At the moment you were born, each celestial body (the sun, the moon, and the nine planets) was in a specific point in the sky. Your birth chart will tell where the stars were placed the moment you were born. When interpreting your birth chart, your “ruling planet” is the planetary ruler of the sign on the Ascendant, or first house. ie: if Aries is the Ascendant, the chart ruler would be Mars. Each Zodiac sign is ruled by a planet with its own unique traits and energies. 

Learn how your ruling planet plays a role in your life

Aries ruling planet: Mars

 Mars: Desire, Will toward action, Initiative, Physical energy, and drive

People born with their Mars in Aries are unstoppable forces! You are confident, driven, and action-oriented, finding it tough to stand still too long. Both Mars and Aries are about energy and movement, and having them combined in your chart infuses your spirit with stamina and motivation.

Taurus ruling planet: Venus

 Venus: Emotionally-colored tastes, Values, Exchange of energy with others through giving of self and Receiving from others, and Sharing.

People with Venus in Taurus are concerned with material items, since they are associated with stability, security, and comfort -- things you need. While your money-conscious side makes you frugal, you can be hedonistic at times. This means you enjoy indulging in extravagances like eating at upscale restaurants, sleeping on luxury sheets, or wearing designer clothing. You enjoy a good companion who will join you in your pursuit of pleasure.

Gemini ruling planet: Mercury

 Mercury: Communication, Conscious mind (i.e., logical or rational mind)

Logic, logic, and more logic! That pretty much sums up how you approach most things. Unlike some other signs in the zodiac, using your intuition or emotions to make a decision doesn’t appeal to you. While this cool approach sometimes frustrates those who don’t understand how you can remain so detached, it’s also what makes you as adaptable and open-minded as you are.

Cancer ruling planet: Moon

 Moon: Reaction, Sub-conscious Predisposition, Feeling about self (self-image), and Conditioned responses.

Matters of the heart and home are incredibly important to those born with their Moon in Cancer. Deeply loyal, they take their relationships with others seriously, and love spending time with family and friends. Natural nurturers, they often go out of their way to make others feel loved. It’s no surprise that Cancer has a reputation for being the "mother sign" of the zodiac.

Leo ruling planet: Sun

 Sun: Vitality, Sense of individuality, Creative energy, Radiant inner self (attunement of soul), and Essential values.

As a Child of the Sun, you are naturally a source of light and are vibrant and creative soul! Charismatic and inviting, you give off so much energy that people gravitate toward you. You know that life is meant to be enjoyed, and you make sure to balance your work with lots of pleasure and play. You have a strong sense of self-confidence and enjoy having all eyes on you. 

Virgo ruling planet: Mercury

 Mercury: Communication, Conscious mind (i.e., logical or rational mind)

People born with Mercury in Virgo have very sharp minds that can easily comprehend complex patterns, processes, and problems. Your mind is your greatest asset, and you tend to look at the world more realistically than most. It’s not that you don’t have dreams, it’s that your dreams are practical, attainable, and full of intention.

Libra ruling planet: Venus

 Venus: Emotionally-colored tastes, Values, Exchange of energy with others through giving of self and receiving from others, and Sharing.

People born with Venus in Libra are peaceful, cooperative, and honest by nature. You carry yourself gracefully, and work hard to compromise with others and maintain happy relationships. You’re a good friend and an even better lover because you know that the happiest and longest partnerships are the ones in which everyone feels equal.

Scorpio ruling planet: Pluto

 Pluto: Transformation, Transmutation, Elimination

The planet Pluto harnesses its powerful and persuasive side as it rules over the zodiac sign Scorpio. In Roman mythology Pluto is the Lord of the Underworld, which describes this planet’s depth, passion, and intensity, not to mention its association with death. Pluto’s overall theme of death and rebirth plays a significant role in Scorpio’s life, creating a cycle of transformation and encouraging Scorpio’s personal metamorphosis.

Sagittarius ruling planet: Jupiter

 Jupiter: Expansion and Grace

Lucky you! People born with Jupiter at home in Sagittarius are fortunate, free-thinking, and future-focused. You are always ready to learn something new, and probably have a wealth of interests to keep you busy. Whether it’s a different language, a new hobby, or a religion other than your own, you place a lot of value on learning and expanding both your mind and your perspective on the world around you.

Capricorn ruling planet: Saturn

 Saturn: Contraction and Effort

For those born with their Saturn in Capricorn, rules were not made to be broken. You aren’t one to go against social convention or question authority; in fact, you believe that order is what makes the world go around. Having your Saturn in Capricorn means you wouldn’t dream of breaking a law, even if those laws seemed outdated or arbitrary.

Aquarius ruling planet: Uranus

 Uranus: Individualistic Freedom, and Freedom of ego-self

Being born with your Uranus in Aquarius brings you vast personal freedom. The free-thinking energy of this combination means you are an independent soul who dances to the beat of your own drum. Having this planet of chaos and change in the humanitarian space of Aquarius means you are always about to shake up the social situation.

Pisces ruling planet: Neptune

 Neptune: Transcendent Freedom, Unification and Freedom from ego-self

Natal Neptune in Pisces grants you an uncanny ability to tap into the productive forces of dreams and imagination. You easily dance along the border between imagination and reality and your capacity for active manifestation is immense. You may dream about a certain person, then get a call from them later that day. Or you may imagine how delicious donuts would be on the way to work in the morning, only to get to the office and find someone brought in a dozen.