Terms in traditional astrology

1
Hi all,

I'm new to the forum and to traditional astrology. I was wondering if anyone could tell me what planetary terms refer to. I've come across it in a couple of places but besides having to do with some kind of alternate planetary rulership, I haven't found the answer.

Any links would be welcome here.


Thanks,
Gus

2
Hi
modern astrology only knows one of the dignities: the rulership. Sometimes they also use the exaltation. But there are several others: triplicity, terms and faces (or decans)

The triplicity depends on the element, for example, all signs of the element fire has as triplicity rulers: sun, jupiter and saturn.

The terms are irregular divisions of each sign in 5 different parts, each part has one of the planets. The luminars don?t have terms, but they have "domains".

The faces are regular divisions of each sign in 3 equal parts, each part is given to a planet.

In the table below, you can see the egyptia terms. There are two sets of terms, egyptian and ptolomy, but I strongly suggest you follow the egyptian terms.

You can see that the first 6 degrees of aries are of jupiter. So, any planet, arabic part or cusp that is, e.g, in 3aries 22, would be in the terms of jupiter.

Warning: the degrees are written in ordinal, not cardinal numbers. So there is no "zero" degree. If you have, e.g, Mars in 5aries58, he is not in the 5th degree, he is in the 6th degree, ok ?

So, if you have mars in 6aries01, he is in the 7th degree.
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3
Lilly used the terms for physical descriptions. Lee Lehman made an observation that the terms can show what people are afraid of. Dr. H directs planets and points through the terms for rectification and John Frawley notes when planets change terms by secondary progressions as they represent changes in the life.

They are not an alternative kind of rulership and it should be noted that the concept of rulership is different in traditional astrology than it is in modern. Rulership in modern astrology (to put it briefly) has to do with affinity, e.g Mars is like Aries, the Sun is like Leo. In traditional astrology rulership has to do with strength. Mars is strong in Aries, i.e. it acts like Mars without difficulty. Terminology in traditional astrology and modern is not always interchangeable.

Tom

4
There's a good overview of planetary dignities here:

http://www.skyscript.co.uk/dignities.html

In modern astrology, there's rulership and exhaltation, and I've heard decans mentioned, but I've no idea how modern uses them. In tradtional astrology, there are a couple more types of essential dignities in the middle that get skipped over in modern - those are triplicty and terms. I think that traditional face and modern decan are the same planet at least, but face - I have to agree with Lee Lehman - tends to denote anxieties.

You might also want to look into sect - whether a chart is a day chart or night chart, as that can affect the rulerships as well. It always surprises me that sect got knocked out of modern astrology because that one seems really obvious:

http://www.skyscript.co.uk/triplicities.html

Hope this helps.

5
Hi gus,
Knowing what the essential dignities are (and their asscociated calculations) can be obtained quite easily from this website and others. Knowing how to use them is another matter altogether (this depends on the astrologer, tradition, etc.).

There are basically 2 methods of using the essential dignities:

Method 1:

As an indicator of the state of a planet being in one or more of its essential dignities i.e. a planet in its own domicile / exaltation / triplicity / term / face; with each its own meanings. Bonatti uses host-guest relationship in explaining the state of a planet in its own essential dignities. A planet in its own domicile is like a man in its own castle (he has all that he requires). A planet in its own exaltation is like an honored guest (having a host to provide for him). A planet in its own triplicity is like a man among his allies(he has friends that can provide for him). A planet in his own terms is like a man amongst his kith and kin (he has his blood relations who can provide for him). A planet in his own face is like a man who is a foreigner but honored due to his skills (and hence, will be provided for). A planet in none of its essential dignities (peregrine) is like a foreigner who has no skills/kith and kin/allies to provide for him. It can be inferred that essential dignities represent "resources" i.e. how much resources a planet has to fulfil its promise.

Method 2

As dispositor of a planet or ruler of point/arabic part. According to traditional astrology any planet, house cusp, arabic part has not one ruler or dispositor but seven! (the mystic number seven - seven planets, seven aspects, seven rulers, ...) with each has its own meanings. If a dispositor of a planet is the same as the planet - then you revert to Method 1 for delineation e.g. if a the domicile dispositor of Jupiter is Jupiter then this is the same as saying that Jupiter is in its own domicile.

As an example for method 2, if you have a planet or arabic part or house cusp in 29 Libra, Venus is the domicile dispositor (or ruler). BUT traditonal astrologers would also say that Saturn is the exalted dispositor (or ruler), Mercury is the triplicity dispositor (or ruler) for a night chart, Mars is the term dispositor (or ruler), Jupiter is the face ruler, Mars is your detriment dispositor (or ruler) and Sun is fall dispositor (or ruler) . [I am using Egyptian terms and Dorotheus Triplicities). Each ruler tells something different (according to different astrologers).

One particular method of using these dispositors or rulers that I find quite interesting is the method outlined by Maria Mateus. She uses the 4 major essential dignities and deblities i.e. domicile, exaltation, detriment and fall rulers to interpret house cusps. As an example, if we wish to delineate financial status of a native, we look to the second house. The domicile ruler of the second house tells us what gives to the second house or finance (what supports it), the exalted ruler of the second house is what exalts the second house (finance), the detriment ruler of the second house is what takes away finance and the fall ruler is what depresses your finance. I would have to add that the planet must aspect the house (by whole sign) before it can actually give, exalts, takes away or depreses the house in question (for a planet cannot give/exalts/takes away/depresses a house/point/another planet if it does not "see" or aspects it).

What about triplicity, term and face rulers?

Triplicity lords have been used and explained by many astrologers (Dorotheus of Sidon champions the use of triplicity rulers). The 3 triplicity rulers of houses/planets give different meanings (sometimes topical and sometimes temporal) as mentioned by Dorotheus, Bonatti, Valens, etc. Topical: example is the fifth house, first triplcity ruler governs children, second triplicity ruler governs pleasures and third triplicity ruler governs honors or gifts. Temporal: example is triplicity rulers of the luminary in sect (sun in a day chart or moon in a night chart) - first triplicity ruler governs first third of life, second triplicity ruler governs second third of life and third tripicity ruler governs the third part of life.

The term ruler of a planet/house cusp/arabic part gives the planet that sets the limits (confinement, boundaries, setting the terms) to the planet/house cusp/arabic part. If a planet/point is in the terms of a benefic, the limits set are more harmonious. If the planet/point is in the terms of a malefic, the limits will be more stringent. As term is like your kith and kin, it can also represent the "kith and kin" of the planet is question. For example if your profession is governed by Venus in the terms of Jupiter, Jupiter represents your colleagues in the environment of your profession.

What about face ruler?

I simply have no idea!

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Thanks for your input yuzuru, Tom, Olivia, and astrojin. It's very helpful indeed.

I have some knowledge of Indian astrology so I understand the basic notion of planetary strength that may come from other sources besides sign.

So just to follow the example of profession, if the ruler of the 10th house is placed in the term of Saturn, then can we say that the profession will have some kind of Saturnian influence? Moreover, I wonder if the term rulers can be read off in terms of benefic and malefic influences either through natural or functional qualities. So in this example, if Saturn rules the 12th house, then could the 10th house ruler placed in the term of the 12th ruler, would this be negative for career success?

7
I also have thought about the terms. Now I very rarely consider them and usually do not use them. Not only because they are minority dignities but also because the divisions are irregular and especially because there are many systems of division, almost completely different one another and even illogical.
yuzuru wrote:In the table below, you can see the egyptia terms.
The last terms of Aries and Gemini and the next to last of Taurus might be saturnian. :sg
yuzuru wrote:There are two sets of terms, egyptian and ptolomy, but I strongly suggest you follow the egyptian terms.
Why the egyptian?

8
Hi all,

I?ve recently made these studies about what kind of people have what in their horoscopes, and I studied charts with many / few planets in their own Egyptian terms. I went through 130 different samples from 66 to 1896 charts, and there seemed to emerge a certain pattern: groups with a lot of planets in their own terms contained PR people, real estate agents, ambitious personalities, columnists, journalists, publishers, biographers, tennis players and outdoor people among others. Among the groups with few planets in their own terms were spiritual leaders, religious and philosophical writers, psychics, mediums, clairvoyants, astrologers, eccentrics, explorers, adventurers and solders.

So what we seem to have here might be, that being in its own term makes a planet active, mundane, social, accommodating, recognition seeking, worldly, etc., and the opposite is philosophical, religious, spiritual, reflective, introverted, otherworldly, etc. So, if you want to elect something esoteric, otherworldly and 'different', better to avoid planets in their own terms!

I would not calculate dignities together as points, but consider every dignity / debility as a separate factor. A planet can be in its detriment (in a foreign land feeling restricted and unsure) but still in its own term (active, social, ambitious, etc.). Andy Warhol's Mars, the ruler of his IC (home - the Factory) in 28 Taurus was like this. Mars was in the sign ruled by Venus (art, women, cultural sophistication), but in its own term (making the most it can in an environment that's foreign to its basic nature). Mars was in the 10th house, so Warhol's home became famous and public.

I don?t know yet what happens with triplicities or faces (and then we have the burning question whether one should use the sect ruler or all three, or perhaps the sect ruler and the participating ruler only. Deb gave a valuable hint in another discussion when she mentioned that Masha?allah considered Saturn in Leo as peregrine though it?s the participating ruler of Fire.), and unfortunately JigSaw doesn?t allow study of peregrine planets; but so far in my studies one thing seems clear: natal dignities or debilities have not much to do with moral integrity, maturity or sophistication of a person or lack of them. Criminals or ?bad people? have no more debilitated planets than others.

Dignity seems to be mostly about social power, success, giftedness and easiness of life. People react more positively to a person with dignified planets, it?s easier for him/her to get recognition and to get ahead in life, and the planets are simply powerful.

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Papretis wrote:but so far in my studies one thing seems clear: natal dignities or debilities have not much to do with moral integrity, maturity or sophistication of a person or lack of them. Criminals or ?bad people? have no more debilitated planets than others.

Dignity seems to be mostly about social power, success, giftedness and easiness of life. People react more positively to a person with dignified planets, it?s easier for him/her to get recognition and to get ahead in life, and the planets are simply powerful.
That's one thing I've noticed so far as well, and I think is important to make it as clear as can be. Dignity does not reveal quality, it mainly reveals built in energy to act, power to favor the native. Now, to actually determine honesty, moral behavior, kindness and the lack of those, is much more difficulty than it seems. Generally house position and aspects being the deciding factor I'd say.

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PFN wrote:Now, to actually determine honesty, moral behavior, kindness and the lack of those, is much more difficulty than it seems. Generally house position and aspects being the deciding factor I'd say.
Yes, that's true. I would even go so far as to say that it's the reverse than it's usually taught: essential dignity reveal the power, accidental dignity reveal the quality. Retrogradation (possibly combustion too) affects more a planet's quality than it's power, and aspects from malefics seem to be another corruptive factor. Probably house position too.

11
Hi Papretis

Speaking very quickly (I must make this my last post before leaving for a few days), and also speaking purely from the horary perspective, I don?t think it is the reverse of what is generally taught, because essential dignity is a strong guide to ?personal dignity? in the sense of describing a level of ability and integrity, which usually does reflect upon collective moral issues ? probably because when we are in a position of personal and emotional strength our decisions and actions are more balanced and designed to produce long term beneficial effects. But it is a complex analysis in which essential and accidental influences are both strong contributing factors. I don?t think it is possible to separate them out, but I always start my analysis with the essential dignity as the strongest guide to what is really ?in there? when all the external factors are stripped away.

An example horary situation that I sometimes use for students is the case of a woman whose significator is in its sign of exaltation, although accidentally it was terribly debilitated. She was in a hopeless situation, and she had to accept that the worst of her fears were going to materialise in the problem she asked about (which they did). But this essential dignity showed that the problem was external, it wasn?t down to her lack of ability. The woman was able to rebuild her life and eventually became extremely successful and notably respected. However, at the time of the horary the situation she was in was very bleak and filled with fear, so I wouldn?t have been surprised if her actions and thoughts apparently lacked integrity in the eyes of others at that time. What the chart showed to me, is that the situation did not allow her to be seen in the way she truly was. The word essential comes from esse, the Latin verb ?to be?, and I do think it describes what we are at our most fundamental level. However, I take a slightly different approach to the effect in nativities because I see the natal chart as a seed, in which environment is crucial - hence a good seed (essential) that is poorly cared for (accidental) can suffer and vice versa!)

12
Deb wrote:However, I take a slightly different approach to the effect in nativities because I see the natal chart as a seed, in which environment is crucial - hence a good seed (essential) that is poorly cared for (accidental) can suffer and vice versa!)
Yes, that would be a nice way to approach things. In horary I think that is so very true, cause horary reveals the moment's nature. So, at that moment, essential dignity plays a major role, specially if you consider that sometimes the person is described by one single planet.

Now, furthering the discussion, the problem with nativities is that, take for example, a series of transits from bad places. Let's see, a powerfull Mars in Scorpio transiting, opposing a natal strong Venus in Taurus. Make that Venus cadent, and squared in the natal chart by a strong angular Saturn in Leo, void of essential dignity (and imagine additional disgraces as well). I would say that Venus response to the opposition would be put forward in a corrupted and damaging way, even if with the best of intentions, even if in a rightfull reasoning... that is the "problem" I've been noticing, people with lots of essentially dignified planets in the natal chart with a background full of problems and bad decisions, and the opposite, people with "bad" planets being highly regarded and notorious. If you get a gem chart full of dignity, the person that is represented by it may become very pressed and do some problematic things when a series of transits from really bad places triggers, like fighting fire with fire.

Now, if this Saturn of the above example is powerfull to act, is only because it is in the right place, right moment, but not because it is the supposed right planet. Still, it does the service, and it is a dirty one, but necessary. Venus does not. If nothing else concurs, the outside world may well see as public reaction the Saturn square Venus, not the Mars opp Venus, which may damage the image of the native.

Ok, now my point is that talking about moral behaviors and benign character in nativity becomes one torny thing in the end, cause even moral behavior is a constructo of astrological basis if you think about it, and time runs, always. And sometimes, well, Jupiter just ingress Gemini while Saturn is in Cancer... and all of us still reason within "morals" that eventually can be set in on this kind of very dreadfull moment in time, and important things can happen to trigger when all the world simply is against your very dignity, if it is not fit in that enviroment... that's why I've come to believe that planetary dignity as measure of decency, morals and honesty is deceiving in a natal reading, cause it can very well be the reason of problems and downfalls, not a solution. Time does ruin everything, even perspective.

Take the notions we have of the elements. We know that fire, water, air and earth are not really that in astrology, they are just close representations that help us to know how is the harmony between aspects. The same could be said about dignity, we do not know why those are powerfull, what's the true essence behind those, still, we know that it is there they are better represented, and we try to grasp the answer from this. The basis of this system is not clear, hence we get "close by" notions, specially because never a planet is alone ruling an empty world from its domicile, there is always another one meddling.

One good hint to all this is that Mars is better posited in Triplicity where it actually is weakned, and so is Saturn. The very nature of these planets is regarded as problematic, ancients "taking out their powers" for then to not hurt. I'm not saying that this is right or wrong, but that shows an understanding that goes somewhat beyond. This, or Morin is our man.

It is not without reason that horary is considered simpler.