Rulerships are key to understanding the relationships between the planets and the signs. Each sign has a planetary ruler. Only the Sun & Moon rule one sign each. The Sun rules Leo and The Moon rules Cancer. The other planets each rule two signs each. When you look at the keywords for each sign and planet you'll see they share similar keywords and vibes BUT it's best if you don't forget that they are NOT the same. Signs are the vibe of the space or house they inhabit. In theater they would be the backdrop or location of the play. The Planets are the characters in the play and they change the story that happens in that setting or house.
Do you have any planets in the signs they rule in your chart?
Traditional Astrology only recognizes the seven traditional planets as rulers. You can see in the charts in this post which of the traditional planets rules which Sign. This is because they were the only planets seen with the naked eye and it makes sense that they would have the biggest impact on us at that distance.
in Modern Astrlogy they often associate the outer planets (Uranus, Neptune & Pluto) as planetary rulers. I do not find this to be true AND who wants to be ruled by fucking Pluto? I don't find that to be a supportive or useful practice. However, there are Signs that vibe with each of the outer planets.. You can learn more about that by looking at the posts about each Sign.
Planets in Detriment. Each planet has a sign where it is also in detriment (weaker). These are the opposite signs of their rulership. This is a place where the sign fails to thrive & struggles to use its powers. Planets in detriment do have a secret power however, sometimes they bring forward unique opportunities or torque much the same way harsh aspects like squares do. Detriment doesn't mean the planet is completely disabled they mean that the planet needs to work harder to use the talents it does have while in detriment.
Notice the planets you have in detriment in your chart and think about how these planets show up to help you thru hard times, struggles or loss. They can be great tools for Shadow WeRK.
Here is a chart of the Planetary Rulerships & Detriments.
Why Rulerships Matter. It's important to understand rulerships for lots of reasons. The biggest is that the planet ruling your First House is the most dominant planet in the birth chart. It's your planetary BFF. The placement and transits of this BFF planet will be something to watch all your life.
It also helps you track your Profected Ruler, aka: The Timelord, for each year. This is a very powerful ancient technique that helps you focus on one planet, house, and sign for each year of your life.
Continue YOUR Astrology Studies by considering YOUR Planetary Conditions
Take time to see if you have any Planets in Signs they rule in your Natal Chart. What do you think this offers you?
Do you have any planets in Detriment in your chart? What gifts and opportunities do you think this extra WeRK brings you?
Use this page from the SweetAstro WeRKbooks to ponder how your Chart Ruler (the planet that rules your First House) is doing. This can be really helpful to think about because it helps you prioritize the transits that will happen to you throughout your life. The transits from your Chart Ruler will always be powerful and important. Merge this with the transits of your Timelord and suddenly Astrology is not as overwhelming - we're not meant to track every single transit that happens every day/week/month/year. While some of the other transits will have an impact for various other reasons these techniques will help you narrow things down a bit.
I can’t wait to learn more on these subjects!!
“ Signs are the vibe of the space or house they inhabit. In theater they would be the backdrop or location of the play. The Planets are the characters in the play and they change the story that happens in that setting or house”
This is so potent and helps me a lot!!
Lots to learn and I’m here for it!
Thanks D!