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Vampires, Werewolves, and Shapeshifters: Understanding Maleficence

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Saturn with a Snack

Dark Entries

Vampires and similar supernatural beings are very popular these days. From the TV show True Blood to movies like Cronos and Interview with the Vampire, these fearsome beings continue to probe our imaginations.

Watching True Blood one day, it occurred to me that the powerful trinity of vampires, werewolves, and shapeshifters connects strongly with the astrological malefics.  Viewing malefics this way allows beginners to easily grasp the essential nature of the malefic planets. Furthermore, it fosters and understanding of the term “malefic” itself.  In this article, I ask the beginning student of astrology to imagine Saturn as a vampire, Mars as a werewolf, and Mercury as a shapeshifter.

What does it mean for a planet to be malefic?

In ancient astrology, certain planets were noted as being “malefic”, namely Saturn and Mars. These malefics tended to signify more difficult or extreme things.  Subjectively, they relate to two types of unpleasant emotions: fear (Saturn) and anger (Mars).  Objectively, few matters in life are more unpleasant than those of death, the macabre, and darkness (Saturn) on one hand, and violence, explosiveness, and invasiveness on the other (Mars).

Here we are getting at the heart of the malefics, Saturn and Mars.  Saturn is dark, and slow, but arriving certainly, like death. Saturn signifies matters of death, cold, fear, isolation, depression, rot, doubt, rigidity, poverty, imprisonment, breaking things down to basics, and energy loss. In contrast to the certainty of Saturn’s looming threat, Mars is erratic, wild, and unpredictable. For example, Mars signifies violence, burn, inflammation, violation, anger, competition, sport, conflict, and an overload of energy.

Ptolemy on Benefic and Malefic Planets

Ptolemy, a prominent second century Hellenistic astrologer, best known for his sophisticated geocentric model, differed from the other ancient astrologers in the way he described the planets. He described the basic nature of the planets in terms of the basic Aristotelian qualities of hot/cold and wet/dry.  According to him, Saturn and Mars are malefic because they represent extreme states. Saturn is an extreme cold. Mars is an extreme dryness.  By contrast, Jupiter and Venus are considered benefic because they are temperate and moist (fertile).

Sun, Moon, and Mercury

Glyphs

The Sun and Moon also tend to be more benefic in their symbolism. However, they weren’t regarded as the benefics. The Lights, as they were called, are symbols of power and influence. As such they can signify fortunate or desirable matters.

Mercury is the most neutral planet, being strongly influenced by other planets that connect with it.  In other words, Mercury has a broad range and can change forms quite readily.  However, the Lot (or “Arabic Part”) associated with Mercury in Hellenistic astrology is one that has overwhelmingly negative significations. Therefore, aside from Saturn and Mars, Mercury is viewed as the next most capable of signifying adversity.

Mercury signifies cleverness, intellectualism, commerce, symbols, language, and so forth.  All of these things involve a fair amount of complication and ambiguity. This complication is a ready basis for deceit, manipulation, misunderstanding, and trivial contention. For example, think about con artists and propagandists. They use language and complication to deceive and manipulate.

What does it mean for a malefic to be accidentally benefic?

The identification of Saturn and Mars as malefics, and of Mercury as ambiguous, in no way entails that their significations are just “bad”.  It is recognized that they signify important and powerful facets of life which serve productive purposes.  Additionally, it is recognized in ancient texts that the circumstances of the chart can make Saturn, Mars, and/or Mercury signify positive and fortunate circumstances. However, their more natural signification is of difficulty.

How Malefics Gain Benefic Significations

Different ancient astrologers had their preferred factors that they thought made a planet more benefic or malefic.  In Hellenistic astrology, sect, place, and regard by other planets were commonly at the forefront of such considerations.

Maternus on Sect and Place

Below is Julius Firmicus Maternus (4th Century C.E.), excerpts from Book II, Chapter VII, “The Conditions of the Planets” (p. 38, Mathesis, Bram translation). He emphasized sect and place as factors that affect the benefit or difficulty associated with planets.

On diurnal planets:

Therefore, in diurnal charts, if they are in favorable positions, they indicate good fortune.

On nocturnal planets:

Favorably located in a nocturnal chart they indicate good fortune, unfavorably in a diurnal chart, the greatest evils.

Valens on Sect, Place, and Regard

Vettius Valens (2nd Century C.E.) also noted the important sect and place, as well as the influence of other planets. This excerpt is from Book I, Chapter I, “The Nature of the Stars” (5P, Riley translation).

The benefic stars which are appropriately and favorably situated bring about their effects according to their own nature and the nature of their sign, with the aspects and conjunctions of each star being blended.  If however they are unfavorably situated, they are indicative of reversals.  In the same way even the malefic stars, when they are operative in appropriate places in their own sect, are bestowers of good and indicative of the greatest positions and success; when they are inoperative, they bring about disasters and accusations.

Dignity?

Astrologers of the Medieval and Renaissance periods tended to put more emphasis on sign-based rejoicing conditions. Chief among those was whether a planet was in the sign that was its domicile, exaltation, fall, or detriment (note: detriment was not a distinct concept for the major Hellenistic astrologers).  Eventually, these sign-based considerations became a system of “dignity”, and a weighted system of dignity pointing, which I am highly critical of on empirical grounds.  For instance, I’ve discussed some of the history and problems associated with dignity. Also, I’ve given a poignant empirical show of how misleading the approach is. Therefore, I don’t recommend using so-called dignity by sign to judge whether a planet is made more benefic or malefic.

Qualities and Quantities

Benefic or Malefic?

The factors that make a planet more benefic or malefic in a chart are often referred to as “qualitative” considerations. That is, they affect the quality of the planet, making it indicate along more productive or destructive dimensions. These factors include sect, place, and planetary influence by configuration (regard and rulership). Often, I refer to them as factors that associate the planet with “good” and “bad”, as subjective and judgmental such an outlook may seem.

These factors can be contrasted with those that make a planet stronger or weaker in power and pertain to prominence or pervasiveness. Such factors are more “quantitative”. Additionally, factors such as advancement, stations, and phasis act to accentuate and draw attention to the importance of a planet’s indications.

Mean and Range

A planet is never wholly good or bad. Everyone’s chart will show a unique range of pleasant and unpleasant possibilities associated with any planet. These are ready to manifest at various times, with varying degrees of inevitability. Perhaps they are even affected by the person’s own will and consciousness.  All the same, when Saturn, Mars, or Mercury signify positive things, they will still do so with a sense of their own nature. Saturn may show success through control, discipline, fear, and difficulty. Mars may indicate it through atheleticism, competitiveness, and sheer drive.  Saturn can show a certainty fortified against negative possibilities. Mars can show a courage that can surmount the most difficult of obstacles.

The public image of the malefics

The malefics have been ostracized. We may even try to ignore them out of existence. By this I mean that we tend to view horrible things that happen in this world, such as genocide and plagues, as against the natural or spiritual order. However, ancient astrology has a language that encompasses the full good and bad, pleasantness and unpleasantness, of this world. Try as we may, we can’t ignore the fact that murder, violence, war, death, disease, oppression, poverty, and deception exist in the world. Clearly, they are natural elements of our existential reality.

Furthermore, we can’t ignore the human tendency to ostracize these things and to hate them. We view them as abominations, as existential errors, caused by an original sin, a flaw in the system, an indication that God doesn’t exist, or the work of a devil.  In other words, on a fundamental level we view certain categories of things as naturally malefic, evil, devilish, or bad. At the very least they are unpleasant, undesirable, and challenging.

Dark Supernaturals

The supernatural creatures of vampires, werewolves, and shapeshifters strike a chord. They help us to understand the malefics. I particularly like their representation in True Blood. In that show they are part of nature but fashioned to feared and dangerous extremes. Furthermore, they are ostracized and pushed into a hidden world, a sub-conscious realm.  Similarly, malefics can signify things that the individual may be comfortable with but which society doesn’t accept or approve of.  The depiction of the vampires, werewolves, and shapeshifters in True Blood really resonates with the spirit of Saturn, Mars, and Mercury in traditional astrology. Such mythological personifications help flesh out these forces. Or perhaps these forces flesh themselves out in our mythologies? Importantly, they give us insight into the more extreme and super-natural aspects of being human.

Saturn the Vampire

Vampires are dark, cold, and dead, like Saturn. Vampires and Saturn are about the dark side of things, about fear and the macabre. They exploit the limitations, vibrancy, and uncertainty of life. The key concept with both vampires and Saturn is the idea of sucking the life out of something. They need to control out of fear of the unknown and an identification with the dark.

Ironically, Saturn is of the diurnal sect, fitting in with the more respectable and principled order of day time. Saturn is made tamer and less malefic by day.  However, like a vampire, Saturn becomes the most dangerous by night. Saturn is in touch with the past, with history and tradition, the soil, real estate. In other words, Saturn is less alive, but more certain, and more tangible. Furthermore, there is a dark cynical humor behind the knowledge that there’s nothing new under the Sun, and everything will die and be lost.

Mars the Werewolf

I particularly like the portrayal of the werewolves in True Blood.  The werewolf is presented as rough, naive, instinctual, aggressive, and lacking manners. By contrast, the refined vampire is desensitized and matured to a controlled extreme. Similarly, Saturn’s temperament, like that of the vampire, has been characterized as melancholic. By contrast, that of Mars, like the werewolf, is choleric.

Mars is of the nocturnal sect, led by the Moon. Mars seems more animal-like, connected with the hunt and predation. We all know Mars types who like machismo, sharp objects, dangerous things, getting their hands dirty, and hanging out with their “pack”.  Mars rules over the gangs and bikers of the world. Werewolves hunt in their packs, where violent initiation is the norm.  They are not particularly “bright” but they have strong instincts and reflexes. Werewolves involve themselves in work with sharp or dangerous things. They enjoy working with tools and affecting material things whether by building them or blowing them up.

Mercury the Shapeshifter

Less ostracized than the more malefic vampire and werewolf, the shapeshifter is still a source of suspicion. Mercury’s involvement with intellectualism and commerce is not without controversy.  Furthermore, stereotypes ostracizing intellectuals and businessmen abound. For instance, we see this in the extreme in racist views of the Jewish people from their associations with money lending in Renaissance Christian Europe.

Where there is cleverness and complexity one fears a deceptive trickster may be at hand, especially if money is involved. Additionally, Mercury is associated with theft and con artistry in ancient astrology. Interestingly, we see these themes play out in True Blood with Sam, the shapeshifter. He is the major local business owner and previously he was a thief. Furthermore, he has a brother shapeshifter who is a thief and a liar.  Mercury, like the shapeshifter, can be a bit too clever for his own good.  Mercury is both the magician, as well as the trickster.  The portrayals of the shapeshifters in True Blood bring out these qualities of the planet.

Your Opinion

What mythological creatures, gods, or spirits do you most readily associate with Saturn, Mars, and Mercury?  What about the other planets? I’d love to hear your opinions in the comments.

References

Maternus, J. F. (1972). Mathesis: A fourth-century astrological treatise. (J. R. Bram, Trans.). NY, NY: New York University.

Valens, V. (2010). Anthologies. (M. Riley, Trans.) (Online PDF.). World Wide Web: Mark Riley. Retrieved from http://www.csus.edu/indiv/r/rileymt/Vettius%20Valens%20entire.pdf
Featured image is cropped from Saturn Devouring His Children by Jan van Kessel the Elder (circa 1660) which is in the public domain.

Astrology of Religion, Atheism, and Belief | 1. Introduction and James Randi

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An Astrology of Religion and Atheism

Is there an astrology of religion? Can we look at a birth chart and tell if or when someone will come to believe in God or the supernatural? In this series, I critically ask that question by looking at the charts of more extreme cases (religious figures and outspoken atheists) using the basic symbolic tools of ancient astrology.

Please note that I’m not starting a series of posts on skeptics and atheists to in any way belittle them or marginalize them.  This is simply an important and interesting area of traditional astrological inquiry.  I’m not an atheist myself, but I do consider myself to be a skeptic. I’m certainly a critical thinker with a high regard for rationalism, empiricism, and falsifiability.  While I’m not an atheist, I think theirs is a perfectly acceptable point of view. Does astrology entail theism?  I’m not completely sure.  There may be means of explaining astrology non-theistically.

The Rules of the Game: Ingredients

In this post, I just want to highlight a few features of the chart very quickly that would pertain to skepticism, dislike of spirituality, or bad experiences with religion.  I may delve into some traditional special techniques for such things in subsequent posts, but here I just want to look at a few major general factors.

The factors I’ll look at are:

  1. Jupiter, natural significator of religion.
  2. 9th Place, house of God and religion.
  3. Mercury, natural significator of rationality and critical thought.
  4. Saturn, natural significator of doubt, fear, challenge, and rot.

Additionally, we will look at the rising sign (1st house) as symbolic of the self or individual in the chart.

Ancient Astrologers on these 4 Factors

Jupiter

Of the seven traditional planets, Jupiter is most strongly associated with religious faith and spiritual experience.

The nature of Jupiter is hot, moist, airy, and temperate. And he signifies the nutritive soul and life and ensouled bodies. […] And he signifies the wise and doctors of the law and just judges, and firmness and wisdom and intellect and the interpretation of dreams, truth and divine reverence, faith and the teaching of the law, religion, and the veneration and fear of God, charity, piety, also the unity of faith and its foresight, and the fitness of morals and responsibility. (Abu Ma’shar, Great Introduction to the Science of the Stars, Dykes trans., 2010, VII.9.1425-54, p. 240)

The Ninth House

The ninth house is called God. […] It signifies all things concerning the gods and kings and foreigners and dreams and religious observations. […] The good [stars] being in this house make good fortune in foreign places and pious persons and righteous in religious observance, especially if the ruler of the house is also well situated and in its own domicile or exaltation and not aspected by malefics. (Rhetorius, Holden trans., 2009, Ch. 57, p. 87)

The ninth house was called God. It was strongly associated with religious observation, astrology, and philosophy (love of wisdom) since ancient times.

IX Friendship, travel, benefits from foreigners, God, king, magnates, astrology, oracles, appearances of the gods, mystic and occult matters, associations. (Valens, Riley trans., 2010, Book IV, Ch. 12, p. 80)

Mercury

Mercury has a diverse set of significations, but most of them pertain to analysis, rationality, and communication. In the ancient world, one often performed such tasks through the church, so Mercury was often associated with religion also, but Mercury’s nature was known to be amoral and connected to its planetary influences.

Mercury bends with his nature toward the one who is complected to him […] And he signifies divinity and the oracles of prophets, sense and reason, speech and conversations and stories and the committing of them to memory. Also wisdom, belief and the beauty of learning, sharpness of character. And intellect and literature and philosophy and a gift of knowledge, also arithmetic and geometry and the measure of higher and terrestrial things. (Abu Ma’shar, Great Introduction to the Science of the Stars, Dykes trans., 2010, VII.9.1541-80, p. 257-258)

Saturn

Saturn is not often explicitly connected with doubt in ancient texts. However, the overall nature is one of difficulty, challenge, and tangibility so doubt is a natural reading in connection with matters of belief.

Saturn also causes humblings, sluggishness, unemployment, obstacles in business, interminable lawsuits, subversion of business, secrets, imprisonment, chains, griefs, accusations, tears, bereavement, capture, exposures of children.  (Valens, Riley trans., 2010, Book I, Ch. 1, p. 1)

The First House

And so, the domicile occupying the rising [place] is called the horoscope; the effect of this [is] over the body and life of a man itself, and all his undertakings.  (Abu Ma’shar, The Abbreviation of the Introduction to Astrology, Book I, 109, Dykes trans., 2010, p. 71)

The first place (rising sign) is the symbol of the individual in the chart.

I the Ascendant, life, steering-oar, body, breath. (Valens, Anthologies, Book IV, Ch. 12, The Names of the Twelve Places, Riley trans., 2010, p. 80)

Strength, Weakness, Beneficence

These will be analyzed in terms of strength/weakness and benefic/malefic tendencies. All of the factors considered here are explained in the lessons on ancient astrology which are available on this site.

Strength

I will consider the following as major considerations showing a strength of a planet:

  1. Strongly Advancing (approaching the angles of the chart, i.e the Asc, MC, Dsc, or IC of the chart, within 15*) and to a lesser extent Advancing (more than 1/3 zodiacal travel from one angle to the next).
  2. Stationing Direct (the planet turns from retrograde motion to direct within 7 days of the birth).
  3. Being In Phasis (the planet moves into or out from the beams of the Sun, standardized to 15* from the center of the Sun, within 7 days of birth).
  4. Being in a Stake of the Chart (the planet is in the 1st, 10th, 7th, or 4th place, i.e. the Ascendant or the signs 4, 7, or 10 signs from the Ascendant counted inclusively, e.g. a chart with Scorpio rising has Scorpio, Leo, Taurus, and Aquarius as “stakes”).
Weakness

I will consider the following as major considerations showing a weakness of a planet:

  1. Retreating (planet has passed an angle by more than 5* but is not yet 1/3 of the way to the next angle).
  2. Stationing Retrograde (the planet turns from direct motion to retrograde within 7 days of the birth).
  3. Combust (planet is within about 8* of the Sun at birth and is not in phasis).
  4. Being in a Cadent Place (the planet is in the 6th, 12th, 3rd, or 9th place counted inclusively from the 1st place/rising sign).
Beneficence

I will consider the following major indications of beneficence:

  1. Naturally of a benefic nature (Jupiter, Venus, and to a lesser extent the Moon and Sun).
  2. In Sect (if the Sun is above the horizon, i.e. a diurnal chart, then the Sun, Jupiter, and Saturn are in sect; if the chart is nocturnal, then the Moon, Venus, and Mars are in sect; Mercury is of the diurnal sect when rising before the Sun, or nocturnal if rising after the Sun).
  3. In a Good Place (in order from best to not as good, 1st, 11th, 5th, 10th, 9th, 7th, 4th).
  4. With Jupiter or Venus (in the same sign) or regarded by Jupiter or Venus from the right side (i.e. a benefic is in a sign sextile, square, or trine from behind the sign containing the planet under consideration).
Maleficence

I will consider the following major considerations to show maleficence:

  1. Naturally of a malefic nature (Saturn and Mars).
  2. Out of Sect (i.e. if diurnal, then Moon, Venus, Mars out of sect; if nocturnal, then Sun, Jupiter, Saturn out of sect; Mercury as determined by rule above).
  3. In a Bad Place (in order from worst, 6th, 12th, 8th).
  4. With Mars or Saturn (in the same sign) or regarded by Mars or Saturn from the right side, or by an opposition, or within 3* (i.e. scrutinizing).

The Rules of the Game: Recipes

Our initial hypotheses are as follows:

  1. Jupiter and the 9th are significant for religious matters, so if they are weak then religion/theism is likely to be weakened in the person’s life and if they are made malefic then religion/theism is likely to be seen as “bad” in the person’s life.  For Jupiter, this is as illustrated above, but for the 9th, this means a planet made malefic in the 9th or to a lesser extent a malefic that regards the place by square or opposition), as well as the condition of the ruler of the 9th.
  2. Mercury and Saturn signify rationality and doubt/fear respectively, so the stronger they are, the more pervasive their effect in the life.  The more malefic they are, the more they are geared to destruction, attack, and controversy, and the more malefic they make the things they are associated with.

James Randi

I have some measure of respect for James Randi, as I don’t like con artists, especially new age ones, and he works to expose such people.

Randi was also kind enough to give astrologers his birth time (though many have met it with skepticism, giving it a C Rodden Rating on that basis alone, even though other first-hand reports from birth certificates would get an A rating).  I’ll take his birth information at face value.

James Randi’s Birth Chart

Randi’s Chart Analyzed in Brief

Jupiter

Extremely weak

Jupiter has none of the major strength considerations, and in fact is extremely weak It is retreating and cadent (in the 12th place, Taurus).

Made malefic

While Jupiter is naturally benefic, that is its only signification of beneficence. It is in fact made malefic by being out of sect, in a bad place, and assembled with the malefic, Mars.

Notes on Jupiter

Our initial expectation from Jupiter is that expansive spirituality and positivism is weak in his life and associated with bad things. Jupiter is associated with aggression and victimization (Mars), as well as loss, betrayal, and deception (12th place).

9th Place

Fairly strong and Saturnine

The 9th, Aquarius, is not occupied by any planets. Its ruler, Saturn, is Strongly Advancing in a stake of the chart, which makes the place more prominent in this person’s life.  The 9th signifies religion but also the seeking of higher wisdom in general. When the 9th is strong, a person tends to be a truth seeker. When Saturnine, they tend away from spirituality due to a strong dose of doubt and fear associated with spirituality and religion. Their doubt or various obstructions may hold them back from achievement in higher ed.  In any case, this shows more prominence for matters of belief in this person’s life than Jupiter did, and it is showing particularly that a strong doubt and obstruction of belief is prominent and pervasive in this person’s life.

Somewhat malefic

Saturn rules the 9th place and Saturn is malefic as will be discussed in the Saturn analysis.  Additionally, Mars is square to the 9th place from the 12th.  In terms of religion and belief, this signifies a hatred, challenging tendencies, contrariness, and overly critical attitudes.

Notes on the 9th Place

The tendency in the life is towards destruction of 9th place matters and towards their association with bad or difficult things.

Saturn

Very strong

Saturn is Strongly Advancing. In fact, is within 3* of the Descendant, i.e. setting right when the person was born.  Saturn is in the 7th place which is a “stake” of the Ascendant.

Somewhat malefic

Overall, Saturn is malefic.  This is because it is naturally malefic, and here it is also out of sect.  Saturn is not extremely malefic though because it is in a good place and Venus trines it from the right side.  Therefore, Saturn is somewhat mixed in terms of malefic/benefic tendencies. This brings both fortunate and difficult circumstances in the life, at different times and in relation to different matters.  Saturn is also trined by Mercury, the ruler of the 1st place of the self, on the right-hand side. Therefore, Saturn integrates harmoniously into this person’s sense of self and personality.

Notes on Saturn

We expect doubt and/or fear to be a powerful and pervasive influence in this person’s life, integrated with the conception of self, and mixed in terms of pleasant and unpleasant associations.

Mercury

Rather neutral

Mercury is not very strong, nor very weak in the chart.  Mercury is in phasis, but also retreating and cadent.  We say Mercury is more weak than strong. However, it also rules the 1st place of the self, so while not pervasive in the person’s life, it still is prominent in terms of their sense of self, personality, and skill set. Additionally, there are many more minor strength considerations, such as being with the Sun, ruled by the Sun, trine the Moon, and with a very strong ruler.

Somewhat malefic

Mercury is a neutral planet, but is here out of sect, assembled with Venus, and square by both Jupiter and Mars from the right side.  It’s complex, with a broad range of expressions.  Given that it is a strong reflector of the person’s own moral range, we see quite a broad range from good to bad intentions and everything in between. This is always with a showy trickster type of expression due to Mercury’s nature and the strong public emphasis of the Sun.

Notes on Mercury

In short, he’s Mercurial, sometimes for good, sometimes for bad, but he is not a genius when it comes to intellectual and verbal matters.  In other words, Randi is a skeptic (Saturn), not a scientist or intellectual (Mercury) for profession, though he was a magician (dash of Mercury, Venus, and Sun; trickster, art, and publicity; in the house of communications, the 3rd).

Parting Notes

James Randi’s chart illustrates how basic techniques in ancient astrology can shed considerable light on the nature of someone’s belief. In future posts, we will alternate between using these same factors to consistently analyze the charts of both the religious and the anti-religious.

Most people are more mixed in terms of their degrees of belief and doubt than we see with ardent religious figures and outspoken atheists. For such a mixed indication, timing techniques can be used to discover periods of greater belief and greater doubt. Please experiment with this methodology in your own chart and those of people you know. Let me know how it turns out in the comments.

References

Ma’shar, A., & Al-Qabisi. (2010). Introductions to Traditional Astrology. (B. N. Dykes, Trans.). Minneapolis, MN: The Cazimi Press.

Rhetorius of Egypt, & Teucer of Babylon. (2009). Rhetorius the Egyptian. (J. H. Holden, Trans.). Tempe, AZ: American Federation of Astrologers.

Valens, V. (2010). Anthologies. (M. Riley, Trans.) (Online PDF.). World Wide Web: Mark Riley. Retrieved from http://www.csus.edu/indiv/r/rileymt/Vettius%20Valens%20entire.pdf

Image Attributions:

Featured image by ensceptico (IMGP3954) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Dignity: The Biggest Problem with Late Traditional Astrology

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Dignity Pointing in Late Traditional Astrology

One of the most ubiquitous aspects of late traditional astrology is the use of a dignity pointing system. In the typical dignity pointing system, rulers of a position are assigned points in a weighted fashion. The ruler with the most points is the “winner”. Sometimes the winner is called the almuten or al-mubtazz (again from words meaning winner).

Almutens: What’s a Winner?

This winner planet is judged to have the most significant “testimony” among all the planets with “testimony”. In other words, all the rulers have some testimony, i.e. say something. However, the planet with the most testimony says the most important things. The testimony we are referring to is in regards to the matter signified by the specified position. For instance, to examine the Lot of Fortune, we could look at the dignity scores of each of its rulers to determine which planet is the most important one to analyze in relation to the lot.

You can also have winners over many points. In fact, in later medieval astrology it was common to look at which planet had testimony over multiple points in order to judge the “winner” for a specific topic. For instance, one could add up the dignity points for all the rulers of the Sun, Moon, Ascendant, Fortune, and the prenatal syzygy (New or Full Moon). The planet with the greatest dignity points in total over all these powerful positions in the chart could be said to be the overall chart “winner”. This planet would be called the chart ruler or even be said to signify the guardian angel of the individual. Similarly, one could look at the planet with the most dignity over Jupiter, the 2nd place, and Fortune for a “winner” regarding money matters.

Adding It Up

In a typical dignity pointing system, the domicile ruler of a position gets 5 points, the exaltation ruler gets 4 points, the triplicity rulers each get 3 points, the term ruler gets 2 points, and the ruler of the decan gets 1 point. Some astrologers also assigned points for different house positions and the planetary day or hour rulers.

Useless Math

I consider the over-emphasis on dignity to be one of the single biggest corrupting influences degrading astrological accuracy in today’s traditional circles. The related use of weighted dignity pointing systems exacerbates the problem. Here I take a closer look at dignity pointing, and why it should not be used. I also discuss why dignity as a factor should be given much less weight than it currently receives. Issues around “detriment” as a concept, and particularly the treatment of dignity as just that, showing “dignity” (i.e. goodness), are particularly troublesome areas.

Dignity in Traditional Astrology Today

As noted, dignity is used extensively in pointing techniques to find winners. For instance, Abraham Ibn Ezra used a system in which dignity points are combined with house placement points, and points for the planetary day and hour. The winner (i.e. planet with the most total points) is the “chart ruler”. Robert Zoller followed suit in his ebooks and astrological course. Many of today’s traditional astrologers, such as Deborah Houlding of the informative Skyscript website, largely follow William Lilly in their approach. Lilly relied heavily on dignity pointing.

In addition, to the use of dignity pointing for finding a winner over a specific position (i.e. a most relevant planet), it is also used for judging a planet itself. To do this, one looks at the dignity score of a planet in its own position. A planet with a higher score in its own position is viewed as stronger and/or more beneficial, while a lower score makes it less so. Some even view peregrine planets (those with no specific sign dignity) as afflicted or debilitated.

Subtracting?

Astrologers using point systems typically assign negative scores as well. A planet with an overall negative score is viewed as weak and/or more malefic. A negative 4 point value is given to a planet in fall. Fall (i.e. being opposite the sign of exaltation) was considered weakening or indicative of low status categories in Hellenistic astrology. Furthermore, they assign a negative 5 point value to a planet in detriment (i.e. opposite its domicile).

This is interesting as detriment was not used as a weakening condition or negative dignity at all by all of the major figures of Hellenistic astrology. Dorotheus, Ptolemy, Valens, Manilius, Maternus – these astrologers did not use any concept equivalent to detriment. Despite the lack of “detriment” as a significant concept in Hellenistic astrology, astrologers using the point system in this way treat it as the most afflicted position.

Strong or Benefic?

There is confusion in traditional circles as to whether having more dignity in its own position makes a planet stronger, more fortunate, or both. The consensus appears to be that it makes it more fortunate. This is expressed in the term itself. Something “dignified” is more socially acceptable and well composed. However, many astrologers, including Robert Zoller, have implied that it involves both strength and quality. Zoller has taught (in his natal course) that a planet with more dignity is more capable and competent, while a planet with negative dignity is like one who has consumed a substance counter to their own vitality, i.e. like a drunkard. My own position is that ruling its own place just makes a planet reinforced, and thus more prominent and independent (a type of strength).

Origins of Dignity Pointing

The pointing system based on sign dignity is found first in the astrology of very late Persian medieval astrologers. It was carried on by European astrologers of the High Middle Ages and Renaissance, right up through the 17th century astrology of William Lilly and Morinus. It is still leaned on heavily in the traditional community at large.

However, the use of a weighted pointing system for dignity was absent in Hellenistic astrology. Also, early Persian medieval astrologers like Sahl, Masha’allah, and Abu Ali did not use such as system. In fact, according to Benjamin Dykes (Persian Nativities II

, 2010, pp. xiii-xiv) the dignity pointing system may be the invention of a 9th-century Persian astrologer and he may have had a reputation as a con man (Al-‘Anbas).

Among the Hellenistic astrologers, Ptolemy had a technique for discovering a predominant influence over a position. It does not use weighted dignity and it does consider aspect, unlike the typical almuten approaches. Ptolemy’s technique is very different from the later dignity-pointing techniques but may have inspired them. Let’s take a look at it.

Ptolemy’s “Predominator”

A type of dignity pointing is used in Hellenistic astrology but it is very different from that used in late medieval astrology. It is found in Ptolemy’s Tetrabiblos. Ptolemy used a pointing system in which each of the aforementioned dignities gets one equal point, except for decan which is absent. Rather than decan, Ptolemy used planetary regards (often translated as “face”) as another point. Basically, if a planet is in the place or with the planet/lot in the same sign, or is in whole sign aspect to the place/planet/lot, then it gets one point.

Venus as a Predominator in Scorpio

To clarify, any planet that was the domicile, exaltation, triplicity, or term ruler would get one point for each form of rulership. Additionally, any planet regarding a position, would get one point of testimony for that position. For example, take a position in Scorpio in the term of Venus, with Venus regarding the position from Virgo (a sextile). Venus would get one point for triplicity, another for term, and another for regard (3 points total). If Mars does not regard the place then Mars would have only domicile and triplicity (2 points). In such a case, Venus, rather than Mars would be the “predominator” (main ruler) over this position in Scorpio. Ptolemy did not use “detriment” as a concept, so there is no issue here with Venus ruling a position in Scorpio.

Predominators In the Tetrabiblos

Rectification

Ptolemy introduced this “predominator” method in Book 3, Chapter 2 of the Tetrabiblos. The passage is in a rather convoluted method of chart rectification. In that method, you first try to estimate the sign rising by ascensions. Next, you take both luminaries for a conjunctional birth (i.e. a birth after New Moon, before Full Moon) or just the one(s) above the horizon for a preventional birth (i.e. a birth before New Moon), and you find the predominator(s) of it/them by the method discussed. The degree of the predominator is the degree of the Ascendant. There can be more than one predominator. Ptolemy does not explicitly discuss “points” in the passage.

Delineating with Predominators

Ptolemy also used a predominator in a couple additional passages of the Tetrabiblos. He used one to find the “ruler” of a place that most strongly characterizes a position (Book 3, Ch. 3) and to delineate the “quality of the soul” (Book 3, Ch. 13). Only in the passage on finding the position “ruler” does he first explicitly note that a planet with more of the five claims to a place has more say over it.

In the first place, we should examine that place of the zodiac which is pertinent to the specific heading of the geniture which is subject to query; for example, the mid‑heaven, for the query about action, or the place of the sun for the question about the father; then we must observe those planets which have the election of rulership to the place in question by the five ways aforesaid; and if one planet is lord in all these ways, we must assign to him the rulership of that prediction; if two or three, we must assign it to those which have the more claims. (Ptolemy, Tetrabiblos, Book 3, Ch. 13, Robbins trans., p. 112)

The material on personality is less clear. He instructed that Mercury and the Moon are the most relevant factors for the quality of the soul (personality). Furthermore, he advised that planets “dominating” them give important indications. He allowed for more than one planet to dominate the Moon or Mercury at a time.

A Marginal Technique

Ptolemy mentions this predominator technique only a few times, and often rather informally. This suggests that he may have included it as a convenience to emphasize the point that delineation involves looking at rulers and regards. Ptolemy even allows for multiple predominators. This would be contrary to the strict “add-it-up” type of procedure. Unfortunately, an add-it-up approach figures heavily even in the astrology of those who espouse the Ptolemaic approach. For instance, Joseph Crane, in his book Astrological Roots: The Hellenistic Legacy

, used it in his discussion of special techniques for personality and other topics. A better approach would be to more carefully consider the types of aspects and rulerships involved.

A common mistake is to treat of Ptolemy’s methods as typical of Hellenistic astrology. However, Ptolemy was a highly atypical Hellenistic astrologer. In addition to Ptolemy’s odd use of the “predominator”, he also tended not to use Places or Houses for topics and discouraged the use of the lots except Fortune. Additionally, he described planetary nature and the workings of astrology in terms of physical causality through Aristotelian physics. These approaches are at a variance to those other astrologers of the day. Therefore, the predominator method is not only rare in Ptolemy’s work, but Ptolemy is also an odd breed of Hellenistic astrologer.

Why Dignity Pointing is a Problem

There are three reasons why an emphasis on dignity and its pointing leads to bad astrological chart work.

1. Dignity is Misleading

Dignity is misleading. It is easy to spot, and it carries the name “dignity”, implying goodness. However, it is not a sound indication of goodness (for instance, see the charts of Jeffrey Dahmer and Ted Turner). Sign based dignity does not take into account more important factors for judging goodness like sect, place, and planetary aspects.

It is also a relatively weak and general strength consideration. Planets move through signs slowly, so sign based rejoicing conditions hold for long periods of time. In this way, sign-based conditions are more common and less individualized. Rulership of a place can make a planet more prominent and reinforced, but is less particular to the individual than factors such as place, advancement, phasis, and stations.

The one area in which sign rulership is most effective is in examining planetary testimony. However, in this Ptolemy’s approach is more capable. This is because Ptolemy’s approach takes regard and term rulership as significant, while the weighted approach tends to given no weight to regard and little to term.

2. Inaccurate Weighting

The particular weighting system used is contrived. It is inconsistent with the earlier strains of the tradition. For instance, the Hellenistic predominator at least considered the important role played by aspecting planets. It also didn’t put the important rulership by term below that by triplicity. Negative dignity is particularly suspect, as detriment is not a distinct concept of Hellenistic astrology. Furthermore, even the predominator technique was marginal in Hellenistic astrology. The more typical approach was to treat the different rulers as having different manners of connection with the position.

The weighting is also problematic for assessing planetary strength and goodness. Sign-based and place-based rejoicing conditions existed in Hellenistic astrology. However, the sign-based rejoicing conditions had nowhere near the emphasis placed on them in later traditional astrology. For instance, some early medieval astrologers considered Mercury in a mutable sign, such as Gemini or Virgo, to be a bad indication for the intellect. This is in contrast to the view that Mercury’s natural indications become super-powered when it is in domicile. In my own experience, a planet ruling itself is made more prominent and reinforced, but not better.

3. Turns One into a Numb(er) Skull

Astrologers utilizing a weighted point system for dignity tend to become attracted to overly simplistic solutions to complex delineation issues. In terms of analyzing goodness and strength, a planet’s score is often based on only one factor, its sign. However, what about conflicting considerations? Are we acknowledging that some planets have a mix of very positive and very negative associations within the same chart? Being able to differentiate these can help us predict their activation.

Going down this road of numerical cut-and-dry solutions to sticky, complex, even contradictory, life situations, can get us into trouble. Do we add up numbers to find the planet of someone’s guardian angel, based on some spuriously invented 12th century technique? How are we to contact their guardian angel to make sure it is accurate? In the next breath, we may use a different spuriously invented 16th century technique to find the name of the holy guardian angel based on more mathematical derivations. Worse still, we could value talismans more if Jupiter is +8 rather than +6. This is a sad fate to be avoided.

Astrologers going down this road are also likely to see chart work go very wrong quite often. Sadly, there are those who would chalk this up to the subversion of the fundamental archetypal planetary order of the platonic reality by the temporal evils of the age, rather than think critically about their astrology. I’ve met many such “numb skulls”. They do exist and they move astrology further and further away from sense, coherence, critical-thought, and falsifiability. They move astrology closer and closer towards the type of astrology that traditional astrologers so often criticize; an astrology based more on dogmatic assumptions about covert forces than on signs measured against observation.

References

Ptolemy, C. (1940). Ptolemy: Tetrabiblos. (F. E. Robbins, Trans.). Cambridge, MA: Loeb Classical Library. Retrieved from http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Ptolemy/Tetrabiblos/home.html

Update 10/10/2018:

This article was edited and updated in 2018. Some of the improvements include a quote from Ptolemy discussing the use of the predominator and better section headings. For more information on why dignity is misleading, please see my analysis of the charts of Jeffrey Dahmer and Ted Turner.

The Curious Case of Jeffrey Dahmer and Ted Turner

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Is Your Chart Dignified?

The truth is that essential dignity tells you quite little about the “essential dignity” of a planet.

Let us examine the curious case of Jeffrey Dahmer and Ted Turner. Their birth charts strikingly illustrate how misleading essential dignity can be, particularly when it comes to evaluating the “essential dignity” of a planet’s significations.

Behavior Worthy of Respect?

Sign-based dignity is often evaluated as the name would imply, as indicating whether a planet signifies something that is worthy of respect and admiration. For instance, whether a planet’s significations tend to be more stable and fortunate or unstable and unfortunate. Also, whether a planet is signifying people in admired or lofty positions or those with low status.

While this approach makes sense in theory, in practice it is often a poor indicator of “dignity”. Over-reliance on sign-based dignity, often to the exclusion of other more reliable indications, causes many traditional astrologers to strongly mis-read charts.

In another article, I explore in greater depth traditional astrology’s obsession with dignity pointing, almutens, and sign-based indications of fortune/misfortune. This obsession has done more to harm today’s practice of traditional astrology than anything else. First, let’s look at sign-based dignities failings in practice.

Getting Critical

Astrology suffers from cherry-picking and reinterpreting factors in inconsistent ways. This is true of both traditional astrology and modern astrology. In traditional astrology, an astrologer may put most of their emphasis on sign-based dignity for evaluating the good or bad of a signification, but then when confronted with a chart where it doesn’t work, change gears just for that chart and look at a different factor such as sect or house position. In this way, chart factors are interpreted in an inconsistent fashion, in which one “finds the life” in the chart.

There is nothing inherently wrong with finding the life in the chart. When we know something is true, we want to understand how the chart signifies it, so we look for that information in the chart. However, charts are complex with many factors and often contradictory information. More importantly, when we look at a chart blind and have to interpret it, are we just doing so using prevailing assumptions (such as that sign-based dignity signifies dignity) or are we doing so from real experience?

Confirmation Bias

The problem is that experience without critical thinking is simply a process of confirming assumptions in different ways on different charts. George Soros is very successful and his chart is full of sign-based dignity, therefore dignity indicates success, or so it goes. Astrologers seldom ask the hard questions that would enable them to think critically and say this factor is more important than this other factor for this type of signification, and then consistently rank them that way.

Question Received Wisdom with Negative Examples

It takes negative examples to determine whether an approach is really working. Let’s say we assume that by examining dignity we can determine “the dignity” associated with a factor (as in goodness or loftiness). Later, we run across some charts where that assumption leads us to the wrong conclusions. Then we need to adjust our practice and re-interpret sign-based dignity, even if it runs counter to our assumptions or sources. This is the “art” part of astrology and is necessary for improvement.

Clarify Mixed Indications with Extremes

Mixed indications similarly further our practice. Let’s say dignity is not successfully indicating what we thought it was indicating. Now we need to consider some other factors, such as sect and place position (dark place), as well as the influence of malefic planets. Perhaps we didn’t really consider these factors important before. Now we find we must incorporate them into our practice to fill the gaps. Our astrology improves again.

Let’s say we experiment with sect, place, and malefic planet influence. We find that these often do show hardship or harm associated with an indication. If sign-based dignity is a strong indicator of goodness or loftiness, especially when we are talking about a lot of positive dignity, then we would assume that it could mitigate against any extremes shown by these other indications. If it fails to indicate mitigation against extremes, both against negative extremes, and in the case of negative dignity, against positive extremes, then we must conclude that it either has to do with something other than ideas of “dignity” (i.e. has nothing to do with goodness or loftiness) or that it is an exceedingly weak indication of such as to be almost insignificant.

Dahmer

A Life Undignified

Dahmer was exemplary in how undignified the display of aggression, sexuality, depraved mentality, and fear was throughout his adult life. His first kill occurred in response to a male hitchhiker refusing to have sex with him. Later kills were of men and underage boys he lured into abusive sexual relations and then raped, dismembered, raped while dead, etc. He even ate flesh from many of his victims.

His life was a series of failures. He became an alcoholic in his teenage years and was an outcast with few friends. Discharged from the army due to poor performance, he did not associate with any lofty individuals, worked only menial jobs, and was frequently in trouble with the law. When captured after his killing spree, he was imprisoned, where a fellow inmate ended his miserable life.

A Chart Overflowing with Essential Dignity

He just so happened to have been born with a whopping 4 planets in domicile (Mars, Venus, Mercury, Saturn; i.e. the planets of aggression, sexuality, mentality, and fear).  The planets in domicile include the ruler of the Ascendant (Venus) and the almuten of the Ascendant (Saturn).  To most traditional astrologers using a dignity pointing system, Dahmer had an extremely dignified Venus (+8), an extremely dignified Mercury (+8), a very dignified Mars (+5), and a very dignified Saturn (+5). The Sun and Moon were peregrine and only Jupiter was negatively dignified.  In other words, there is an unusually high amount of planetary dignity in Dahmer’s chart.

Jeffrey Dahmer’s Natal Chart

Ted Turner

Billionaire Philanthropist

For those unfamiliar with Ted Turner, he is a billionaire philanthropist and media tycoon. He inherited his father’s billboard business at age 24 and developed a huge media empire, including CNN.  At his worst, he has been known to put his foot in his mouth.

A Detrimental Chart

Poor Ted has 3 planets in detriment, another 1 in fall. Not a single planet in his chart has two forms of minor dignity or one form of major dignity. Turner’s chart is a virtual vacuum of essential dignity.

Ted Turner’s Natal Chart

Dignity and Character

Hellenistic: Ruler of the Ascendant and Mercury

The condition of the ruler of the Ascendant and that of Mercury are typically used as strong indicators of the character and moral disposition (c.f. Masha’alah: On Nativities (Sec. 5); Abu’Ali Al-Khayyat: The Judgment of Nativities (Ch. 5);  Ptolemy: Tetrabiblos (Book 3, Ch. 13).  Ptolemy also looked at Mercury for the mind/reason (i.e. conscious mind) and the Moon for the senses/irrationality (i.e. subconscious mind).

Medieval: Ruler of the Ascendant or a Generally Prominent Planet

For later astrologers like Bonatti (c.f. Treatise 9, Part 3) the ruler of the Ascendant is typically the most important signifier in this matter. The most common alternative is to look at the strongest planets in the chart for this information, particularly planets in the 1st, 10th, or one of the other angles or “stakes” of the chart (c.f. Abu Bakr: On Nativities (Book 2)).

Dahmer’s Character

If essential dignity is the most important factor, or even one of the major factors, in consideration of the good/bad quality of planetary significations, then Dahmer should be of stellar character and moral disposition. Consider that the ruler of the Ascendant is highly dignified in domicile, the exalted ruler of the Ascendant is highly dignified in domicile, Mercury is highly dignified in domicile, and the most angular planet, Mars, is also highly dignified in domicile.

One could argue that other factors might mitigate. However, if dignity is a significant factor, then dignity itself would mitigate against any extremes indicated by those other factors How could those other factors, typically considered minor relative to dignity, significantly diminish Dahmer’s moral greatness, let alone completely subvert it?

The Message

Get out of the Dignity Trap

If you’re learning, or even more importantly, if you’re practicing traditional astrology, then you owe it to yourself and your clients to get out of the essential dignity trap.  Investigate those factors more important to making a planet fortunate or unfortunate in the western tradition.

Look First at Other Strength Factors

Personally, I am against the contrived weighted dignity pointing system accepted as scripture by most traditional astrologers.  I find dignity to be a “STRENGTH” consideration of medium to low level importance. It must be considered relative to advancing/retreating, stationing, phasis/combustion/cazimi, place, and regard by lights.

Ignore Dignity as a Beneficence Indicator

I find sign-based dignity to be insignificant in consideration of planetary beneficence/maleficence (and “dignity” in the dictionary sense). In Hellenistic astrological texts, there is a stress on the fundamental nature of the planet, sect, place, and the influence of other planets for analyzing good/bad quality. Sign-based rejoicing conditions are discussed but are less consistently stressed than sect, place, and planetary influence.

I’d rather have a malefic in fall, in sect, in a good place any day over a malefic in exaltation, out of sect, in a bad place. I actually have a malefic that is exalted but out of sect and in a bad place in my own natal chart. Activations of that exalted planet haven’t been so fun.

Parting Notes

In honing the art of astrology, strong minimal pairs we can at least disprove the effectiveness of certain approaches. This minimal pair provides some of the strongest evidence against the use of dignity for analyzing “dignity”.

Sign-based dignity does not confer or impede significant fortune or positivity in natal charts (nor in other charts). If it did then Dahmer would have lived a life surrounded by admirable and lofty circumstances, while Ted Turner saw lows of depravity. The sooner astrologers downgrade essential dignity to a lesser consideration, the sooner they will move away from mere confirmation-bias and toward the art of astrology.

Note: This article was significantly edited and revised in August of 2018. For more analysis of these two charts see the character analysis article and the analysis with twelfth-parts. A deeper exploration of dignity can be found in this article on dignity scoring. For alternative techniques for assessing strength and beneficence please see the series of lessons.