planets

Planets in Signs versus Houses

I just replied to someone in a discussion group. The question was how to use the interpretations for planets when they are written in the format of Saturn in Sagittarius and the 9th house, Saturn in Aquarius and the 11th house, etc. After I posted I thought, blog post! So here it is …

When you are first learning astrology, it can be frustrating when everything seems so generalized. That’s because you are learning so many basics. It’s like learning a lot of vocabulary when you are studying a foreign language. You need to learn the vocabulary, but the individual words aren’t as meaningful as the phrases, sentences, paragraphs, etc.

Each house has a natural ruler. Starting with Aries on the first and going around the 12 houses with the 12 signs. Houses are areas of life experiences, and the natural ruler is sort of the most natural style for that house.

I’m not a huge fan of descriptions that are written as having a plant in Sag or in the 9th house and discussing them as if they are the same. They aren’t, though there are some basic similarities. Let’s look at your example of Saturn in Sagittarius and in the 11th house.

As background, I do karmic astrology, so the natal chart is seen as a painting of your past life beliefs and experiences.

Saturn is time and space. It’s how we define ourselves as human. It’s our energy that deals with limits, rules, structure, and our humanity. The sign of Saturn shows you how you come into this life expressing this energy. It reflects your old history. The house of Saturn shows your current life focus. It shows the area of life that you are specifically intending to develop this energy.

Saturn in Sagittarius is going to be someone that really wants to explore their limitations and in fact blow them up a bit. These are folks that need structure that can accommodate their need for change and action. They feel a kind of security in exploration. There’s also a bit of righteousness when it comes to rules and usually Saturn in Sag wants some kind of organized religion or religious community.

That kind of energy in the 11th house is going to be someone that is going to do what I just described in group, communities, causes, politics, social structures, friendships, co-operatives etc. I would guess that in your life you will be drawn to both the safety of a group, as well as a desire to explore the limits of groups. You can get energized working for causes and would be good at grass roots organizing.

Contrast this with someone that has Saturn in Sag but in the 4th house. This person feels safe at home. Their need to test their limits is more involved with family and how their home life fits with the entirety of their life.

Sign – style of expression.
House – area of life experience.

When you read the sign description, think style, how you express the energy. When you read the house description, think about the area of life this speaks to most.

Does that help?

planets

Higher Octave Planets

Time to dust off this blog!

The higher octave planets are Uranus, Neptune and Pluto. The planets represent energies in the chart, so think of these higher octaves as higher vibrations of the three personal planets they connect to, namely Mercury, Venus and Mars.

Mercury is the rational mind, how we communicate via language. It’s what we believe makes sense. Mercury can show how we learn, how we take in information, how we process information. Uranus is the higher octave of Mercury and it is the “ah ha” within it is. Uranus is the moment of discovery, our ability to see the connection between seemingly unconnected things. It is the stroke of genius that brings information together and forms something new – discovery, invention, innovation. Uranus is also how we differentiate ourselves, our sense of individuality. It is how we experience and express our uniqueness while staying connected to the whole, to the universe, to each other.

Venus is our value system. It’s how we give and receive love. It’s what we prioritize, what we value, what we are able and willing to love. It’s how we perceive beauty. Neptune is the higher octave of Venus and it is our ability to be love. It is our intuition, our compassion, our ability to empathize, to feel what others feel. Neptune is our creative energy and is visionary, dreamy, and our need to save and rescue. Neptune is transcendent love and a conduit for the soul’s expression in this life.

Mars is our vitality. It is our ambition, sex drive, physical energy. Mars is the energy that drives us to action. It relates to our body, how we move physically as well as the actions we take in the world. Pluto is the higher octave of Mars and is our will. It is our ability to perceive we have a choice. Pluto is about control, empowerment and transformation and our willingness and ability to surrender to a deeper wisdom that can guide our actions. Pluto is the phoenix that is reborn from the ashes. The soul expresses divine will through Pluto.

When looking at Mercury, Venus, and Mars in a chart always look at their higher octaves. Doing so will give you a deeper view of the energy. Pay attention to aspects formed between these personal planets and their higher octave. Look at how the energies may be working together or at odds and you will have insight into strength and struggles in the chart.

I am considering starting a podcast in 2017. If you would like to join me in the podcast and discuss some of your chart with you, email me at Lisa@karmicastrology.com.

© 2016 Lisa Wagner. All Rights Reserved.