The 12 Signs of the Zodiac

Below you will find basic information for each sign of the Zodiac. I mentioned in a previous post that nobody is just their sun sign, so it's important to remember that the descriptions for each sign below are not describing people who were born with their sun in Aries or Gemini or Libra, for instance. They are describing the signs themselves, and how each sign "colors" planets that are placed in them. Remember, the signs act as adverbs and describe HOW something is done. For instance, planets in Aries become more restless and impatient. In Pisces, planets tend to dissipate and become much more receptive.

For each sign I've included specific information: the planetary ruler, the element (Fire, Earth, Air, Water), modality (Cardinal, Fixed, Mutable), polarity (Masculine or Feminine (yin/yang)), orientation (personal, social, universal), what part of the body it rules, it's symbol, motto, and the sign of its opposite. I also listed keywords and traits for each sign that will definitely help when it comes to interpreting a birth chart, as well as how each sign effects the planets. And of course I tried to include the very best celebrity quotes I could find for each sign. You will notice, that most of the celebrities I included have multiple planets in a particular sign. The more planets a person has in a single sign, the more intense and obvious that sign's traits become. The planets' keywords are coming up next!  And then we will put it all together.

Aries	Taurus	Gemini	Cancer	Leo	Virgo
Libra	Scorpio	Sagittarius	Capricorn	Aquarius	Pisces

Aries
Ruler:	♂ Mars
Element:	Fire
Modality:	Cardinal
Polarity:	Masculine
Orientation:	Personal
Rules:	The Head
Symbol:	Ram
Motto:	"I am."
Opposite Sign:	♎ Libra

Aries Traits & Keywords
ambitious	foolhardy	desire
the hero / always on a mission	the warrior / crusader	trailblazer
pioneer	competitive	restless
distinctly masculine	impatient	loves a challenge
initiative	to do exactly what one pleases	most impulsive sign
daredevil	defensive	instant gratification
easily bored / distracted	"do or die"	self-righteous

When a planet is in Aries it...
... expresses its energy in a bold, enthusiastic, and honest way.
... becomes more impulsive, action-oriented, and more single-minded in manifestation.

Quotes by Famous Aries
“My passions were all gathered together like fingers that made a fist. Drive is considered aggression today; I knew it then as purpose.” - Bette Davis (Sun & Saturn in Aries)
“My passion and energy get mistaken for anger.” - Gary Oldman (Sun, Moon, & Mercury in Aries)
“I love to see a young girl go out and grab the world by the lapels. Life's a bitch. You've got to go out and kick ass.” - May Angelou (Sun, Jupiter, & Uranus in Aries)
“The weak are the most treacherous of us all.” - Bette Davis (Sun & Saturn in Aries)

TAURUS
Ruler:	♀ Venus
Element:	Earth
Modality:	Fixed
Polarity:	Feminine
Orientation:	Personal
Rules:	Neck, Throat, & Voice
Symbol:	Bull
Motto:	"I have."
Opposite Sign:	♏ Scorpio

Taurus Traits & Keywords
inertia	slowest moving sign	sustaining & maintaining
structure	creating things of value	extremely sensual
slow & steady wins the race	possessive	loyalty
stubborn	determined	accumulation
calmness	grounded	the five senses
art & music	patience	resilience
resistance to change	materialism	predictability

When a planet is in Taurus it...
... expresses its energy in a calm, earthy, and determined way.
... becomes much slower, deliberate, and more grounded in the physical.

Quotes by Famous Taurus
"If you’re given a choice between money and sex appeal, take the money. As you get older, the money will become your sex appeal." - Katharine Hepburn (Sun, Moon, Mercury in Taurus)
“Find your place on the planet. Dig in, and take responsibility from there.” - Gary Snyder (Sun in Taurus)
“A voice is such a deep, personal reflection of character." - Daniel Day-Lewis (Sun & Moon in Taurus)
“If they try to rush me, I always say, I've only got one other speed and it's slower." - Glenn Ford (Sun, Moon, Mercury, Midheaven in Taurus)

Gemini
Ruler:	☿ Mercury
Element:	Air
Modality:	Mutable
Polarity:	Masculine
Orientation:	Personal
Rules:	Arms, shoulders, hands, lungs, nervous system
Symbol:	Twins
Motto:	"I think."
Opposite Sign:	♐ Sagittarius

Gemini Traits & Keywords
duality	communicative	objectivity
intelligence	changeable	fickle
sociable	flexible	mult-tasking
the trickster	the messenger	inconsistency
mental agility	playful	avoids deep emotions
wit	quick movement	dexterity
friendly	optimistic	unfocused

When a planet is in Gemini it...
... expresses its energy in an alert, restless, and rational way.
... becomes much quicker in action and often more playful.

Quotes by Famous Geminis
"Do I contradict myself? Very well, then I contradict myself, I am large, I contain multitudes." - Walt Whitman (Sun in Gemini)
"Honestly, I like everything. Boyish girls, girlish boys, the thick, the thin. Which is a problem when I'm walking down the street." - Angelina Jolie (Sun & Mercury in Gemini)
“I'm not that patient sometimes. I'm like a rocket - I go a hundred miles per hour.” – Heidi Klum (Sun & Moon in Gemini)
“I change during the course of a day. I wake and I'm one person, and when I go to sleep I know for certain I'm somebody else.” – Bob Dylan  (Sun & Mercury in Gemini)

Cancer
Ruler:	☽ Moon
Element:	Water
Modality:	Cardinal
Polarity:	Feminine
Orientation:	Personal
Rules:	Stomach, Breasts
Symbol:	Crab
Motto:	"I feel."
Opposite Sign:	♑ Capricorn

Cancer Traits & Keywords
very emotional	nurturing	instinctive
receptive	maternal	private
tied to the past	protective	moodiness
nourishment	memories	vulnerability
sensitive	smothering	shrewd business sense
affectionate	subjective	poetic & imaginative
self-pitying	dependable	deep urge to be needed
psychic	compassionate	security-conscious

When a planet is in Cancer it...
... expresses its energy in a sensitive, emotional, and subjective way.
...becomes extremely sensitive to feelings and unconscious expressions.

Quotes by Famous Cancers
""It is such a secret place, the land of tears." - Antoine de Saint-Exupery (Sun & Venus in Cancer)
"Nothing I've ever done has given me more joys and rewards than being a father to my children.” - Bill Cosby (IC, Sun, Mercury, Pluto in Cancer)
“I was completely unprepared for the public spectacle my private life became, and didn't like it a bit." - Harrison Ford (Sun and Moon in Cancer)
“I think the sensitivity that you need to create certain things sometimes would spill over into things that shouldn't have bothered me." - Jack White(Sun & Moon in Cancer)
“It's a wonderful feeling when your father becomes not a god but a man to you- when he comes down from the mountain and you see he's this man with weaknesses. And you love him as this whole being, not as a figurehead." - Robin Williams (Sun and Mars in Cancer)

LEO
Ruler:	☉ Sun
Element:	Fire
Mode:	Fixed
Polarity:	Masculine
Orientation:	Personal
Rules:	Heart & Blood
Symbol:	Social
Motto:	"I will."
Opposite Sign:	♒ Aquarius

Leo Traits & Keywords
courage	strength	superiority
authoritative	open-minded tolerance	wants to be the best
the leader	prideful	dramatic
wants the spotlight	boldness	flamboyance & extravagance
mythologizes	disinterested in practical details	childlike innocence & openness
warmth	generosity	needy ego
creative self-expression	idealistic	needs approval and appreciation
craves recognition	feels special	concern for the big picture

When a planet is in Leo it...
... becomes generous expressive and creative but also extremely self-centered.
... expresses its energy in a whole-hearted and authoritative way.

Quotes by Famous Leos
"You know, I am a Leo. Lion is a giant part of me.” - Patrick Swayze(Sun, Moon, Mercury. Pluto in Leo)
"I always like to see if the art across the street is better than mine." - Andy Warhol (ASC, Sun, Mercury, Venus, Neptune in Leo)
“If I was a girl again, I would like to be like my fans, I would like to be like Madonna." - Madonna (Sun, Venus, Uranus in Leo)

VIRGO
Ruler:	☿ Mercury
Element:	Earth
Modality:	Mutable
Polarity:	Feminine
Orientation:	Social
Rules:	Lower Intestine
Symbol:	Virgin
Motto:	"I analyze."
Opposite Sign:	♓ Pisces

Virgo Traits & Keywords
discrimination	efficiency & precision	systems & synthesis
mental & intellectual	serving others	the critic
a need to be useful	high standards	very practical
resourceful	classifying & organizing	methodical categorization
practice makes perfect	working with the hands	craftsmanship
dutiful	the worry wart	skill mastery
easily stressed	fear of chaos & the unknown	compartmentalization
conservation	not easily fooled	the realist

When a planet is in Virgo it...
... becomes very precise and efficient.
... expresses its energy in an anxious yet practical way.

Quotes by Famous Virgos
"Stupid. You have to be stupid. That’s what optimistic means, you know? It means stupid. An optimist is somebody who goes, “Hey, maybe something nice will happen.” Why the fuck would anything nice happen?” - Louis C.K. (Sun, Uranus, & Pluto in Virgo)
"It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live.” - J.K. Rowling(Moon, Mercury, Venus, Uranus, Pluto in Virgo)
"“Imagination does not become great until human beings, given the courage and the strength, use it to create." - Maria Montessori (Sun in Virgo)
“I crave ideas, and when an idea hits me, it grips me and it tortures me until I master it." - Gene Simmons (Sun, Moon, Mercury, Saturn in Virgo)
“The sole meaning of life is to serve humanity." - Leo Tolstoy (Sun, Moon, Mercury in Virgo)

Libra
Ruler:	♀ Venus
Element:	Air
Modality:	Cardinal
Polarity:	Masculine
Orientation:	Social
Rules:	Kidneys
Symbol:	The Scales
Motto:	"I balance."
Opposite Sign:	♈ Aries

Libra Traits & Keywords
fundamental sense of justice	decorum	keeping the peace
"other"-oriented	elegance	charm
manners & etiquette	compromise	harmony
social grace	dependence on others	one-to-one relationships
cooperation	tact	the people pleaser
the true diplomat	motivated by beauty	refinement
ability to see both sides	the perfectionist	idealized love
fairness at all costs	constantly beautifies	passive aggressive

When a planet is in Libra it...
... becomes more balanced in its expression and shows a tendency to compromise in order to keep the peace.
... can see both sides of any issue.

Quotes by Famous Libra
"We are going to have peace even if we have to fight for it.” - Dwight D Eisenhower (Sun, Moon, Mercry in Libra)
"All we are saying is give peace a chance." - John Lennon (Sun in Libra)
“Don't confuse being stimulating with being blunt." - Barbara Walters (ASC, Sun,  Mercury, Mars in Libra)

Scorpio
Ruler:	♇ Pluto & ♂ Mars
Element:	Water
Modality:	Fixed
Polarity:	Feminine
Orientation:	Social
Rules:	Reproductive organs
Symbol:	Scorpion
Motto:	"I desire."
Opposite Sign:	♉ Taurus

Scorpio Traits & Keywords
intensity	deepest emotions in the zodiac	suspicious
defensive	the urge to merge with another	secretive
probing of the psyche	an interest in what's hidden	uncanny perceptions & instincts
jealousy	emotionally committs	great will-power
power & control	compassion	regeneration
rebirth	transformation	sex
deep truths	the detective	"x-ray vision"
lures & attracts	magnetic	depth & undercurrents

When a planet is in Scorpio it...
... becomes more intense and perceptive.
... becomes a instrument for change and transformation.

Quotes by Famous Scorpios
"Every act of creation is first of all an act of destruction.” - Pablo Picasso (Sun & Mercury in Scorpio)
"I would say what scares me is that I'm going to ultimately find out at the end of my life that I'm really not lovable, that I'm not worthy of being loved. That there's something fundamentally wrong with me." - Demi Moore (Sun, Venus, Mercury, & Neptune in Scorpio)
“I decided to start anew, to strip away what I had been taught." - Georgia O'Keeffe (ASC, Sun, Moon, Mercury, & Jupiter in Scorpio)
“I'm a good girl because I really believe in love, integrity, and respect. I'm a bad girl because I like to tease. " - Katy Perry (Sun, Moon, Mercury, Saturn, & Pluto in Scorpio)

Sagittarius
Ruler:	♃ Jupiter
Element:	Fire
Modality:	Mutable
Polarity:	Masculine
Orientation:	Universal
Rules:	Hips & Thighs
Symbol:	The Archer / Centaur
Motto:	"I understand."
Opposite Sign:	♊ Gemini

Sagittarius Traits & Keywords
enthusiasm	optimism	future-oriented
the adventurer	passion & love for life	the big picture
a fear of limitations	candid, frank, & blunt	philosophical
tendency to over-do	wisdom	benevolence
spontaneous	a constant search for meaning	buoyant & spirited
far-reaching	utterly authentic	needs space to roam
unwavering faith in life	mental & physical exploration	devotion to the truth

When a planet is in Sagittarius it...
... expresses its energy in an open, warm, and spontaneous way.
... becomes more zealous and direct.

Quotes by Famous Sagittarius
"I've always been very determined, ever since I was a little girl, to make my way." - Scarlett Johansson (ASC, Sun, Uranus, & Pluto in Sagittarius)
"It's good to be able to laugh at yourself and the problems you face in life. Sense of humor can save you." - Margaret Cho (ASC & Sun in Sagittarius)
“Anyone who tells a lie has not a pure heart, and cannot make a good soup.” - Ludwig Van Beethoven (Sun, Moon, & Mercury in Sagittarius)
“Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens.” - Jimi Hendrix (ASC & Sun in Sagittarius)
“I like learning new stuff, and continuing to educate myself as best I can.” - Dominic Monaghan (Sun, Mars, & Neptune in Sagittarius)

Capricorn
Ruler:	♄ Saturn
Element:	Earth
Modality:	Cardinal
Polarity:	Feminine
Orientation:	Universal
Rules:	Skeleton & knees
Symbol:	Goat
Motto:	"I use."
Opposite Sign:	♋ Cancer

Capricorn Traits & Keywords
mastery	purpose	integrity
tradition & structure	achievement	status
subtlety	boundaries	respect for  authority
hardest working sign	serious	maturity
self-control	rigidity	fatherly
constant awareness of time	caution & realism	investments
willingly endures hardship	difficulty relinquishing control	conservative

When a planet is in Capricorn it...
... becomes more focused, practical, and ambitious.
... becomes serious in its expression and more self-reliant.

Quotes by Famous Capricorns
"You can't expect to make no effort. You still have to make the effort and be kind and understanding." - Zooey Deschanel (ASC, Sun, Moon, & Mercury in Capricorn)
“Work cures everything.” - Henri Matisse (Sun, Mercury, & Mars in Capricorn.)
“The only use of an obstacle is to be overcome. All that an obstacle does with brave men is, not to frighten them, but to challenge them.” - Woodrow Wilson (IC, Sun, Moon, & Mercury in Capricorn)
“I don't ever want to be a sentimentalist. I prefer to be a realist. I'm not a romantic really.” - James Earl Jones (ASC, Sun, Moon, Mercury, & Saturn in Capricorn)

Aquarius
Ruler:	♅ Uranus + ♄ Saturn
Element:	Air
Modality:	Fixed
Polarity:	Masculine
Orientation	Universal
Rules:	Ankles
Symbol:	The water-bearer
Motto:	"I know."
Opposite Sign:	♌ Leo

Aquarius Traits & Keywords
freedom	progression	ahead of its time
reasoned logic	humility & modesty	compassion for all of humanity
impartial & unbiased	the rebel	the needs of the group
the most rational sign	the genius	exceptionally tolerant
idealistic	brotherhood	friendship
social welfare	altruism	independence
unconventional	reformation	forward-looking
basic human rights	fanaticism	science, invention, technology

When a planet is in Aquarius it...
... expresses  its energy in a dispassionate, thoughtful, and independent way.
... becomes focused on group dynamics rather than the individuals.

Quotes by Famous Aquarians
"I would like to be remembered as a person who wanted to be free... so other people would be also free." - Rosa Parks (Sun, Moon, Mercury, & Uranus in Aquarius)
"We need more people speaking out. This country is not overrun with rebels and free thinkers. It's overrun with sheep and conformists." - Bill Maher (Sun & Mercury in Aquarius)
“What material success does is provide you with the ability to concentrate on other things that really matter. And that is being able to make a difference, not only in your own life, but in other people's lives." - Oprah Winfrey (Sun, Mercury, & Venus in Aquarius)

Pisces
Ruler:	♆ Neptune + ♃ Jupiter
Element:	Water
Modality:	Fixed
Polarity:	Feminine
Orientation:	Universal
Rules:	Feet & Lymphatic system
Symbol:	Fish
Motto:	"I believe."
Opposite Sign:	♍ Virgo

Pisces Traits & Keywords
self-redemption	devotion	the unconscious
sacrifice	a very private soul	passivity
fantasy & imagination	the incurable romantic	artistic creativity
the martyr	psychic	compassion
the chameleon	natural actor	glamour
dilution	dreams	inconsistency
nebulous	self-undoing	"to serve or to suffer"
the mystic	evasion	distortion

When a planet is in Pisces it...
... expresses its energy in an indirect way.
... becomes weakened and less distinct.

Quotes by Famous Pisces
"Dreams are today's answers to tomorrow's questions." - Edgar Cayce (Sun, Venus, Mercury, & Saturn in Pisces)
"Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile." - Albert Einstein (MC & Sun in Pisces)
“The beast in me is caged by frail and fragile bars." - Johnny Cash (ASC, Sun, Mercury, & Mars in Pisces)