WTF Planets

When we last spoke, I was quite vocal about not being a fan of sun-sign astrology due to its overused, oversimplification of human experience.

I promised to share more about the many layers of Western astrology, so today I'm going to outline the basic meanings of the main planets, objects or reference points most used by astrologers.
Please note that these are still very generalized bits, but I want to explore why it's less than ideal to exclude the rest of the planets when considering your unique chart. We're talking about what makes a person tick and how they're likely to experience life. We're complex, and so is o

The Sun is what is seen, what shines from within us. It represents our bodies, our vitality, and it's our outward expression as we see life. The Sun can offer insights into the role of father figures in our formative years.  

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The Ascendant (or ASC) is not a planet, but very important in our natal charts, as it's where the horizon is at the time of our birth (it's why birth times are essential to a good chart reading, but more on that later). Also known as our Rising Sign, this is what others often perceive from us. The sign of the ASC tells us a lot about how we steer through our lives.

The Moon represents our emotions and intuition, the body, nourishment, and can offer insights into the role of mother figures.  

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Mercury is the planet which represents communication styles, learning, information, travel.  It tells us about our minds, ideas and thinking patterns. 

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​Venus represents love, beauty, pleasure and material possessions. Venus tells us about our relationships and how we relate to others.

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Mars is the planet of energy, movement and passion. It describes where and how we move toward goals, how we fight and handle conflicts.

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​Jupiter represents luck and expansion.  It can inform us about where and how we will grow the most.

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Saturn is the planet of restriction, structure, order, traditions and work.  It's where life lessons can be seen; the areas where we will work the hardest or be constricted. 

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​Uranus is the planet of change and revolution.  The events in life where you are changed the most or how you can offer the energy of change to the world. It can bring flashes of insights as well as a little chaos.

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Neptune is a planet of spirituality, dreams and imagination.  It's known as the planet of illusions, too, so it can be a point of confusion or hidden information in a chart. 

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Pluto is the planet of power, transformation and what deaths and rebirths we experience in life. 

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​There are still more objects and reference points in our charts and in the skies to consider which we'll address over time. By now, I hope you see why your "sign" barely tells the story of you.  Look out for more, because we're just getting started!
M.B