I wish more people were familiar with their planetary ruler as they are their Rising sign. Knowing this information can tell you a lot about yourself, even more so than your Rising sign can, in my opinion. Fortunately, for those who do know their Rising sign, then they are just one step away from also knowing which planet embodies them in their natal chart.  There are planetary rulers for every sign of the zodiac. In Traditional Astrology, each sign is ruled by either one of the visible planets or luminaries: Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, the Sun or the Moon. The sign that was positioned on the eastern horizon at the time of your birth is considered your Rising sign. Whichever planet rules that sign, represents you in your natal chart, or in other words, your planetary avatar. For example, if you are a Gemini Rising, then Mercury would serve to represent you within your natal chart and would be called your "Ascendant ruler." You very well could show up as a different planet in someone else's chart, but in terms of your life story as you experience it from your point of view, you would be Mercury. Refer to the table below to see which planet rules which sign(s):

As a Libra Rising, Venus serves as my Ascendant ruler. At the time of my birth in the Whole Sign House system of astrology, that planet was positioned in the 12th House. (Read my previous post "The Houses in Astrology" to learn the significance of that house). Hence the name of my series, "Venus in the 12th." Therefore the story I am conveying through these paintings is a personal one because in the play of my life, I am Venus and I experience life in the 12th House. When I dug deeper into what that meant through the language of astrology, it completely validated different experiences that I've had in my life from times of isolation and strife to heartfelt moments that defied explanation. Discovering this identity was particularly meaningful as someone with a 12th House Ascendant ruler, because that placement emphasizes being blind to oneself. It was like a veil was lifted to help me see my surroundings, and myself, just a little more clearly. It is with this identity that I tell my story, through each painting in this series.

"Venus in the 12th House," acrylic on canvas, 2023.

If you are interested to learn more about how each planet became associated with each sign, then I would encourage you check out this episode of the Astrology Podcast: The History of Astrology: From Ancient to Modern Times. Chris Brennan discusses the origin of each rulership at around the 32:32 minute mark of that video.

And if you are curious to know where your Ascendant ruler is in your natal chart and what it means and says about you, then I suggest consulting a professional astrologer. Two astrologers that I have worked with and can recommend are: Ada Pembroke and Jo O'Neill. Additionally, I am a practicing astrologer myself. You can book an astrology consultation with me here.

Feel free to leave any questions below that you may have about the Ascendant or planetary rulerships, and I'll do my best to answer them!