars is full of passion and determination. Mars is in each sign of the Zodiac for about 2 months and takes about 2 years to make it through all of them.
The Social Planets
Jupiter is our fortune, our spirituality, and our leisure. Jupiter is a planet of expansion, it magnifies qualities. Jupiter spends about a year in each sign and takes 12 years to make it all the way around.
Saturn is all about authority, boundaries, and discipline. Saturn has lessons to teach and you are going to have to work to learn them. Saturn spends about 3 years in each sign and take 28 to 30 years to make it all the way around the zodiac.
The Outer Planets
Uranus is all about breakthroughs, challenging conventional ideas, and free thought. Uranus is a planet that is willing to shake up existing, established ideas all for the sake of growth and improvement. Uranus stays in each sign for about 7 years, taking 84 years to travel all the way around the sun.
Neptune is our intuition, enlightment, dreams and delusions. Neptune energy reminds me of murky ocean depths but the depths. Neptune spends about 14 years in each sign and takes about 165 days to make it through all 12.
Pluto rules revelations, power, and rebirth. Pluto is a planet of transformation. Pluto spends 12 to 31 years in each sign and takes 248 years to make it around the sun.