Follow each sign's ruling planet to connect the parts of a chart.
Rulership is the rule that pairs each sign with a planet. That planet is called the sign's ruler. Once you know the rulers, you can follow how a sign's qualities move through a particular planet in your chart.
Signs and their rulers
Aries
♂︎ Mars
Taurus
♀︎ Venus
Gemini
☿︎ Mercury
Cancer
☽︎ Moon
Leo
☉︎ Sun
Virgo
☿︎ Mercury
Libra
♀︎ Venus
Scorpio
♇︎ Pluto · Traditional ruler: Mars
Sagittarius
♃︎ Jupiter
Capricorn
♄︎ Saturn
Aquarius
♅︎ Uranus · Traditional ruler: Saturn
Pisces
♆︎ Neptune · Traditional ruler: Jupiter
After Uranus, Neptune and Pluto were discovered, modern astrology gave Aquarius, Pisces and Scorpio new rulers. The traditional rulers are still read alongside them.
The chart ruler
The ruler of your rising sign is called the chart ruler. The sign and house it sits in are key clues to where your life as a whole is headed. For example, if your rising sign is Sagittarius, Jupiter is your chart ruler.
House rulers
The ruler of the sign on a house's starting point is the ruler of that house. The house where that ruler sits links the two areas of life. For example, if your 7th house begins in Libra and Venus is in your 10th house, your relationships are read as tied to your work and public role.
Comfortable and uncomfortable signs
A planet is said to work most naturally in the sign it rules. There are also signs where it grows stronger and signs where it weakens. A weak position is not bad; it means that energy takes more practice to use.
Exaltation
The sign where a planet acts most strongly. Example: the Sun is exalted in Aries.
Detriment
The sign where a planet acts weakly. It matches the opposite sign of its ruler.
Fall
The sign where a planet acts most weakly. It matches the opposite of its exaltation sign.