ONE

Sagittarius is a complicated sign. It’s represented by this creature, which at first glance looks like a man on a horse but when you look closer, you realise that the man and the horse are one being. It’s a centaur, a creature that straddles the worlds of the animal and the human. This suggests a fusion of human intelligence and animal instinct, the civilised and the primal.

Imagine growing up as one of these. It’s complicated. Young Sagittarians have strong instincts and will often get into what we might call ‘learning situations’ before the intellect can guide them. On the other hand, the more intellectually oriented Sagittarian has to learn to put their mighty brain to one side and trust their instincts. All this can take time.

TWO

Now, once the young Sagittarian has got the horse and the human parts of their nature to accept each other and cooperate, there’s a bow and arrow. Arrows need a target. Sagittarians need goals. Whether it’s a ‘type sportif’ wanting to win the race or break a record; or a businessperson with their monthly or annual targets; or a creative type with their projects, a Sagittarian needs a goal, a project, something to aim for.

As Alice Bailey wrote in her book “Esoteric Astrology” (part of A Treatise on the Seven Rays), “I see the goal. I reach that goal. I see another goal.” This is believed to be the only joke she ever wrote.

THREE

So now we’ve got this fusion of man and horse, and it has learned how to shoot arrows. You definitely can’t keep it indoors. It needs plenty of space where it can gallop around and fire off its arrows. In fact, Sagittarians belong in the wide-open spaces. Somewhere with big skies where it can run and race and shoot. Lots of space. Few restrictions.

This is where the Sagittarian interest in foreign travel and other cultures comes from. I’m not talking about a trip to the beach or the mountain. Ideally it has to be a trip abroad, somewhere they speak a different language, where the food is different, where the social rules are different. The type of travel that broadens the mind.

This echoes the Sagittarian desire for adventure and exploration, and their curiosity may lead them to take risks, to find out where this path leads…

According to St Augustine, whose north lunar node was in Sagittarius, “The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.”

FOUR

The need for lots of space also symbolises the Sagittarian tendency to see the big picture. This can mean the overview, the long-term, the grand plan that lies behind it all and explains everything. This need can take Sagittarius into the worlds of philosophy and religion. These are often associated with academic institutions such as universities and established religions. I’m not talking about vocationally focussed courses like accounting or product design. Rather Sagittarians are drawn to subjects such as history, politics, and philosophy, where deep principles are examined.

If Sagittarians can avoid the trap of focussing exclusively on the big stuff and the long term, their desire to explore and understand will often make a genuine and long-lasting contribution to human knowledge.

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Later in life with all the rich experiences that they have garnered, Sagittarians can start to think they’ve got it all sussed. However, when something doesn’t fit in with their ‘grand scheme of things’ they can become dogmatic and judgmental. In fact, some astrologers go so far as to say that there is nothing more dangerous than a Sagittarian who is sure they are right.

FIVE

Sagittarius is ruled by the planet Jupiter, named after the king of the gods in Roman mythology. Jupiter was also known as Jove, as in the word ‘jovial’. The Greeks knew him as Zeus. The name Jupiter comes from “Dyeus Pater” which means ‘sky father’.

In astronomy, Jupiter is the largest planet in our solar system. For astrologers, Jupiter is the planet of growth and optimism.

In his Planet Suite, Gustav Holst describes the planet Jupiter as the bringer of jollity and Sagittarian playfulness and irrepressible humour are a hallmark of the sign.

Jupiter is also the planet of generosity, always willing to give, to teach, to explain. In Indian astrology he is known as Guru, the guide to personal growth, the teacher of spiritual wisdom. But sometimes growth presents challenges as it takes us out of our comfort zone.

SIX

Sagittarian honesty is a noble quality, but it can lead to situations of social embarrassment when it’s inappropriate. The Sagittarian habit of opening their mouth and putting their foot in it is well known. But their positive demeanour means that blame rarely sticks. Their honesty can also lead to an “The Emperor has no clothes” moment when innocent perception demolishes conventional bullshit.

SEVEN

In medical astrology, Sagittarius rules the hips, thighs and buttocks.

By way of contrast, Gemini, the opposite sign to Sagittarius rules the arms and hands as well as the lungs. So while Gemini is the juggler and master of the arts of prestidigitation (aka sleight of hand), Sagittarius rules the muscles and the energy that drives you forward and gets you galloping over long distances.

EIGHT

Different signs have different attitudes to sex. For Cancerians for example, sex is an expression of emotional commitment. For Taureans, it is a sensual adventure and an affirmation of belonging. While for Scorpio sex is where they seek a passionate merging of bodies and souls.

For Sagittarians, of whatever gender, sex is a sporting activity. Sagittarian lovers are interested in the sheer physicality, a return to our animal origins and most of all, fun. And if you get a slap on the arse afterwards, that’s their way of expressing affection.

These are of course broad generalisations. Astrologically, an individual’s sexual attitudes and preferences are also subject to the influence of Mars and Venus.

NINE

The colour palette for Sagittarius is one that expresses joy and optimism. Sagittarius is a mutable fire sign, shading across a spectrum from brilliant yellow to gas-flame blue. And always with strong contrasts that make the whole experience stand out. More mature Sagittarius is into deeper hues such as royal blue, navy blue and regal purple.

TEN

The jewel in the crown of Sagittarius is the Galactic Centre. This is the point at the centre of our galaxy, the Milky Way, about which our galaxy rotates. In the birth chart it’s located at 27 degrees of Sagittarius.

Astronomically, the Galactic Centre is a dense cluster of stars around a super-massive black hole with an estimated mass of about 4 million suns. It has been described as a place where stars are born.

This point acts as a place of incredibly focussed creative energy, coming from who knows where. Some astrologers have suggested that this point is the place where the extreme darkness and receptivity of yin gives birth to the ultimate expression of yang. Others see this point as a place of higher consciousness, spiritual awakenings, interdimensional channelling, and a sense of having a soul mission.

Ben Belinsky

June 2026