The Evidence-Based Meaning of the Planets

The way the planets are interpreted by most astrologers - or astrology enthusiasts - is somewhat of a misunderstanding, as evidence-based research reveals. Pointing out this misunderstanding is not intended to shame anyone, but to share a different perspective. The meanings used by most astrologers are the symptoms of the energy of the planet, which is why there can be such diverse ways that the planets are expressed through different people, and not all the expressions attributed to each planet are going to be expressed by every person with that planet dominant in their natal chart.

Each of the planets DO something or highlight something in our lives, but the way we each experience and express those energies is going to be unique to us. So, this is where generalizations about the planets (and the signs as well), fall flat and can cause various issues - varying from disagreements from astrologer to astrologer about the planets (and signs), as well as causing many people to be very sceptical about the validity of astrology as a whole. But research - using techniques such as extreme case sampling - can do wonders to clarify our understanding about every area of the science of astrology.

Every planet and sign just does ONE thing, they have only one function. Everything else - all descriptors and qualities comes from that one thing. The 12 signs are just 12 wave functions or notes, like music. Then there are just a variety of combinations of those 12.

So, now, let’s dive in and uncover the more subtle meanings or energies that each planet expresses.

The Sun and Moon:

The Sun and Moon both regulate time. That is their major purpose. According to the Theory of Relativity, speed changes time. The way we experience time is very subjective. It can be changed. The Sun and Moon affect the way we experience time. They make time work with the way we live. The Sun attunes our consciousness to the current moment. The Sun connects everyone to the current moment. The Sun is over 99% of our solar system. It’s HUGE. It’s the most fundamental thing in our solar system. It also connects us a little bit to the prior and next moment. We can sense the connection and remember the moment just past and the moment coming, the moments on either side of the exact moment. The Sun is strong when placed in an angular house in the birth chart. That’s true in evidence-based astrology as well as traditional astrology. With the Sun, what you see is what you get. It’s right there, plain as day. It brings things to the light of day. It’s what you see. It’s right in your face. When the Sun is strong, the person is not abstract, it bring light to what they focus on. They are simple and transparent. They are effective. They see it, they do it, it’s done. Very straightforward. You are able to be present. Here and Now. Bring things to a clear and present reality. Uncomplicated. Undeniable. Very effective, because it’s just there. The Sun is the hardest planet to describe because the qualities are so present that they are taken for granted. Sun is often related to vocation. Sun with Mars is a doer. They are coming up with extraneous things. They just act/do. Sun with Mercury, the person thinks very clearly and is super visual in their thoughts. The Sun makes the other planet very powerful and strength.

The Sun is not a sense of self - it just connects one to the moment -and perhaps that is the clearest place to feel a sense of oneself.

The Moon reflects the past into the present. Without the Moon we don’t have access into the past. Under normal situations we can’t go back into the past, but we can remember the past as memories. The Moon is like a whole bunch of past Suns. Memories of past moments. How does the Moon reflect the past into the present? Memory. In Vedic Astrology the Moon is the mind (not Mercury). Everything we do is a habit. Our habits are a reflection from our past - a continuation of our past actions. These are habits. Our moods (in psychology) are a reflection of past experiences. This is related to the Moon. The emotional affects get stored as memories. Strong Moon people work with the past in some way, as psychologists or historians for example. Hellenistic (medieval) astrologer Rob Zoller, has a very strong Moon (in an angular house – exactly conjunct the Ascendant in Pisces). The past is conspicuous with a strong Moon person. The Moon can be related to biology as well - related to genetics – the past. That which is inherited. The handing down of traits. The Moon is the past reflected into the present. If a strong Moon person is not associating with the past in some way, then there is something wrong. They are not allowing the energy to flow properly. The person is blocked and they might be a mess in some way in their life. They will need to get unblocked.

The history can be personal or collective history. The person is interested in how history affects people. Not necessarily their own personal history. It can be generalized, and they want to see how history operates in general.

Is the Moon related to the feminine or Mother (as it is associated in most other forms of astrology)? Only vaguely. The mother is more interested in your feelings and past hurts, so in that way it is related to the mother. The mother thinks about the past more, whereas the father thinks more about right now. He tends to think “What are you doing now? Why aren’t you studying?” Which could be said to be more like the Sun - the now.

The past is like a tidal wave, hard to turn. The Moon is not the symbol of the mom, like in other types of astrology. The 4th house is also not the mother. The 10th house is not the father, like in other practices of astrology. The chart is just how we process energy. The outer world doesn’t matter so much. There’s no masculine or feminine. Just energetic forces in evidence-based (Vibrational) astrology. Different people channel different forces. Different countries hold different energies more than others. The Middle East is a 7 vibration energy, the US is an 11 vibration energy (more than others).

Mercury:

Mercury associates ideas. It makes comparisons and associations between ideas - connects or associates tons of bits of information in a second. Information is processed and then it associates or connects bits to other bits, at lightening speed.

Venus:

Venus is the attraction to beauty. There are other descriptors that would be symptoms of the attraction to beauty. Venus regulates the attraction to beauty. For instance, Venus doesn’t rule ART. Some art is not Venusian. Some art is not beautiful but it makes you think. It might disrupt your thinking or make you think beyond your normal way of thinking - these are ruled by other planets, like Mercury or Uranus for instance. What is each artist doing? They won’t all be ruled by Venus. Each planet or sign has an energy or purpose.

Venus in evidence-based astrology is not directly related to love. The research doesn’t relate it to that all the time. But love can be there, in relation to beauty. Beauty can make you happy and could be called love. We can think we are in love with someone based on physical attraction - but is that actual, real love? What if the person gets disfigured - are you still in love? Venus love is based on beauty.

Moon/Venus combinations = attraction to things of the past. Finding old things beautiful. Loves (finds beautiful) things of soul and history. Modern things won’t feel rich or with soul to this person.

Mars:

Mars is the sense of achievement. Accomplishing something. The feeling after finishing a workout. Completing something gives a sense of achievement. People who do a lot have a strong Mars. You feel a need to do with a strong Mars. Mars people get up and go. They get things done. They push and push and push. They don’t let things get in the way. They feel the need to do and accomplish and complete things. Even when it wouldn’t be fun for others. It’s not necessarily physical or athletic. It’s more likely entrepreneurs who have a strong Mars. Mars tends to be concrete. It wants to get something done. The inner planets are not abstract, they’re tangible. Mars gives a feeling that something needs to be done.

Jupiter:

Jupiter is BIG. It blows things up – like blowing up a balloon. If you over-blow the balloon, the balloon pops. Bigger is better to Jupiter. Can be a malefic in that way. Can definitely be overdone. Can overspend for instance. Overeat. It causes growth. It’s a necessary function. Makes cells grow. A baby grows into an adult. Jupiter opens the world to you - he’s busy having fun, no sense of responsibility. Jupiter gets out and socialise, meets people, gets opportunities. They don’t necessarily get a degree - but they can do well because they are out making contacts, having fun. Visiting more places. Jupiter doesn’t worry about the little stuff.

Saturn:

Saturn is opposite in some ways to Jupiter. Its keyword is Essential. It’s malefic. It’s much harsher about what is essential than we might agree with. Things we think we need, Saturn might not think so. Like, do you need your spouse? If some aspect of your life, like your spouse, is not doing something important in your life, it’s not essential. Saturn’s idea of what is important is very different than what we believe. If something won’t last past death, then it’s frivolous (not essential). Saturn is connected to death, bones and time. It thinks that the material world is fluff (extra). It’s very spiritual in that way. Love lasts past death. Saturn people are often poor, because they don’t see the point of being rich. Scientists are Mercury/Saturn people. They cut out the excess. They are perfectionists. Saturn is the editor. It removes extraneous variables. Saturn does not going by intuition or sensitivity. Saturn uses analysis to understand what is essential.

Uranus:

Uranus connects us to the current waves. Light travels in waves, electricity travels in waves. Uranus has no sense of time, no sense of the past or future. It’s crazy. Uranus follows the current vibration. Jazz music is ruled by Uranus. With Uranus, you have to trust the current instant. But there is no awareness of the moment, not thinking, not planning. Just cutting loose. Improvisation. Being in the moment. Trusting the current instinct. Following the impulses of Uranus can be dangerous. Uranus doesn’t thinking of consequences to actions.

Neptune:

Neptune is similar to Venus. The attraction to an ideal. Neptune lifts up or inspires. Neptune is not angels, and not psychic. Money is an ideal for Neptune. Money means a person wouldn’t have to work 9-5, so they tend to want more of it. It is often something fairly real that Neptune is idealising. Something that will make their life feel like it’s greatly improved. What will really make you feel uplifted or elevated.

Pluto:

Pluto makes one compulsive, obsessive and irrational. Pluto does not think. Someone with a Venus/Pluto aspect will often make one marry a foreigner, because to do so could be considered irrational. Pluto is just following a feeling. Pluto is very passionate. There is no intelligence with Pluto. They are pulled along by a tidal wave-like force that seems to be coming from a past life, because it’s as if it must happen, but the reasons don’t appear to make sense. Pluto is deep and hard to control. Pluto takes anything hidden, out into the open. It digs deep (like below ground) and obsessively exposes whatever it is focused on.