How To Determine Your Soul Purpose, According To Astrology

The highest degree planet in your natal chart holds the key to your soul purpose, according to an astrology theory.

head sculpture with flowers and planets Emre Han Ackay via Unsplash / graffoto8 and Chikovnaya via Canva
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Astrology is believed to not only give insight into your past incarnations but also hold the key to your soul purpose, and one theory of finding your soul purpose is to look at the planet at the highest degree in your natal chart.

According to TikTok creator and Intuitive Astrologer Nichole West, "your highest degree planet placement...is an ancient astrology technique that helps you find your soul purpose in life." She claims that once you "find the planet that has the highest degree in your birth chart," you can uncover "one of the soul gifts you came here to share with the world."

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RELATED: How To Read A Natal Chart & Find Your Purpose In Life

This is pretty simple to do. First, you'll need to generate your natal chart and look for the planet with the highest degree across all placements. For example, if your Sun is 16 degrees (of any sign), your Mercury is 3 degrees and your Neptune is 27 degrees, then Neptune would be the highest degree in your chart. You would therefore look at Neptune along with the sign and house that it falls in for your soul purpose.

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Some degrees are more significant than others.

For example, 0 degrees of any planet is in its pure and undiluted form which makes it extremely powerful. If it aspects another planet, take into account the energy of the planet it connects with. If it is unaspected, it may have difficulty expressing its qualities or its expression may be obsessive in nature screaming for attention which can bring about bad or misguided behavior in the individual. Sometimes astrologers view this as a ‘rogue’ planet. Unaspected planets can occur at any degree, but 0 is considered a critical degree.

29 degrees is called the Anaretic degree. The Anaretic degree is associated with a sense of urgency or a last-ditch effort to wrap up or accomplish something. When a planet is at 29 degrees, there is often a feeling of having only a short time to correct things. This can result in jumping into something you aren’t ready or prepared for without giving it enough forethought. Decision-making can be affected adversely as can critical thinking. 

Other critical degrees include:

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Cardinal signs (Cancer, Libra, Aries, and Capricorn): 13 degrees and 26 degrees 

Fixed signs (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, and Aquarius): 8 or 9 degrees and 21 or 22 degrees

Mutable signs (Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, and Pisces): 4 degrees and 17

Once you find the planet in your chart that is at the highest degree, let’s take a look at what that planet represents in your life.

RELATED: The Main Challenges You're Meant To Overcome In This Lifetime, According To Astrology

Your soul purpose, based on the highest degree planet in your birth chart

Sun at the highest degree

The Sun is connected to the primary energetic purpose and themes that a person works with in their life. The Sun also shows self-actualization and it gives us light and warmth. For example, the Sun in Pisces in the fifth house might show a life purpose connected with children, creativity, or even the entertainment business. Fire signs are learning about taking action. Water signs are about feelings and the emotional side of life. Earth signs are about gaining stability and air signs are learning about thought and ideas and you were born to be a leader and/or inspire others.

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Moon at the highest degree

The Moon is connected to family, maternal tendencies and the emotional life. It represents emotions and how we express them, so if this is the highest planet in your chart, you are here to learn about emotions and connections with others. The Moon has a gentle and protective nature and you are very sensitive to outside forces. You could be involved in careers such as the hotel or food industry, protecting or nurturing others in some way, early education or a creative field since the moon soaks up other’s energies and is in tune with the ebb and flow of life.

Mercury at the highest degree

Mercury represents the way we think and communicate with others. Mercury rules the third house of the chart which concerns communication as well as the sixth house of day-to-day activities, work and health. Surgeons often have planets placed in the sixth house, along with others who are often in some type of career associated with service to others that is not necessarily paid work, such as a housewife or caretaker. If Mercury is the highest planet in your chart you may be a born communicator or writer. Either way, your life will be centered around communication of some type. Mercury is also associated with travel, children, young people or commerce so these activities may be important to you as well.

Venus at the highest degree

Venus represents money, love and values. It shows us where and how we experience pleasure. If Venus is the highest planet in your chart you may be an artistic or creative person and desire a life of ease. Through Venus we learn to live our values and connections with others are very important. Venus is often involved in fashion, beauty, art and entertainment and rules all women under the age of 50.

Mars at the highest degree

Mars is the action planet and if this is the planet that represents your soul purpose, you were born to take action in whatever astrology house and sign this planet rules. Be certain to look at any aspects Mars makes with other planets. Mars represents the warrior and the protector. Many police officers and persons in the military have strong Mars aspects in their charts. Strong Mars individuals are fearless, passionate and very independent and these qualities should be developed. 

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Jupiter at the highest degree

Jupiter is the planet of gain and expansion as well as wisdom and honor. If this is your ruling planet you will seek wealth, but you may be equally interested in wisdom, fairness and justice. In terms of occupation Jupiter rules the law, education, the clergy and medicine. Many astrologers believe Jupiter is connected with the Divine, and as such you will seek truth and understanding, justice for all and increased awareness.

Saturn at the highest degree

Saturn is the planet of structure and stability. It is also the planet associated with sorrow and difficulties in life, at times. If Saturn is your soul planet you will not escape a certain amount of sorrow, or that of others. You will have a deep understanding of the sorrow of others and use this to seek major transformation in yourself and others. You may achieve success later in life as opposed to earlier but when you do, it will be lasting. Ultimately, Saturn creates structure in life and in some ways can be a healer and a teacher.

Uranus at the highest degree

Uranus is the planet connected with genius, unpredictability and unusual activities and occupations. You were born to bring some type of innovation or understanding to the world. Uranus represents modern-day reformers, politicians, inventors and seekers of the unusual. You may be drawn to astrology or other systems of divination. You are a reformer interested in taking humanity to the highest possible level and do not tolerate anything less than total honesty. You could be a scientist, inventor, or involved in any cutting-edge technology or anything that is modern and new such as climate change science, high tech, broadcast technology or space and/or aircraft.

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Neptune at the highest degree

Neptune is the planet of compassion, spirituality and the divine. It also rules drugs, alcohol and addictions so it is possible you could experience a problem in this area at some point or be associated with others who are. You are here to learn and teach others about the Divine, compassion and creativity. You could work in a creative field such as TV, movies, theatre, writing or some other form of entertainment. You could also rescue others or animals, heal others, or teach others about spirituality, sacrifice and unconditional love.

Pluto at the highest degree

Pluto is the planet of change and transformation and if this is your highest planet you were born to create and bring about change in yourself and in others. You can be an amazing healer, truth seeker, detective, psychologist or mental health professional or you could be talented in these areas. Pluto also has to do with digging underneath the surface; archeologists, geologists, plumbers, even undertakers are ruled by Pluto. 

The highest degree planet astrology theory is just one way of looking at your soul purpose.

Another way that astrologers look at the life purpose is through the North and South Nodes. These are not planets but rather points in your natal chart. The North Node, its house placement and sign are associated with the life path in this life while the South Node is typically associated with the past or what we must release to move forward in this life.

RELATED: How To Use Horary Astrology To Answer Deep Questions About Your Life

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Leslie Hale is a professional astrologer offering personal astrology readings worldwide by phone, WhatsApp, or Zoom.