The aim of this page is to provide prompts so that you can understand better the energy of a planet in your life: in yoru birth chart, and also a transit by that planet affecting your birth chart:
Chandra, The Moon
Also called Soma, Chandra represents Prakriti, the divine female energy that nourishes the world. On a human level, the Moon represents mind, imagination and memory, daily communication, emotions, the past – unconscious intellect.
The Moon signifies the Mother, females, liquids, attraction and beauty. The good home-maker. Religious devotion. Grasp of knowledge. Love and friendliness. The Moon signifies incoming emotions and stimuli.
The Moon is a mild benefic. It is strongest benefically at Full Moon when it fully reflects the light of the divine. A Full Moon is Grace; it is a blessing. But the Moon actually becomes a mild malefic if you were born under a waning Moon: up to 40 degrees before the dark of the Moon, and up to 30 degrees after the Dark Moon.
The Moon is very sensitive to association with other planets, so aspected to Saturn it becomes depressed (or detached); aspected to Rahu, our minds become clouded or lost from our control; aspected to Mars we carry an angry aggressive mind. The Moon is so impressionable: it can mould itself according to the Devine Light, but it can mould itself to other people, or negative complexes or evil conditioning, mass influences and collective trauma. The Moon measures our popularity (if not our honesty).
The Moon rules the sign Cancer. The Moon is most Exalted at 3 Taurus and most deeply Fallen at 3 Scorpio. Moon is Mulatrikona 3 – 30 degrees Taurus.
The Moon is the Karaka (indicator) for the 4th House (Mother, feelings, emotions and mind).
Note that the Moon’s signification of ‘mind’ and ‘daily communication’ is different from the Moon in western astrology.
Friends who welcome the Moon into their houses are Sun and Mercury. All the other planets are neutral to the Moon.
Surya, The Sun
Also known as Ravi and Savitar, the Sun is consciousness. It signifies the Father. It is self, ego, soul, jiva-atman. It is good health, power and ambition, self-reliance, independence, and status in the world. The Sun represents purusha: the male polarity of the life force. In Vedic astrology, the first House is actually a stronger indicator of the Ahankara (egoic self), than is the Sun.
The Sun is a mild malefic, but leads us through practice of detachment, even renunciation and sacrifice, to our inner light. The malefic influences of the Sun are quite easily modified if it is aspected by Venus, Jupiter or the Moon, such that the Sun will then act more beneficially in our chart and in our lives.
The Sun produces very good results in Upachaya (or growing Houses) where malefics are welcomed. The 10th House is the best house placement for the Sun. a weak Sun indicates poor fathering and weakness of character, poor perception or marginalization – but can make us eager to do good and receptive, if too easily falling under the influence of others. An over strong is arrogant and tyrannous, manipulative and harmful. Medically, the Sun rules the heart. The Sun’s position in the chart shows were we may shine and how we may shine – and on a higher level, what sort of spiritual aspirations we will hold. It shows us what sort of authority issues we will have; what our sense of the highest and the best will be.
Friends who welcome the Sun into their Houses are Moon Mars and Jupiter. Venus and Saturn are enemies. Mercury is neutral.
The Sun rules the Sign Leo.
The Sun is most Exalted at 10 Aries and most deeply Fallen at 10 Libra. Sun is Mulatrikona 0 – 20 degrees Leo. The harmony between the Sun and the Ascendant Lord shows the harmony between the individual and the path of his inner urges.
The Sun is the Karaka, or indicator, for the 1st House (as Self); for the 9th house (as Father) and for the 10th House (as status and honour). Sun in the 10th house enables the individual to receive professional honour; Sun in the 4th House is focused meditatively into the deepest darkness. Sun in the 6th house can give freedom from disease
Budha, Mercury
Mercury is speech, discriminating conscious intellect, education, teachers, writing, ideas, trade: buying and selling, short journeys, nervous system and nervous disorders. Mercury signifies quick comprehension, facility and plasticity of expression, correlation and interchange of ideas. His energy is mental, nervous and articulate. He also indicates the state of childhood, troubles in home life or difficulties at school. He represents commerce and the articles of trade: he thus opens communication between people, though if afflicted he will exploit people, and he can indicate our trade or profession. He likes standards and prices and scales of measurement and organization.
Strong Mercury is The Trickster. Weak Mercury rationalizes, lies and is fickle, and may be a thief and has a childish view of the world – he can produce hallucinations and a neurotic schizoid vie of life. Mercury’s character is chameleon-like and androgynous. It takes on the energy of the planets around it.
Mercury rules the signs Gemini and Virgo. Mercury is most Exalted at 15 Virgo and most deeply Fallen at 10 Pisces. Mercury is Mulatrikona 16 – 20 Virgo.
Mercury is Karaka (indicator) for the 2nd House (as communication and thinking) and for the 10th House (as profession).
Mercury is best placed in the first House. The friends who welcome Mercury into their Houses are Sun and Venus. The Moon is an enemy to Mercury. Mars, Jupiter and Saturn are neutral to it. Saturn – Mercury aspects can indicate dulled or delayed intelligence. Afflictions to Mercury indicate speech defects, dyslexia.
Sukra, Venus
Venus is sexuality, sensual enjoyment, desire and love. He is semen, art, beauty, taste, refinement, love and marriage, poetry and sense of harmony. Venus represents ‘small fortunes’, harmony, creativity, artists, glamour, the ovaries – and our capacity to love. Venus is beautiful, magnetic and attractive. Venus is the guide of demons and spiritual teacher. He is male, but his energy is feminine. He rules the reproductive system, love affairs, the spouse and marriage – and if afflicted by malefics can cause sexual disorders or diseases. Sukra enhances the House he is placed within. He is the spark of our aspiration for the good and Venus’ beauty can be a gateway to the divine realms; Ananda is the divine bliss of creation. Afflicted, he can be vain, superficial and affected, wanting the joy of possession and the adulation of others; can be seductive and even vampiric. Whole cultures can give themselves over to negative violence and be based on greed, image and materialism. Venus signifies the man’s wife.
Venus rules the signs Taurus and Libra. Venus is most Exalted at 27 Pisces and most deeply Fallen at 27 Virgo. Venus is Mulatrikona 0 – 15 Libra.
Sukra is the Karaka (indicator) of the 7th House, for a man, in respect of wife and love-life. Venus in the 1st, 4th, 7th and 10th (Kendra) Houses is very forgiving. Venus’ friends are Mercury and Saturn. Its enemies are Sun and Moon. Mars and Jupiter are neutral to Venus.
Mangala, Mars
Mangala is the will of the self, also the mental faculty which decides which action or thought to go for. Also known as Kartika (or Kartikeya) and Kuja or Skanda, Mars is a most strong malefic. He can be as strong as Saturn, but his effects are acute, whereas Saturn’s are long-lasting.
Mars is the flame contained in matter. He signifies independence, self-will and confidence, the needed strength to have interests and do things. Mars is boundless courage, energy, sexual potency, passion, and arrogant action, arms, muscles and physical prowess, competitiveness, accidents, war, disease, impulsive action, exploration, inquiry, sport, war, arguments, injuries, ambition, sex and blood. Mars is goal-orientated action. His nature is electrical, violent, insatiable and thirsty: the urge to penetrate and unite with – and by the transmutation of this, he is the energy for questing spiritual realization and the achievement of truth, giving self-discipline and asceticism. The position of Mars can indicate premature death in a chart, the loss of the husband, impotence in a man.
Mars is certainty; he is critical, perceptive and discriminating. He is the lawyer and the orator, the machinist and the miner, the engineer, the inventor, the planner, the researcher, the warrior, the soldier, the murderer. He causes discontent which impels us to seek ‘better’: ideally, to seek the truth. He can also bring out the dark side of the Earth energy: titans, destroyers, chaos.
Differing from western astrology, Mars also signifies younger brothers and sisters (older sibs = 11th House).
Mars rules the signs Aries and Scorpio. Mars is most exalted at 28 Capricorn and most deeply Fallen at 28 Cancer. Mars is Mulatrikona 0 – 12 deg Aries.
Mars is the Karaka for the 3rd House (as younger siblings, courage and energy) and the 6th House (as accidents).
Mars performs well if it is placed in one of the Upachaya (growing) Houses, but its best House placement is the 10th House. Aspected with Jupiter, Mars can bring great achievements for law and truth. Aspected with Saturn, Mars can bring selfish, perverted or criminal tendencies, or if in a more enlightened chart: discipline and the capacity for great accomplishment (or a bit of both).
Brihaspati, Jupiter
Indicator of the expansive quality of consciousness, Jupiter is the Great Benefic, also called ‘Guru’. Jupiter is guru, divine grace, philosophic knowledge, happiness and joy, children, spirituality, luck, fortune, affluence and creativity, faith in life, long-distance travel, optimism, and speculation. Jupiter shows us the way to health and is the strong immune system.
Negatively placed in the chart, Brihaspati can be too materialistic, over-optimistic, over-expansive, exceeding resources, and too full of himself and self-indulgent. Jupiter represents ‘large fortunes’. He can indicate musical talent.
Jupiter is traditionally regarded as the indicator of the woman’s husband (though Mars can be indicative of the man in her passionate relationships).
Jupiter rules the signs Sagittarius and Pisces. Jupiter is most Exalted at 5 Cancer and is most deeply Fallen at 5 Capricorn. Jupiter is Mulatrikona 0 – 10 Sagittarius.
Jupiter is Karaka, or indicator for money and for the 2nd House (as money); for the 5th House (as children and creativity); for the 7th House for a woman (of husband – how long will he live, what type of man will he be? Her relationship issues and abilities, and her eldest son.
Jupiter functions best in Cancer and its best House placement is the first. Its friends are Sun, Moon and Mars. Mercury and Venus are enemies to Jupiter. Saturn is neutral.
Sani, Saturn
Indicator of boundaries and of the illusion of boundaries between your self and God, Saturn is the Great Malefic.
Saturn victimizes the house it is placed in and the planets it aspects. Its power is to restrict and destroy.
If Saturn is well-paced, out of this can come wisdom, humility, dedication and leadership abilities. A powerful well-placed Saturn indicates long life. Saturn signifies sorrow and discipline, poverty, old age and death, bad luck, misfortune, difficult karma and unfortunate destiny, bondage and servitude, obstinacy and selfishness; fear, insensitivity; also hard lessons, premature aging, depression, melancholy and self-pity, deprivation and want restriction, accidents,; even more negatively: the pursuit of gross pleasure, a life prey to miserliness or phobias, the feeling that we can never succeed, crime and perversity.
Positively, Saturn can bring wisdom from experience, detachment and renunciation, sincerity, non-attachment, manual work, real estate, agriculture, subordinates; Saturn is the guiding ancestor and the law-giver.
Saturn’s malefic effects are long-lasting, as opposed to those of Mars which are acute. Saturn can be experienced as mean, petty and spiteful, offering periods of restriction, ugliness and perversity, offering suffering – but to motivate us to grow and learn, Saturn is not at all ‘negative; for example a Venus – Saturn aspect in a man can mean hard treatment given by (and/or to) women, but its most exalted manifestation is the committed relationship: a spirituality of partnership. Equally Saturn – Venus can signify eczema or psoriasis Saturn (skin) blemishes Venus as the beauty of the skin). Saturn is ‘reaping’; he was an agricultural deity. Saturn signifies longevity, asceticism, material values and hard labour. Saturn is connected with the nervous system, and can manifest as numbness, paralysis or degenerative-nervous-system disorders.
Saturn rules the signs Capricorn and Aquarius. Saturn is most exalted at 20 Libra and most deeply Fallen at 20 Aries. Saturn is Mulatrikona 0 -20 Aquarius.
Saturn is the Karaka for the 6th House (as illness); the 8th House (as length of life, death and the occult) and for the 12th House as loss.
Saturn receives strength in the 7th house but this is strength of a malefic nature. Saturn functions best in Libra. It can function well in Jupiter’s signs of Sagittarius and Pisces. Mercury and Venus are its friends and welcome it into their houses. Sun, Moon and Mars are enemies to Saturn. Jupiter is neutral.
Rahu
Rahu is the North Node of the Moon. Astronomically, the Nodes are the intersection points in space of the apparent orbits of the Sun and the Moon around the Earth. They are the eclipse points. They are so powerful they can devour the Sun or the Moon at an eclipse.
Rahu is a powerful malefic. He can be the most powerful malefic in the chart. The Vedic astrology of the Nodes of the Moon is of vast value in understanding our live. It is far more developed and valuable than is the western understanding of the importance and meaning of the Nodes of the Moon.
Rahu is about material realms and about attachment, as well as about astral realms around us. It brings upheavals into life. It’s a mischievous (sometimes catastrophic) element in life, but serves its purpose in making person think more deeply about what the goal is—enlightenment—-and what it is important to remain attached to………
But Vedic astrology is a tantric spirituality. God underlies everything. Even in apparently negative phenomena, there is inherent vast connection to God. So, Rahu is a God. He teaches us through often negative phenomena, by highlighting those qualities within ourselves that cut us off from the light (remember: Rahu is so powerful he swallows the Sun and the Moon when there is an eclipse): such qualities are attachment to the world, negative karma.
The energy of Rahu is animal-like, insatiable and instinctual, not governed by conscious will or intelligence. It is outward rather than inward. Rahu is obsession, ambition, compulsions and insatiable desire; he can offer material success (which can be temporary).
In fact a strong Rahu usually brings material success and worldly power (though not necessarily inner fulfillment) and strong Rahu can bring psychic powers and mediumship (though with danger from negative forces). Rahu can be carried away by uncanny psychic sensitivity to mass trends (though some of these can link us to positive spiritualities if we learn). He can represent self-delusion, psychosis, and insanity/mental problems (Moon-Rahu is a major indicator of insanity), negative entities, possession and imprisonment, drugs and mysterious diseases. Rahu generates fear and paranoia. Rahu can be psychic and can lead through trance. He disturbs by way of doubt, lethargy, grossness and insensitivity. He is Lord of magic. The Outcast. There can be a strong theme of foreignness and foreign parts. He can lead us to mastery of the occult and study of abstruse subjects. His purpose is to lead us to our true self.
Rahu is Exalted in Taurus and Fallen in Scorpio (interpretations vary). The Nodes are ‘better placed’ in houses that can utilize malefics: the 3rd, 6th, 10th and 11th. Rahu usually functions best in a strong house like the 9th or the 10th.
If Rahu is closely conjoined to another planet, that planet can be terribly ruined, suppressed and left powerless to function, as can the house it rules.
The Nodes’ motion is normally retrograde, but when they occasionally become stationery or direct, their effects become even more powerful.
The Nodes are the great enemies of the Sun and the Moon and give worse than usual results in their signs. Sun obscured by Rahu portends karmic fault to be worked out cast in spiritual darkness through excruciating psychological and psychic pain of karmic origin; Moon afflicted by Rahu is the individual isolated from his higher nature prone to emotional turmoil, even suicidal tendencies, depression and drugs, almost beyond conscious control.
Ketu
Ketu is the South node of the Moon – the descending Node: the indicator of final release and the enlightener of the intellect.
Ketu is a powerful malefic. The forces of the Nodes are difficult to handle. Ketu is about separation and detachment, and emotionally you have to also experience ups and downs as you try to detach from what Rahu has made you glue yourself to… Ketu is also Martian in quality and hugely spiritual……especially as you separate from what you should not remain attached to.
Ketu is inward energy: spiritual desire, asceticism, moksha, isolation and doubt, asceticism and even renunciation – but his great concentration can lead to spiritual knowledge (though his wisdom can be marred by narrowness or self-righteousness). He can teach us through illusion in spirituality and chaos, self-doubt, lack of self-confidence, lack of self-worth – the shadow manifestations of which can be self-aggrandizement and megalomania.
If inauspiciously placed, Ketu can ruin things in an awful and devious way; he can create the macabre, alcoholism or drug addiction. Ketu can give sudden unexpected results for good or ill (depending on how it is placed). A well-placed Ketu can make the individual strong (though not necessarily sensitive or good). Ketu’s aim, in his deviousness, is to teach us to break free from the world.
Embodying the great cyclic Law that underlies creation and acting as Agents of Karma, the aim of Rahu and Ketu is harmony and balance, but they achieve it by working with the horrific sides of our egoic personality. Ketu is associated with psychism, unconscious behaviour and phobias/addictions. There can be deception, theft or even murder, also skin disease even cancer. The person can become as if invisible!
If Ketu closely conjoins another planet, that planet can be hopeless ruined, as can the house it rules – it is as if the planet is sucked into a black hole and dissolved, to be left as a weird compulsive inert mass.
But, also, Ketu has the power to boot up and give considerable power to a planet with which it is conjoined, especially if that planet is in its own sign (though this will not be an easy process). Venus in 2nd House conjunct Ketu in Libra can bring wealth. Mars in Scorpio in the 3rd House can bring military prowess, and so on.
Ketu is Exalted in Scorpio and Fallen in Taurus (interpretation vary). The Nodes motion is normally retrograde, but when they occasionally become stationery or direct, their effects become even more powerful. The Nodes are the great enemies of the Sun and the Moon and give worse than usual results in their signs.
Uranus represents the principle of revolutionary change. Spasmodic. Sudden.
Neptune represents spiritual vision or deceit, illusion, sensitivity.
Pluto is power, drastic seismic change, death and rebirth, deep perception, buried treasures and the mass of the people.
Chiron is our Existential Wound. Chiron signifies an area of woundedness and healing. It is the Wounded Healer paradigm: as we heal our existential wound we can become the healer of others.
. Meet the Planets Videos and Blogs Links:
N.B. For each planet, there is a Blog post and a publicly listed video.
There is also an unlisted student journey video to meet that planet, for students on my courses. Journeys are not shown on this list.
This document is bookmarked
1. Sun:
Sun in the Astrology Chart Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-_2-yhku28
Blog: https://starwheelastrology.com/the-sun-in-your-astrology-chart-visionary-journey/
2. Moon:
YouTube Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNR68te7WpY&t=25s
Blog: https://starwheelastrology.com/moon-astrology-lunar-journey/
Venus in the astrology chart Video Pt 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5SyOJnA5NE&t=25s
Venus in the Astrology Chart Video Pt 2:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoaSm3ujcto
Blog: https://starwheelastrology.com/venus-in-your-astrology-birth-chart/
Mars in the Astrology Chart Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wn3t3JYXS_s&t=25s
Blog: https://starwheelastrology.com/mars-in-your-astrology-birth-chart/
Saturn in the Astrology Chart video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GEIReLbSrg
Blog: https://starwheelastrology.com/saturn-in-your-astrology-birth-chart/
8. Uranus
Uranus in the Astrology Chart video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDeRlZTfMUE
Blog: https://starwheelastrology.com/uranus-in-astrology-birth-chart/
9. Neptune
Neptune in the Astrology Chart video:
Presentation:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8QbgwiQxLE
Blog: https://starwheelastrology.com/neptune-the-visionary-dreamer/
10. Pluto
See my two-part Pluto Video Presentation:
Pluto Pt 1. Mythic Keys:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWljxRDEqgQ
Pluto Pt. 2:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8LYU4NAbBA
Blog Pt 1: https://starwheelastrology.com/pluto-the-dark-lord-pt-1-mythic-keys/
Blog Pt 2: https://starwheelastrology.com/pluto-in-the-astrology-chart-pt-2/
12. Ketu/South Node
Pt 1 Ketu Nature
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bc_Eku61Zso
https://starwheelastrology.com/ketu-south-node-of-the-moon-in-your-astrology-birth-chart/
Pt 2 Ketu Mythic Keys and astronomy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUWVehWIuVA
https://starwheelastrology.com/ketu-south-node-of-the-moon-in-your-astrology-birth-chart-pt-2/
11. Chiron:
Two big new discoveries about the truth of Chiron Video Pt 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOvb699ZSI8&t=196s
Two big new discoveries about the truth of Chiron Video Pt 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOvb699ZSI8&t=196s
Blog:
https://starwheelastrology.com/two-big-discoveries-truth-chiron/
13. Rahu/North Node
Rahu/North Node in the Astrology Chart video:
Unlisted Student Journey to Meet Rahu/North Node:
Blog: https://starwheelastrology.com/rahu-north-node-of-the-moon/
Presentation Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZ5tfuqZOUY
