Planet Basics
On a clear night, go outside and look up at the sky through a telescope. Look at the rings of Saturn, the red dust of Mars, and the stark landscape of the moon. Suddenly, the stories about the Greek and Roman gods will leap to life for you. Your intellect will fuse with intuition; pieces will come together. In a moment of utter clarity, you will understand why Mars is the god of war, why Mercury is the messenger, and why Neptune rules the seas and everything beneath them.
As previously mentioned, planetary energy can be labeled as good and bad. Actually, this is misleading because planetary energy isn't positive or negative. Traditionally, Jupiter is the great benefic, the planet that blesses. Venus comes in a close second. The Sun, Moon, and Mercury line up after that. Saturn is the great malefic, the bad guy of the group whose lessons tend to be harsh. Saturn is followed in this negativity by Mars, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto.
Inner and Outer Planets
Planets orbit the Sun at different speeds. The closer a planet is to the Sun, the faster it travels through its orbit. The Moon, for instance, travels through the zodiac in about twenty-eight days and spends two to three days in each sign. Mercury orbits the Sun in eighty-eight days. Pluto, which lies the farthest from the Sun, completes its orbit in 248 years. The faster-moving planets — Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars — are known as inner planets. Jupiter, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto are known as outer planets.
The inner planets are considered to be personal because they relate to the development of our individual egos, our conscious selves. The outer planets relate to the outer world. Since the outer planets move so much more slowly through the zodiac, their pattern of influence is often felt by an entire generation of people.
The luminaries — Sun and Moon — have transpersonal qualities. The Sun represents not only our ego, but fundamental cosmic energy. The Moon, which concerns our most intimate emotions and urges, links us to what astrologer Robert Hand calls, “One's Ultimate Source.”
Planetary Motion
Planetary motion is either direct (D), retrograde (R), or stationary (S). In reality, all planetary motion is direct but relative motion isn't. The Sun and the Moon can never turn retrograde, but all the other planets do. A retrograde planet is one that appears to move backward in the zodiac, but this backward motion is actually an optical illusion. Imagine being in a train as another train speeds past you. You feel as if you're moving backward, when in actuality, you're only moving more slowly than the other train. Retrograde motion doesn't change the fundamental essence of a planet; it merely means that the expression of its energy is altered somewhat.
During a Mercury retrograde, communications tend to get fouled up and travel plans are disrupted. Back up your computer files beforehand! Don't sign new contracts! This is an important time to revisit the past and work on old projects. Get in touch with people you haven't talked with for a while. It's not a time to start something new!
During a Jupiter retrograde, the beneficial aspects of the planet are turned down somewhat. Some astrologers contend that if there are three or more retrograde planets in a chart, certain past-life patterns may prevail in the present life. But even if it is true, our point of power lies in the present, in this life; this moment.
During a retrograde, the nature of that planet is forced inward, where it creates tension and stress. The outlet for this tension is usually worked out in relationships with others.
Planets in direct motion have more influence than retrograde planets. Stationary planets, those that are about to turn direct or retrograde, have greater influence in a chart than either retrograde or direct moving planets. This is due to the concentrated energy of the planet.
Strengths and Weaknesses of the Planets
The strength or weakness of a planet depends on its sign, placement in the houses, aspects, and motion. A planet that occupies a sign it rules is dignified — Mercury in Gemini, for instance, or Venus in Libra.
When a planet is exalted, its drive and essential qualities are expressed more harmoniously. An example would be the Sun in Aries or the Moon in Taurus. Exalted planets are assigned specific degrees and are said to function smoothly within those degrees.
A plant is in the sign of detriment when it occupies the sign opposite that of its dignity. An example is Mercury in Sagittarius. Mercury is in detriment here because it rules Gemini, and Sagittarius is Gemini's polar opposite. In a detriment, the energy of the planet is considered to be at a disadvantage. When a planet lies in the sign opposite that of its exaltation, it's said to be in fall. A Moon in Scorpio is in fall because the Moon is exalted in Taurus. Its energy is watered down.
One of the most important planets in a chart is the one that rules the ascendant (or rising sign). This planet is usually, but not always, considered the ruler of the chart. A Libra rising, for example, means that Venus is the chart ruler because Venus rules Libra.
Mutual reception occurs when two planets are placed in each other's sign of dignity. The Sun and the Moon, for instance, are in mutual reception if the Sun is in Cancer or Taurus, and the Moon is in Leo or Aries. This happens because the Sun rules Leo and is exalted in Aries, and the Moon rules Cancer and is exalted in Taurus. When a planet is placed in its natural house of the horoscope (Mercury in the third house, for instance), it's accidentally dignified and strengthened.
