You have probably heard people discussing their “Big Three” in astrology. But what exactly does this mean? It is believed by some that the placements in our astrological birth charts rule different aspects of our lives and personalities.
Our inner planetary placements — meaning our Mercury, Venus, and Mars signs — rule our communications skills, our romantic proclivities, and our passion respectively. Whereas our outer planetary placements — meaning our Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto placements — are commonly referred to as generational planets.
But which placements make up our “Big Three?” Our Big Three refers to our sun, moon, and rising signs. And while our other placements may govern our personal and generational behavior, our Big Three governs who we are as people. Most of us grew up thinking that our sun signs were the only signs that mattered. But our moon and rising signs are equally as important.
Now you may be thinking “if our moon and rising signs are just as important as our sun signs, should we check those signs in our horoscopes as well?” The short answer is “yes.” But the longer answer is a bit more complicated. We should check our moon and rising signs but for different reasons than what we would check our sun signs for. It helps to think of our rising, moon, and sun signs as our body, mind, and spirit.
Rising Signs – Our Body
Our rising sign, also called our ascendant sign, represents how the rest of the world sees us, and how we see the world. But how do you find your ascendant sign? It is a bit trickier than finding your sun and moon sign. There are plenty of websites that can help you calculate your rising sign but you have to plug in your birthplace and your exact time of birth.
Your rising sign is commonly referred to as the “first impression” placement. This is the vibe that we put out. Our rising sign speaks to the traits that we are proud of and want people to notice first. Our rising sign also determines which planet rules our charts. So if you are an Aries ascendant, Mars is your chart ruler.
Some people could argue that since first impressions are so important, our ascendants are just as significant if not more significant than our sun signs. I refer to our rising signs as “our body” because just as the body protects our vital organs, our rising sign protects our sun and moon signs.
When reading your horoscope, checking your rising sign will help you understand how other people may be perceiving you. It can also allow you to identify the areas in your life where you feel you need protection.
Moon Signs – Our Mind
Moon signs represent our emotions and our inner self. Calculating your moon sign is not quite as simple as calculating your sun sign. But it is still easy enough. You can find several sites that will find your moon sign as well as other placements in your chart and all you have to do is plug in your birthday and your place of birth.
This placement tells us how we handle our own feelings and how we relate to the feelings of people around us. Our moon sign can explain why some of us are more reserved with our emotions and why some of us wear our hearts on our sleeves. It can also tell us how we deal with our hidden feelings and our emotional trauma. Taking the time to understand our moon sign is a great first step when undergoing shadow work.
I refer to our moon signs as “our mind” because obtaining a deeper understanding of this sign can allow us to have a better understanding of our innermost thoughts and feelings. Many people with high levels of empathy say they relate more to their moon sign than their sun sign.
When reading your horoscope, checking your moon sign can help you identify any confusing thoughts or feelings that you have been struggling with. It can also give you insight into why you are feeling the way that you do.
Sun Signs – Our Spirit
When people ask us what our sign is, we usually give them our sun sign because it is the easiest one to calculate. All we need is our birthday to find it out.
But what does our sun sign tell us about ourselves? Our sun sign represents our energy and how we self-identify and gives us a clear picture of how we approach our day-to-day lives. If our rising sign is our first impression, our sun sign is who we are when people truly get to know us.
I refer to our sun sign as “our spirit” because it is what drives and motivates us. Our sun sign acts as a go-between for our moon (our interior) and rising signs (our exterior). If our moon and rising are the angel and devil sitting on our shoulders, our sun sign is the mediator between the two.
When reading your horoscope, checking your sun sign can help you identify what you truly want. I can give you proper guidance on how to achieve your goals.
There You Have It!
If you are one of those people who have never truly identified with your sun sign, then I implore you to learn more about your moon and rising placements. These placements may help you understand how you protect yourself and how you handle your emotions. And you never know, these placements may help you understand your sun sign a bit more.
