Finding Twelfth-Parts in your head or with Morinus

Posted on April 29, 2012 by Anthony

What are Twelfth-Parts?

Many of the articles on this site feature the use of twelfth-parts. Those unfamiliar with the twelfth-parts should check out the information I’ve provided on them starting with the introductory article on them. In this article, we look at finding twelfth-part positions in your head and with free software.

If you would like to use free software to find twelfth-parts then please download the Traditional Morinus software program (click to go to download page). It has undergone a number of great updates, including the addition of twelfth-part calculation. Please see the article on the installation of Morinus.

Finding Twelfth-Parts in Your Head

Of course, you can calculate twelfth-parts with pen and paper. It’s simple and was discussed in the introductory article on the twelfth-parts. However, I’d like to highlight some quick and dirty techniques for finding twelfth-part sign positions. Below are my tips. The numbers that I give are where the twelfth-part sign starts, so always think in 2.5 degree segments. Remember that 10 goes from 10°00′ to 12°30′ of that sign.

0 = Same Sign

This is the easiest one to remember. If the planet is in the first 2.5 degrees of any sign, from 0°00′ to 2°30′, then its twelfth-part is in the same sign.

10, 20 = Trine, Same Element/Triplicity

If the position is in the 2.5 degrees following degree 10 or 20 in the sign then it is in the same element. It is in one of the signs trine to that one. 10 is the beginning of the first trine, the one following. 20 is the beginning of the second trine, the one prior. For instance, if the Moon were at 10°30′ Scorpio, then the twelfth-part Moon is in Pisces, the water sign after Scorpio. If it had been at 22°00′ Scorpio, then the twelfth-part Moon would’ve been in Cancer, the water sign before Scorpio.

15 = Opposite Sign

If a planet were at 15° (up to 17°30′) of some sign, its twelfth-part would be in the opposite sign. For instance, you see someone has Jupiter at 16°47′ Cancer. Capricorn is opposite Cancer, so you know that the twelfth-part of Jupiter is in Capricorn.

5°, 25° = Sextile

You see Jupiter at 6°33′ Libra in someone’s chart, but where is it’s twelfth-part? The segment beginning with 5° is the sign that is the sextile after the one occupied. The segment beginning with 25° is the sign that is the sextile before the one occupied. 5 and 25 – easy enough to remember, especially since 25 is 5 squared, and the sextile is of the nature of Venus who makes a five-pointed pentagram figure in her course. Returning to our example, the twelfth-part of Jupiter must be in the following sextile, Sagittarius.

30′ = 6 degrees of a sign for twelfth-part

Let’s return to our example with Jupiter. Jupiter is at 6°33′, and we determined its twelfth-part is in Sagittarius. However, where in Sagittarius? We know that Sagittarius starts at 5° Libra and goes until 7°30′ Libra. Every half degree after 5° is another 6 degrees of Sagittarius, starting from 0°. Jupiter is about 1.5 degrees past 5°, which is 3 time half a degree. Each half a degree is 6 degrees, so 3 times 6 puts Jupiter at about 18 Sagittarius.

For fine-tuning, note that every 5′ of a degree equals 1 degree for twelfth-part positions.

Examples

In order to get you thinking in twelfth-parts and getting acquainted with these rules, let’s work on a few examples.

Kurt Cobain

Kurt Cobain’s Natal Chart

Where is the twelth-part of Kurt Cobain’s Venus, planet of love, artistry, and beauty? Venus is at about 26.5 degrees Pisces. 25 is the magic number here as it is in that 2.5 degree segment after 25. In the rules above I specify that 25 is the preceding sextile. Venus is in the 7th, Pisces, so the twelfth-part is two signs back in the 5th, Capricorn. How many degrees after 25 is 26.5? 1.5 degrees. Each half degree is equivalent to 6 twelfth-part degrees, so the twelfth-part of Venus is 3*6=18 degrees into Capricorn. 18° Capricorn as the position means that Venus is in her own bound and in her Joy (the 5th place of children, creativity, entertainment, and performance is called the Joy of Venus).

Bill Gates

Bill Gates’ Natal Chart

Where is the twelfth-part of Bill Gates’ Mercury, planet of commerce, scholarship, and technology? Mercury is a little more than 16.5 degrees into Libra at 16°36′ Libra. As Mercury is in the 2.5 degree segment after 15, it is 15 that is the magic number here. 15, being half of 30, also puts us halfway around the zodiac from Libra to the sign that is its opposite Aries. What degree of Aries is Mercury’s twelfth-part? Mercury is a little more than 1.5 degrees past 15, and 1.5 is equivalent to three 1/2 degree segment. Again, each 1/2 degree segment equates to 6 degrees, which puts us 18 degrees into Aries. There is an extra 6′ though, and every 5′ is another degree, so it must be at 19° Aries. Therefore, the twelfth-part of Bill Gates’ Mercury is in its own bound in Aries, with the sect light, the Moon, in the 10th house of authority, honors, and profession.

Whitney Houston

Whitney Houston’s Natal Chart

Where is the twelfth-part of Whitney Houston’s Venus? The magic number is 10, as it’s in the 2.5 degree segment after 10° Leo. As mentioned in the rules above, 10 puts is in the next sign of the same element. The next fire sign or first trine is Sagittarius, the 10th house. What degree in Sagittarius? Venus is at 11°12′ Leo, so it is two 1/2 degree segments plus 12′. Each half degree segment gives 6 degrees, bringing us to 12. Then every 5′ segment is a degree, and there are two of them in 12′. This brings us to 14° Sagittarius. Houston’s Venus twelfth-part is in its own bound in the 10th house of authority, honors, and profession.

Dalai Lama

Dalai Lama’s Natal Chart

Where is the twelfth-part of the Dalai Lama’s Jupiter? The Dalai Lama’s Jupiter is in the 2.5 degree segment after 12.5, so it doesn’t fit exactly with any of our rules. However, our rules can lead us right there. 12.5 is one segment after 10, and one before 15, so Jupiter is one sign after the first trine and one sign before the opposition. We can go either way. If thinking in terms of “10, plus one sign”, then we would find Pisces, which is the next water sign after Scorpio, and we would put Jupiter in the next sign, Aries. In terms of “15, minus one sign”, then we would find Taurus, the sign opposite Scorpio, and put Jupiter in the one before it, Aries. In any case the twelfth-part is in Aries. But what degree of Aries? Jupiter is at 13°28′ Scorpio, so it is nearly 1° past 12°30′ Scorpio. Each 30′ equates to 6°, so it is nearly 12° into Aries. 5′ is equivalent to a degree and it is only short by 2′, so it is less than 12°00′ Aries, but by less than a full degree. This puts the twelfth-part of Jupiter at 11° Aries. The twelfth-part of the Dalai Lama’s Jupiter is in the Venus bound in the 10th house of authority, honors, and profession.

Finding Twelfth-Parts in Morinus

Recently, the developers of the free, open-source, astrology program, Traditional Morinus, added twelfth-part capability to the program. Please read the article on basic installation and chart entry in Morinus.

Settings

Once you have Traditional Morinus installed and ready to go, load one of your charts, or the chart that it comes with. Let’s look at its default chart, that of Morinus (Jean-Baptiste Morin), the prolific 17th century French astrologer and mathematician. Then go to the Option menu and Appearance I, or hit SHIFT-A (that is, hold Shift and press A). Click the bullet in front of “Dodecatemoria” to turn on the twelfth-parts, which will appear marked along the outer edge of the wheel.

I also recommend adding the terms (bounds) into the wheel, making the wheel black and white, and thickening up the lines for the angles, as shown below.

A couple other things you can do quickly to set your charts like mine include pressing SHIFT+F6 to switch to whole sign houses, and pressing SHIFT+W to have the Node position be the true position (note: I may have still had the Node at mean position in some examples). Finally, make sure you press SHIFT+U, so that your settings will be saved for the next time you start up the program.

Morinus Twelfth-Parts

Morinus’ Natal Chart with Twelfth-Parts

Look at Morinus! The twelfth-part of Jupiter is right on the Ascendant. The twelfth-part of Mercury is in its own bound in his 10th.

The Example Charts

Below are the charts that I discussed above, but this time with the twelfth-part placements included.

Cobain with Twelfth-Parts

Gates with Twelfth-Parts

Houston with Twelfth-Parts

Dalai Lama with Twelfth-Parts

Have fun and feel free to discuss in the comments!

Featured Image Attribution

Frescoes in the Camera degli Sposi by Andrea Mantegna (1473) (cropped) [Public domain] via Wikimedia Commons.

Astrological Predictive Techniques | Returns | 1. Hellenistic Basics

Posted on March 17, 2012 by Anthony

Returns: What Are They?

A return, also called a revolution, is the arrival of a transiting planet to the same position it held at the time of one’s birth. The solar return, or return of the Sun, occurs approximately at a person’s birthday. It was regarded as a very important event in Hellenistic astrology, the original form of horoscopic astrology. The solar return provides indications of the major events for the year. Similarly, the Moon’s return, or lunar return, can be used for indications regarding the month.

I have personally come to regard solar returns to be one of the most informative and indispensable predictive techniques. In this series of articles, we will start with some Hellenistic basics of return interpretation. Future article may add additional ways of interpreting returns as given by later Hellenistic and medieval astrologers.

The Solar Return as a Set of Transits to the Natal Chart

For the most part, in early Hellenistic astrology, solar returns were not regarded as separate charts in their own right. Rather they were viewed in terms of transits to the natal chart. That is the approach of Dorotheus (1st century CE). In this post, I address Dorotheus-style returns, in which we examine returns as a series of transits about the natal chart. The rules for interpreting returns in Dorotheus do not rely heavily upon exact timing of the return. Therefore, questions of precession and relocation of the return chart are largely irrelevant. To find the transits of the return, we look to “…when the Sun enters the beginning of the minute in which it was on the day of the native’s nativity” (Dorotheus, Book IV, Ch. 1, #4, Pingree trans., 2005, p. 245).

Dorotheus on Returns

Dorotheus of Sidon gave some guidelines and aphorisms for the interpretation of transits “on the day on which that native was born” and “in the turning of the years”. These guidelines can be found in Book IV of his Carmen Astrologicum (#185-233 of Pingree trans.; Ch. 4 of Dykes trans.). His approach focuses on planetary transits into specific natal houses, such as those occupied by certain natal planets.

For a complete understanding of the guidelines given by Dorotheus, I urge the reader to pick up a copy of his work (click image below for best translation). It is essential reading in Hellenistic astrology, and one of the most influential astrological works of all time. Later Persian and European medieval astrology owes a great debt to Dorotheus.

Dorothean Return Guidelines

For the reader’s convenience, I summarize some of his guidelines below. Generally, there are many guidelines that relate to the bad indicated when a return malefic is with, opposed, or square itself or an important natal position. By contrast, there are many good indications pertaining to when a return benefic is with or trine itself or an important natal position. There is even good pertaining to a return benefic dominating (right side square) a natal malefic (see below).

1st Rule: Return Oppositions to Natal Positions Show Difficulties

These are whole sign oppositions of a planet to itself. For instance, if Mars were in Capricorn in the natal chart but in Cancer on the solar return. Note that this configuration is impossible with the return Sun, Mercury, or Venus (except in regards to their twelfth-part positions).

2nd Rule: Transit of Out of Sect Malefic to Natal Sect Light or Benefic is Difficult

This pertains to the out of sect malefic of the natal chart transiting to the sign containing the sect light or sect benefic in the natal chart. For instance, take a person born by day with Sun or Jupiter in Sagittarius. If the solar return Mars is in Sagittarius this would indicate difficulty concerning those placements. From Dorotheus (Book IV, Ch. 1, #188, Pingree trans., 2005): “It is worse for this [native] and more difficult in its maleficence if Mars is reaching the place in which Jupiter or the Sun was by day, or [if] Saturn is reaching the place in which the Moon was by night.”

3rd Rule: Watch Malefic Squares and Oppositions, and Benefic Trines

Overall, it is good when a malefic (Saturn or Mars) is in a whole sign trine to its natal position. It is generally difficult if the malefic is in a whole sign opposition or square to its natal position, particularly if dominating the natal position. It is also good if a return benefic (Jupiter or Venus) is in a dominating position to a natal malefic. If dominating a return malefic, it is also likely to ease the difficulty. Similarly, it is good when the benefics are trine their natal positions. However, it is difficult when the malefics are trine the natal positions of the benefics. For instance, take one with Mars in Gemini. It would be good for Mars to be in Libra or Aquarius at the return. Furthermore, it is especially good if return Venus were in Pisces because that sign is in a dominating position to Gemini.

4th Rule: Watch Transits to Dark Places of the Natal Chart

It is difficult when a return planet is in a place (i.e. house) of the nativity which is bad. This is especially so if it also occupies such a place in the natal chart. According to Dorotheus (Book I, Ch. 5), the best places are the 1st, 10th, 11th, 5th, 7th, 4th, and 9th, in that order. The worst places are the 6th and 12th, while the 8th, 2nd, and 3rd are moderately bad (from worst to least bad).

For instance, take one born with Aquarius rising and Mars in Capricorn. It will be particularly bad if Mars is in Capricorn (natal 12th) or Cancer (natal 6th) in the return. Cancer would be the most difficult as it would also be opposed its natal position (see above). It could also be difficult if Mars is in Virgo (natal 8th), Pisces (natal 2nd), or Aries (natal 3rd). Of those placements, Aries would be more difficult due to the square to the natal position, while Virgo would be least difficult due to the trine to natal position.

5th Rule: The Natal and Return Moon are Particularly Important

The house of the return Moon is a focal area, as are return planets reaching the house occupied by the natal Moon. The Moon is particularly important for health. Overall, the idea is that the return Moon with benefic natal planets shows good things,while with malefic natal planets shows bad things. It is similar when return benefics and malefics reach the place of the natal Moon.

Dorotheus notes many miscellaneous indications for the Moon. The return Moon with natal Mercury shows work pertaining to the signification of natal Mercury. Solar return Moon in natal 1st can show health danger. The solar return Moon in natal 10th shows public events which are good or bad in accordance with influence of benefics and malefics. Return Moon in natal 7th shows success over enemies. Solar return Moon in natal 4th shows secret matters and/or success with writing a will.

Overall, these four whole sign places, also called the angles or stakes of the chart (the 1st, 10th, 7th, and 4th), give indications regarding important life matters. For instance, take one born with Pisces rising and Saturn as the out of sect malefic in the natal 10th (Sagittarius). The Moon transiting in Sagittarius in the return could be indicative of some difficult public event, and even of health problems pertaining to cold or depletion.

6th Rule: Annual Profection of the Ascendant Shows the Most Important Places

The natal and return factors in the sign of the annual profection of the Ascendant are particularly important. The ruler of the annual profection is also highlighted, both in terms of return transits to it and in terms of its solar return placement.

Solar returns were meant to be used with profections as part of a suite of annual predictive techniques. Therefore, the fourth book of Dorotheus explains both profections and solar returns. For example, Dorotheus noted, “If the year reaches the sign in which Saturn was and Saturn is in it or aspects if from trine or quartile [i.e. square] or the seventh [i.e. opposition], then the native will have a bad reputation, and there will reach him folly and injury and hostility from men …” (Book IV, Ch. 1, #23, Pingree trans., 2005).

A Few Examples

For these examples, I’ll be using the free open-source astrological software, Morinus. You can download the traditional version of Morinus here.

I will examine the return by look first at the annual profection and indications related to it from the natal and return, then the impact concerning the angles of the chart and the Lights, especially the Moon. For each example, ignore the numbers on the outside of the chart, as those are for the house positions in the return chart itself, which Dorotheus ignored.

Example 1: 10th House Mars Opposed Natal 4th House Mars

Example 1

Mercury-Saturn and the Profection

Example 1 (above) is the 1958 return of someone born in 1935, and thus is that of someone who has turned 23. Age 23 signals an annual profection of the Ascendant to the 12th place, Gemini, ruled by and natally occupied by Mercury.

Mercury in the return is transiting in the natal 2nd, which is considered one of the bad places. Natally, Mercury is in the 12th, which is considered one of the worst places. Therefore, by rule #4, we are getting the sense that the year could be difficult for this native, relating to Mercurial themes of movement and communication. Furthermore, the out of sect malefic Saturn, is transiting through the 6th of the natal, opposing Mercury. This is difficult in itself given Mercury’s status as lord of the year, but it also emphasizes the natal configuration of Saturn dominating Mercury. Natally, Saturn in IX dominates Mercury, and IX concerns religion and foreign influence. Saturn transiting in the 6th in the return dominates (right-hand square) natal Saturn, exacerbating the maleficence of Saturn (see rule #3).

Influence of Venus

The transit of Venus through the sign of the profection, Gemini, is mixed. She is the sect benefic and has influence upon the lord of the year. Venus provides a positive and protective indication but she is transiting through one of the worst places (the 12th), and occupies a bad place natally (the 2nd). She rules the 4th of land and origins and the 11th of friends and aid, so she connects the native with those themes.

Example 1

4th House Mars and the Angles

Both Jupiter and Mars are transiting in natal angles. Jupiter in the 4th, where natal Mars is, signifies some degree of fortune as concerns land, origins, and workings in secret. However, Mars is opposed to it and opposed to its natal position (see rule #1). This activates the worst of the difficulty signified by Mars in the 4th. With return Mars in the rather public and authority-oriented 10th, it is bringing violence from on high from authority. Additionally, return Mars is in a dominating position to the natal Sun, signifying the threat of violence to the native.

Return Moon in IX with Saturn

The return Moon is in the 9th of foreign influence and religion.It is with natal Saturn, the out of sect malefic. This is a sign of great difficulty and threat. The Moon and the 9th naturally signify journeys, so it suggests a focus on a journey, with great difficulty.

Dalai Lama XIV

Example 1 was the chart of the 14th Dalai Lama (chart rated A for accuracy). The solar return is that which preceded his fleeing his country, Tibet, which he had previously ruled. He fled in fear of his life to his exile in India, amid the spring 1959 Tibetan uprising.

Example 2: 7th House Saturn Opposes Natal 1st House Saturn

Example 2

1st House Profection Ruled by 11th House Jupiter

Example 2 is the chart of someone turning 72, and as 72 is a multiple of 12. Therefore, the annual profection was to the 1st place, Pisces. Pisces is occupied by natal Saturn and ruled by Jupiter. Jupiter, the lord of the profection is returning to its natal position in the 11th. The 11th is Jupiter’ joy and this is a great placement, significant for popularity, friends, aid, and so forth. This person is a movie star and did in fact have a dozen films in the works in the year under consideration.

Saturn, the 1st House Occupant

Deeper inspection reveals that not only is natal Saturn highlighted by the profection to the 1st, but Saturn is also transiting in an angle, the natal 7th, pertaining to partnership and sexuality. Saturn is opposed to its natal position (see rule #1). The natal Sun is additionally dominated by that angular Saturn in the 7th (as is Mercury). Therefore, we find Saturn (constriction, death) in the house of partnership and sexuality (VII) activating the adverse indications for the body (I) and reputation (Sun in X) signified by the natal partile Sun-Saturn square.

Return Mars in the 10th

Looking at other angular factors, we find that return Mars, the out of sect malefic, is in the 10th and actually conjunct the Sun within a degree. Given the affliction of the 1st house and the Sun by both malefics, we are seeing some major indications of danger to the health and reputation.

Example 2

Return Moon

Examining the Moon we find that it is in the 2nd, ruled by Mars. The Moon is opposed to its natal position (see rule #1). It is also in a bad place (2nd) and occupies a bad place in the natal chart (8th). Additionally, in the natal chart she is in the 8th pertaining to death and she is with Mars, the out of sect malefic. Mars (violence) with the Moon (physicality) is a natal indication of bodily harm. The return Moon’s opposition to that configuration while under the rulership of Mars (Scorpio) reinforces the difficult natal indications in that regard. Therefore, we have strong indications of threat to health in the chart.

David Carradine

Example 2 is the chart of David Carradine (chart AA rated for accuracy). His 2008 solar return preceded his death by autoerotic asphyxiation. His manner of death had a particularly damning effect upon the public image he left behind.

Example 3: Out of Sect Saturn Conjoins Natal Sun

Example 3

I will briefly touch on one more chart to emphasize the difficulty of return malefics with Lights. Example 2 had return Mars (out of sect malefic) conjoin the Sect Light (Sun) reflecting Rule 2.

Profections Alone Are Not Enough

Example 3 is the 1994 return of someone born in 1967, thus 27 years of age, in a 4th place profection. From the profection alone, the indications appear to be largely positive. Jupiter is lord of the profection and natally is in its joy in the 11th. However, the solar return reveals a different story. What is striking about the return is the occurrence of a conjunction of transiting Saturn to the Sun within a degree in an angle of the chart. Additionally, Saturn is returning to its natal place and the return Moon is square to natal Saturn (and all the other planets in Pisces).

Kurt Cobain

Example 3 is the chart of Kurt Cobain (rated A for accuracy). The solar return is the one from 1994, which preceded his suicide.

Return Malefic to Natal Light

This theme of a close conjunction between a malefic and a Light occurs with some frequency in returns that precede death, even those by suicide. It can strongly indicate a threat to health, even from one’s own self! For instance, Ilya Zhitomirskiy, one of the founders of the social network Diaspora, had a similar tight Sun-Saturn conjunction in the return preceding his own suicide. I wrote about that configuration at the end of my article on Diaspora.

Conclusion

So far, I’ve only looked at a few solar return examples, and very briefly. From Dorotheus we learn that returns can be significant as a set of transits to the natal chart itself. The natal angles, the Lights, and the annual profection help to guide our way and show which significations are most important. Dorotheus looked at the overall influence of the benefics and malefics. He paid particular attention to the role of sect, house, and aspect in modifying indications for better or worse. Later astrologers would expand on these notions. In the medieval period, the houses and Ascendant of the return itself also came to be important. However, the guidelines laid out by Dorotheus provide us with a solid foundation from which to start our examination of the year from the solar return.

References

Dorotheus of Sidon. (2005). Carmen Astrologicum. (D. Pingree, Trans.). Abingdon, MD: Astrology Center of America.

Image Attribution

The featured image of a Sun symbol (cropped) is by Szabi237 [GFDL or CC BY 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Update 2018

This article was edited for clarity on 12/16/2018. Some additional links were also added at that time including a link to a superior translation of Dorotheus which was published after the original publication of this article.

Astrology of Religion, Atheism, and Belief | 2. Dalai Lama XIV

Posted on November 11, 2011 by Anthony

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. The rules of the game for this analysis can be found in the first article.

In the last article, I looked at a prominent skeptic, James Randi. I will give analyses of very religious people as well, to make sure we’re consistent and are not over-predicting religious doubt. In this article, we look at faith and doubt in the chart of the fourteenth Dalai Lama.

The Dalai Lama

For obvious reasons, religion is an extremely important part of his life. The Dalai Lama has also experienced extreme hardship associated with his own religion. Within his lifetime and reign, he’s seen his country taken over and has had to flee for his life into exile.

The Dalai Lama’s natal chart is below and has been given a Rodden Rating of A.

Dalai Lama’s Natal Chart

The Dalai Lama’s Chart Analyzed in Brief

Jupiter

Very strong

Jupiter is advancing and it is stationing direct in the chart.

Benefic

Jupiter is naturally benefic. It is out of sect but it is regarded on the right side by the sect benefic, Venus. Additionally, Jupiter is in one of the most benefic places, the 5th, and is not regarded by a malefic from the right side.

Notes on Jupiter

Our initial expectation from Jupiter is that expansive spirituality and positivism is a powerful, pervasive, and mostly beneficial force in this person’s life. Jupiter is the exalted ruler of the 1st, and is regarded by both the sect light (the Moon in the 3rd of communications) and the Sun in the 1st. Therefore, spirituality (Jupiter), power (the Lights), and the self are strongly and harmoniously connected. The Sun in the 1st is applying an overcoming trine to Jupiter within 1 degree, so authority/recognition (the Sun) has a powerful impact on the nature of spirituality (Jupiter) in a beneficial way.

9th Place

Very strong and Jupiterian but also directly affected by Saturn

The 9th is occupied by a planet which gives it some increased prominence. Jupiter is the ruler of the 9th, and as analyzed above is very strong. Therefore, 9th place significations are very powerful and pervasive in the life. Jupiter’s effect on the 9th is to align it with loftiness, expansiveness, fortune, and spiritual experience.

Very mixed, overall benefic

The 9th, Pisces, is occupied by Saturn, which connects religion and long distance travel to trying and difficult circumstances. The relationship with religion is consistently tied to challenges and responsibilities. Jupiter is very benefic, so 9th matters are likely to be quite prominent and fortunate despite more direct misfortune. Jupiter regards Saturn by trine from the right-side, which in Hellenistic astrology is called Jupiter “overcoming” Saturn. This is the keynote theme here as a benefic overcoming a malefic is said to take away some of Saturn’s evil. Additionally, Jupiter is much stronger than Saturn in the chart and rules Saturn.

Notes on the 9th Place

The 9th place is prominent as it is occupied by Saturn, ruled by the exalted ruler of the Ascendant, and has both lights in aspect, with the sect light (the Moon which is also Ascendant lord) and Mercury in its stakes. There is an identification with matters of the 9th place as it is ruled by the exalted ruler of the Ascendant and has the Ascendant lord and sect light (the Moon) strongly in aspect (opposition). The 9th is mixed in terms of beneficence. It is most immediately malefic (due to the presence of Saturn) but overall benefic, due to the rulership by Jupiter who overcomes the 9th and Saturn by trine

Saturn

Somewhat weak

Saturn is not very strong in the chart. Saturn is retreating and cadent (and is not stationing). The afflication of the Moon by opposition and the close trine with the Sun, as well as placement of its twelfth-part in the 1st house, do give it great significance in the life, but it is not pervasive.

Somewhat malefic

Saturn is the out of sect malefic, and that alone entails some malefic significations. However, Saturn is regarded on the right side by trine by Jupiter and is in a good place (the 9th), so Saturn will have positive significations at times as well.

Notes on Saturn

We don’t expect doubt and/or fear to be a powerful and pervasive influence in this person’s life. We expect the most trying experiences from Saturn to be directly related to religion though.

Mercury

Somewhat strong

Mercury is retreating and cadent, but Mercury is also in phasis and stationing direct. Therefore, Mercury has a somewhat strong and pervasive influence over the life. The prominence is particularly related to the career and authority (twelfth-part of Mercury in the 10th, phasis). The twelfth-parts of Mercury and Jupiter are in the 10th of actions and authority, illustrating the important role of spiritual (Jupiter) communications (Mercury).

Malefic

Mercury is malefic in the chart, as it is out of sect, in a bad place (the 12th), and dominated by Saturn (overcome by square from the right side). However, Mercury is scrutinized by Venus, the sect benefic (i.e. Venus aspects Mercury by sextile within 3*). Rationality and intellectualism will have some strong associations with negative matters in the person’s life, and are not very strongly connected with the person’s sense of self (no rulership at Ascendant).

Notes on Mercury

This person does not strongly self-identify as an intellectual or as the voice of rationality. He may even see over-intellectualism as a vice. There is much exposure and involvement with intellectual activity and communication in the life though. Mercury has prominence on account of being in phasis and stationing direct. Betrayals and secret enemies (12th place) will probably be of a Mercurial character. For instance, the press and bureaucrats. Mercury may have other associations to unpleasant circumstances that occur in the person’s life.

Parting Notes: Illuminated Jupiterian Overcoming Saturn in the House of God

In conclusion, in the Dalai Lama’s chart we see someone with a very strong Jupiter and 9th place. Furthermore, Jupiter and the 9th are strongly tied together, providing a more spiritual view of truth and wisdom. With Saturn in the 9th, we expect difficult experiences with religion, even possibly strong doubts. In the chart, we see spiritual experience (Jupiter) overcoming such difficult experiences.

Skepticism does not play a generally significant role in the person’s life (Mercury and Saturn are retreating and cadent, with no rulership at the Ascendant). Skepticism and doubt are also not identified with as they Mercury and Saturn lack dignity at the Ascendant. Therefore, we not expect their influence on the identity to be sustained or forceful.

Rationality does play a role in the person’s life (sect light in Virgo). However, it is associated with unpleasantness (out of sect Saturn dominates Mercury and rules its bound). The identity is impacted by the Sun (occupies 1st), the Moon (rules 1st), and Jupiter (exalted ruler of 1st). Therefore, the identity is connected with leadership (Sun), social power and subjectivity (Moon), and fortune and religious experience (Jupiter).

Image Attributions:

Featured image is in the public domain.