If you have ever taken a look at your birth chart, you may find yourself overwhelmed with the wealth of information available about yourself all through the lens of the stars.
As many of us may have guessed (or already know), there’s more to you than just your zodiac sign (or your Sun sign). But when faced with the actual reality of our extensive birth chart, it can perhaps be difficult to know where to start.
What planets should you be focusing on?
What natal chart placements need the most attention right now?
While there are many ways to figure out what planet and placement can be significant — like looking at your dominant planet — taking a look at what is called your chart ruler is especially important.
Let’s dig into that today!
What is Your Chart Ruler?
When you stumble upon your birth chart, you will notice a variety of things listed, but not one of them will be explicitly labeled “chart ruler.”
But identifying your chart ruler or your ruling planet is actually a lot more simple than it may initially seem.
You will need to take a look at your Rising sign, also called your ascendant. Then you’ll need to see what planet is ruling over that sign.
For reference, here are all of the signs and their rulerships:
- Aries is ruled by Mars.
- Taurus is ruled by Venus.
- Gemini is ruled by Mercury.
- Cancer is ruled by the Moon.
- Leo is ruled by the Sun.
- Virgo is ruled by Mercury.
- Libra is ruled by Venus.
- Scorpio is ruled by Pluto.
- Sagittarius is ruled by Jupiter.
- Capricorn is ruled by Saturn.
- Aquarius is ruled by Uranus.
- Pisces is ruled by Neptune.
So, for example, if you had a Scorpio rising and Pluto in Sagittarius in your birth chart, you would refer to “Pluto in Sagittarius” as your chart ruler, as Pluto is your ruling planet.
You might also like: Do You Know Your Second Ruling Planet?
What Does Your Ruling Planet Mean For You?
The sign that your ruling planet is in, as well as the house, is also equally important as your ruling planet for the full chart ruler picture, but for now, as we take things piece by piece, let’s examine what your ruling planet means for you today!
The Sun
Having your chart be ruled by the Sun takes you right back to examining your Sun sign, placing extra emphasis on an already important part of your chart.
Determined and self-focused, the Sun represents the ego. Your chart ruler being the Sun, may put many challenges and questions about identity and your sense of self on the table for you throughout your life.
The Moon
With a soft and intuitive Cancer Rising, your ruling planet becomes the Moon.
Our Moon placement teaches us about how we process emotion and intuition. With your ruling planet being the Moon, this places extra importance on the emotional inner world for you.
So the saying goes, you may be “heart over head.”
Mercury
Communicative and cerebral, Mercury is a planet of true intellect.
The Mercury placement in our chart shows us how we process thought and communicate it, whether through verbal communication or something else. With your ruling planet being Mercury, self-expression becomes particularly important in your life.
Venus
Taurus and Libra risings get the beautiful and bountiful Venus ruling their chart.
Venus in our chart shows us how we process things like love, relationships, romance, and connection. It may also show you a lot about your love language.
With Venus ruling your chart, these themes of connection and relationships are likely to resurface in your life, time and time again, making your connections with others all the more important.
Mars
Headstrong and ambitious, Mars rules things like drive, passion, and ambition.
Our Mars placement shows us why and how we go after the things we want. With Mars ruling your chart, you can be particularly purpose-driven, and tasks may need to be well-aligned with the themes of the sign and house of what it rules.
Jupiter
Whimsical and full of good fortune, Jupiter is known as the planet of luck.
Jupiter in our chart shows us how we can acquire growth, luck, and expansion in our life. With Jupiter as your ruling planet, you’re constantly called to growth and may find yourself falling into prosperity naturally when you do so.
Saturn
Ruling over themes like karma, time, and responsibility, Saturn may seem like a bit of a party pooper.
With it ruling your chart, you may find yourself constantly revisiting things from your past if there are loose ends and seemingly working more than everyone around you. Its seriousness and tendency towards responsibility, however, is what keeps us on track!
Uranus
Quirky and original, Uranus is ever unpredictable, known as the planet of the unexpected.
With Uranus ruling your chart, you are called to explore its themes of change and originality. While at times you may feel like you’re on the outs more often than others, you’ll also never be a copy of anyone else.
Stepping into the role of a trendsetter, change-maker, and eccentric rebel is perhaps your calling!
Neptune
Having a Pisces Rising makes dreamy Neptune your chart ruler.
Neptune takes a while to change things up, only moving to new signs every 10-12 years. Its slow, dreamy, and mystical qualities are heightened with it ruling your chart. You may be especially drawn to intuitive, spiritual, and mystical crafts because of their influence.
Pluto
Dark and mysterious, Pluto is the planet of change and transformation.
Because it changes every 13-32 years, Pluto is often credited with being an indicator of a generational change. And no planet is perhaps more fitting for this, as Pluto itself demands a change on a large scale.
With your ruling planet as Pluto, your life may be constantly defined by its major changes and shifts, and you may find yourself called to transformation more frequently than your peers.
Next Stop: Zodiac Signs & Astrological Houses
Now that you know about an extremely important planet in your birth chart, you can reflect a bit more on its influences, or you can hop right into exploring its sign and astrological house for more detail on how it affects you.
Of course, with astrology, the possibilities are truly endless. You can learn about planetary aspects or even delve into something entirely different from the Chinese Zodiac.
No matter what you choose next, however, there is sure to be abundant information for your personal and spiritual growth and development.
Related article: What Your Perfect Home Looks Like, Based on Your Zodiac Sign
