Of the Planet Venus

Venus: goddess of beauty, harmony, and desire

Venus adorns the nativity with harmony, elegance, music, and the power to enchant

Of the Planet Jupiter

Jupiter: the Greater Benefic, source of wisdom and fortune

Jupiter’s influence brings expansion, prosperity, and the generous flow of fortune and wealth

Of the Planet Mars

Mars: the fiery warrior of the heavens

Mars marks professions of battle and blade—soldiers, surgeons, smiths, and all who move through fire and risk

Of the Planet Sun

Helios ascends in his golden chariot—sovereign light of day and timeless guide of heaven

When the Sun shines strong, it lifts the native with honor, steadfast character, and enduring fame

Of the Planet Saturn

Saturn: the Greater Malefic, lord of time and solitude

The ancient astrologers called him the highest of planets—for Saturn governs time, toil, and the turning of fate

Benefic and Malefic Planets

Benefic and Malefic Planets in Traditional Astrology

In traditional astrology, planets are either benefic or malefic, symbolizing life’s blessings and challenges. Jupiter and Venus nurture growth, while Saturn and Mars bring trials. Ptolemy’s insights reveal how their elemental nature shapes our experiences through balance and adversity.

The Sun: The Diurnal Luminary

Apollo riding the chariot of the Sun across the heavens.

Sitting on its throne in the heavens, the Sun’s movement designates day and night, light and dark, winter and summer, truth and lies, carving the ecliptic, the basis of the zodiac and the art of astrology, across the sky.

The Moon: The Nocturnal Luminary

Diana (Artemis) riding the chariot of the moon across the heavens.

As the luminary that rules the night, the Moon represents change, travel, the emotional or irrational soul and feminine energy, but its significations depend on its condition in the sky and its proximity to the earthly sphere.

Venus: The Lesser Benefic

Venus, ruler of the signs Libra and Taurus, in her chariot. Maarten de Vos, 1585.

Beauty, pleasure, and love: the incarnation of the Greco-Roman goddess of love, Venus, the Lesser Benefic brings joy to the life of the native if well-placed, and over-indulgence if ill-aligned.

Mercury: The Messenger

Mercury in his chariot, riding across the heavens.

Speedy and unpredictable, the twinkling planet Mercury has long represented reason, commerce, and the pursuit of knowledge, and is distinct in its openness to the influence of other heavenly bodies.