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Astrological Predictive Techniques | 4. Profections in the Style of Vettius Valens

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Valens Profections

The last three articles in this series introduced annual profections, those of smaller periods, and the combination of profections with other predictive techniques. In this article, the focus is on a more advanced use of profections. This technique is only found in the Anthology of Vettius Valens (2nd century CE). It is introduced in Book IV, Chapter 11 of his Anthology, with further discussion in some ensuing chapters and later books.

Download a Free Translation

The only full English translation of Valens’ Anthology is available for free download from its translator, Mark Riley. You can find it on his website in pdf format at this link (c.f about p. 77-82 for reference).

Three Points of Emphasis

The type of profections that Valens used adds three things to basic profections: 1.  Profections of the Sect Light (i.e. Sun for a day birth, Moon for a night birth) can be more important than that of the Ascendant. This is  especially so if the Light is in a “stake” of the chart (1st, 10th, 7th, or 4th place); 2. A planet in a place is more important than a planet ruling a place; 3. Any point, place, or planet can profect.

One: Importance of Profecting the Sect Light

Valens makes it very clear in Book V (Ch. 7) that he finds the profection of the sect light to be the most significant, even more so than the Ascendant:

The aphetic points of the years are operative when starting from any star, but the following aphetic points are most effective: for day births the sun, for night births the moon, especially when they are at the angles. Next <in effectiveness> is the Ascendant.  (Riley, 2010, p. 108)

In fact, any planet or place can be profected, and we will discuss the significance of them below.  However, the sect light and Ascendant have special general significance for the key events of the person’s year as a whole, so we may regard the planets that they transmit to as very important time lords of the period.

How to Profect the Sect Light

River Phoenix’s Natal Chart (Rodden Rating AA)

How do you profect the Sect Light?  Once you’ve gotten the hang of profecting the Ascendant, it will be easy to profect the Sect Light or any other point, as they move forward the same number of signs as the Ascendant does.  For instance, if one were a 23 year old with Scorpio Rising, then the annual profection of the Ascendant would be to the 12th place, Libra. This is because Libra is one before the 1st place, as 23 is one year before 24. 24 is a multiple of 12 and multiples of 12 are 1st place years.

If the person was born during the day then the Sun would be the sect light, and we would profect that too.  The Sun would profect to the 12th place from its own position.  If the Sun were in Virgo, then the 12th place from the Sun would be one sign back, in Leo.  Thus the annual profection of the Sect Light would be to Leo.  Both the profection of the sect light and that of the Ascendant would be considered important.

Two: Occupants are More Important than Rulers

In the previous posts on profections, it was noted that it is as if the Ascendant is the person entering a new house of the chart each year.  In that metaphor, the planet ruling the house is a “lord” of the time period. It is as if it were handed some responsibility concerning the place where the native is now dwelling or active.  It was also noted that any planet or planets in the place of the profection are very important, perhaps more directly so, as the Ascendant becomes “co-present” with them in that place. The planet or planets are like alternative or additional lords of the period.

Valens on Occupants

For Valens, the planets occupying the place are preferred to the ruler. They are the ones that responsibility gets handed over to, and they are said to receive the transmission. Again, from Valens Book V (Ch. 7):

If one of the stars in transit has entered this place, then it will be transmitting the chronocratorship. If the sign where the count stops happens to be empty, then count from the position (at the nativity) of the ruler of the sign, and examine in the same way the place found, whether using the nativity or the transiting stars. Then forecast the results of all the places and stars. <In other words,> if the count goes from star to star, use the stars for forecasting; if from a star to an empty sign, use the rulers of the signs. (Riley, 2010, p. 108)

The previous excerpt actually hits on a number of topics simultaneously. The occupants take priority over the ruler. Also, solar return transiting occupants (“the stars in transit”) may be preferred to the ruler (more on that below). Additionally, Valens appears to suggest profecting the ruler of an empty house and finding which planet it transmits to, taking that planet over the ruler itself.

Example of Occupants Receiving Transmission

Let’s return to our example of a 23-year-old, born in the day, with Scorpio Rising and Sun in Virgo. All annual profections go to the 12th place from their natal positions.  The Sun profects to Leo, which is occupied by Mars, and thus Mars receives the transmission of the Sect Light, becoming an important time lord of the year. The profection of the Ascendant is to Libra which is both ruled by and occupied by Venus, so Venus is the time lord for the Ascendant.

Solar Return Occupants

However, if we prefer solar return transits over rulers, then the picture changes again. Mercury occupied Leo at the solar return and is conjunct natal Mars within a degree. If we take the transiting occupant over the natal occupant then it would be Mercury that receives the transmission of the Sect Light.

River Phoenix Solar Return 1993 – Age 23 – Year of Death – Non-Precessed – Return Transits Pictured Along Outer Edge of Natal Chart

Now let’s look at the Ascendant. The Ascendant, Scorpio, profects to Libra, which is occupied by both the Mars and Jupiter.  Preferring the return planets, it is Jupiter and Mars rather than Venus which would be the Ascendant time lords. However, as noted below, Valens actually appeared to prefer natal occupants for occupied houses.

Different Time Lords

As one can see, the profectional method of Valens actually has the effect of changing which planet or planets are considered the most important time lords of the year by profection.  In the basic technique, Venus, ruler of the sign of the Ascendant’s profection, is Lord of the Year.  By contrast, in the Valens technique it is still Venus for the Ascendant profection, but we should look to Mars as even more significant as it receives the transmissions of the Sect Light. If we prefer solar return occupants then things get even more complicated with different results again.

It is important to acknowledge that this method of profections does yield different indications and was not a widespread technique in Hellenistic astrology.  However, this does not mean it is ineffective. Many modern traditionalists who have explored the method have been very satisfied with the results. We will return to our example chart below.

Three: Profect It All

Valens sees significance and usefulness in profecting every planet and place in the natal chart.  The planet or place hands off to the sign and the planets in the sign (or, if empty, the ruler of the sign) of the place of the profection.  Valens discussed this at great length in Book IV, Chapter 11, for instance:

Let us start our exposition from this point: when investigating the current year of a nativity, we divide by 12. Count the remainder from a star which is able <to transmit> to a star which is able to receive. In this way we will discover to what sign the year transmits. What I have said is easy to comprehend but complicated to determine since all the stars, plus the Ascendant, the sun, and the moon, can transmit to and receive from each other. (Riley, 2010, p. 78)

Significators

The nature of the star transmitting indicates what is affected. The one receiving the transmission provides the form of the effect and responsibility for its completion.  The significations of the planets and places profected are as follows (quoted material in bullet points below from Anthology of Vettius Valens, Book IV, Ch. 11, Riley trans., 2010, p. 79):

  • Ascendant – “length of life and bodily or mental activities”
  • Sun – “rank, preeminence, magnificence, the father, great personages, and whatever other matters are usually influenced by the sun’s nature”
  • Moon – “dangers to health, diseases, bleeding, or the mother”
  • MC (10th Place?) – “occupations, livelihood, and work”
  • Lot of Fortune – “good fortune and success in life”
  • Descendant – “mortality, change, or trouble”
  • IC (4th Place?) – “estates, possessions, secret matters, legacies”
  • Saturn – “bankruptcy, money or property, secret diseases, or family inheritance”
  • Jupiter – “rank, friendship, alliances, and possessions”
  • Mars – “military or public matters”
  • Venus – “women, love affairs, associations, or the category ‘female'”
  • Mercury – “associations, slave matters, servile matters, giving and receiving, or written matters”

Valens additionally noted that it is important to profect from the four principal lots.  Therefore, it is a general method applicable to any significant chart point as a means of understanding its changing state and the activations of its relationships within the chart. However, take the natal significations of the profected point, rather than restricting yourself to the significations given above. For instance, if Venus strongly signifies your sister in your natal chart and Venus transmits to a Mars in sect in your natal chart, then one indication may be that your sister starts taking self-defense classes or joins the military.

Cumulative Effect and Priority

Valens instructed us to consider if most of the planets receiving the transmissions for the year (from the planets, angles of the chart, and Lot of Fortune) are benefics or malefics. Benefics indicate a good year, while malefics a bad one. If a near even mix of both then the year will be very changeable in terms of fortune.

Lights and Ascendant Show Dominant Influences

The transmissions of the sect light, Ascendant, and even the non-sect light are more important in this regard. In fact, at one point in Book IV, Chapter 11, Valens did make explicit that actually both lights and the Ascendant give the strongest indications:

To find the overall influence in any nativity, it will be necessary to count the years from the sun, the moon, and the Ascendant, and if the count ends at an empty place, then they <sun moon Ascendant> will be transmitting to the rulers of these <empty> signs. These three figures have great influence, whether the transmission is to benefics, to malefics, to the angles or operative places, or to places not at the angles. Next it will be necessary to investigate the transmissions of the other stars: if malefics control the year, but the three aphetas have a benefic effect, then the year will be vigorous and distinguished, after some doubt, anxiety, and annoyance. (Riley, 2010, p. 78)

Example: River Phoenix

Let’s return to our example. We noted that the Ascendant transmits to Venus and that the Sun transmits to Mars. We’ll keep the solar return out of things for now. Examining the other light (the Moon), we find her in Taurus, so she transmits to Aries. Aries is empty, so the Moon also transmits to Mars.

Let’s examine some other profections. Jupiter is with the Ascendant so it transmits to Venus. Mercury is with the Sun, so it also transmits to Mars. Saturn and the Descendant are with the Moon so they also transmit to Mars. Venus in Libra profects to Virgo so she transmits to the Sun and Mercury. The lot of Fortune is in Leo so it profects to Cancer which is empty, thus it transmits to the Moon.

 

Mars Dominates; Venus is Important

Two of the three main signifiers (the Sun and Moon) transmit to Mars, and a number of the other signifiers do as well, including Mercury, Saturn, and the Descendant. Some transmissions go to the Sun, the Moon, and Mercury, but all of their own transmissions are to Mars. The next most significant transmissions are those to Venus which most importantly pertain to the Ascendant and Jupiter.

What do we make of all this? Mars is the out-of-sect malefic and it is dominated (right-side square) strongly in the natal chart by Saturn. Mars rules the 1st house of the body and the 6th of disease and accidents so its most dangerous indications pertain to harmful accidents. Valens’ technique is telling us that Mars will affect some major areas of life in significant ways.

I would still use the Ascendant’s profection as the one that sets the self’s location and circumstance as was the typical practice in Hellenistic astrology. Venus is the lord of the year and the occupant of the profectional Ascendant. She is in Jupiter’s term in an air sign in the twelfth-house, out of sect, and only aspected by Mars. We see artists and artistry prominent, as well as the use of intoxicants (one of Venus’ significations). Jupiter indicates good times, success, and friendships, as well as bountiful opportunities for abuse of substances.

Solar Returns and Transits

In many places Valens noted the effect of transits on places receiving the transmissions, including in a quote from Book V which is above, where he stressed the priority of star to star over star to ruler.  It seems that a transiting planet could even be considered to receive the transmission, especially if the place being transmitted to were empty, as Valens noted in Book IV, Ch. 11:

If no star transmits to another, and if the distribution is to empty places, then it is necessary to note the empty places: especially if any stars are there in transit, they will receive the distribution. (Riley, 2010, p. 78)

Presumably, for the annual profections, these transits would be the planetary positions at the solar return. In fact, Valens clarified that he was most interested in the transits of the solar return chart, again from Book IV, Ch. 11:

Whenever we find a transmission in one cycle, (whether from one or from many), we examine the horoscope recast for that year, particularly the transits of the stars, to see if they have a configuration similar to their configuration at the nativity with respect to the transmitters and receivers, and if they have the same phases with respect to the sun. If this is found to be true, we say that the results are certain. If the configurations are different and dissimilar, the results will not take place in toto: some things will happen overall, others partially.  (Riley, 2010, p. 79)

Breaking It Down

My understanding from reading Valens is that we prefer the natal occupants as receiving the transmission. If there are no natal occupants, then we prefer a planet that is an occupant in the solar return. If there are no occupants in the solar return, then we prefer the ruler.

So, in our example, we end up with mostly the same transmissions. This is because the important transmissions (Sun, Moon, Ascendant) are to places already occupied in the natal chart, or ones that remain empty in the return (Aries). There is a an exception that is worth noting though. Mars receives many transmissions so its transmission is worth looking at. Mars transmits to Cancer, and it is occupied by Venus in the return, so Venus receives the transmission rather than the Moon. In the natal chart, Mars signifies harm, among other things, while its transmission to Venus indicates the harm takes a Venusian form (pleasure, intoxicants).

The Death of River Phoenix

River Phoenix died on Halloween 1993, at age 23. Within a year of his death, two movies he starred in were released and he was involved in about a half dozen other film projects. Aside from a prolific and noteworthy acting career, he was also an animal rights activist and a singer songwriter.

He died a little over 2 months from his birthday. In those two months, he was known to be active with musician friends of his, and to be abusing drugs. This is reflected in the Ascendant’s profection to Libra, in the 12th place of undoing and social ills, ruled by and occupied by an out-of-sect Venus which seeks sensory indulgence and the arts. The year before was a prolific acting year (Mercury rulership and occupancy) which came with a lot of recognition (Sun’s occupancy).

Mars-Venus and Age 23

As noted in the article on planetary years, Mars has 15 years and Venus has 8. Therefore, age 23 is an activation of Mars-Venus relationships in the natal chart. Mars and Venus are both out of sect in the chart (they are nocturnal planets but in a day chart), and Venus is additionally in the 12th place and only aspected by Mars. Venus also has her twelfth-part in the 6th house (Aries) of illness and accidents, ruled by Mars.

River Phoenix’s Natal Chart (Inner) with Twelfth-Part Positions (Outer)

Mars is in the 10th house of actions, recognition, and authority, where he dominates the Ascendant and Jupiter, which he rules, afflicts the 7th house Moon and is dominated by Saturn with a close aspect. The twelfth-part of Mars is in the 7th place, further emphasizing the relationship with Saturn and the Moon (occupants of the 7th) and with Venus (ruler of the 7th). Mars rules the 6th place of illness and accidents, and aspects the twelfth-part of the Moon in that place within a degree.

Venusian Year

He died of a drug overdose at the Viper Club (partly owned at the time by Johnny Depp) on 10/31/1993 at 1:51 am pacific time. The solar return for the year (below) had Mars and Jupiter both in the sign of the profection. Additionally, Mercury, the ruler of the 8th house of death, was transiting conjunct natal Mars.

River Phoenix Solar Return 1993 – Age 23 – Non-Precessed – Return Transits Pictured Along Outer Edge of Natal Chart

The Moon was transiting in the 1st, reinforcing its signification of the body, and it was ruled by and dominated by natal Mars, while applying an opposition to natal Saturn. This reinforces the natal Moon-Saturn configuration (also worth noting is that the Ascendant directed to the opposition of Saturn at the time of death). It also sets off the natal Saturn-Mars square as important for the year.

Venus Returns to the 12th House

River died during his Venus return. In fact, Venus returned exactly to its natal position less than a week before his death. This marks out the period as particularly important in relation to what Venus promises in the natal chart. She is a planet that gravitates toward sensory pleasure in a bad place and out of sect, and aspected only by Mars who overcomes her (right side aspect). Therefore, she easily slips toward over-indulgence and harm, particularly that associated with natal Mars. The twelfth-part of Venus is in the 6th (Aries), a house of illness and accidents, ruled by Mars, further emphasizing these themes.

Transits (Outer Wheel) at Time of Death Along Natal Chart

The Moon Returns to Saturn

River also died on the day of his lunar return, emphasizing the natal Moon-Saturn conjunction, which was also emphasized by the Moon’s position in the solar return. In fact, the Moon was at 16 degrees Scorpio in the return, opposing natal Saturn, while it was at 17 degrees Taurus at the time of death, opposing its return position and conjoining Saturn.

Mars-Saturn All Around

The time of death shows transiting Saturn square to natal Saturn and opposing natal Mars, while transiting Mars squares natal Mars and opposes natal Saturn. Therefore, this dangerous active configuration of the malefics is active at the time of death. Additionally, Mercury (ruler of the 8th of death) was with Mars at the time death, and both were transiting in the 1st house where the signified most directly concerning the body. Note that a Mercury-Mars combination was signaled as important in the solar return where return Mercury conjoined natal Mars.

Transits (Outer Wheel) at Time of Death Along Natal Chart

Prenatal Syzygy

Vettius Valens emphasized the role played by the prenatal syzygy in matters related to health. The prenatal syzygy is the New or Full Moon which most directly preceded the birth. River Phoenix was born with a waning Moon so prior to birth there was a Full Moon. The Full Moon preceding his birth was at 23°48′ Aquarius. Note that it is in partile (same-degree) opposition with natal Mars and is in a tight square with natal Saturn. The transiting Mars-Saturn configuration noted above brings in the prenatal syzygy.

Saturn is Ruler of Days

The article on planetary years also includes a discussion of a technique for dividing up the year such that each planet rules a set of days. In the technique we start with the lord of the year (ruler of profectional Ascendant), then move to each successive planet in the natal chart in zodiacal order. Phoenix died about 70 days after his solar return. Venus got about 23 days, then Jupiter about 34 days, and then Saturn got the next 85 days. Therefore, Saturn was the lord of days at the time of death.  Saturn is the natural significator of death, afflicts the natal Moon (natural significator of the body), and rules the prenatal syzygy. Transiting Saturn’s configuration with these elements and the transiting Moon’s application to them were discussed above.

Wrapping Up

The context for River Phoenix’s year was best characterized by Venusian activity, with strong connections to the particular indications of Venus in his natal chart. This supports the typical use of annual profections of the Ascendant in which the house and its ruler are most active. Additionally, the most important period of the year came during the time when the lord of the year, Venus, returned to her natal position. However, with both Venus and Jupiter in the activated 12th house at the time of death, one might suppose protection and fortunate circumstances would be more appropriate for the particular period.

The fact that the period is a dangerous one is clearer when we consider the Valens profections. Both lights transmit to Mars and Mars tends to dominate a lot of other important profections. Mars is even in Libra during the solar return. With the information from the Valens method we can take the presence of Mars in Libra in the return as a serious concern. The solar return Moon and the primary direction of the Ascendant also indicate difficulty with Saturn for the period. The timing of death comes as transiting Mars and Saturn are activating the square and the Moon is entering their configuration.

Sorting Things Out

Of course, we may quickly find ourselves dealing with a soup of indications to sort out. However, we have some means of sorting them out. This technique is discussed solely in terms of annual profections. If transits are examined they are generally the solar return ones. We can continue the common practice of looking at the Ascendant’s profection to find a lord of the year and to see the overall setting for the year’s events. Rather than using the other profections as alternatives or to tack on more time lords, use them for additional information. The lights, especially the sect light, will transmit to planets that are influential in major events. From there we can profect individual factors when they are of particular interest.

Taking It Further

I have only scratched the surface as to the way that Valens used profections.  You will find many more tips in Chapter 11 of Book 4 and in later sections of the Anthology. Vettius Valens has given us a broad range of new uses for profections. I plan on returning to Valens-style profections in many future articles.

A final note. Valens profections provide a good context for understanding Persian degree-based profections (the subject of the next article). Persian degree-based profections also involve the profection of all the points in the natal chart. They are very similar to Valens profections but used more for timing than for delineating broad themes for the year.

Note: this article was significantly revised and expanded in April of 2018. Changes included extensive editing as well as the addition of the River Phoenix example.

References
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

Astrological Predictive Techniques | 3. Another Basic Profection Example

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Edit: The James Randi example which was previously in this article was removed on 07/22/2020 due to some unintentional errors which were pointed out to me by a reader in a private correspondence.

Profections in a Predictive System

For those unfamiliar with profections, please review the first two articles of this series which introduce annual profections and those of smaller periods.  In the last article, it became clear that monthly profections are somewhat controversial.  Nevertheless, they are an easy and informative addition to one’s predictive arsenal, so I recommend their use.

The main idea behind profections is activation of natal potentials. However, their utility becomes clearest when they are used in concert with other predictive techniques such as solar returns, directions, and transits. In this article, we’ll look at some profection examples which incorporate other predictive techniques.

The Primacy of the Ascendant

Any point in the natal chart can be profected, but the profection of the Ascendant is particularly important. There is a logic to that.  No other point in the chart is so succinctly symbolic of the individual person, the self.

One may think of the sky as the soul, and the Earth as the body. The Ascendant is that point where the sky rises out from the Earth as the soul peers out through the body, manifesting experience. The Ascendant entering houses, is like a person entering houses.  Planets in the places will be directly encountered, planets ruling the places will oversee matters, and planets regarding the place may exert some influence.

Profections with Returns and Transits

Here we’ll look at some examples with solar returns and transits. The natal chart will show the default condition and the range of potentials possible in this. Solar returns reveal the overall plan of action for the year. Transits show the transient movement of guests around the chart (without telling much about what they’re up to in itself).

Returns and Precession

I should note that I prefer the use of precessed solar returns. It can be rather controversial and unorthodox as I use them with the tropical zodiac. In most articles, I will simply use the non-precessed return as a set of transits around the natal chart. However, the solar return Ascendant and its ruler are important for natal activation, particularly in the predictive system of Abu Ma’shar.

When using the return Ascendant this way, I find the precessed return to be much more informative than the non-precessed return.  For now, I’ll just go ahead and use the precessed return in this article, though you are welcome to use non-precessed returns in your own work if you prefer. A comparison between precessed and non-precessed returns is beyond the scope of this article.

The Profection Example

I’m only going to give a quick example with annual and monthly profections in concert with the solar return and transits. The example is David Carradine’s death by accidental autoerotic asphyxiation.

David Carradine’s Death

A brief bio of Carradine can be found on Wikipedia here. His AA-rated chart data can be found on AstroDatabank here.  He is reported to have died the evening of June 3, 2009 in Bangkok, Thailand by accidental asphyxiation.

Carradine’s Malefics

Carradine was born with the malefic Mars, out of sect and in the 8th, the place of death, assembled with the Moon, a natural significator of the body. Mars also overcomes the Sun by a scrutinizing (i.e. within 3*) sextile. The Sun is an important life-force signifier, especially for those born during the day.

Additionally, Carradine was born with Saturn rising, in the 1st place, adhering (i.e. conjunct within 3*) to the Ascendant, and in a partile (i.e. same zodiacal degree/part) square with the Sun.

Therefore, in matters of death we particularly expect to see Mars playing a role, as well as to some extent Saturn and Venus. Why Venus? Because Venus rules the 8th. Note that Venus is in Capricorn, Saturn’s earthy nocturnal abode, and she is in a bound of Mars. The combination of these planets is appropriate to the sexual nature of the death, as well as the constrictive and violent nature.

Carradine’s natal chart with transits at time of death on outer wheel

Saturn Occupies Annual Profection

His death took place at age 72.  As 72 is a multiple of 12, this puts him in a 1st place, Pisces, year, profecting the Ascendant to natal Saturn, with Jupiter as lord of the year.  Jupiter is a little bit weakened by being in fall, but overall is quite benefic and strong, as it is in its joy, the strong good 11th place, and is in sect and in phasis, assembled with Venus.  Jupiter is ruled by Saturn and dominated by Mars. Therefore, while overall we expect an excellent and popular year from Jupiter with much fortune, Jupiter is subject to the malefics and does not prohibit danger.

Here we see the value of the indications of the planet occupying the place, Saturn. There is also clearly a danger of reading too much into the Lord of the Year alone and its natal standing. However, my understanding is that it was a popular year for Carradine with a lot of opportunities and travel.

Sun-Saturn Square Highlighted

The profection for the month of death was to the 6th place, Leo, ruled by the Sun. The 6th is the house o illness and accidents. This particular year and month lord combination highlighted the Sun-Saturn square in the natal chart. Both planets are extremely strong and generally carry positive significations in the natal chart. They are both in sect, in good places, and in signs of Jupiter.  It was indeed a very positive year for Carradine prior to the asphyxiation accident. He had about a dozen films of his in post-production at the time of his death.

Mars-Sun and Saturn Rising Solar Return

Looking at the solar return, we see some very different indications.  Perhaps most importantly, srMars is in a partile conjunction (actually within about 2′ of a degree!) with the natal Sun (nSun). Both malefics are strongly advancing while the benefics are the weakest planets in the chart. The solar return Ascendant is in Carradine’s 7th place, Virgo, ruled by Mercury. The 7th (like the 4th, but to a lesser extent than the 8th) carries associations with death, as it is the place of setting.  Significantly, srSaturn is in the 1st of the return, strongly rising, echoing that configuration in Carradine’s chart. Return Saturn opposes his natal Saturn, and squares his natal Sun. Overall, the solar return speaks of activation and strong intensification of the affliction of Carradine’s Sun by Mars and Saturn.

David Carradine’s Last Solar Return (precessed)

Lunar Return with Mars in the House of Death

The day of death was also Carradine’s lunar return. The Moon returned to the 8th place which it shares with Mars in the natal chart. On that day, the lord of the year, Jupiter was transiting in the 12th, in a very weak spot of the natal chart. Transiting Mars was in partile trine to natal Jupiter, striking Jupiter with its rays.

Saturn-Sun All Around

The most significant aspects are from Saturn and the Sun which both oppose their natal positions. Transiting Saturn was at 15 Virgo (srAscendant) on Carradine’s Descendant (13VIR) and opposing natal Saturn. Saturn was also transiting in a dominating square to the natal Sun. Both aspects were within less than 3 degrees of exact (i.e. both scrutinizing).  Transiting Sun was at 12 Gemini, strongly applying squares to natal and transiting Saturn and opposing the natal Sun.

Dealing with Complex Indications

With this example, we can see how worthwhile it can be to combine annual and monthly profections together with solar returns. Transits themselves are rather superficial without them. Also, transits are almost completely meaningless without any context from a natal chart. For these reasons, I don’t recommend transit cookbooks.

We see the capacity for someone to have a great year apart from one really horrible event.  Someone may have a natal chart that indicates extraordinary luck, popularity, longevity, social mobility, health, and so forth, but still, bad things do happen to everyone. It is important to understand the range of potential in a natal chart. A benefic planet, simply by being out of sect, or in a bad place, or ruled by a malefic, etc. can have some negative potential linked to it. Very rarely does any planet in one’s chart have only the capacity to signify good.

This is the great difficulty in prediction. Indications are subject to the potentials in the natal chart, and the potentials in the natal chart are in a sense infinite. To deeply work on the natal chart we must understand things like general strength, general beneficence, particularly in relation to topics. However, we also need to understand the range or variance of possible significations, and the specific activations that an bring out less common indications. In this way, we get a feel for whether a certain period of time will be more of what’s generally promised or carry some big surprises.

Adding More Predictive Tools

We are still dealing with an extremely stripped-down predictive system.  There will be more articles on profections in this series.

It is important to keep in mind that there are many additional techniques that played a key role in the predictive systems of people like Abu Ma’shar.  There are also many predictive methods found in Valens which have yet to be thoroughly explored.

Astrologers combine their preferred set of predictive methods into their own predictive systems as no single predictive technique is in itself adequate to signify the most important events in one’s life.  Just as there are special techniques for natal matters, in which multiple factors are examined, prediction is best when one uses a number of effective predictive techniques in concert.

Image Attribution

The featured image is of 17th-century frescoes in Svetitskhoveli, Mtskheta, Georgia, including a zodiac. The image is in the public domain.

Astrological Predictive Techniques | 1. Profections Intro

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Profections are one of the oldest, most important, and easiest of the ancient predictive techniques. In this series, we will explore profections and how to combine them with other predictive techniques.

Activating the Natal Chart and Transits

Many people are familiar with transits. Transits compare the celestial configuration of one time, such as the planetary positions now,  with the configuration at another time, such as the planetary positions in your birth chart. Transits are by far the most common predictive technique used today.  However, in traditional astrology, they were viewed as rather superficial and insignificant in themselves. They gained significance when they involved planets that in some way were activated during that period.

Time Lords

Planets become activated by being Time Lords.  No, these are not the type of Time Lords that fly around the universe in a telephone booth. Time Lords are planets that by some predictice technique become highlighted and gain a greater bearing or influence over a certain period of time. Prediction starts with a proper understanding of the birth chart. These activations time  show when things signified in the natal chart are most likely to come to pass.

Time Lords in Vettius Valens

While Time Lord systems are largely absent in modern astrology, they were the mainstay of ancient predictive astrology, and they continue to be a popular feature of Indian astrology today. In Hellenistic astrology, there were many types of Time Lord systems and they were discussed by many different astrologers. In fact, there are still unexplored Time Lord systems which are exclusive to the gigantic Anthology (click for free translation) by Vettius Valens (2nd century CE).  Valens was a traveling astrologer who picked up techniques from many different astrologers in his time. The bulk of his huge Anthology is devoted to natal predictive techniques of all sorts, which astrologers are still exploring, testing, and coming to understand.

Shining a Spotlight

While most Time Lord systems that will be discussed on this blog were introduced during the Hellenistic period (and most are reported from Valens), there are also some Time Lord systems that were introduced by the Persians, such as the Firdaria system.  In any Time Lord system, the emphasis is on activation of the natal chart.  Some astrologers may take a cookbook approach to Time Lords (such as on the linked Firdaria site) but the real value of these Time Lords is that they “turn on” or “potentiate” certain significations of the planets in the birth chart. Also, there are Time Lord techniques that activate signs, places, and particular configurations of the chart.  Transits and other predictive techniques, such as solar and lunar revolutions (i.e. returns), become more focused and clearer through the use of Time Lord techniques.

Introducing Profections

While there are other important Time Lord techniques, I find profections to be one of the most valuable and the easiest to use. Profections are a good first and foundational predictive technique to learn. After learning profections, one can get into other Time Lords and predictive techniques. Ultimately, we want to consider how techniques can be prioritized and integrated into one’s own particular predictive system.

Hellenistic and Persian Astrologers on Profections

There are few Time Lord systems, or even predictive techniques, more ubiquitous and universal in Hellenistic and Persian astrology than profections.  It is truly one of the most vital predictive methods of ancient astrology, and was discussed much more frequently than transits.

Some of the Hellenistic astrologers that used this technique (which is nearly all of them) included Marcus Manilius and Dorotheus of Sidon of the 1st century CE, Vettius Valens and Claudius Ptolemy of the 2nd century, Paulus Alexandrinus and Julius Firmicus Maternus of the 4th century, Hephastio of Thebes of the 5th century. Persian and Arabic astrologers who used profections include Masha’allah ibn Athari and ‘Umar al-Tabari of the 8th century, Sahl ibn Bishr, Abu ‘Ali al-Khayyat, and Abu Ma’shar al-Balkhi of the 9th century, and al-Qabisi of the 10th century.

Paulus Alexandrinus on Profections

Paulus gave one of the clearer expositions of the basic technique (Ch. 31, from Greenbaum trans., 2001, p. 65, bracketed passages added by me for clarification):

As many years as the nativity should spin out, we pass these through from the hour-marking zōidion [sign], giving the first year of engendered time to the Hōroskopos [ascending sign] and the second to the post-ascension of the Hōroskopos [2nd place], and so on for the rest in the following zōidia [signs], until the 12th number should be completed.

Dorotheus on Profections

Dorotheus begins Book IV of his work with a thorough analysis of the lord of the year as revealed by the annual profection.

When a native is born, the lord of the year is the lord of the house [ascendent] in which the native was born. Thus count from the ascendent a year for each sign until you reach the year which you desire; the lord of that house is the lord of the year. Look at the lord of this sign, whether it is a benefic or a malefic, and in the base-nativity how its position was and in which foundation it was. From the base-nativity is known what is concerning him [the native] at the beginning of the year, and the beginning of the year is always 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, 1-4, Pingree trans., 2005, p. 245)

He goes on to discuss how to analyze the lord of the year and how to use it to aid in analysis of the solar return chart.

Basic Technique: Annual Profections of the Ascendant

The two quotes above illustrate the annual profections, which is the most basic and most important form of profections. This is an annual shift from one sign to the next for each year of life, beginning with the rising sign.  Paulus goes on to give examples, of how the profection each year comes to the next sign or place of the chart, and the ruler of that place becomes the “lord of the year”.  The technique is easy and requires no fancy computer software, as there are no specific degrees involved, but rather just discrete hops from one place in the chart to the next at intervals of time.  In fact, the technique is called a “circumambulation”, meaning “a walk around” the chart.

Practice Finding the Annual Profection and Lord of the Year

To illustrate, if someone was born with Pisces rising, then Pisces is the 1st Place or House, and Jupiter is the Lord of the Year for their first year of life (age 0).  On the solar return (the moment the Sun returns to its natal position, typically near the birthday), at age 1, the Ascendant profects to the 2nd Place. As Pisces was rising, the 2nd Place is Aries. Its ruler, Mars, becomes Lord of the Year.  It continues like this, from one place to the next on the solar return/birthday, until the start of their 13th year, which is the 12th birthday, at which point we return back to Place 1, Pisces, with Jupiter as the Lord of the Year again.

Finding the Place of the Profection from Multiples

Let’s say someone has Leo rising. In this case, ages 0, 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84, 96, and so forth (multiple of 12) are 1st Place/Leo years with the Sun as Lord. Ages 1, 13, 25, 37, 49, 61, 73, 85, 97, and so forth are 2nd Place/Virgo years with Mercury as Lord. Where will the Ascendant profect when they are 18 years old?  18 years old is their 19th year, so take the remainder of 19/12, which is 7. The Place of that year is the 7th Place, Aquarius, with Saturn as Lord.  What about at age 44?  44 is the 45th year, so take 45/12 which leaves a remainder of 9, so it is a 9th Place/Aries/Mars year.  If there is no remainder when you divide by 12, then you’re dealing with the 12th place.

Another way to find profections is to simply use the age itself and count forward or backwards from a multiple of 12, as all multiples of 12 will be the 1st Place.  So if you are looking at age 25, then you know this is one year past 24. 24 is the 1st Place, so 25 will be the 2nd Place.  If it is age 35, then this is one year back from 36, so it will be the 12th place.

Take a number of charts and simply try finding the place of the current profected Ascendant for all of them. Practice until you can do this quickly in your head knowing nothing more than the person’s rising sign and age.

Usage of Annual Profection of the Ascendant

Ascendant as Self

The annual profection of the Ascendant is interesting from a symbolic viewpoint.  First, the sky is sometimes generally conceptualized as the soul or mind, while the earth is conceptualized as the body. The Ascendant is the point where the sky appears to stream up from the earth at the eastern horizon, like a soul peering out through a body.  The Ascendant, and the rising sign in general, are representative of the self, or the locus of the actual physical discrete person in the horoscope.

Profection of Ascendant as Movement of Self into Houses

As the Ascendant profects to the next house of the chart, it is as if the person pays a visit to a new house each year. The indications of that house thus become awakened in the life.  While the Lord of the Year is given a lot of attention, in some ways the planets in the sign itself are even more important, being directly encountered during this visit, while the lord of the chart particularly presides over and takes responsibility for the affairs.

Analyze the House of the Year and the Lord of the Year

Paulus on the Lord of the Year (Ch. 31, from Greenbaum trans., 2001, p. 65):

[…] falls to Virgo.  Hermes is the lord of the year.  We examine the [star] of Hermes, how it lies in the nativity, and which of the stars make a baleful aspect to it, and which look ahead at the zōidion where the year has chanced to be, and which were configured with it in the nativity.

The Foundational Type of Profection

There are profections for months also, and days, as well as other types of profections of planets. All of them follow the same principle of moving something into a new house at each new time interval.  We will look at these in future articles. However, the annual profection of the Ascendant has a particularly special significance.  Not only does it establish a main “lord of the year”, and highlight a sign and place, but it is also incorporated strongly into other predictive techniques.  Many astrologers paid special attention to the sign of the profected Ascendant and its lord in the solar return chart.  Additionally, transits are more important when they involve the lord of the year, and/or the sign of the profected Ascendant.

Example of Transits with Profections

To simplify, I’m going to give an example of using profections to highlight important transits, as this will be the easiest way for the beginner to start working with profections. However, I caution against trying to predict on the basis of an annual profection and transits alone.  There are many other factors, and in time we will explore them and learn how they fit together.

It can be difficult to find examples which involve just transits with the annual profection, but I know of one particularly striking one in which the transits and profections speak volumes. I am going to look at some additional predictive techniques as well because they further highlight the key areas of the chart. Let’s take a look at it.

James Randi Publicly Announces Cancer Diagnosis

[Note: this section corrected 6/27/12 using input from reader, Erna]

I’ve addressed Randi’s chart before in terms of belief, so I won’t do much analysis here.  Suffice it to say, I admire the guy. I think the chart info that he has provided for himself is honest and accurate, as his chart has a lot to say.

Focus on Mars and Saturn

In this case, we’ll be looking at the malefics in Randi’s chart, Mars and Saturn.  Mars is the ruler of the 6th of disease, and is in the 12th of loss, oppression, and hidden enmies.  Both the 6th and 12th are largely regarded as the worst of the bad places in ancient astrology. Therefore, malefics in these places have the capacity to signify quite difficult matters when activated. Saturn is the out of sect malefic in Randi’s chart, and as such tends to signify in a way that is both difficult and can be challenging to Randi’s self and purpose.

Randi was diagnosed with intestinal cancer in mid-2009. It looks to have been successfully treated, but it was certainly a difficult period.

James Randi’s Natal Chart (twelfth-part positions along the outside)

9th Place, Aquarius, Saturn Year

James Randi was born in August of 1928, so when he was diagnosed with intestinal cancer in June of 2009, as well as when he announced that cancer treatment was underway on or about July 9, 2009, at the Amazing Meeting that year, he was 80 years old.  Age 84 would be a 1st place year, so age 80 would be back 4 places at the 9th place, Aquarius, with Saturn as Lord of the Year.

Saturn in the Natal Chart

Saturn would be regarded as the more difficult of the malefics because Randi was born at night and Saturn is loyal to those born during the day.  Saturn’s ability to signify difficulty is also shown by its position in the sometimes antagonistic 7th house and the location of Saturn’s twelfth-part in the 12th house which is a dark place called bad spirit as it was particularly associated with problems (especially mental/social ones shown by the word “spirit”).

James Randi’s Natal Chart (twelfth-part positions along the outside)

Side Note: Using Valens-style profections (which we haven’t yet explained), in which the planets are also profected, Saturn profects 9 places to the 3rd house, where the Sun and Mercury are located.  Saturn to the Sun is particularly symbolic of health issues, as the Sun is symbolic of vitality and Saturn of loss and restriction. Saturn’s profection to the ruler of the Ascendant (Mercury) has some similar significations as the Ascendant is symbolic of the body and self.

Lord of the Year in Solar Return

Randi’s 2008 Solar Return

Looking at the solar return for that year (above) which was in August of 2008, we find that the Ascendant was 17 Virgo, with both Saturn and Mars (with Venus) in the rising sign (which is the 4th house of the natal).  At the time of Randi’s cancer announcement transiting Saturn was also at 17 Virgo afflicting the solar return Ascendant (see Saturn in outer wheel of chart below).

Cancer Announcement transits (outer wheel) to natal chart (inner wheel)

Mars Transits the Twelfth-Part of the Lord of the Year

As mentioned, Mars is a malefic, in a bad place, and Mars also dominates Mercury, ruler of the Ascendant.  In June and the first half of July, 2009, Mars was transiting through Taurus, Randi’s 12th place, where Mars is also located natally.  The twelfth-part of Saturn, lord of the year, is also located there.

An Announcement on a Mars Return

Fascinatingly, James Randi publicly announced the cancer during his exact Mars return.  The Mars return occurs about every 2 years due to the apparent speed of Mars through the zodiac (which is about half a degree per day), so this is not an event that happens every day or often.  Not only did the return of Mars coincide with the announcement but Mars was most likely in the exact same degree of the zodiac that Mars held at birth when the announcement took place, a degree it would occupy that year for only those first couple days of the July 2009 Amazing Meeting.  The last time Mars returned to that degree (i.e. his last Mars return) had been in August 2007, and the next Mars return was not until June of 2011.

Cancer Announcement transits (outer wheel) to natal chart (inner wheel)

I’ve provided the transit chart (relative to natal) so that you can confirm the positions of the planets. Look particularly at Mars on the day of the Amazing Meeting during which Randi publicly announces his cancer diagnosis.  The natal chart is inside with transits around the edge. The Mars return is highlighted for better visual understanding.

Recap of Key Natal Factors

It was a Saturn year for Randi. Saturn is a planet that is able to signify the most difficult circumstances in Randi’s life. Saturn has its twelfth-part position with Mars in the natal 12th house. Mars is the other planet of the chart that signifies difficulties and is in the 12th house of the natal chart which is a difficult house. Mars rules the 6th house which pertains to health, so it is strongly symbolic of health problems.

Recap of Key Predictive Factors

As noted, Saturn, was lord of the year. The combined influence of Saturn and Mars was highlighted in the solar return, which featured both planets in the rising sign, symbolic of the self and body. At the time of the events, Saturn transited in the very degree of the solar return Ascendant, while Mars returned to its natal position in a difficult house (Mars return).

This example brought in other techniques besides just basic annual profections. We looked at twelfth-part positions in the natal chart, solar returnes, transits, and even Valen-style profections. This illustrates how annual profections form the backdrop to other predictive techniques and structure their meaning.

Conclusion

Use annual profections of the Ascendant to recognize periods when natal significations will be more active. However, we don’t experience the same fate at age 12, as at age 24, and at 36, etc.  Paying particular attention to transits from and to the Lord of the Year, and through the place. Predictive factors should be considered with the natal significations. Profections highlight the natal and predictive factors that are most relevant for the year.

I would like to add that profections are thought of as a handing off of responsibility. A new planet takes responsibility for your well-being, as you, the Ascendant, enter into the planet’s house.  As we look at the Lord of the Month in the next post, you’ll see the same thing for a monthly period.

If you’re new to profections, then I hope this post has been informative. Have fun with this great, simple, and effective technique that was a staple of the ancient astrologer’s repertoire.

References

Alexandrinus, P., & Olympiodorus. (2001). Late Classical Astrology: Paulus Alexandrinus and Olypiodorus. (D. G. Greenbaum, Trans.). Reston, VA: Arhat.

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

James Randi. (2011, November 28). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 04:29, December 3, 2011, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=James_Randi&oldid=462839271

Image Attributions

Featured image of Vatican Museum spiral staircase by User:Colin / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0