The Houses Temples of the Sky by Deborah Houlding

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Republished in the UK in 2006 by The Wessex Astrologer Ltd PO Box 2751 Bournemouth BH5 2AZ England www.wessexastrologer.com ISBN 190240520X © Deborah Boulding 2006

1st edition ISBN 1898503699 published in 1998 by Ascella Publications

A copy of this book is available in the British Library

All rights reserved. No part of this work may be used or reproduced in any manner without written permission. A reviewer may quote brief passages.

"Demonstrate the old houses to me, explain their number; prove that there can be neither fewer nor more ... show me undoubted and striking examples of their influence" Johannes Kepler, letter to correspondent

Kepler's Astrology: Excerpts, selected, translated and edited by Ken Negus (Eucopia Publications, Princeton, NJ, 1987).

Quoted in

Name, Date & Time of Birth of'Native' Latitude•

"A common form for a figure of the heavens at a nativity"

Demonstration of the houses in a traditional square chart; reproduced from

The Book ofInstruction in the Elements ofthe Art ofAstrology, by Al

Biruni, 1029; translated by R. Ramsay Wright {Luzac & Co, London, 1934).

CONTENTS Foreword by Robert Hand

vii

Introduction: (Wheels and Signs - Theories on House Division)

ix

Preliminary Guide to Divisions of the Celestial Sphere

ixx

1 Introducing the Houses: An Historical Overview

2 The Angles: Significance of Egyptian Solar Philosophy

8

3 Aspects & Gates: The 2nd/8th House Axis

21

4 Planetary Joys: 5th/11th House Axis

31

5 The King & Queen: The 3rd/9th House Axis

42

6 Cadency & Decline: The 6th/12th House Axis

51

7 House Rulerships in Practice

61

8 Technical Basis & the Inherent Difficulties o fHouse Division 93 9 Ptolemy's Powerful Places

109

Appendix A - Glossary of Traditional and Technical Terms

125

Appendix B - The Planetary Hours

143

Appendix C - Al Biruni's Advice on Finding the Hour of Birth 149 Works Cited

152

General Index

156

House Rulership Index

161

FOREWORD BY ROBERT HAND

Houses are one of the most problematical components of modern astrology, being at the same time among the most fundamental and controversial components. Everyone who has any knowledge of modern astrology knows that debate has long raged as to what is the proper method for computing the cusps of houses. We have a wondrous diversity of methods, Koch, Campanus, Placidus, Regiomontanus (also known as the 'Rational' system), Equal House, Meridian, Morinus, and many, many more. The precise location of cusps is so terribly important because so many techniques depend upon knowing exactly where a cusp is. Yet modem astrology seems no closer than ever to solving the problem of what is the correct method of house division. This I think we all know. What is not so clear is that the problem with houses is not limited to how they are derived astronomically and mathematically. We have an increasing problem with the significations of the houses as well. Especially in the last few decades there has begun a serious drift in the meanings of the houses. We are coming to disagree not only on the proper method of determining house cusps but also on what the houses signify. In this book Deborah Houlding deals mainly with this second problem, the drift of the symbolism. It is not difficult to understand how this situation has come about. I, myself, did not use houses at all in my early work because their interpretation and the arrangement of their symbolism seemed whimsical and arbitrary. Yet even the significations of the houses as they have come to us from 19th century astrology do suggest underlying patterns. I dealt with a number of these in my own book,

Horoscope Symbols. For example, broadly speaking, the houses above the horizon are more social and collective, while those below the horizon are more personal and individual; houses opposite each other

seem to be two aspects of a single category of life; houses on the left (rising) side of the chart seem to be more related to an individual's action while houses on the right (setting) side seem to be more related to an individual's experience; and so forth. However, none of these patterns hold for every house in every part of the chart. Every effort to rationalize the meanings of the houses and create some kind of coherent theoretical foundation fails because of one or more houses that do not fit a particular scheme. Therefore, the great temptation is to 'adjust' the meanings of the houses so that those houses which do not 'fit' can be made to fit. I proposed several such adjustments myself in (suggestions which I

am

Horoscope Symbols

a bit more reluctant to make now). And it

may ultimately turn out that we do have to make such adjustments. But this should only be after we have thoroughly understood the evolution of the significations of the houses throughout history. But while I have had access to many of the older books in the original languages and in translation, I realize that most students of astrology have not had this access. What is needed is a discussion of the issues of house interpretation along with a good summary of the evolution of their significations through time. This has not been available up until now. This book fills that need. Here we have an excellent critique of the tendencies of moderns to improvise upon and alter the tradition without paying enough heed to what the tradition actually says; and the bulk of the book deals with the history of the significations of each of the pairs of houses with the variant significations laid out for all to see. It may ultimately be true that modern astrology has to go its own way in sorting out the houses. But let us at least do so, if we must, knowing that we have exhausted the possibilities of the old traditions. With this book I believe that there is no excuse for ignoring the history of the tradition. I would hope that even those astrologers who have no special interest in traditional astrology, ie, the astrology of the time before 1700, who might want to attack the problem of the houses, will not do so until they have consulted this book or done equivalent research on their own.

INrRODUCTION WHEELS & SIGNS: THEORIES ON HOUSE MEANINGS In any geniture every sign is affected by the sky's division into temples; position governs the stars, and endows them with the power

to

benefit or harm. Manilius, (c. 10 AD)

Astronomica, II v.856

Since classical times houses have been one of the four essential components of astrology. Along with planets, signs and aspects, their 12-fold division of the celestial sphere forms a fundamental building block in astrological interpretation. Yet curiously, despite all the books that speak of the essential message of house meanings, very little exists in contemporary literature

to

foster a true appreciation of that

essence by illustrating where the meanings come from. The origin of their symbolism is poorly understood, and little effort has been made by modern astrologers to investigate and define their meaning. It appears a tradition has built up concerning the nature of the houses with little or no thought as to how they acquired their traditional meanings. How do we know what they mean? Most of us learn their interpretation early in our studies, remembering parrot­ fashion a regime of house meanings that we commit to memory and integrate into practice. We learn that the 2nd house represents wealth and finances - why? Pregnancy belongs to the 5th house - why? Imprisonment to the 12th house, death to the 8th, travel to the 9th again, it's important we ask the question, why? Yet if such questions are put to astrologers the response generally ranges from a bemused "no idea", to "because that's what the signs mean", or "perhaps it's numerological?". Few of us have

x

The Houses: Temples of the Sky

taken the trouble to explore the origin and development of the houses and fewer still have perceived this as an issue to be written about. Most astrologers would agree that a refined astrological practice depends upon firm understanding of first principles. Where we have no clear idea of the basis of house meanings, we grapple to incorporate new rulerships. As a horary astrologer I am frequently consulted by students who don't know which house to draw signification from because their reasoning is confused, and also by experienced astrologers who struggle to decide upo1l the relevant houses for charts dealing with unusual situations. Knowledge of the core concepts eliminates this doubt, making it clear and obvious where any element of life, traditional or modern, fits into the house division scheme. Herein l i e s the key to successful astrology: a confident and unambiguous application of its symbolism. Within the contemporary theories of house meanings, there are presently only two that are given any real credibility. The first is a rather glib assumption that the houses are associated with, and take their meaning from, the signs of the zodiac. This is the point that Ralph Holden makes in his book,

The Elements ofHouse Division,

where he claims: "Both [houses and signs} simply represent two ways of looking at the same concept which is inherent in the root idea of the sign itself, be it Aries, Taurus, Gemini, or any of the others.... Thus, the basic meaning of the first house is neither 'appearance, disposition, outlook, carriage, health, vitality or inherent condition', but only 'Aries'. This in the end contains all that needs to be said."1 Although modern natal astrology allows a considerable exchange of meaning between houses and signs, the suggestion that houses derive their meanings from signs is clearly contradicted in traditional texts, where a much stronger distinction is readily apparent. At best this theory is an over-simplification; at worst it blurs the edges of two I.

Published by L.N. Fowler & Co. Ltd, London, 1977;

p. 49.

Introduction

xi

quite separate astrological tools resulting in slack symbolism, so vague as to be of little practical use. Distortion creeps in, weakening the power of the symbolism and gaining common acceptance because of its ease of use. Financial matters and usable resources are no longer restricted to the 2nd house, but through association 'Taurus rules wealth', and by extension Venus is used as a natural significator for money. T hose of us who have absorbed these ideas without question should pause for reflection before modern deviants branch off at further tangents and we lose the connection with first principles entirely. Traditional rulerships will fall by the wayside as they become inexplicable through the sign-originated theory. They will lose value by being misunderstood, and are likely to become replaced by inappropriate suggestions that are only valid in such simplistic terms. If we are not careful, then everything that properly belongs to the 5th house, but which doesn't tally with the symbolism of Leo, will be written out for convenience sake; and then we may as well not trouble ourselves with the meanings that derive from spatial qualities at all. Let us review this '2nd house

=

Taurus

=

Venus

=

money'

theme as an example. In ancient and traditional texts the sign of Taurus is not descriptive of wealth; nor would a sign like Pisces be descriptive of imprisonment. Signs and houses are treated as entirely separate concepts, each with a specific role: that of the signs being to offer descriptive information on the planets; that of the houses being to locate their influence and offer a sense of empowerment or incapacity. Ancient astrologers referred to the symboiism of Taurus in a descriptive manner, understanding that it was earthy, cold, dry, melancholic, solid, feminine, nocturnal, fixed, and bestial. Being a sign related to the fruitful period of spring, it was conceived as productive, moderate and fertile. Taurus rules the throat and typically depicts someone of broad forehead, large mouth, dark hair and a strong neck and shoulders. It was understood to display stubborn, obstinate characteristics, being somewhat clumsy with a simple intellect and a fixed mental attitude, much like the creature used to symbolise it. T he notion that Taurus governs finance is a modern

xii

The Houses: Temples of the Sky

idea, derived from the sign's identification with the 2nd house, not the other way around. Try to find a traditional reference to the planet Venus representing trade or money. You won't find one. If you consider the inherent nature of Venus it is not a commercial planet at all. Venus seeks luxury yes, and all the pleasant things that we associate with self-indulgence; but this soft, round-edged planet has no hard-head for business matters. She may inspire us to spend what we cannot afford on pleasant things, because V.enus will sacrifice all for a feel­ good factor, but being the planet of self-indulgence and enjoyment of luxuries does not make her the planet of money or commerce. Traditionally that honour belongs to Mercury, the natural significator of trade, barter, exchange; and of course, purses, treasuries, coins and all the associated artefacts of currency. As a further example of where this indiscriminate 'mixing up and swapping about' can lead, consider the 11th house, the house of friendship and hope. So undisciplined have we become in our application of basic doctrine, that one feels almost obliged to overlay the meaning of Aquarius onto that of the 11th house - a situation which introduces serious distortions if Uran us is thrown into the pot too. All of these are taught to have a similar meaning, each of which can apply to the other. In the popular astrology 'cook-book'

Complete Astrologer/

The New

Uranus has among its list of descriptions,

"humanitarian, friendly, and kind"; while Aquarius is described as "unpredictable, eccentric, rebellious, contrary, tactless and perverse"3 - an exchange of symbolism from planet to sign that gets absorbed into house meanings via such common misconceptions as the 11th house ruling earthquakes, astrology and social rebellion. Modern rulerships such as these will be challenged here on the basis that their foundation is unproven and unreliable. We need not assume that the popularity of principles repeated within modern textbooks is an indication of merit, since publishers will often promote 2.

3.

By Derek andjulia Parker, {Mitchell Beazley, Ibid., p.126.

London, 1971); p.100.

Introduction

xm

simplification as a means to broaden their market. Tying house meanings into sign symbolism may be very useful for those whose natural curiosity will only stretch to three fundamental principles instead of four, but being able to interpret similar loosened qualities from various elements within the chart only leads to an endless array of weakened symbolism which allows the imagination to conceive of anything it wishes wherever it likes. This merely detracts from the depth and detail that a more restricted and systemised approach to house meanings can deliver. A return to first principles would force us to admit that it is Uranus which more closely fits the description of "unpredictable, eccentric, rebellious, contrary, tac�less and perverse"; allowing us

to

restore to Aquarius its reputation as a 'humane' sign, renowned for its grace, tact and sociability. The humane signs - the air signs - are the proud owners of a remarkable capacity for intellectual communication and civil, rational thought; unlike the animalistic signs of the zodiac, who are more inclined to mulish, rebellious behaviour by lacking the social and intellectual skills that air-signs possess. Through a return to first principles we might also admit that no planet is less likely to display the traits of 'kindness' and 'friendliness' than Uranus; which from its first astrological observances was reported to be 'evil' in influence and divisive in its effects. Uranus causes separation, and whilst it releases tensions, it sometimes does so in a manner that is so abrupt as to appear shocking, cruel and violent. Through a return to first principles we might finally accept that the planets signify, the signs describe and the houses locate and empower; that they do so far more effectively when each is given its own; and that in terms of explaining the origin of house meanings Mr Holden could not be more wrong - the first house has

everything

to do with "appearance, disposition, outlook, carriage, health and vitality", and much less to do with Aries than most of us imagine. Where Holden's theory is founded upon an element of truth, is that a relationship between sign and house meanings seems always to have existed in anatomical matters, such that the I st house and Aries both relate to the head, the 2nd house and Taurus to the throat,

xiv

The Houses: Temples of the Sky

and so on. For this reason the 17th century astrologer William Lilly referred to the signs as 'co-significators' for the houses, but the planets he identified as co-significators had nothing to do with sign rulerships. Within his work associations between signs and houses were given no particular emphasis beyond theirjoint rulership over similar parts of the body. The assumption that they could be equated in a more general sense seems to have taken root during the popularisation of astrology in the 17th century and has been slowly infiltrating our reasoning ever since. Renaissance astrologers who took their study seriously objected to this distortion of astrological principles and saw a need for caution, as evident by the tone of Nicholas Culpeper, when he wrote in 1658: "Some authors hold an opinion that the signs carry the same signification in order that the houses of heaven do, and Aries should signify life, Taurus estate, Gemini brethren and short journeys, you know the rest. Truly, my own opinion is that many authors invented whimsies, and when they had done, set them down to posterity for Truth; who taking them up without trial, cloathed tradition in plush and left poor reason to go in rags. An author said so; ergo 'tis true, right or wrong'." 4 Irrespective of whether astrologers find it effective to apply sign meanings to houses in this way, the historical fact remains that house meanings did not evolve out of the signs, but that the signs were adapted and broadened out to incorporate the meaning of the houses which correspond with their natural zodiacal order. As we will see through a study of traditional rulerships and underlying principles, the houses acquired their essential meanings through the incorporation of other, much more significant, symbolic influences. They have a powerful philosophy of their own which we would do well to recognise if we are to rid the chart of vague and imprecise possibilities of meaning and discover a focus on reliable and specific details that have a more direct and practical value.

4.

Semeiotica

Uranica: Or an Astrological}udgement ofDiseasesfrom the Decumbiture ofthe Sick much Enl.arged, (N. Brooke, London, 1658); ch x, iv.

lncroduction

xv

The second commonly accepted theory on the origin of house meanings claim they are the result of a primary 'cycle of life' that begins with the ascendant (our emergence) and concludes with the 12th house, where we dissolve back into the unconscious reservoir from whence we came. This has a particularly popular appeal as representing a psychological or spiritual truth, and is lax enough to off er fertile ground for an active imagination. This theory has been especially championed by astrologers who favour a loose approach to symbolism because it only really works if one is able to translate the traditional rulerships into an entirely new perspective. Howard Sasportas was a prominent proponent of this view in his book

Twelve Houses,-;

The

where he claimed that the houses represent a wheel

of life which corresponds with their anticlockwise numeration. This seems to work with the first few houses, and we are told that we "emerge, gain consciousness and take physical form" at the ascendant; "encounter our sense of values and recognise what we own" in the 2nd house, develop "ego-consciousness" in the 3rd, and so forth (see diagram on following page). Thereafter the logic of the theory starts to drift apart, and it offers no rational explanation as to why the 8th house of death should precede the 10th house of career and aspirations; or why the 5th house of pregnancy and children should precede the 7th house of partnership and marriage. Attempts to reconcile tradition and contemporary use are clearly contrived, and points in favour are supported by creative suggestions rather than historical research and study. Again, the theory relies heavily on the use of modem rulerships which find no verification in traditional practice, perpetrating an ever increasing distortion of the traditional house meanings in order to make the hypothesis fit. The observable failure of the prevalent contemporary theories is that they have chosen to ignore the interpretations that were considered conventional and mainstream throughout the history of astrology.

5.

Published by Aquarian Press, London

1985.

xvi

The Houses: Temples ofthe Sky

To perfect the fit we must 'evolve' our understanding of the meanings into something which is often quite the opposite of what astrologers in any previous age would have allowed. The 'loss, death and grief' of the 8th house has undergone a quick and dramatic evolutionary journey to become 'transformation' and through that 'sexual creativity'; so that the traditional sense of decay is lost and a powerful expression of new life is found in its place. Rather than attempting to unravel the basis of house symbolism by considering its origin, development and traditional application, it has seemed easier to change the data to suit the explanation of it. But it simply is not possible to understand the principles embedded into house meanings without making an earnest attempt to explore the symbolic perspective they evolved out of. In this it is essential that we approach the subject, not through the mind of a 20th century astro­ psychoanalyst, but with recognition of the philosophical and cultural outlook of the civilisations that developed them: the ancient civilisations, where a powerful understanding of universal and cosmic

Introduction

xvii

law was steeped in myth, the value of which we are only now beginning to appreciate. In doing so, we not only deepen our practical knowledge of their meaning and essential signification, but we also explore the profound insight by which the ancients saw the journey of life mirrored by celestial patterns and cycles. The purpose of this book then, is to illustrate that none of the current theories on signs and psychological wheels can be regarded as historically

correct, and that neither do they offer a full and reliable

insight into the 'fundamentals' of house meanings which the astrologer relies upon in practical application. Its aim is to recapture the strength of the traditional perspective, where the astronomical and symbolic appreciation of spatial qualities is invested into the very core of our art, used daily in our interpretation of house meanings, yet so seldom receiving our reflective attention and deep consideration.

PRELIMINARY GUIDE TO DIVISIONS OF THE CELESTIAL SPHERE Readers new to traditional techniques may find the following account of definitions and divisions helpfal. These are explored in greater detail throughout the book. Any other traditional terms employed are explained as they arise and defined in the Glossary (Appendix A) for easy reference. The Hemispheres The celestial sphere is divided into two hemispheres by the horizon:

liori

n

Above the earth: 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th - planets in these

houses are capable of being seen above the horizon. At a general level their influence is considered to be more active, forceful and outwardly expressed (or social). The 10th house, being associated with the midheaven, is particularly termed 'above the earth'. This hemisphere is known as the 'diurnal hemisphere' (diurnal meaning 'of the quality of the day' and being similar in principle to masculinity in suggesting a direct outpouring of energy and an expressive influence) .

Under the earth: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th - planets in these houses are not capable of being seen and lie beneath the horizon. At a general level their influence is more passive, subtle, hidden,

xx

The Houses: Temples of the Sky and related to private experience. The 4th house, being associated with the lower midheaven, is particularly termed 'under the earth'. This hemisphere is known as the 'nocturnal hemisphere'

(nocturnal meaning 'of the quality of the night' and being similar in principle to femininity in suggesting a retiring energy and an impressive influence). The sphere is also divided into two hemispheres by the meridian:

Rising: I st, 2nd, 3rd, 10th, 11th, 12th - as the celestial sphere appears to rotate around the apparently stationary viewpoint of the observer in its daily revolution, planets in these houses are rising up towards the midheaven, which represents the highest point in their daily traverse of the sky. Generally their influence is more vigorous and related to personal, self-initiated activity. The 1st house, being associated with the ascendant, is particularly termed 'rising'. This hemisphere is known as the 'oriental hemisphere' (oriental meaning 'eastern') because planets rise over the horizon in the east. (There is also an 'oriental quarter' - see below.) Being associated with newly-risen planets, the definition of planets as oriental is indicative of youth, dynamism and renewed stores of energy. Setting: 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th - planets in these houses have passed their highest point and are now declining towards the lower

Preliminary Guide to Divisions of ihe Celestial Sphere

xxi

midheaven, which represents the lowest point in their daily traverse of the sky. At a general level their influence is considered to be weaker, more destructive/hostile, and related to experience that involves or is instigated by someone else. The 7th house, being associated with the descendant, is particularly termed 'setting'. This hemisphere is known as the 'occidental hemisphere'

(occidental meaning

'western') because planets set beneath the

horizon in the west. (There is also an 'occidental quarter' - see below.) Being associated with decline and the completion of visibility, the definition of planets as occidental is indicative of ageing, lack of power and depleted energy. The Quarters The division of the celestial sphere by the horizon and meridian give four equal quadrants or 'quarters'. Each has its own quality and 'humour' which unites the daily cycle of planets rising and setting over the angles with the annual cycle of the seasons and the 'ages of man'. The influence of the 'quarters' acts only as an underlay to house meanings but familiarity with the following principles will be useful when following the arguments presented in this book.

�

:�

spring sanguine infancy

summer choleric youth

northern

western

..

� �·

Oil

The sanguine quarter: rises from the ascendant to the midheaven, embracing the 10th, 11th and 12th house. It is termed 'eastern'

xxii

The Houses: Temples of the Sky (or oriental) because it begins with the ascendant which cuts the ecliptic in the east. It is classified as 'masculine' and associated with the act of rising upwards, and therefore symbolically linked to new life, active growth and projects or people in their infancy. In traditional predictive technique planets found in this quarter relate to young people or hasten the effects of timing.• Active growth and increase are also attributed to the season of spring and the health­ giving sanguine humour which equates to the element of air. In keeping with its humour this quarter is. defined as 'warming and moistening' in the influence it imparts to the planets. The choleric quarter: declines from midheaven to the descendant, embracing the 7th, 8th and 9th house. It is termed 'southern' (or meridional) because it begins with the midheaven which cuts the ecliptic in the south.� It is classified as 'feminine' and although declining towards the descendant is still within the diurnal hemisphere and therefore symbolically linked to activity, open expression and the period between youth and maturity. Being associated with the full flourish of life it is related to summer and the heat-giving choleric humour which equates to the element of fire. In keeping with its humour it is defined as 'hot and dry'.

Thephlegmatic quarter. declines from the descendant to the lower midheaven, embracing the 4th, 5th and 6th house. It is termed 'w�stern' (or occidental) because it begins with the descendant wl1ich cuts the ecliptic in the west. It is classified as 'masculine' I.

William Lilly, in his horary textbook

Christian Astrology,

makes frequent

reference to the 'quarters of heaven'. On pp.133-4 he outlines their role in the timing of events and suggests that, in denoting the age in which events happen, each house within the quarters represents a 5 year time

span (ie, a significator in the 12th house signifies 5 years, in the 11th IO

years, in the 10th 15 years, etc.) On p.184 his observation that most of

his significators were in t he 'oriental quarter' contributed to his judgement that things would come to pass in "a small compass of time". 2.

This is so in the northern hemisphere where astrology evolved. In the southern hemisphere the midheaven cuts the ecliptic in the north and the

IC cuts it in the south. See chapter 8 for more details on the

mechanics

of house division.

Preliminary Gu i de to Divisions ofthe Celestial Sphere

xxiii

although, being associated with the period of life that stretches from maturity to old age, it is related to autumn and the eliminating phlegmatic humour which equates to the element of water. It is thus defined as 'cold and wet' in influence.

The melancholic quarter: rises from the lower midheaven to the ascendant, embracing the 1st, 2nd and 3rd house. It is 'northern' because it begins with the IC which cuts the ecliptic in the north. It is classified as 'feminine' and relates to the period of old age (some say the period after death or before birth), through which it is associated with winter and the binding melancholic humour which equates to the element of earth. It is 'cold and dry' in influence.

Angularity From the above it can be seen that the angles are the defining influence upon the qualities attached to spatial divisions. Proximity of the houses to the angles and their classification into 'angular', 'succedent' and 'cadent' represents a central tenet of interpretation.

Angular houses: 1st, 4th, 7th & 10th - the most powerful houses where the influence of the planets is especially strong; so called because they are associated with the angles of the chart. Succedent houses: 2nd, 5th, 8th & 1 lth - houses with an intermediate degree of strength; so called because they are rising up (and therefore succeeding) to the positions of the angular houses by the diurnal revolution of the heavenly sphere.

xxiv

The Houses: Temples of che Sky

Cadent houses: 3rd, 6th, 9th & 12th

-

the least powerful houses

where the influence of the planets is considered weak and exhausted; so called because they are falling away from the angles by the diurnal revolution of the heavenly sphere (the Latin term

cadent

means 'falling'). That is, planets in the 3rd house have

already passed through the 4th house - where their influence was effective and strong - and are now far removed from the next angle (the ascendant) which draws them towards it.

Virtues of the Houses Although there are minor variations according to different authorities, the order in which the houses are said to increase the efficiency of planetary effects are as follows: 1st - 10th - 7th - 4th - 11th - 5th - 9th - 3rd - 2nd - 8th - 6th - 12th

Planets in the 1st, 10th are 7th house are therefore noticeably forceful in expression; those in the 8th, 6th or 12th house are weak. Houses ofJoy Each of the seven visible planets is linked to a specific house where its influence is especially strong. Planets are said to 'r ejoice ' in these places because the house offers a celestial environment that is appropriate, supportative and in keeping with the natural influence of that planet.

1

INTRODUCING TIIE HOUSES: AN HISTORICAL OVERVIEW Mark the power of the temples: through them revolves the entire procession of the zodiac, which draws from them their laws and lends to them its own; the planets too, modify the various influences of the temples whenever they occupy realms not their own and sojourn in an alien place. Manilius, (c. 10 AD) Astronomica, II v.960 Debate continues as to when astrology began to evolve as a formalised study of the sky. No doubt observation of the Sun, Moon and stars has held our attention since the dawn of human comprehension, but the oldest detailed records we possess of astrology being practised with some semblance of organisation are the venus Tablets of Ammisaduqa, written in Babylon around 1600 BC. Some scholars believe the texts are copies of earlier ones made during the reign of the Babylonian king Sargon of Agade (2371-2230 BC), who is said to have employed astrologers to nominate the most fortuitous times for his projects. This is roughly the period during which the Egyptian pyramids were constructed, and it is worth considering that both of these ancient civilizations demonstrated mathematical and astronomical refinement that was unparalleled in Europe until 3000 years later. However, contrary to what was once the prevalent view that the ancient Egyptians actively employed and developed the astrology that became the legacy of the Hellenistic world, there is little evidence to demonstrate that some of the techniques used by classical astrologers were also employed by Egyptian astrologers prior to the 4th century BC. Although the ancient Egyptians had an astute awareness of celestial cycles and events, (much of their religion and

2

The Houses: Temples of the Sky

mythology was sky-based and there is a large body of evidence to demonstrate the encoding of astrological symbolism into the construction of monuments and temples), their emphasis fell more heavily upon the constellations, and they were apparently less concerned with systematic, detailed planetary observations of the standard found in ancient Mesopotamia. With the ancient Mesopotamians we have a more direct verification of the use of original astrological techniques that have filtered through to modern use. Their astrology was observational in nature and interpreted in a manner similar to the techniques of hepatoscopy: a very ancient divinatory practice that is well attested from the old Babylonian period (1900-1600 BC). Here the liver of a sacrificial animal was studied and meaning drawn from the shape, form, colour, distinction, direction, moisture content, clarity, curvature, location and number of blemishes and marks. A similar perspective applied to the sky was the basis of astrology: the interpretation of a star or planet was derived from its colour, luminosity, speed, location in the heavenly sphere and general physical appearance. Planetary location was related to the four cardinal points and described in terms of lying east, west, north or south; high or low; to the left or right. Each location had its own significance: one Babylonian rule was "what is right is mine, what is left is of the enemy". Similarly east was considered a good, familiar position, while the direction west was associated with hostility and enemies. The gods of earth and nature were associated with the south, and the infernal gods were associated with the north. The direction north-west was the most inauspicious direction of all.' Around 1000 BC detailed star catalogues were compiled in Mesopotamia, and from the middle of the 6th century BC we have evidence of the zodiac being introduced as a way of refining the measurement of planetary positions. We lack an indication that houses

1.

J. Lindsay, The Origins ofAstrology, (Frederick Muller Ltd, London, 1971);

p.19.

Introducing Houses: An Historical Overview

PARS

i)

POSTICA

� "T1 ;u .. "' a.



In Mundane Astrology: National rumours, propaganda. The press and press releases. All means ofdisseminating news and information such as the post office, communication networks, computers, telephones, faxes, newspapers, magazines, emails, publications, literature, periodicals and television. The transport system and all means of inland transit, locomotion or communication, such as railways, road and river traffic, cars, underground networks, etc. The education system, although where this effects children it is also represented by the 5th house. Public opinion and issues

7. 8. 9.

C.A. p.195. Ibid p.52.

Simplified Horary Astrology, (self-published, US, 1960); p.129.

68

The Houses: Temples of che Sky

concerning freedom ofspeech; international and common languages. It also rules neighbouring nations and documents that relate to international agreements.

In Lawsuits or Conflicts:

In lawsuits this house relates

to

writs, con­

tracts and deeds that affect the prosecution. It also signifies all written statements and the ability to affect the situation through letters and cor­ respondence. In war charts it represents the propaganda of the initiator.

In Events: As above, related to whoeyer initiates the action. Barbara Watters notes: "if very afflicted it may indicate that he who makes an offer or proposes something is lying".10

In Medical Matters: The shoulders, arms, hands and fingers. In Commerce: Written reports, deeds, contracts affecting the purchase. Colours:

Orange.

Qualities: Cadent, Direction:

masculine, nocturnal.

North-north-east.

Associated Planets and Signs: The joy of the Moon; Lilly notes: "for if she be posited therein, especially in a moveable sign, it's an argument of much travel, trotting and trudging, or of being seldom quiet."" Co-signified by Gemini and Mars; Lilly notes: "which is one reason why Mars in this house, unless joined with Saturn, is not very unfortunate".1�

Names: Dea (meaning 'goddess' in reference to its ancient association with the Moon). The House of Brothers.

IO.

11. 12.

Horary Astrolo� and the]udgmem ofEvents, (Valhalla Books, Washington, 1973); p.64. C.A. p.52. Ibid.

House Rulerships in Practice

69

The Fourth House Main Rulerships: Everything that relates to the foundation and roots of our existence. Parents in general and fathers in particular; grandparents and ancestry. Paternity (inheritance from parents) as well as the psychological parental influence and issues from the past. This house also rules hidden treasure and the treasures of the earth, such as mines and minerals, gems, oil, wells and water supplies; Lilly notes: "profit out of the bowels of the Earth" .1� It rules land, the quality and nature of the ground, (whether it is fertile, swampy, woody, stony or barren), and all buildings and structures on it - the property of the home as well as the emotional environment. Farming, agriculture and any occupation that is concerned with tending the land is relevant here. Baigent, Campion and Harvey suggest nationalism, the ideology which represents love of the land; 14 this would also embrace patriotism and a strong concern with 'roots', tradition and history. It is said to indicate the beginning and end of all things, representing early childhood experiences that give rise to an unconscious emotional experience of life, the vulnerability of old age, the process of death, and funerals. Death by drowning is particularly relevant.

In Horary Astrology: The querent's father. Property for sale, lease agreements (tenants are shown by the 6th), boundaries, and descriptions of buildings and gardens. In questions concerning missing persons or lost items, the 4th describes the nature of the surface beneath them and in murder cases can help to describe the location of the body. It naturally signifies dark places, low down, or reaching down: i.e. caves, holes, underground rooms. It is often used to represent the 'end of the matter': Lilly makes reference to the lord of the 4th house being used to signify the end of

13. 14.

Ibid p.558. Mundane Astrology, (Aquarian Press, Wellingborough, 1984}; p.229.

70

The Houses: Temples of the Sky

the matter in controversies and lawsuits'·; and modem horary authors have applied this much more liberally; Goldstein:Jacobson, for example, considers the turned 4th from any house to show the conclusion of the business attributed to it (i.e. the 3rd house shows the resolution of 12th house matters) . In

Mundane Astrology : Land, the owners of it, workers on it, crops

and produce. The farming and mining industry. Buildings and the property market; Watters notes: "Saturn falling in the 4th house may indicate a housing shortage. Pluto there may indicate vandalism or crime waves affecting property; serious afflictions to the 4th from combinations of Uranus, Neptune andJupiter may indicate loss of property through storms, floods, earthquakes".16 Supplies that feed the nation from beneath the earth - such as the pipes of the water or gas industry: Raphael notes: "Uranus in the 4th is an especially evil influence, denoting serious explosions in public buildings.

It

is evil for the government,

bringing difficulties to them - land, mining royalties and the taxation of land values are likely to be a source of much trouble under this influence" . 17 The town or city in question and its governor. As the opposite house to the 10th, those who oppose the government, king, or recognised order. In war charts, any town or city under attack.

In Lawsuits or Conflicts: Use the above, related to whoever initiates the action.

In Events: Use the above, related to whoever initiates the action. In Medical Matters: The breast or lung area. Its association with death makes this a poor placement in decumbiture charts.

15. 16. 17.

C.A. p.375. Horary Astrology and thejudgment ofEvents p.64. Mundane Astrology, (Foulsham, London, 1931); p.30

House Rulerships in Practice

71

In Commerce: Use the above, related to the buyer. Colours:

Red.

Qualities: Angular, feminine, nocturnal. A 'dark' house, representing hidden (submerged) or private matters. Angular houses, being houses ofpower, usually show good prospects of recovery for missing persons or items, indicating they may be found close to home or near to their usual place. But because of the obscure nature of this house, the rule is not so reliable as usual: it may show that which is lost is beyond recovery, or that it has come to the end of its natural cycle.

Direction: North. Associated Planets and Signs: Manilius viewed the 4th house as the temple of Saturn. Both are related to ancestry, land, agriculture, mining and death - although this connection is no longer formally recognised, its relevancy suggests a heightened emphasis on these affairs when Saturn is connected with the 4th house by location or rulership. Co-significators are Cancer and the Sun; Lilly notes: "In Nativities or Questions, this fourth house represents fathers, so doth the Sun by day and Saturn by night; yet if the Sun be herein placed, he is not ill, but rather shows the father to be of a noble disposition, &c. " .1R

Names:

The Northern Angle, Angle of the Earth, Immum Coeli

('lower midheaven'), Ypogeon ('Below the Earth'). The House of Parents.

18.

C.A. p.53.

The Houses: Temples of the Sky

72

The Fifth House Main Rulerships:

Children, pregnancy, sex of the unborn child.

The health and condition of children. If afflicted, trouble and distress from children. Romance, love affairs, lovemaking, procreation and conception. If afflicted, promiscuity, sexual inhibition, immorality, overindulgence and scandals. Pleasure, gifts and all pleasant things. Items purchased for the purpose of indulgence and enjoyment. The arts and muses. Dancing, music, merriment. Clothes, fineries and rich, luxurious things. Holidays, hobbies and the activities from which we derive a sense of creativity or enjoyment. Banquets, inns, pubs, taverns, theatres and plays, public parks - all places of entertainment. Parties and social occasions; feasts. Matters associated with the leisure industry and those who work in the arts. Sport and places associated with it, such as sporting arenas, resorts, gymnasiums; also horse-racing or betting on sport, lotteries and all forms of gambling and speculation which is performed for amusement or with the intention of trusting to luck. Speculation on the stock market is often assigned here but where the investment is based upon financial or business decisions the 2nd house has more relevance. Ivy Goldsteinjacobson popularised the notion that it rules speculation on the stock market, though she defined its influence as being related to "everything whose outcome is a matter of chance"19 Diplomats, ambassadors and agents - those who negotiate as an intermediary with the intention of finding agreement between others.

In Horary Astrology:

Children of the querent. The possibility of

pregnancy and the sex of the unborn child. Olivia Barclay suggests that Saturn and Neptune here do not bode well for pregnancy but

19.

Simplified Horary Astrology p.163.

House Rulerships in Practice

73

Jupiter is a strong and undeniable indication of fertility, "for all prolification comes fromjupiter".20 The father's wealth and his personal possessions (2nd from 4th). Simmonite adds that as the 8th house from the Midheaven, it reveals the death of the monarch.21 There is often confusion as to whether 'the loved one' in questions relating to an extra-marital affair should be assigned to the 5th house (which has a general significance for love affairs and romance), or the 7th house (the significant other) . Barclay wrote of this: "Who is to say if an affair is an amusement or love? (If it is love it will be shown by the 7th house not the Sth)."22 The 5th house is often significant in these matters because it describes an attitude: a romantic or 'pleasure-seeking' state of mind. But the 7th house should be used for signification of the person asked about since its relevance over people with whom we are involved in intimate one-to-one relationships is very clear. William Lilly used the 7th house to signify lovers whether they were incidental to the question or the focus of it, with the presence of third-parties being identified through their contacts with other planets.23

In Mundane Astrology: The supplies, ammunition and resources of a town under attack. Ambassadors and diplomats. All public places of enjoyment and recreation: parks, publicly owned state buildings, national art galleries, etc. The leisure industry. Schools and national influences upon children, such as the education system. The national birth rate, social issues related to children and society's views on sexual issues or promiscuity. Raphael notes: "Saturn in the 5th house lowers the birth rate, shows much trouble to women and children, great depression in theatrical circles, and deaths and indisposition among noted people in that profession.

20. 21. 22. 23.

Horary Astrology Rediscovered, (Whitford Press, Pennsylvania, 1990), p. 71 Horary Astrology: the Key to Scientific Prediction, 6th volume with additions by John Story (Foulsham, London, 1896), p.59. Horary Astrology Rediscovered p. 71. Primarily Mars describes a male lover, Venus a female lover.

The Houses: Temples of the Sky

74

If much affiicted it increases the evil and causes crime against children and much vice, distress and immortality".�•

In Lawsuits or Conflicts: As above for whoever initiates the action. The activity and success of the initiator's messenger, agent, ambassador or representative aiming to make agreement or treat with the other party.

In Events: As above for whoever initiates the action. In Medical Matters: The stomach, llver, heart and back; back of shoulders; sides of body. Medical problems relating to pregnancy and the bearing of children.

In Commerce: As above related to the buyer or investor, ie., agents or representatives aiming to reach an amicable business agreement with another party.

Colours: Lilly says "black and white, or Honey colour''.2·' It's possible that by 'black and white', he means a colour that is neither too dark or too light.

Qualities: Succedent, masculine, diurnal. Favourably aspected to ascendant by trine.

Direction: North-north-west. Associated Planets and Signs The joy of Venus; Lilly notes: "(Venus] dothjoy in this house, in regard it's the house of pleasure, delight and merriment; it's wholly unfortunate by Mars or Saturn, and

they therein show disobedient children and untoward."26

Co-signified by Leo and Venus.

Names: Bona Fortuna ('good fortune'). The House of Pleasure. 24. 25. 26.

Mundane Astrology p.32. C.A. p.53. Ibid.

House Rulerships in Practice

75

The Sixth House Main Rulerships: Illness and disease, its condition and cause; whether the illness will be short or long, curable or not. All matters relating to the health industry and those who work in it: dentists, doctors, nurses. Employees, tenants and servants. Lilly specific ally mentions day-labourers, farmers and shepherds. Goldstein:Jacobson mentions those who live on the native's property, such as caretakers, au-pairs, lodgers, etc. Also domestic issues generally; this house can show problems related to domestic appliances that are purchased to ease day-to-day chores and laborious tasks. Pets, small animals and lesser cattle (ie., hogs, sheep, goats, rabbits) and any profit or loss attached to the sale of such cattle. The 6th house also has a connection with farming and crops generally. Uncles, aunts and relatives on the father's side of the family {3rd from 4th). As 8th from the 1 1 th, Simmonite adds "death of friends" .27 Sorrow and feelings of being unappreciated. Generally this is regarded as a house of weakness and affliction. As a cadent house it represents alien or unhelpful conditions. In Horary Astrology: As above related to the querent. Goldstein­ Jacobson notes that Saturn in the 6th brings much work and little appreciation or pay; an elderly relative, employee, nurse, pet or tenant who is a problem.28 In Mundane Astrology: The nation's food reserves, especially grains, and the farming industry. Modern astrology relates it to those who keep public records, such as libraries, book-keepers, archivists, public data-clerks. The working classes generally. Public employees and services such as the civil service, the armed forces, the police when they serve the people. Charles Carter notes that in Britain it represents the Labour party. 29 Factories, trade unions, social security services, unemployment insurance, disability allowances. Watters remarks: 27.

28.

Ibid p.59. Simplified Horary Astrology p.181.

The Houses: Temples of the Sky

76

"it does not, however, rule welfare because people on welfare live on the charity of the state and do not work. Therefore the 6th, with its primary meaning oflabour, cannot apply to them".30 Public health is shown by the I st house but this house highlighted indicates national vulnerability to epidemics and widespread diseases.

In Lawsuits, Conflicts or Events:

As above for whoever initiates

the action. For those who oppose them, this house represents agents sent in secret against them: spies, private investigators, etc.

In Medical Matters:

This house is one of the main indicators of

disease generally so its condition, ruling planet and any planets contained within it will describe the nature of the illness and whether its origin is physical or psychological. If its planetary ruler is retrograde the disease is likely to be recurring. If the ruler of the ascendant is strong and well placed and the 6th house ruler is weak, the patient has the means to overcome the disease. Specifically it rules the lower part of the belly and smaller intestine, the guts, liver and kidneys.

In Commerce:

As above related to the buyer or investor.

Colours: Dark colours. Qualities:

Cadent, feminine, nocturnal. Unfortunate, having no

aspect to the ascendant.

Direction: West-north-west. Associated Planets

and

Signs: Mars joys here. Lilly notes:

"we usually find that Mars and Venus in conjunction in this house are arguments of a good physician".31 Co-significators are Virgo and Mercury.

Names: Mala Fortuna ('bad 29. 30. 31.

fortune'). The House of Sickness.

An introduction to Political Astrology: Mundane Astrology, (Fowler, London, 1951); p.91. Simplified Horary Astrology p.65. C.A. p.54.

House Rulerships in Practice

77

The Seventh House Main Rulerships: Marriage and all forms of intimate relationships. The spouse, sweetheart, or lover. Business partnerships and the legal contracts that pertain to them. Watters notes that affiiction of the 7th represents: "an open rupture in a partnership or marriage".:i2 This house indicates the opponent in any lawsuit or conflict and in mundane charts shows the possibility of war. All enemies that are identifiable as such belong to this house; the 12th house warns of secret enemies operating in a clandestine manner, but as soon as their existence is known they are represented through the 7th house which signifies opposing forces and those who invade our territory or act against us.33 This applies even where the identity of the opponent is unknown; for example, in horary questions relating to theft the 7th house is used to derive a description of the perpetrator{s). The 7th house also signifies fugitives and runaways, including known criminals who are at large, such as escaped convicts. In journeys it indicates the destination and in concerns regarding whether or not to move it denotes the place of the proposed move. Simmonite suggests that it rules grandfathers {4th from the 4th), but these would normally be shown directly from the 4th house so the 7th should only be considered where there is a need to identify the father and grandfather separately. In

Horary Astrology:

The 7th house has a general signification

over the person at the other end of the process. In trade it is the customer, in medical treatment it is the physician, and in astrological consultations it is the astrologer. If this house or its ruler is heavily afflicted the astrologer is advised to pay extra consideration to the value of their judgement as it may be impaired or the situation they are involved in may bring unanticipated difficulties. This is especially

32. 33.

Simplified Horary Astrology p.65.

William Lilly suggests that if someone asks about the potential ofa secret enemy, the question is assigned to the 12th house if the querent is unable to name or identify the suspected secret enemy, but i f they are named the question should be assigned to the 7th house. (C.A. p.460).

78

The Houses: Temples of the Sky

so if the 7th-ruler is afflicted in the 10th house, which suggests harm to the professional reputation. If the horary concerns a 7th house matter, however, the affliction may be appropriately describing the situation under review, in which case the warning is to proceed with diligence. The 7th house signifies the other person asked about in all relationship questions, whether the querent is already in the relationship or asks out of hopeful anticipation. But if one member of a partnership asks about the other's prospects in a matter of mutual concern, we can view their partnership as a union, through which they are both assigned to the 1st house and the chart is read directly from its radical symbolism. For example, the question "should my husband take on a business partner?" asked by a wife who supports her husband's career, is one in which the wife shares the husband's dilemma and voices the concern, identifying with him in the asking of the question. In such charts there is no need to signify the husband through the 7th house of the 'other party' and this may then be attributed more clearly to the potential business partner asked about. Some people assume that because the 7th house signifies fugitives it also signifies missing persons generally, but the fugitives it represents are those trying to escape our personal or collective influence, so they adopt the same 7th-house signification as we assign to prey in questions relating to hunting.34 Note that the 7th house is not 'any other person'; it relates only to those with whom we are directly and personally involved, or in general (otherwise indefinable) relationships, those we oppose. Hence, in the question "will the missing celebrity be found?" the celebrity is signified by the 1st house because there is no relationship between the quesited and querent other than general concern. But in the question "will the leader of the country we are at war with be found?", that leader is signified by the 7th house, as is any unknown perpetrator or attacker in nationally reported crime.

34.

C.A. pp.371-2.

House Rulerships in Practice

In Mundane Astrology:

79

The national marriage and divorce rate

and issues pertaining to them. Public enemies, i.e., enemies to the nation - outlaws and fugitives who are not imprisoned. Whether war or peace may be expected. Treaties and agreements with other nations. Raphael notes: "Mercury in the 7th denotes much activity in foreign affairs and, if well aspected, treaties, commercial agreements, and successful negotiations with other powers. If afflicted it shows double-dealing with other powers, diplomatic blunders, breaking of treaties, commercial and trade disputes with foreign countries and general disagreement in international affairs" .35 Carter notes that this house shows international warfare, treaties and alliances, but advises that friendly nations must also be considered under the 1 1 th house, and that all matters relating to international affairs have some relation with the 9th.36

In Lawsuits or Conflicts: The opponent. The defendant in a lawsuit. Condemned persons or the criminal on trial.

In Events: The person against whom action is taken, or to whom a proposal or challenge is issued.

In Medical Matters: The doctor or physician treating the ailment and their ability to cure the disease. In the body it rules from the navel to the top of the legs, including the buttocks, lower intestines, bladder, womb, and reproductive organs.

In Commerce: The seller or the person you trade with. The capacity for a healthy customer base.

Colours: Black and very dark colours. Simmonite says blue-brown. Qualities: Angular, masculine, diurnal. This is a strong and powerful house but in dangerous situations it is said to attack the safety of who

35. 36.

Mundane Astrology p.37. An Introduction to Political Astrology: Mundane Astrology p.91.

80

The Houses: Temples of che Sky

or whatever is represented by the chart because of its opposition aspect to the ascendant.

Direction: West. Associated Planets and Signs: No planet rejoices here. Lilly notes: "Saturn or Mars unfortunate herein show ill in marriage".37 Co­ significators are Libra and the Moon.

Names: Angle of the West, Dysis {'west/sunset'}, House of Marriage.

The Eighth House Main

Rulerships: All matters relating to loss, decay, death, and the

fear and anxiety attached these. The quality and nature of death. Who shall be heir to the deceased. Unexpected inheritance, wills, legacies and testaments of the deceased {note that paternity - wealth from the parents - is also shown by the 4th house}. Money belonging to a partner, spouse or another party. Finan­ cial obligations, debts, taxes, loans, losses, money owed to others. (In seeking a good time for a loan, make sure that the ruler of the 2nd house is dignified and strong - a strong 8th house ruler is more likely to indicate favour for the lender. Even in favourable aspects between the 2nd and 8nd house ruler, the 2nd ruler should be

re­

ceived by the 8th house ruler to guarantee protection from loss38 ). Transits through this house often show a need to consolidate, to withdraw and re-evaluate, or to accept the loss of elements of life that are no longer fruitful or have served their purpose; the nature of the planet will indicate how the loss is accepted. Traditional astrology relates the eighth house to crisis, hidden matters, anguish of mind, poison and deadly fears; yet psychological astrology often refers to it as a house of inner transformation and growth. 'Transformation' is probably too large a concept to be

37. 38.

C.A. p.54. That is, the 2nd house ruler should be in the sign, exaltation, triplicity, or two of the lesser dignities of term and face, of the 8th house ruler.

House Rulerships in Practice

81

contained within any one house, but the positive element of it accompanies the burst of creativity that occurs after the processes of this house are completed. Only by facing our innermost fears are we able to overcome them and move on with the strength of experience and wisdom. But this house is not relevant to the period of growth; its concern is the inhibiting factors that stand in our way. It is a house of personal vulnerability, albeit perhaps a necessary vulnerability from which we may eventually gain. It is wise to avoid any financial gambles or high-risk activities during periods when this house is heavily emphasised.

In Horary Astrology:

As above. Death, loss, grief, situations that

are failing, or matters relating to these for the querent. Financial affairs of the wife, lover or partner. Inheritance. Issues that bring fear, insecurity or anxiety.

In Mundane Astrology:

The national debt; the collector of taxes;

danger to the people through war or national disasters; the resources of the enemy. Financial relations with foreign countries. Public mortality, the death rate, death duties and the kinds of people who die; Raphael notes, for example, that Mars in the 8th house shows: "many sudden and terrible deaths by fire, accidents and crime. It denotes deaths of military, naval and medical men, notable people

in the iron and steel industry, and those connected with trades to do with fire".39

In Lawsuits or Conflicts:

The allies of the opponent; in lawsuits

the friends and assistants of the defendant.

In Events: Watters suggests that in events concerning crimes the 8th rules the detectives, but in cases of murder, the victim.40 She also notes that if the significator of the initiator of an event is placed in the 8th, the business may not conclude, or they may not live to see the conclusion of it.

39. 40.

Mundane Astrology p.39. Simplified Harary Astrology p.66.

82

The Houses: Templtsof the Sky

In Medical Matters: Sex organs (genitals), traditionally referred to as 'the secrets' or 'private parts'; strangury (painful excretion of urine), haemorrhoids, bladder, groin, gall-stones, piles, poisons. In

Commerce: The finances of the seller or the person traded with.

Colours:

Dark green.

Qualities:

Succeden� feminine, nocturnal. This is a 'dark' house

which is denied the light of the ascendant by traditional aspect. Although it succeeds to an angle, its decliire towards the descendant is symbolic of loss of vigour and a need for retreat.

Direction:

West-south-west.

Associated Planets and Signs:

No planet i s said to rejoice in this

house although Firmicus claims that the Moon is dignified here in nocturnal charts, because of the emphasis on nocturnal qualities, (classical astrology often attached 'sinister' qualities to the Moon). Co-significators are Scorpio and Saturn.

Names: Epicataphora ('casting down'), the House of Death.

The Ninth House Main Rulerships:

Long distance travel, voyages and journeys that

take us to remote, unusual or unfamiliar environments. Overseas, foreign countries and distant places. Foreigners, pilgrims and explorers.

Places and situations where we seek guidance and

wisdom from others. Where we reach out into the unknown in search of widening our knowledge and understanding. Dreams, visions, inspired thoughts, divination, astrology, m y s ticism, philosophy, beliefs; the desire to unite with something greater than oneself. Religion and clergy of any kind. Affairs of the church. Holy places, sacred grounds, intellectual inspiration and spiritual quests. Scientific achievements, principles, theories and societies. Books that expand our knowledge; learning beyond the norm;

House Rulerships in Practice

83

wisdom, scholarships, university, and all forms of higher education. Ramesey notes: "all manner of students, such as astrologers, physitians, lawyers, and all students of other good learning altogether".41 Scholars and practitioners of law are attributed to the 9th house and confusion often exists as to whether lawyers and those who enforce the law should be associated with this house or the 10th. In the sense that the 9th house represents guidance and advice from those more knowledgeable than ourselves, lawyers, counsellors and advisors generally fall under the principles of the 9th house when they act in an advisory capacity. Law, as a means of enforcing a ruling over others, however, belongs to the 10th house, which is the house of authority and rulership. Hence lawyers and solicitors are attributed to the 9th, whereas judges and magistrates are attributed to the 10th. If a matter of law is being considered with respect to a ruling, the decision or outcome should be judged from the 10th house. In Horary Astrology: As above applied to the querent. The spouse's brothers or sisters (3rd from 7th); grandchildren (5th from 5th).

In Mundane Astrology:

Religion, the Church and all institutions

dealing with religious or spiritual matters. If afflicted, the 9th house can represent unsavoury cults and dogmatic religious organisations. Foreign affairs and the foreign office; international law, world conferences; the United Nations. Shipping, sea traffic and long distance journeys generally, whether connected with passengers or commerce. Airlines. The publishing industry, long distance and international communications. Universities, colleges, all places of higher learning or specialist study; professors, philosophical and scientific institutions and publications. The Law society.

In Lawsuits or Conflicts: As above for whoever initiates the action. In lawsuits, lawyers that serve the prosecution or initiator; writs and

41.

Astrologia Restaurata Bk JI, p.108.

84

The Houses: Temples of the Sky

communications that affect the defendant. In war charts, propaganda issued by the side against which action was initiated.

In Medical Matters: The buttocks, hips and thighs. In Commerce: Written reports, deeds, contracts affecting the seller or the person traded with. Legal advice for the buyer.

Colours: Light green. Qualities:

Cadent, masculine, diurnal. The trine aspect to the

ascendant, elevated position, and asso'ciation with the Sun helps to alleviate the more negative associations of cadency.

Direction:

South-south-west.

Associated Planets and Signs:

The Sun rejoices in the 9th.

Sagittarius andjupiter are co-significators. Lilly remarks: "for ifJupiter be herein placed it naturally signifies a devout man in his religion, or one modestly given; I have oft observed when the Dragon's Tail

[south node)

or Mars or Saturn hath been

unfortunately placed in this house, the querent hath been little better than an atheist or desperate sectarist".42

Names: Deus ('God'). The House of Religion. The Tenth House Main Rulerships: The vocation, profession or trade; also employers and those in command. Honour, prestige, reputation, power, control, dignity, glory, acclaim, advancement - the worldly position, career or life-interest that attains these. Likelihood of success relative to one's station in life. Awards, trophies and prizes. Fame, infamy, notoriety - the public eye. Poor reputation and unfavourable publicity if afflicted. The Sun, Jupiter or Venus, if well aspected, indicate professional success, Saturn indicates responsibility or, if badly afflicted, disgrace and ruin.

42.

C.A. p.55.

House Rulerships in Practice

85

Those in dignified positions such as royalty and nobility: kings, princes, dukes, earls, etc. The government or those in office. All forms of authority in decision-making or those who enforce authority or law - the police, courts, judges, magistrates, commanding officers, a boss at work, etc. The ruling in a law court; judgements and decisions. The desire to achieve and give out to the world - whereas the lower midheaven indicates the roots of our existence from which we emerge, the midheaven indicates that which we manifest outwards into our community and the fruits of our labour. Ancient authors recognised its influence on many matters, including marriage and children. Traditionally it is the house of the mother.

In Horary Astrology:

As above applied to the querent. Property

belonging to the spouse (4th from 7th}. Grandchildren's wealth (2nd from 9th}. Luminaries in the 10th bring discoveries: the Sun in the 10th, for example, is an argument for a lost object being found or the truth being brought to light in legal situations. Lilly also says that to know if someone is honourable and sincere in any advice they offer, check the planets in the 10th house: Sun, Jupiter, Venus or North Node in the 10th house suggests honesty and good intentions; Saturn, Mars or South Node suggest deceit.4� In Mundane Astrology: Those in authority over the nation, whether prime ministers, governments, kings, presidents or dictators. The police or armed forces when they assert authority over citizens. The Heads of State. The national reputation and prestige. Credit and power, national trade and influence. Carter notes that it is the most important and powerful of all the houses in mundane astrology and bodies here have a wide significance.44

In Lawsuits, Conflicts or Events:

In legal matters, the judge or

ruling magistrate. Affliction suggests a corrupt or unjust ruling; if dignified justice will be served. The Sun's position in the 10th

43. 44.

C.A. p.194. An Introduction to Political Astrology: Mundane Astrology p.91.

The Houses: Temples of the Sky

86

illuminates the matter and suggests that the full truth of the situation will emerge in court (unless it is badly afflicted}. In countries where appropriate, the power of government to convict and execute. In war charts, the nature of airborne attacks. In

Medical Matters: The cure; whether the medicine will succeed

in overcoming the illness - the 10th house dignified indicates that the remedy applied to cure the illness is forceful and effective; debilitated, the attempted cure may be harmful or ineffective. The knees and hams (back of the leg above' the knees}, calves, shins.

In Commerce:

The price - the 10th house dignified or its ruler

angular (or otherwise strong} indicates a good market value; if it is afflicted or retrograde, its value is low or the price will fall. The 10th house also describes the reputation of a business: the value of the trademark; the efficiency of the logo; the power of the 'brand name'; its marketing potential.

Colours:

Pink, light red.

Qualities:

Angular, feminine, nocturnal. Regarded by many

astrologers, including Ptolemy, to be the most important angle of all. A planet placed upon the midheaven will strongly influence any matter.

Direction: South. Associated Planets and Signs::

No planet rejoices in this house.

Co-significators are Capricorn and Mars; Lilly notes: "either Jupiter or the Sun do much fortunate this house when they are positied therein; Saturn or South Node usually deny honour, as to persons of quality, or but little esteem in the world to a vulgar person; not muchjoy in his profession, trade or mystery,

if a mechanic".4·"

Names: The Medium Coeli ('middle heaven'} or Midheaven. Angle of the south. The House of Profession.

45.

C.A. p.56.

House Rulerships in Praclice

87

The Eleventh House Main Rulerships: Traditionally known as 'the house of Good Fortune', the 1 1 th house has rulership over friends and friendship, supporters, benefactors and those that help us directly or behind the scenes. It is the house of beneficial fate, positive hope, trust, praise, comfort, goals and ambitions. In modern astrology it is said to rule the wider social circle of acquaintances and groups, broader ambitions, political ideals and those who share our aims. Its condition indicates the fidelity or falseness of friends and it is associated with promotion by recommendation of others. As the succedent house to the 10th, the 1 1 th house historically governs the king's (or ruler's) favourites, councillors, supporters, allies and resources. Thus it represents parliament and councils generally, and supporters of the government or ruling power. It is a house of ambition, freedom, optimism and confidence, denoting personal strength, motivation and increase. In

Horary Astrology: Friends of the querent. Step-children - when

not regarded as one's own (5th from 7th). The profit, income or resources of a professional endeavour (2nd from 10th). The mother's money (2nd from 10th). Wishes, hopes, and personal aspirations; Lilly noted that if the querent has a secret wish but is unwilling to explain what it is, the condition of this house will show whether or not they are likely to receive what they desire. He also called it the house of 'comfort and relier and used it to represent places where we gain security and restoration - such as a safe harbour in shipping charts. In Mundane

Astrology:

Parliament, especially the House of

Commons; town and county councils and similar bodies. Friends and allies of the nation. In election charts the 1 1th house will show the resources of the party in power; in civil-war, the substance and ammunition of the ruling power.

The Houses: Temples of the Sky

88

The hopes of the nation. Watters notes; "when afflicted, it indicates the people are disillusioned".40 Long term national programs and schemes for improvement. Campion, Baigent and Harvey state: "we may also consider it relates to a society's collective long-term hopes, wishes, ambitions and ideals".47 Places and institutions that offer relief and shelter. (Hospitals, along with asylums and various other institutions where our liberty is restricted have always 'been traditionally associated with the 12th house; however, in the sense that hospitals offer relief from pain and discomfort, there are situations where they are more appropriately signified by the 1 1 th house). In

Lawsuits or Conflicts: In charts concerning trials this house can

be an important consideration with respect to the defendant - besides being a general indication of how confident they may be, as the house of freedom and release, a fortunate and emphasised 1 1th house argues against imprisonment and favours release for prisoners on appeal.

In Events:

As above for whoever initiates the action. Where this

house or its ruler is well supported in event charts there is good reason to maintain positive hope or the expectation that something good will come from the event.

In Medical Matters:

The legs to the ankles. The positive spirit

represented by the 1 1 th house indicates a confident mental attitude and general resistance to the debilitating factors of disease.

In Commerce: Agents or intermediaries who seller or person that you trade with. Colours: Yellow.

46. 47.

Simplified Harary Astrology p.67. Mundane Astrology p.231.

act on behalf of the

House Rulerships in Practice

89

Qualities: Succedent, masculine, diurnal. Ptolemy regarded the 1 1 th house as a major influence because it rises to occupy the midheaven. He gave it rulership over children, an influence which is also suggested in many later works, for example where Simmonite writes that Mars in the 1 1 th house shows "wicked children" .4x Lilly noted it to be equal in power and influence to that of the 4th and 7th houses.

Direction: South-south-east. Associated Planets and Signs: Jupiter rejoices in this

house and

many of the associations attributed to it show congeniality with the natural influence ofjupiter. Co-significators are the Sun and Aquarius.

Names:

Bona Fortuna ('Good Fortune'). The House of Friends.

The Twelfth House Main

Rulerships: The

12th house may represent matters that are

hidden, restrained, secret, incapable of action or of being fully understood. This can sometimes suggest conditions that are in a premature state of development and not yet recognised by the conscious mind.49Traditionally, it is a very unfortunate house, associated with sad events, sorrow, anguish of mind, tribulation, captivity, imprisonment, persecution, hard labour, all manner of affliction and self-undoing. It represents places that are denied access to public view, particularly those concerned with seclusion

or isolation,

or where one is restricted from living a carefree life-style, such as institutions or prisons. Many sources attribute monasteries to the 12th house as places of isolation, but monks, nuns and monasteries generally belong to the 9th house of religious or holy matters.

48. 49.

Horary Astrology: the Key to ScienJific Prediction p.89 For example, a recent horary 'will pregnancy occur soon?', showed that pregnancy had already occurred but the querent was unaware of it because of a separating trine from the Moon to Venus, ruler of the 5th, located in the 12th. As the signification in the chart was mainly positive, this related to unknown factors rather than destructive ones. .

90

The Houses: Temples of the Sky The 12th house has a general association with paranoia, phobias,

scandals or worry attached to the skeletons of the past. I have often noted transits to natal Uranus in this house denote a time when guilty secrets and hidden vices are exposed. It has much to do with shame or a fearful mindset that leads to the assumption of ruin or a sense of being overwhelmed by difficulties. Barbara Watters notes: "very adverse connections between the 8th, 12th and ascendant may suggest that the querent is contemplating suicide":50 ,

while Lilly notes: "the significator in the 12th house can show someone in despair".51 Its significations include secret, unknown enemies, such men as maliciously undermine their neighbours or inform secretly against them: traitors, spies; witchcraft and blasphemy, malicious hauntings; weakness, infirmity and bondage. Dariot associated its influence with "deceivers, envious persons . . . evil thoughts, whisperings"

�2

..

Remember that every chart has a 12th house and a 12th house ruler, and the need to heed its indications as a warning of care is determined by the chart as a whole. We must also differentiate between moral intention and external circumstance - does the Sun in the 12th house show an inclination to hide the truth or a determination to seek it in the darkest corners where others wouldn't dare to look? Does it show a sense of isolation or a proclivity for seclusion? People with 12th house Suns have been able to lead very successful careers, but it has often involved personal sacrifice, engagement with detractors and political manoeuvring against undercurrents of opposition. The 12th house also rules great cattle, such as horses, oxen, elephants, or as Ibn Ezra declares: "Those which serve as a mount for men". 53

50. 51. 52. 53.

Harary Astrology and thejudgment ofEvents p.68. C.A. p.421. A Briefand Most Easie Introduction to thejudgement ofthe Stars Chap. 13. Beginning of Wisdom, ch.III, p.193.

House Rulerships in Practice

91

It can be used to signify the mother's kin (3rd from 10th); finances of friends (2nd from 1 1 th); sickness of the partner (6th from 7th) and the death of children (8th from 5th). In Horary Astrology: As above applied to the querent. Significators in the 12th house can warn of clandestine activity, so that the querent may not fully understand the reality of the situation they are asking about. In such cases the following remark by Olivia Barclay may be relevant: "If the same sign is on the 12th cusp as is on the ascendant the querent is his own enemy".54 In Mundane

Astrology:

The prison system; reformatories.

Criminals, spies, secret enemies of the nation at home or abroad. Underground movements, covert societies and occult (ie., hidden) groups. Places of isolation or restriction. Banished, alienated

or imprisoned persons. Hospitals, asylums, institutions governing those who are weak, infirm, or in need of support; ie., charities, the welfare state. Asylum seekers, concentration camps and people kept in conditions of slavery or bondage. Homeless people, the wounded and infirm. In Lawsuits, Conflicts

or Events: This is the house of incarceration

and therefore when emphasised in a trial chart can indicate imprisonment for the defendant. Outside of lawsuits, it may show that the perpetrator of a crime goes into hiding. In conflicts or unfortunate events it suggests the work of saboteurs, unhelpful fateful influences or unknown elements of destruction. The Sun in the 12th house in the chart for an unfortunate event may show that underlying factors do not come to light or public knowledge. In Medical Matters: Specifically the feet, but the unfortunate nature of the house gives it a general association with ill-health and incapacity.

54.

Horary Astrology Rediscovered p. 78.

92

The Houses: Temples of che Sky

In Commerce:

Particular care should be taken if the 12th house is

emphasised in charts concerning business deals. Unknown factors may be at work, relevant details may be held back, and the general reputation of harm and self-undoing attached to this house does not bode well for commercial activities.

Colours: Green. Qualities:

Cadent, feminine, nocturnal. A dark house and reputed

to be the most unfortunate in the charj.

Direction:

East-south-east.

"for naturally Saturn is author of mischief'.55 Co-significators are Pisces and Venus.

Names: Mala Fortuna ('Bad Fortune'). House of Enemies. Lilly notes: "vulgarly sometimes called cataphora ['casting down'], as all cadent houses may be". 56

55. 56.

C.A. Ibid.

p.56.

PART II

TECHNICAL BASIS

& THE INHERENT

DIFFICULTIES OF HOUSE DIVISION

8

THE PROBLEM WITII HOUSES Given the diversity of systems available, all astrologers face a dilemma in selecting which method of house division to adopt. Each system has its own merits, and it would be an impossible task to identify one as universally preferable since the question of which works best is sensitive to subjective reasoning, variations of interpretative style and geographical practicalities. Despite this, many astrologers have sought to establish that their chosen method is the 'pure' system to which others can be considered corruptions. Often this is based on an attempt to claim insight into the original system as verified in the work of Ptolemy - even though Ptolemy's work suggests a personal disregard to the use of houses generally and within the

Tetrabiblos

they are barely mentioned. However, tracing the development of house construction from its earliest sources does offer an illuminating path through which we can monitor the recognition of inherent technical difficulties, and consider the subsequent attempts to resolve them in the alternative methods of calculation put forward. Rather than yielding to the temptation of trying to find a consensus of agreement among ancient authors, a more honest approach is to admit the ambiguities and inconsistencies. Our understanding of house division in ancient times is currently clouded with confusion and assumptions, in which the philosophical perspective, astrological approach and general life-style of the astrologer is gravely underestimated. The importance of this is demonstrated with our earliest detailed source, the

Astronomica

of

Marcus Manilius. Written around 10 AD and therefore predating Ptolemy's

Tetrabiblos by over a century, this is currently regarded as

the oldest surviving reference from which the ancient philosophical approach to houses can be explored.

Technical Basis and the fnherent Difficulties of House Division

95

The houses as three-dimensional divisions of space Authors who criticize the astronomical basis of the Astronomica often overlook the fact that the text was written in verse. The aim of Manilius was not to establish his talents as a scientist or even as a working astrologer, but principally as a poet. His quest was to 'sing of the stars', and this he accomplishes with passages of artistic splendour and great literary beauty. We should admit from this that the

Astronomica

is primarily useful as an overview of myth and

symbolism, and derive from it that little, if any, of the astrological theory would be original to Manilius. That he managed to incorporate any of the technical basis of astrology in a work inspired by aestheticism is cause for small wonder. Nonetheless, a careful study of his terminology has led scholars to conclude that, in talking of the houses, he refers to a method of division which encompasses the whole celestial sphere and not simply

the region of the ecliptic.1

This realization is important because later

methods of house division attempt to apportion the houses as divisions of the zodiac (centred upon the ecliptic) rather than aiming to create an equal division of the whole of the local framework of the observer; and here we have an argument against suggestions that classical authors such as Valens, who appear to have mainly used whole sign houses, were working with the 'original' method. Manilius claimed a precedent for introducing astrological lore

to the

classical world.2 We may safely assume that he wasn't

concerned with originating knowledge but took pride in his role of being one of the first to relay the perspective of older civilisations to an unfamiliar audience. Certainly much of his work shows a close philosophical association with the observational approach of Mesopotamian divination. In this, the primary division of the sky began with the cardinal points and their demarcation of east, west, north and south. Interest in planetary activity was less constrained

1.

A well researched article to this effect was written in 1989 by Prudence Jones and republished in History and Astrology: Clio and Urania Confer, (London: Mnemosyne Press, 1995). The reader is referred to that work for the full arguments.

96

The Houses: Temples of che Sky

to the belt of the ecliptic, and took account of all forms of celestial activity in the whole envelope of heaven, including lightning, clouds, the colours and shades of the sky and anything that was of an unusual appearance. Their point of reference in defining a meaning was the locality in the sphere and whether it was to the left, to the right, or high or low on the horizon. The use of 'segments' and 'areas of meaning' that fell under the rulership of specific gods is known to have a very long history in divinatory techniques, with evidence of its employment in the 2nd millennium BC being widespread in liver divination, the interpretation of the flight of birds, the design of the city and all forms of mystical knowledge.3 It is fair to suppose that it played a greater part in ancient astrology than the fragmentary evidence available to us is able to prove, though possibly not in a division of twelve until after the zodiac became established as the main framework of astronomical measurement. Manilius's text gives us a good indication that the original concept of houses was based upon dividing the local celestial sphere (determined by the circles of the local horizon, local meridian and prime vertical) in a similar manner to how Babylonian priests quartered and then further divided their other tools of omen analysis. The difficulties of finding a suitable house system that will work well in all locations are the legacy of our decision to make the zodiac - and hence the ecliptic - the central crux of the horoscopic scheme. This underpinning principle became firmly established during the classical period and is now so deeply embedded into the core of our art that any perspective but this appears irreconcilable.• Still, the evidence points to houses evolving from an entirely separate foundation to that of the zodiac, with the intention of demonstrating a more complete yet entirely individual perspective of the heavens. The purpose of the zodiac is to map the secondary motion of a planet as it revolves in its superior orbit around the Earth, but the houses map the primary motion of a planet's daily journey through our skies. 2.

3.

Astronomica l.v5: "I bring strange Jore untold by any before me". See diagram 'the division of sacred space', page 3.

Technical Basis and che Inherent Difficulties of House Division

97

Their relationship with the observer is altogether more personal and direct, and through them the affect of a planet in the zodiac is grounded to reveal its specific influence upon any locality. To understand why difficulties arise in using the ecliptic to define local space, it is necessary to visualize the variability between the true cardinal directions and those represented by the ascendant and descendant.

Difficulties of ecliptic-based space division As the Earth rotates on its axis from west to east, it appears from our apparently stationary viewpoint that the stars rise in the east, culminate on the upper meridian and set in the west. For an observer in the northern hemisphere the easiest way to observe the planets in the zodiacal belt is to stand facing south - one would then see the stars rising somewhere near the east on the left, culminating in the south ahead and setting towards the west on the right: this is the perspective that is represented on an astrological chart.

5

Since the Earth is a globe, an observer from any locality will always be at the centre of their own bowl of heaven, but in astrology the midheaven (MC) does not represent the point immediately overhead (our local zenith), but the point at which that meridian intersects with the ecliptic (see diagram below). The more northerly the latitude, the lower down towards the horizon the midheaven point will be, but it will always be the part of the zodiac that is due south at any time, indicating the point where the planets reach their

4.

Some very credible research into the 'Local Space' chart, based upon the altitude and azimuth as a geographically based astrological tool has proved very effective however, suggesting a modern approach which probably has close connections to ancient Mesopotamian methods. For

AstroPhysical Directions, by Michael Erlewine, (Ann 1977); Astrolocality Astrology: A guide to what it is andhow to use itby Martin Davis, (Bournemouth, Wessex Astrologer, 1999), or the introductory article 'The Local Space Chart' by Sean Lovatt, published in the Quarterly of the Astrological Lodge of London, Vol. 62, no.4, 1992. further details see

Arbor, MI: Heart School of Astrology,

5.

The reverse is true in the southern hemisphere where the planets culminate due north.

98

The Houses: Temples of the Sky

highest declination in their arc between the ascendant and descendant. With the MC and IC then, there is true alignment between the astrological angles and the cardinal directions south and north. This is not usually the case with the ascendant and the east, or the descendant and the west. 6 Because of the tilt between the Earth's equator and the ecliptic, the ascendant will only align with cardinal east at two moments during the day - namely when 0° Aries or 0° Libra (the points of intersection between the equator and ecliptic)

are

rising. At such times the

midheaven will be close to a 90° angle to the ascendant for all locations. But when other parts of the ecliptic ascend there is a discrepancy from due east: the ascendant is most northerly when 0° Cancer rises and most southerly with 0° Capricorn rising. As a result, 90° as measured along the ecliptic does not necessarily reflect 90° in geometrical measurement, and there is a distorted angle between the ascendant and midheaven which becomes increasingly difficult to resolve with latitude. In the district of Alexandria in Egypt (31°N) i and the areas where Hellenistic astrology evolved, the variation s

The celestial sphere of the observer N

s

1 3

4

6.

=

Ascendant (north of east)

Midheaven (due south) Descendant {south of west) Lower Midheaven (due north)

2

=

=

=

This role holds true for

all

locations outside of the tropics.

Technical Basis and the Inherent Diffirnlties of House Division

99

small and causes no real problems; but in high latitudes it becomes impossible for certain parts of the zodiac to rise at all. Of the signs that do rise, some linger on the ascendant for many hours while others speed by in a matter of minutes. In the Arctic and Antarctic regions, the intrinsic problems can be illustrated through the phenomenon of the midnight Sun, which prevents any division of the chart into diurnal and nocturnal hemispheres. And though this is an extreme example, at the North Pole 0° Aries can rise on the ascendant and culminate on the midheaven simultaneously (a problem which causes most astrological software programs to present incorrect angles or default to equal house division). At such latitudes, ecliptic-based methods of house division are capable of offering a true reflection of the sky as it is cut by those methods, but the distorted divisions it offers are seen as a troublesome impracticality by many astrologers.7

The 'space-based' alternative In view of these problems, there have been attempts to construct a method of house division which does not begin with the ascendant but from the true point of east. The most notable is the

System

Morinus

which starts from the intersection of the equator with the

meridian and horizon in the east and then divides the equator into twelve equal sections, with house cusps taken from where celestial longitude projects those points onto the ecliptic. As a result the midheaven is always located 90° from the 1st house cusp, but the degree of the ascendant is not tied to the cusp of the 1st house and may fall in other houses. The system was invented by the French astrologerjean-Baptiste Morin in the 17th century as a proposed solution for charts with high latitudes; but like any other that has attempted to disassociate the ascendant and 1st house, it has 7.

For a full exploration of the problems of horoscopy at Polar regions, see

Michael Wackford's article 'Placido and the Semi-Arc method of House Division' reproduced online at http://www.skyscript.co.uk/placido.html (accessed 21/02/06), or his detailed series of article on this subject published in Correlation by the Astrological Association of Great Britain, vols 19-23, 2001-2005.

100

The Houses: Temples of the Sky

never gained popular favour. The obvious reason is that the ascendant and descendant have absorbed their own astrological significance which ties them into a natural association with the 1st and 7th houses. The act of rising and setting has played as much a part in dictating the meanings of these houses, as has their association with east and west. It appears that it is simply not possible to reconstruct a system that corresponds to Manilius's perspective yet remains fully sympathetic to ecliptic-based measurement. It has also been suggested that Manilius's system was, in fact, an

idealised framework of heaven,

based upon the prime vertical which was probably assumed to equate with the ascendant. The fact that this was not always the case in his region was possibly overlooked or deliberately ignored in the way that Platonic philosophy favours the spiritual ideal over material reality. As astrologers we take a similar stance in concluding that from a philosophical point of view the ascendant is symbolic of east and therefore, astrologically, assumes its significance. From such a perspective, the system that comes closest to that of Manilius, which may even have been the one to which he referred, is the Campanus system, because this also rejects a direct division of the ecliptic in favour of the prime vertical, the great circle which cuts the east and west points of the horizon and passes through the zenith and nadir at right-angles to the observer's meridian. This s i divided into twelve equal sections with the corresponding intersection with the ecliptic taken as the house cusps. Although this system is attributed to Johannes Campanus, a prominent 13th century mathematician, it was used by Al-Biruni in the 1 1 th century under the name 'the system of Hermes', suggesting a much earlier, unknown origin. The point in favour of Campanus is that it readily lends itself to a three dimensional view of space by emphasizing the planet's position in relation to the horizon and meridian at the place of birth - hence there is a subtle shift of perspective in which the houses are not simply projected onto the zodiac, but rather the zodiac is viewed through the houses as determined by the local sphere. The point against it is that by undermining the role of the ecliptic, the symbolic connection of the Sun's orbit around the earth is weakened and some

Technical Basis and the Inherent Difficulties of House Division

I 0I

would see this as a more fundamental origin to house meanings. A more practical disadvantage is that Campanus is also highly sensitive to distorted angles at extreme latitudes. The latter problem is perhaps the main reason why Campanus has never been a real contender in universal house systems, but has always remained a popular choice for those who reject the most favoured methods. In 1985 it was claimed

to

be the most preferred

system in England after Placidus8 and it was greatly endorsed by Dane Rudhyar who saw it as an ideal approach to 'person-centered' astrology because of the acknowledgement that it gave to 'the space at the centre ofwhich the individual stands'.9 Rudhyar also proposed that a future development of the houses could utilise Campanus as the basis of a three dimensional 'birth sphere', in which the effect of planetary latitude could be fully acknowledged; although such a development would also require an alternative way of representing this information than our two-dimensional chart forms which only show measurements along the ecliptic. Those who consider the three dimensional perspective important, argue that defining house positions by zodiacal degree alone can often prove inaccurate since it assumes that the house cusps cut through the ecliptic in a straight line whereas in reality the lines are curved, formed by great circles passing through the earth and meeting at the poles. This curvature results in an angle that moves several degrees across the ecliptic when latitude is considered. David McCann has illustrated how this distortion manifests in the chart of William Butler Yeats, for whom Pluto has a latitude of l5°S. The diagram below shows that by zodiacal degree alone Pluto appears to be in the middle of the 2nd house but when latitude is taken into account it is actually on the 3rd house cusp. 10 Anyone seeking a

8. 9. 10.

Colin Evans, New J#iite'.f Compendium of Natal Astrology, revised by Gardner (London: Routledge & Keegan Paul, 1985), p.4Z D. Rudhyar; The Astrological Houses: The Spectrum ofIndividual Experience, (Sebastopol, CA: CRCS Publications, , 1972); Op. cit., p.26. I am grateful to David McCann for allowing me to reconstruct his example, first published in 'The Problem of Domification, Part 2'; the AA]ourna� Vol 38, no.6, Nov-Dec: 1996, p.379.

102

The Houses: Temples of the Sky

3rd house ecliptic

house system that attempts to reconstruct a division of local space would see this as a major inconvenience, whilst those who prefer ecliptic-based systems may argue that the astrological significance of the cusps and houses are linked only to the degrees where the house cusps cut the ecliptic, and latitude is therefore irrelevant in this matter. Another house system that is often compared to Campanus, and frequently claimed to be a development of it, is the

Regiomontanus system, because it also utilizes a great circle other than the ecliptic as its main frame of reference. Regiomontanus is based upon an equal division of the equator rather than the prime vertical - it is the same method as that suggested by Morinus, but bows to convention by. commencing from the ascendant. Although it found popularity later than Campanus, it is also known to have been used in the 1 1th century11 and in all likelihood developed along principles entirely of its own. In emphasizing the equator, advocates claim that it pays a greater recognition to the Earth's daily rotation, rather than the movement of the Earth around the Sun as measured by the ecliptic. It also has the advantage of being less sensitive to house distortion in high latitudes than Campanus. The system is named after the 15th century mathematician Johan Muller of Konigsberg, (also known as Regiomontanus}, who popularized its use at a time when rapidly developing printing

1 1.

It is described by Abenmoat ofjaen, in a manuscript believed to have been owned by Regiomontanus. J.D. North, Horoscopes and History, (Warburg Institute, London, 1986), op.cit. pp.35-8.

Technical Basis and the Inherent Difficulties of House Division

103

techniques ensured that information required to support it was easily available. With a ready supply of tables it became the main European method for several centuries afterwards, and as the method employed by many prominent 17th century astrologers including William Lilly, it continues to be popular today, particularly amongst horary astrologers or advocates of traditional techniques.

Projected divisions: the focus on time The Regiomontanus house system generally fell from favour in the 19th century when Placidean tables became more accessible. The

Placidus system is named after the Italian Benedictine monk, Placidus de Titis ( 1603-1668), who popularized its use during the 17th century. Again, it is accepted that Placidus did not invent the method; tables were already available for it in 1604, a year after Placidus's birth, and it earlier appeared on an astrolabe in 1305.1� The 12th century Hebrew astrologer Abraham Ibn Ezra acknowledged it as the system employed by Ptolemy, and Placidus appears to support this view within his work where he respectfully notes "I desire no guides but Ptolemy and reason".13 The Placidus system is time-based, in that every cusp marks the position that the degree on the ascendant would move to at a subsequent 'planetary hour'. (The 12th house cusp marks where the degree of the ascendant would be positioned two planetary hours after the chart was cast; the 11th house where it would be after 4 hours; the midheaven where it would be after 6 hours, and so on). Planetary hours are not the equal units of 60 minutes that are used in our civil calendar, but vary according to season so that the periods between sunrise and sunset are equally divided by 12 (see Appendix B for more details). Thus the degree of the ascendant will progress up to the midheaven and through the diurnal hemisphere of the

12. 13.

Mike Wackford, 'Placido & the Semi-Arc Method of House Division'; The TraditionalAstrologer magazine, (Nottingham: Ascella), Issue 7, Winter 1994, p.26. Placido de Titis, Primum Mobile, trans.John Cooper, London, 1814, op cit. p.47 facs. reprint (London: Institute For the Study of Cycles in World Affairs, 1983).

104

The Houses: Temples of the Sky

chart much more slowly in summer than it would in winter, whilst the degree of the descendant will speed quickly through the nocturnal hemisphere. T h e perfect harmony between Placidus cusps and the traditional use of planetary hours, adds credence to the claim that this could have been an original method of house division, based upon the two-hourly 'watches' of ancient astrologers, who numbered the constellations in the order that the stars within them rose to the ascendant during the twelve watches Qf the 24-hour period. Jane Ridder-Patrick, in her

Handbook ofMedical Astrology,

points out the

ease of establishing the planetary hour using this method of division - since daytime planetary hours begin with the rising of the Sun on the ascendant we can establish the planetary hour of any chart simply by noting the house position of the Sun, with each hour identified by dividing each house in two. There seems little doubt that the symbolism attached

to

the

interpretative use of the houses has been greatly influenced from their use as 'time-markers', in which the movement of the planets' passage through the heavens (following the diurnal arc) is recognized. And because its division follows the diurnal arc Placidus also lends itself to the most 'natural' system of Primary Directions endorsed by

Placidus House Division Noon

Sun set

Midnight

Technical Basis and che Inherent Difficulties of Ho1,se Division

105

Ptolemy, for which reason its advocates claim it as the system he would have preferred. We have to accept an element of speculation here - we have no conclusive evidence from Ptolemy's work to endorse this view or suggest otherwise. Placidus does, however, remain the most popular quadrant system of house division in use today. It is often said that the reason for this is the ready availability of Raphael's

Tables ofHouses which offer data to support the system,

but this understates the value of its underlying philosophy which is also clearly to be respected. Although Placidus division i s simple in concept, the mathematical trigonometry behind it is complex, with cusp positions needing to account for the effect of latitude and adjusted by calculations based on the use of hour circles.

Alcabitius and Koch

are systems that work along similar time-based projections, all of which involve associating the angles with the Ascendant and Midheaven and finding the intermediate cusps by dividing in three the time taken for the degree of the Ascendant to move to the Midheaven. The fundamental differences lie in the way these projections are related to the ecliptic: by use of hour circles, vertical circles, or projections of the Ascendant. Alcabitius, which uses vertical circles, bears the name of the 12th-century Arabian astrologer, Alchabitus, but it is unclear whether Placidus predates the Alcabitius system or vice versa. It is clear that those whose names have become celebrated as champions of techniques are not usually reliable indicators of their first invention. The Koch system, however, is generally accepted as being of modern development, introduced in the 1960s by the German astrologer, Dr. Walter Koch. Tables supporting its use became available in 1971, and it is currently very popular in Europe, particularly with the Ebertin and Huber schools. Koch uses projection of the Ascendant to formulate the intermediate house cusps, and its followers argue that it is the only system to fully utilise the Ascendant as the primary connecting thread between the ecliptic and the place of birth in the calculation of every cusp.

106

The Houses: Temples of the Sky

In theory, there are valid philosophical arguments that allow every house system to be perceived as the most appropriate according to one's inclinations; in practice, once we move beyond understanding whether our preference is to emphasise time or space, most of us would find our ability to prove that one house system works much more persuasive than our ability to prove that another system doesn't.

Keeping it simple! In his aricle, t An Astrological House Fo,rmulary, Michael Munkasey provides step-by-step instructions on the mathematical techniques needed to formulate the various systems of division.14 This is an excellent guide that should allow anyone with enough interest to become capable of calculating cusps without relying on astrological software. One glance at this article will probably convince most astrologers that they don't wish to do so! For many of us, it will seem all too complicated to work with on a day-to-day basis. This leads to the argument that supports the simpler systems: with these at least working astrologers can feel in control of their own calculations and thus place confidence in the associated symbolism that arises from their chosen system. Most of the other main house systems in popular use work upon the principle that since planetary activity centres upon the path of the Sun, the ecliptic does indeed provide the ideal focus for dividing the chart into 'spheres of activity'. The simplest approaches, the equal-house and whole-sign methods, merely require knowledge of the ascendant or ascending sign, and an equal division throughout the rest of the zodiac eliminates the need for any complicated calculations. 1·' 14. 15.

Available on the NCGR website, (accessed 24/11/01) The equal house method takes the degree of the ascendant as the degree of each subsequent cusp (eg, an ascendant of 10° Cancer, would mean the 2nd house cusp is at 10° Leo, the 3rd house cusp is at 10° Virgo, etc.); for such a chart the whole sign method would associate the whole of Cancer with the whole of the I st house; the whole of Leo with the 2nd house, and so on.

Technical Basis and the Inherent Difficulties of House Division

l 07

Until recently, such an approach was considered to have an element of naivete attached to it - ideal for beginners, the unspoken implication was that astrologers with a more sophisticated grasp of trigonometry would eventually progress to a more complex method. Yet recent research into classical astrology has created a renewed interest in these simple techniques from a more scholarly perspective. The point of strength is that, regardless of the originating theory behind house division, in practice at least, classical astrologers tended to tie the houses to the signs, apparently concurring with Pelletier, who wrote in defence of the equal house method: "It seems superfluous to demand mathematical or astronomical precision of a frame of reference for houses which are purely symbolic". w The

Porphyry

house system is often seen as an ideal

compromise here: it maintains the connection between the angles of the chart and the Ascendant and Midheaven, but it offers simplicity of technique that merely requires trisection of the ecliptic arc between the angles to calculate the intermediate cusps. There is, however, a great deal of confusion regarding how the houses were used in ancient times, and when quadrant systems such as Porphyry and Placidus were introduced. Passages which were once thought to demonstrate the equal-house method in practice are now taken to be more evident of the use of Porphyry or the whole-sign system; this creates some doubt about whether the equal-house system has any theoretical basis in classical astrology at all, except as a compromise by astrologers who were attempting to align the houses with the angles and either deliberately or ignorantly failed to observe any discrepancies. Porphyry Malchus was a 3rd century Syrian astrologer who worked in Athens and Rome. Again it is doubtful that Porphyry made any personal development of the system that bears his name. It is described in the earlier 2nd century text of Antiochus, who is presumed to have written slightly later than Ptolemy. 17 Porphyry

16. 17.

Robert Pelletier, Planets in Houses, (Maine: Para Research, 1978); pp.13-14. Antiochus, The Thesaurus, trans. R. Schmidt, ed. R. Hand. Project Hindsight Greek Track Vol. 11-B. (Berkeley Springs: Golden Hind Press, 1993). Ch.46, pp.32-33.

108

The Houses: Temples of the Sky

excerpted extensively from Antiochus and the passage in which Antiochus describes this system is almost verbatim to one in Porphyry's later commentary on Ptolemy's

Tetrahiblos. u i

Because of

the importance attached to Porphyry's studies of Ptolemy's astronomical and astrological theories, many believe that he had the best insight into the system Ptolemy would have used. It is not surprising that Ptolemy should be stretched in so many directions in attempts to argue his support of favoured systems. Ptolemy's technical genius single him out as having a level of complex astronomical understanding that sets the bench mark many would wish to emulate. His stance is also considered critical in many matters relating to the true intention of classical astrology, and so his use of the houses is worth exploring in detail, particularly for those who have been persuaded that a return to the simple mechanics of the 'whole-sign method' would be a return to the original and purest use of houses. Is it possible to discover what the great man really thought of this issue?

18.

Ibid, footnote 2, p.33.

9 ProLEMY's 'POWERFUL PLAcEs'

&

THE Ex'fENSION OF HOUSE INFLUENCE

Our preface shall be an account of the places in the heavens to which reference is made when particular human events are theoretically considered, a kind of mark at which one must aim before proceeding further Ptolemy, (c. 150

AD} Tetrabiblos, III.I

The use of houses in classical times is worthy of study, though we should bear in mind that classical astrology entailed its own perspective and methodology. Ptolemy in particular exhibits a general resistance to techniques infused with symbolic mysticism; where they are used, he attempts to explain their potency through what he considers a more 'logical' approach, (such as drawing an association with the aspects and planetary humours) . Whereas Manilius, 'the poet', endeavoured to express the wonder and mystery of the heavens in majestic phases of poetic verse, Ptolemy 'the scientist' sought to rationalise astrology and emphasise its first principles by sweeping away any elements that appeared to be based on a mysticism older than that of the classical world:

"As

for the nonsense on which many waste their Jabour and of

which not even a plausible account can be given, this we shall dismiss in favour ofthe primary natural causes; we shall investigate, not by means of lots and numbers of which no reasonable explanation can be given, but merely through the science of the aspects of the stars to the places with which they have familiarity."1

I.

Tetrabiblos III.3.

J JO

The Houses: Temples of the Sky

That the meanings of aspects are themselves based upon mystical numerological principles seems to have escaped Ptolemy's concern. 'Places of familiarity' are the signs of the zodiac or angles in the chart which reinforce a planet's natural disposition. The Sun, for example, has a natural affinity with the signs that are hot and dry, or the areas of the chart that are masculine and diurnal. Since the Sun rises in the east, it attributes to that cardinal the qualities of being masculine, dry, solar and diurnal. Conversely, the west is feminine, moist, lunar and nocturnal; "for it is alway9in the west that the Moon emerges and makes its appearance after conjunction '�2 The alignment of planets with areas of natural affinity was the kingpin around which Ptolemy's astrology revolved, and establishing whether a planet was in a place of familiarity was not determined through the use of houses, as witnessed in the planetary 'joys' of Manilius,a but through association with other planets, places, and stars which share common humoural qualities of heat, coldness, dryness or moisture. Although the houses are not entirely ignored in the

Tetrabiblos,

there is so little reference to them that the subject appears consciously avoided. In his first book, Ptolemy sets out the general principles of astrology, explaining the power and nature of the planets, aspects, fixed stars, signs of the zodiac, rulership of the signs, triplicities, exaltations, terms and faces. Although he offers some explanation of the four angles related to the seasons, in this vital introduction he fails to give a single reference to the use of the houses. He does, however, place strong emphasis upon relationships to the horizon and midheaven, and the correspondence between angles and directions. East, south, west and north are noted as dry, hot, moist and cold, respectively; the orient, he tells us, signifies youth, the midheaven middle-age, the occident old age, and those who have died.4 Ptolemy doesn't explain the philosophical basis for these associations, but whether he recognised it or not, he is clearly perpetuating ancient solar mysticism which ties the meaning of the

2. 3. 4.

Ibid 11.2. Ptolemy omits aJJ reference to planetary joys. II.7.

Pwlemy's Poweefl•I Places

1 1l

angles to a symbolic appreciation of the Sun's apparent cycle around the Earth. This inherent symbolism cuts through the entire work and can be demonstrated by the stress he places on the condition of being oriental or occidental:·' Their [the planets') power must be determined, in the first place, from the fact that they are either oriental and adding to their proper motion for then they are most powerful - or occidental and diminishing in speed, for then their energy is weaker. Second, it is to be determined from their position relative to the horizon; for they are most powerful when they are in the midheaven or approaching it, and second when they are exactly on the horizon or in the succeedent place [ 1st house]; their power is greater when they are in the orient; and less when they culminate beneath the earth or are in some other aspect to the orient; if they bear no aspect at all to the orient they are entirely powerless.6 -

Ptolemy's view of the places that bear no aspect to the horizon accords with the general understanding of the 8th, 2nd, 12th, and 6th houses as describing weakness and impotency 7 But whereas a working, predictive astrologer might dwell on the use of the symbolism in describing that condition of weakness, Ptolemy does not. Instead, there is the suggestion that we should ignore these areas in our investigation in favour of the powerful regions. The mid.heaven is referred to as the most important angle of all and many spheres of life that we would assign to other houses are assessed by Ptolemy through the use of the culminating degree and the place that is succeeding to it. By this he means the 10th house, as the area that is rising by diurnal motion to the degree of the .

5.

6. 7.

The terms 'oriental' and 'occidental' when referring to the houses or the angles, simply mean 'eastern' amd 'western' respectively. However, with regards to the planets, the terms generally mean 'rising before the Sun' {oriental} or 'rising after the Sun' {occidental). See the glossary for further details. I.IO. Antiochus refers to these houses, along with the 3rd house, as "places in which no dealings are made". Thesaurus ch.27.

112

The Houses: Temples of the Sky

midheaven. This area is representative of all our outward endeavours and accomplishments: our actions, friendships, children, and everything from which our reputation is established. Second in importance is the eastern horizon from which the bodily form, temperament, intellect and formative years are assessed. Consistency with later tradition is evident in Ptolemy's use ofangularity as denoting strength and speed, and the denial of these qualities with cadency: "For they

[the planets)

are most effective .... whenever they are

passing through the angles or in the signs that rise after them ....They are weakest .... when they are declining from the angles, also we must observe whether they are at the angles or in the succeedent signs; for if they are oriental or at angles they are more effective at the beginning, if they are occidental or in the succeeding signs they are slower to take action. "8 It is important to realise that when Ptolemy talks about planets in places or signs 'succeeding to angles', he is not referring to planets in succedent houses, but those in angular houses that are not yet on the angle but are succeeding to it by diurnal motion. The further removed from the angle, the weaker the influence. Ptolemy further acknowledges that the cadent houses represent foreign places and alien circumstances by his comment that when the Moon is declining from angles "she portends journeys abroad or changes of place".9 The extent to which Ptolemy fails to expand upon use of the houses is most apparent in books three and four where he explains the techniques for judging a nativity. Marriage, for example, is not determined from the 7th house, but from the place of the Sun for a woman, and the Moon for a man. Matters relating to material wealth are not referred to the 2nd house, but the part of fortune (Fortuna). Friendships are not judged from the 1 1 th house, but from the condition of the Sun, Moon, Fortuna and rising sign. Where he discusses the parents and the potential of patrimony, he does not recommend a consideration of the 4th house, but refers us to the

8. 9.

II 1.3. IV.8.

Ptolemy's Powerful Places

1 13

place of the Sun or Saturn for the father, and the Moon or Venus for the mother. There are few instances where Ptolemy appears to support our later tradition. In one, he directs us to the 12th house, "The House of Evil Daemon", for matters of slavery because it is an "injurious" position which declines from the horizon. In matters of illness he also notes the need to consider the 6th house, saying: "It is necessary to look to the two angles of the horizon, that is, the orient and the occident, and especially to the occident itself and the sign preceding it [6th], which is disjunct from the oriental angle."10 Ptolemy's reasoning is that the descendant is destructive to vitality, and the area preceding the descendant shares this influence because it is declining (by diurnal motion) from that angle and unaspected to the ascendant. Most telling of all, however, is an obtuse reference to the influence of the lower midheaven, which we become aware of only through his description of the effect of planetary stations: "Evening stations and positions at midheaven beneath the earth

[JG) .

. produce souls noble and wise . . . . investigators of hidden

..

things and seekers after the unknown."11 Whilst Ptolemy makes no attempt to explain why this should be so, the reference to "hidden things" suggests that it is drawn from a contemporary understanding of the 4th house, arguing that he had more awareness of the wider use of the houses than he seems willing to impart. Clearly, Ptolemy regarded the houses as being somewhat irrelevant, but the question of which method of house construction he was referring to has still managed to provoke great debate. His constant overlapping of the words 'place' and 'sign', and the way in which he refers to the midheaven as 'the culminating sign' has been used to suggest that he considered the 'places' to be defined by the signs of the zodiac, supporting the 'whole-sign' argument. 10. 11.

Tetrabiblos II.5. Ibid III.3.

· · ,.

114

The Houses : Temples of the Sky There remains, however, one highly significant passage in

which he offers a definition of the houses. It is contained within his method of determining length of life and Ptolemy explains that for a matter ofsuch importance, the planets from which we drawjudgement must be located in the powerful places, which he describes as follows: "In the first place we must consider those places ... in which the planet must be that is to receive the lordship of the prorogation; namely, the twelfth part of the zodiac surrounding the horoscope, from 5° above the actual horizon up to the 25° that remains, which is rising in succession to the horizon

[ ie., 7st house]; the part sextile

dexter to these thirty degrees, called the House of the Good Daemon

house];

[ 77 th house];

[ 10th [9th hous�;

the part in quartile, the midheaven

the part in trine, called the House of the God

and the part opposite, the Occident

[7th hous� ."12

This is all that Ptolemy has to say on the technical basis of the houses within his

Tetrabiblos.

In assessing its importance, the introductory

the twelfth part ofthe zodiacsurrounding the horoscope,from 5° above the actual horizon comment on the 1st house is the one that is most pertinent:

Ptolemy's Powerful Places

12.

Ibid

111.10.

Pwlemy's Powerful Places

1 15

up to the 25° that remains, which is rising in succession to the horizon. The 5° misplacement from the ascendant has caused much debate; the

most sensible explanation being that the virtue of each house has been assigned a 5° influence before the cusp. The same approach is used today by astrologers schooled in traditional techniques, so that if a planet is within 5° of the next house cusp, it is considered to have its influence within the context of that house. But on the basis of Ptolemy's comment here, some authorities have sought to formally recognize a new house construction method, the

system,

Classical house

which is generally said to follow Alcabitius, but with the

subtraction of 5° from the Ascendant to find the 1st-house cusp. This definition is misleading, since the 5° misplacement (or orb for the house cusps) is written into traditional technique, regardless of the house method in use, so this should be considered a principle of house interpretation rather than a method of division. Ptolemy's comment

up to the

25°

that remains also,

at face value, appears to

support the use of equal-house division, requiring that each house should cover 30° of zodiacal arc in order that it embraces the preceding 5° and a further 25° following it. Yet if we cross-referenee this passage with the contemporary text of Antiochus who gives a fuller explanaion, t we can see that other astrologers referred to these degrees in a very similar manner, even where they unquestionably demonstrated unequal house division: "Each of these 12 places obtains as its lot the 5 pre-ascended degrees and the 25 post-ascending degrees, if the squares

angles)

[ ie, the

should occur through ninety degrees. But if they should

occur with different numbers of degrees, divide the degrees of the square numbers equally into three parts, and you would know how many degrees each place of the zodiac has". 1� Antiochus goes on to clarify the principle with an example, allowing us a little more insight into how the houses were determined by an astrologer in the 2nd century. Should we presume that Ptolemy, who

13.

The Thesaurus ch.46, p.32.

1 16

The Houses: Temples of the Sky

says so little about the matter as a whole, would feel a necessity to be anywhere near as detailed as Antiochus in a passage that is not intended to clarify house construction concepts, but only what he means by the places of power? Resting only on this, the assumption that Ptolemy utilised a simple, equal-house division, would appear to be hastily drawn and readily questioned. Was Ptolemy more inclined towards a whole-house system? I consider this unlikely given his personal inclination towards technical sophistication. Let's consider his reference to the 'twelfth part' of the zodiac, which may seem confusing to those of us accustomed to numbering the signs from the ascendant in an anti-clockwise direction following the numerical order of the houses. Neither Ptolemy nor Manilius attributed numbers to the houses but described them instead by their names and aspectual relationship to the ascendant. The fact that Ptolemy makes a distinction between the places of heaven and the parts of the zodiac, and that he introduces this numeration here (though not for the houses), suggests that he recognised them as two discrete frames of reference which were not dependant upon each other, even if in common practice they were frequently associated with each other. Within the work of Valens, for example, whose demonstrations of astrology in appear to offer strong testimony

to

the use of whole-sign houses, there is the reminder that correct computation requires the calculation of degrees and not just a simplified association between sign and house.14

14.

Robert Schmidt's translation of Valens (Book IX, chapter in his introduction to Ptolemy's Tetrabiblos Bk III reads:

3),

revealed

"But before all it is necessary to reckon the places to the degree. And at least whenever the degree of the Horoskopos may be grasped, il is necessary to count from that degree up until the

30 degree completion of the next zoidion. And that will be the place concerning life. Then similarly up to the completion of another 30 degrees concerning livelihood; and the next as before." Translations of charts from the files of Valens in Greek Horoscopes by Neugebauer and Van Hoesen illustrate that there are other reminders that, although houses and aspects are discussed according to the

: -

r

Ptolemy's Powerful Places

117

Again referring to Ptolemy's comment that the first house is counted from 5° above the horizon up to the 25° remaining, we can see that the purpose of his house division was not to make a simple association with the signs, but was based upon a genuine attempt to establish reliable boundaries to areas of increased efficiency. In his recognition of 'powerful places' Ptolemy offers philosophical agreement with the principles expressed in Manilius's

Astronomica:

demonstrating that the roots of house meanings lie buried within their ability to empower or diminish planetary efficiency, and thus bringing spotlighted areas of maximum significance around the cusps, which form the focus of their aspectual contact with the ascendant, (and thus supporting the views of many astrologers that the cusps have an extended orb of influence in the same way that planets do). We have already reviewed one passage where, in determining the power and speed of planetary effect, Ptolemy talks about the need to observe whether planets are at the angles or succeeding to them, meaning (for example) to differentiate between a planet in the first house and one that is more powerful by being located on the ascendant itself. Almost certainly the 5° misplacement of the first house influence is a recognition of the fact that a planet within 5° of the ascendant, whether preceding it or succeeding it, can be considered angular and powerful; with the same principal applying to other angles and impacting upon the definition of status with regard to all matters of angularity and cadency.

relationships of the signs, they are more preciselycomputed by degrees. For example, referring to horoscope L75, the commentators note (p.89): " . . . we have here a case where we can see that Vettius Valens computedhis horoscopes with an accuracy of degrees and minutes even if he normally quotes zodiacal signs only". The commentators list three more horoscopes that make explicit references to degrees and minutes and four more where degrees are mentioned but not minutes.

1 18

The Houses: Temples of the Sky

Confusion

over 4the

Limits of Angularity'

The issue of where we draw our limits for what constitutes a planet 'on an angle' (rather than one that is generally defined as angular by being in an angular house) has always been highly contentious and Ptolemy's comments on this matter proved to be a decisive influence upon many of the arguments. We can see an example in Henry Coley's translation of' The Considerations ofGuido Bonatus, where the 59th is given as: " . . . to consider, whether the significator be'behind the cusp of an Angle 15 degrees and no more; for he shall be said to be in an Angle as well as he that is exactly there, as "Zael" affirms; whence he said before that it was not in an Angle, nor had any strength there beyond the 15th degree after the cusp of the Angle: For example. The Ascendant is 4 degrees of Taurus, and the end thereof was behind the Angle, whatever planet is posited from the 4th to the 19th degree thereof is in the angle, but what is beyond that is nol; but Ptolomy [sic) seems to intimate, though he says not expressly, "that every planet who shall be 5 degrees before, or 25 degrees after the cusp, is in the Angle." Now "Zael" would clear the doubt, lest that great distance of the planet from the Angle should hinder the business."

15

This passage actually shows a misunderstanding of Ptolemy's text on the part of Bonatus, because Ptolemy did indeed differentiate between a planet on an angle, and one which is simply 'succeeding' to it - by which he means within the angular house. The original quotation from Zael Iii appears to be referring simply to this definition 15.

16.

Anima Astrologiae: The Astrologer's Guide; facsimile edition (republished by Regulus Publishing Co. Ltd., London, 1986) pp.28-29. Zael (otherwise known as 'Zabel') was aJewsh mathematician, physician and astrologer who died between 822 and 850 C.E. His 9th century text Introductoriam ad astrologiamseu de iudiciis('Introduction to Astrology, or Concerningjudgments'} was evidently a strong influence upon the 13'11 century Italian astrologer Guido Bonatii - 'Bonatus' as he is known in the more formal Latinised version of his name. Henry Coley, who was William Lilly's adopted son, translated Bonatti's Latin text into English in 1675. i

Pwlemy's Powerful Places

119

of a planet 'on an angle', but the assumption that Zael was either redefining the measurement of angular houses or the extent of their signification, started a chain of confusion which has left the heads of even the greatest astrologers spinning in circles. Coley's translation compounds the confusion by adding an editorial note of contradiction from William Lilly, who also interprets this as a reference to the signification of angular houses, rather than the greater power of the angle itself, commenting: "The same Ptolomy

[sit}

(from whom I cannot differ) seems to

assert, That no part of any House remains void of virtue; and myself am of opinion, I think not idly, that every planet that is in any House shall be said to be in that House where he is found, from the beginning of the House even to the end thereof; and therefore I say in the House, not in the Sign, because sometimes the same House comprehends more than one Sign and sometimes less; for it seems ridiculous that any part of any House should continue idle, and be left void of virtue."17 Apart from mistaking the reference to planets 'in an angle' with those in angular houses, Lilly's interjection added further confusion by not making clear that he too advocated the use of a 5° orb preceding the cusp, so that planets at the end of one house were associated with the next- this was a principle he applied in his chart work, sometimes extending the 5° limit where a planet went a degree or so beyond.18 Recent re-evaluations of Bonnatti's work have brought to light a further passage that has been used to argue that cusps might originally have been used as the mid-point of house determination rather than the beginning of their influence - this again takes the 9th century text .of Zael as its source. 19 The passage in question is very lZ

18.

Anima Astrologiae: The Astrologer's Gude i p.28.

On page 154 of Christian Astrolog'j Lilly refuses a planet signification in the following house because it wants "more than five degrees of the Cusp" yet on p.180 he assigns Fortuna to the 2nd house, even though it is 6°25' before the cusp of the 2nd house, saying that although this is more than the standard five degrees "yet were it absurd to think it had signification in the first".

J 20

The Houses: Temples ofthe Sky

ambiguous, with the assumption that the first house influence ends midway through the house resting on a reference to Mercury, (ruler of the Gemini ascendant and located at 27° Gemini), 'changing domicile' and moving to the 2nd house, even though it is nowhere near the 2nd house cusp. In this chart the ascendant is at 21° Gemini, the 2nd house cusp is at 13° Cancer, and the text reads: "And because the lord of the Ascendant was being moved from his own domicile into another, it was signified through the lord's position that the questioner was moving within a short time;

and

because the lord was being moved to the second house (my italics], it was seen that the move would be in order to acquire for himself substance which he did not have. And it was seen that the move for the sake of acquiring money for himself would be made to a certain place in which he had already remained at another time." The reference to Mercury moving to the 2nd house, even though it is 16 degrees before the 2nd house cusp (and only 6° removed from the ascendant), has brought the suggestion that the cusp does not reliably indicate where the influence of the house begins. Yet it was very common for traditional astrologers to refer to zodiac signs as the 'houses' of the planets, and as Mercury moves from Gemini to Cancer, it enters its own second 'house' in the sense that this is the second sign from its area o f natural rulership. We find similar reasoning applied to the oft-repeated traditional aphorism that the Moon is debilitated in Gemini because this is the 12th house from

19.

The passage appears in a chart judgement presented in JD. North's Horoscopes and History, pp.77-79. For Robert Hand's review of the relevant passage see 'A Study in Early House Division', AA]ourna�July, 1997; reproduced online at http://www.astrologer.com/aanet/pub/journal/ jojuJ9Zhtml.

Ptolemy's Powerful Places

121

her own. The overlapping of the terminology and principle of dominion is confusing and needs to be carefully considered in context; but we should pause before rushing to re-evaluate our way of determining houses based upon passages like this, which were probably composed without any appreciation of the confusion and close scrutiny they might later attract. Rather rashly, some have used passages like those of Zael's discussed above to question whether our modern methods of determining houses through quadrant systems are properly reasoned and supported by tradition. This is despite the fact that the latter passage is easily explained and what seems to be in question in the first is only what constitutes a reliable definition of angularity (the contentions about which have been clearly known, considered, argued, resolved, re-questioned and then brought up again for further debate as an ongoing saga throughout the history of our art). Perhaps further evidence along the lines of authenticating Gauquelin's research may offer a more grounded justification for reviewing the definitions of house determination and meaning within the branch of natural astrology, but certainly within the field

of judicial astrology, no

philosophical argument or demonstration of astrology in practice has shown itself able to undermine the validity of alternate systems. Is there one technically correct and philosophically pure system which would be right where all other's fail? If there is, we are nowhere close to finding it. Accepting the Unsavoury Whilst we appreciate all the mathematical challenges that house construction entails, we should never step too far from the realization that ancient astrologers faced a much greater challenge: to obtain an accurate recording of time in the first place. Ptolemy gives an insight into his striving to mark the ascendant by "the specific degree" in his third book where he talks about the difficulties faced when trying to ascertain the "fraction of the hour of the birth"; and where he refers to the frequency of error caused through:

I 22

The Houses: Temples of che Sky

"the solar instruments by the occasional shifting of their positions, or of their gnomons, and the water clocks by stoppages and irregularities in the flow of the water from different causes and by mere chance."�0 Appendix C reproduces the advice of the 1 1 th century Arabic astrologer, Al-Biruni, on how to take the hour of birth. Although written a thousand years later than the text of Ptolemy, it provides a remarkable reminder of the wholly different set of circumstances confronting astrologers living in the pre.:'automated-clock era. In view of such difficulties, it is hardly surprising that, as ancient astrologers strived for theoretical perfection, they settled for practical adequacy. This raises the question of whether we should, therefore, place so much emphasis on the working examples we possess that point to the use of simplified techniques. Throughout these ancient texts, we find regular reminders that, although students are taught by generalities, they must nonetheless take care to base their calculations upon the actual degree of the zodiac and not simply by sign position alone. No doubt, various points were simplified in order to elucidate other features of the chart, and one wonders whether these astrologers would have bothered to calculate complex mathematical formulas where the hour of birth had been rounded up in any case. More than anything else, it should be remembered that, when we query the methods of the ancients, the gaps in our knowledge are filled by conventional knowledge as it currently stands. It could be argued that any translation of terminology is largely a personal interpretation of the intent of an author, so we can never be entirely confident about the meaning ofpassages that refer to a lifestyle and a viewpoint we no longer possess. In this, I am as guilty as anyone else, but my summary is that the modern astrologer, seeking to resolve the problem of house division by reference to historical sources, will ultimately conclude that these sources do not, will not, and cannot provide an authoritative voice. The problem exists because there are so many valid frames of

20.

Ibid 11.2.

Pcolemy's Powerful Places

123

reference, and it is impossible to fully recognize the symbolic potential of them all within any one technique. So, we must make our selection according to where our own inclinaions t lie. When we individually accept this as part of our own responsibility for shaping the personal astrology that we use, then 'the problem of the houses' ceases to exist. It can be seen as nothing more than the dilemma of choosing from the range of styles, techniques, and rulerships that runs through every other multifaceted branch of our art. Our reliance upon houses comes from our desire to find a more personal relationship between the planetary positions as they shape themselves to the unique qualities ofthe space and time surrounding the chart. We must accept another level to this: that the truly personal relationship emerges from the central position of the astrologer, who strives to draw meaning and symbolic appreciation of celestial movements and cycles and, in this, holds true to the principles of astrology as a study that extends from astronomical principles rather than resting on them entirely.

APPENDIX A GwssARY OF TRADmoNAL & TECHNICAL TERMS UsED IN fins BooK

Above the earth

-

planets above the horizon, ie, placed in the 12th,

1 1 th, 10th, 9th, 8th or 7th house. In many kinds of charts it is considered beneficial to have the Sun, Moon or majority of the planets 'above the earth'. This may be the case, for example, in a theft chart, where it could show that hidden factors are more likely to 'come to light'; or in a chart concerning a ship in danger, where it would increase the likelihood of the ship remaining afloat. Accidental dignity

-

strength that a planet gains for some reason

other than its zodiacal placement. It can be conveyed by any attribute that helps to increase the prominence of its effects - such as being angular, direct/swift in motion, free from combustion, in a beneficial aspect to a fortunate planet or conjunct a fixed star of a fortunate nature. Altitude

-

the angular distance of a planet above or below the horizon.

Angular

-

the angles are the ascendant, descendant, midheaven and

lmum Coeli (or 'lower midheaven'). These mark the cusps of the 1st, 7th, 10th and 4th houses, and are also referred to as 'cardinal points'. Planets in these houses are generally defined as 'angular' and powerful in influence. Animodar

-

a method of rectification which can be traced back to

the work of Ptolemy and is explained in detail in several traditional works. It aims to correct the degree of the ascendant (once the astrologer knows which sign should be on the ascendant) by using the degree position of the planet that had most influence over the preceding New or Full Moon.

126

The Houses: Temples of the Sky

Ascendant

the degree of the ecliptic {zodiac) that meets the eastern

-

horizon, and which denotes the 1st house cusp. So called because planets here ascend above the horizon and become visible to the naked eye.

Astrolabe

-

mechanical instrument (a forerunner to the sextant),

used to determine the altitude of the sun or other celestial bodies.

Barren signs

-

Gemini, Leo and Virgo are considered barren and

thus not normally conducive to fertility. t}.ries, Sagittarius and Aquarius are also considered rather barren. In predictive techniques these signs can suggest difficulty in conceiving children, or the prospect of few children, when placed on the 5th cusp of the chart. Most of these signs are considered to have a drying influence. Also known as sterile signs.

Below/Beneath the earth Benefic planets

-

-

see 'under the earth'

also known as 'fortunes', these are planets that

are judged capable of assisting a positive outcome. Under normal circumstances Jupiter and Venus are considered naturally benefic because of their temperate natures,

Oupiter is traditionally known as

the 'Greater Benefic' and Venus as the 'Lesser Benefic'). Many traditional texts also consider the north node to be representative of increase and therefore term it a benefic. See 'malefic planets'.

Bestial signs

-

the zodiac signs that are represented by four-footed

animals: Aries, Taurus, Leo, Sagittarius and Capricorn. Also called quadrupedian, these signs can lack social graces and are reputed to display animalistic reactions to their emotions, sometimes indicating coarseness, inarticulation and a poor appreciation of polite manners.

Cadent

-

from the Latin 'to fall', the cadent houses are those which

'fall away' from the angles by diurnal revolution: the 3rd, 6th, 9th and 12th houses. Considered weak areas for planetary expression.

Cardinal

-

the term itself means 'of foremost importance' (hence

cardinal sins, cardinal directions, cardinal rules, etc.). In astrology the angles are known as 'cardinal points'; the angular houses are

Appendix A

127

known as 'cardinal houses' and the signs ofthe equinoxes and solstices - Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn - are known as 'cardinal signs'.

Cardines - generally refers to the angles or angular houses (see above).

Chaldean order of planets - traditional presentation of the visible

planets in order of speed of motion, ie: ft 2J. cJ' 0 � � )).

Choleric - one of the four humours, related to the season of summer and the element of fire. It denotes a hot and dry temperament and the word 'choleric' is often used to describe someone whose actions, passions and anger are quickly raised and easily discharged. In physiology the choleric humour is traditionally reputed to be seated in yellow bile (produced in the gall bladder), which is considered to raise activity and encourage the instinct to gather sustenance, supporting the principle of attraction.

Combust/combustion - a planet is termed combust (burned) when it is in conjunction with the Sun and therefore hidden from sight by the light of the Sun. Traditionally this is a serious affliction and implies that the planet is weakened or restricted in power. It is often used to signify someone in fear or feeling overwhelmed, or to represent things that are kept hidden from sight. William Lilly stated that the combust planet should be in the same sign as the Sun and within 8° 30' beyond this distance, but within 17° of the Sun, the planet is said to be under the Sun's beams. This condition is debilitating, but not as severe as combustion. (See also: 'heliacal rising/setting'.)

Co-significator - a planet (or a sign) that contributes it influence and helps to signify something. In horary the Moon acts as a co­ significator for the person asking the question. Other co-significators can be planets that fall in the querent's house, planets that rule intercepted signs within the house, and planets that make strong aspects to the main significator. to reach the highest or greatest point; usually refers to the arrival of a planet at the midheaven, though the term was also

Culminating

-

128

The Houses: Temples of the Sky

used in ancient astrology to refer to planets reaching the IC, where they were described as "culminating beneath the earth" (see extract from Ptolemy p.111).

Cusp - the dividing line between one house (or sign) and the next. Planets close to house cusps are considered to have more powerful influences than those removed from the cusps. Decans - or decanates: Egyptian term for the faces, means 'tenths' because each decan covers 10°. See 'fa�es'. Declining- another term for setting, or falling away from the angles. Decumbiture - the branch of astrology that examines a chart drawn for the time of someone falling sick or becoming aware of illness. Study of that chart allows examination of the root causes of the illness, the best approach and times for treatment, and a prognostication of recovery or relapse. (From decumbere, 'to lie down'}. Derived houses

-

see 'turning the chart'.

Descendant the degree of the ecliptic {zodiac} that meets the western horizon, and which denotes the 7th house cusp. So called because planets at this point descend beneath the horizon and are no longer visible to the naked eye. -

Dexter/sinister dexter literally means 'of the right' and refers to something on the right hand side; sinister means 'of the left' and refers to something on the left hand side. According to Pythagorean principles, movement towards the right is more natural and direct than movement towards the left (hence the term 'righteous' or the negative undertones given to the word 'sinister' generally). This partly recognises the influence of diurnal motion {by which planets move from left to right), and the fact that in any cycle between two planets, the faster moving planet will cast its aspect to the other on the right hand side whilst the cycle is waxing (suggesting growth and vigour}, and to the left hand side when the cycle is waning (suggesting retirement and weakness). A 'dexter aspect' is therefore said to be more forceful and effective than a sinister one. Dexter aspects are -

Appendix A

129

formed in keeping with diurnal revolution {for example, a planet in Pisces applying to a sextile of a planet in Capricorn) ; sinister aspects are formed against diurnal revolution (for example, a planet in Pisces making a sextile to a planet in Taurus).

Dignities & debilities

- factors that increase a planet's strength are

called dignities; those that weaken it, debilities. These are termed 'essential' when they rely upon zodiacal position; and 'accidental' if they rely upon anything else. Thus the advantage offered to a planet by being in its own sign or exaltation is

an

essential dignity, the

disadvantage of being in its sign of detriment or fall is an essential debility; but combustion, aspectual connections and matters of angularity or house position are accidental dignities or debilities.

Disposition -

the overall condition, influence, or virtue of a planet

once all matters of dignity and debility have been judged. To commit

disp osition means to pass influence to another planet by aspect or recep­ tion.

Dispositor -

a planet which rules another because the other is in

one of its areas of essential dignity. For example, Venus, the planetary ruler of Taurus, is the dispositor of any planet in Taurus: that planet is said to be diposed by Venus by sign. Planets can also be disposed by the lesser dignities (see 'essential dignity'). The general condition of the dispositor has some bearing on the strength of the planet disposed by it

Diurnal/nocturnal

- diurnal means 'of the quality of the day';

nocturnal means 'of the quality of the night'. Diurnal energies relate to masculinity and the solar principle, being active, direct and expressive, whilst nocturnal energies relate to femininity and the lunar principle, being responsive, n i direct, and impressive. Yin and Yang are analogous oriental terms. The characteristics of diurnal and nocturnal influences infiltrate many areas of astrological philosophy, from the alternation of the signs {usually referred to as masculine and feminine}, to the assignation of planetary rulerships over the signs. Apart from the Sun and Moon each planet has two rulerships - one diurnal, one nocturnal

130

The Houses: Temples of the Sky

- to recognise their expression in these altered states (for example, Mars rules Aries, its diurnal 'house', and Scorpio, its nocturnal 'house').

Diurnal/nocturnal charts a 'diurnal chart' is one where the Sun is located in the diurnal hemisphere: being above the horizon it denotes someone born in the day time and therefore belonging to the diurnal sect. A 'nocturnal chart' is one where the Sun is located in the nocturnal hemisphere: being beneath the horizon it denotes someone born at night and therefore belonging to the nocturnal sect. Many traditional techniques (parts, fi'rdar, triplicites, etc.,) require knowledge of whether the chart is diurnal or nocturnal to establish correct formulas and dignity rulerships. -

Diurnal hemisphere the hemisphere above the horizon, comprising the 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 1 1 th and 12th houses. See p.xix. -

Diurnal motion/revolution the apparent motion of the heavens which carries planets from the eastern horizon, up to the midheaven, and down towards the west, as perceived by the senses from our seemingly stationary viewpoint. Also known as 'primary motion'. -

Diurnal sect see 'sect'. -

Domicile a traditional term meaning 'place of residence', so usually referring to a planet being in its own sign of rulership, ie, Venus is in its domicile when in Taurus or Libra. -

Dominion

-

another term for 'rulership'.

Ecliptic the Sun's apparent path around the Earth, viewed from the seemingly stationary perspective of the Earth. So named because it is when the Moon joins the Sun on this path that Eclipses occur. The ecliptic is the basis of zodiacal measurement, commencing at 0° Aries from where the ecliptic cuts the equator as the Sun moves to the northern hemisphere (the vernal equinox). -

Electional astrology the branch of astrology that seeks to identify the time of optimum planetary support for any particular activity that needs to be undertaken, in order to increase the chances of successful accomplishment. The astrologer 'elects' or chooses the -

1

Appendix A

131

time to act. For example, one might elect to commence a battle at a time that Mars offers favourable support.

Essential dignity

-

strength that a planet gains due to it being in an

area of zodiacal rulership - so named because it shows the parts of the zodiac where the traditional planets are

always dignified. These

regions are considered to have a fundamental {or essen tial) relationship with the planet itself, inasmuch as Mars will always have a special association with Aries, regardless of its angularity or house position. The main essential dignities are rulership by sign or exaltation; the lesser dignities are rulership by triplicity, term or face. A planet is essentially debilitated when placed in its sign of detriment or fall. {See these individual terms and the table of essential dignities reproduced on p.145 for further details.)

Faces - also known as 'decans'; divisions of the signs into 10° sections, each of which is governed by one of the planets as shown in the table on p.145. These appear to be based upon the Egyptian division of the year into 36 ten-day periods, each presided over by a particular stellar deity. The 4th century astrologer Firmicus Matemus is among many who placed great emphasis on their use, saying that a planet in its own decan is as good as in its own sign. Like Manilius before him, he attributed decan rulership to the signs of the zodiac, but most authors, including Ptolemy, gave them to the planets in descending order towards the earth, (i.e., 1i. 2j. d 0

2 � :»). Their order down

the column reflects planetary rulership over the days of the week.

Feminine - see 'masculine/feminine'. Fertile signs

-

the signs of the water triplicity: Cancer, Scorpio and

Pisces, defined as fruitful because of their moist influence which is conducive to fertility. Unless afflicted, they show (amongst other things) a propensity for large families, many children or easy pregnancy. Scorpio is the least promising in this regard because where it is afflicted it can indicate many pregnancies that fail.

Five degree orb for house cusps

-

many traditional authorities

claim that a planet within 5 degree of a house cusp should be

The Houses: Temples of the Sky

13 2

considered to have its influence within that house. For example, if Mars is at 3° Taurus, and the 2nd house cusp at

7° Taurus,

Mars

would be considered an essentially '3rd house' planet

Fortunes -

see 'benefic planets'.

Gnomon - a stationary arm or a rudimentary sundial used for tracking the movement of the Sun.

Hayz

-

a condition representing contentment because the planet is

properly aligned with both the hemisphere (by itself termed hath, 'hair)

and sign

placement that supports its sect; ie, when a diurnal

planet resides in the same hemisphere as that containing the Sun and is also in a diurnal/masculine sign; or when a nocturnal planet resides in the opposite hemisphere to that of the Sun and is in a nocturnal/feminine sign. Lilly considered it more important for a nocturnal planet to be beneath the earth at night, but this would place it in the same hemisphere as the Sun which denies the more ancient principles of sect. See 'sect' and p.36.

Heliacal rising/setting

- ancient astrologers gave particular

emphasis to the heliacal rising and setting of stars since these could be used as reliable indicators to agricultural conditions. A

heliacal

setting occurs when a planet or star enters into conjunction with the Sun. The increasing proximity of the Sun towards the star each day eventually leads to a period of invisibility, during which it is masked by the Sun's light (see 'combust'). Its setting is the moment when it is visible for the last time immediately after sunset. It then rises and sets with the Sun, remaining hidden from sight both day and night. When the Sun has separated from the star by somewhere between 820 degrees of zodiacal longitude the star begins to emerge, briefly, immediately before sunrise - its first brief appearance being known as its

heliacal rising.

Horary astrology -

the branch of astrology that offers a detailed

exploration of a particular query using a chart drawn for the time that the astrologer understands the full implications of the client's concern. The verbalisation of the question is seen as a moment of

Appendix A

133

physical manifestation of the problem, which can be used to explore its potential in the same way that a birth chart can explore the potential of a human life. (From the Latin horarius, 'of the nature of the hour'). when people speak about the horizon generally, they mean the small circle of the visible horizon where the earth joins the sky; but in astrological calculation we refer to the celestial (or rational) horizon - a great circle which cuts through the centre of the earth and is always perpendicular to the zenith and nadir. This divides the chart into the upper (diurnal) and lower (nocturnal) hemispheres.

Horizon

-

Horoscope - a term generally used to refer to the chart as a whole, but anciently used to mean the ascendant or first house.

Hour circles - 15° divisions of right ascension (measurement along the equator), the passage of which across any meridian equates to one hour of time (since the whole sphere rotates 360° in a day and 360124 = 15).

House of joy - the house where each of the traditional planets is

assumed especially strong: J) 3rd house; � 1st house; '¥ 5th house; 0 9th house; o 6th house; 2i 1 1th house; ti 12th house. See p.xxiv. -

-

-

-

-

-

-

Humane signs - those represented by human figures: n:

TIP �

::::::

(Libra is included on the assumption that the scales are held by a human hand). They are renowned for their social graces and intellectual skills. Also referred to as 'manly' or 'courteous' signs.

Humours - the four humours are Sanguine, choleric, phlegmatic and melancholic. Each is related to one of the four administering virtues of the body - blood, yellow bile, phlegm and black bile respectively - whose relative proportions were used in ancient and medieval physiology to determine a person's natural disposition and general health. They are associated with the elements and seasonal influences - see individual terms: 'sanguine', 'choleric', 'phlegmatic' and 'melancholic'.

134

The Houses: Temples of the Sky

lmum caelum {IC) - the Latin term for 'lowest heaven'; hence the abbreviation: IC. The degree of the ecliptic (zodiac) that reaches its lowest declination beneath the earth (due north in the northern hemisphere; due south in the southern hemisphere). In quadrant systems of house division it denotes the 4th house cusp. Not to be confused with the nadir.

Inconjunct aspect - traditional term for the quincunx aspect (planets that are 1.50° apart}. It conveys a sense of being disconnected -

gree were said to be unable to

anciently planets separated by this de

make a relationship because signs cannot behold (aspect} others that are five signs ahead or behind them.

Inferior/superior planets

- the 'superiors' are the planets which

were traditionally conceived to be placed above the sphere of the Sun: Mars,Jupiter and Saturn; the 'inferiors' those which fall beneath its sphere: Moon, Mercury, and Venus. Modern definitions say inferiors are those whose orbits fall within that of the Earth, superiors those outside of it, which amounts to the same result but misses the point about the Sun being a central factor. The outer planets are included in modem definitions but fall outside the traditional notion of 'superior­ ity' because of their limited signification. It is a principle of traditional astrology that the heavier, superior planets are less subject to the det­ rimental influences of the lighter, inferior planets, but the inferior planets are readily susceptible to the influences of the superiors.

Intercepted signs - the full enclosure of a sign within a house that has two other signs on cusps - for example, if the 2nd house cusp is at 23° Aquarius, and the 3rd house cusp at 6° Aries, Pisces is intercepted within the 2nd house and any planets in Pisces may be described as being within an intercepted sign. Modern authors have suggested that planets in intercepted signs are weakened or in some way confined, though this view does not appear to be supported in traditional texts.

Luminary{ies)

- Sun or Moon, so called because they illuminate

the sky. Also known as 'the lights'.

Appendix A

135

also known as 'infortunes', these are planets that are judged capable of afflicting a positive outcome. Under normal circumstances Saturn and Mars are considered naturally malefic because of their intemperate natures, (Saturn is traditionally known as the 'Greater Malefic' and Mars as the 'Lesser Malefic'). Many traditional texts also consider the south node to be representative of decrease and therefore term it a malefic. The outer planets - Uranus, Neptune and Pluto - also tend to be considered malefic in their influence. See 'benefic planets'.

Malefic planets

Malevolents

-

- another term for malefic planets (see above).

in many ways the polarities of masculinity and femininity are similar to those of sect (diurnal/nocturnal); masculinity representing the active, solar principle, and femininity representing the passive (or receptive) lunar principle. But diurnal/ nocturnal definitions seem to be more dependent upon the generation of heat (diurnal) or lack of it (nocturnal), whilst the masculine/ feminine definitions are more dependent upon dryness (masculinity) or moisture (femininity). It may be that both divisions arose as . alternate ways to describe the same essential polarisation that modern astrologers prefer to label 'positive or negative'. The masculine/ feminine definitions are also heavily dependent upon Pythagorean numerological principles, where all the masculine signs, (which are also the diurnal ones), are the odd numbered ones; and all the feminine signs (which are also the nocturnal ones) are even numbered. The masculine planets are the Sun and the superiors: 0 cf 2j. ft; the feminine planets are the inferiors: .» 9 ; with � being common to both genders. The distinction may be partly based upon the way that the planets emerge from conjunction with the Sun - the superiors always emerge on the right hand side, the Moon always on the left, with Venus and Mercury able to emerge on either side. See 'diurnal', 'occidental', 'dexter' and 'sect'. Masculine/feminine

-

one of the four humours, related to the season of winter and the element of earth. It denotes a cold and dry temperament and the word 'melancholic' is often used to describe

Melancholic

-

136

The Houses: Temples of the Sky

someone who is slow to respond to passions, profound in thought, with a serious (often pessimistic) outlook which inclines towards depression and introversion. In physiology the melancholic humour is traditionally reputed to be seated in black bile (faeces), which supports the principle of retention by the function of compression.

Meridian - the imaginary line passing through the celestial poles and the observer's zenith and nadir, dividing the sky into east and west; a celestial equivalent of terrestrial longitude (from the Latin dle', and

diem, 'day',

mer� 'mid-

because the Sun crosses the meridian at noon).

Midheaven (MC) - the degree of the ecliptic (zodiac) that culminates above the earth (this occurs due south in the northern hemisphere;

due north in the southern hemisphere). In quadrant systems of house division it denotes the 10th house cusp. The Latin term was

caelum,

'middle heaven'; hence the abbreviation:

MC.

medium

Not

to

be

confused with the zenith.

Mundane - in general terms: 'earthly', 'elemental', 'relating to the earth'.

Mundane astrology - the branch of astrology dealing with influences affecting nations, collective experiences, weather, political leaders, historical trends and world events. Also known as political astrology.

Nadir - the point directly beneath an observer (opposite to the zenith} which is always perpendicular to the celestial horizon.

Nocturnal - see 'diurnal/nocturnal'. Nocturnal hemisphere

-

the hemisphere beneath the horizon,

comprising the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th houses. See p.xix.

Nocturnal sect - see 'sect'. Nodes: north or south -

the north and south nodes indicate the

points in the zodiac where the plane of the Moon's orbit intersects the plane of the ecliptic. These are sensitive areas where eclipses occur.

Occident/orient -

'occident' is from the Latin term for the west,

originally meaning 'falling', 'setting' or 'perishing' (as in sunset) ;

'.

Appendix A

J 37

'orient' is from the Latin term for the east, originally from oriens meaning 'rising' or 'emerging', (as in sunrise).

Occidental/oriental - with regards to the houses or the angles, occidental means 'western' and oriental means 'eastern'. Also, if a planet is described as 'oriental in the figure', it means that it is located near the ascendant which is the eastern angle, whilst 'occidental in the figure', means that it is located near the descendant which is the western angle. When applied to planets or stars however, occidental means 'setting into the Sun' and oriental means 'rising from the Sun', relating to the original basis of the terms by which they are associated with the cycles of growth and decay (see above). The usual definition is that an oriental planet is one which rises before the Sun; whereas an occidental planet is one that rises after it. {When the superior planets are thus defined as oriental they are beginning a new solar cycle, having recently emerged in their heliacal rising, and are considered dignified; this is not necessarily the case for Mercury, Venus and is never the case for the Moon which emerges from the Sun on the left hand side, which is why these planets do not gain dignity by being oriental). the western/setting hemisphere, incorporating the 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th houses. See p.xx.

Occidental hemisphere

-

the quadrant of the chart that falls beneath the western horizon, incorporating the 4th, 5th and 6th houses. Also known as the phlegmatic quarter - see p.xxii.

Occidental quarter

Orient

-

-

see 'occident/ orient'.

Oriental - see 'occidental'. Oriental hemisphere - the eastern/rising hemisphere, incorporating the 4th, 3rd, 2nd, 1st, 12th, and 1 1 th houses. See p.xx. the quadrant of the chart that rises from the eastern horizon, incorporating the 1st, 12th and 1 1th houses. Also known as the sanguine quarter - see p.xxi.

Oriental quarter

-

138

The Houses: Temples of che Sky

Phlegmatic - one of the four humours, related to the season of autumn and the element of water. It denotes a cold and moist temperament and the word 'phlegmatic' is often used

to

describe

someone who is emotionally sensitive, lacking in active motivation, therefore sluggish in responses and often having a weak constitution. In physiology the phlegmatic humour is traditionally reputed to be seated in phlegm, which creates slipperiness to support the principle of ejection and elimination of processed waste.

Planetary hours - equal divisions

of the periods between sunrise

and sunset which results in hours that are usually more or less than 60 minutes. Each is associated with a planet which acts as a general ruler for the concerns of that time. See Appendix

B for more details

and instruction on how planetary hours are calculated.

Primary motion

-

see 'diurnal motion/revolution'.

Prime meridian - the imaginary line passing through the celestial poles and the equinoxes (where the ecliptic and equator intersect); correspond­ ing to the line of longitude that passes through Greenwich, England, which defines the zero point for terrestrial and celestial longitude.

Prime vertical

-

the great circle that passes through the east and

west points of the horizon, and the zenith and nadir {points directly overhead and below).

Proportional houses

-

this refers to a style of chart wheel, sometimes

known as an 'unequal wheel'. It places the planets and houses against a 360° wheel, allowing the span of each house to be unequal (and therefore having the disadvantage of bunching up collections of planets) but allows aspects to be read with ease. The alternative makes each house the same size and allows an easy identification of a planet's house position, but aspects between the planets are less easy to identify as zodiacal measurement is distorted.

Quarters/Quadrants -

the division of the celestial sphere by the

horizon and meridian to give four quarters between each of the four angles. See p.xxi.

Appendix A

Quadrant systems

-

139

methods of house division that associate the

ascendant with the cusp of the 1st house, the MC with the cusp of the 10th house, the descendant with the cusp of the 7th house and the IC with the cusp of the 4th house, and then seek an equal division of the quadrants between. The equal house system is not a quadrant system, and so the MC does not necessarily denote the cusp of the 10th house.

Querent

-

the person asking the question in a horary chart.

Radical chart

-

the source chart from which derived houses or

progressions are obtained. In charts that use 'turned houses' (as in horary), references to the 'radical house' relate to the normal flow of houses, which ties the 1st house to the ascendant. So the radical 10th house is the normal 10th house of the horary, which falls on the midheaven, although this might be used as the 'turned 4th house' for a partner. The term derives from the Latin

radix, meaning 'root'.

In

traditional texts dealing with natal astrology, the birth chart is also frequently referred to as the 'radix chart'.

Receiving

-

to accept the influence of another planet by aspect or

reception (see below).

Reception

-

when a planet aspects its dispositor by sign, exaltation,

or two of the minor dignities, the ruler of the dignity gives that planet a reception. For example, if Venus in Aries aspects Mars, Mars 'receives' Venus into his sign of rulership and therefore gives her a reception. To be received, or to be given a reception, allows strength to pass from the ruler to the receiving planet: Venus can take advantage of what Mars has to offer and need be less fearful of his destructive potential, as he will safeguard her interests whilst she is under his protection.

Mutual reception

is where two planets

simultaneously receive each other, eg.: Venus in Leo with the Sun in Taurus {both receive each other by sign) ; or Moon in Pisces and Jupiter in Taurus (Moon receivesJupiter by exaltation,Jupiter receives Moon by sign). This suggests mutual satisfaction for both parties.

Sanguine

-

one of the four humours, related to the season of spring

and the element of air. It denotes a warm and moist temperament

The Houses: Temples of the Sky

140

and the word 'sanguine' is often used to describe someone who is easy-going, well balanced, optimistic and cheerful; being in no way extreme in their reactions. In physiology the sanguine humour is traditionally reputed to be seated in the blood, which disseminates nourishment through the veins to support the principle of digestion.

Sect

-

division of the planets, signs and chart areas into the polarities

of diurnal or nocturnal. The word itself represents division {as in section), but also implies unification within that division through affiliation and common interest (as in

a religious sect). Of the signs,

those which are masculine are also diurnal: Y n Q � l which are feminine are also nocturnal:

:::::: ;

those

'd Q9 TtP 1Tl.. ;o X . Of the 2j. ft ; those which

traditional planets, those which are diurnal are: 0 are nocturnal are: J)

� o ; Mercury is unique in having no affiliation

to either sect but is usually considered diurnal as a morning star and nocturnal as an evening star {the scheme excludes the outer planets). The alignment of a planet with its proper sect is considered favourable; that is, diurnal planets are more beneficial in diurnal charts and placed in diurnal signs and areas {when they are described as 'in sect'). See 'diurnal/nocturnal', 'hayz' and p.34ff. the things that a planet, sign or house can signify.

Signification

-

Significator

a planet that signifies a particular person, object, event

-

or principle, by its rulership of the sign on the cusp of the house that governs that matter. For example, partners are represented by the 7th house so if the 7th house cusp falls in Leo, the Sun, as the ruler of Leo, signifies the partner and is termed his or her significator.

Sinister

-

see 'dexter/sinister'.

Succedent

-

literally 'following'; the succedent houses are those

which follow the angles and which, by diurnal revolution, will succeed to their positions: the 2nd, 5th, 8th and 1 1 th houses. Considered to be positions of intermediate strength.

Superior planets

-

see 'inferior/superior' planets.

J

Appendix A

Terms - otherwise known as 'limits' or 'bounds', terms are divisions within each sign that are ruled by the planets, as shown in the table on p.145. Various lists existed in antiquity, most excluded the lights from participating in the rulership; that proposed by Ptolemy remains in popular use. When a planet is in its own terms it is dignified. Term rulers modify the effects of the planets within their territory and also offer descriptive influence - for example the term of the ascendant ruler is considered when judging physical descriptions.

Translation of light/transference

!

!

I I

of

virtue

-

occurs when an

inferior planet, whilst still within orb of its last separating aspect, is already within orb of its next aspect. It is then able to convey the influence of the former to the latter and create a connection between them. The term most often applies to the Moon because of its swift movement between the other planets, and it is often used in practical interpretation to suggest the relaying of a message or the influence of a 'go-between'.

Triplicities

- the arrangement of signs into four groups that are

united by the same qualities and the shape of the triangle; equivalent to the elements: fire, earth, air and water. Signs of the same triplicity are harmonious to each other. Early sources gave each triplicity three planetary rulers: one that took priority by day, another that governed by night, and a third that was common

to

both sects - these were

also used to judge the beginning, middle and end of things. Over time the third ruler became dropped from common employment and most texts refer to them having one planetary ruler by day and another by night, as demonstrated in the table on p.145.

}! i

141

Turning the chart - a technique ,

largely employed in horary and

known to have been used by Ptolemy. In this, closer examination of any area of the chart is undertaken by redefining all the houses from a specific house cusp. For example, if someone asks about the affairs of a brother, the 3rd house of their chart is used as the 1st house for the brother, so that the radical {ie, original) 4th house is used as his 2nd house, the radical 5th is used as his 3rd, and so on. In this case

The Houses: Temples of the Sky

142

the 5th house becomes referred to as the 'turned' or 'derived' 3rd house of the brother.

Under the Earth -

planets beneath the horizon, ie, placed in the

1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th or 6th house, although in the lst house planets are less affected by this condition since by diurnal rotation they are rising towards the ascendant. When a planet is under the earth it is not visible in the sky; thus this condition describes missing objects that cannot be found, motives that cannot be discovered, facts that cannot be brought to light, and a sense 'of being buried (as in missing treasure).

Under the Sun's beams - see 'combust' Via combusta

- generally defined as between 15°

�

and 15° m.

(although differing sources place it at various points from the end of -"'- to the beginning of

TTl. ) The term translates as 'fiery road' or .

'combust way' and it is considered

to

be a hostile and debilitating

area, particularly detrimental to the Moon. The basis of the unfortunate reputation is possibly an early association with malefic stars, such as the claws of the Scorpion; the fact that the Sun is in detriment in Libra (losing its strength at the autumn equinox) ; the Moon is in fall in Scorpio; and the two malefics are powerful (Saturn dignified in Libra by exaltation; Mars dignified by sign in Scorpio). influence, or effective force or power.

Virtue

-

Void

literally 'empty' of influence. The term is especially applied

-

to the Moon when it is out orb of any aspect, and suggests a lack of impetus to move events in any direction.

Void of course

is when a

planet remains out of orb of any aspect for the duration of its movement through its sign.

Zenith

-

the point directly overhead of an observer which is always

perpendicular to the celestial horizon.

Zodiac

- a belt that extends

8 or 9° either side of the ecliptic in

which the Sun, Moon and visible planets remain. (Derives from a Greek term meaning 'circle of figures'). See 'ecliptic'.

APPENDIX B THE PLANETARY HOURS Each day of the week is named after and symbolically associated with one of the seven traditional planets, which assumes astrological rulership of the concerns of that day. No.

Planet

Day

1

Sun

Sunday

2

Moon

Monday

3

Mars

Tuesday (equivalent Scandinavian god Tyr

4

Mercury Wednesday{equivalentScandinavian god Odin -0.E.:

-

0.E.: Tiw)

Thory

5

Jupiter

Thursday (equivalent Scandinavian god

6

Venus

Friday (equivalent Scandinavian god Fri�

7

Saturn

Saturday

Woden)

Many people wrongly assume that the week begins on Monday, but the first official day of the week is Sunday and the seventh Saturday. This is why the Sabbath, which takes its name from Saturn, is still celebrated in Judaism as the day of worship and rest. The ordering of the days of the week is a carefully constructed scheme. The masculine planets - Sun, Mars,Jupiter and Saturn - are linked with the odd numbered days of the week to accord with Pythagorean principles that odd numbers symbolise the masculine properties of being outgoing, active, forceful and direct. Even numbers symbolise the feminine properties of introversion, restoration, subtlety and complexity. (In ancient times the odd numbered days were considered to be more productive of positive action than the even numbered ones, so that 'feminine days' were hardly ever used for religious festivals or public celebrations). The ancient Egyptians were the early pioneers of the calendar we use today. They held religious services at sunrise (Matins), where

144

The Houses: Temples of the Sky

part of the priest's duty was to invoke the planetary deity of the day. This planet was regarded as a kind of celestial guardian for the whole day, with each hour also having its own, secondary, planetary ruler. The period of the 'day' corresponded

to

the period of daylight, so

each new day began at sunrise and ended at sunset, and each night commenced at sunset and ended at sunrise. The planetary ruler of the day always governs the first planetary hour which commences with sunrise: so the Sun always rules the first hour after sunrise on a Sunday, the Moon the first hour after sunrise on a Monday, and so forth. On each subsequent hour, rulership cycles through the seven traditional planets in the following order: )), ft, 21. , o ,

0,