Most of us have read our horoscope at one time or another. Based on our birthday, we’ve been assigned one of twelve zodiac signs, i.e. “Girl, what’s your sign?”. (Does anyone actually say that?)
We know that the Sun is at the center of our solar system and that all of the planets revolve around it. But in astrology, we put the Earth in the center, because we are studying the heavens from our viewpoint.
With that said, it takes one year for the Sun to travel around the Earth. The Sun spends about a month in each of the 12 signs of the zodiac. The sign that the Sun was in when you were born is your Sun sign. Your Sun sign describes who you are in broad terms, the sign that we identify with most. This is the sign we look for when we read our horoscope in a newspaper or magazine.
But what you may not know is that your Sun sign is just one part of your horoscope, only a piece of the puzzle that is you.
You also have a Moon sign, which represents your emotions and instinctive behavior. Because these are things we tend to keep hidden, your Moon sign may not be as obvious to others as your Sun sign.
Then there’s your Ascendant or Rising sign, the sign that was rising over the eastern horizon at the time of your birth. This sign is like the first impression you make on others, the traits and characteristics that represent your outward personality.
Just as the positions of the Sun, Moon, and your Ascendant sign influence your personality, the positions of each of the planets also play a role in your horoscope.
Mercury is the planet of intelligence and communication. It affects your abilities to reason, understand, speak and write.
Venus is the planet of love. The position of Venus dictates your physical attraction to others, your ability to show affection, as well as your desirability and sex appeal.
Mars is all about physical energy- aggression, sex drive, power. Mars is the planet of action and passion.
Jupiter is the planet of prosperity and joy. Jupiter’s position governs success, good luck, and optimism. If you are a generous person, Jupiter is strong in your chart.
Saturn is the planet of hard work and discipline. Saturn’s position says a lot about your character and the trials and errors that will strengthen it.
Uranus is the planet of change. Uranus brings about surprises and opportunities in life. Sudden ideas that spur new creations are said to be caused by this planet.
Neptune symbolizes imagination and illusion. Dreamy Neptune also plays a role in your mystic qualities. Fantasy, mystery, compassion, and even psychic ability mark a strong Neptunian influence.
For those of you still mourning the loss of Pluto as a planet in our solar system, you can reconnect with the little guy in your horoscope! Pluto’s influence in astrology is still being studied, but what we do know is that though he is but little, he is fierce. Pluto is a planet of death and rebirth. Transformation. A clean slate.
There are also 12 Houses of your horoscope, each representing a different category of life.
Horoscopes you may find in a newspaper or magazine can be fun, but there are so many other factors that determine your personality. Learning about all of your signs and the positions of the planets can tell you so much more about who you are.