Each planet has a special affinity to one or more signs. This is known as rulership. Planetary rulerships of signs are important to memorize, because they help you form links between concepts in the chart.
Rulership describes an affinity between a planet and a sign. Every planet has a sign which seems to match it. The energy of Aries, for example, is very similar to the planet Mars. While Mars is in Aries, he is “at home” and able to more comfortably express his basic nature.
Committing rulerships to memory makes the task of reading charts much easier!
Planet................ Rules
Sun......................... Leo
Moon........................ Cancer
Mercury..................... Gemini and Virgo
Venus....................... Libra and Taurus
Mars........................ Aries
(Traditionally* Scorpio)
Jupiter..................... Sagittarius
(Traditionally* Pisces)
Saturn...................... Capricorn
(Traditionally* Aquarius)
Uranus...................... Aquarius
Neptune..................... Pisces
Pluto....................... Scorpio
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