The Inner Planets

By Kathryn Silverton

From an astrological standpoint, the planets are often divided into two groups: the inner and the outer planets. The inner planets consist of Mercury, Venus and Mars as well as the two lights, the Sun and the Moon. The outer planets consist of the remaining bodies: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto. The inner planets are also known as the faster-moving planets, the outer as slower.

Through the eyes of the inner planets, we get a glimpse of one's personality. The sun sign under which we were born is undoubtedly the planetary position that receives the most press. When someone asks you what sign you were born under, they mean your sun sign, not your moon or rising sign, both of which have considerable relevance in and of themselves. The sun represents our identity, our vitality, and our life force. After all, if it weren't for the sun, the planet Earth most likely would die because there would be no heat or light source to grow plants. The sun represents our ego strength, our sense of personal authority. It is often considered to be one of the planets associated with the father and the father's side of the family, although this author feels that generally Saturn is more likely to take on that role. If someone has a well-balanced or aspected sun, his or her sense of ego is in proper proportion. They possess a healthy, confident sense of self, with no need to prove themselves to others. If the ego is off kilter, there may be a bombastic quality to the personality or, taken to the other extreme, a low sense of self-esteem. The sun is considered the masculine of the two lights, whereas the moon represents the feminine.

The moon represents our emotional nature, our daily habit patterns, our public face, our maternal instincts, and our relationship with our mother and the mother's side of the family. It is also the light associated with fertility, as it has a 28-day cycle akin to the female menstrual cycle. Since it changes signs every two and a half days, the moon is undoubtedly the most fickle planet in our solar system; hence it tends toward moodiness or the public mood. The moon rules the sign of Cancer, a water sign, and as you probably know, is also associated with the tides. It is thought that, by association, if it influences the watery tides and our physical bodies are composed of about 98% water, then surely the moon must have some effect on us as well. A positive expression of the moon is seen through those who are emotionally stable and secure, able to provide effective nurturing to those around them. An ineffective or weak moon is indicative of an inability to relate to the world through emotions, either by being overly emotional or totally detached. Since the moon represents how we were nurtured, it obviously has the potential to mold a great deal of our childhood.

Mercury is often called the "winged messenger," the planet responsible for thought and communication and the transport of objects and ideas from one place to another. Mercury represents our logical, rational reasoning mind. It allows us to view the world from a scientific standpoint, placing emphasis on pure facts. Being the messenger, it is a restless planet, discontent when forced to light in one place for extended periods of time without outside stimulation. Mercury is versatile, flexible, adaptable and inquisitive. A healthy Mercury suggests someone who is comfortable putting their logical mind to work, whereas an unhealthy mercury suggests someone who refuses to see the world through anything but logic, and is often uncomfortable with their emotional nature.

Venus represents our love nature. It tells us where we are going to find contentment, happiness and fulfillment. It tells us what our preferences are in life, as well as our values. A well-placed Venus is comfortable expressing and sharing affection, and often has a good taste for what is esthetically pleasing. There can be an appreciation for art, music, and anything else that evokes a sense of beauty. An off-kilter Venus makes it difficult for us to express our affections, or taken to the other extreme, can cause too much emphasis on the material world, thereby becoming possessive and possibly lazy. Venus represents blood sugar and sweets.

Mars represents our urge to get the job done. It is the red, warrior planet and is therefore comfortable in competition. Its nature is to shoot first and ask questions later, confident in leading the pack. At worst, Mars is dangerous, destructive, and accident-prone, lacking in peripheral vision. Mars also represents our libido, the masculine attracting principle. Someone with a healthy Mars is not uncomfortable in battle. A weak Mars represents someone resistant to standing up to do battle to defend themselves, whereas an overblown Mars may be all too eager to step into the ring. Mars is associated with the element of iron as well as fire, since it rules the fiery sign Aries

Kathryn L. Silverton is an Atlanta area astrologer. She may be contacted for consultations at 770-931-2577 or kls@planetaryperceptions.com