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The Signs of the
Zodiac
The planets move about the
sky in a circular band called the zodiac. The
zodiac is divided into 12 equal segments called
signs. Each sign has its own distinctive character,
which shapes the energy of any planet that happens
to be in that sign at a given time.
When most people think of
astrology, the first thing they think of is the
signs: Aries, Taurus, Gemini, and so on.
"What's your sign?" is the classic
ice-breaker, and newspaper columns give
astrological advice according to sign.
Unfortunately, this emphasis
on signs can be somewhat misleading. When someone
says "I'm a Libra", what they really mean is that
the Sun was in Libra when they were born.
Although the placement of the Sun at the time of
your birth is very important astrologically, it is
hardly the sole determiner of your personality and
life issues. Each of the planets was in one of the
signs at the moment of your birth, and the position
of each is very important.
Remember it is the planets
that represent the basic life energies. The signs
only modify how those energies express
themselves.
For example, Venus
represents the energy of attraction for each of us.
The sign Venus was in at the time of your
birth says how you experience attraction.
Someone with Venus in Aries, for example, might
experience attraction in a very outgoing, impulsive
way. They might be prone to sudden crushes, and
might be quite direct in expressing interest in
someone or something. Someone with Venus in
Scorpio, on the other hand, might experience
attraction in a more intensive, private, and
brooding sort of way.
The first step in using
astrology for self-understanding is to get a copy
of your birth chart and look at which sign each
planet is in. (For a free chart, see the resources
in the sidebar at right.) To read the chart, you
will probably need to know the symbols (or glyphs)
for the planets (Page
Two) and signs (this
page).
Different charts are drawn
differently, but you should be able to find the
symbol for each planet somewhere on the chart
circle, and read the zodiac sign either on the edge
of the wheel, or written right next to the planet
itself. Many charts also summarize the positions of
each planet in text format as a sidebar, which can
be easier to read. The positions will usually
include numbers, too, but you can ignore those for
now. (They give the exact position of the planet
within the sign.) Just find out which sign each of
your planets is in.
Here is my own summary of
what each sign is like:
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cardinal signs
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fixed signs
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mutable signs
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fire
signs
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 Aries,
Finder of the
Flame
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Qualities: outgoing, impulsive,
decisive, forceful
Role: firebrand,
motivator, leader, person of
action
Traps:
insensitivity, lack of follow-through,
impatience
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 Leo,
Keeper of the Day
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Qualities: flamboyant, fun-loving,
generous, exuberant
Role: optimist,
performer, host/ess, master of
ceremonies
Traps:
egocentricity, domineering,
attention-seeking
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 Sagittarius,
Releaser of the
Lightning
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Qualities:
adventurous, dynamic, volatile,
high-spirited
Role:
brainstormer, explorer, crusader,
rebel
Traps:
flightiness, lack of perspective,
arrogance
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earth
signs
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 Capricorn,
Finder of the
Summit
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Qualities: resourceful, dedicated,
ambitious, serious
Role: achiever,
producer, manager, person of
character
Traps:
status-seeking, materialism,
rule-bound
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 Taurus,
Keeper of the
Valley
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Qualities: loyal, sensual,
acquisitive, gentle
Role: protector,
friend/lover, stabilizer,
healer
Traps:
possessiveness, stubbornness,
self-indulgence
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 Virgo,
Releaser of the
Harvest
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Qualities: careful, organized,
helpful, skilled
Role: technician,
artist, designer, caretaker
Traps:
perfectionism, martyrdom,
myopic
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air
signs
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 Libra,
Finder of the Song
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Qualities: diplomatic, esthetic,
sociable, indecisive
Role: harmonizer,
negotiator, collaborator/lover,
counselor
Traps: low
assertiveness, difficulty with tough
choices, concern with
appearances
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 Aquarius,
Keeper of the
Skies
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Qualities: idealistic, abstract,
humanitarian, collegial
Role: reformer,
activist, philosopher,
innovator
Traps:
detachment, restlessness,
condescension
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 Gemini,
Releaser of the
Winds
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Qualities:
verbal, curious, gregarious,
clever
Role: teacher,
debater, writer, scientist
Traps:
superficiality, "living in your head",
duplicity
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water
signs
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 Cancer,
Finder of the
Tides
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Qualities: sensitive, nurturing,
private, supportive
Role: parent,
caregiver, homemaker, community
builder
Traps: neediness,
insecurity, withdrawing
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 Scorpio,
Keeper of the
Deeps
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Qualities: intense, penetrating,
brooding, passionate
Role:
investigator, taboo-breaker, shaman,
hermit
Traps:
vindictiveness, suspicion,
self-absorption
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 Pisces,
Releaser of the
Mists
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Qualities: moody, unfocused, psychic,
accepting
Role: mystic,
poet, dreamer, wanderer
Traps:
purposelessness, depression, self-respect
issues
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See if you can use the
planet meanings on Page
Two with the sign
meanings here to begin to interpret your own birth
chart. Begin with the Sun and the Moon, as most
people find their Sun and Moon signs say more about
their general personality and character than do the
signs of the other planets.
Next Steps
If you can interpret the
planets in the signs, you have a solid basic tool
kit for understanding an astrological birth chart.
Planets and signs together tell us things like how
we find our life purpose, what gives us comfort and
nurtures us, how we communicate, how we love, how
we compete, and how we grow and how we experience
boundaries.
That's a lot! There are a
couple important pieces remaining, though. We need
to relate these planetary energies, as filtered
through the signs, to our specific life
activities: work, romance, recreation, travel,
etc. We also need to get a picture of which
planetary energies work together, which work in
isolation, and which tend to interfere with each
other.
The life areas in which the
planets express themselves are called houses, and
are presented on the next page.
Go to
Page Four.
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