The Key To Understanding What Your Astrology Big Six Is
This article was written by The Zillennial Zine’s fall editorial intern Celeste MacMurray. Find her on Instagram at @clsmsanchezx. If you would like to share an article with The Zillennial, send us an email at thezillennialzine@gmail.com.
When you first venture into the study of astrology, you may feel a little overwhelmed at first. An astrological natal chart looks so daunting at first glance, but the best way to approach it is piece by piece. By slowly coming to understand the moving parts of astrology, you can learn to understand it as a whole. Today’s focus is the personal planets of astrology, also known as the big six. These planets are integral within personal astrology as they explain many parts of someone’s personality and aspects of themselves.
If you’ve ever read a horoscope intended for your zodiac sign and thought, “Well, that doesn’t describe me. I don’t relate to that,” or “This is written too generally so everyone can relate to it, so it can’t be real,” I can explain why you may feel that way. Sun sign astrology only focuses on the zodiac sign we all know, based on your birthday, but how your sign expresses itself is influenced and changed by the rest of the placements in your chart. That is why a basic description of your Sun sign may not resonate with you, but as you learn more about your astrological placements, you will see how they all interact and influence one another.
There are six personal planets that are the most important to understand when you first get into astrology: Sun, Moon, Rising, Mercury, Venus and Mars. Each of these placements, depending on what sign they are in, have different expressions and manifestations, but you may be confused as to what exactly each planet is meant to represent. To understand your astrology big six, you need to understand the planets.
But first, you need to figure out your birth chart and what your placements are. To do this I would recommend a site such as Cafe Astrology or Astrodienst to figure this out. You only need three pieces of information in order to complete a birth chart: your birthday, your birth time and your place of birth. Cafe Astrology is great for when you first start getting into astrology as it gives detailed explanations of each planet and interprets its expression in relation to the sign its in. Astrodienst is perfect for understanding more complex parts of astrology, such as the inner workings of a natal chart, houses, asteroids and other constellations. Both sites give you the options of creating free birth charts, and after making one you’re already on your way to understanding your natal chart.
If you’re reading this article, you’re probably interested in the ancient practice of astrology and understanding it in regards to yourself. Here is how to understand the planets of your astrology big six.
Rising
The rising sign, or often referred to as the Ascendent, is an interesting placement as it represents how you appear to others and are perceived at a first glance. This sign can be different from your Sun sign, and is the ruler of your chart. The Rising sign can be interpreted as representing the self and your personal expression, which might seem confusing, because isn’t that just like your Sun sign? While the two placements may both have to do with the self, they are very different. Your Rising sign influences your outlook on life, your approach to the world and how you carry yourself. The placement of the Ascendent changes every two hours, meaning two people born on the same day can have different Rising signs, thus changing the way they express themselves via their Sun sign. This is why two people with the same Sun sign never act the same, because not only are they influenced by their Rising sign, but their entire chart influences their behavior as well. This is why someone’s birth time is necessary for a completely accurate chart, because it determines your Rising sign and shapes the entirety of your natal wheel chart.
Fun fact: did you know that your Rising sign can influence how you look? There are certain facial features associated with certain signs.
Sun
Signs ruled by the Sun: Leo
In astrology, your Sun sign is the one that everyone is familiar with. When someone asks you for your sign, this is the one that is being referenced. The sun transits in each of the twelves signs for about a month, and is the zodiac placement we all know because you can easily figure it out based on your birthday alone. The Sun sign is associated with the self and your overall characteristics and personality. The Sun sign represents you and your identity, but your Rising sign is who you truly are at your core and who you want to be.
Moon
Signs ruled by the Moon: Cancer
The Moon is one of the most interesting planets in astrology, especially when you start to learn more about it. The Moon deals with emotions, how you feel them and how you express them. It can determine things like your ability to speak about your emotions, or if you’re more likely to bottle them up. In fact, the Moon often represents the hidden parts of yourself you don’t let others see. The Moon is the innermost part of yourself that others may not be able to see at first glance. It is the inner workings of yourself and dictates how you navigate your emotions.
Mercury
Signs ruled by Mercury: Gemini and Virgo
Mercury is the planet of communication and describes your communication styles. The planet also governs your way of thinking, which then influences how you express yourself while speaking, writing and even your sense of humor. In my experience, you don’t know a good joke until you’ve heard a Gemini Mercury tell you one as they’re usually very quick-witted and love having deep conversations. This is because Gemini is ruled by the planet Mercury and is at home in this placement. Musicians who have a Pisces Mercury are often adept at putting their emotions into music as a form of communication. If you’d like to understand Mercury through the signs, a great way to do it is to take a look at different musicians with different mercury signs to see how their styles differ.
Mars
Signs ruled by Mars: Aries and Scorpio (in traditional astrology)
Mars may seem confusing at first, but when you study it in relation to other planets, it begins to make more sense. Mars is the Roman-counterpart of Ares, the God of War, which is why this planet has such a fiery and intense energy to it. The sign of Aries is ruled by Mars, which is what gives them such a passionate demeanor. The planet Mars can represent aggression, drive, sexuality and desire. It can even exhibit how you carry yourself through conflict, and combined with the expression of your Mercury sign, it can impact how you express yourself during them. Since Mars represents the planet of drive, it can also show the ways you approach your goals. Are you assertive and straight-forward? Or do you like to plan and take things slow? These are just some of the different things you can learn about yourself through your Mars placement.
Venus
Signs ruled by Venus: Taurus and Libra
As one of the most infamous planets, it needs no introduction; Venus is the planet of love, beauty, aesthetics and art. Named after the Roman counterpart of Aphrodite, it’s no wonder that the planet of Venus has come to represent these things. Venus can show how you express your love and the ways in which you love, and this can apply to all types of relationships. Whether familial, platonic or romantic, Venus emphasizes the way you love others. The planet can also show the kinds of aesthetics you might like, and what kinds of art you like as well. This is why certain pieces of art may resonate with you more than others, and it can even influence the way you dress. Is there a specific art movement that you enjoy more than others? A makeup style that you love to do everyday? Or is there a genre of music that speaks to you like no other? All of these things can be influenced by your Venus sign.
Astrology is a beautiful thing, and learning more about your chart can be very fulfilling, especially when you come to fall in love with it.
Whether it’s yours or not, do you have a favorite astrology placement? What is your astrology big six? Let us know in the comments!