Tao of the Zodiac Signs

by J ulene Packer-Louis
"Tao" means "The Way". The zodiac signs are the way of the planets. Being that planets represent
archetypal drives, the signs they are in represent the way the planet goes about getting its archetypal
needs met.
The signs are broken down into a 3/4 rhythm of modalities and elements. This rhythm provides each sign
with a unique energy field, as no two signs have the same combination. The modalities are cardinal, fixed
and mutable. The elements are fire, earth, air and water. Please refer to my article on temperament
analysis for more information on each modality and element.
Additionally the planets are broken down into Yin and Yang. Yin signs are also called feminine signs
because they are receptive in nature. These are the earth and water signs: Taurus, Cancer, Virgo, Scorpio,
Capricorn, and Pisces. Yang signs are also called masculine because they are projective in nature. These
are the fire and air signs: Aries, Gemini, Leo, Libra, Sagittarius and Aquarius. While planets in a sign of the
same element get along best with each other, planets in the complimentary sign of the same gender are
compatible as well.
The Sun does not ingress into each zodiac sign at exactly midnight on a particular day in each time zone,
of course. Therefore you will see that the end date of one sign is the same as the beginning of the next.
This date is known as the "cusp". If you were born on the cusp between two signs, you need to know your
time and location of birth to determine which sign the sun was in when you were born. If you know this
information you can use my FREE Chart Wheel Service to determine your Sun sign.
Aries: March 20 - April 20(Yang - cardinal, fire)
Symbol: Ram
Principle: autonomy
Ruling Planet: Mars
Exalted Planet: Sun
Debilitated Planets: Venus & Saturn
If your Sun is in Aries you enjoy beginning new projects and likely charge in head first with a lot of willful
force. You may not complete everything you start because you tend to loose interest once the initial rush is
gone. You like to do things your own way, and are not good at taking orders or advice from others. You
charge headstrong along your own path, not overly concerned with the rules or obstacles in your path. You
are determined to get where you are going and will do what ever it takes to get there. In this regard you
can be a bit impatient and reckless in your tactics. "God grant me patience NOW" could be one of your
sayings. You do not like to wait around and as a result you may leave concerts and other jam packed
events early to beat the traffic. You are competitive by nature and like to win.
Planets in Aries have strong survival instincts, are instinctively responsive to desires, seek independence,
are headstrong and are self-serving. The Aries way is boldly, daringly, assertively, aggressively, willfully,
impatiently, recklessly, competitively, independently, passionately, and driven. Aries goes after the
archetypal need of the planet with passionate initiative. Its symbol is the Ram who charges in headfirst.
Taurus: April 20 - May 21 (Yin - fixed, earth)
Symbol: Bull
Tao of Zodiac Signs, Astrology Articles by Julene Packer-Louis
Taurus: April 20 - May 21 (Yin - fixed, earth)
Symbol: Bull
Principle: sensory perception
Ruling Planet: Venus
Exalted Planet: Moon
Debilitated Planets: Mars & Uranus
If your Sun is in Taurus you enjoy reveling in the pleasures of the senses. You take your time to stop and
smell the roses as you walk through life. You are generally not in a hurry to get anywhere since you realize
the journey is often as important as the destination. For this reason people may consider you lazy even
though that isn't usually the case. You enjoy acquiring objects that you find beautiful or provide you with a
sense of security. Your strong aesthetic values give you strong opinions of what appeals to your senses.
You have distinct tastes in art and music that you are probably quite stubborn about. Money may be
important to you, but you tend to be practical about your spending. You are likely a bargain shopper.
Getting out in nature and taking in the sights, sounds and smells does good for your soul.
Planets in Taurus tend to take things slow, experience things through the physical senses, establish values
or worth and enjoy the material comforts life has to offer. The Taurus way is slowly, patiently, persistently,
stubbornly, sensually, earthly, and deliberately with a focus on attachments and object constancy. Taurus
seeks to secure and make permanent the archetypal need of the planet. Its symbol is the bull who can dig
in his heels and refuse to budge.
Gemini: May 21 - J une 21 (Yang - mutable, air)
Symbol: Twins
Principle: data exchange
Ruling Planet: Mercury
Exalted Planet: None, some say North Node
Debilitated Planet: J upiter
If your Sun is in Gemini you don't like to sit still for long. You are always on the move seeking out the next
source of excitement. You love to talk with all sorts of people and exchange a myriad of ideas. You
probably know a little about just about everything and it is not likely someone will come up with a topic
that leaves you speechless. You have a rather restless intelligence that can get bored going to the very
depths of a topic, so you tend to skim the surface of many instead. Since your ideas change with each new
experience or piece of information acquired, you can appear flighty and non-committal to others. You have
a need to know what is going on in the world around you. It is quite possible that you keep abreast on the
news on both a small and large scale. You are not likely to shy away from gaining any type of attention
through the media. It is quite possible that you communicate with your hands as body language is
something you speak and read well.
Planets in Gemini recognize the nature of duality, are communicative, gather and distribute data of all
kinds, and like a butterfly that flits from here to there sampling many things in a carefree manner, they are
free-spirited. The Gemini way is adaptable, versatile, dualistic, multiplicity, emotionally detached, curious,
social, inconsistent, communicative, and function best where there is fluidity of movement. Gemini seeks
to communicate the archetypal need of the planet in a dualistic manner. Its symbol is the twins, Pollux and
Castor.
Cancer: J une 21 J uly 22 (Yin cardinal water)
Tao of Zodiac Signs, Astrology Articles by Julene Packer-Louis
to communicate the archetypal need of the planet in a dualistic manner. Its symbol is the twins, Pollux and
Castor.
Cancer: J une 21 - J uly 22 (Yin - cardinal, water)
Symbol: Crab
Principle: emotional security
Ruling Planet: Moon
Exalted Planets: J upiter & Neptune
Debilitated Planets: Mars & Saturn
If your Sun is in Cancer you are sensitive to the emotional undercurrents around you. You almost always
notice when someone is hurt, even if they think they are hiding it. People find you easy to talk to when
they are upset because there is just this mothering feel about you that people find kind, sympathetic, and
protective. Your protective nature extends to yourself as well as those you care about. You are quite
sensitive on the inside, but tend to keep your own emotions under-wraps so no one will discover your
carefully guarded vulnerabilities. When you are hurt you tend to side-step the matter rather than taking a
direct approach to a confrontation. It is likely that you remember your childhood with nostalgia; at the very
least you remember it more than most. This is because you have a knack for retaining the emotional
experience of things. Yours is an emotional memory. The exact details may be a bit hazy, but you know
exactly how an experience made you feel. You are usually willing to help those in need of emotional
support. Your family and its heritage are important to you.
Planets in Cancer operate on the emotional realm, are concerned with protecting and nurturing what is
dear to them, and take a sideways approach to things. They Cancer way is motherly, protectively,
empathetically, sympathetically, nurturingly, and emotionally. Cancer seeks to nourish and find emotional
security in the archetypal drive of the planet. Its symbol is the sideways moving crab with a soft underbelly
beneath the protective outer shell.
Leo: J uly 22 - August 23 (Yang - fixed, fire)
Symbol: Lion
Principle: creativity
Ruling Planet: Sun
Exalted Planet: None, some say Pluto
Debilitated Planet: Saturn & Uranus
If your Sun is in Leo you like to have your share of attention. You want to shine in the public eye in your
special area of creativity. As a child you were probably quite a ham wanting to get in every picture ever
taken in your presence. You like the spotlight and are not uncomfortable when all eyes are one you; in fact
you prefer it that way. You have a need to feel special. You are proud, enthusiastic, and like to be in
charge. Your self-confidence can at times put off an air of superiority or pompousness where you seem
patronizing or intolerant of others who you don't think are as bright as you. You have a flair for drama and
when something is wrong in your world this tendency comes out full force. You are also warm-hearted and
generous. Your fun-loving nature makes you a joy to be around. You are not afraid to let your inner child
play and you can make even the dullest routine tasks fun with your imaginative creativity. "You're only as
old as you feel" could be something you say with age, for you tend to be very young at heart and retain
youthful presence through most of your life.
Planets in Leo love the limelight, serve the ego, want to have fun and be admired. The way of Leo is
Tao of Zodiac Signs, Astrology Articles by Julene Packer-Louis
old as you feel could be something you say with age, for you tend to be very young at heart and retain
youthful presence through most of your life.
Planets in Leo love the limelight, serve the ego, want to have fun and be admired. The way of Leo is
creatively, energetically, honorably, grandiose, dogmatic, dramatic, proud, fun-loving and playful. Leo seeks
to create something that recognizes them as special with regard to the archetypal nature of the planet. Its
symbol is the Lion, proud ruler of the jungle.
Virgo: August 23 - September 23 (Yin - mutable, earth)
Symbol: Virgin holding a staff of wheat
Principle: analysis
Ruling Planet: Mercury
Exalted Planet: Mercury
Debilitated Planets: Venus, J upiter & Neptune
If your Sun is in Virgo you are analytical and very detail oriented. Your intellect is discriminating, critical,
judgmental, meticulous and practical. When you gain new pieces of information, you don't just take them
at face value. You consider the reliability of the source, put it with what you already know, and categorize
your new data accordingly. You are not a gullible person. You are prone to worrying over things that are
not going as they "should". You seek perfection in yourself and in the world around you. This can lead to
excessive worry or self-defeatism which often lodges itself in your nervous system. At these times it is
important to accept that nothing is ever going to be perfect and find a use for life's imperfections. Your
need to be useful and of service can come in quite handy in that capacity. The misnomer about Virgo's is
that they are neat, clean and organized to perfection. Not everything about you is that way. Whatever it is
that you do that utilizes your special talent is very likely to be that way however. Your scrutinizing intellect
and ability to pay attention to the most critical detail provides you with a high aptitude for excelling
technological areas where fine-tuning is a necessity.
Planets in Virgo approach things from the critical intellect, they notice imperfections and things that are
not healthy and seek to purify them through some type of health routine or service. The Virgo way is
critical, judgmental, discerning, analytical, efficient, production oriented, serving, perfectionist, and precise.
Virgo seeks to analyze and serve the archetypal need of the planet. Its symbol is the Virgin holding the
staff of wheat representing productivity and the harvest of labor.
Libra: September 23 - October 23 (Yang - cardinal, air)
Symbol: Scales of Balance
Principle: harmony
Ruling Planet: Venus
Exalted Planet: Saturn
Debilitated Planet: Sun & Mars
If your Sun is in Libra you like your environment to be harmonious and often are the one that knows what
to do to "keep the peace". You may have a refined sense of beauty and enjoy the finer things in life. Dining
by candlelight in a tastefully decorated classy restaurant is likely to appeal to you. It is likely you know the
best restaurants in town. The artists you are drawn to say a lot about yourself. You are charming in social
situations because of your easy-going, diplomatic nature. Because of your ability to see both sides of a
situation, you can be indecisive and have trouble making a decision. When you teeter on the fence too
long, others may see you as wishy-washy. That isn't necessarily the case. It's more that your sense of
Tao of Zodiac Signs, Astrology Articles by Julene Packer-Louis
situations because of your easy-going, diplomatic nature. Because of your ability to see both sides of a
situation, you can be indecisive and have trouble making a decision. When you teeter on the fence too
long, others may see you as wishy-washy. That isn't necessarily the case. It's more that your sense of
balance is a delicate matter and your need for harmony is so great that you prefer not to decide than to
chance discord. In fact when your needs go against someone else's you would rather tactfully manipulate
them instead of creating an out-right conflict. You seek to balance yourself with another in a romantic
capacity that mirrors your self-image.
Planets in Libra seek to form social relationships and learn about the self through the eyes of others. The
Libra way is harmoniously, diplomatically, manipulatively, people-pleasingly, other oriented, and
aesthetically refined. Libra seeks to refine, harmonize, and balance through interacting with others the
archetypal need of the planet. It's symbol is the scales of balance.
Scorpio: October 23 - November 22 (Yin - fixed, water)
Symbol: Scorpion
Principle: transformation
Ruling Planets: Mars & Pluto
Exalted Planet: Uranus
Debilitated Planets: Moon & Venus
If you Sun is in Scorpio you see the transformational potential in all things and thrive on depth and
intensity of experience. In fact your experiences are rarely less than intense. You have a profound ability to
tap into the motives of others and you love a good mystery. Your tongue can be sharp and your eyes can
shoot daggers when you or someone you care about has been hurt. You like to delve into the depths of
subject matter that is taboo or hidden from the mainstream. You have very powerful feelings that
conversely provide you with a strong sense of purpose and a strong sense of suffering. Sometimes you may
feel that suffering is your purpose. It is the sense that it is through life's greatest trials you can experience
transformation of the ego and tap into your deep reserves of regenerative healing power. Your personal
magnetism is strong and you may find you turn the heads of many. This combined with your responsive
nature often this leads to sexual relations. Because you seek intensity in all things, this extends to
relationships as well. The ultimate for you is a deeply intense experience of intimacy, a complete soul level
mergence with another where you literally can't quite tell where you end and they begin. This often ends
up skewed into some sort of power struggle instead. When you do finally commit to a relationship you do
so with undying loyalty and you will go to all lengths to protect it.
Planets in Scorpio see the transformational potential in all things and vacillate between the extremes. The
way of Scorpio is intensely, deeply, possessively, jealously, tenaciously, secretively, transformative,
transmuting, powerful, mysterious, mystical, emotionally retentive and adept at uncovering hidden
motives. Scorpio seeks intensity of the planets archetypal experience in death and re-birth scenarios. Its
primary symbol is the stinging Scorpion that evolve through the hierarchy of symbols to the ascending
Eagle that reaches higher levels of consciousness, and then to the regenerative Phoenix that flew into the
Sun, was consumed by the fire and reborn from his own ashes.
Sagittarius: November 22 - December 21 (Yang - mutable, fire)
Symbol: Centaur drawing a bow
Principle: broaden horizons
Ruling Planet: J upiter
Exalted Planet: None some say South Node
Tao of Zodiac Signs, Astrology Articles by Julene Packer-Louis
Symbol: Centaur drawing a bow
Principle: broaden horizons
Ruling Planet: J upiter
Exalted Planet: None, some say South Node
Debilitated Planet: Mercury
If your Sun is in Sagittarius, you have a certain wanderlust to continually experience new things that
broaden your horizons. This expands into the area of philosophy and you tend to form your beliefs based
on your own experiences and what rings as inner Truth. You are generally open-minded but can become
dogmatic. You like to think outside the box and can become impatient with closed-minded individuals. You
aim high in life and tend to achieve what you set after because your optimism keeps you going along with
faith in yourself and your abilities. Your love for adventure takes you down many paths in life where you
meet all sorts of interesting people from all walks of life. You may be known for telling fascinating stories
of your experiences, and at times for playing "I can top that." You value your freedom to go where the
moment takes you and seem to expand whatever it is you touch. In that regard you can be a trail-blazer or
pioneer.
Planets in Sagittarius seek to broaden the physical and mental horizons. The Sagittarius way is expansive,
optimistic, adventurous, freedom-loving, free-spirited, questing, truth-seeking, philosophical, theosophical,
and far-reaching. Sagittarius quests for Truth through the expansion of mental and physical horizons and
affords the archetypal need of the planet the freedom to find it in their own way. Its symbol is a centaur
archer. The horse part personifies the free-spirited will and the human part representing the intellectual
nature. The archer has its arrow aimed upward indicating the far-reaching vision it is after.
Capricorn: December 21 - J anuary 20 (Yin - cardinal, earth)
Symbol: Sea Goat or Mountain Goat
Principle: material security
Ruling Planet: Saturn
Exalted Planet: Mars
Debilitated Planets: Moon, J upiter, Neptune
If your Sun is in Capricorn you value tradition, reliability, and practicality. Fads are not likely to grab your
attention; you prefer the tried and true. You are a dependable person, even when the going gets tough.
You have a patience and persistence that keeps you going toward your goal. You are probably known for
your rather dry sense of humor. Others may see you as cold, rigidly conventional and pessimistic. While
this is true to an extent, it is because you seem to have your share of obstacles to surmount, which leaves
you cautious of getting your hopes up to quickly. You seek financial security and comfort for old age and
retirement is something you plan for. You are generally good with money because you tend to spend it
cautiously. Your strength is your stamina to persist efficiently toward your ambitions.
Planets in Capricorn seem to be under the rule of the school of hard knocks and have a few lessons to
learn. The way of Capricorn is cautious, practical, conventional, persistent, persevering, pragmatic,
steadfast, enduring, limiting, and boundary defining. Capricorn seeks to secure solid footing in practical
living and uphold traditional values. Its symbol is the mountain goat who steadily climbs upward toward
the summit, or goal.
Aquarius: J anuary 20 - February 18 (Yang - fixed, air)
Symbol: Water Bearer
Tao of Zodiac Signs, Astrology Articles by Julene Packer-Louis
Aquarius: J anuary 20 - February 18 (Yang - fixed, air)
Symbol: Water Bearer
Principle: humanity
Ruling Planets: Saturn & Uranus
Exalted Planet: None, some say Mercury
Debilitated Planet: Sun
If your Sun is in Aquarius you are concerned with socialization of your individual nature. You are likely to
become involved with groups who hold the same ideal for humanity that you do. You are rebellious when
you think bureaucratic society is repressing its people, even on the smallest level. You have no problem
rising to a cause. You are an innovative thinker and progressive in your approach. You may be a trend
setter. Some may think you are eccentric because of your fixed ideals and social convictions. You value
your friendships because your sense of self is derived from them.
Planets in Aquarius either uphold or shaking up the status-quo depending on their convictions to the larger
humanitarian ideal. The way of Aquarius is idealistically, progressively, industriously, innovating,
revolutionary, unconventional, group oriented, convicted, liberating, and reformative. Aquarius seeks to
connect with a social group that marches to the beat of the archetypal drive of the planet. Its symbol is the
water bearer, the air function being the "carrier" of the emotional needs contained in the collective.
Pisces: February 18 - March 22 (Yin - mutable, water)
Symbol: Two Fish
Principle: transcendance
Ruling Planets: J upiter & Neptune
Exalted Planet: Venus
Debilitated Planet: Mercury
If your Sun is in Pisces you often feel like you are part of a divine plan and have trouble connecting with
mundane realities. You are sensitive to the emotions you pick up around you and may find yourself
involved in victim-savior patterns. Your highly empathetic and compassionate nature seeks to help those
who have been victimized or seek solace or redemption. You have a knack for seeing the spiritual or Godly
behind experiences. In fact you may prefer to function in the world of subtleties where a collective
consciousness is recognized. It is likely you have vivid dreams and you would benefit from keeping a dream
journal and thinking how your dream symbolism plays out both physically in outer life and spiritually in
your inner-life. You are the highly imaginative dreamer of the zodiac, and are aware inwardly of infinite
possibilities though how to actualize them outwardly may be more nebulous than concrete. You have a
preferred method of escapism when you need retreat from the real world.
Planets in Pisces operate in a world of subtle, formless realities and seek transcendence from the material
plane and a mergence with the all encompassing Divine Spirit. The way of Pisces is compassionately,
spiritually, nebulously, imaginatively, transcendently, passive, self-sacrificing, martyristic, empathetic,
intuitive, sympathetic and caring. Pisces seeks to transcend the material form and surrendering the will of
the planets archetypal drive. Its symbol is two fish tied together swimming in opposite directions
representing the inner struggle to function in a world of form and surrendering to the spiritual world. The
perfect balance here can be liked to the Yin/Yang symbol of Tao itself.
Tao of Zodiac Signs, Astrology Articles by Julene Packer-Louis
perfect balance here can be liked to the Yin/Yang symbol of Tao itself.
Tao of Zodiac Signs, Astrology Articles by Julene Packer-Louis