Each sign has a ruling planet – Mercury and Venus both rule two signs. Uranus, Neptune and Pluto were discovered in 1781, 1846 and 1930 respectively – until then Mars ruled Scorpio and Aries and Jupiter ruled Pisces and Sagittarius. Saturn ruled Aquarius & Capricorn and the Sun and the Moon have only ever ruled one sign each. Once Uranus, Neptune and Pluto were accepted into the pantheon, rulerships were reassigned and it is possible that new planets in the future will allow Mercury and Venus to rule only one sign each also. The association between ruling planets and peoples characteristics has been accepted for over 2000 years.
Here is what your ruling planet and sign says about your personality:
The Sun (technically a star not a planet) – Leo
The Sun God you are probably most familiar with is Apollo the son of Zeus. He is often depicted as the perfect man, mirroring the brightness and purity of the sun. In terms of astrology The Sun is the ruling planet of Leo and represents generosity of heart, affection, magnanimity, creativity and simple joy. One thing to be cautious of is when it’s positive aspects encourage self-esteem to the point it becomes arrogance.
The Moon – Cancer
The Moon rules the sign Cancer; myths associated with Cancer tend to be beautiful and feminine – as Circle she seduced Odysseus and as Hecate she rewarded her favourites with riches. She is also associated with natural childbirth and encourages instinctive thinking and behaviour. The traits are imaginative and sympathetic with a close connection to emotions. On the down side their moods can be up and down – patient one day and narrow minded on another, perhaps at times even unreliable.
Mercury – Gemini & Virgo
Mercury is a direct descendant of Hermes – the messenger of Zeus (the god of travellers). Mercury is usually clad only in a helmet and winged sandals ready for sport. His characteristics are what you would expect from a Gemini – reasonable, perceptive, versatile and a great communicator and sometimes argumentative. This planet stimulates the mind, but it can make a Virgo nervous, tense, critical and again argumentative.
Venus – Taurus & Libra
Venus – the goddess of love; legendary beauty and with the attributes of Aphrodite. For astrology purposes it is all about love and personal relationships, with a perspective being slanted towards a feminine nature. An interest in art and fashion is likely and the person will have good social graces. Venus encourages tact, gentleness and friendliness but can also make a person indecisive, overly romantic and dependent on others.
Mars – Aries
The planet Mars is associated with Greek god Ares, he was originally a farming god but became better known for being god of war and unfortunate in love. Mars is often depicted as dressed for the battlefield – powerfully built with amorous adventures in mind! As such Mars astrological association is with the masculine side of a person’s nature – strong, sexual, assertive, positive and energetic. They just need to keep in check their aggression levels and tendency to be hasty or rude.
Uranus – Aquarius
Uranus – an unattractive mythical figure associated with the Aquarius sign, science fiction and space exploration. At its best this planet encourages independence, versatility and originality. At its worst it encourages eccentricity and rebellion. Keywords for Uranus are disruption, shock and change!
Jupiter – Sagittarius (originally also Pisces)
Jupiter protected the city of Rome, blessing warriors before they went off to battle. He was a frequent thrower of thunderbolts and he had the power to both reward and punish warriors. Astrologically it is now associated with Sagittarius but it used to be Pisces. The planet is primarily concerned with languages and philosophy. It influences optimism, justice and loyalty. People born to this planet should be wary of being conceited, self-indulgent and overly extravagant.
Neptune – Pisces
Neptune administered lakes and rivers as well as being the lordship of the sea inherited from the Greek sea god Poseidon. Water horses drew his chariot and he later became a stallion in order to woo Demeter when she became a mare. This planet is associated with the most watery of signs – Pisces and is connected to the arts like dancing and poetry. It inspires sensitivity, imagination and idealism but on the flip side can cause deceit, indecision and carelessness.
Saturn – Capricorn (originally also Aquarius)
Saturn was originally an agricultural god like Mars but in Rome he oversaw Saturnalia (a public holiday) – a feast that the Christians adopted and we now know as Christmas. Originally Saturn ruled both Capricorn and Aquarius but now only rules Capricorn. Traditionally Saturn is linked to limitation as in ancient times it marked the limit of the known solar system. But now it is known for tenacity and perseverance. People are probably practical and cautious in equal measure. Looking on the negative side they can be cruel, narrow-minded and even selfish.
Pluto – Scorpio
Pluto was the last of the agricultural gods who ruled over the underworld. He often wore a helmet to render him invisible. No creature was known to have escaped transportation to his land of death beyond the river Styx. The planet he is associated with is Scorpio; despite his connection to death astrologically he is connected to human reproduction. Those born a Scorpio are likely to bury their emotions and they can be secretive, critical and even cruel at times – but an overriding trait is the ability to overcome obstacles.
Ref: Parkers Astrology New Edition (Julia & Derek Parker)
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