Understanding the Role of the Ascendant (Rising Sign)

The ascendant is the sign that is rising in the east at the moment of birth. It is not the same thing as the sun sign, although both the sun and the ascendant will be in the same sign if you are born at daybreak. Otherwise you can be born at any time of day, and your ascendant will still be the sign rising in the east.

The ascendant represents the face you present to the world – your physical appearance, your manner of dealing with people, and what they perceive at first glance. But what they see may not always be what they get – a woman with Aries rising may seen aggressive, adventurous and confident, but if her moon is in the sign of cancer, she will have a well concealed softer side.

Here are the general meanings of the 12 signs on the ascendant:

Aries: The physical appearance is quite compact and powerful, with a competitive manner. Aries rules the head, so those with Aries ascending may sport a few scars here. Pain will be centred in the head, so there may be headaches, or even migraines. The confidence that comes with Aries rising may be a mask if there are planets in less aggressive signs.

Taurus: A slid stocky build, a fondness for pastel colours, good food and company are Taurean first impressions. Taurus rules the throat, so there is usually something attractive about the voice – perhaps a good singing voice. The projected personality is warm and friendly but likely to be stubborn.

Gemini: The appearance will be thin, sharp and restless. Gemini rules the lungs, so they need to take to avoid pollution and smoke. Geminis are ruled by mercury, which also rules the hands, so they gesticulate a lot as they talk. Communication is life blood to a Gemini, they won’t be seen without their cell phones, and if they don’t have a car, then they will have a regular taxi service, as they like to get about quickly.

Cancer: In appearance, those with the moon’s sign rising have a tendency to weight gain, either through love of food, water retention or both. Cancer rules the breasts, so the women are usually well endowed in this area. The eyes shine under the influence of the Moon, and are round in shape. They may appear moody and restless by turns, and enjoy being near the water.

Leo: Those with Leo rising have an air of genuine nobility. The hair is very thick and lustrous, the chest very deep, the voice usually melodious and deep. Leo ascendants are usually very good looking and always impressive. Leo rules the heart, so there is a lot of generosity and warmth in their approach to life.

Virgo: As a rising sign, Virgo is reserved in appearance and dress, with a love of neatness and the `preppy’ look. Even regular features and an almost obsessive attendance to personal hygiene make this rising sign an attractive one, but the appearance can be marred by frown lines and worry lines. Nevertheless, Virgo in the ascendant generally assures a youthful appearance in middle age. Virgo rules the intestines, and this sign in the ascendant is certainly an example of `intestinal fortitude’.

Libra: The appearance is generally attractive and well groomed, very pleasing to the opposite sex. The Libra ascendant is diplomatic and thoughtful, and eager to please, but they may seem weak and indecisive. This can be a mask, however, if they have planets in more aggressive signs.

Scorpio: The appearance is magnetic, with penetrating eyes and a sensual look. The Scorpio ascendant will give little away, however, even if there are planets in more outgoing signs. It is natural for Scorpio to keep secrets. Scorpio rules the reproductive organs, which is one reason they enjoy such a sexy reputation.

Sagittarius: Generally long-limbed, athletic and active in youth, may run to overweight in more sedentary middle age. Those with Sag rising tend to be clumsy, but have an engaging, appealing air with a wide grin and a good sense of humor. Sag rules the thighs and the liver, and they do love to travel and party hard.

Capricorn: In appearance, they tend to be of medium height or less, dark or sallow in hair and skin colour. Capricorns often look worried, but this is an `upside down’ sign – they seem old when young, and young when they are old. Capricorn rules the skin and bones, so they are likely to be thin, angular and there may be a tendency to skin problems and arthritis.

Aquarius: Those with Aquarius rising are often very attractive, even beautiful, but not in a conventional way. They may be very tall, angular, dress in an eccentric manner, have green or blue hair, or generally march to their own drummer. Aquarius rules the legs, and they love to walk and stroll around the neighbourhood or the world.

Pisces: The appearance is often very attractive, with dreamy eyes and luminous skin. There may be a tendency to gain weight through water retention. Pisces rules the feet – they enjoy walking but prefer to be barefoot. They like to dress in a very personal way, with beautiful designs, colours and fabrics.

What are Progressions?

natal chart is a `snapshot’ of planetary positions at the time of birth. It shows the potentials of the new born child, the tools with which he or she has to work in building their own lives. But the planets don’t stand still.

Within moments, hours, days, years, they are moving again. Life is motion, both above and below, and the motions of the planets are reflected in that original natal chart. Astrologers call this `progression’. The most common calculation used is `year for a day’, in which progressions are calculated at the motion of the Sun. Thus to look at the progressions of some aged 25, we would chart the progress of the planets 25 days after the birthday. Some, like the Sun and moon, would have moved quite far – others, like Uranus and Pluto, would barely have moved at all.

Take the Sun. At birth it may be at 5 degrees of Cancer. Taking the ‘year for a day’ calculation, we would look at the Sun’s position 25 days after the birth,which would correspond to the age of 25. As there are 30 degrees in a sign, the Sun at 5 degrees of Cancer has 2 degrees to go before it enters the sign of Leo. This corresponds to 25 years in the native’s life. So at the age of 25 or thereabouts, we can see that the natal sun will have progressed into a new sign. So what does this mean for the natal chart?

It means a new influence is at work in the native’s life. Cancer is a more retiring, home centered sign than Leo – but with the warmth of the progressed Sun entering Leo, that native now has the opportunity to come out more, to shine and show off his or her talents. The native might indulge in a complete makeover, change the focus of the primary relationships in the life (Cancer is far more likely to put up with manipulation and poor treatment than Leo), and generally widen the horizons to include more possibilities.

The progressed Sun entering a new sign indicates a change in life direction – the Sun represents our goals and aims in life, and the new sign offers not only new possibilities, but also new opportunities.

But the Sun, in its progession, can also come into aspect with other `set’ planets in the natal chart. For example, if the native has Venus at 25 degrees of Cancer, the Sun will come into conjunction with Venus some years before progressing into Leo. For our sample chart, this would occur around the age of 21. This could indicate that the native marries at this age – it may be a typical Cancerian marriage, with the Cancerian taking the more passive role, then along comes the Sun’s progression into Leo, and suddenly our native wants a stronger role in life. This is not invariably how it pans out of course, but it does explain why people we think we knew well, suddenly metamorphose into someone completely new.

Aspects between progressed and natal planets must be exact. In transits we can allow up to 10 degrees either way, but in progressions, the progressed planet must be 1 degree or less in aspect to the natal planet. Progressed aspects are very powerful and signify major changes in the life.

The Moon, of course, progresses at a much faster rate. It only takes two or three years to progress through a sign, but it also has quite a strong influence, and its aspects to the natal planets, while no less exact, are also important.

The astrologer also looks at the progression of the rising sign – for example, a natal chart can show the ascendant to be 10 degrees Capricorn, but 20 years later (with the ‘year for a day’ calculation) it will move into Aquarius. The ascendant shows the image we present to the world. Ever wondered why a conservative, buttoned up acquaintance suddenly sports tattoos and a motor bike? Blame Aquarius rising by progression.

`Di I contradict myself? Yes, I contradict myself. I am multitudes.” Walt Whitman wrote. he could have been talking about progressions.

Who actually interprets a natal chart?

Every astrologer interprets a chart in his or her own way. Some see it as a kind of “user’s manual” for life, others see it as a psychological blueprinct of the psyche. Still others see it as a glorious landscape people with fabulous mythological figures. I am one of those and I will be sharing my `astrotales’ with you.

But everyone sees a natal chart very differently. It is a life, their life.

A life lived is a chart interpreted. Even if someone never has a natal chart drawn up, the life continues to be lived.

If a person was never told that progressed Venus had conjuncted the natal Sun at an age when marriage could be expected, something important would still occur at that time, and marriage would be one of the options. In the debate about free will or fate, the answer is quite simple really. Life presents us with timed options. We have little to do with that. A parent dies, something changes that is out of our control…that may be termed fate. What we do about it is free will.

An astrologer draws up a natal chart and is presented with a good deal of information about that person. But the astrologer also knows that much of this life has already been lived, and the chart interpreted, by the individual whose chart it is. The reason to have a natal chart drawn up and interpreted is quite simple: We are curious about ourselves, and want to know why the stories of our lives unfold as they do, and how they may unfold in the future. But usually it takes a crisis in the life to bring this about.

The astrologer does not often see a subject who is not in crisis, who is merely curious. People have charts drawn up when they have literally “lost the plot”. Suddenly it becomes imperative to know the elements of the story so they can move onto the next chapter.

From this chart circle, dotted with glyphs and numbers, a picture will emerge to experienced eyes. If your personal life is in a mess, the astrologer will look at Venus and the Moon and what is happening there. If life has always been a struggle, the astrologer will look at Saturn for an explanation.
You will ask, why me? The astrologer will say, because there is a lesson to be learned here.

Is it just a matter of being born at the wrong time?
No, this chart is a life, with good and bad aspects, signs and houses just like everyone else. Up to now, the client have interpreted it as best as he or she could.

But once the natal chart is drawn up, the client learns that there are things he or she can do nothing about, and other areas where clear choices can be made.

Up to now, this person may have been pushing the wrong buttons. Faced with choices, he or she may have been surrendering to fate rather than exercising free will.

The natal chart frees us from fate. It gives us information that helps us make better choices.

What’s Happening Now?

This will be the first of a series of regular blogs on current planetary influences. What they mean to you pesonally, of course, depends on the aspects they make to your own natal chart. You can create a natal chart for free at the astrodienst site, where you will also find loads of free information to help you understand it.

As I write, the Sun is in Gemini, and Venus has just entered this sign, which is a lovely influence for Gemiminans, especially those born in the 1st-15th degree of Gemini (around may 21-June 5). On June 8, the Sun, Venus and Mercury will all be conjunct (the same degree or very close) in Gemini. For those born around this date, you will be able to relax and celebrate with family and friends (after all, it is the weekend), but don’t worry to much about schedules, because Mercury is retrograde in your sign and that means nothing will go as planned because of delays and errors. Just go with the flow while Mercury is distracted. It only lasts until June 19, anyway,

The Moon is in Aquarius today, which is less upsetting than the recent full moon in Scorpio. That was actually a Blue Moon (the second in Scorpio in a month) and these can be very intense, especially if you are influenced by Scorpio in your natal chart. A Blue Moon tends to bring about defining events that dredge deeply into your soul, hardly the sweet romantic influence of the famous song!

Aquarius is heavily populated at the moment, with Neptune, the North Node and Chiron there. The Moon’s passage over these planets could be a very healing influence, particularly for people affected by the Aquarian desire to reach out to others in brother and sisterhood. For Aquarians with a birthday yesterday or today, this will be a year of forgiveness and healing, and of meeting people who will bring enlightenment into your life.

Mars is in Leo, thundering through a fire sign, and giving Leos tons of energy with which to exhaust everyone else (as is their wont). But Mars in Leo is not terribly warlike, more an upright defender of tradition and spectacle. The Beijing Olympics begin on August 8, when the Sun is in Leo, which should be enough spectacle for any King of the Beasts. Mercury is also moving forward rapidly in this sign, so expect quite a few records to be broken. The Sun is also moving into conjunction with the True Node – stars will emerge from among the competitors, and this conjunction adds a touch of fate to the proceedings.

But all that is well ahead – take advantage of the Moon’s healing energy now.

The Head and The Tail of the Dragon (The Moon’s Nodes)

The Moon’s Nodes are not planetary bodies – they are the north and south points of the ecliptic, where the moon intersects the path of the sun. The North and South nodes are always directly opposite each other, but depending on your date of birth, each node will occupy a degree and a sign just like the planetary bodies.

The Nodes of the Moon always seemed to be activated in a chart when something important is going on, like a fateful meeting or change of direction in life. The North Node of the Moon is called the Dragon’s Head and shows the direction in which we are headed – the South Node is called the Dragon’s Tail, and it shows where we are coming from.

In a natal chart, these points are always taken into account – they depict the soul’s journey, with the South Node pointing to the past (and past lives, many astrologers believe) and the North Node pointing to the future. It may be that some of the attributes of the South Node need to be flicked away by the Dragon’s Tail, while we follow its head in a new direction.

You can find the position of your Lunar Nodes by having a natal chart done, or you can get one free at astro.com by entering your birth data.

Locate your North and South Node signs. Note the sign of the North Node, and its opposite, the South Node, which will be in the opposite sign.

North Node in Aries/South Node in Libra: You are moving away from dependence on relationships to independence. Your destiny is to be a pathfinder, a trail blazer. It may seem selfish to move on and leave relationships behind, but it is your destiny.

North Node in Taurus/South Node in Scorpio: Leave behind the obsessions and jealousies of the past and move toward a richer, fuller life. Cultivate good friends, good times and abundance. Your destiny is to find security without burdening yourself with anxieties.

North Node in Gemini/South Node in Sagittarius: For you, the world is fated to narrow, to become a smaller place. You may travel widely at first, but then you will find a place to call home, and your focus will be on more immediate, local matters. Communication will be the key to your life path.

North Node in Cancer/South Node in Capricorn: Leave behind the endless climb, the striving for success, the consuming material ambitions. Your destiny is to find what you define as success – a happy home, strong relationships, and a fulfilling emotional life.

North Node in Leo/South Node in Aquarius: Yours is the path of pride and tradition, of leaving behind the quest for individuality at all costs. You will carry with you the memory of those who broke the rules to make your heritage great, and you will strive to live up to that greatness.

North Node in Virgo/South Node in Pisces: Not for you the vague and undefined dream – your destiny is to find solace in the details, in the perfect minutae of life. Rather than the grandeur of the artist, your destiny is to seek the satisfaction of the craftsman and the artisan.

North Node in Libra/South Node in Aries: You have been a trail blazer, headstrong and often selfish – but now destiny calls you to explore your relationships with others, and find balance between the self and the other. You may have many relationships, but you are destined to find the one who completes you.

North Node in Scorpio/South Node in Taurus: Your destiny is to dig deeper into your own soul and transform as the phoenix rises from the ashes of its old self. You need to learn to avoid jealousy and obsession and to leave behind attachment to material things.

North Node in Sagittarius/South Node in Gemini: The world is your oyster – travel widely, learn, seek mentors among the finest minds. Your destiny is to leave behind the narrow focus of the time and place in which you were born, and to seek grand ideas, great adventures.

North Node in Capricorn/South Node in Cancer: Your destiny calls you to leave the safety of the hearth and the fire side and climb as high as your mountain goat spirit wills. Your ambition should be to provide security and strength in business, and to work with the highest ethical considerations.

North Node in Aquarius/South Node in Leo: Your destiny calls you to break with tradition, and leave the ego behind. You will be less than conventional, even considered eccentric, but you are not bound by what others think.

North Node in Pisces/South Node in Virgo. Leave behind the details – for you, the Devil is the details. Let your imagination soar, seek transcendence and free yourself from petty distractions. Yours in the spirit that seeks communion with the infinite.

Blue Moon…

Everyone knows this song, I should think – “Blue Moon, you saw me standing alone, without a dream of my own, without a love in my heart…”
What many of you may not know is that there is an actual “blue moon” phenomenon, which has come to be recognised as two full moon events in one calendar month. The upcoming bLue Moon on June 30 is even more rare and special.
You see, due to the time difference between the North and South Hemispheres, you in the North already had your Blue Moon on May 31. The first full moon was on May 2 in Scorpio, the second blue moon on May 31 in Sagittarius.
But in the South, that Sagittarian full moon fell on June 1, making it the first full moon of the month. The Blue Moon falls on June 30 in Capricorn. What a delcious anomaly – two blue moons in two months on opposite sides of the world.
What does a Blue Moon mean in astrology? Well, pretty much as the old saying goes – “once in a blue moon” – something rare, an opportunity, a chance, a surprise, something that doesn’t happen very often. It is most potent if it falls on your birthday, or on the position of the Moon in your chart.
Here are the significant degrees of the Sun signs, so you can check up to see if you have anything there which the moon will activate – the moon moves much more quickly, so just check what you have in the those signs that may be activated by its transit.

On May 2 2007, the Sun was at 11 degrees Taurus, the Moon in the opposite sign of Scorpio.
On May 31-June 1, the Sun was at 9-10 degrees of Gemini, the Moon in the opposite sign of Sagittarius.
On June 30, the Sun will be at 8 degrees of Cancer, the Moon in the opposite sign of Capricorn.

Planetary Returns, an explanation

You may have heard the terms Solar Return and Saturn Return – along with Lunar Returns and others. What are they and what do they mean to the natal chart?
A planetary return occurs when a planet traverse the zodiac and returns to the position it held in the natal chart. Thus a Solar return occurs when the Sun returns to its natal position once a year, on your birthday. A chart drawn up for the exact time of the return (it can vary up to a day either side of your actual birthdate) gives a picture of the year ahead, showing what planetary influences will predominate.
A Lunar Return occurs once a month, and is often used as a timer for events in the Solar Return.
Other planets, like Mercury, Venus and Mars, also return at different times according to their orbits, and accentuate their positions and aspects in the natal chart. For example, if you have a very sociable Venus in Leo, you can expect the Venus Returns to be a time of social activity.
Jupiter returns about every 12 years or so (as Jupiter’s orbit can speed up, slow down and retrograde frequently, this does vary). Jupiter is generally fortunate so a Jupiter Return is seen as a fortunate time – but if you have a badly aspected Jupiter in your natal chart, it can also mean Jupiter’s negative side – gambling, poor financial choices etc – are accentuated.
The Saturn Return occurs about every 30 years and is a biggy. The first Saturn return, at around age 30, sees the person usually taking stock of their life and trying to consolidate for a secure future, while the second return at around age 60, sees the focus change to how the remainder of the life and the retirement years will be spent. Saturn Returns are sobering, because they always highlight areas where you forgot to plan ahead.
The outer planets – Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, move very slowly, and are not counted unless they have a close aspect to one of the personal, inner planets. As the fastest one, Uranus, takes 84 years to go through all the signs, the most impact it is likely to have is in the changes that will have taken place in a long life. However, the roughly 40-year half-returns – when Uranus opposes its own position in the natal chart – could be a time of sudden and significant change if this planet is active and aspected in the native chart.

Moon Goddess Signs

I thought it would be helpful to compile a list of Moon signs as they relate to Goddess astrology. This is a new aspect of astyrology and there is bound to be some dofferences of opinion on which goddesses are appropriate to which moon signs among astrologers – but a bit of healthy discussion is a good thing.
The moon moves very quickly through all 12 signs in a month, so you need to get a free birth chart to ascertain the sign your moon was in on your day of birth. If you have your birth time, all the better – the moon can change signs over the course of a day so it may make all the differenece if you were born at 6am or 6pm.
Or you can just read down the list and guess which one is most like you! Your Moon sign Goddess is a powerful archetype in your life, so be honest and choosely wisely.

Aries: The Moon in this sign corresponds to the Goddess Diana. Yes, she is already the Goddess of the Moon in mythology, but she is a very Arian goddess, strong, competitive and athletic. She is the Goddess of Hunting, and if anyone doubts her warlike tendencies, remember the tale of Acteon, who spied on her bathing naked. Angry Diana transformed him into a stag and set his own dogs on him. Not a girl to cross. Diana is the Roman version of Artemis.

Taurus: Venus, the ruler of Taurus, is the true Goddess of the Moon in Taurus. Venus loves pleasure, luxury and comfort, all Taurean attributes. But if you feel no affinity with Venus as your Goddess, you may be one of the growing number of Moon Taureans who feel a stronger association with White Buffalo Calf Woman. This Native American Goddess embodies the spirituality of the Tauren love of the land, and the deep desire to cherish all nature.

Gemini: Of spoken of as two sided, Gemini represents the duality of everything, the dark and the light. The Goddess of the Moon in Gemini is Persephone, who spends six months in the Underworld with her husband Pluto, and six months on earth with her mother Demeter. Thius she sees both sides of existence, this life and the next and walks with a foot in both worlds. Persephone can help you integrate all the sides of your personality.

Cancer: While Diana and Artemis are often designated Moon Goddesses, the true Goddess of the Moon is Selene, known as Luna in Roman mythology. The sign of Cancer is ruled by the Moon, therefore its Goddess is the one most associated with Moon worship. Moon Cancerians need to understand the phases of the moon, the power of the full moon and what it does in different signs, and the meaning of eclipses in their lives, to make the most of moon power.

Leo: For the King of signs, only the Queen of Heaven will do – Juno, also known as Hera, the most powerful Goddess in the panteon. Proud and regal, Juno is the Goddess of marriage, and the custom of marrying in her own month – June – goes back for millenia.

Virgo: Two goddesses vie for the moon sign of Virgo. Demeter and Vesta. Vesta seems the most likely choice, since she was the Roman Goddess of the Hearth and worshiped by the Vestal Virgins. However little is known of her, and she already has an asteroid named after her. Demeter is more in tune with Virgo, being the Goddess of the Seasons and of the cycle of sewing and harvesting. Demeter suffers when her child Persephone is in the Underworld, bringing winter and privation. In Virgo, all is well when health and happiness are optimum, but stress quickly leads to poor health and lack of vitality. With Demeter, you need to stay in tune with the seasons, and know that spring always comes around again.

Libra: While Venus is the `official’ ruler of Libra, there seems little doubt that when the Moon is in Libra, she take the form of Themis, the Goddess of Law and Justice (known as Maat in Egytian mythology). Themis is the representation of all that is best in Libra, the fairness, the diplomacy, the carefully balanced scales. She is now most often seen as the blindfolded essence of law, holding the scales outside the courts.

Scorpio: From Greek and Roman mythology, Pluto and Hades continue to rule over Scorpio. It is in Egyptian mythology that we find a Goddess complex enough to sum up this mysterious sign. Isis is the Goddess of power, sex and death – themes inextricably woven through the Scorpio fabric. Isis has the power of regeneration, she searched the hole earth for the pieces of her husband Osiris after Set chopped him up, and recovered enough to bring him back to life for one night. Only a Scorpio could muster such single minded determination.

Sagittarius: Atalanta embodies the true spirit of the Moon in Sagittarius. Raised in the woods, a free spirit, she would only marry someone who was faster in a foot race. What a girl. In the end, she had to let the suitor she fancied win. She sailed with the Argonauts, and got herself into plenty of scrapes. Never thought ahead for a moment.

Capricorn: Hecate is the Goddess most in tune with Capricorn. Those influenced by this sign have the strange ability to get younger as they get older, being born with a kind of nuts and bolts wisdom that gets them through the ambitions of early life before gaining the enviable kind of wisdom that many miss in later life. With the Moon in Capricorn and Hecate as your Goddess you will fiind the crone years even more fulfillinmg than any other time of your life.

Aquarius: In no other sign of the zodiac is the intellect more highly prized. So while there are other candidates for the role of Goddess in this sign, Athene is the one that most represents the Aquarian ideal of a united humanity. When your moon is in Aquarius and Athene is your Goddess, you will find unique and innovative ways to bring people together and make the world a better place.

Pisces: Many Pisceans – and those with the Moon in Pisces – feel strangely drawn to the orient. Therefore it’s not surprising that the Goddess Mazu, who embodies all that is Piscean, is the Chinese Goddess of the Sea. She was Lin-Mo, a spiritually enlightened young woman who studied Buddhism and watched over those at sea. At a young age, she reached true enlightenment and ascended into Heaven to become a Goddess. Her great compassion and spiritualism make her the natural embodiment of the Moon in Pisces.

How to Find your Goddess Signs

The links I gave before are just too obscure or complicated to use with ease, so I have been reseraching some new ones.
To find the positions the Goddess planets and asteroids were in on your birthdays, you need an ephemeris, or an astrology program that includes these bodies.

Unfortunately, though the links I gave do provide this information, the process is way to complex.
So go to Astrology Tools where you will find a much simpler way. Inp[ut your birth data into the fields provided. This will take you to a page with an impressive looking chart. To make it simpler still click on Ephemeris Listing (in pink letters) and this will take you to a list of the planetary bodies on the chart. Just scroll down the list for the placement of your Goddess planets – the Moon, Venus, Ceres, Pallas, Juno and Vesta. There are many others, but these are the most significant. To the right of each name is is a field with the degree and sign of the planet. For example – 17 li 45′10″ means Juno is at 17 degrees of Libra.
If you just want to know your Venus sign, Cafe Astrology has an ephemeris just for that.
If you want a chart and reading, Cafe Astrology will generate one quickly and for free. Go to the birth chart page and input your birth information.
If you have no birth time, 6am will do. Most people are in fact born in the early hours of the morning.
I hope all this helps to find your Goddess planets more quickly and easily than the previous links.

Goddess Astrology

Goddess astrology focuses on the Moon and Venus in a chart, and adds to the interpretations with four asteroids – Ceres, Pallas, Vesta and Juno. It creates a more meaningful reading for many women, who feel more comfortable with these powerful feminine archetypes.
Let’s run through the goddesses and their roles:
The Moon: variously represented as the goddesses Diana and Selene, among others, the Moon embodies emotional power. In Memoirs of a Geisha, Sakura is told she is like water, which is always moving, and powerful enough to carve new paths when it is trapped. This is the perfect analogy for the element of water, which the Moon rules. In astrology, the Moon rules over emotions, memories, family and home.
Venus: The Goddess of Love, Venus rules over relationships, but not necessarily of the lasting kind. She will be active in a progressed or a return chart whether the event indicated is a marriage or a brief fling. Venus is primarily about pleasure, however long it lasts. The Moon is an older woman, Venus is a young woman, and can often reference daughters in a mother’s chart.
Ceres: she is also known as Demeter, the Goddess of Grain, and also the moist powerful example of a mother’s love – for when Persephone was taken into the underworld by Pluto, Demeter caused the earth to become unproductive and fallow. When a compromise was struck, the seasons were introduced – the winter gave way to spring as Persephone’s return approached, and then fell into autumn as her return to the underworld neared. Ceres is far more concerned with fertility, motherhood and creating life in the fields and in the womb than even the Moon, which becomes more attuned to the element of water and the memories of the past when Ceres is introduced.
Pallas: Pallas Athene is the warrior goddess, whose greatest fighting weapon is her intellect. She is a formidable goddess, having both the physical and mental strength to overcome her opponents. Women with a strong Pallas in their charts are brilliant debaters and quite hard to beat in an argument. They rise willingly to a challenge and this goddess is often found with great sportswomen and those who are politically active.
Vesta: the Vestal Virgins celebrated her cult and she is quite strongly associated with sexuality – or the denial of it. Vesta is about the spiritual nature of women, and what they will embrace or deny on a spiritual level.
Juno: she is the Queen of the Gods, the consort of Jupiter, and the most powerful woman in the pantheon. Neither the Moon nor Venus have as much influence over marriage as she has. Look to Juno for the timing of marriage, the reasons for marriage and the possible outcomes.

You can find out more about these archetypes at Goddess Astrology and also find out what signs your goddesses are in. Check it out, and discuss your findings – and your own impressions – here.