25 November 2023
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FEEDBACK FROM LAST WEEK ….. THE STORY SO FAR!
Last week’s blog covered the arrival of the Sun and Mars into Sagittarius. As Saturn is currently slowly picking up speed, having turned direct just three weeks ago at 00.30 Pisces (half a degree), this means that any other planet changing sign at the moment makes an aspect to Saturn as their first event on a new journey.
My Facebook and Instagram post on Thursday –
Wondering why everything is a struggle atm? In this week’s blog I wrote about the Sun and Mars going into Sag within two days of each other, saying “Normally this would be something of a fanfare but both the Sun and Mars immediately make the square (friction, conflict) to Saturn (red lights), which is like slamming on huge brakes.
There’s a stop – start type theme going on all week as we’re travelling towards the Full Moon at the weekend, at 4 Gemini – caught up in the conflict of an opposition to Mars (2 Sagittarius by then) and a square to Saturn at 1 degree Pisces.”
Have you ever noticed that difficult Saturn stuff stops you from doing what you want to do! Today a friend fell ill (Saturn) and couldn’t dog walk with me, I got the dogs in the car to go alone, got into the driver’s seat … going nowhere, flat tyre (Saturn). Eventually got to our usual deserted place near the church, traffic jam …. cars everywhere because of a funeral (Saturn). There’s more but will save it for next week’s blog!
Mars’ turn next, am looking forward to getting to the other side of the weekend, here’s the celestial schedule, times in GMT
Thursday 23 November
- Sun 0 Sagittarius square Saturn 0 Pisces 09.48
Friday 24 November
- Mars ingress Sagittarius 16.59
Saturday 25 November
- Mars 0 Sagittarius square Saturn 0 Pisces 09.48
Monday 27 November
- Full Moon 4 Gemini 09.17
I always include the schedule for the week ahead in this format in the weekly blog.
So how have these squares been working out in your life or in those of closest to you? Another clear story was a friend up against family responsibilities (Saturn) including an elderly (Saturn rules age) relative and basically needing to be in three different places at the same time, one of those places being abroad (Sagittarius).
Sun – Saturn combinations are classic for health issues and btw my friend who wasn’t well on the day in my story was a Capricorn – look out for your Capricorns and Aquarians while Saturn is making himself felt so strongly – and the friend who changed the tyre was an Aquarian (left his own work to come to my rescue).
WHICH PLANET(S) RULES THE SIGNS?
Most people are immediately familiar with the idea that Saturn rules Capricorn, but less so with the rulership of Aquarius too. But part of the symmetry in horoscopy is that the five planets Mercury to Saturn all have one masculine (fire or air) and one feminine (earth or water) sign each.
On this topic, there was a heated exchange on Facebook this week in response to a post by astrologer Peter Burns, who pointed out that this week’s Sagittarius Sun and Mars squares to Saturn in Pisces invoke another planet, which is Jupiter – the ruler of both of these signs. He added rightly that Jupiter is the peace planet and that he’s still retrograde, not helping matters.
In the list of comments some readers were adamant that Pisces is ruled ONLY by Neptune, that Jupiter belongs ONLY to Sagittarius. The debate went on to talk about other signs, one reader insisting that Scorpio is ruled only by Pluto, with Mars as the co-ruler. To traditional astrologers this, naturally, sounds crazy as it’s the wrong way around.
Peter also had to ask people to refrain from political commentary and to stick to the astrology, and the astrology for now, not the whole situation over the last 70 years. The post was in particular about the Mars in Sag square Saturn in Pisces, and the 4 day ceasefire that came into operation at 06.00 GMT this morning, enabling the first of hostage releases.
My own comment on the post was that it was obvious that the astrology was indeed showing the unfolding of world events – in this case, that the square (block) from Mars (fire) to Saturn (cease) is clear symbolism at work.
The only fear – and from a craft point of view, not a political opinion lol – is that the square might also show the difficulty of bringing this about …. but as I write the first releases have been achieved.
Anyway, back to the rulership issue. At the end of the day it shouldn’t come down to personal preference, but should be about what works, and what doesn’t work. We must always be guided by craft, not by what we want to be true! This is easily demonstrable when we go into planetary rulership at the level of identifying not just what’s what but who’s who in the horoscope.
YOU & YOUR SIGNIFICANT OTHER
For example, what sign do you have on the Ascendant? What is the planet ruling that sign? There’s your chart ruler, your whole chart is you but this planet in particular is your significator. Timing measures to the significator indicate big life events.
The opposite point is your Descendant, what sign do you have there? What planet rules this sign? There’s your significator for the partner and timing measures to this planet show the timeline of your love life.
For example –
- Ascendant is Virgo – chart ruler is Mercury
- Therefore Descendant is Pisces – partner planet is Jupiter AND/OR Neptune. Natal interpretation will show two different types. Timing measures involving these planets will show which one works when
Am covering this topic in terms of relationships in more depth in this week’s blog, with special reference to the signs who have co-rulers.
STRENGTHS & WEAKNESSES
Every planet has a sign or signs that it rules, or where that planet is said to be in its sign of dignity. The natures of the planet/sign are complementary and work together harmoniously. The opposite sign or signs are the planet’s sign of detriment, in which the natures of the planet/sign are in conflict and struggle to understand each other. Note that this does not necessarily mean a simple split between “good” and “bad”.
Every planet also has a sign in which it said to be exalted, arguably its strongest placing. The opposite sign to the sign of exaltation is the planet’s sign of fall, its weakest placing, in which the natures of the planet/sign are mostly a mystery to each other.
Much of astrological interpretation in terms of the natal chart (the horoscope) lies in assessing the combination of planets in signs. This works at many levels but there are two major strands to planetary symbolism:
- Universal – what the planet stands for at a general level. For example, Jupiter rules everything that makes our world bigger and better, he’s the Greater Benefic and his top keyword is expansion
- Particular – what the planet symbolizes in any given chart. For example, WHAT or WHO is Jupiter in your own chart? Which House Cusps are Sag and Pisces? Jupiter will be the ruler of those houses
Here’s a table of the traditional placings. Note that the jury has been out for a very long time in terms of assigning signs of exaltation to the modern planets but the most accepted suggestions are given in brackets –
| Planet | Dignity | Detriment | Exaltation | Fall |
| Sun | Leo | Aquarius | Aries | Libra |
| Moon | Cancer | Capricorn | Taurus | Scorpio |
| Mercury | Gemini –
Virgo + |
Sagittarius –
Pisces + |
Virgo | Pisces |
| Venus | Taurus +
Libra – |
Scorpio +
Aries – |
Pisces | Virgo |
| Mars | Aries +
Scorpio – |
Libra +
Taurus – |
Capricorn | Cancer |
| Jupiter | Sagittarius +
Pisces – |
Gemini +
Virgo – |
Cancer | Capricorn |
| Saturn | Capricorn –
Aquarius + |
Cancer –
Leo + |
Libra | Aries |
| Uranus | Co ruler of Aquarius | Leo | None (Scorpio?) | None (Taurus?) |
| Neptune | Co ruler of Pisces | Virgo | None (Cancer?) | None (Capricorn?) |
| Pluto | Co ruler of Scorpio | Taurus | None (Leo?) | None (Aquarius?) |
| Chiron | Possible co ruler of Sag | Gemini | None | None |
ALL ABOUT SAGITTARIUS
If you want a full blooded example of the Sag nature then look no further than Bette Midler. She’s one of the horoscopes that I’ll be looking at for next week’s blog and she was also in my top three for Sun sign textbook choices in my book, along with Billy Connolly whose horoscope was featured last week.
Ruling planet: Jupiter
Symbol: The Archer
Element and Mode: Mutable Fire
Key Phrase: I seek
Spot the Sagittarian
Jupiter is Mr Big of the skies and it’s unusual to find a “small” Sagittarian. They are either tall, big boned or larger than life. However, even the smaller versions usually give the impression of boundless energy and are often in a tearing hurry. Sagittarius rules the hips and thighs, so look for that long swinging stride or even the gallop. They may remind you of a racehorse, or of a rather large exuberant dog when they bump into you, step on your feet or knock over your drink.
Look for the big smile and the narrow, usually deep set, quizzical eyes that meet your gaze with a disarming frankness. A quiet Sagittarian is a rarity as most of them are party animals who thrive on the stimulus of company and conversation. Listen for the loud voice, ringing laughter and direct questions. This can come across as rudeness but Sagittarians tend to wear their hearts on their sleeves and forget that not everyone else does.
The Sagittarian Nature
All the fire signs exude an obvious and immediate warmth, but Sagittarians are especially welcoming and cheerful. Friendliness is their hallmark, they expect to be liked and they’re puzzled or hurt when they’re not.
They can put even the most uncomfortable person at ease. Unfortunately they can also unwittingly create discomfort when their arrows of truths hit the mark with a stinging accuracy that can leave their target speechless. They usually dig themselves into an even deeper hole when trying to explain or apologize.
However, there is no malice aforethought. They simply speak as they find and they can dish out compliments with the same outspokenness. Their language is emphatic and peppered with words such as absolutely, completely or totally. They have an infectious sense of fun and can be hilariously funny, either in a clownish way or through wit.
A typical Sag is honest, gregarious and generous. Never ask them to buy anything for you without being very specific. The idea of less is more is alien to them and you can easily end up with enough goodies to lay in for a siege.
Love & Relationships
Sagittarians place enormous value on freedom and their personal space. Marrying too early, unless it’s to a real kindred spirit, can be disastrous as they invariably end up feeling trapped or restricted. Ideally this sign needs to sow more than the average number of wild oats and in this respect it’s not unusual to go through a long period of promiscuity, and broken hearts on both sides, before they find the right partner.
When they are ready to commit they do it as they do everything else, optimistically, enthusiastically and with total loyalty. Even so, the best partnerships often have a flavor of the unconventional as any kind of claustrophobia is such a death knell to their emotional growth and intellectual needs.
They will always respect a partner’s right to their individuality and independence and they are the most likely sign to make a success of a long distance relationship, or a match with someone from a different culture.
Family may be scattered far and wide but real closeness tends to be confined to just one or two special relatives. Friendship on the other hand is hugely important to this sign and typically they have a huge circle of people in whom they invest a great deal of love and energy. An easily jealous partner would therefore last about five minutes and a true Sagittarian would always choose the single life over the shackles of a controlling relationship.
Vocation
The love of personal liberty can sometimes lead to a somewhat nomadic life and a resistance to taking on responsibilities. In the process, however, the thirst for knowledge, meaning and wisdom will lead restless and enquiring Sagittarians along all sorts of interesting byways. As the sign of “the higher mind” there is a serious side to their nature, they understand that they need their own philosophy on life and that education takes many forms.
Sagittarius and Jupiter between them have a wide range of vocational concerns. They rule higher education and many gifted teachers, professors or scholars are born under this sign. Editors, writers, literary agents and publishers also belong here as do all the legal professions, such as barristers or solicitors, and all work connected to humanitarianism, ethics, faith and religion. Here we also find the world of professional athletics and sports, especially equestrianism.
Jupiter and Sagittarius also rule all things foreign, including explorers, travelers or any work linked to overseas. Many Sagittarians find their niche in an expat community or away from their country of origin. Unsurprisingly, the entrepreneurial spirit is alive and kicking with this big thinking sign, and they relish the freedom that money can buy.
What they lack in hard experience they will make up for with powerful intuition and visionary talents. Often there is a certain naivety and childlike trust in the world which somehow creates luck, albeit invariably at the eleventh hour.
Health
Sagittarius rules the thighs, including the femur, and the whole pelvic area, including the buttocks and sciatic nerve. They are prone to low back injuries that affect these parts of the body, often through sports injuries or falls. In spite of their athleticism Sagittarians can be clumsy. They tend to look upwards rather than where they are putting their feet.
This is mostly a robust sign but with their natural exuberance there is a tendency to go over the top in lifestyle or diet. They are susceptible to weight gain, exhaustion, addictions or afflictions that arise from excess and over indulgence, primarily liver disease. However, moderation does not come easily to this sign so they tend to go for the all or nothing option.
In a nutshell: intuitive, spontaneous, optimistic, friendly, enthusiastic, ethical.
Textbook Sagittarians
Billy Connolly or “The Big Yin” (Scottish dialect for The Big One), whose standup comedy routines are characterized by blue language and outspokenness. After years of serious alcohol abuse he turned teetotal 30 December 1985.
Actress, singer and comedienne with the huge personality, Bette Midler is also known as the Divine Miss M and is famous for her extrovert, flamboyant and often outrageous performances.
Explorer, travelogue writer and novelist Mark Twain both made and lost fortunes in his lifetime. He always found a way of paying his creditors in full. He cared intensely about human rights and was an adamant supporter of the abolition of slavery.
MOON IN GEMINI
Continuing the serialisation of the Moon Signs, it’s appropriate that we’ve come to Gemini just now, the opposite sign to Sagittarius and therefore the sign of this next Full Moon that is in the making over the weekend, which will be exact on Monday morning. Not an easy one as noted above, but as a natal Moon this is a placing with a lot going for it.
Also taken from my book Essential Astrology (previous titled Be Your Own Astrologer) has been relaunched under the new title by Cico Books –
The Moon in Mercury’s masculine sign bestows liveliness and quickness, often expressed through a childlike or impish quality, a sense of fun and slapstick humour. Being big kids themselves they have a natural understanding of children and how to enter into a child’s world. Note the mobility to the features and a lack of self consciousness that is part of playing the fool, mimicry and an “up for anything” attitude. Goldie Hawn, Jim Carrey and Rowan Atkinson all have this Moon.
The link to language often shows through rapid speech, a penchant for writing or media work, or cleverness with words, such as master of wit Groucho Marx. Look too for the Gemini duality. Actress Gwyneth Paltrow is bilingual, being fluent in Spanish, and is raising her two children to be bilingual too. Dexterity is also a characteristic. Amongst my own Moon Gemini clients is a primary school teacher turned theatrical seamstress, at which she excels.
The duality may also show in the early upbringing, such as two homes or two sets of parents. This is also one of the archetypes of the womanizer or the person who leads a double life. Hollywood legend Spencer Tracy remained officially married but his affair with Katharine Hepburn lasted 26 years.
This Moon definitely needs stimulus and variety. Often there is a wide and eclectic circle of friends and a larger than usual repertoire of outside interests.
Other Moon in Gemini celebs –
Barak Obama
Brigitte Bardot
Hugh Jackman
Jennifer Lawrence
Pierce Brosnan
Queen Victoria
Sigmund Freud
Tina Turner
Vladimir Putin
