In addition to its regular pool of meaning, this planet represents YOU. In the natal chart, it shows your identity, motivation throughout your life, the traits you are learning to integrate from the youngest age, it even represents your physical body. Now, it is not difficult to see why it is so significant. The planet ruling your ascendant carries a lot of weight.
Just keep in mind that even though two people might have the same planet as the ruler of their ascendants, other factors in the chart can modify their energy heavily. For instance, if you are a Leo rising with the Sun as your chart ruler, if it happens to be conjunct Pluto, it won’t be as extroverted and joyous as it would be if the Sun was conjunct Jupiter, a planet whose energy would enhance the Sun’s optimism and creative abilities. Cookbook interpretations only go so far.
Aspects to the chart ruler describe how you carry yourself in the world, how you come across, how you approach your goals. Aspects to this planet work in a similar way as aspects to the ascendant.
The chart ruler is essential in a chart reading. This is the planet that rules the sign your ascendant is in (the ascendant corresponds to the point of the sky that was rising over the eastern horizon at the time of your birth, as observed from your birthplace).
Most zodiac signs have only one ruling planet, while other signs (three of them, to be exact) have a traditional and a modern ruler. If your ascendant happens to be in one of the latter, read both descriptions.
Sometimes there is a misunderstanding and people assume that the chart ruler is the ruler of the sign of the Sun-which is not the case. Although the ruler of your Sun is important too.
Luckily, this is a very simple task.
To find your chart ruler, you have to know your rising sign. Unfortunately, if you don’t know the time of your birth, this method won’t work for you, as the rising sign changes approximately every two hours, so the birth date on its own won’t be of much help here. However, if you are unsure about the minute, you can still find this planet, unless you were born about the time when the ascendant was changing signs.
If you know which sign your ascendant is in, it’s very easy to find your the ruler of your natal chart. Here’s a list to help you find which planets you should be looking for:
If you are a Scorpio, Aquarius, or Pisces, it is a good idea to look for both planets in the birth chart, and check the house placement and aspects of both.
This luminary rules the charts of Leo rising people. Where the Sun is shows where you can express your true self the best, where you want to really shine.
If the royal Sun is your chart ruler, its light is reflected in how you represent yourself in the world. You were born for the A-list.
The Sun as the chart ruler suggests that you carry yourself with a lot of self-confidence, often installed in childhood. You stand up straight with your shoulders back and keep your head up. There is something regal about the appearance of these people. They are charismatic, warm, elegant. People around them usually respond positively to the warm energy of a Sun chart ruler.
The Sun as the ruler of the ascendant suggests that your ego is very strong. Of course, this is not a bad thing, however, unevolved Leo energy can turn it into arrogance. You get defensive when someone contradicts you (what might or might not be legitimate). People with this placement tend to be hungry for recognition and love.
To sum it up, you are very proud, active, dynamic, and love to be in the driver’s seat in your life. Autonomy is high on your list of priorities.
This luminary is the quickest moving celestial object, so its position in the natal chart is highly unique to you. If it happens to also be the ruler of your ascendant, you should pay even more attention to it. This is the case if you have your ascendant in Cancer.
If you have the Moon as your chart ruler, it indicates that there is a side of you you only allow people really close to you to see. Despite this, at some point in your life you usually become quite well-liked. Others find it easy to identify with you.
The Moon as your chart ruler reveals that you are nurturing and protective of those who need support, you are sensitive to your environment and your emotions run deep (you may or may not know how to process them, though, what might result in anxiety or other negative states of mind).
You have great leadership ability and you need to be needed.
You can have a Mercury chart ruler if you are a Gemini or a Virgo rising. Mercury is the planet of the intellect. If this planet as the ruler of your ascendant suggests that you have many interests, like to put yourself out there and collect information, that you are intelligent and like learning. You notice even the tiniest details.
You have a knack for reading people. You get along well with people from all walks of life. You are witty and interesting to talk to, but you might spread yourself too thin. You might struggle with being persistent.
If you have a retrograde Mercury chart ruler, you might find it hard to express yourself and speak up when young. From time to time, you are overly critical with yourself.
Venus rules your ascendant if you are a Taurus or a Libra rising.
A Venus chart ruler suggests that themes of this planet (harmony, balance, relationships, beauty, aesthetic) color your life to a great extent. You make the impression of a sophisticated, courteous, charming person.
Venus, the planet of harmony and affection tends to indicate an attractive physical appearance and pleasant manners, unless heavily afflicted. You are charismatic and attractive, often popular. Venus as a chart ruler implies that you are an excellent diplomat.
If you have Mars as your chart ruler, you are initiative, assertive, clean-cut, dynamic. How this planet acts depends on the rising sign, though (and of course, on the zodiac sign Mars falls in in the birth chart!).
Mars as the chart ruler for a Scorpio rising is more subtle, mysterious, secretive. Its energy is inwardly expressed, but there is TREMENDOUS energy in it. It is extremely determined.
Mars as the chart ruler for an Aries rising, on the other hand, puts its energy out there in the world, it is an extroverted, expansive sign. People with this placement are go-getters, daredevils, and they are definitely no shrinking violets.
Jupiter is considered the best planet if a term like that exists at all. It is important both for Sagittarius and Pisces rising people.
If you have Jupiter as your chart ruler, your persona is infused with the vision and adventurousness of this planet. You are open-minded, optimistic, playful, fun-loving.
You believe it to your bones that things will work out somehow in your favor. Always cheerful and positive, you tend to be quite popular if Jupiter is the ruler of your ascendant. You have high self-confidence, especially if your ascendant is in Sagittarius.
What does it mean to have Saturn as your chart ruler?
If you are a Capricorn rising or an Aquarius rising, the planet of time and karma rules your chart. One of the first things you realize in astrology that Saturn is not an easy planet. Saturn chart rules suggests that you are serious, methodical, might come across as cold or unapproachable.
You are objective, goal-oriented, ambitious, perfectionistic. You are an extremely capable person, but if you are not careful, you might get trapped in the gloomy, pessimistic mood so typical of Saturnian energy.
When young, you probably had some painful experiences related to isolation, rejection, lacking support and having to grow up way too quickly.
Uranus as the chart ruler gifts (or perhaps courses) you with a unique perspective. You are probably different in some way than most people around you. You are intelligent, scientific, humanitarian. You like to wonder about how the world could be improved.
You are usually in your head, thinking about various topics. You want to be part of a group and stand out at the same time. You like to reform and rebel, but if you don’t integrate this energy properly, you might struggle with fitting in. You don’t like taking advice from anyone who is not an authority in your eyes.
Uranus as a chart ruler suggests that more than anything, you want to be authentic and true to yourself.
Neptune as your chart ruler suggests that you are dreamy, artistic, sensitive. You usually like music, art, movies, and daydream a lot. You easily receive guidance from your unconscious and your intuition is crazy powerful.
You might get lost in your fantasy world because you find the world to be cruel and ruthless. You have a lot of compassion and sympathize with the underdog. You feel a close connection to the divine.
Because of the watery nature of Pisces, you might not feel like you have a solid sense of self, and your identity changes based on the circumstances. It is important for you to find a creative outlet or some other activity that allows you to recharge.
As Neptune moves through the Zodiac so slowly, people born during a 14-year period have the same Neptune sign. Because of this, using Jupiter as the ruler of Pisces might be more helpful.
You have a Pluto chart ruler if you are a Scorpio rising.
Make sure to interweave Mars in your interpretation too-Pluto is the slowest moving planet (it stays in the same zodiac sign for decades!), so on a personal level, beyond its aspects to personal planets and angles it is not as significant.
A Pluto chart ruler suggests that you are hard to figure out. You move in silence and when you want something, nothing can stop you. You don’t trust people easily. Your inner circle usually consists of only a few people, but you are loyal to them to death.
Pluto as the chart ruler hints a mysterious, intense personality. You are repulsed by superficial things, you are in for the truth and you like to dig deep.
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