How to Pick Which Planet to Channel

Need answers? Planet Channeling has your back. But which planet should you channel, and does it matter? Yes! Each planet in your astrology chart has a specific area of influence and expertise. If you’re getting weird answers (or gasp – no answers) in your Planet Channeling sessions, you might be asking the wrong planet for advice. This blog post is your ultimate guide to picking the right planet for the channeling job.

Why Does Channeling the Right Planet Matter?

All of the planets in your astrology chart have a specific job and area of expertise. Imagine each planet as a person with a unique body of knowledge in a very precise area. For example, I’m an astrologer, so I have a body of knowledge in astrology. But maybe you're an accountant, and you have a huge body of knowledge in bookkeeping and taxes—stuff that I know nothing about. Who are you going to ask about your tax return? Not me! It's the same thing with your planets. Each planet has a different skillset and knowledge base.

For example, Saturn knows a lot about long-term planning. The Moon? Not so much. The Moon moves too quickly and changes too rapidly to give you advice on what you should do ten years from now. But the Moon knows an awful lot about daily self-care and routine. Self-care isn’t in Saturn’s vocabulary. The point is: you want to ask Saturn for advice on very different topics than the Moon.

Planets also have different areas of influence—areas of life where they have power and can actually create change and make things happen. So, if you want to create significant change in a relationship, you’d want to talk to the planet that has rulership over relationships in your astrology chart. (Pro tip: That’s not always Venus. More on that later.) Or, if you want to make some moves in your career, you’d want to talk to your career-ruling planet. Again, this isn't just because they have knowledge and expertise in that area, but because they have influence. They can actually do stuff in this area of life.

What Happens If You Channel the Wrong Planet?

Truthfully, I don't think you can pick the “wrong” planet because all of your planets are going to give you something useful. However, you can pick the best planet. For example, you may not get the best information from Mercury if you're asking about a Saturn topic, but you can still get information. The benefit of asking the “wrong” planet is perspective—each planet has a different opinion and viewpoint about your topic or question, and sometimes a variety of opinion is helpful.

But let’s pretend you can pick “wrong”—what will happen? You’re either not going to get an answer because that planet doesn't know what to say, or you're going to get incomplete or inaccurate information. Again, this is because the planet you asked doesn't have a knowledge base or influence in your topic.

How Do You Know Which Planet to Channel?

There are ways a planet can be the right one to channel:

1. The planet has innate rulership over the topic in question.

2. The planet rules or “manages” the house that corresponds with the topic in question.

3. The planet occupies the house that corresponds with the topic in question.

Let’s go through each…

Innate Rulership

What do you think of when you think of the planet Venus? Probably love. That’s an example of innate rulership. Each planet has a collection of topics that it rules, no matter where it’s placed in your astrology chart. I like to say that it’s “born with it.”

The Sun

The Sun holds information about your identity, who you are, your purpose, and why you're here. It also has info on how other people see you, your reputation and how you're perceived by the public. Speaking of being viewed, the Sun is all about being visible and being seen. So, if you want tips on being in the spotlight, the Sun is your planet.

The Sun also has innate rulership over your vitality. It's one of the vital lights in astrology and rules your health along with the Moon and your chart ruler. Being our brightest light, the Sun also offers clarity. Whenever you're unsure on something, or something feels murky and muddled, ask the Sun to clear things up.

The Sun can also give you advice about leadership positions. It has what I like to call star power, and it can teach you how to develop this magnetic star power too.

The Moon

The Moon is the expert on your body. The Sun is more of a spiritual planet—it rules the vital force or spirit that enlivens the body, while the Moon rules the physical form itself. You can ask the Moon very specific questions about your food, sleep, and personal rhythms of all kinds, including your daily routine. The Moon is also really good at understanding home and family dynamics, including what you need to feel comfortable and at ease.

Keep in mind that the Moon also changes rapidly. It fluctuates the most out of any other planet. This means you can talk to the Moon about change, whether that’s fear of change or desire for change. The Moon has a lot to share about being flexible. And finally, the Moon has innate knowledge over feelings, emotions, and moods. It’s a great planet to process difficult emotions with.

Mercury

Mercury has innate wisdom around all things communication—writing, speaking, listening, translating, publishing, email, podcasting, social media, networking, and making connections are all within Mercury’s realm of expertise. It knows a ton about the written word. It also knows a lot about your unique learning style. Seriously, ask Mercury for help when you’re studying or working on an assignment.

Mercury’s also a planet of travel, and it’s the perfect orb to consult when making plans to skip town (unless it’s retrograde, of course). Mercury has an eye for fine detail and organization. All of the particulars that nobody else cares to talk to you about? Mercury can’t wait to dig in.

Mercury also excels at answering technology questions. If I’m comparison shopping and I’m stuck between two different gadgets, you better believe I ask Mercury to weigh in. I also frequently ask Mercury for help building out the tech stack for my business.

Venus

As you know by now, Venus has innate rulership and expertise over relationships of all kinds, whether they be romantic, friendly, or professional. Venus also rules anything you find valuable, including money and possessions.

Venus loves to chat about your appearance, personal style, beauty regimen, clothing, jewelry—all the way down to questions about your eyebrows. Yep, Venus cares about that arch.

Venus is the expert on creating harmony. Ask Venus your questions about work/life balance, hobbies, fun, and adding more pleasure to your day-to-day. Venus is also the artist of the cosmos. If you’re a musician, painter, sculptor, photographer, designer, or dancer, lean on Venus for questions about your creative projects.

Mars

Mars has all the info on taking action. If you want a strategic plan, ask Mars. Mars shines when you have a very specific decision to make. Mars is sharp, dry, direct, and will tell you very bluntly which choice is the right one. Speaking of sharp, Mars is really good at cutting ties or removing things from your life that are no longer beneficial.

If you need help asserting yourself, taking a stand, being courageous, or being bold, Mars is your friend. Mars can also help you process “hot” emotions like rage, anger, or anxiety, and can help you come up with creative and constructive ways to express them.

Mars, along with the Moon, loves to talk about your physical energy. Pick its brain about your metabolism and how energy flows through your body over the course of the day. When is the best time for me to work out? What types of workouts are best for me? Mars loves those types of questions.

Jupiter

Jupiter is the sage of the planets. If you just need a wise talking to, sit at Jupiter’s feet and listen. Jupiter’s read all the books and taken all the courses. It knows its stuff. Jupiter is also kind of obsessed with personal and spiritual growth, and it’s the perfect planet to ask for advice on being the best version of yourself.

Jupiter also has some influence, along with Venus, over wealth and status. Jupiter loves to accumulate, and it might have some good advice about meeting your income goals. Jupiter is also great with travel questions, particularly if you're traveling overseas. Invite Jupiter to help you plan your next adventure.

My favorite thing to talk to Jupiter about? Perspective. I like to think of Jupiter as a hot air balloon or an airplane. It has that 30,000-foot view. If you need help seeing the bigger picture, Jupiter is your guy. And finally, Jupiter has a lot of nuggets about what might make you feel happier or more fulfilled in life.

Saturn

Like I said earlier, Saturn is the planet of long-term plans. It loves to make sure you’re prepared for the future. It’s the planet of pouring foundations that stand the test of time. Ask Saturn for insight on creating long-term stability. If you're trying to figure out what makes the most sense not just for your present self, but for your future self, Saturn is your friend.

Saturn is also a planet of boundaries. It can teach you how to prioritize your schedule and how to say no to things that just aren’t right for you. Saturn also has a lot of insight on your perceived limitations, blocks, and fears in life. It can help you sort through “cool” emotions like sadness, depression, fear, or insecurity, and come up with useful strategies for managing them.

What About the Outer Planets?

I'm a traditional astrologer and use the outer planets sparingly. I don’t assign rulership to the outer planets, but do lean on them for extra information. I like to think of the seven traditional planets as the cupcake and the outer planets as the icing or sprinkles. They aren’t the main dish, but they do add some flair.

Can you channel the outer planets? Absolutely. However, I always like to channel them with an intermediary present like Venus, the Moon, or the Sun. An intermediary helps in this case because the outer planets are so far away, and because the outer planets tend to be extreme. It’s nice to have a traditional planet acting as a go-between.

House Management

The second way a planet can be right for the channeling job is that it manages the house that corresponds with the topic in question. For example, the seventh house is the house of intimate relationships. Let's pretend that you have Capricorn occupying the seventh house. Since Saturn rules Capricorn, Saturn is the ruler or “manager” of your seventh house and therefore your relationship planet. Management of a house or life area is based on traditional planetary rulerships. Here’s a cheat sheet:

• The Sun rules Leo.

• The Moon Rules Cancer.

• Mercury rules Gemini and Virgo.

• Venus Rules Taurus and Libra.

• Mars rules Aries and Scorpio.

• Jupiter rules Sagittarius and Pisces.

• Saturn rules Capricorn and Aquarius.

Planets that rule houses are like landlords or managers of a store. They may not be there for the day-to-day activities, but they’re in charge of taking care of the property, and they make the final decisions. It's good to talk to a managing or ruling planet when you need to make a high-level, long-lasting change in the area that you’re asking about. Why? Because it has the power and influence to act.

House Occupancy

The third and final way a planet could be right for the channeling job is that it occupies or is located inside the house that’s correlated with the topic you want insight on. For example, if I want insight on my social media growth, where would I look? I’d look to the third house of communication. I could either talk to the house ruler AKA “manager”, or I could talk to any planets inside the house.

Planets inside a house are the boots on the ground. They're the ones that are actively in that life area day after day doing the work. They’re more like employees. They don't necessarily have the power to change the overall outcome of the topic in question, but they definitely influence the day-to-day operations. Plus, they know a lot more about what’s actually happening in the “shop”—whereas the manager is usually kept unaware of the employee gossip.

Your Next Step

I hope this post helps you pick the best planet for your next Planet Channeling session. Now what? Well, I suggest making yourself a cheat sheet. List out all seven traditional planets and all of the things that they rule in your unique astrology chart. Remember, there are three options: innate rulership, house management, or house occupancy. And voila—you have a quick reference to consult when you sit down to channel. If you’d like me to do this for you, come work with me in Guided. Happy channeling!