Deciphering astrological transits can be difficult. A lot of people start out with Robert Hand’s Planets in Transit, a classic book of how to interpret planets moving through houses in the natal chart.
However, there are three key ways you can see how a transiting planet is impacting the natal chart.
1. Look at the Number of Signs From a Planet
If a planet is in the 5th or 9th position from another (a trine), there’s a harmonious exchange of energy for that sign. If it’s in the 6th, energy is blocked or becomes difficult, in the 8th, there’s a forced change occurring.
When a planet is 10 places away, it behaves much like a planet in the 10th House of the natal chart. It’s a point of action and activity.
Lets’ say, Uranus transits through Taurus while the Sun is in Leo, then there’s a need to take massive action to build a life of value and security (but in an unorthodox manner).
Ask this question:
Are all of the planets squished together in one area of the zodiac? If so, look at the opposite position.
A powerful Neptune transit can make it difficult for humanity to sift through information and understand fact from fiction, to manage their time well, to discern the healthy from unhealthy.
Why?
Planets in the opposite sign of Pisces give it a lot of power, yet they negatively impact Virgo. It’s the same with Aries planets. You’ll want to initiate a spark of creativity and carve out your unique individual path at the expense of compromise with others.
I can go on and on. But you get the point.
One area of life is greatly empowered (especially when an exalted planet is there) while the other is disempowered.
Here’s a great example! (March 2024 – yup, it’s coming fast)
Planets are crammed into the latter-half and the beginning portion of the zodiacal belt — the final two signs, and the first two signs.
Meaning? This is not the time to focus on building one’s personal kingdom (Leo) or managing every detail of life that supports it (Virgo). It’s even a time of letting go of ego-based attachments to relationships (Libra).
The focus is on finding the passion and energy to serve on a higher level, to impact the community, the collective (Aquarius) and to liberate or release one’s limiting or restricting beliefs (Saturn, Sun, Neptune in Pisces).
Once that’s done, you’ll have the ability to think critically and passionately about your individual identity and the healing that has to occur there (Aries); after that, you’ll embrace a new personal value system that aligns with the new identity you’ve carved out.
This is a passionate, zeal-filled time for the collective to actively move towards healing the ego. The Moon is waxing in a fire sign on top of Chiron and the North Node, all while the Sun (the confidence, vision, and internal authority) becomes lost in the waves of emotion and collective dreams (Neptune).
2. Water, Fire, Air, Earth – Elements Matter!
Take a look at the elements:
- Fire: one should be passionate, creative, and active.
- Air: one must live by moment to moment experience.
- Water: you must flow or become intuitive.
- Earth: one must be practical and take tangible, concrete action towards something.
The reason some elements get along and others don’t has to do with planetary friendships. Some planets get along, others do not. Mercury and Mars are sworn enemies (although it’s a bit one-sided, Mars just hates Mercury with a burning fury).
If Moon transits through a fire sign and it’s in a waning phase from the Sun’s position, you’ll find a lot of emotional vigor and energy to move away from the significations of whatever planet you count from.
As you can see, Saturn (work, karmic burdens) has the most enemies. Moon (emotions and mind) has the most neutral relationship to other planets. Sun, Mars, and Jupiter have the most friends; the king, the warrior, and the priest are widely respected and liked.
| PLANETS | FRIENDS | ENEMIES | NEUTRAL |
| Sun | Moon, Mars, Jupiter | Venus, Saturn | Mercury |
| Moon | Sun, Mercury | None | Jupiter, Mars, Saturn, Venus |
| Mars | Sun, Moon, Jupiter | Mercury | Saturn, Venus |
| Mercury | Sun, Venus | Moon | Mars, Jupiter, Saturn |
| Jupiter | Sun, Moon, Mars | Venus, Mercury | Saturn |
| Venus | Mercury, Saturn | Sun, Moon | Mars, Jupiter |
| Saturn | Mercury, Venus | Sun, Moon, Mars | Jupiter |
3. Planetary Lordship of Signs
Pay attention to the lordship of the planet. Let’s say you’re looking for a good time to take action towards desire (Mars). Look at the placement of Mars.
Look at what the ruling planet is.
If it’s in bad dignity, there just isn’t much energy or the willpower gets misdirected, picking the wrong fights and spinning your wheels with the wrong actions or activities. If it’s positive, it’s a time of great productivity and the right use of one’s personal power.
Venus might be in Pisces (exalted), making it a wonderful time for relationships. BUT…if Jupiter, the classical ruler, is in Taurus (an enemy sign), people get lost in relationships because they have a false understanding of the value of the relationship and the work required to maintain it.
Here’s an example:
- Uranus, Moon, Jupiter are in Taurus. These planets are being governed by Taurus’s natural ruler, Venus. Where’s Venus? It’s in Leo.
- Fixed signs in transit show feelings of being STUCK IN PLACE — as if circumstances won’t move until your heart is really in it. The fixed signs, in this case, are governing areas of life that are personal and transcendental, individual and collective (how we feel = Moon, where we put our trust or faith = Jupiter, and the need to radically change personal values = Uranus).
If a lord is exalted, there’s a lot of power to manifest. If it’s weak, the opposite. Pretty simple. The rest gets filled in by the friendly or antagonistic relationships between planets.
