Medieval Astrology Foundation Course

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Robert Zoller.

MEDIEVAL ASTROLOGY FOUNDATION COURSE ORIENTATION

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MEDIEVAL ASTROLOGY FOUNDATION COURSE

ORIENTATION © Copyright 2000 Robert Zoller All Rights Reserved

The Medieval Astrology Foundation Course consists of this Orientation lecture and four lessons. The Foundation Course is designed to give you an overview of Medieval Astrology and to teach you some basic astrological techniques that you will be able use when you have completed the lessons. It is self-contained with a test at the end of each lesson. You should do your best to complete these tests. Be sure that you have understood the main points before you move onto the next lesson. If you feel that you would like to learn more about Medieval Astrology and develop an in-depth, thorough working knowledge of its predictive techniques then you may like to take the full course which is much more comprehensive with 21 lessons. It too can be learnt over the Internet with your submitting work to me for marking. There is a reference library you may like to refer to. This has a number of interesting articles that should help you in your overall understanding and study of this Course. Also, it may be helpful to look at other parts of my website which deals with Medieval Astrology and related subjects. The following are transcripts of the audio version. Some students prefer to read through the orientation and lesson transcripts before they listen to the audio. They then find that if they read it again as they listen to the audio it makes the learning of sometimes quite unfamiliar terms easier because they have had time to digest them first time around. If you haven’t tried this give it a go. I think you will be surprised by the results. Well, that only leaves me to wish you the Very Best and to welcome you to an exciting new adventure.

Robert Zoller.

MEDIEVAL ASTROLOGY FOUNDATION COURSE

ORIENTATION © Copyright 1995 Robert Zoller All Rights Reserved Revised in 2000

(Transcript of audio lecture file: rz-fc-0.mp3)

Welcome to the Orientation Lecture for Robert Zoller’s Foundation Course on Medieval Astrology. My name is Robert Zoller and I am your instructor. Let me begin by asking you some questions. Why do we need an Orientation Lecture to Medieval Astrology? a. There are a number of points which need to be made so that the specific techniques are understood and used properly. b. You, as the student, need to know where I, as your instructor, am coming from. This is because the point of view expressed will not be modern and may be rather unfamiliar to many of you. c. This is a course in Traditional Western Medieval Astrology. I will leave it to others to teach modern innovations, some of which are quite valuable, give accurate results and are worthy of study. Here I will advocate only traditional teachings from known sources. You will not hear timely opinions nor will I make concessions to the Present Age and its received doctrines.

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At times I may seem dogmatic and anachronistic but at all times remember that you are under no compulsion to accept all you hear. You will gain from my point of view at least this: you will know the tradition. Once you know it you can do with it as you please. But if it has anything of value in it (and I am convinced it does) you will be unable to receive that value if you are cut off from the tradition. I see my role as a bridge builder. You are under no compulsion to cross the bridge, but you might benefit from knowing that it exists and where it goes. Though it is recognised that this is not a path that all will wish to tread.

What is Medieval Astrology? Medieval Astrology is the highest development of astrological science after its origins in Hellenistic Egypt and prior to its decline in 17th century Europe. Following the "Scientific Revolution" of the seventeenth century, the Tree of astrological tradition wasted away and declined in Europe. When it was reborn in the mid-nineteenth century, as a regenerated growth, it was forced to put forth new roots in a new, hostile intellectual and cultural soil. This inevitably led to a distorted growth. The symmetry of the Tree and its symbiosis with its sister sciences of alchemy and magic was destroyed. Due to the social, educational and intellectual demands of the Age the Tree was severely and abnormally pruned so that the beauty of its natural proportions and its mystical analogies could no longer provide an accurate measure of embodied existence. It is to rectify this deficiency that the student of Medieval Astrology labours. The Art or Science, for such it is, like a heavenly Sophia, or Wisdom, grants us, in return, the ability to predict the future (in so far as this is granted to Man), to learn the eternal principles which lead, like rungs of a ladder to the heavenly knowledge of the Self (which is the

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consummation of Wisdom). Medieval Astrology is not merely a system of fortune telling nor yet a science devoid of spiritual import. It is divination in the ancient and true sense, the art of communicating with (and eventually coming to know) the th Divine. This is why Firmicus Maternus [4 century AD] who drank deeply at this fountain (and confesses such in his Mathesis), asserts that the study and practice of astrology fosters Religion and the Worship of the Divine. Not every modern practitioner of astrology will think these things of importance. Such astrologers may seek only useful techniques and practical insights into the psychological or predictive dimensions of their practice. To them, as to those who seek the more profound initiation afforded by this Science, the gates of the celestial Sophia stand open. Let each drink from this fountain, according to their thirst and capacity. Each will take away what they recognise of value and are free to leave the rest. Yet the doors, once opened, must permit full access to the inner recesses of the temple so that those who sincerely seek the full gifts of this Art may succeed in their desires. Medieval Astrology is the practical application of the insights of Neoplatonic and Hermetic Philosophy and therefore may be styled Wisdom. Wisdom is of two sorts: Theoretical (or Higher) and Practical (or Lower). We speak of the first when we say that a given person is wise, meaning that they always have superior understanding of the problems of life. Such superior understanding is the result of knowing the eternal principles behind things; knowing them inwardly and thoroughly. In astrology this corresponds to knowing the principles of astrology (which are eternal) and understanding their relation to God's Will and their role as the means by which God's Will is made manifest in this world. This higher wisdom is imparted through instruction but it is learned only after it has been observed in the present, in daily life. The imparting of the Higher Wisdom is Initiation. The learning by observation is the beginning of science. Initiation does not impart this science or scientific knowledge, but it may stimulate the quest for it.

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The lower wisdom is often called the temporal and though there are some who disparage it as merely worldly knowledge, there are few who would seriously demand that it be abandoned. Temporal Wisdom is practical science. It applies the higher wisdom into which we have been initiated and elaborates on the insights achieved thereby. It is in this way that civilisation arose. Western Tradition holds that the gods (according to the Koran, the Old Testament and the Book of Enoch, the fallen angels) taught men the arts and sciences. It is also suggested by the language used in these accounts that it was by means of the contemplation of the heavens and the glorious display of number and geometry displayed therein that men first had suggested to them the principles of order and measure from which arose every good art and science. This celestial initiation was perhaps due to our ancestors receiving inspiration from the heavens in the form of mental images or insights synchronously occurring to them at particular astrological moments. Such mental experiences they deemed the result of spiritual impulses which they variously attributed to the visible gods (planets and stars) or to Hermes (messenger of the gods) corresponding to the highest mental faculty or Nous in us), others to the Highest God (Elyion). In as much as the word angelos (angel) in Greek means a messenger, the Fallen Angels are those messengers which have come down to us, by a figure of speech. The messages which have come down to us, i.e. the mental inspirations of the star-gazing ancients who established this science. Their initiation was gained in this way, by inspiration. They began thereafter to observe and we have in the British Museum thousands of clay tablets discovered in the nineteenth century in Babylon and Nineveh which record the astrological observations of the astrologers and magicians as well as some of their ephemerides and their reports to the kings. Some of these observations are said to be almost 4,000 years old. Likewise, there is very ancient sky lore embedded in the decan-calendars of the priests of Pharoanic Egypt. This lore goes back very far as it appears that the

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Egyptian themselves were forgetting the astronomical basis of these calendars as early as 1650 BC. There is evidence of sophisticated astronomical knowledge among the Egyptians from at least the time of the Pyramid Texts (c 2400 BC) and we can call this knowledge astrological or even magical in that it was frequently connected to liturgical practices. St Augustine, in his City of God, asks rhetorically, What else was the wisdom of the Egyptians than, principally, astronomy? Speaking Platonically, the Higher Wisdom is Ideal and therefore invisible as all universals are invisible; the lower wisdom is manifest as our works may be seen by all. Again, the Higher Wisdom is found reflected above us in the sky or heaven. We must look up, both actually and metaphorically, for as Plato repeatedly tells us, it is by studying the heavens that we learn the eternal principles of the Higher Wisdom. He also tells us in The Republic and in The Epinomis to employ [mathematical] problems and leave the physical bodies of the planets alone. It is the laws (logoi) of heaven we seek, not an analysis of the material basis of the planets and stars. The esoteric astrological wisdom of the ancients asserted that by looking up to the sky we were initiated into the mysteries of existence, the macrocosmic laws of creation and the knowledge of the Self for, as the saying goes: “Scientia est universalium” {Science is of Universals}. The Self we learn about by looking up is the Universal Self, the Secret Adam or Adam Kadmon, known to the Greeks as the Anthropos, to the Hermetic Philosophers as Hermes or the Agathosdaimon {Good Mind or daimon} and to the early esoteric Christians as the Cosmic Christ. It was the role of Hermes to be psychopomp {to lead the souls of the dead to the other world}. His Egyptian counterpart, Thoth, brought the dead before the god Ra where the deceased’s “heart” was weighed. Christ said “I am the way, the truth and the Life no man cometh unto the Father but by Me” (John 14:6). He also said, "I am the Light of the World" (John 9:5). This Universal or Macrocosmic Self is the Man who was made in God's Image. “In the image of God created He him; male and female created He them” (Genesis 1:27). This

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androgynous Being is referred to in all the great esoteric literatures of the world. It is Manda of the Mandaeans, Agathosdaimon of the Sabaeans, and Anthropos of the Greeks. The Katha Upanishad tells us that it (Purusha) is the source of all that is, gods, men and all the animal, vegetable and mineral kingdoms. “He is the sun in the sky, fire upon the altar, guest in the house, air that runs everywhere, Lord of lords…power, reality.” It is this “Man” who is the measure of all things. In the astrological tradition He/It is known as the Archetype or Zodiac. Containing both masculine and feminine, and the elements and paths of the seven planets, the Zodiac represents, for us, the eternal principle from which all things come. The Alpha and the Omega of all existence, the pattern of all Creation. A full understanding of the Archetype, arrived at by an impartial study of the natures and relationships of its various subdivisions, imparts Macrocosmic Wisdom and assists in achieving Self-Knowledge. Self-Knowledge is essentially Universal and Macrocosmic; it is both scientific and mystical. By learning the Laws of Creation, we learn both Scientific Laws and the Laws of our own collective being since all things spring from one source. Yet we must necessarily approach it individually as each of us are born in time and place and in a physical body. These conditions under which we are forced to meet the world limit us. They are a blessing and a curse. They are a blessing in that we are able to express some aspect of the Macrocosm better than anyone else (our natal horoscope is the key to understanding this) but they are a curse because we can not express all other aspects of the Macrocosm. We are limited beings. It is not that we cannot understand nor appreciate those other aspects of the Macrocosm but we are not all equally good channels for their expression. Individual differences are accounted for thus. Limitations of bodily size affect the kind of work we can do (unaided by technology). Gender affects our lives (men do not give birth to babies). There are emotional correlates to

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our bodily form related to gender and to size. There are intellectual differences as well. Some people's minds are inclined to poetry, some to science, some to buying and selling, etc. The natal horoscope is the key to all this. It also determines whether we will be inclined to achieve SelfKnowledge or not. The potential is present for all, the inclination is given to some but success is possible to the few. It is possible for only some to actually achieve Self-Knowledge because only a few, as a result of their horoscopes, value it above all else and will struggle to achieve the Dignification necessary to rise above the Natural State (referred to in the Cabalistic books as the Natural Adam), to achieve the Supernatural State. The key to this Dignification is the Almutem or Ruler of the Chart {horoscope} It is a wonder that the Macrocosm is found within. What we find scientifically by looking up, we also find by looking within, if we persist and penetrate all the veils covering our Macrocosmic Nature. This process, which traditionally requires meditation, devotion, theurgic divination and alchemy, begins with instruction in astrology. Astrology teaches the structure of reality. Alchemy and magic teach the means of the Dignification. In the philosophic Corpus Hermeticum especially in the Pymander (Libellus II of Everard 1650 translation) and in The Crater or Monas (Libellus XII, Everard) And in The Key (Libellus IV, Everard) and in The Asclepius we learn about the process of Dignification and in The Practical Hermetica i.e. in the as yet uncollected and unedited practical magical, alchemical and astrological treatises attributed to Hermes or considered to be hermetic, we learn the details of this process. We also find therein the keys to ancient science: astronomy embodies the mathematical sciences of arithmetic, geometry and music which give rise to other arts such as architecture, geography, and navigation. Alchemy teaches metallurgy, enamelling and jewellery making, pharmacopoeia and medicine, and the manufacture of pigments and glass, as well as artificial gems and the mysterious Philosopher's Stone. Magic encompasses all

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writing, the effects of geometrical patterns on spirits, the use of sound, perfumes and colours for divination. In short all symbolical manipulations by which we achieve communion with gods, daemons and intelligences as well as the production of miracles. Through the combination of these three we get further edification of benefit to human society: through the lessons of mathematics (arising from astrology) with metallurgy (arising from alchemy) and the production of miracles (arising from magic), we produce mechanical devices, automata, machines of various description and use in short the modern technological world. [A Special Note: When I say that we get these things from astrology, alchemy and magic or that astrology, alchemy and magic "teach" these things, please do not understand me in a modern sense. That is, we, as moderns believe so fully in evolution that when one speaks as I have we cannot avoid hearing it as meaning that astrology, alchemy and magic existed full-blown at some time in the past and that all the other sciences came from them subsequently. I mean to be understood in this way which is two fold: 1) Ideally {i.e. in the Platonic sense}, the sciences of astrology, alchemy and magic, in so far as they embody more lofty Ideas and because these Ideas subordinate to themselves all derivative Ideas (such as the derivative arts e.g. metallurgy and mechanics) they are conceptually prior to those which are derivative, though this does not necessarily mean temporally prior. 2) We cannot really know if the arts and sciences evolved temporally such that metallurgy preceded alchemy or vice-versa, though most historians of science, themselves slaves to the doctrine of evolution invariably assert so. I would suggest that whatever the sequence of their appearance on this earth, these sciences were taught anciently in an a priori manner with the first principles or Theoria being asserted first and then the Praxis {practising of those principles as an art or skill} being demonstrated subsequently. It is this didactic

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sequence to which I refer when I say that astrology, alchemy and magic "teach" these things.] The primary purpose in the foregoing has been to show the context in which Medieval Astrology must be understood if it is to be understood on its own terms. Henceforth I will emphasise practical Medieval Astrology.

How does Medieval Astrology differ from modern astrologies? FIRSTLY, it must be understood in terms of the Hermetic Tradition and as the often cryptic and veiled survival of a modified Late Western Polytheism in Jewish, Moslem and Christian societies. If this is understood, we will perceive why the texts of the Middle Ages are frequently so cryptic and incomplete. Much has been lost, no doubt, due to war, religious persecution and incompetence, but much was never put in writing in the first place. This was due to the desire of polytheistic priests to retain control of the Art and later due to fear of persecution on the part of its practitioners. This astrology comes into focus only when viewed through the lens of Hermeticism as an underground spiritual current in these three societies. Therefore, in setting forth Medieval Astrology, frequent reference will be made to the Hermetic Tradition and to the Practical and Philosophic Hermetic texts which elucidate the techniques found in the old books of Medieval Astrology. What are these books? The tradition of Medieval Astrology is pretty well known to us and though there may be some texts left out of the following list, and although the list may be revised as new items come to light, the following sketches the general field and provides an Ariadne's Thread through a Labyrinth of astrological error. Note that this list does not attempt to give a full list of astrological Hermetica. The astrological Hermetica which are known to us are fairly numerous and, while very important from the point of view of

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Hellenistic Astrology and from the point of view of the development of astrology, they are not all important for the Medieval Astrological tradition as they did not all get past the Christian and Moslem editors: Nechepso-Petosiris (Lost, fragments only remain) Liber Hermetis Dorotheus Carmen astrologicum (translated by David Pingree) Ptolemy Tetrabiblos (translated by Ashmand, a different translation by Robbins) Mathesis by Julius Firmicus Maternus (translated by Jean Rhys Bram) Vettius Valens' Anthology (Book I translated by the Hindsight Project) Antiochus’ Fragments from his Thesaurus (translated by the Hindsight Project) Hephaestion of Thebes Compendium (Book I translated by Hindsight Project) Masha'allah (Book on Nativities translated by Rob Hand) Alkindi (astrological works still not in English) Abu Ma'shar (Shorter Introduction to Astrology translated by Burnett, Yamamoto & Yano; Greater Introduction has also recently been translated, a number of his other works remain to be translated) Abu Ali Al-Khayyat (On Nativities translated by James Holden) Ibn Ezra (Book of Reasons & Beginning of Wisdom (translated by Meira Epstein) (several other works still in Hebrew) Guido Bonatti's Liber Astronomiae (several people have translated parts of this work at different times: I translated the first two sections (Tractatus Primus and Secundus) for Project Hindsight; Bonatti's section on the Arabic Parts and his section on the Astrology of War. Rob Hand translated Tractatus Tertius. Henry Coley (17th century) translated Bonatti's 146 Considerations Luca Gaurico (Opera still in Latin) Junctinus (Speculum astrologiae still in Latin.) Schöner (Opusculum astrologicum translated by Rob Hand for Project Hindsight) Lilly Christian Astrology Morinus (Astrologia Gallica, only partially translated into

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English: Book 21 was translated by Baldwin and independently by Little & Mason. Book 22 translated by James Holden) Placidus Primum Mobile translated by Cooper This list could be lengthened and may be in the future. For now, it is enough that you know that the above works have contributed to this Course. SECONDLY, Medieval Astrology differs from many of the modern astrologies in its almost total lack of psychology. This is largely due to the fact that in Christian lands, the Medieval Church frowned sternly upon any attempt to tread on its area of concern - the soul. Astral influence was admitted on the body alone. The soul and hence the will had to be free. In the Moslem lands the orthodox point of view was similar enough to ensure the same effect. With few exceptions, Medieval Latin works on astrology are very careful to observe these parameters. The exceptions are Ptolemy's Tetrabiblos (Book 3.14) where he speaks of diseases of the soul; Hermetis Philosophi De Revolutionibus nativitatum incerto inerprete {bound with Proclus in Claudi Ptoelmai quadripartium ennarator ignoti nominis, Basilieae 1559) where distinctions are made between significators of the soul and significators of the body; Abraham ibn Ezra's Book on Nativities, where he gives the rules for finding the Almutem figuris or Ruler of the Chart and tells us that it is used, in part, for judging the human soul (by which he does not, as it turns out, mean psychology). But this avoidance of psychology is not entirely due to fear of the church. Even the pre-Christian or non-Christian astrological Hermetica show a tendency to deal with objective, concrete, physical reality rather than subjective concerns. Historians of hermeticism often remark that the astrological Hermetica are the oldest surviving Hermetica. Older even than the philosophical corpus and that there is little of what we would consider religious in it (meaning no liturgy or references to gods) nor subjective (meaning no psychology).

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These texts do not seek to divine what the state of mind of the native was, is or will be. They overwhelmingly emphasise prediction of concrete events. What the native will do or what will happen to him/her. The same is true of hermetic alchemy and even magic. The magical Hermetica seek to produce concrete results. The alchemical Hermetica produce concrete things (gems, potions, counterfeiting of precious metals, manufacture of pigments and medicines). It is in the philosophical corpus, which dates from the early 4th century AD that we find subjective emphases - as for instance the descriptions of meditation in The Pymander, the Corpus Hermetica and The Crater or Monas { “…were baptised or dowsed into the Mind ” = meditation}. The Zosimus fragments, part of the alchemical Hermetica, form an exception to the rule mentioned above and clearly describe a meditation process. This emphasis on prediction in Hermetic Astrology was inherited by Medieval Astrology and so determined it to toward prediction. Another way in which Medieval Astrology differs from some modern astrologies is that it is geocentric instead of heliocentric. This is dealt with in more detail in the full course. What was the Medieval Astrologer's attitude toward Fate? FIRSTLY, it must be said that if you posit that the future is predictable, you also assume fate and that people act in predictable ways. This is certainly true of Medieval Astrology and its precursor Hermetic Astrology. But what did the Medieval Astrologer understand by this? He conceived the cosmos (meaning the ordered world in which we live) to be governed by laws which operated with mathematical precision. These laws were part of a larger law, God's Will or Law. Everything that existed existed as part of God's Plan. It was considered impossible for the individual natural man to know God's Will because of his degenerate, corrupt and ignorant condition of being. This state of affairs

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was the result of embodiment (produced, according to an esoteric reading of Genesis 3 through the Fall). In his unregenerate state, man was under Necessity and was bound by Fate, which is to say he was bound by the natural laws as well as by Human laws (such as the Church or a King). Bound in by such laws his behaviour was considered largely, if not entirely, predictable. Society's laws fixed him in a specific role relative to profession, class and nation. This was not considered astrological so much as the contribution of the material cause - the stock from which he came - which was given close consideration in practice. This was due to his genus and species. Yet there was some bleed over here into his astrology as is seen from the consideration of the Liber Hermetis and Ptolemy's Rank of Fame. In the first, the native's birth determines his social class. This is reflected in the horoscope, but so is whether he will maintain it or waste his opportunity. The Liber Hermetis shows us that the astrologer believed that he could tell from the horoscope, whether the native "evolved" or "degenerated" in this life. That is, having been born to a lowly station, did he rise above the adversity of his birth and achieve fame and wealth or fall further. Having been born to ease did he maintain his station to his family's honour and increased influence or did he run amok, waste his inheritance (which, by the way he could get from either his father or his mother) and die miserable, poor and vilified. Ptolemy also teaches that one could rise very high in society from relatively unknown antecedents and achieve greatness. If you look closely at what they both say, however, you will see that they assert that when this happens (i.e. when one rises above his station) it is usually attended by adversities and not without disturbances to the peace and the welfare of those around one. The individual's talents and abilities (which impacted his profession and alter his social status) are the result of his birth configuration. The moment of birth of an individual in a genus be it human or otherwise, gives it its unique qualities. Such a birth horoscope determines an

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individual's fate as specific to him. This being distinguished from what is true of his or her race (Ibn Ezra points out that in the Middle Ages a Jew with a kingly horoscope could not be King because of the Diaspora {the dispersion of the Jews among the Gentiles}). Or his or her class (the son of a duke might become king but the son of a peasant born in the next bed in the same house at the same time could only hope to be a tradesman or the king's seneschal). From these considerations arises the perception that one's fate has different strata to it. We have our own fate, the fate of the society to which we belong (which may consist of a family, clan, city or nation), and, finally we have the fate of humanity. This we cannot escape, though the others may be transcended. Thus, through Wisdom we may realise our unity with the Anthropos and unite our souls to that Great mind, thereby achieving interior illumination. But the life of our body is regulated by the horoscope (by the Alcocoden {which is more fully explored in the full course}) and until it dies our body is subject to the laws of the physical world at least in so far as all humanity is. We walk on the earth, need food and shelter. The Bible (Genesis 6:3), in common with the astrological tradition, fixes the extreme length of human life as equal to the greater years of the Sun, namely 120 years. This refers to the embodied human life, as The Asclepius (Book I:4 to the end) tells us that individual men are mortal but mankind is immortal. Now Adam means mankind. Thus only identification of the inner man with the Secret Adam, the Agathosdaemon, the Cosmic Christ, the Zodiac, can give immortality and at the same time freedom from Necessity or Fate. For then one is identical with the Heimarmeneor the mathematical harmonies from which all things come. Having escaped the limitations of body, one has escaped the laws regulating them and is free. Hence in the esoteric literature, especially in The Pymander, we learn that so long as we are embodied, we are under the rule of the stars and are bound by fate. The Dignification consists in raising our being up, while still in the body, to knowledge of the eternal. By this knowledge we

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are made free, for the knowledge of the soul determines the soul's form or image. Knowing that it is an image of God it is one with God. Being one with God it cannot be ruled by body. Its identification with the body is broken and the human being becomes free living in both this world and in heaven until the allotted time of the body runs out at which time he becomes a denizen of heaven. Until such time, however, he must meet whatever has been decreed for him by his fate. His freedom consists in not being ruled or tortured by either his body or the psychological torments which frequently accompany adversity. He has such freedom because he knows he is not these things. The higher wisdom sets us free and it is said, "The beginning of Wisdom is fear of the Lord." The "fear" referred to may mean "awe", but it seems to me that it frequently takes terror to set us on the right course. The Lord referred to is "The Lord of the Highest Edifice" of the Sabian invocations found in The Picatrix. This is Elyion, the Tetragrammaton of the Cabalists. It is necessary to keep these things in mind when practising astrological counselling or when appraising one's own fate as reflected in one's own horoscope. This is for at least two reasons: firstly, because this is not the modern attitude and secondly, because as it will soon be seen this is by no means an easy thing to do. It is widely held that all one needs to do in order to alter one's fate is to employ "active imagination". Proponents of such a point of view rarely study their subject's life long enough to verify that a change in nature has in fact occurred. The Medieval point of view is that an individual's nature does not change. Such changes as we sometimes see are predictable from the natal horoscope. Apparent changes unsupported by the natal promise are only apparent, transient and unreal affectations which cannot be relied upon. Moreover there is no re-designing of our natures. It is unprofitable to pretend to alter this or that aspect of one's personality because it is unbecoming, i.e. to pretend we are something we are not. The only change possible to us is the Dignification whereby we sacrifice all our selves and realise our true Self.

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We cannot negotiate either the restoration of a part of our beings or the entire lot for we can control neither. The truth is that we do not act. The Self watches while the astrological machinery of the cosmos acts upon us. If it were true, as many today assert, that, "You can be whatever you want to be” then no one would remain what they are. The desire for the novel, the hunger forever increasing intensity of experience, the base drive of greed acting in all areas of life would cause us all to alter. To change our appearance, change our partners, move our dwellings, to alter our lifestyles all the time to the point that not only would no one recognise us, but also we would not have any idea of identity ourselves. We are known by our appearance, our speech and our behaviour. If none of these are consistent, people say, they do not know us. If there is even relative inconsistency in any of the above mentioned categories, people around us become unhinged. Their lives become unsettled. We do not live unattached to others. Not only do our lives and behaviour impact others. Theirs affects ours. The most individualistic of us cares, despite what they say, about the opinions of others. That which makes us recognisable, that which lets people form opinions about us, which allows them to trust us or love us or know we are untrustworthy or that their love is not requited, is unchanging in us. It is our character. It has always puzzled me how people calling themselves astrologers can simultaneously assert that the horoscope can be used for character analysis but that people change and can direct that change according to their own desires. Reflecting how changeable and inconstant our desires are, I fail to see what possible goal there could be which could be held long enough to be realisable. It seems obvious to me that the horoscope can be used as an accurate judge of character - that we can analyse each other's character on the basis of our natal figures - precisely because our character does not change from cradle to grave, except according to narrow limits defined in the natal horoscope.

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Opponents to this view hold that this is fatalistic and repressive and that it denies freedom to the individual to make their own choices in life. I respond by saying that in my experience as an astrologer, no one comes to ask for my delineation of their figure unless they want my opinion. Some come for entertainment because they like to hear people talk about them and are willing to pay for it. They don't come back a second time unless you flatter them. It isn't fun. I try to be a soothsayer. That is, I try to read the horoscope and honestly say what's there believing that it is an accurate measure of reality (though how it is I can't say). I do not pander. I do not solicit clients nor tell them what to do. I am not restricting them. Their character, their destiny does that, just as mine restricts me. It doesn't matter what philosophy we have of life, when our time is up it's up and people will speak of us (or not) as they wish. We have no control over what they say or if they say it. In reading a horoscope I try to be of service. So did the Medieval Astrologers. Our character doesn't change nor does our fate. What may change is our understanding of both but only if that is our fate. Because our character doesn't change our lives have a reportable history. We can speak about our lives with coherence and clarity - or at least we can do so about other people's lives. It is not true that there is no consistency in our lives whatever - except in the case of insanity and then only relatively. This again is readable from the natal horoscope. One may ask, If there is no change, and our actions don't matter, why bother reading a horoscope? The answer is that if you are a philosopher and you truly want the Dignification, you should know if you will get it. Otherwise, you may want to know the future just to clear your mind so that you can get on with living it to the full. It is wise to accept our fate. It frees us from unnecessary and ceaseless striving. You may want to know how much money you will make in a given year, when you will marry or how many children you will have. These things can bring peace of mind. Peace of mind is worth a lot. Only those who have lost it for a time can appreciate this.

18

You may be a magician who wants to perform a divination. You need to elect the proper time to do so. You may be an alchemist who wishes to succeed as well as he can in alchemy. You need to commence your fire at the right time. But no matter what time you start the fire you will not succeed unless you are an alchemist - that’s in your character which is to say your horoscope. So too the magician is such because of his horoscope. Likewise the tycoon, king, general and so forth. And each of these fates may be successful or wretched as per the horoscope. You will see that I considerably circumscribe the possibilities open to us. My horoscope has the Sun opposed to Saturn and as I write this Saturn is transiting my rising sign (Pisces). I give you the fruits of what I've learned over the last 23 years. At another time I would have written a bit more liberally and others even now would give far more freedom to the individual than I do. I think they kid themselves and others, though I think they are innocent of guile. We humans are frequently guilty of hubris. Humility is not in fashion, I know. But it seems to me that if we are to be good astrologers we must approach the horoscope from humility. The fact is God knows, we don't. The most the able astrologer can do is to read the horoscope accurately. The biggest obstacle to doing this is the belief that we already know what it says. The Rosicrucians used to say, "Summa scientiae nihil scire" {The height of science is to know nothing} This is the place from which to approach a horoscope. We start without preconceptions of any sort. Then we simply read the horoscope. That is to say, having learnt the symbolic language of astrology, we simply translate the meaning of the planets in the houses, in various configurations with each other, etc into simple English. To assist in this process, certain rules will be given in this Course, which are to be applied as you would the rules of grammar in translation. Here you find a verb, there an

19

adverb, here a noun, there an adjective. To make a sentence you string them together in the appropriate word order. You do not make up the word order - the language has rules which determine that. We need not be “creative”, still less do we indulge in associative thinking running a stream of consciousness out of our liquid lips hoping to say something “right”. We do not “channel”. As astrologers we read the horoscope. We only read the horoscope. There is no need to “interpret” the horoscope. There is nothing we can add to it. Our personal contribution can only get in the way. There is no way we can understand the client. We have not lived his/her life. Though the Art is called Judicial Astrology, it is our reading of the horoscope where the judgement takes place, not our judging of the client. We are frequently called upon to judge if a planet will produce a thing, deny a thing or destroy it once produced. This requires experience and the faithful application of the rules of judgement. The assistance of angelic intercession, inner voices and familiar spirits is categorically discouraged as self-delusion, unnecessary and unhelpful. This Medieval Astrology is an Hermetic Astrology. We use Mercury, not the Moon to systematically arrive at delineations. It cannot be said frequently enough: the astrologer does not know the future. Even after he has, by the faithful practice of the Art, accurately foretold the future, he will no more know that it is true than the client will until it is fulfilled. The astrologer does not control fate nor the gods. “The Heavens declare the Glory of God”, we just read the “signs”. The weakest link in the process of prediction is the astrologer. Our best efforts at reading the figure are bound to be insufficient because our experience of life and intelligence is less than complete or perfect. The best we can hope for is to convey the right thing - not because we are great but because the Art is true. There will always be a certain amount of intuition that finds its way into the delineation but keeping it to a minimum we edit out a great deal of fraudulent intuition. What gets through is far more likely to be right.

20

The Zodiac is the Alpha and the Omega of existence as I hope to show in subsequent lessons. When in doubt about any issue refer it to the Zodiac where the principles of all things are contained symbolically. Meditation on the Zodiac and the relations contained therein will elucidate many doubts and lead you to re-phrase many questions improperly put. In this way you will draw upon the Supernal Wisdom which will often make good your own deficiency. This brings us to the end of the orientation. I trust you have enjoyed it and have found it beneficial. It starts you off on a solid foundation for the more practical lessons that follow and any future study you may undertake in Medieval Astrology. In natal, horary, mundane and medical astrology I have found the better results are gained where I have adhered to the guidelines that you are about to learn. But please always bear in mind what you have just read. And remember no astrological method is 100% foolproof however, having said that I have found Medieval Astrology far more accurate than any other form of astrology. I am happy to share it with you and again wish you Great Success. Finally, please will you do the following test. When you have completed it compare your answer to the course answer.

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MEDIEVAL ASTROLOGY FOUNDATION COURSE

ORIENTATION TEST © Copyright 1995 Robert Zoller All Rights Reserved Revised in 2000

Please make a one-page synopsis of the major points made in this lecture. This requires you to think carefully about what has been said and then to crystallise the lecture into key points. Try to write down the essence of your understanding in as few words as possible. Keep doing this until you have condensed all your points to one page or about 450 words. If you have not done this before it may take a bit of practice but keep at it even if it seems to take you a long time. It is the end result that is important not how long it takes you. Remember not everything said is essential and you are only concerned to capture the essential points. These will stay with you for the rest of the course. Often several consecutive paragraphs merely function to set things into context and to give background to the main point being made. Then succeeding paragraphs may simply illustrate that main point. Throughout there may be many important points but you have to identify the essential point. e.g.: on the first page there is a discussion of why we need an orientation lecture. The important points are: - The viewpoint is not modern but it does not cancel out all modern innovations. - Much may seem old fashioned, unfamiliar and new but I should expose myself to it if I am to judge if it has any value for me. This sets the context for the essential point which is: - I am under no compulsion to accept all I read. I alone decide this. {indeed being master of your own thoughts is something you should carry far beyond this course} OK you are on your own now. Good Luck.

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© Copyright 2000 New Library Limited All Rights Reserved

ORIENTATION TEST ANSWERS Your one page synopsis must include the following points: 1. In Medieval Astrology we read the chart, not the client {or native}. 2. We apply rules that allow us understanding. Rather like you apply rules of grammar that allow you to read English, to understand meaning. In Medieval Astrology we read the glyphs of the planets, signs, aspects and houses. We do not rely on other things like angelic voices or eruptions from the unconscious. 3. We seek constantly to express our understanding in concrete, practical statements. 4. Medieval Astrology derives from Hermetic Astrology and while it emphasises concrete readings relevant to embodied life, it has a spiritual, esoteric, alchemical and magical dimension. 5. There is little psychology in Medieval Astrology. 6. Medieval Astrology is deterministic. 7. Transcending the limitations imposed upon you requires the "Dignification." I hope you were successful in capturing all of those points. You may have expressed them slightly differently but so long as you identified the essence you have done well. Now it is onward into the arcane world of Medieval Astrology where the old ways are the good ways and the earth really is flat! Please now begin LESSON ONE. Lesson One transcript: rz-fc-1.pdf Lesson One audio: rz-fc-1.mp3

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© Copyright 2000 New Library Limited All Rights Reserved

Robert Zoller. http://www.new-library.com/zoller/

Robert Zoller.

MEDIEVAL ASTROLOGY FOUNDATION COURSE LESSON ONE SIGN SUBDIVISIONS & RULERSHIPS

http://www.new-library.com/zoller © Copyright 2000 Robert Zoller All Rights Reserved © Copyright 2000 New Library Limited All Rights Reserved

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MEDIEVAL ASTROLOGY FOUNDATION COURSE

LESSON ONE: SIGN SUBDIVISIONS & RULERSHIPS © Copyright 1995 Robert Zoller All Rights Reserved Revised in 2000

(Transcript of audio lecture files: rz-fc-1a.mp3 and rz-fc-1b.mp3)

Welcome to Lesson One of the Robert Zoller’s Foundation Course on Medieval Astrology This lesson is called Sign Subdivisions and Rulerships. In this lesson you will be getting to grips with the basic principles of the Signs of the Zodiac, the Sign Subdivisions and Rulerships. Some of what you will learn you may be hearing for the first time. This Lesson lays a foundation on which you will build in Lesson Three on Delineation. Here it will be necessary to inform you of concepts and practices the practical application of which you will see more fully set forth in the later lessons. So don’t be surprised that this Lesson has a theoretical quality to it. We are establishing the conceptual language of Medieval Astrology. We have several tables and lists for this lesson and I think it best for us to begin by going over these first. The information contained in these is an important part of the language of Medieval Astrology. It is necessary that you become fluent in it. So do spend a bit of time making yourself familiar with these tables and lists. You may find it helpful to print them for easy reference . Please start with Figure 1

1

Figure 1

Signs of the Zodiac

a b c d

Aries Taurus Gemini Cancer

Fire Earth Air Water

e f g h

Leo Virgo Libra Scorpio

Fire Earth Air Water

i j k l

Sagittarius Capricorn Aquarius Pisces

Fire Earth Air Water

As you can see this is a list of the Signs of the Zodiac. It shows the symbols of the Zodiac Signs starting with the first one, Aries and moving vertically down finishing at the bottom with the last Sign, Pisces. You will also see that the element to which each Sign belongs is noted to the right of its name e.g. Aries (fire), Taurus (earth) etc.

2

Next is Figure 2 The Planets

0 5 B C F K L

Sun Moon Mercury Venus Mars Jupiter Saturn

Masculine Planets Feminine Planets

0 L K F Y C

- (either)

Diurnal Planets Nocturnal Planets

0 K L Y C F

- (either)

Benefic Planets

K C 0 - (depending on circumstance) Y (waxing)

Malefic Planets

L F - (depending on circumstance) Y (waning)

This lists the names and the symbols {or glyphs} of the seven planets used in Medieval Astrology. You may notice that the more “modern planets” Uranus, Neptune and Pluto are omitted. These last three are often used by Modern astrologers but are not used in Medieval Astrology. 3

Below the list you will see that the planets have been categorised. The masculine planets are the Sun, Saturn, Jupiter and Mars. The Feminine planets are the Moon and Venus. While Mercury can be either masculine or feminine depending on particular circumstances. The diurnal {or day} planets are the Sun, Jupiter and Saturn. The nocturnal {or night) planets are the Moon, Venus and Mars. Again, Mercury can be either depending on the circumstances. The benefic {“works good effect”} planets are Jupiter, Venus and the Sun. The malefic {“works bad effect”} planets are Saturn and Mars. But you will have noticed that the Moon is listed in both. When the Moon is waxing {increasing in light, as it appears to grow daily larger until it becomes a Full Moon} it is considered benefic. However, when the Moon is waning {decreasing in light, as it appears to grow daily smaller until it becomes a New Moon – which is when it cannot be seen at all} then it is considered malefic. Mercury can be either a benefic or a malefic planet depending on the circumstances of each case. When dealing with malefic and benefic planets the question is “ good for what and bad for what” and this we will explore later. But for now it is important that you understand basics. It is important you know these categories, as they will be explained later. Now is perhaps the time to say that the astrological diagram the astrologer reads in Medieval Astrology is termed the horoscope, natal figure, chart, or natal chart. They are all interchangeable and mean the same thing. Medieval Astrologers had additional names for it but I will attempt to restrict myself to these usages.

4

Figure 3 is a diagram of the Decan Rulerships

This shows the Signs of the Zodiac arranged in a circle surrounded by 36 decans. A decan is a 10-degree arc of the Zodiac. You will notice that there are 3 decans to every one Sign of the Zodiac. Each decan is signified by its planetary attribution beginning with Mars in the first decan of Aries. We will learn more about these later in this lecture.

5

Figure 4 is a table of the Triplicity Rulers

Diurnal

Nocturnal

Participating

Fire Air Water Earth

Now, these triplicity rulers are worth a bit of attention at the very beginning. They are much used in Medieval Astrology. Some of you may already be familiar with the triplicity rulers used by Modern and Renaissance astrologers {namely a planet that has honour of triplicity in a Sign of the same elemental nature as the one it rules}. But, in this table for the medieval triplicity rulers you will notice significant differences. For instance, you have Saturn as being one of the triplicity rulers of the fire Signs and Jupiter as being one of the triplicity rulers for air Signs. Exactly why this is so is not entirely clear, at present, although there is some indication that (at least in the case of Jupiter) the elemental or the primitive qualities {Jupiter being moist and hot} agree with the element air {also moist and hot}. You will also notice that the triplicity rulers are divided up by diurnal, nocturnal and participating rulers. You will recall from above that Diurnal means by day and Nocturnal means by night. Participating means operative at all times. 6

This Triplicity Rulers table tells us that when you have a horoscope of a native born during the day, you have a diurnal figure and you use the diurnal sequence of triplicity rulers. So, again referring to the table we see that the Sun is the 1st ruler of the fiery triplicity, the planet Jupiter is in effect 2nd or is subordinate to the Sun while Saturn rules at all times but is still considered last. So, we can see that the diurnal sequence is diurnal ruler, nocturnal ruler, and participating ruler. If the native {remember that is merely the name we give the person who’s horoscope we are looking at} was born at night you have a nocturnal figure {horoscope} and the sequence is nocturnal ruler, diurnal ruler, participating ruler. Later we will see that in delineation {the reading of the natal chart, the learning of the portrait of the native and his world revealed by the horoscope} the diurnal and nocturnal sequences will be of some importance and in prediction they will be very important. We will examine these in depth later but for now make yourself familiar with these triplicity rulers. In fact, all the material in Figures 1-4 above must be committed to memory. You might like to stop here and do that.

7

Now let us turn to Figure 5 Rulerships and Exaltations.

Key

Inner Circle: Signs Middle Circle: Rulerships Outer Circle: Exaltations

Cardinal Signs:

a d g j

Fixed Signs:

b e h k

Mutable Signs:

b e h k

This shows the rulers of the Signs {of the Zodiac} and the rulers of the Signs by exaltation. In the inner central circle of the disk you will see the 12 Signs of the Zodiac; in the middle circle are the planets that rule these Signs and you will notice that there is a certain symmetry. Again we are dealing with the Medieval rulerships which are different to the modern rulerships. 8

You will see that the line that divides Capricorn and Aquarius also divides Leo and Cancer and on the right side of that line you have the Sun's half of the circle and on the left half of that line you have the Moon's half of the circle. So the Sun rules Leo and the Moon rules Cancer. But apart from that the planets are passed out to the Signs in exactly the same order. So, after the Sun you have Mercury, after the Moon you have Mercury, after Mercury you have Venus in both cases, after Venus you have Mars in both cases, after Mars you have Jupiter in both cases and after Jupiter you have Saturn in both cases. These rulers of the Signs are extremely important. Actually, all of these subdivisions and rulerships are important, but the rulers of the Signs are perhaps most important. We will be using them quite a bit. In the 3rd outer circle you will find the planets that rule the Signs by exaltation and I would have you notice that you have five Signs that do not have any exalted rulers. Those Signs are Gemini, Leo, Scorpio, Sagittarius and Aquarius they have no exalted rulers. The planets that rule the Signs by exaltation should also be committed to memory. Figure 6 shows the Essential Dignities.

5 Rulership 4 Exaltation 3 Triplicity 2 Term 1 Face (or Decan)

Now these are very important to know and we will talk about them at length. What I want you to see at the moment is that 9

you have five levels of Essential Dignities: Rulership, Exaltation, Triplicity, Term and Face. The rulerships, the exaltations and the triplicities you will already have learnt. Face is synonymous with decan so you know that as well. Term we will talk about a little later. A number is to the left of each of the Dignities. The numbers 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, represent a pointing system that enables you to judge a planet’s strength in the place it is in or its power in some other place. If a planet is in its own Sign for instance, it has honour of rulership there. It is considered to have 5 dignities or “virtues.” When it is in exaltation it has 4. In triplicity 3, in term 2, in face {or decan} 1. We will be using this pointing system later on but I'm including it here right now just to let you know it exists and that it enables us to get an idea of the relative strength of the planets. Here it is necessary to say that you will be frequently hearing the phrase “a planet having honour” in this Lesson (and very often in Medieval Astrological Texts). This phrase can mean that the planet referred to is in its own Sign (honour of rulership – e.g. Jupiter in Sagittarius), in the Sign it is exalted in (honour of exaltation – e.g. Jupiter in Cancer), in a Sign where it has triplicity (honour of triplicity – e.g. Jupiter in Libra), in one of its terms (honour of term – e.g. Jupiter in 5 degrees of Leo), in a decan it rules (honour of decan – e.g. Jupiter in 25 Libra). In such cases the planet “has honour” and is “dignified.” Honour and dignity are synonymous. The term “honour” is also used in another way: In Medieval Astrology we analyse zodiacal positions (house cusps, planetary positions, the positions of Arabic Parts, etc) by reference to the planets which have “honour” or “dignity” in that position. Thus, for 11° Pisces, Pisces is the Sign ruled by Jupiter and Jupiter has honour of rulership therein. Pisces is the exaltation of Venus & Venus has honour of exaltation therein. Pisces is water Sign and Venus, Mars and Moon have honour of triplicity therein. 11° of Pisces falls in Venus’ terms (See below Figure 8), so Venus has honour of term therein. Finally, 11 degrees of Pisces is in Jupiter’s decan, so Jupiter has honour of decan therein. 10

When you hear or read “if the planet has honour in…” such and such a place understand any of the five Dignities mentioned: rulership, exaltation, triplicity, term and decan. In practice, always consider the planet which rules the Sign as the most important ruler of the zodiacal place being examined. Medieval Astrologers examined all the rulers, but if the beginner in this field relies only upon the ruler of the Sign in applying the rules of judgement you will learn in this foundation course, you will find that your astrological judgement becomes more accurate and profound. Figure 7 shows the Essential Debilities.

Peregrine - Planet has neither Dignity nor Debility Detriment - Planet in Sign Opposite to one it rules Fall - Planet in a sign opposite to the one it is exalted in.

The Debilities are Detriment, Fall and Peregrine. A planet is in Detriment when it is in a Sign opposite to the Sign it rules e.g. Venus is in Detriment in both Aries and Scorpio because these Signs are opposite the Signs that it rules {Taurus and Libra}. A planet is in Fall when it is in a Sign opposite to the Sign in which it is exalted e.g. Venus is in Fall in Virgo because Virgo is opposite Pisces. A planet in Peregrine is actually a kind of watershed between Dignity and Debility. A Peregrine is a planet that is in a Sign in which it has no Dignity. That means it does not rule that Sign, nor is it exalted in that Sign, nor does it rule the triplicity {or element} of that Sign, nor the decan {or face}. If you are unsure of these look back at the earlier figures again. And finally, it does not rule the term {which we will get onto shortly}. As 11

well as this the planet is not in detriment or fall – two of the other debilities. Because Medieval Astrology has five levels of Essential Dignity, you will find Peregrine Planets less frequently than in Modern Astrology which recognises only 2 or 3 Essential Dignities. In interpreting the effect of a Peregrine planet an awful lot depends upon the ruler of the Sign in which the Peregrine planet is found. For instance, the Moon in Aries is Peregrine and it is in the Sign of a malefic {Mars ruler of Aries}. Peregrine position is quite different when the Peregrine planet is in a Sign ruled by a benefic: for instance in Pisces where it is in the Sign of the benefic planet Jupiter. Where a planet has both dignity and debility e.g. Saturn in Leo - where it has both debility of detriment and dignity of triplicity {by being in a fire Sign}, the higher dignity or debility wins. The debility of detriment is the negative correlate of rulership by Sign, and rulership by Sign is higher in the hierarchy of dignities than honour of triplicity, therefore we take Saturn as more debilitated than dignified. Figure 8 (next page) shows the table for the Egyptian Terms. The Terms are uneven subdivisions of the 30-degree zodiacal Signs allotted to five visible planets in an asymmetrical manner. You will notice that the terms are not applied to the Sun or Moon. The 6 next to Jupiter to the right of the Aries glyph tell us that Jupiter rules the first 6° {0° - 5°59' 59"} of Aries. The 6 that is next to Venus means that the next 6° of Aries is ruled by Venus, the next division is 8° and is ruled by Mercury, the next division is 5° long and is ruled by Mars and the next division is 5° which is ruled by Saturn. If you add all the numbers in any horizontal row across, left to right, you should find that all rows add to 30, the number of degrees in a Sign. That is how you should read this table. There are 3 different sets of Terms reported in ancient and medieval texts. The Egyptian Terms are slightly different from the Chaldean Terms and slightly different from both the Egyptian and Chaldean, are the Ptolemaic Terms. Various 12

Figure 8 Egyptian Terms

Key: eg:-

a

K6

C6

B8

=

"

rules first 6˚ a

C

rules next 6˚

B

rules next 8˚

F

rules next 5˚

L

rules next 5˚

13

F5

L5

astrologers down through history have favoured either Ptolemy's Terms or the Egyptian Terms. I don't know any who have actually used the Chaldean Terms. If you want to find out what the difference is between the Egyptian Terms, the Ptolemaic Terms and the Chaldean Terms look in Ptolemy's Tetrabiblos an important work, where you will find all three Tables laid out. Ptolemy, of course, favours his own. Ibn Ezra, Masha’allah and a number of the European Christian astrologers who favoured the Egyptian origin of astrology and the Hermetic tradition, favoured the Egyptian Terms. So, for the sake of simplicity in this foundation course I am going to use the Egyptian Terms only. The decans {Figure 3 above} are considered a weak essential dignity but they are important nonetheless. They factor into the calculation of the strengths of the planets and the Egyptians used them in connection with the delineation of the native’s appearance. This is more fully covered in the full course. Astrological judgement rests upon understanding how the natures of the planets are modified by the Signs they are in and the aspects they receive (both together define the Zodiacal State of the planet) as well as how these influences become determined towards specific effects by the houses (Local Determination). The planetary powers manifest a great array of nuances and the key to understanding these nuances is the Dignities and Debilities. Now, we can commence the actual lesson. The Zodiac itself represents a twelvefold division {the twelve Signs} of the universal force that we can call the “I Am” which is represented by the Sun. This twelvefold division provides a kind of energy field which is modulated by the planetary influences. The result is Creation {according to the medieval and ancient esoteric teachings}, the coming into being and the passing away of all embodied things. The inner spiritual force, the soul or spirit of that which dwells in the physical form is not created nor destroyed by the planetary motions. 14

Only the body {or the embodiment} is created and destroyed by the planetary motions operating within a context of the zodiacal Signs. Jean-Baptiste Morin, in his Astrologia Gallica (1661) states that the entire path of the Sun, that is, the entire ecliptic, is creative. The question for us is creative of what? For us to answer that, we have to understand first of all the Signs of the Zodiac and how they differentiate the Divine Will. To achieve this we must firstly look at the natures of the Signs themselves, which alternate as masculine then feminine throughout the Zodiac. The odd numbered Signs {Aries, Gemini, Leo, Libra, etc} are masculine and the even numbered Signs are feminine {Taurus, Cancer, Virgo, etc}. So, you have an active and a reactive pulsing influence coming from the Signs of the Zodiac themselves. And they can also be analysed in terms of their Cardinal, Fixed and Mutability natures. It is clear that somewhere along the line {probably with the Greeks in the ancient period} the idea was expressed that the Cardinal, Fixed and Mutable Signs represent modes of activity of matter. There is an analogous concept in the Hindu tradition with the Gunas. The Gunas are qualities in matter and there are said to be three qualities in matter. The Sattvica which conducts consciousness. The Rajasica which reflects consciousness and the Tamasica which absorbs consciousness. There seems to be something quite analogous going on with the Western astrology, particularly in the Arabic and Jewish philosophical underpinnings of Medieval Astrology. This theme goes back to the Neo-Pythagoreans and the NeoPlatonists in the Hellenistic period. They characterise each of the Signs of the Zodiac as cardinal, fixed or mutable. The cardinal Signs are Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn. The fixed Signs are Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius and the mutable Signs are Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces. So, apart from the masculine/feminine, active/reactive modulation that goes on through the Zodiac there is also a modal difference between the cardinal, fixed and mutable. The implication is that this is in some way how matter itself 15

responds to consciousness {the Divine Will} represented by the Sun's influence, the Sun's light and the “I Am” influence that descends from the supernal, even supra heaven, supra celestial worlds down to the physical world. And, as a result of this kind of activity existing in Heaven, it also exists on Earth and the material things of this Earth. What the Zodiac is doing and what the astrological system is doing is modulating matter. It is creating bodies and then breaking down bodies and it is going to do this in a large measure through the dual influences of the masculine/feminine, active/reactive polarities and also the influence of the cardinal/fixed/mutable Signs. Now, these cardinal/fixed/mutable Signs, these twelve Signs of the Zodiac, are also allotted to the elements. The four elements, being Fire, Earth, Air and Water giving three Signs in each element. You get Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius in the Fire triplicity. Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn are in the earthy triplicity. Gemini, Libra and Aquarius are in the airy triplicity and Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces are in the watery triplicity. The four elements were thought of as being near basic but not absolutely basic building blocks of matter. They are actually four states of matter. The radiant energy corresponds to the fire Signs. What we would call gas corresponds to the air Signs. The ancients didn't have the word gas, it was invented by the alchemist Van Helmont in the seventeenth century. The water Signs are liquid state and the earth signs are solid state. If you look at any of the Figures above showing the twelve Signs you will notice that each of the Signs is allotted to an element and is also allotted to one of the modes {cardinal, fixed or mutable}. So, you have Aries which is Cardinal/Fire, Leo which is Fixed/Fire and Sagittarius which is Mutable/Fire and this happens with each of Signs, elements and modes. The important point to grasp here is that you always have to think in terms of combined influence when examining the horoscope e.g. the Sign of Aries embodies the influence of fire and the masculine {or active} and the quality {or mode} of being cardinal. Taurus on the other hand embodies the 16

influence of earth and is feminine {or reactive} and holds the quality {or mode} of being fixed. When you want to know how a Sign operates, the mode is very important. It is either centripetal which is the fixed influence. It is centrifugal which is the cardinal influence or it alternates between both of those which is the mutable influence. Notice also that you have two elements, which are totally masculine, and two elements which are totally feminine. That is the fiery and airy elements which are both masculine elements and the feminine elements which are water and earth. I should also point out that the four elements were originally articulated by the Greek philosopher Empedocles in the fifth century BC, and became a fixture of Greek philosophy. As such, these four elements found their way into medieval philosophy as defining the characteristics of matter and ultimately as being very important also in connection with the temperaments and with the constitution of man and ultimately in medical considerations. Aristotle modified Empedocles’ doctrine. Aristotle held that these elements were not simple bodies, but that they were themselves composed of four primitive qualities {hot, cold, wet and dry}. By the time we get to the Medieval Astrology there is very little doubt that the medieval astrologers in the west and among the Arabs as well, have identified the four elements of the Zodiac {Fire, Earth, Air and Water} with the four elements of Empedocles, and agree with Aristotle that the four elements of Empedocles are comprised of four primitive qualities - so that Fire is hot and dry, Air is moist and warm, Water is cold and wet and Earth is cold and dry. Ptolemy, in fact, makes a great deal about this division, and in the first chapter of his Tetrabiblos asserts that this is the key to understanding human temperament, human health, events that occur and so on and so forth, as the basis for prediction. This is because, according to Ptolemy, the time of the year in which you were born and the nature of the Signs dominant at that time and the planetary influences dominant at that time {because even the planets are 17

characterised according to these four primitive qualities} gives the individual born at a particular time a predominant disposition. And, this predominant disposition is characterised by hot, cold, wet and dry which inclines them towards producing certain kinds of illnesses and certain kinds of behaviour or characteristics as well. This leads to quite an in-depth discussion of the medical end of things and the physiognomy which is more fully explored in the full course but for now it is important that you have this basic understanding. Apart from this the Signs of the Zodiac are also ruled by planets and the planetary rulerships {see Figure 5}, as I said before are very important. A Sign's activity is in very large measure determined by the planet which rules that Sign, or is at least understood in the terms of the planet that rules that Sign. And, there is a very intimate relationship between a planet and the Sign it rules, as we will see later on when we get into the actual delineation. The point to keep in mind is that the planet that rules the Sign is a kind of extension of the Sign itself. In practice its position in another Sign and its position in another house {houses are more fully explained in a following lesson} is going to link the affairs of that Sign and the affairs of that house to the affairs of the Sign in question. So, for example if you have Aries rising {i.e. it is the Ascendant being the cusp of the 1st House} and you have its ruler Mars in the 10th House, in Capricorn, then the primary motivation signified by Aries is going to be expressed through your actions in a very forthright, aggressive, goal-oriented sort of manner and your professional life is going to be the theatre of expression of your primary motivation which is essentially going to be for power; which brings me to something that must not be overlooked. The four elements Fire, Earth, Air and Water represent four behavioural characteristics and four modal expressions that are absolutely imperative to commit to memory. That is that the Fire Signs go for freedom of action and power. The Air Signs go for freedom of expression and movement. The Water Signs need emotional security. The Earth Signs need 18

physical security. By physical security we mean money, property and wealth. By emotional security we mean love, knowing that everything is going to be okay and whatever it takes to produce the subjective experience that everything is going to be okay. The feminine elements need and the masculine elements go for. There are two kinds of people in the world, those that have masculine signs dominant and those who have feminine signs dominant. Those who have masculine signs dominant live in a world full of opportunities. Those who have feminine signs dominant live in a world full of needs and this shows up in the language that the client uses when s/he comes to the astrologer. The client with the feminine sign rising {Ascendant} and the feminine signs dominant says 'I need to do this, I have to do that, I must do this, I want to do that'. They use the language of need and they use a passive language, 'this happened to me'. Whereas people who have the masculine signs dominant and a masculine sign rising will say 'I can do this or I can do that' and they come to the astrologer for entirely different reasons. A Sign becomes dominant in the sense that I am using it here when it contains three {or more} planets or holds the angles or both of these. People with masculine signs dominant consults the astrologer because there are a number of opportunities being presented to them at a particular time and they want to hear somebody else's opinion as a way of making their own decision as to what to do. They want to be advised so they can make a “good” decision. Those with the feminine signs dominant want to be told what to do, they want to enlist and to pay for somebody else's judgement so they know the right thing to do because they themselves doubt that they have the capability or the insight necessary to come to the right conclusion. This insight into astrology is going to be of considerable importance to you in a very practical sense once you get into the business of interpreting horoscopes. It is the sort of thing that has to be said now because it is so terribly important and because it could otherwise be 19

very easily overlooked or forgotten. Let's get back to the rulerships for the moment. You have on your page of rulerships {Figure 5} a diagram that shows you what planet rules which Sign. Leo is ruled by the Sun, Mercury rules Virgo, Venus rules Libra, Mars rules Scorpio and so on and so forth, around the circle. The nature of the Sign is, to a very large degree conditioned not only by the element, not only by the masculine/feminine consideration, not only by the cardinal/fixed/mutable consideration, but also by the nature of the planet which rules that Sign. So the fiery, impetuous nature of Mars characterises and rules the Sign Aries and the Sign Scorpio but in two entirely different ways, because one is a fixed, water, feminine Sign and the other is a cardinal, fire, masculine Sign. In Aries, Mars' influence is going to be very forthright, outward, aimed, extroverted. In the fixed, feminine Scorpio it's going to be very defensive, introspective, very protective and very reactive. Scorpios don't generally initiate trouble but once you get them going, embroiled in a conflict, they cannot let go. Now this means that at this point we should say something about the natures of the planets themselves.

The Sun is the giver of life, the author of light and heat. It is hot and dry and it is associated with winning, with success, with recognition, with power, with the expression of the “I Am”, with creativity, with spontaneity, with beauty, it's a very sexual planet as well. When you find the Sun prominent in a horoscope all of these characteristics are going to be very powerfully noted and depending upon the condition and dignity or debility of the Sun, they are going to be expressed in a very remarkable manner. The Sun is also associated with prophecy, Dionysius and Apollo are both solar figures. The Sun is very clearly associated with the experience of enlightenment, the experience of the individual consciousness having been 20

joined to the supernal “I Am” which is beyond the Zodiac. And the experience of enlightenment of being filled with light, love, life and creativity. In fact, becoming one with the Sun and with the creative power. The keyword for the Sun is Life or “I am”

Mercury is the messenger of the Gods. It is also the analytical faculty in the soul. It is the ruler of scribes, merchants, thieves, bankers and scientists and it is associated with all of these things as well as with the tongue in the physiognomy and physiology and with the assimilative faculty both mentally and physically. The Sun is a diurnal planet and it is a masculine planet as well. Mercury can be either masculine or feminine, it can be either diurnal or nocturnal depending on what it is connected with. It can be either benefic or malefic. The Sun is a benefic planet generally speaking. Mercury is so mutable as to take its benefic/malefic, diurnal/nocturnal qualities from the planets that it is associated with, by aspect and by disposition, that is when it is in somebody else's sign. Mercury has to do with the giving of explanations and interpretations. It is the “go-between.” The keyword for Mercury is cunning.

Venus is the Goddess of Love but the keyword for Venus is really Lust. A lot of people like to make Venus Love, and Venus can be Love, but they overlook the lust and Venus is a very lusty planet. It is often said by modern astrologers, and I think wrongly, that lust is associated with Mars. This is largely because Modern astrology has emphasised the exalted Love of Venus as though it is the natural state in which Venus is found in the horoscope. But in fact the contrary is true. Venus is seldom found in good zodiacal state and thus it is more inclined toward lust that spiritual or exalted love. Again, this is a complex subject and one which will have to addressed in later study. Venus is a benefic planet and is called a lesser benefic because the things that she does are very pleasant, but they have to do with the individual. They don't have a very wide spread scope to them such as Jupiter's does. 21

Mars is more associated with aggression and with zeal and conquest and things of this sort which can be (and often is) done in connection with lust but Mars is not lust. Mars is strife, wrath, contention, initiative, courage, daring. Mars is a malefic planet. Mars is the lesser malefic, so called because the scope of Mars vision is limited in time and space whereas Saturn’s effects are more far reaching.

Jupiter is the greater benefic and Jupiter's influences are much greater in scope than Venus. They free us from many limitations that Venus cannot free us from. Jupiter can be called wealth, freedom, and abundance.

Saturn is limitations and obstacles, hindrances and things of this sort. It rules graveyards. It also rules science. It rules mathematics, as does Mercury. Saturn rules things that are done alone, solitary pursuits. As a result it is the planet par excellence of what is called 'the more secret philosophy' the esoteric philosophy, both Mercury and Saturn are associated with magic. Saturn and Mercury are also associated with astrology. Saturn's influence extends over the endings of all things, over all ruins and old things generally.

The Moon is the principle of change, growth and decay, nurture and nourishment and it modulates matter through its constantly changing phases. Through its waxing and waning, by which the light of the Sun is modulated and regulated upon sublunary matter, more or less, at various times at various phases of the Moon's motion. The Moon also links the aspects of the planets and transmits them to the Earth in a very powerful sort of manner. (1b) So it is one of the major links between Heaven and Earth. The other two links being Mercury and Venus which also translate light in a manner very similar to the way the Moon, but not quite as importantly as the Moon does. Whereas the Sun is hot and dry, Mercury tends to be dry but it can vary quite a bit depending on what it is associated with. Venus is warm and moist. Jupiter is warm and moist. Mars is hot and dry. Saturn is cold and dry. Moon is warm & moist when waxing and cold and moist in its waning phase. 22

Now, each of these planets rules a Sign of the Zodiac and this is when we get into the importance of dignity and debility. When it is in its own Sign or when it has any of the dignities, it effects what it promises. Therefore, Venus for instance, in Libra or Taurus usually produces lust. When it is in its own Sign in good zodiacal state {in dignity and well aspected} it will also produce whatever is promised by the house(s) it rules. The dignity and debility is primarily to do with quality. We will talk about a five-fold level of quality in concrete detail when we talk about the five levels of rulership {Essential Dignities} in connection with the delineation of a house in the horoscope. Right now we are laying the foundation. Of the Dignities rulership is the best. Exaltation is not quite as good but is very powerful, very dramatic in its action. Triplicity is very good. Term is OK, and decan is all right but it is fairly weak. What you have got here is a hierarchy of effectiveness, a hierarchy of efficacy in the planet's ability to produce its own nature. It helps to use the metaphors that the ancients and the medieval astrologers used in understanding how these planets work in rulerships and exaltations. A planet in its own Sign, i.e. which has honour of rulership in its Sign, is like a king on his throne. A planet in exaltation is like a conqueror. A planet in triplicity is among friends. A planet in term is honoured. A planet in decan is not frequently spoken about because it is such a minor affair. A planet in its own sign is like a king and anything that planet wants to do, it can effect because it is in its own kingdom. Anything it wants to do is simply done, not only is it done, it is law. It is long lasting. It stands forever. It is not challenged. It is said that you cannot fight a person whose ruler is in honour because they win. My teacher, Zoltan Mason, taught this. The planet that is exalted will effect very dramatic results and can rocket somebody into very high levels of success, but it doesn't last. Reversals will come along and this is why 23

exaltation is not considered to be as beneficial as rulership. A planet in triplicity is among friends, means that quite literally when the ruler of the Ascendant is in honour of triplicity, the native has a lot of associations. This is even more the case when the Moon is connected with many planets and the ruler of the Ascendant is swift, direct and also connected with many planets. Then the native has many associations and many friends. Rulership is best, exaltation is not quite so good, triplicity is good, but not quite so powerful as either rulership or exaltation, but it can still effect what it promises. Decan is fairly weak, it is almost neither here nor there. What does this mean with regards to, let's say, Venus? Venus in rulership can produce what it promises because it is in its own Sign. Her quality is going to be very good. Therefore, we are not going to talk about lust so much as we're going to talk about love. But we are still talking about the intense physical bonding that is associated with Venus. Venus is emotional and physical and binds people together. When Venus is in good zodiacal state (i.e. in dignity and well aspected) we can speak about love. When Venus is in poor zodiacal state (i.e. in debility and poorly aspected) we have to speak about lust and sometimes we have to speak about depravity. When it is in poor zodiacal state it cannot purely effect what its nature is, that is to say it cannot successfully produce the bonding. It cannot produce a true union, the tying of people together in love. It cannot do that because its nature is adulterated with the Sign in which it finds itself. Therefore, when we find Venus, for instance, in Aries or in Scorpio, Venus wants to love and the person represented by the Venus wants to love and they want to be bound together with somebody else and they want to bind somebody to them as well. But they don't have time because Venus in a Martian Sign doesn't have time to love. She is too hasty, too driven. Zodiacal State has much to do with the qualitative modulation of the planetary influences. The debilities are such because of the adulteration of the planetary influence 24

with a contrary planetary influence, i.e. that of the ruler of the Sign a debilitated planet is in. But an important difference between Modern Astrology and Medieval Astrology is the emphasis given to aspects. Modern Astrology looks at aspects very early in its delineation process. Medieval Astrology looks first at the positions of the planets in the houses keeping in mind their natures and Zodiacal State, then their rulerships and local determination. Aspects are viewed primarily from the point of view of judging whether the planets linked by the aspects {the Ptolemaic aspects conjunction, opposition, sextile, square and trine} collaborate with each other or compete with each other. This is dealt with at length in the full course. Back to Zodiacal State - The Moon in Capricorn wants to “take care of”, but it has to do that through the Sign in which it is placed. The Moon in Capricorn is in its detriment {I will explain detriments more fully below} and so its nature, which is to care for, to nurture and to regulate the physical world, is forced to operate in an excessively cold and dry environment. Therefore it turns to the regulation of affairs according to duty, the regulation of affairs of a very concrete manner. So it loses its elasticity. It loses its responsiveness and it becomes very cold, concrete, goal-oriented. All of the Moon's motivations are for caring, but the Moon cannot really effect those motivations because it is forced to operate through the Capricornian coldness and as a result becomes domineering and very much concerned about controlling the future. The Moon in Capricorn is scared to death of the future as the earth Signs generally are. The Sun in Aquarius wants to rule because the Sun in Leo would have perfect rule because its nature coincides so perfectly with the Sign in which it is placed. But in the sign opposite, i.e. in its detriment, its quality has been interfered with. It can no longer selflessly give as the Sun in Leo can give. Even though the Sun in Leo is in a fixed Sign and, therefore, centripetal, extraordinarily egocentric and arrogant in its own fashion. Nevertheless it is at the same time extraordinarily generous because its nature is to give and there is nothing interfering with its nature. 25

This is not the case in Aquarius. The Sun in Aquarius is in a centripetal, air Sign not in a fire Sign. It is not as warm as the Sun in Leo. It is operating under denial, restrictions, obstacles, hindrances, all these saturnine qualities that are associated with the Sign Aquarius and the ruler of the Sign, Saturn. It is alienated, it feels itself cut-off from the source of its power. According to Ibn Ezra it is the Sign of Satan because it is opposed to the sign of authority which is the Sun - Leo. In many ways the Aquarian operates towards the Leo in a very satanic fashion, always accusing the Leos of being arrogant and self-centred and things of this sort and always seeking to be a Leo themselves though never quite getting there because they're an Aquarian. The Aquarians have certain abilities that the Leos don't have. They have all the abilities of Air that Leos don't have. They have the acquisition of learning, great shows of knowledge and things of this sort, but the bottom line is that the Sun in Aquarius is in detriment and cannot be as brilliant, generous, selflessly giving of self as the Leo and as a result there are certain ramifications in this. On the level of physiology, for instance, the circulatory system, there are difficulties because the Sun is restricted in Aquarius, Saturn's Sign, and when the Sun (heart) is restricted, circulation is restricted and the state of mind becomes restricted, full of doubts, morbid, morose, depressed, melancholy and so on. If you want to improve the state of mind improve the circulation. This is one of the things the Aquarians have to watch and take care of, the circulation, particularly in the lower extremities like the ankles, which are ruled by Aquarius. So the point is here, what does dignity mean? Dignity means that the planet which is in dignity, especially in rulership by Sign (though even in triplicity and exaltation) can effect what it promises and it always promises its own nature, this is very important to keep in mind. We have to get a very clear understanding of the planetary natures to begin with. The planets that are in Essential Dignity effect what they promise, they can do and do what they promise, unless they 26

are interfered with by aspect or some other cause which we will talk about (to some degree in Lesson Three and more in the full course). But the bottom line is when they are in their own signs they effect what they promise, when they are in dignity they effect what they promise. When they are in debility they cannot effect fully what they promise. The benefic planets {Sun, Jupiter, Venus and the Moon, when it is increasing in light} when they are in poor Zodiacal State cannot effect all the good that they would by their nature. The same thing can be said for the malefic planets {Mars, Saturn and the Moon, when it is decreasing in light}. Malefic planets cannot effect all the malefic qualities which they would effect if they were in good Zodiacal State. What Mercury does will depend on with whom it is configured. Now this is a curious thing because a malefic planet such as Saturn in Leo in poor zodiacal state is a nasty planet. Saturn in Leo is a troublemaker and is trying to stir up difficulties. It would like to cause greater harm but it cannot effect its full nature because it is in a solar Sign and therefore it is, as it were, very upset and waxed wrath so to speak, but it cannot really effect as much danger and difficulty as it would like to. The same thing can be said for Mars in Libra. Mars in Libra is in its detriment {in the Sign opposite the one it rules} and it cannot effect its nature, which is to cut off heads, because it is always being forced to consider the other side of the issue. It is always being forced to operate in a Libran sort of manner which is to say in a very harmonious, polite, considerate, just fashion. Mars in Aries doesn't bother with being just, it does the job and it does it as quickly and effectively as possible. As a matter of fact, when you want a head cut off, you want just the right person’s head cut off. You don't want everybody's head cut off. You don't want a postal office scene where somebody walks into the room with an automatic weapon and shoots everybody in the room. You want one guy in the room shot. When Mars is in its own Sign {Aries or Scorpio} or in its exaltation {Capricorn} it just gets the one person that it is supposed to get. But when Mars is 27

forced into another Sign where it has no honour of any kind then you are likely to have the shotgun approach which causes more problems than it actually solves. And this is the problem with planets which are in poor Zodiacal State, they cause more problems than they solve, they do not effect what they promise as effectively as they ought to and they cause problems as a result of it because they are sloppy in their action. It is very important to understand the different effects the dignities and debilities have on a planet. For instance, Saturn in Aquarius is in honour of rulership. The effect of this dignity is that Saturn will effect the acquisition of learning and plumbing the depths of secret knowledge very well. When it's in Leo, it is in debility {detriment} and it cannot do the job as effectively because it leaves things undone. It doesn't attend to detail, as it ought to, thus it is not entirely effective. A planet is in its fall {debility} when it is opposite its exaltation. So Saturn is exalted in Libra and it is in its fall when it is in Aries. Aries, a Martian Sign is a Sign which is almost, if not entirely, hostile to the nature of Saturn. A hot and dry Sign as opposed to a cold and dry planet and this interferes greatly with Saturn's ability to produce what it promises. Now, all of this is modified considerably by the subdivision of the Sign in which the planet finds itself. The more dignities a planet has, the stronger it is. If the planet is in its own Sign, let's say Mercury is in 6 degrees of Virgo, it would have honour of rulership (by Sign), be exalted and in its own term. It would therefore be stronger than in another part of Virgo, say anywhere from 7 degrees to 29°59’59” Virgo where it would be only dignified by Sign and exaltation. Look for those positions in which a planet gets as many dignities as possible. Then under those circumstances, it is like a slot machine with all the cherries lining up and you hit the jackpot. This of course, is very rare. What happens more frequently is that it's in some degree of honour and some degree of dishonour {e.g. Saturn in Leo has both the debility of detriment and honour of triplicity} The 28

most important is the honour by Sign and the honour by exaltation or triplicity. The minor divisions {term and decan} of the Signs are more useful for fine-tuning. In the full course further divisions are employed such as the Novenaria and Duodecimae. The terms, it should be pointed out, played a pretty big role in books such as the Liber Hermetis which makes delineations on the relative social status of the native and his/her family. This is done on the basis of the planet that rules the term that the Sun finds itself in, or the planet that rules the term that the Moon finds itself in. When the Sun finds itself in the term of a benefic, then it is said that the native preserves the father's patrimony. The father was of noble birth and of a good family and so on and the native will continue these traits and everybody will live happily ever after. But if the Sun finds itself in a term ruled by a malefic planet, then the father's family was base, they were slaves, the son is a slave of slaves, he loses whatever little money the family had collected and lives a mean and base life. Of course, this kind of delineation is dependent to a very large degree upon the nature of the society that existed in Hellenistic Egypt, but it looks from all appearances as though we are moving in pretty much the same direction ourselves right now. So that's not something that I would have you throw out, just now. A good deal of what we're talking about is going to become much clearer when we actually start using examples, and we're not going to be doing much of that in this lesson because there is a lot of new material to go over first. I want to emphasise certain ideas that I think that you need to know, such as the dignities which should all be committed to memory. I also want to emphasise the idea that the dignity of rulership by sign is extraordinarily important and that the relationship between a planet and its Sign is going to be one of the major keys by which we elicit concrete, practical information from the horoscope. The application of much of what we have been discussing is going to become much clearer when we discuss house 29

delineation in Lesson 3. For now you need to know that the planets act in the signs and their combined influence is specified towards particular areas of life by the astrological houses of which there are 12. Their Primary Meanings are given below. They also have derived meanings which we will touch on in the third lesson of this foundation course and discuss more fully in the full course. The first house signifies Life, Body and that inner power or virtue which we recognise as the native’s skill, talent or wit. The second house is money. The third house is siblings. The fourth house is family. The fifth house is children. The sixth house is servants. The seventh house is other people; partners, especially the spouse. The eighth house is death. The ninth house is God. The tenth house is profession. The eleventh house is friends. The twelfth house is illness. One of the key slogans or sayings in Medieval Astrology is that "the good or bad signified by a house emanates from the ruler of the house". When we talk about the delineation of the houses, we'll be using some examples to show exactly what we mean by this. But here, I want to get the idea clearly expressed that most of the time you are going to find a situation where the planet rules a given Sign but is not in that Sign. It is in some other Sign. As a result it is going to fall in another house of the horoscope. For instance, you could have Aries on the 10th House {i.e. rules the cusp of the house} and you could have the Mars {the ruler of the 10th} in the 7th House which is ruled by Capricorn in which case we apply the rule: “ The good or bad signified by a house emanates from the ruler of the house”. The 10th House affects the native's profession. The 7th House affects partnership {in the wider sense including all contractual relationships like a marriage partner or a business partner}. Because the ruler {Mars} of the Sign {Aries} in which the 10th House falls, is in the 7th House that means that these two houses are connected. Partnership {7th House} and Profession {10th House} will be very dramatically 30

and very effectively tied together because they are connected by Mars. That is the base from which we start. Now we apply the rule “The good or bad signified by a house emanates from the ruler of the house”. The houses will be characterised as “good” or “bad” in Lesson three. For now you should know that the 10th House is a good house and has to do with profession. Thus applying the first part of the rule “The good or bad signified by the house…” we see that it is a good thing that is signified by the 10th House. Now, the second part of the rule is applied “… emanates from the ruler of the house”. What is the ruler of the Sign that the house is in? Mars. Yes, but not just Mars but where is Mars? In the 7th House, so it is Mars in the 7th. The 7th House being the house of partnerships. So applying the whole rule to this context. The profession will emanate from Mars or put a little more clearly Mars will produce the profession. Or clearer still a partnership will produce the profession. The partnership will secure the profession. Of-course, we have to now take into account all of what you have learnt previous to this. This leads immediately to the consideration of Mars. The first thing that should strike you is that Mars is exalted in Capricorn. The second Essential Dignity. Does this mean that Mars bodes well for the partnership and thus the profession? If you said NO, then you are correct. Recall the nature of Mars – aggression, zeal, conquest. In the context of a partnership this could spell much strife and contention which will sap the productive harmony that a partnership needs to prosper. The conclusion you should be drawing is that Mars isn’t too good for partnerships. But what of its exaltation? How does this affect the overall picture?

Mars in Capricorn puts off some of its evil because it's extraordinarily well placed being exalted. Of course, being 31

exalted, it is very efficient in accomplishing whatever evil it is determined towards, so it becomes important to see just what such a planet is doing. Recalling what you have already learnt you will see that Mars in exaltation enhances its nature. So we must bear that in mind as we build up the picture according to the rules you now know. Mars is in Capricorn. Capricorn is an earth Sign, it is also feminine. What affect will that have on the masculine nocturnal malefic Mars? Capricorn is also a cardinal Sign so this must be gauged in this picture we are building. If you cannot build up this picture yourself just yet, you should go over the first part of this lecture again. The effect of the cardinal influence will be centrifugal. An outward flow of energy. Exterior action which will reflect in Mars as ambition and self-confidence. In themselves not too bad for a partnership upon which a profession is based except Mars being in exalted form may go a little further. There will probably be an eagerness to command, to take control, at times the centrifugal tendency manifesting in a love for independence and initiative that may have Mars streaking ahead of the partner and causing serious strain on the partnership. How serious this stress is will depend on other factors to be found in the chart. Add to this the earthy perseverance of the feminine earth and Mars finds itself having to cope with a tense inertia. There will be restraint imposed on Mars which will cause some frustration. Keep in mind here, it is Mars we are judging, not the native. We are seeking to know what the native’s profession will be like. The “frustration” alluded to is a subjective characterisation of the Mars in Capricorn - our attempt to understand the power shaping the native’s objective life. The frustration mentioned need not be the subjective experience of the native. As Mars in the example is in the 7th house, it might characterise the partner’s state. In any case, such frustration will not last long because the Mars/Capricorn partner, signified by the impatient Mars and the Cardinal Capricorn will act quickly, successfully and decisively to realise his/her goal. 32

In a nutshell Mars will impose itself and attempt to subjugate others e.g. running roughshod over the opposition. The implication of having Mars in the 7th House is that the native's partner is a very Martian individual. We might be talking about a professional partnership here, which would be easier to handle than a personal partnership, like a marriage, with such a Mars in Capricorn in the 7th house. Also implied is that the native has a very successful career as a result of his association with this very Martian person. Conceivably, one would go into business with someone who has a high position in the military or something along those lines. So, the good or bad signified by a house emanates from the ruler of the house. Let's do it one more time. Let's say we have Taurus on the 2nd House cusp and we have Venus in the 4th House. Then the financial strength of the native is tied to inheritance, so the family money comes into the picture in some manner. So he gets his money from inheritance or he gets his money from the family or from the profession/actions of the partner, but this last reading depends upon what are called “derived houses.” We will talk about derived houses in the full Medieval Astrology Course. There is another important relationship between the planet and the Sign that it rules. This is called the Temporal Relationship. It operates at the same time as the Emanation Relationship which we have just examined. Just as the Emanation Relationship applies to all signs (and through the signs to the houses) and their rulers, so the Temporal Relationship applies to all signs/houses and their rulers. The Temporal Relationship is when a Sign determines how the affair in question will start or the beginning and the planet which rules that Sign determines the outcome of the affair. As an illustration, taking the example we viewed above where the cusp of the 10th House is in Aries and the ruler of Aries {Mars} is in Capricorn in the 7th House. We are looking at the 10th House so the affair in question is the profession or general activity of the native. Aries is on the 33

cusp of the 10th so it is the Sign which determines how the profession or general activity will begin. Mars rules the Sign so Mars is the planet which will determine how affairs concerning the profession etc will turn out. To discover this the effect of the feminine earth cardinal Sign of Capricorn on Mars must be explored to see how they are able to manifest. So, the Sign Aries imbues the profession with a good amount of energy and vigour. Cardinal fire expressing itself in professional affairs with untrammelled confidence. Enthusiastic drive, perhaps (depending on other factors in the chart which are more fully explored in the full course) the profession may be pioneering in some manner or even idealistic. But how it progresses and where it ultimately leads is very much in the hands of Mars in the 7th house. The one thing that you can be sure of is that there will be an amount of friction in the partnership. The Temporal Relationship between a planet and the Sign that it rules which is temporal {i.e. that the Sign represents the beginning of the affair and the planet rules what comes out of it in time, how the affair evolves, the outcome or the outlet as it were. So, in the case where you've got Aries on the 10th House cusp and the ruler of the 10th {Mars} is in the 7th House, one could say that the profession or the native's actions (which are 10th House) leads to Mars in Capricorn in a very 7th house kind of experience. So it leads to friction and because Mars is in a feminine sign, in Capricorn, this friction comes to the native. This friction is something that comes to the native because of Mars being in a feminine sign. If Mars were in a masculine sign the native would initiate contentious behaviour with others. Now this is an important point that I don't want to miss with regards to masculine and feminine signs. The general reading of masculine and feminine signs is that a planet in a masculine sign represents something that the native does to somebody else or to himself, but the native actively does the act. A planet in a feminine sign represents something that somebody else does to the native. Therefore, let's say we have Saturn in Leo in the 7th House. 34

The native rejects other people. Saturn is a very negative influence, very restrictive. In a masculine Sign it is rejecting. It's rejecting whom? It's rejecting other people because its action is corresponding to the house in which it is placed and as it is in the 7th House, it rejects other people. Saturn in Cancer in the 7th House is afraid. Saturn in a feminine Sign in the 7th House is fear of rejection by others and in fact, there's a reason for it being afraid of being rejected by others. This is because the native has at some point been rejected and will be rejected frequently by other people (to some degree). People learn to deal with these things in various ways, some of them well, some of them not. But the basic fact is that a malefic planet in the 7th House produces problems of some sort always according to its nature and according to what its connected to through rulership. This always raises the question, “Is the native acting or acted upon?” and a central part of the key to answering that question is the polarity of the Sign in which the planet finds itself, whether it's a masculine Sign or a feminine Sign.

Judging success in astrology is one of the things that an astrologer has to do. Very frequently, people come to astrologers wanting to know about their marriages, the possibility of marriage, and their relationships generally. They want to know whether their marriage, profession, finances, etc will succeed. What to do? The various houses of the horoscope represent the different areas of life that we are called upon to judge. We have to understand the entire horoscope, of course, in order to properly judge any particular area of life. But, assuming that we know what the horoscope as a whole has to say, if we find malefics in the 7th house, what does this mean with regard to partnership. Generally speaking, it means problems with regards to relationship. The question is problems for whom (the native or the partner?) and how bad are the problems, can they be worked with or are they such that they preclude the successful outcome of the affairs of the house? There are circumstances where things vary quite a bit. If the 35

malefic planet, for instance, is Saturn and it is in the 7th house and it is in a Sign where it has dignity, it will not preclude the affairs of the 7th house, it will produce the affairs of the 7th house. Remember that planets can do one of three things; they can either produce something, they can deny it or they can destroy it once it's been produced. A malefic planet in honour, especially in its own Sign, in the 7th house, will produce the affairs of the 7th house, i.e. it will produce a partnership, but they will produce it with hindrances, obstacles, delays, loss and the like. Saturn will hold it together through duty. An example might be, where a woman marries a man with a serious disease . She will feel that it's her duty to take care of him and she stays with him for years and years, even though she can't enjoy the full effects of a satisfactory and normal marriage because of the limitations upon the partner. Much better is it to have Benefics in the 7th House, in good Zodiacal State in which case the naturally good nature of the 7th House and the inter-relationship between the partners is assured. So you have to consider that success depends upon two things, it depends upon quality and quantity. The quality is the Zodiacal State of the planets involved. If that Saturn were in Leo, in the 7th House, you could effectively predict difficulties in an existing relationship, if one existed and the ultimate destruction of the relationship, because the bad condition of Saturn in the 7th House. However, Saturn in the 7th House, in Leo, is not so bad as to outright deny a relationship, because it's in poor Zodiacal State. It's more likely, that it'll destroy it once it has been produced. If it were in Leo and adversely aspected by Mars it could prohibit a marriage altogether. If it were in Capricorn with Capricorn on the cusp of the 7th, then Saturn would be ruler of the 7th in the 7th and could be expected to produce a Saturnian partnership. Quantity has to do with the power of the planet and the house in which you find the planet itself determines that. Angular planets {planets positioned in the 1st, 4th, 7th & 10th houses} always produce what they promise to some degree. 36

But remember when we speak of Promise we are not simply talking about what is promised by their nature {eg Jupiter promises freedom or wealth by its nature} but also by their zodiacal state. You will recall that the Zodiacal State is determined by the Essential Dignities and also the debilities, which we have investigated. In addition to this the planetary aspects have a baring on the Zodiacal State and these are explored in greater detail in the full course. In this foundation course you are learning the basics which will go some way toward allowing you to address those big questions in astrology which of-course to most of us are the big questions of our everyday lives. What will happen? You should be able to gauge the quality of this. When will it happen? How long will it last for?

So, what I hope you’ve taken from this lesson is that the rulership of the Signs by the planets happens in five ways. These we call the Essential Dignities: rulership by sign, exaltation, triplicity, term and face {or decan}. You should also have learnt to see when a planet is peregrine or in fall or in detriment. If you are unsure of any of these then you must go back through this lecture until you are because these are the basic building blocks that you will need to be a successful astrologer. You should also be aware that there are other subdivisions of the Signs which we do not have the time to investigate in this foundation course but which you will need to learn if you are to master this subject. Two of those more fully explained in the full course are the Novenaria Signorum and the Duodecimae Signorum. Rulership by Sign is the most important thing that you should take away from this lecture. It is used to see the connections existing in the chart. It is also used for delineating success or failure and the methods used. Dignity versus debility is also important as it relates to success or failure and tells us how and in what quality a planet is working. Remember, these matters constitute the language of Medieval Astrology and you will come to use them constantly in judging a chart. As we finish let us now consolidate what we have learnt by 37

applying it to your personal horoscope. If you have a copy of your horoscope then examine it starting with the Essential Dignities and list those planets that are in their own Sign, any that are in exaltation, rulers of the triplicity {here don’t forget to get the order correct – if you were born during daylight then it is the diurnal order, if at night then the nocturnal order}, any rulers of the terms and finally the rulers of the decans {or face}. Then apply the rest of the rules – decide which planets are in debility. Also make sure you look at both the Ascendant (cusp of the 1st House) and the Midheaven (MC). So, first of all you will have noted if your horoscope is diurnal or nocturnal, i.e. if the Sun is in the 12th, 11th, 10th, 9th, 8th or 7th houses, then it is diurnal. If it is in the houses 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6, it is nocturnal. You want to then make a list of the triplicity rulers of the Ascendant and the Midheaven, and that will be depending on the elemental nature of the Signs in each case. If you have a diurnal figure with a Fire Sign rising, the triplicity rulers are going to be the Sun, Jupiter and Saturn. In a nocturnal figure the order is Jupiter, Sun, Saturn. If you have an air Sign on the Midheaven, the triplicity rulers of the Midheaven are going to be Saturn, Mercury and Jupiter in diurnal figures. In nocturnal figures: Mercury, Saturn, and Jupiter. Likewise for the Water and Earth signs. Count up the planets you have in masculine Signs and how many planets you have in feminine Signs. Notice the Ascendant in particular, the Ascendant's Sign, masculine or feminine, the element that it's in, the decan the degree of the Ascendant is in. Make up a complete list and analyse your horoscope thoroughly as a way of becoming familiar with the tables and charts of the Figures. Note the house in which the ruler of the Ascendant is placed. This is going to relate to the following lessons very closely. Also note the house in which the ruler of the 10th house is placed. Pay careful attention to the Sign, term, decan and house they are in. Note any degrees of dignity and debility they are in. Pay very close attention to all these 38

things because this is the kind of stuff upon which the practical, concrete delineation of the horoscope depends. This brings us to the end of this lesson. Please revise any points that you are unsure of and then proceed to the Test. Good luck.

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MEDIEVAL ASTROLOGY FOUNDATION COURSE

LESSON ONE TEST: SIGN SUBDIVISIONS & RULERSHIPS © Copyright 1995 Robert Zoller All Rights Reserved Revised in 2000

Please answer the following questions. When doing so you should not refer to the above text nor the diagrams, tables or lists accompanying it. Before attempting the test you should at least, be able to accurately recall from memory all the information contained in the diagrams, tables and charts and be able to summarise the essential points from the text.

Questions: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12.

13.

What are the 5 levels of Dignity in Medieval Astrology? What planet rules Aries? What planet is exalted in Aries? What Sign is the Moon exalted in? What planet rules Sagittarius? What planet is exalted in Sagittarius? Name the triplicity rulers of Fire for a diurnal horoscope. Name the triplicity rulers of Earth in a nocturnal horoscope. Name the Water Signs. What are the Terms? Describe. Name the cardinal Signs? The Ascendant of a diurnal natal horoscope is 16 degrees of Gemini. What planet rules the Sign of Gemini? What planet is exalted in the Sign Gemini? Name the triplicity rulers of the Ascendant? Name the ruler of the Egyptian term for the Ascendant? Name the ruler of the decan of the Ascendant? Complete the following sentence, “The good or bad signified by a house…” 40

ANSWERS 1.

The 5 levels of Dignity, known as the Essential Dignities are: rulership, exaltation, triplicity, term and face. If you answered decan instead of face that is acceptable.

2.

Mars

3.

The Sun

4.

Taurus

5.

Jupiter

6.

No planet is exalted in Sagittarius

7.

Sun, Jupiter and Saturn.

8.

Moon, Venus and Mars. [Special note: for a nocturnal horoscope (the native was born a night) the first triplicity ruler of earth starts with the nocturnal ruler, then the diurnal ruler, then the participating ruler. In a diurnal horoscope (native born during the day) you start with Venus, then the Moon and Mars].

9.

Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces.

10.

The Egyptian terms are subdivisions of the 30 degrees of each zodiacal Sign, allotted to the 5 visible planets.

11.

Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn.

12.

Mercury rules the Sign. No planet is exalted in Gemini. The triplicity rulers are: Saturn, Mercury and Jupiter. 16° Gemini falls within the term ruled by Venus. Mars is the decan (or face) ruler.

13.

“….emanates from the ruler of the house.” 41

If you got 11 or more answers correct you have done well and should now go onto LESSON TWO. If you got less than 10 answers correct you should thoroughly revise the Lesson One before proceeding. Lesson Two transcript: rz-fc-2.pdf Lesson Two audio: rz-fc-2.mp3

42

Robert Zoller. http://www.new-library.com/zoller/

Robert Zoller.

MEDIEVAL ASTROLOGY FOUNDATION COURSE LESSON TWO: THE ARABIC PARTS IN ASTROLOGY

http://www.new-library.com/zoller © Copyright 2000 Robert Zoller All Rights Reserved © Copyright 2000 New Library Limited All Rights Reserved

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MEDIEVAL ASTROLOGY FOUNDATION COURSE

LESSON TWO: THE ARABIC PARTS IN ASTROLOGY © Copyright 1995 Robert Zoller All Rights Reserved Revised in 2000

(Transcript of audio lecture file: rz-fc-2.mp3)

Welcome to Lesson Two of Robert Zoller’s Foundation Course on Medieval Astrology. This lesson is called The Arabic Parts in Astrology. The Arabic Parts are also known as Lots. The Latin word pars means both a part and a lot as in a fate allotted to one by the casting of dice. English translators from the sixteenth century to the present have usually used the word part to translate pars. Unfortunately this leads to the mistaken question, "Part of what?" Throughout this lecture I will be referring to them as “Parts”. The Arabic Parts are points on the ecliptic arithmetically derived (not actual astronomical bodies) that represent the synthesis of two or more astrological components (usually planets, house cusps or even other Arabic Parts). The longitudinal distance between the two components is projected from a significant point in the horoscope (usually the Ascendant). The degree, minute and second of zodiacal longitude which the said distance reaches is called the Part. Modern astrological texts usually do not distinguish between diurnal and nocturnal figures, yet the original practice was to do so in most cases. Thus, in diurnal figures the formula for calculating a Part is often different than in nocturnal figures. As you have already learnt in Lesson One, it is often important to distinguish between a diurnal horoscope and a nocturnal horoscope. When considering the Parts it is vital to do this first.

1

For example, the most commonly used Arabic Part, the Pars Fortunae (or Part of Fortune) is found in diurnal figures by taking the distance from the Sun to the Moon (in the order of the signs) and projecting it from the Ascendant (also in the order of the signs). Thus, let us say that the Ascendant of a diurnal horoscope is 12° 30’ of Pisces with the Sun at 4° 46’ of Aquarius in the 11th House. The Moon at 0° 15’ of Taurus The distance between the Sun and Moon is 85 degrees 29 minutes. Adding this to the Ascendant, we find the Part at 67 degrees 59 minutes or 7° 59’ of Gemini. Should the figure be nocturnal, however, we begin to find the Part of Fortune from the Moon. Thus, we find the distance from the Moon to the Sun (in the order of the signs to be 274 degrees 31 minutes. This distance, projected from the Ascendant (12° 30’ Pisces) locates the Part at 257 degrees 01 minutes or 17° Sagittarius 01’. The significance of the Part of Fortune is briefly explained as follows. A more in depth examination of the Parts is found in Bonatti’s Treatise on the Parts and in the full course. In Medieval Astrology, the Arabic Parts were used for a number of purposes. In horary figures the Parts were used to assist in judgement when the planetary testimony was obscure. One way in which this was done was when one planet was the significator of a matter and another planet applies to some aspect {conjunction, opposition, square, trine, sextile} of this significator. The astrologer may not know if the applying planet will interfere with or perfect the business. The astrologer might take the distance from the aspect in question to the significator and cast an Arabic Part with this distance by projecting it from (i.e. adding it to) the Ascendant or other relevant house cusp (say, the third, if the business is about travel, siblings, etc). He would then judge if the application was beneficial or not by whether the ruler of the Part was a Benefic or Malefic. Likewise, a judgement as to good or evil could be made in this way; again on the basis of the benefic or malefic nature of the Part's ruler. I would add that the strength of the ruler of the Part and the strength of its aspect (or lack of) to the significator could also yield helpful information. Guido Bonatti 2

alludes to this when he cites Albumasar in his discussion of the Parts in Liber astronomiae. In his 146 Considerations, Bonatti discusses another way the concept of the Parts could be used to clarify testimony in horary figures when the planetary indications were inscrutable. This was to make Parts of those house rulers which related to the matter under consideration. This is what he suggests we do in Considerations #144 and #146. He advocates this in horary, electional and natal charts In Electional Astrology, the astrologer chooses (or “elects”) the most auspicious time for the commencement of an action in order to ensure its success. . Horary charts are erected for the time and place of the occurrence of an event (or, in lieu of the actual time of the event, the time when the client or “querent,” consults the astrologer) in order to divine the outcome of the event. Jean Ganivet, in Amicus Medicorum, Lyons 1508, gives us an example of the use of the Parts in Astrological Medical diagnosis. He casts a horary figure for the time in which a friend of the Dean of Vienne asked if the Dean would survive his current illness or not. See Ganivet Medical. He concludes, after considering the Sun and Moon, the Part of the Killing Planet, the Part of Death, the Part of Life and the Part of Fortune, all of which were adversely placed, that the Dean would fall into delirium in 24 hours and die within two days. He reports that such was the case. In Natal Figures, the Parts were usually used to get a deeper understanding of the native's life. Thus the Part of Fortune was called "the Lunar Ascendant" and provided the medieval astrologer with information relating to the native's inner motivation (as opposed to his outer drives imposed upon him by physical and worldly demands). More concretely, the Part of Fortune figures in calculations relating to the delineation of a number of temporal concerns: finances, health, longevity, etc. The Part of Fortune is found: In diurnal horoscopes, take the distance from the Sun to the Moon and project it from the Ascendant. In Nocturnal figures, take the distance from the Moon to the Sun and project it from the Ascendant.

3

Bonatti tells us that the Part of the Sun (also called the Pars Solis or Pars Futurorum or Pars Spiritus or Pars Daemonis) signifies the soul and the body and their quality, also faith, prophesy, religion and the culture of God as well as secrets, cogitation, intentions, hidden things, etc. It is found in a way contrary to that in which the Part of Fortune is found: In diurnal figures, take the distance from the Moon to the Sun and project it from the Ascendant. In Nocturnal figures, take the distance from the Sun to the Moon and project it from the Ascendant. Bonatti's work catalogues the Parts according to the themes of the Houses. His sub-chapter, "Parts of the Seventh House" contains numerous Parts intended to reveal the marital fidelity of man and wife, thus providing the astrologer with material useful in Synastry {comparison of natal charts}, although it is here that his misogyny shines forth most darkly. The Parts were also used in commodities forecasting. Bonatti gives us an involved (and largely accurate) 13th century technique for commodities forecasting! The Parts were also used in Mundane Figures (Ingresses, also known as Revolutions of Years of the World). The Parts were used extensively by the Arabic astrologers, who greatly increased their number. Bonatti, who relies on Arabic sources, lists 128 Parts. Al-Biruni, who is one of Bonatti's sources lists 143. Al-Biruni advocated a rational astrology based on actual astronomical verities and expresses doubt bordering on scorn with regard to horary astrology which he likens to sorcery. In discussing the Parts (which he calls "Lots") he complained, "It is impossible to enumerate the lots which have been invented for the solution of horary questions and for answering enquiries as to prosperous outcome or auspicious time for action; they increase in number daily...." This proliferation led to the superficial and promiscuous abuse of the Parts by shallow practitioners who did not appreciate that the Parts were never intended to replace the testimony of the primary figure, be it Natal, Horary, Mundane or other. The accurate delineation of the Parts is dependent upon the accurate delineation of the figure. 4

Investigation into the history of the Parts shows that they are older than the Arabic usage. They go back to the Hellenistic Period, perhaps as early as 300 BC and, conceivably, even to the time of the transmission of Babylonian astrology to the Greeks (4th century BC). Thus, the name "Arabic" Parts is a misnomer. They are found in Dorotheus' Pentateuch (1st century AD) and in the Liber Hermetis which Gundel and Festugiere regard as a pre-Islamic Hellenistic Hermetic text exemplifying Egyptian temple astrology of an era possibly as early as the 3rd Century BC. At our present state of understanding, the "Arabic" Parts might better be called Hermetic or Egyptian Parts . That the Parts originated in pagan times is also implied by Bonatti's, Albumasar's and Al-Biruni's rather vague handling of the Part of the Sun and the Pars Hyleg. In the former case Bonatti, drawing on Albumasar and Al-Biruni seems intentionally vague in merely mentioning that the Part of the Sun was relevant to "faith, prophecy and the culture of God". He does not elaborate on this in any way. Al-Biruni, who gives symbols for many of the parts, indicates the Part of the Sun (which he calls the Part of the Daemon) as a circle with two horns -- as if it were a crescent emerging from behind a disk. The glyph makes one think of the head of a medieval or late Roman horned demon: a figure which was not originally regarded as evil. It is a well-attested fact that much of the astrological lore of Albumasar, Al-Biruni, Messahalla, and others came from the polytheistic Hermetic Sabian community at Harran (in modern day eastern Turkey). In light of this there has been a longstanding assumption on the part of some historians and esotericists that the medieval astrological tradition was a vehicle for the preservation of the Hellenistic pagan Hermetic Gnosis. This assumption appears correct. The reticence of both the Moslem and Christian writers (such as Albumasar, Al-Biruni, and Bonatti) is probably due to their wish to avoid censure by their respective religious authorities. The Daemon referred to in the name Part of the Daemon may well be the Neoplatonic-Hermetic Agathodaemon ("Good 5

Daimon" or "Good Mind") which was the chief deity of the pagan Sabians. I use this Part for delineating the native's idea about God. Anselm defined God as, "That greater than which you cannot conceive." Most everyone, even atheists, have such a conception or are capable of framing such. Whatever we conceive of as greatest, we cultivate, worship and revere in fact, if not by admission. Thus, it is possible, through the Part of the Sun (Pars spiritus, Pars daemonis, etc) to know what the native cultivates, worships and reveres, whatever his thoughts of the Divine. Another Part that receives vague treatment by Bonatti is the Part Hyleg. Bonatti says on the one hand that it is the root of the other Parts and that it can exist without the other Parts, while they cannot exist without it. And that "The ancients could have said more about it had they wanted but refrained from doing so because it was involved with other things." This statement is the very soul of obscurity. The key to the mystery of this Part is how it is found and the name given it. It is taken by day or night from the position of the conjunction {the New Moon} or prevention {Full Moon} prior to birth to the position of the Moon at the time of birth and projected from the Ascendant. It is called the Radix Vitae (Root of Life) and comprehends the whole life of the native. I use it to discern the native's life purpose. Its method of calculation recapitulates the story told in Plato's Timaeus and the hermetic Poimandres in which the soul descends from the 8th sphere through the “organs of time" (i.e. the planetary spheres) to the sphere of the Moon from whence it is embodied. This may link it to the Gnostic and Hermetic mysteries of reincarnation discussed in the Corpus Hermeticum (attributed to Hermes Trismegistos). While the Corpus Hermeticum which we presently have, dates from the early centuries AD. The cult whose doctrines it embodies began to coalesce in Egypt with Alexander's conquest (323 BC) around an equation of the Greek god Hermes with the Egyptian Thoth that had been commonly accepted since Plato's times. The Hermetic doctrine of reincarnation, which bears resemblance to the Hindu and Buddhist concepts, is found scattered throughout the books comprising the Corpus. If you look at the work 6

linked to this lecture pay especial attention to Book II (Poemander); Book III, verse 11; Book XVI; Book IV, sections 23-27. In Book X, verse 57, {Everard translation} the Moon is referred to as "the Instrument of Nature…which changeth the Matter here below” and we are told that the Moon "goes about in the midst of the immortal things and the mortal things.” Scott, in his translation makes this: “divides the immortals from the mortals." This new understanding of the antiquity of the Parts may not be the final word. If the Parts, as it now seems certain, were used as Early as 300 BC, we may be dealing with a tradition which is far older. The ancient usage of the Parts has had an effect on modern astrological practice. Besides being resurrected as a whole in the 20th century in the context of traditional astrology, the concepts underlying the Parts have been influential in modern astrological innovations. For example, the Arabic Parts prefigure by at least 2000 years the planetary pictures of the Hamburg School of Uranian Astrology and similar practices of the Cosmobiologists. As mentioned above, Bonatti gives 128 Parts arranged in classifications corresponding to the houses of the astrological figure. Thus we read of Parts of the First House, Parts of the Second House, Parts of the Third House, etc. It is to be understood that this is only a system of classifying the purposes for which the Parts so listed are intended to be used. Thus, Parts relating to marriage are listed under the heading "Parts of the Seventh House." The calculation of such parts may have nothing to do with the cusp of the house in question. In practice it is very important to subordinate the testimony of the Parts to that of the natal figure considered on its own without them first. The natal figure gives the structure of the native's objective and subjective worlds. The Arabic Parts clarify the picture given by the natal or add details. I don't use them all. I generally use 7 Parts as a basic feature of my practice when considering a natal figure. These are the Part of Fortune, Part of the Daemon (pars spiritus), Part of 7

Substance, Part of Marriage, Part of children, Part of Faith, Part of Hyleg. The rudiments of each are as follows: Part of Fortune Method of calculation: is given above. Significance:

The Part of Fortune (POF) has many uses in Medieval Natal Astrology. Its primary usage is as part of the delineation of the source of the native's wealth. In this context, its position and the position of its ruler indicate the areas of life from which the native may expect significant wealth to come. However, in order for the POF to be able to do this, it must be the Financial Significator. This it cannot be if: 1) it is afflicted 2) its ruler(s) are afflicted 3) none of its rulers according to the five levels of dignity of rulership, exaltation, triplicity, term and decan aspect it with any major (Ptolemaic) aspect. Let us spend a minute or two considering the aspects.The major Ptolemaic aspects are: Conjunction {0°}, Opposition {180°}, Trine {120°}, Square {90°} and sextile {60°}. The Medieval use of aspects is rather like the Hindu & Hellenistic use of them- Sign to Sign. Thus, a planet anywhere in Aquarius is sextile to a planet anywhere in Sagittarius or Aries; square to planets in Scorpio & Taurus; trine to planets in Gemini & Libra and opposed to planets in Leo. They thought the tighter the aspect, the more important it was, but two planets in the same Sign (eg in Figure 9 Venus & the South Node – almost 8 degrees apart and separating – they regarded as conjunct). Again referring to Figure 9, this means that Jupiter trines the Ascendant even though the aspect is 12 degrees away from exact. They saw this as a weaker example of a more precise aspect- the things promised by the precise aspect would be produced by the wider aspect but not so dramatically. Now, returning to the matter in hand - the POF is only the Financial Significator when it is unafflicted and at least one of its rulers aspects it and is itself unafflicted. Bonatti, in his 146 Considerations (#4) lists 10 ways in which a planet can be afflicted. Of these, four are most common: When a planet is combust, cadent, retrograde or conjunct, square or opposed to 8

a malefic planet. Experience shows that the cadent position of the POF is not, in itself, an affliction, but the cadent position of its ruler is. Some 19th and 20th century astrologers complained that the POF was not a reliable indicator of wealth. The study of Medieval Astrology shows two reasons why they came to this conclusion: 1) they did not calculate the POF differently in nocturnal and diurnal figures and hence had the wrong POF much of the time 2) they did not know the Medieval rules for determining the Financial Significator. These rules state that the POF is the Financial Significator only when it conforms to the conditions I have just set forth and not at all times. When the POF is not the Financial Significator, there is an hierarchy of potential Financial Significators to examine. When the POF cannot be the Financial Significator, the Part of Substance is examined next. The POF is also used in delineating longevity. Those natal charts without an Hyleg {Giver of Life} have difficulty surviving and are frequently ill and short-lived. Ptolemy taught that the Hyleg was to be sought from the Sun, Moon, Ascendant, POF and the rulers of these places. Techniques for this delineation are given in the full Medieval Astrology Course. The POF also figures in the calculation of the Almutem figuris {Ruler of the Chart}. The method for calculating this may likewise be found in the full course. Unfortunately we lack the time to devote to it here. Let's look at an example of the POF as potential Financial Significator: In the example chart {see Figure 9} the POF falls at 19Aries10. With Alchabitius house cusps this falls in the 2nd House. A malefic planet does not afflict the POF. Indeed, it is trined by Venus- not that that helps in this technique, because Venus does not have honour of rulership, exaltation, triplicity, term or decan in the position of the POF. In fact, none of the rulers of the POF by rulership, exaltation, triplicity, term or decan aspect the Part and most are afflicted anyway. Conclusion:

The POF is not the Financial Significator in this chart. If it were, it would indicate that the native's aggressive 9

management and investment of his own finances would be the source of his income because the POF falls in the 2nd House. Because the Part's ruler, Mars, is in the 11th House we could say that the native's friends contribute to the native's financial well being because "The good or bad signified by a house (in this case by a Part) emanates from the ruler (in this case Mars in the 11th House). Unfortunately we can't say that in this case as the POF is not the Financial Significator. The Part of Substance As we stated above, when the POF is not the Financial Significator the default is to the Part of Substance. Method of calculation:

Calculate the Part of Substance from the ruler of the 2nd house cusp to the cusp of the 2nd House by day or night. As Mars at 00Aquarius04 is the ruler of the 2nd House and as the 2nd House cusp (calculated using Alchabitius) is 17Aries20, there are 770 16' between them. Adding this 770 16' to the Ascendant (12Pisces39) gives the Part of Substance at 29Taurus54 which falls in the 3rd House. Significance:

We use the Part of Substance just as we use the POF. It is a subordinate POF. The fact that it falls in the 3rd House and is therefore cadent doesn't bother us, but the fact that its rulers don't aspect it, or if they do, they're afflicted does. Venus though very strongly placed and the dispositor {A dispositor is a planet ruling the Sign another planet is positioned in} of the Part, does not aspect it. The Moon, ruler of Taurus (in which Sign the Part is) by exaltation does not aspect it. The Triplicity rulers of earth signs (Taurus is an earth Sign) are Venus, Moon and Mars. We have already seen that neither Venus nor the Moon supports the Part. Mars does aspect the Part with an out of Sign trine. Above when discussing the Ptolemaic aspects we saw that the strict Medieval & Ancient doctrine of aspects holds that aspects are between degrees of the signs. Thus, according to the tradition in its purity, Mars, at 0° Aquarius, does not trine 29° Taurus because of the Sign change. Mars’ true trine would be to 0 10

Gemini. HOWEVER, I have found in practice that this is open to question and Out of Sign aspects are to be used and taken seriously. In considering the Arabic Parts (which don’t really have orbs), I’d consider an aspect within 5 degrees of the Part to be effective. Here, in the present example before us we are talking about 2 degrees or so. Unfortunately Mars is combust and opposed to Saturn, hence heavily afflicted and therefore of no use. 29° Taurus is in the terms of Mars which, as we have seen, is no good for our purposes. The decan in which the Part falls is ruled by Saturn, which is afflicted and does not aspect the Part. So Saturn does not help. Conclusion:

The Part of Substance is not the Financial Significator. It turns out that Jupiter is the Financial Significator in this chart but why this is so takes us beyond the discussion of the Arabic Parts, so we must defer that discussion to another time and place. Part of Marriage There are 16 Parts given in Bonatti's Liber astronomiae which relate to marriage in one way or another. Method of calculation:

In a man's chart, I use the Part of the marriage of men (Pars coniugii virorum secundem hermetem). It is taken by day or night from Saturn to Venus and projected from the Ascendant. In a woman's chart I use the Part of the marriage of women (Pars conjugii mulierum). It is taken by day or night from Venus to Saturn and projected from the Ascendant. Significance:

Regarding a man's marriage and the Part of the marriage of men, Bonatti tells us: Look also at the Part of marriage and the lord of the house in which it is or its Almutem and if you find it angular or suceedent, fortunate and strong joined with the benefics, it signifies that the native marries with good women who are beautiful and suitable. However, if the Part were cadent and the aforesaid planets were free or the planets were impeded 11

and the Part were free, it signifies the mediocrity of the aforesaid things. But if the Part and the Planets were impeded and cadent and the benefics do not aspect them, it signifies that the native consummates marriage with a vile and incestuous woman. However, if the planets which aspect the Part of Marriage or the lord of the sign in which it is placed, were benefics direct, and in the angles, it signifies that the native contracts matrimony with many women and with good women lacking in vices. But if it were unfortunate, impeded, cadent, retrograde or combust, it signifies that the native will contract matrimony with women of no use, of no worth, nor profit and full of vices. But if at that time Venus should aspect Saturn and even more so if the aspect were by square or by opposition either of these were cadent from the Ascendant and Jupiter did not aspect any of them, it signifies that the native will delight little with women and if he will marry, he will take little pleasure in coitus or pleasure and it will be as nothing to him. Mutatis mutandis as regards women's marriages and the Part of the Marriage of Women. In the example chart, we find the Part of the Marriage of Men from Saturn to Venus, projected from the Ascendant. Thus, Saturn at 5Leo30 to Venus at almost 18° Sagittarius equals 1320 28.' Adding this to the Ascendant (12Pisces39) brings us to 25Cancer09. This puts it in the 5th House which is suceedent. It is joined to the benefic planet Jupiter by a trine aspect, quite precisely. It thus signifies that the native marries with good women who are beautiful and suitable. Part of Children The Part of children is not used by itself to delineate the number of children the native will have. But it is used in conjunction with a technique for delineating whether the native will have children, how many and when. Method of calculation:

The Part of children (pars filiorum) is found by taking the distance from Jupiter to Saturn by day (Saturn to Jupiter by night) and projecting it from the Ascendant. 12

Significance:

Bonatti states that the Part tells us whether the native will have any children or not. Albumasar said that if this Part or its ruler were in signs of many children (Cancer, Scorpio or Pisces) the native will have many children. If they are in places signifying few ("rather barren" Aries or Capricorn) or ("rather fruitful” ie. friutful to some as oposed to fruitful to none.) Taurus, Libra, Sagittarius or Aquarius), s/he will have few and if they are in sterile (Gemini, Leo or Virgo) signs he will have none. If the Part signifies children and is fortunate and strong {aspected favorably by benefics and its dispositor; not impeded by the malefics} the children live. If it is afflicted they die. The way the Part holds itself to the significators of the father {Sun, Saturn, Part of Father & its ruler and the ruler of 4th} indicates how the father and children love each other. And just to clarify, to discover how a “Part holds itself” you have to examine whatever relation exists between the Part and the said significators - favorable aspect = favorable relationship; inimical aspect = inimical relationship. No aspect = no relationship In the example chart, which is diurnal, the Part of Children is found by taking the distance from Jupiter to Saturn and projecting it from the Ascendant. Jupiter is at 24Scorpio12 (234.20). Saturn is at 5Leo30 (125.50). We add 3600 to Saturn's position: 125.50 + 3600 = 485.50 and subtract Jupiter's position, thus: 485.50 - 234.20 = 251.30 which we add to the Ascendant giving 12Pisces39 or 342.650. Thus, 342.650 + 251.30 =593.950. Subtracting 3600 we get 233.950 = 23Scorpio57, the position of the Part of Children in the example chart. The fact that Jupiter is in Scorpio suggests many children, but its ruler, Mars, afflicted in a Sign of few children indicates that they do not live. The Part of the Daemon (pars spiritus), the Part of Faith, and the Part Hyleg, all relate to the spiritual delineation of the chart. The Part of the Daemon (Pars spiritus)

Method of calculation: given above Significance: This is used to know the native's God as described above. 13

In the example given, this Part falls at 6Aquarius08. In delineating this, note first the position in Aquarius. The native worships the acquisition of knowledge. Aquarius is a fixed air Sign indicating the hoarding of knowledge. Notice that the Part is conjunct Mercury. This means that the indications of Mercury are added to the indication of the Part. Thus, to the acquisition of knowledge we must add Mercury's contributions namely mathematics, communications, translation, interpretations and the word. So the native's God is characterised by "Knowledge and the Word." What this tells you is that the native worships learning and communicating. It tells you something about his values; enables you to know him on a deeper level than is usually the case. The Part of Faith Method of calculation:

In diurnal figures, take the distance {in the order of the signs} from the natal Moon to natal Mercury and project this from the Ascendant. In nocturnal figures, take the distance from natal Mercury to the natal Moon {in the order of the signs} and project this distance from the Ascendant. Significance:

Bonatti says: If the Part of faith falls in the 3rd or 9th houses and the lords of these houses are free from impediments, fortunate and strong, ie not combust, nor cadent, nor aspected by the malefics, and in houses unafflicted by the malefics and the lords of these houses are also free, it signifies that the native will be religious and extremely profound in the sciences. S/he will be subtle and few will be found like unto him or her. Judge the contrary with contrary indications. If the Part of faith were with Saturn the native will be an investigator of profound things. If with Jupiter, one who preserves the good law. If with Mars a man of evil faith. If with Venus a lover of games and fun. If with the Sun, of great appearance, but one who does not know as much as he seems to. If with Mercury, one proven in the sciences. If with the Moon, one of liberal soul. 14

In the example chart, the Part of Faith falls at 7Aquarius38, is conjunct Mercury and opposed to Saturn. Therefore the native is "an investigator of profound things" and "one proven in the sciences." The Part Hyleg Method of calculation:

Take note whether the birth of the native was after a New Moon or a Full Moon. The New or Full Moon prior to birth is called the Syzygy ante nativitatem (SAN, for short). Identify what degree and minute of which Sign the SAN is. The ephemeris provides this information for you. In diurnal or nocturnal charts, take the distance from the SAN to the natal Moon and project this distance from the Ascendant. Significance:

This Part is the Radix vitae, i.e. the "Root or Origin of the Life". It therefore holds the key to knowing the native's life purpose. In the example chart, the SAN was at 1Aquarius29 and the birth after a New Moon. The natal Moon is at 11Pisces17. There are 40.580 between them. 40.580 + Ascendant 342.650 = 383.230- 3600 = 23Aries, the place of the Part. As the Part of hyleg falls in the 2nd House, the purpose of the native's life has to do with finances and since the ruler, Mars is in the 11th House there is the added implication that the native's friends are involved. If we add to this Mars' nature (strife) we get the following picture: the native's life purpose is to confront the financial realities of life and conflict with friends over financial matters. As Mars, the Part's ruler, is afflicted much bitterness, impediment and hardship is connected with the realisation of this life purpose. This lesson provides a basic introduction to the Arabic Parts. However it must be stressed that the Arabic Parts, to be properly understood must be subordinated to your thorough understanding of the natal figure. You must understand the structure of the native's life as presented in the natal chart before you go as far as trying to interpret the Parts. 15

This brings us to the end of this lesson. Please revise any points that you are unsure of and then proceed to the Test.

16

MEDIEVAL ASTROLOGY FOUNDATION COURSE

LESSON TWO TEST: THE ARABIC PARTS IN ASTROLOGY © Copyright 1995 Robert Zoller All Rights Reserved Revised in 2000

Please answer the following questions. When doing so you should not refer to the text or audio.

Questions: 1. What is the method for calculating the Part of Fortune in both diurnal and in nocturnal figures? 2. How do you calculate the Part of the Sun in both diurnal and nocturnal figures? 3. How do you calculate the Part of Hyleg? 4. What is the Part of Fortune used for? 5. What is the Part of the Sun used for? 6. What is the Part of Hyleg used for?

17

Answers: 1. The Part of Fortune is found in diurnal figures by taking the distance from the Sun to the Moon (in the order of the signs) and projecting it from the Ascendant (also in the order of the signs). In nocturnal figures the Part of Fortune is found by taking the distance from the Moon to the Sun (in the order of the signs) and projecting it from the Ascendant (also in the order of the signs). 2. In diurnal figures, take the distance from the Moon to the Sun and project it from the Ascendant. In Nocturnal figures, take the distance from the Sun to the Moon and project it from the Ascendant. 3. Note whether the birth of the native was after a New Moon or after a Full Moon. The New or Full Moon prior to birth is called the Syzygy ante nativitatem (SAN, for short). Identify which degree and minute of which Sign the SAN is. In both diurnal or nocturnal charts the method is the same. Take the distance from the SAN to the natal Moon and project this distance from the Ascendant. 4. The Part of Fortune is principally used to discover the native's wealth where it is the native’s financial significator. It is also used in health and longevity delineations. 5. To discover the native's "god." 6. To discover the purpose of the native's life.

If you got four or more answers correct you have done well and should now go onto LESSON THREE. If you got less than 4 answers correct you should thoroughly revise the Lesson Two before proceeding. Lesson Three transcript: rz-fc-3.pdf Lesson Three audio: rz-fc-3.mp3 18

Figure 9 Example Chart Firdaria ‚ 25 Jan 1947 10 yrs ‚ ‚ 25 Jan 1947 ‚ … 30 Jun 1948 ‚ „ 3 Dec 1949 ‚ ƒ 10 May 1951 ‚ ˆ 12 Oct 1952 ‚ ‡ 17 Mar 1954 ‚ † 22 Aug 1955 … 25 Jan 1957 8 yrs … … 25 Jan 1957 … „ 18 Mar 1958 … ƒ 10 May 1959 … ˆ 1 Jul 1960 … ‡ 21 Aug 1961 … † 13 Oct 1962 … ‚ 5 Dec 1963 „ 25 Jan 1965 13 yrs „ „ 25 Jan 1965 „ ƒ 4 Dec 1966 „ ˆ 13 Oct 1968 „ ‡ 22 Aug 1970 „ † 30 Jun 1972 „ ‚ 9 May 1974 „ … 18 Mar 1976 ƒ 25 Jan 1978 9 yrs ƒ ƒ 25 Jan 1978 ƒ ˆ 10 May 1979 ƒ ‡ 21 Aug 1980 ƒ † 4 Dec 1981 ƒ ‚ 18 Mar 1983 ƒ … 30 Jun 1984 ƒ „ 13 Oct 1985 ˆ 25 Jan 1987 11 yrs ˆ ˆ 25 Jan 1987 ˆ ‡ 21 Aug 1988 ˆ † 18 Mar 1990 ˆ ‚ 12 Oct 1991 ˆ … 9 May 1993 ˆ „ 4 Dec 1994 ˆ ƒ 30 Jun 1996 ‡ 25 Jan 1998 12 yrs ‡ ‡ 25 Jan 1998 ‡ † 13 Oct 1999 ‡ ‚ 30 Jun 2001 ‡ … 18 Mar 2003 ‡ „ 4 Dec 2004 ‡ ƒ 21 Aug 2006 ‡ ˆ 9 May 2008 † 25 Jan 2010 7 yrs † † 25 Jan 2010 † ‚ 25 Jan 2011 † … 26 Jan 2012 † „ 25 Jan 2013 † ƒ 25 Jan 2014 † ˆ 25 Jan 2015 † ‡ 25 Jan 2016 ¡ 25 Jan 2017 3 yrs ¢ 25 Jan 2020 2 yrs

PL ‚ ƒ „ … † ‡ ˆ ¡ ¢ § ¨ £

Long 04à46 11á17 06à16 17Þ58 00à04 24Ý12 05Ú30R 10Ø07R 10Þ07R 12á38 20Þ46 19Ö09

Rul ˆ ‡ ˆ ‡ ˆ † ‚ „ ‡ ‡ ‡ †

†00à04 san01à29 34 ‚04à46 spirit06à07 ß „06à16 16° faith07à38

13°

à

31

á

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17°

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£19Ö09 hyleg22Ö26

8

17°

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7 38 12°

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Natal Chart Robert Zoller 25 Jan 1947 AD GC 8:59:00 AM EST +05:00:00 Mount Vernon United States 73w50'15, 40n54'45

38

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11

12°

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Planetary Hours Day Hours 1 7:17 am ˆ 2 8:05 am ‡ 3 8:54 am † 4 9:42 am ‚ 5 10:31 am … 6 11:19 am „ 7 12:07 pm ƒ 8 12:56 pm ˆ 9 1:44 pm ‡ 10 2:33 pm † 11 3:21 pm ‚ 12 4:09 pm … Night Hours 1 4:58 pm „ 2 6:09 pm ƒ 3 7:21 pm ˆ 4 8:32 pm ‡ 5 9:44 pm † 6 10:55 pm ‚ 7 12:07 am … 8 1:19 am „ 9 2:30 am ƒ 10 3:42 am ˆ 11 4:53 am ‡ 12 6:05 am † Day Hours 1 7:16 am ‚

24

5

20°

Ø 24 20°

×

necess25×32 subst29×54

46

13°

34

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16°

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Parts Fortune 19 Ö 09 Spirit 06 à 07 Substance 29 × 54 Faith 07 à 38 Hyleg 22 Ö 26

Traditional Chart, Geocentric, Tropical Calculation Parameters House Sys: Alchabitius Semi-Arc Almut Trip: Day+Night+Partic Trip Ruler: Dorothean Term Ruler: Egyptian Decan Ruler: Chaldean Orient Defn: Ori/Occ to Sun Tropical, True Node True Sunrise Ang houses offset 8 degs Suc houses offset 5 degs Cad houses offset 3 degs

House Almutems 1‡ 2‚ 3… 4„ 5ƒ 6‚ 7„ 8ˆ 9† 10 ‡ 11 † 12 ˆ

House Cusps 1. 12 á 38 2. 17 Ö 20 3. 20 × 24 4. 20 Ø 46 5. 16 Ù 34 6. 13 Ú 31 7. 12 Û 38 8. 17 Ü 20 9. 20 Ý 24 10. 20 Þ 46 11. 16 ß 34 12. 13 à 31

Mutual Receptions ‚-ˆ by Rulership ‚-ˆ by Triplicity ‡-ˆ by Term

Source: Government Record Birth Certificate

Exn Tri ˆ … … ˆ ‚ ˆ … ‚ ˆ ‚ … … ‚ ‚ ‚

Trm „ … „+ „ „ ˆ ‡ ‡ ‡ ‡ „ „

Fac … ‡ … ƒ … … ˆ+ † ƒ ‡ ˆ ‚

Det ‚„ ‚ „ ‚ … ˆ‡ „ „ „ …

Fal „

ƒ

„ ˆ

Dig 5 prg 2 prg prg prg 6

Ori ori ori occ ori ori ori

Sun

Antisc 25 Ý 14 18 Ü 43 cmb 23 Ý 44 12 ß 02 cmb 29 Ý 56 05 à 48 24 × 30 19 Ù 53 19 ß 53 17 Ü 22 09 ß 14 10 Û 51

Chart Results Chart is Diurnal PL Day Saturday ˆ PL Hour of birth † Almutem of Chart ˆ No Final Dispositor Moon 1st Quarter Waxing Hayz ‚ Financial Sig † Prof Sigs ƒ… PS Class … Artisan SAN 01 à 29 Chart is Conjunctional

Decl 19s04 12s02 20s43 19s10 21s07 17s49 19n29 21n58 21s57 06s48 23s06 07n30

Vel +01 01 +12 34 +01 43 +00 59 +00 47 +00 08 -00 04

F/S F S F F F S

Robert Zoller. http://www.new-library.com/zoller/

Robert Zoller.

MEDIEVAL ASTROLOGY FOUNDATION COURSE LESSON THREE: DELINEATION OF THE ASTROLOGICAL HOUSE

http://www.new-library.com/zoller © Copyright 2000 Robert Zoller All Rights Reserved © Copyright 2000 New Library Limited All Rights Reserved

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MEDIEVAL ASTROLOGY FOUNDATION COURSE

LESSON THREE: DELINEATION OF THE ASTROLOGICAL HOUSE © copyright Robert Zoller and New Library Limited 1995 – 2000 All rights reserved

(Transcript of audio lecture file: rz-fc-3.mp3)

Welcome to Lesson Three of Robert Zoller’s Foundation Course on Medieval Astrology. This lesson is called The Delineation of the Astrological House in which we will study the basic delineation of an astrological house using medieval astrological methods. In Medieval Astrology two operations are used by the astrologer to read the chart. These are delineation and prediction. The two operations are distinct. By delineation we read what the chart promises with regard to the various affairs of life signified by the houses (e.g. life, wealth, siblings/communications, family, children, servants/skills, work, partnerships, death, religion, profession, friends, secret enemies/ institutionalisation). Once we know the natal promise, by having systematically read what the chart has to say about these areas of life, only then can we proceed to Prediction. Prediction is nothing more than the application of timing techniques to the natal promise. They indicate when what is promised in the natal chart will come forth as an event in the life of the native. Be very clear about this: Delineation tells us "what." Prediction tells us "when." You cannot honestly or reliably predict anything astrologically which is not promised in the natal chart.

1

This having been said, it will be apparent that, in order to predict we must first delineate. We must have a thorough understanding of the natal figure's promise. In order to do this we must understand how the planets are operating both universally as per their natures and specifically as relates to the chart in question as per their local determination {their house position, rulership(s) and aspects as well as per their dignity or debility}. The way a planet operates, its quality, is a function of its dignity or debility. You were introduced to this concept in a previous lesson and now you will see it more concretely spelled out. The quantity of a planet's influence depends upon its house st position. Angular planets (planets in 1 , 10th, 7th, 4th houses) give 100%. Succedent planets (in the succedent nd houses (2 , 11th, 8th, 5th) give 50%. Both angular and succedent planets are considered strong. Cadent planets th (houses 12 , 9th, 6th, 3rd) are regarded as weak, even afflicted and give only 25%. Angular planets and succedent planets tend to realise what they promise, although, if they are severely afflicted, they may bring forth what they promise accompanied with trouble of a sort indicated by the afflicting causes. Cadent planets are weak and afflicted. By themselves they cannot realise what they promise. In order to do so they must receive assistance. In the business of delineation, Medieval Astrology offers two approaches: General and specific. Abu `Ali al-Khayyat, in his Judgement of Nativities, (translation by James Holden, published by American Federation of astrologers, Tempe, AZ, USA), sets forth this method in a short paragraph which is easy to miss in Holden's excellent translation. Unfortunately, neither the author nor the translator give examples as to how to apply the method, so that's what we will do in this foundation course. Combined to Abu `Ali's suggestions we will join some tips from Guido Bonatti and Morinus, plus the fruit of experience.

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The Specific approach entails a battery of delineation techniques for judging specific interests pertaining to the life of the native {Longevity, Social Status, Profession, Finances, Marriage/sex life, Children, Spiritual Life, Death, etc}. These specific techniques are not always restricted exclusively to the consideration of the house we would normally associate them th with. For instance, Medieval Astrologers did not use the 7 House much in the delineation of women's marriages. Instead, they looked at configurations of the planets and Almutens {this is explained a little later} and they identified Significators of the things they were concerned about. Although the two approaches, the General and the Specific overlap at times, they are both necessary for accurate delineation and were used in tandem. Actually, the General Approach often gives a level of specificity the Specific Approach does not. The Specific Approach involves the learning of a number of discreet techniques for delineation of the various areas of life the native may desire elucidation upon. These are outside the scope of this Foundation Course and are examined in detail in the full Medieval Astrology Course. We will focus here on the General Approach in Delineation of a house in the natal figure. In the next and final lesson in this Foundation Course we will examine Prediction. The General Approach guides us in the delineation of any house of the astrological figure (or natal chart) enabling us to read the affairs of life corresponding to the house in question. In good Medieval Aristotelian style we want answers to the questions: Whether it is, What it is, How it is and Why it is? th

Let us say that we are interested in the 11 House. The General Approach guides us to see a) If the affairs of the house will be realised or not (i.e. whether the native will have friends?) b) What kind of friends the native will have c) How the affairs associated with the house will manifest (e.g. what is the quality of the interaction between the native and his friends) and d) Why this is so. 3

Once you understand the procedure for the delineation of any house you can apply it to all the houses of the chart. The General Approach permits you to be quite precise in your delineation of the affairs of life corresponding to the house under examination and is an important step in the process of coming to understand how the planets are working in the chart. As you will see, the process of delineation of one house usually leads to the consideration of the position of one or more of its rulers in other houses. This in turn entails the delineation of these other houses and so, step by step, we are led to an understanding of the entire chart. It is this understanding that we need in order to be able to predict. The General Approach consists of examining: 1. any planets in the house under examination 2. the significator of the issue under examination 3. the ruler of the house under examination 4. the Almuten of the house under examination 5. the Arabic Part (or Parts) relating to the meaning of the house under examination. And finally reaching a conclusion by synthesising the above testimonies as per the 4-fold Aristotelian considerations of Whether it is, What it is, How it is and Why it is. This is easier than it may sound at first. We will be led inevitably to the correct conclusion by the method - not by our own innate genius, associative thinking, angelic voices or "messages." Simply by reading the Chart. Let's look at this Approach more closely and use it to th delineate the 11 House in Figure 9 Rule 1: Examine any planets in the house under examination This rule rests upon the general rule that "Position is stronger than rulership." By “position" is meant a planet's, node's, Part's or a star's position in a house in the astrological figure.

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Figure 9 Example Chart Firdaria ‚ 25 Jan 1947 10 yrs ‚ ‚ 25 Jan 1947 ‚ … 30 Jun 1948 ‚ „ 3 Dec 1949 ‚ ƒ 10 May 1951 ‚ ˆ 12 Oct 1952 ‚ ‡ 17 Mar 1954 ‚ † 22 Aug 1955 … 25 Jan 1957 8 yrs … … 25 Jan 1957 … „ 18 Mar 1958 … ƒ 10 May 1959 … ˆ 1 Jul 1960 … ‡ 21 Aug 1961 … † 13 Oct 1962 … ‚ 5 Dec 1963 „ 25 Jan 1965 13 yrs „ „ 25 Jan 1965 „ ƒ 4 Dec 1966 „ ˆ 13 Oct 1968 „ ‡ 22 Aug 1970 „ † 30 Jun 1972 „ ‚ 9 May 1974 „ … 18 Mar 1976 ƒ 25 Jan 1978 9 yrs ƒ ƒ 25 Jan 1978 ƒ ˆ 10 May 1979 ƒ ‡ 21 Aug 1980 ƒ † 4 Dec 1981 ƒ ‚ 18 Mar 1983 ƒ … 30 Jun 1984 ƒ „ 13 Oct 1985 ˆ 25 Jan 1987 11 yrs ˆ ˆ 25 Jan 1987 ˆ ‡ 21 Aug 1988 ˆ † 18 Mar 1990 ˆ ‚ 12 Oct 1991 ˆ … 9 May 1993 ˆ „ 4 Dec 1994 ˆ ƒ 30 Jun 1996 ‡ 25 Jan 1998 12 yrs ‡ ‡ 25 Jan 1998 ‡ † 13 Oct 1999 ‡ ‚ 30 Jun 2001 ‡ … 18 Mar 2003 ‡ „ 4 Dec 2004 ‡ ƒ 21 Aug 2006 ‡ ˆ 9 May 2008 † 25 Jan 2010 7 yrs † † 25 Jan 2010 † ‚ 25 Jan 2011 † … 26 Jan 2012 † „ 25 Jan 2013 † ƒ 25 Jan 2014 † ˆ 25 Jan 2015 † ‡ 25 Jan 2016 ¡ 25 Jan 2017 3 yrs ¢ 25 Jan 2020 2 yrs

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Natal Chart Robert Zoller 25 Jan 1947 AD GC 8:59:00 AM EST +05:00:00 Mount Vernon United States 73w50'15, 40n54'45

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Planetary Hours Day Hours 1 7:17 am ˆ 2 8:05 am ‡ 3 8:54 am † 4 9:42 am ‚ 5 10:31 am … 6 11:19 am „ 7 12:07 pm ƒ 8 12:56 pm ˆ 9 1:44 pm ‡ 10 2:33 pm † 11 3:21 pm ‚ 12 4:09 pm … Night Hours 1 4:58 pm „ 2 6:09 pm ƒ 3 7:21 pm ˆ 4 8:32 pm ‡ 5 9:44 pm † 6 10:55 pm ‚ 7 12:07 am … 8 1:19 am „ 9 2:30 am ƒ 10 3:42 am ˆ 11 4:53 am ‡ 12 6:05 am † Day Hours 1 7:16 am ‚

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Traditional Chart, Geocentric, Tropical Calculation Parameters House Sys: Alchabitius Semi-Arc Almut Trip: Day+Night+Partic Trip Ruler: Dorothean Term Ruler: Egyptian Decan Ruler: Chaldean Orient Defn: Ori/Occ to Sun Tropical, True Node True Sunrise Ang houses offset 8 degs Suc houses offset 5 degs Cad houses offset 3 degs

House Almutems 1‡ 2‚ 3… 4„ 5ƒ 6‚ 7„ 8ˆ 9† 10 ‡ 11 † 12 ˆ

House Cusps 1. 12 á 38 2. 17 Ö 20 3. 20 × 24 4. 20 Ø 46 5. 16 Ù 34 6. 13 Ú 31 7. 12 Û 38 8. 17 Ü 20 9. 20 Ý 24 10. 20 Þ 46 11. 16 ß 34 12. 13 à 31

Mutual Receptions ‚-ˆ by Rulership ‚-ˆ by Triplicity ‡-ˆ by Term

Source: Government Record Birth Certificate

Exn Tri ˆ … … ˆ ‚ ˆ … ‚ ˆ ‚ … … ‚ ‚ ‚

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Chart Results Chart is Diurnal PL Day Saturday ˆ PL Hour of birth † Almutem of Chart ˆ No Final Dispositor Moon 1st Quarter Waxing Hayz ‚ Financial Sig † Prof Sigs ƒ… PS Class … Artisan SAN 01 à 29 Chart is Conjunctional

Decl 19s04 12s02 20s43 19s10 21s07 17s49 19n29 21n58 21s57 06s48 23s06 07n30

Vel +01 01 +12 34 +01 43 +00 59 +00 47 +00 08 -00 04

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Thus, in the example figure, Mars' position in the 11 House is more important than Saturn's rulership of the 11h house. "More important" means that Mars contributes more to shaping the experience of the 11th house -friends- than Saturn does. The planets actually in the house (if there are any) have a dominant effect in shaping the objective structure of the native's life as pertains to the house in question, in this case the 11th house. So, having Mars, Sun and Mercury in th the 11 is more important than Saturn's rulership of the 11th. When no planets are found in the house under examination, you rely upon the testimony of the Sign on the cusp and the ruler of the house. If a Sign is intercepted within a house, the Sign on the cusp takes precedence along with its ruler. Knowing this, we can proceed to the first level of delineation th of this 11 House in Figure 9. The planets Mars, Sun and th Mercury are in the 11 House. Each planet promises things in accordance with its nature. Mars is wrath, courage, initiative, and contentiousness. The Sun is brilliance, authority, generosity, and creativity. Mercury is science, communication, and interpretation. Note that these qualities characterise the native's friends. We have no reason to think that the native is characterised by any of these traits. None of the said planets are the ruler (by Sign) of the Ascendant. None of them aspects the Ascendant. If they did, they would characterise th the native, but they don't. They are in the 11 House. They characterise the native's friends. These three planets also tell us that the native's social life (interaction with friends) will be marked by contention (Mars), brilliance (Sun) and communication (Mercury). Eventually, when we get to Prediction, it is these kinds of events we will seek to predict. We ought to take note of the dignity of these three planets in th the 11 House. Mars is peregrine and disposed {in a Sign ruled by another planet} by a malefic, Saturn, itself in poor zodiacal state (detriment). We cannot expect great good from Mars. The Sun is in detriment, but, while opposed to Saturn, it is in mutual reception with Saturn. That is, they are in each other's Signs. This was held by some Medieval Authorities to 6

be a great good thing. It was held to be similar to having the two planets in dignity, working together. So, employing this opinion, we can expect the Sun to be brilliant and powerful and Saturn to be reserved, knowledgeable and indicating a taste for ancient, arcane studies. Mercury has both honour of triplicity and honour of term in its position, but it is combust and opposed to Saturn. This indicates laborious study, carefully thought out opinions and prudent communications. th

Now, there are three planets in the 11 House. Morinus tells us that "when several planets are in a house that planet which is closest to the cusp of the house is the most powerful over the affairs of that house unless the ruler by Sign of the house is also in the house." That is not the case here. th th Saturn, the ruler of the 11 (Capricorn is on the 11 House cusp) is not in the house by position. Mars is closest to the cusp. Therefore Mars dominates the affairs of the house. As Mars is in Aquarius, a position known from experience to be associated with crusading zeal for some ideal or other, we can say that the native's friends are people who have strong opinions zealously expressed. th

Noting that Mars is the ruler of the 9 House permits you to say that the native's contentious friends have some sort of religious, educational or foreign connection i.e. they will be religious zealots or haters of religion, educators with zealous philosophical opinions or aggressive or courageous persons of foreign birth, possibly persons met during foreign journeys. Notwithstanding that some of the native's friends are aggressive, feisty Martians, they are friends of the native and will seek to help him in accordance with their nature and th condition. This is because planets in the 11 House are determined towards befriending the native. th

As there are three planets in the 11 there are three kinds of friends or perhaps just three friends Martian, Solar and Mercurian. That is, belligerent, authoritative/creative and learned. More can be learned about the native's friends by

7

studying the rulerships of the other two planets in the 11th house. In this way you begin to get the picture of the objective th facts of the basic structure of the native's social life (11 House). This relates to the question, "What is it?" Now, it ought to be pointed out that Mars, the first planet in the house is opposed by Saturn, the ruler of the house. Saturn effectively opposes all three 11th house planets in this figure although its primary effect is upon the Sun and Mercury 0 because Saturn's opposition falls at 5 30' Aquarius, right 0 0 between the Sun at 4 46' and Mercury at 6 16' Aquarius. This indicates social problems early in life and a tendency for the native's friends to be embroiled in bitter controversy throughout his life. Why, "early in life?" We will see below that the planets in a house represent a temporal ordering of the house's expression - a given evolution of the affairs of the house. Rule 2: Examine the Significator of the issue under examination Medieval Astrology is fond of "Significators." A Significator is something which signifies or indicates. Bonatti's Liber Astronomiae states that the planets which we, as modern astrologers, might think are significators of this or that were not so regarded by Medieval Astrologers. For instance, according to Bonatti, Mercury, not Jupiter, is the Significator of the 9th house. This was probably due to the fact that Mercury's association with Hermes was known and the root of the name Hermes in Greek has to do with interpreting. In the Middle Ages, only the clerics and people educated in the Church could read and interpret the Latin scriptures to the populace who spoke vulgar tongues. At any rate, there was a collection of Significators signifying various things which were used frequently. Unfortunately, I do not have a complete list of such Significators and various authors disputed the precise correspondences.

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Morinus criticises the promiscuous use of Universal Significators as too broad. It offends his reason that in every chart, the Sun is simultaneously the Universal Significator of Men, men in authority, the father, the right eye in a man, the heart and fame. Likewise, the Moon is the Universal Significator of the mother, women in general, their breasts, the stomach in men and women, the right eye for a woman, the public (everybody, men & women), etc. His practice was to restrict the Universal Signification of planets by relying more upon the rulership of the signs although he uses what he calls the "analogy" of the planets. For example Morinus felt the Sun had analogy with fame, but it promises fame only th th when determined to it by being in the 10 or 11 or when th th ruling the 10 or 11 or when aspecting the MC. Morinus' criticism of the Medieval use of Significators may have been directed at Bonatti. But Bonatti had two ways of identifying Significators. The first was what Morinus called Universal Significators which may have been too general. But the second way is more specific. It calls a Significator of a house the planet in the house closest to the cusp of the house, or the ruler of the house or the Almuten of the house. He has an hierarchy of choice here. 1st the planet in the house closest to the cusp. 2nd the ruler of the house (by Sign) or 3rd the Almuten of the house. We are to see which is more powerfully placed. In Figure 9 Mars is the planet in the house closest to the cusp. Saturn is the ruler by Sign. And Mars is the Almuten. Now, I know that I haven't told you what an Almuten is yet, nor shown you how to find it, but we are coming to that. The point that I need to make here & now is that in this chart, Mars is th the Significator of the 11 House. What this means will be appreciated more fully when we get to Prediction. Suffice it to say here that part of what Mars is doing in this chart is signifying friends and social interaction. Using Morinus' terminology we say that it is "Locally th Determined" to 11 House affairs in the following three ways: 9

1. by being in the 11th house (because position determines the influence of a planet towards the affairs of the house it is in) th

2. by being the Significator of the 11 House 3. by being in aspect with, albeit an opposition, the ruler of th the 11 (Saturn). This is because Local Determination occurs by position, rulership and aspect. Mars actually has th all three since, in addition to being in the 11 and being in th aspect to Saturn {the ruler of the 11 by sign}, Mars itself th rules the 11 cusp by exaltation (see your notes from the Rulership Lesson). In practice what this means is that Mars, in all its transits, progressions, direction, firdaria {explained in next lesson}, profections {explained in next lesson} or indeed the transits etc of other planets to the natal Mars, will bear with it a social/friends dimension. If you want to know about the native's social life - what objectively takes place then you have to understand this Mars. This Mars signifies the native's social life. It does more as well, but this is as far as our analysis has taken us. An understanding of this Mars contributes to the answer to the question, "How is it?" - What is his social life like? Given what we have seen so far we can answer this question. The native's social life will be at best, loud (Martians like to make noise, slap each other on the back), magnanimous (Sun) and learned (Mercury) and at worst, violent, egotistical and critical.

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Rule 3: Examine the ruler of the house An extremely important rule, implicit in the writings of Medieval Astrologers but first explicitly expressed by Morinus, states that "The good or bad signified by an house emanates from the ruler of the house." You will recall from Lesson One that this rule may be applied literally to the ruler of a house by Sign (e.g. in Figure 9 to Saturn, ruler of Capricorn), to the Almuten of the house cusp (Mars in the example) or to the dispositor of a planet or Arabic Part. In the first case, the house is the effect of the ruler. In the second case, the house is the effect of the Almuten. In the third case, the planet or Part is the effect of the ruling planet. By "the good or bad signified by a house" is meant first, st nd whatever good or bad the house itself promises. The 1 , 2 , rd th th th th 3 , 5 , 9 , 10 & 11 houses are good in themselves. The primary meanings of these houses have to do with good th th th th influences in life. The 12 , 8 , 7 and 6 houses are bad. The primary meaning of these houses have to do with th contrary influences in life. The 4 House can be regarded as good as indicating family, or bad as indicating the end of life. A house, be it good or bad, is powerfully conditioned by the planets in i t or ruling it. Thus a good house with benefics in it or ruling it produces good in accordance with the nature of the house. A bad house with malefics in it or ruling it produces wretchedness in accordance with the nature of the house. A good house with malefics in it or ruling it, the good is lessened. A bad house with benefics in it or ruling it, the bad is lessened. A house with benefics and malefics in it or ruling it gives a mixed experience. "The good or bad signified by an house emanates from the ruler of the house." This rule does two very important things. It allows us to see connections and it permits us to answer the question, "Why it is?" By virtue of the fact that the ruler of a house is often in another house, we can see a connection between the affairs of one house with those of another. Houses where the ruler of the house is in the house are selfsufficient. Such houses indicate areas of life that generate 11

th

th

their own activities. Thus, the ruler of the 11 in the 11 would indicate that the native's social life is unconnected to st any other area of his life. The ruler of the Ascendant in the 1 shows the native to be self-sufficient, relying on his own person to get what he seeks in life. Usually, however, the ruler of a house is in some other house. th Thus, in Figure 9 the position of Saturn, the ruler of the 11 th th th in the 5 links the 11 & 5 Houses. By itself this indicates something relating to the "How" question e.g. "How does the native enjoy himself? Answer: "With friends."

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But applying the rule: "The good or bad signified by an house th emanates from the ruler of the house" to the 11 House in the example we can see causality. The good or bad indicated th th by the 11 House is explained thus: the 11 House is a good th house. Friends are good to have. But this 11 House is dominated by the malefic Mars which is combust and opposed to the ruler, which is also its dispositor. As Mars is in Aquarius, it may be said to be received by Saturn, which mitigates the opposition somewhat, but we are left with a th combust malefic dominating the 11 House thereby spoiling th the perfect good of the 11 House by introducing unresolved conflict into the House, an area of life in which we would want th to find harmony. Good can still come from such an 11 House but the native's friends will be contentious, litigious and combative. Because Mars is combust and therefore afflicted, their combats will often be inconclusive (because a combust planet cannot fully realise what it promises). Again, note that it is the friends who are fighting, not the native. Now we ask, "Why is it so?" "The good or bad signified by an house emanates from the ruler of the house" tells us that the th th contests indicated by the 11 House and from the 11 House th Mars, emanate from the Saturn in Leo in the 5 . Saturn in Leo is in detriment. It is a malefic planet debilitated and nasty, a troublemaker who overstates his worth because of a profound sense of mediocrity. He aspires to be great but can't get there. This quality of frustrated egotism and power drive th is operating in the native's 5 House. Once again, it is not the th native we are speaking about. Saturn in the 5 House in this chart may characterise the native's children or entertainment, but not the native himself. The key to understanding this th configuration lies in seeing it in reference to the 11 House. This is done by what is called derived houses which we will discuss shortly. th

st

th

If you take the 11 House as the 1 then the 5 House, being th th 7 houses away counting inclusively {of the 11 } is the 7 th (Other People or Partnerships). Thus, Saturn in the 7 from st th the 1 (11 ) shows that the frustrated egotism and power drive referred to above is operating in the context of the 13

friends partnerships or dealings with others. In other words, the cause of the hostility marring the native's social life is due to the native's friends either wanting to dominate others or running into disputes in connection with partnerships. Once again I wish to point out that there are three kinds of friends indicated for this native. Not all will be contentious, litigious and aggressive. Indeed, as the planet closest to the cusp indicates the affairs of the house earlier in life, the second the affairs in midlife and the third towards the end of life, we can see that this pattern was typical of early associations. It was followed by more glorious and brilliant friends (Sun) and is followed after that by learned friends. Still, this rule "The good or bad signified by an house emanates from the ruler of the house" enables us to explain th the origin of the conflict indicated in the native's 11 House. And since the Sun and Mercury are also disposed by Saturn, the indication is that, at different times in the native's life the th same cause (Saturn in Leo) produces different 11 House experiences. In arriving at this delineation we have enlisted the assistance of a technique called Derived Houses. If we forgo this and employ only the primary meanings of the houses, we would th have to ascribe the cause of the native's 11 House experiences to his entertainment (5th house). Saturn rules the old, the old things, the old ways, the ancient occult sciences (secretiora philosophia according to Henry th Cornelius Agrippa). The 11 House of the example chart and th its relation to the natal Saturn, its ruler, in the 5 certainly says: "The native's Saturnian entertainments cause tumult and upheaval (Mars) among friends. Recognition and famous, powerful friends (Sun) and learning/ learned friends (Mercury). So far we have been using the ruler of the house to discover "Why" something indicated by a house is. We can also use th the ruler(s) to discover "Whether" the native has an 11 House (or any other house). While it is rare, it is possible to have a house "switched off" so that the native is denied that 14

area of life. This happens when all the rulers {by dignity} of a house are afflicted. Afflictions are of ten kinds according to Bonatti in 146 Considerations translated from the Latin by Coley and published by Lilly in 1675) Of these ten, four are most common: Planets are afflicted when retrograde, combust, cadent and conjunct, square or opposed a malefic Planet. If most of a house's rulers are afflicted and the few which are not are minor rulers (decan, term), there is still danger that the house affairs may not be operative or will operate with difficulty. A healthy, operative house has 1. All rulers angular, succedent and unafflicted. 2. The ruler(s) of the house in the house. 3. The ruler(s) of the house in favourable aspect to the benefics. th

Let us analyse the 11 House of the example and see whether the native has friends. First, we note that 16 th Capricorn is on the 11 cusp (the example uses Alchabitius cusps). The Sign ruler is Saturn which is in a succedent house but opposed to Mars and therefore afflicted. Mars is th the ruler of the 11 by exaltation, but he is combust and opposed to Saturn, hence afflicted (the benign effect of the mutual reception can be debated). Capricorn is an earth sign and its triplicity rulers are Venus, Moon and Mars. Mars we've already looked0at. Venus is angular (because though in the th 9 it is within 5 of an angular cusp) and unafflicted. The Moon is angular (for the same reason) and unafflicted. 16 Capricorn falls in the terms of Venus, which as we saw, is strong and unafflicted. 16 Capricorn falls in Mars' decan. Mars is afflicted. So, of 4 rulers, 2 are afflicted, but the 2 who are OK are Venus and the Moon, triplicity rulers and therefore major dignities. Once again the hierarchy of dignity is rulership, exaltation, triplicity. These are major dignities. Term & decan are minor. Given what has been said, we can conclude that the native th has an 11 House, has friends and that these friends are fighters, powerful and learned. 15

Rule 4: Examination of the Almuten of the house An Almuten is a planet which has the most honours in a place in the Zodiac according to a pointing system {Lesson One} which gives 5 points to the ruler of the Sign, 4 points to the ruler by exaltation (if there is one), 3 points to the three triplicity rulers, 2 points to the term ruler and 1 point to the decan ruler. The Almuten is used like the ruler of the Sign, but because it is occasionally different than that ruler and in a different place from that ruler, it often indicates a second or even a superior source for the good or bad indicated by the house. Often, if things look bad or impeded from the ruler of the sign being afflicted, they may be better through the Almuten. For th instance, the ruler of the 7 House (marriage) may be afflicted in the 3rd indicating that the native might meet his spouse at a neighbour’s house. Since the ruler is cadent and afflicted, there will be problems with this. But if the Almuten of the 7th is well disposed in the 9th, he will be more successful looking for her in a church, college or foreign country. th

Let's calculate the Almuten of the 11 House in the example. th The Sign ruler Saturn gives 5 points. Mars {ruler of the 11 by exaltation} 4 points. Capricorn is an earth Sign and its triplicity rulers are Venus, Moon and Mars, each of which get 3 points. This gives Mars 4 + 3 = 7 points. 16 Capricorn falls in the terms of Venus giving Venus 2 + 3 = 5 points. 16 Capricorn falls in Mars' decan giving Mars an additional point (7 + 1 = 8 points). Mars totals 8 points, Saturn the Sign ruler totals only 5 points, therefore Mars is the Almuten. By the rule that position is stronger than rulership, since Mars th is the Almuten and is in the 11 House, whereas Saturn is th not, Mars more accurately shows what the native's 11 House is about. The consideration of the Almuten, like the consideration of the ruler of the house pertains to the cause of the affairs of the house and therefore the "Why" question. 16

5. Examine the Arabic Part (or Parts) relating to the house Abu `Ali al-Kayyat tells us to consider the testimony of the Arabic Part related to the house under examination. There are twelve Arabic Parts all relating in some way or th another to the 11 House. We must choose one which is th relevant to the aspect of the 11 House we are concerned with. As we are discussing friendship we should select the pars amicorum, {Part of Friends which is the seventh Part of th the 11 House. It is found both by day or night, by taking the distance between the Moon and Mercury and projecting this distance from the Ascendant. In Figure 9 it falls at 7 Aquarius 38. This Part is the same as the Part of Faith in a diurnal figure. Bonatti tells us regarding this Part, "If it is of good condition and well disposed, and its lord is well disposed in mobile (cardinal) signs, the native will have many friends. If they are fortunate, his friends profit him and he them, and they enjoy good things. If they are received he will be considered praiseworthy among them and beloved by them. If the contrary, judge accordingly." In the example chart the Part of Friends is not in a cardinal Sign. It is conjunct an afflicted Mercury, combust and opposed to Saturn, yet Saturn receives it since it is in Saturn's Sign. The Part and its lord are seemingly not of good condition. Thus we would have to say that his friends do not, for the most part, profit him, nor he them. Still, even though the indications are for few friends who hold the native in high regard, we should note that Saturn (ruler of the Part) and the Sun are in mutual reception. This transforms the rather dour circumstances of the Part and its ruler, Saturn, and improves the reading considerably. The mutual reception is a qualitative upgrade which ensures a wider circle of friends than otherwise might be expected. Indeed, it seems that the native does not know how many friends he has until he is in real adversity. Then they make themselves known to him. 17

6. Conclusion: We arrive at this by synthesising the above testimonies as per the 4-fold Aristotelian consideration of Whether it is, What it is, How it is and Why it is? Again by reference to the example we answer the question "Whether the native will have friends?" by a Yes! We answer the question, "What is his social life like?" by saying, "The native has argumentative, abrasive, brilliant, authoritative, communicative and learned friends. They are zealous in their opinions and familiar with conflict. The native's social life will be at best, loud, magnanimous and learned; at worst, violent, egotistical and critical." We answer the question, "How is his th nd social life?" by observing that Mars rules the 9 and 2 (Religion/educational/foreign & financial) thus pointing to shared finances and philosophy or religious connections. The th Sun is the ruler of the 6 indicating that the native's social circle includes people he works with and who help him. th th Mercury as ruler of the 7 and 4 links the friends to partners and dwellings. He rents his apartment from friends. Since th Mars is the Significator of the 11 House as well as the th Almuten of the 11 , we can be certain that there will be explosive episodes with his friends; especially as Mars is combust and opposed to Saturn. As mentioned above, the native's friends enjoy battling with each other. There are court cases, slanders, debates, and controversies. We answer the question, "Why is his social life in such upheaval?" by noting the natures of the Almuten and the ruler th of the 11 and their house positions. We point out that Mars, th the Almuten of the 11 , loves strife and that Saturn, the ruler th th of the 11 in the 7th from the 11 , indicates ego battles and difficulties in the native's friends' partnerships. th

The delineation of the 11 House of this example chart is th quite close to the general experience of the native of 11 House affairs. Things change somewhat in time but the th general features of the native's life re: 11 House affairs are accurately depicted by this approach to delineation. 18

So, as we said above, if you simply follow the method, the conclusion writes itself. Admittedly, you must conform your thinking to the method, but this is no more than to say you must be systematic and methodical in your thinking. In other words, you just read the chart, not the person, still less your presuppositions of what is or should be. Once you've delineated a couple of houses of even one horoscope, the procedure will become easy and natural and you will breeze through the delineation. This, then, is an example of the General Approach to the delineation of an astrological house in Medieval Astrology. It can be successfully applied to any house in a horoscope.. All you need to do is to keep in mind the different meanings of the houses. If you use this method for delineating all the houses you will acquire a profound understanding of the natal chart and know how all its parts are working. Armed with such in depth understanding, you will find it easier to make correct predictions. This ends this lesson. Please now proceed to the Test.

19

MEDIEVAL ASTROLOGY FOUNDATION COURSE

LESSON THREE TEST: DELINEATION OF THE ASTROLOGICAL HOUSE © copyright Robert Zoller and New Library Limited 1995 – 2000 All rights reserved

Please answer the following questions. When doing so you should not refer to the audio or text.

Questions: 1.

What are the six steps of the General Approach to delineating a house in Medieval Astrology?

2.

What are the four Aristotelian considerations?

3.

What is an Almuten?

4.

How is the Almuten used?

5.

What is a Significator?

6.

How is a Significator of a house to be found?

7.

Which are the good houses?

8.

Which are the bad houses?

9.

From where does the good or bad signified by a house emanate?

10. Fill in the blank: Position is stronger than …………

20

ANSWERS 1. 1 Examine any planets positioned in the house under consideration. 2 Examine the Significator of the issue under consideration 3 Examine the ruler of the house under consideration 4 Examine the Almuten of the house under consideration 5 Examine the Arabic Part (or Parts) relating to the house under consideration. 6 Conclusion 2.

Whether it is, What it is, How it is and Why it is.

3.

An Almuten is a planet which has the most honours in a place in the Zodiac according to a pointing system which gives 5 points to the ruler of the Sign, 4 points to the ruler by exaltation (if there is one), 3 points to the three triplicity rulers, 2 points to the term ruler and one point to the decan ruler.

4.

The Almuten is used like the ruler of the Sign.

5.

A Significator indicates or signifies something.

6.

The Significator of a house is the planet in the house closest to the cusp of the house, or the ruler of the house or the Almuten of the house.

7.

The 1 , 2 , 3 , 5 , 9 , 10 & 11 houses.

8.

The 12 , 8 , 7 and 6 houses are bad.

9.

From the ruler of the house.

st

nd

th

th

rd

th

th

th

th

th

21

th

10. Rulership.

If you got eight or more answers correct you have done well and should now go onto LESSON FOUR. If you got less than eight answers correct you should thoroughly revise the Lesson before proceeding. Lesson Four transcript: rz-fc-4.pdf Lesson Four audio: rz-fc-4.mp3

22

Robert Zoller. http://www.new-library.com/zoller/

Robert Zoller.

MEDIEVAL ASTROLOGY FOUNDATION COURSE LESSON FOUR: PREDICTIVE TECHNIQUES

http://www.new-library.com/zoller © Copyright 2000 Robert Zoller All Rights Reserved © Copyright 2000 New Library Limited All Rights Reserved

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MEDIEVAL ASTROLOGY FOUNDATION COURSE

LESSON FOUR: PREDICTIVE TECHNIQUES © copyright Robert Zoller and New Library Limited 2000 All rights reserved

(Transcript of audio lecture file: rz-fc-4.mp3)

Welcome to the fourth and last lesson of Robert Zoller’s Foundation Course on Medieval Astrology. This lesson is called Predictive Techniques and teaches two specific techniques used by Medieval astrologers. In the last lesson we were speaking of delineation. You must delineate the chart before you can make predictions. A prediction is nothing more than the timing of a manifestation of what is held as a promise in the natal figure. Once we thoroughly understand the various facets of the natal chart by delineating it carefully we can apply timing (prediction) techniques to see when the promise will manifest. Firstly we are going to look at the Firdaria predictive technique and then the Profections predictive technique. THE FIRDARIA TECHNIQUE The word Firdaria comes into Latin from the Arabic Alfirdar, which in turn came to the Arabic language from the Persian Fardar which is in itself a corruption of the Greek word Period. Persians could not pronounce P's so they turned these into F's, made the er an ar (or ir) and slurred the iod into ar. They liked the r ending (like the Old Norse) at the end of nouns. So, the word is really a Greek word which means planetary period. The Firdaria Planetary Period technique is a method for predicting. It gives you the ability to see the whole course of the native's life and to write his biography without even knowing him. 1

It cannot be stressed enough that the first thing you have to do is to delineate the horoscope. The basics of this you should have mastered in Lesson Three. Delineation is of prime importance because any prediction made can only operate within the confines of the natal promise. In simple terms, if there is not promise for a certain course of events or happenings then the astrologer can not predict it. Thus the Firdaria or any other predictive technique merely times what is promised in the natal figure. To succeed with the Firdaria you must know what every planet (of the 7 visible planets – and don’t forget that in astrology we call the Sun and the Moon planets) and the 2 Nodes (of the Moon) are doing in the horoscope under examination. Please refer to Figure 10 The Firdaria Periods (next page). As you will see the planets are arranged in a circle with Saturn at the top. Each planet represents a day of the week. Follow the diagonal lines inside the circle starting with Saturn. Go down to the Sun, then up to the Moon, then to Mars and so on until you return to Saturn. As you can see this sequence is according to the days of the week. Saturn is Satur(n)day. Sunday is the Sun's day. Monday is the Moon's day. Tuesday is Tiw's day, Tiw being the Anglo-Saxon war god or Mars. Wednesday is Woden's day, Woden being the AngloSaxon deity equated to Mercury. Thursday = Thor's day. Thor wielded the Thunder bolt, as did Jupiter. Friday = Frejya's day, the Norse and Anglo-Saxon goddess of Love, equated with Venus. You will see that the North Node of the Moon and the South Node of the Moon are placed between the Sun & Mars. Also, each planet in the Figure is associated with a number. These numbers indicate so many years. Saturn 11 years, Jupiter 12 years, Mars 7 years, North Node 3 years, South Node 2 years, Sun 10 years, Venus 8 years, Mercury 13 years and finally the Moon 9 years.

2

Figure 10

The Firdaria

11

12

9

7

13

P3 8

10

Q2

To apply the Firdaria: Decide if the horoscope is diurnal or nocturnal. You will remember how to do this from earlier lessons. In a diurnal th th chart (native born during the daytime) the Sun in the 7 , 8 , th th th th 9 , 10 , 11 or 12 houses. A nocturnal chart (native born at st nd rd th th th night) has the Sun in the 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 or 6 houses. 1. In diurnal horoscopes begin the attribution from the Sun. In nocturnal horoscopes begin the attribution from the Moon. In both cases you always move clockwise (Sun, Venus, Mercury, etc in diurnal figures and Moon, Saturn, Jupiter etc in nocturnal figures.) The number of years given each planet does not change. The total (75) is always the same. You start in different places e.g. with the Sun or with the Moon depending upon whether you are working on a diurnal or a nocturnal figure. 2. As just mentioned, the number of years of the Firdaria is 75 in total. Thus, if you live more than 75 years you simply start at the beginning again. In Medieval times most people did not live to that age. 3. What makes the Firdaria specific to the individual is not what planet rules that period of time (e.g. Moon 1st 9 years in a nocturnal figure) but how it is found in the particular horoscope. To discover this look at the house the planet is positioned in, the zodiacal Sign the planet is positioned in, the aspects the planet is receiving and finally the houses that that planet rules by rulership (of the Sign) and where applicable by exaltation. The planetary period {or Firdaria} will be about such things as the planet ruling the period rules by its nature, its rulership(s) and exaltation - i.e. the affairs of the houses its signs fall upon. 4

4. After the first period (either Moon or Sun) move clockwise around the Firdaria Figure. Progress through the whole Firdaria Scheme of the Figure 10. In a diurnal figure the sequence will be Sun, Venus, Mercury, Moon, Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, North Node and South Node. In a nocturnal figure the sequence will be Moon, Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, N. Node, S. Node, Sun, Venus, Mercury. 5. The sequence will give the general outline of the native's life. During the Firdaria or period in question the quality of the time conforms to the nature and zodiacal state of the planet ruling that period. This quality will be linked to the house the planet is positioned in and will be associated with issues corresponding to the house(s) it rules both by rulership and by exaltation. The ability to make correct predictions and to accurately read the past using this technique is based upon knowing beforehand what each of the planets are doing in the horoscope. Your delineation of the chart beforehand enables you to do this. If you make statements based merely upon the natures of the planets themselves, your reading will be bland and general. This will be because you will only be reciting a series of planetary influences common to everyone with a diurnal or nocturnal chart. If, on the other hand, you take the ruling planet's house position, its rulerships, nature and dignity or debility, and its aspects; especially if you have thoroughly synthesised all this previously and know precisely what the planet ruling the period is doing {in the natal figure before you} your reading will be accurate, penetrating and impressive. 6. The next stage is to apply the Firdaria sub-periods in which shorter time periods are examined. In this note that each of the planetary periods is divided into 7 sub5

periods with the exception of the two Node periods which neither rule sub-periods nor are subdivided. To find the length of each sub-period of a planetary period, divide the length of the planetary period by 7. For instance the Sub-periods of the Sun are 10 ÷ 7 = 1.4286 years long. The length of the Moon's subperiods is 9 ÷ 7 = 1.286 years long. Mars' are 1 year long. The rulerships of the sub-periods begin with the planet being divided. Then you merely follow the clockwise sequence of planets around the Firdaria Figure 10. Thus, the Sun's sub-periods are Sun-Sun, Sun-Venus, Sun-Mercury, Sun-Moon, Sun-Saturn, Sun-Jupiter, and Sun-Mars. So with the others except as I have just said the two Nodes. In judging the sub-periods, refer (in your mind or out loud) to each sub-period by referring to the Period Ruler first and then to the sub-period ruler. This will help you to keep the astrological influences clear in your mind. Thus, in the Sun's Period, you will refer to the Sun-Sun Period, the Sun-Venus Period, the SunMercury Period, the Sun-Moon Period, etc. As you do this, observe or remember the house positions and rulerships of the two planets involved. E.g. the SunMars Period links the Sun with Mars. You will have already synthesised the astrological delineations of both these rulers as they are found in the chart you are working on. Pay particularly close attention to the houses involved. For example, when the natal figure promises marriage, st especially when the ruler of the 1 and the ruler of the th 7 are connected in the natal figure and the subperiods involve both planets {ruling the Period and subperiod} then the native will marry at this time. Both the period ruler and the sub-period ruler must involve the st th ruler of the 1 and the ruler of the 7 to be sure of this. This Firdaria must take place at a time that is fitting for marriage (e.g. if this happens to a child of 6 years of age then the astrologer can suppose it may not relate 6

to marriage). This is not the only time marriage will take place nor is it definite that a marriage will occur during this Firdaria but again, these are matters discussed in the full Course. th

When both planets involve the ruler of the 7 and the ruler of the 10th, the native enters into business partnerships, if the horoscope permits. Death is occasionally seen when the ruler of the 8th is either a Period or sub-period ruler. Let us now use Figure 9 (next page) to illustrate this. The figure is diurnal. We begin from the Sun. The first 10 years are ruled by the Sun. Note that the Sun is notably afflicted (conjunct Mars and Mercury & th opposed to Saturn. Note that the Sun rules the 6 and th Saturn rules the 12 . I was very ill during this time, mostly with severe asthma and pneumonia. My father's life (Sun = father) was very difficult. These difficulties th affected the home (Mercury conjunct Sun, rules 4 ). I had trouble socialising with other kids. The next period 10-18 years is ruled by Venus. These years were dominated by educational matters and rd emotional vulnerability (Venus, ruler of 3 is square Moon). Art played a big role in my life. I drew well and it afforded me an escape from domestic turmoil. The next period is Mercury's (18-31 years). These were adverse years (Mercury opposed to Saturn), but I learned Latin and astrology during this time and began to write and translate. Note the Mercury Saturn connection: hard work (Saturn) and intellectual endeavour (Mercury). I had disappointments in th marriage (Mercury rules 7 House) and disappointments in connection with friends (Saturn th rules 11 House). I also had further bronchial troubles th (Saturn rules 12 and Mercury is conjunct the ruler of th. the 6 7

Figure 9 Example Chart Firdaria ‚ 25 Jan 1947 10 yrs ‚ ‚ 25 Jan 1947 ‚ … 30 Jun 1948 ‚ „ 3 Dec 1949 ‚ ƒ 10 May 1951 ‚ ˆ 12 Oct 1952 ‚ ‡ 17 Mar 1954 ‚ † 22 Aug 1955 … 25 Jan 1957 8 yrs … … 25 Jan 1957 … „ 18 Mar 1958 … ƒ 10 May 1959 … ˆ 1 Jul 1960 … ‡ 21 Aug 1961 … † 13 Oct 1962 … ‚ 5 Dec 1963 „ 25 Jan 1965 13 yrs „ „ 25 Jan 1965 „ ƒ 4 Dec 1966 „ ˆ 13 Oct 1968 „ ‡ 22 Aug 1970 „ † 30 Jun 1972 „ ‚ 9 May 1974 „ … 18 Mar 1976 ƒ 25 Jan 1978 9 yrs ƒ ƒ 25 Jan 1978 ƒ ˆ 10 May 1979 ƒ ‡ 21 Aug 1980 ƒ † 4 Dec 1981 ƒ ‚ 18 Mar 1983 ƒ … 30 Jun 1984 ƒ „ 13 Oct 1985 ˆ 25 Jan 1987 11 yrs ˆ ˆ 25 Jan 1987 ˆ ‡ 21 Aug 1988 ˆ † 18 Mar 1990 ˆ ‚ 12 Oct 1991 ˆ … 9 May 1993 ˆ „ 4 Dec 1994 ˆ ƒ 30 Jun 1996 ‡ 25 Jan 1998 12 yrs ‡ ‡ 25 Jan 1998 ‡ † 13 Oct 1999 ‡ ‚ 30 Jun 2001 ‡ … 18 Mar 2003 ‡ „ 4 Dec 2004 ‡ ƒ 21 Aug 2006 ‡ ˆ 9 May 2008 † 25 Jan 2010 7 yrs † † 25 Jan 2010 † ‚ 25 Jan 2011 † … 26 Jan 2012 † „ 25 Jan 2013 † ƒ 25 Jan 2014 † ˆ 25 Jan 2015 † ‡ 25 Jan 2016 ¡ 25 Jan 2017 3 yrs ¢ 25 Jan 2020 2 yrs

PL ‚ ƒ „ … † ‡ ˆ ¡ ¢ § ¨ £

Long 04à46 11á17 06à16 17Þ58 00à04 24Ý12 05Ú30R 10Ø07R 10Þ07R 12á38 20Þ46 19Ö09

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Natal Chart Robert Zoller 25 Jan 1947 AD GC 8:59:00 AM EST +05:00:00 Mount Vernon United States 73w50'15, 40n54'45

38

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Planetary Hours Day Hours 1 7:17 am ˆ 2 8:05 am ‡ 3 8:54 am † 4 9:42 am ‚ 5 10:31 am … 6 11:19 am „ 7 12:07 pm ƒ 8 12:56 pm ˆ 9 1:44 pm ‡ 10 2:33 pm † 11 3:21 pm ‚ 12 4:09 pm … Night Hours 1 4:58 pm „ 2 6:09 pm ƒ 3 7:21 pm ˆ 4 8:32 pm ‡ 5 9:44 pm † 6 10:55 pm ‚ 7 12:07 am … 8 1:19 am „ 9 2:30 am ƒ 10 3:42 am ˆ 11 4:53 am ‡ 12 6:05 am † Day Hours 1 7:16 am ‚

24

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20°

Ø 24 20°

×

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46

13°

34

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Parts Fortune 19 Ö 09 Spirit 06 à 07 Substance 29 × 54 Faith 07 à 38 Hyleg 22 Ö 26

Traditional Chart, Geocentric, Tropical Calculation Parameters House Sys: Alchabitius Semi-Arc Almut Trip: Day+Night+Partic Trip Ruler: Dorothean Term Ruler: Egyptian Decan Ruler: Chaldean Orient Defn: Ori/Occ to Sun Tropical, True Node True Sunrise Ang houses offset 8 degs Suc houses offset 5 degs Cad houses offset 3 degs

House Almutems 1‡ 2‚ 3… 4„ 5ƒ 6‚ 7„ 8ˆ 9† 10 ‡ 11 † 12 ˆ

House Cusps 1. 12 á 38 2. 17 Ö 20 3. 20 × 24 4. 20 Ø 46 5. 16 Ù 34 6. 13 Ú 31 7. 12 Û 38 8. 17 Ü 20 9. 20 Ý 24 10. 20 Þ 46 11. 16 ß 34 12. 13 à 31

Mutual Receptions ‚-ˆ by Rulership ‚-ˆ by Triplicity ‡-ˆ by Term

Source: Government Record Birth Certificate

Exn Tri ˆ … … ˆ ‚ ˆ … ‚ ˆ ‚ … … ‚ ‚ ‚

Trm „ … „+ „ „ ˆ ‡ ‡ ‡ ‡ „ „

Fac … ‡ … ƒ … … ˆ+ † ƒ ‡ ˆ ‚

Det ‚„ ‚ „ ‚ … ˆ‡ „ „ „ …

Fal „

ƒ

„ ˆ

Dig 5 prg 2 prg prg prg 6

Ori ori ori occ ori ori ori

Sun

Antisc 25 Ý 14 18 Ü 43 cmb 23 Ý 44 12 ß 02 cmb 29 Ý 56 05 à 48 24 × 30 19 Ù 53 19 ß 53 17 Ü 22 09 ß 14 10 Û 51

Chart Results Chart is Diurnal PL Day Saturday ˆ PL Hour of birth † Almutem of Chart ˆ No Final Dispositor Moon 1st Quarter Waxing Hayz ‚ Financial Sig † Prof Sigs ƒ… PS Class … Artisan SAN 01 à 29 Chart is Conjunctional

Decl 19s04 12s02 20s43 19s10 21s07 17s49 19n29 21n58 21s57 06s48 23s06 07n30

Vel +01 01 +12 34 +01 43 +00 59 +00 47 +00 08 -00 04

F/S F S F F F S

The next period is ruled by the Moon (31-40 years). I had dramatic mystical experiences (Moon in Pisces rd rising). I published my first book (Moon ruler of 3 by rd exaltation and square to Venus, ruler of 3 ). I got deeply involved with mystical matters, yoga and the occult. The next period is ruled by Saturn (40-51 years).I was forced by economic pressure to work in the construction business and pursue astrology as a sideline. I continued to work on Medieval Astrology, translating, practising and lecturing on the subject. The construction work was fast track, stressful, dangerous, laborious and harsh. I had health problems during this time, difficulties with bosses and men in positions of authority. The next period is ruled by Jupiter (51-63 years). On my 51st birthday, while in New Zealand, I received a call from Australia saying I'd been awarded the Southern Cross Award given to the overseas astrologer who'd done the most to advance astrology in Australia in the past 2 years. The period so far {I write this in May 2000} has been full of accolades, opportunities th and support. Note Jupiter's 9 House position and th rulership of 10 and the Ascendant. Since Jupiter is the ruler of the Ascendant and MC {Mid-Heaven}, its period has especial relevance to the native and the methods the native uses in attempting to achieve his destiny and profession. Let's break this down into its sub-periods. Each of Jupiter's sub-periods is 1.714 years long. The subperiods are: Jupiter-Jupiter 51.00 - 52.71yrs of age Jupiter-Mars 52.71 - 54.43yrs of age Jupiter-Sun 54.43 - 56.14yrs of age Jupiter-Venus 56.14 - 57.86yrs of age Jupiter-Mercury 57.86 - 59.57yrs of age Jupiter-Moon 59.57 - 61.29yrs of age Jupiter-Saturn 61.29 - 63yrs of age 9

During the Jupiter-Jupiter Period, as mentioned above, I was travelling, teaching and receiving accolades. Just th what you would expect from a natal Jupiter in the 9 , st th th ruling the 1 and 10 . Jupiter is also the ruler of the 5 and there was sufficient time for fun. Note that in the first sub-period of any period, you have only one planet to look at. In a sense, you look at it twice. The delineation however is simplified. In all other subperiods, you have two rulers to look at and you have to synthesise their testimonies. During the Jupiter Mars sub-period (which I am currently in), the benefic influences of Jupiter, principally the recognition and success we saw during the previous sub-period, continues and to it is added Mars' malefic contributions. Yet Mars is determined towards friends in my figure by virtue of being in the th 11 House. Therefore, although malefic, especially for my friends, it will bring me some benefit. Mars is opposed to Saturn in the natal horoscope and is combust. In the last lesson we saw that it signifies foreign, zealous friends who have strong opinions. It is also opposed to Saturn, which is not just the ruler of the th th 11 , but also the ruler of the 12 (major illness) and the th 8 (death and money made through partnership). By th nd th derived houses, the 8 is 2 from the 7 th (Partnerships); thus the 8 is the money of the partners or money made through partnership. An opposition shows one planet {and the things it signifies} opposed to another planet {and the things it signifies}. Aside from friends, which Saturn signifies by th ruling the 11 (which causes some of my friends to oppose or fight with other friends of mine), Saturn also th signifies illness by ruling the 12 . Mars' opposition to Saturn shows some of my friends opposing my illness. Now the Saturn Mars opposition is the cause of my illness (Parkinson's Disease), which began in 1991 during the Saturn-Mars Period. Note that the current 10

Mars sub-period coincides with a return to the matter of health. Mars is determined to health by virtue of being th in aspect to the ruler of the 12 .Remember what we have previously said, that Local Determination occurs by position, rulership and aspect. The Mars sub-period of the Jupiter Period is marked by expanding professional and teaching endeavours, recognition, assistance of friends, financial considerations (Mars nd rules the 2 House) both positive and negative, but tending more to the positive. The Jupiter-Sun sub-period begins about the 30th of June 2001. It will continue the success signified by the Jupiter Period and it will add to this the brilliance, fame (or notoriety) of the Sun. I will have the assistance of powerful friends and be known far and wide. This exalted state will be lasting since both Jupiter and the Sun are in fixed signs (Aquarius and Scorpio), but it will be marred by a number of factors. First, the Sun is in detriment, so the fame the Sun brings will be challenged, qualified and opposed (as Saturn opposes the Sun) by people I associate with th th (Saturn ruler of 11 and Sun in 11 ) who are actually th my secret enemies (Saturn ruler of 12 ). In addition, th the Sun is the ruler of the 6 House (minor illness) and th Saturn is the ruler of the 12 (Major Illness) so that my ability to enjoy the recognition promised by the Sun and to respond to the opportunities afforded by it will be th limited. Saturn is the ruler of the 8 by exaltation, so the threat of death is not to be overlooked. Heart and eye troubles are possible. Since the Sun is the ruler of the nd 2 (finances) by exaltation, there will be financial concerns arising from health issues and from the fame itself. My Solar friends (the powerful ones) will have financial difficulties due to problems in their partnerships. But I also recognise that the Sun and Saturn are in mutual reception. Therefore, in spite of the efforts of jealous, inimical agents, I will rise above the adversity. 11

My success will be humanistic, not divine. My faults will be seen but I will still demonstrate what is possible for anyone who commits himself or herself to edification. My Solar friends will rise above their adversities and be restored to their success. A significant proportion of my success, tried in the fire of disapprobation, opposition and challenge will endure and my friends and I, enjoying God's blessing, will celebrate together. From 15 March 2003 until 4 December 2004 the Jupiter-Venus sub-period is in effect. During this period the success promised by Jupiter blends with the love and success promised by Venus. As both these planets th, are in the 9 great success is promised in foreign countries due to the assistance of women and spiritual, foreign or educational interests. Spiritual edification is offered. There will be success in publishing and strong financial benefit from partnerships with overseas or spiritual agencies. Release from infirmities is possible during this very favourable period. During the Jupiter-Mercury sub-period (which begins about 4 December 2004) partnership is indicated as th the ruler of the Ascendant and the ruler of the 7 are involved. This Period also emphasises association with th learned friends as Mercury is in the 11 House. In fact, as Mercury is combust and opposed to Saturn, we can say that this Period will see adversity for the native's th learned friends and family (as Mercury rules the 4 House), while the native, Jupiter, will continue to prosper and will be in a position to assist his friends and family. The Jupiter-Moon sub-period, which begins 21 August 2006, will bring mystical insight, travel, entertainment and the attention of women. As Jupiter is the ruler of the Ascendant and the Moon is rising in the example figure, this sub-period has especial reference to the native's emotional and spiritual well being. Increased dream activity and the experience of psychic phenomena are to be expected. As the Moon is the 12

th

ruler of the 5 House, avocations and entertainment of a lunar nature are going to be things occupying the native. The Jupiter-Saturn sub-period, which ends the Jupiter Period will introduce a Saturnian note to the Jupiterian influences of the larger Period. In addition to the success and expansiveness of the Jupiter Period, the teaching and cultivation of affairs of the Higher Mind, education and foreign contacts we are likely also to see the pursuit of occult, philosophical or mathematical interests and avocations. Saturn will also bring health concerns and dissension among friends, hard work and melancholy. There is likely to be a retreat from public activity. Mars rules the next Period (63-70 years). This promises adversity but support from friends overseas and those associated with spiritual interests. Note Mars' th th nd 11 House position plus its rulership of the 9 and 2 houses. January 25, 2010-January 25, 2011 is a dangerous time (Mars-Mars) and January 25, 2015January 25, 2016 is worse (Mars-Saturn). The Nodal Periods do not rule houses so they are judged according to their natures and by reference to the houses they are in natally. The North Node period is good, being of the nature of Venus and Jupiter, and the South Node period usually entails letting go of things, renunciation and loss, since it is of the nature of Mars and Saturn). Thus, in the example Figure the North Node's 3 years are good for consulting, communicating, teaching and writing. While the South Nodes 2 years are bad for temporal concerns and good for spiritual disciplines requiring renunciation and letting go of identifications. So, there we have the Firdaria Technique. Essentially, what it does is to give to each planet a specific period of time during which it will manifest whatever it promises in the natal figure. One way of using it is to 13

find the planet which is promising something you are interested in and see when its Period and sub-periods are in effect. At these times you may expect the manifestation of the thing you are interested in. Be careful, however to remember two things in this context. Firstly that you must look for something promised in the natal chart, not something you merely want. Secondly, keep in mind that the sub-periods are permutations on a theme established by the Local Determination of the Period ruler. Thus, not all the Venus sub-periods will be alike, for while they are all Venusian, the Venusian quality (meaning, of course, the Venusian nature plus the dignity/debility of Venus as well as her Local Determination) will be coloured by the theme of the Period she is a sub-period ruler of. The very great benefit the Firdaria Technique gives us is to see the general course of the native's life. Even to be able to write a biography of the native whom we may never have met and to have a way of describing the times at various points along the life-line of the native. Modern predictive techniques rely heavily upon transits and secondary progressions. It often happens that you don't have any relevant transits or progressions for greater or lesser periods of time. Under these circumstances you are forced to say that either nothing happens in the native's life or that you don't know what it is that is happening. The Firdaria enables you to account for every moment of time from cradle to grave because every moment falls in some Planetary Period and some subdivision thereof and the quality of each of these rulers are accounted for in the natal figure. Let us now move to the second predictive technique of this lesson.

14

THE PROFECTION TECHNIQUE Profection comes from the Latin word profectio, meaning "going forth, setting out, a departure." It also means "the source." Basically it amounts to counting houses. The natal figure is a snap shot of the moment you were born, your beginning or principle. Your fate is set and depicted in that beginning, in that moment. At the moment of birth you are 0 years old. 365 days later you will have your first birthday. A year after that, your second birthday. A year after that you third and so on. In Medieval Astrology the Ascendant is the indicator of life. In the Latin texts it is referred to as vita, life. The quality of life changes cyclically on an annual and monthly basis. The Profection technique is based on the idea that this cyclic change is fixed in each person's life by the underlying pattern of the natal horoscope. Thus if you want to know what the native's quality of life is at birth (0 years of age) you look to the Ascendant, st the planets in 1 House and its ruler. For the second year (from the first birthday to the second) you look to nd rd the 2 House. Then to the 3 and so on around the houses until you find yourself back at the Ascendant at 12 years. Some people get confused, so I will say it another way. When you start counting, put your finger on the nd Ascendant and say, "0." The 2 House cusp is 1, the rd th 3 House cusp is 2, the 4 House cusp is 3, and so on around the houses until you return to the Ascendant at 12. In every year the native's life quality will be indicated by the house corresponding to that year, the planets in the house and its ruler. Indeed, the ruler of the house is referred to as the Lord of the Year and by its house position, it indicates the dominant issue the native faces 15

in that year. This does not mean much for an infant, but once the native has completed one circuit of the figure, that is has returned to the Ascendant at 12 years s/he becomes more and more aware of the changing world around him or her. Whether or not the native is aware that the quality of his life is changing year by year, the astrologer ought to be aware of this and to use the Profection Technique to foretell what the native will face year by year. We have seen that the Ascendant returns to itself every twelve years. It does so every multiple of 12. So the Ascendant is 0,12,24,36,48,60,72,84,96...etc. In order to find the profected Ascendant for any age, start at the Ascendant at the nearest lower multiple of 12 and start counting house by house until you come to the house corresponding to the year sought. th

Thus, age 53 corresponds to the 6 House. To confirm nd this, start at the Ascendant at 48 and count 49 (2 rd th th House), 50 (3 House), 51 (4 House), 52 (5 House), th th and 53 (6 House). The 6 House is the profected Ascendant for 53 years old and its ruler is the Lord of the Year. By its house position it indicates the major issues of the year. In the example {Figure 9} the Sign th on the 6 House cusp is Leo. The Sun is Lord of the th Year. Its 11 House position indicates that the support of generous friends is the dominant theme this year. More detail can be had by knowing what the Sun's zodiacal state and Local Determination are. I refer you th to the remarks I made about the Sun in the 11 House in the previous lesson on the General Approach to house delineation. Now, you can apply the same technique to any house of the figure and track the changes in its fortunes year by year. This is especially useful in connection with the nd 2 House. For instance, in the example Figure 9 the 2 16

nd

House for

th

th,

age 53 is the 7 , ruled by Mercury in the 11 combust and opposed to Saturn. This does not bode well for the native's finances, as Mercury is afflicted. What the afflictions show are expenses. Both the Sun and Saturn are determined, not only to friends, but also to sickness, as is Mercury by its connection with both. But nd note this: when you are profecting the 2 House to see the native’s financial fortunes in a given year, the ruler nd of the profected 2 House will be in an angular house, a succedent house or a cadent house. When it's in an angular house the income is strong. When it's in a succedent house the income is OK (half as good) and when it's in a cadent house the income is low. Afflictions show expenses either by the afflicting planet's rulerships or by its house position. Note! If the native is on a fixed income the Profections may not show variations in the income but they will certainly show variations in the expenses. There are a couple of things to remember when using Profections: 1. Profect through the houses to the appropriate house, identify house ruler (of the profected house) in the horoscope and interpret it in terms of its natal position. Thus, the Profection of the natal Ascendant th (see example) to age 53 comes to the 6 House. The th Sun is the ruler of the natal 6 . The Sun is in the natal th th 11 . Thus the year is about health/work (6 House of th natal) and friends (11 House of natal). Base your delineation upon the natal meanings of the house and its ruler - which you should have already familiarised yourself with before doing the Profections. If you know th what the native's natal 6 House and Sun are doing in the figure you are working on, you will find Profections a walk in the park. 2. When the profected house is a house containing one or more planets then the promise of these planets is expressed in the context of the profected house. Thus, 17

at age 46 (1993) the profected Ascendant came to my th natal 11 House. That year I had relationship troubles which resulted in my moving house. I was giving many lectures on Medieval Astrology and related subjects to large groups of people. I was travelling (Canada, Mexico as well as within the USA). I had help from friends in connection with my health. My lady friend and I attended the wedding of a Pakistani friend and student of mine who is a Shiite Moslem. It was a significant and edifying cultural experience. There were disagreements with friends over intellectual and publishing matters which stemmed from their problems with control issues and intellectual property issues. It was a continual struggle to remain financially solvent. This example illustrates perfectly the point made above. From our last lesson, you will have seen pretty th clearly the nature of the 11 House conjunction of Mars, Sun and Mercury. At age 46 the natal promise of this configuration manifested and set the tone for the entire year because the Profection of the Ascendant came to the house containing these three planets. The planets by the natures and Local Determinations shape the objective reality for the native's life that year. 3. When the profected Ascendant comes to a house containing one or more planets, the planets in the house to which the profected Ascendant comes will contribute to the shaping of the objective facts of the native's life in not only their natures but also their rulerships. Thus, with regard to the profected Ascendant for age 46, the travel reported was th th produced because Mars in the 11 is ruler of the 9 . Mars also caused the financial woes and also caused the cultural confrontation with the zeal of Islamic Society and Religious values. The assistance from friends stemmed from the fact that the Sun is ruler of th. the 6 The intellectual disagreements with friends th came from the entire 11 House configuration but th especially from Mercury, ruler of the 7 (Partnerships). Mercury also produced the relationship problems and 18

the relocation. Thus, you should attend closely to the planets in a house when the Profection happens upon them since they give events and periods of time characteristic of their natures and rulerships in the chart at hand. 4. Having found the house corresponding to the profected Ascendant (or any other house) you can profect the months of the year beginning from the profected Ascendant {or the house you seek to profect.} which will represent the first month, beginning from your birthday. In the example the Profection of the Ascendant to age th th 46 brings you to the 11 House cusp. The 11 House cusp represents January 25, 1993. The Lord of the th Year is Saturn in the 5 . The year promised turmoil with friends, relationships, and assistance from friends, etc th as we said above. The 11 House itself represents the first month of the native's year (January 25 to February nd 25). The 12th house represents the 2 month of the st native's year (February 25 to March 25). The 1 rd House, the 3 month (March 25 to April 25) and so on until you reach December 25, 1993 to January 25, th 1994, which is the 10 House. This technique is nd especially useful in connection with the 2 House, to track income and expenses month by month. In using the monthly Profections, observe in which house the Lord of the Year falls. It will show the month when that which is promised by the Profected Year will manifest. For example, at age 46 the profected th Ascendant came to the 11 House (see same example). Saturn is Lord of the Year. It is in the th 5 House of the natal figure. The year promises turmoil with friends, relationships, and assistance from friends,

19

th

5. etc as we said above. Counting months from the 11 th House cusp, we find that the 5 House corresponds to the month July 25th to August 25, 1993. This is the period of time when I ran into difficulties with my friends over intellectual property and when my relationship problems came to a head. Well, there you have the basics. If you've been following this technique closely and perhaps using it on your own chart or someone else's, you've probably already seen how remarkably well it works. Once again let me reiterate that the success of this predictive technique rests upon having a profound understanding of the natal chart by having made a thorough delineation of it. If you rigorously delineate the houses using the General Approach discussed in the last Lesson you will have gained such an understanding. More details about Profections and Firdaria, as well as some remarks about the metaphysical significance of these techniques will be found in the full Medieval Astrology Course. This concludes the Foundation Course on Medieval Astrology. I hope you have found it informative and I am sure that after a bit of work it will afford you great practical benefit and insight. We have only been able to study some of the basics in this Course but for those of you who wish to extend your study there is the Advanced Course which leads to the Diploma qualification. Thank you for taking this Course and I wish you all the Very Best in your endeavours. Please now move to the test questions.

20

MEDIEVAL ASTROLOGY FOUNDATION COURSE

LESSON FOUR TEST: PREDICTIVE TECHNIQUES © copyright Robert Zoller and New Library Limited 2000 All rights reserved

Please answer the following questions. When doing so you should not refer to the text or audio.

Questions 1.

What are the Firdaria?

2.

What is the order of rulership of the Firdaria in a diurnal chart?

3.

What is the order of rulership of the Firdaria in a nocturnal chart?

4.

How many years are allotted to each planet in the Firdaria?

5.

How do you find the length of a planetary sub-period?

6.

How do you arrange the rulerships of the sub-rulers?

7.

Give the sub-periods of the Mars Period.

8.

At what age does the Mars period begin in a diurnal chart?

9.

At what age does the Mars period begin in a nocturnal chart?

10. What are Profections? 11. What is the Lord of the Year? 21

12. When profecting the Ascendant from birth what number do you start with? 13. What natal house corresponds to the profected Ascendant for ages 12, 24, 36, 48, 60? nd

14. What house does the profected 2 House correspond to at age 37? nd

15. When profecting the 2 House cusp in years, how do you recognise the years in which income is strong. 16. In the example chart, what house corresponds to the 2 House for March 26, 2000?

22

nd

Answers 1.

The Firdaria are planetary periods used in the Firdaria Predictive Technique.

2.

Sun, Venus, Mercury, Moon, Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, North Node and South Node.

3.

Moon, Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, North Node, South Node, Sun, Venus and Mercury.

4.

Sun 10, Venus 8, Mercury 13, Moon 9, Saturn 11, Jupiter 12, Mars 7, North Node 3 and South Node 2.

5.

Divide the Planetary Periods years by 7.

6.

The Planet being divided rules the first sub-period and the other planets follow in clockwise order around the Firdaria Chart.

7.

Mars, Sun, Venus, Mercury, Moon, Saturn, and Jupiter.

8.

63.

9.

32.

10. A predictive technique which allots one year per house or one month per house. 11. The ruler of the profected Ascendant. 12. 0. 13. The natal Ascendant. 14. The 3rd house. 23

15. The ruler of the house corresponding to the profected nd 2 House will angular or succedent in years of strong income. 16. The 9th house.

If you got 14 or more answers correct you have done well. If you got less than 14 answers correct you should thoroughly revise this Lesson. This ends Robert Zoller’s Foundation Course in Medieval Astrology. When you are satisfied that you have completed the Course to the best of your ability please confirm this by contacting Robert Zoller:www.new-library.com/zoller/contact

Robert Zoller.

24

Robert Zoller. http://www.new-library.com/zoller/

Robert Zoller.

MEDIEVAL ASTROLOGY FOUNDATION COURSE DIAGRAMS

http://www.new-library.com/zoller © Copyright 2000 Robert Zoller All Rights Reserved © Copyright 2000 New Library Limited All Rights Reserved

A New Library Publication 1st Electronic Publication 2000

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IMPORTANT NOTICE TO PURCHASER AND USER. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, the purchaser agrees to use this publication only for his or her exclusive non-commercial personal and private use and it is a condition of sale that the purchaser will keep only one copy on hard-disc and one copy on a back-up disc and will only make one printed copy of this publication for the purchaser’s exclusive and private use. And that the purchaser will not in any way shape or form allow this publication or any part of it to be otherwise reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means including electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior and expressed permission of the publisher. And that the purchaser will not circulate nor allow this publication to be circulated in any electronic, printed or bound form without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on all and every subsequent purchaser or user. And that the purchaser accepts the above conditions without reservation as an express part of the contract of sale and acknowledges that any breach will render the purchaser liable to the payment of liquidated damages to New Library Limited or its successor(s) for breach of contract to the full value of ten thousand times the purchase price as on the date that the purchaser bought the publication from New Library Limited its Agent or Representative notwithstanding additional damages for infringement of copyright either of content or format. The purchaser and any subsequent user is hereby notified that this publication is encoded and electronically marked so as to allow its identification as originating as the property of New Library Limited.

The Foundation Course in Medieval Astrology by Robert Zoller Figure 1

Signs of the Zodiac

a b c d

Aries Taurus Gemini Cancer

Firre Earth Air Water

e f g h

Leo Virgo Libra Scorpio

Fire Earth Air Water

i j k l

Sagittarius Capricorn Aquarius Pisces

Firre Earth Air Water

© copyright 2000 New Library Limited All Rights Reserved

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The Foundation Course in Medieval Astrology by Robert Zoller Figure 2

The Planets

0 5 B C F K L

Sun Moon Mercury Venus Mars Jupiter Saturn

Masculine Planets

0 L K F

Feminine Planets

Y C

Diurnal Planets

0 K L

Nocturnal Planets

Y C F

Benefic Planets

K C

- (either)

- (either)

0 - (depending on circumstance) Y (waxing)

Malefic Planets

L F - (depending on circumstance) Y (waning)

© copyright 2000 New Library Limited All Rights Reserved

http://www.new-library.com/zoller

The Foundation Course in Medieval Astrology by Robert Zoller Figure 3

Decan Rulerships

© copyright 2000 New Library Limited All Rights Reserved

http://www.new-library.com/zoller

The Foundation Course in Medieval Astrology by Robert Zoller Figure 4

Triplicity Rulers

Diurnal

Nocturnal

Participating

Fire Air Water Earth

© copyright 2000 New Library Limited All Rights Reserved

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The Foundation Course in Medieval Astrology by Robert Zoller Figure 5

Rulerships and Exaltations

Key

Inner Circle:

Signs

Middle Circle: Rulerships Outer Circle:

Exaltations

Cardinal Signs:

a d g j

Fixed Signs:

b e h k

Mutable Signs:

c f i l

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The Foundation Course in Medieval Astrology by Robert Zoller Figure 6

Essential Dignities

5 Rulership 4 Exaltation 3 T riplicity 2 Term 1 Face (or Decan)

Figure 7

Essential Debilities

Peregrine i- Planet has neither Dignity nor Debility Detriment - Planet in Sign Opposite to one it rules Fall - Planet in a sign opposite to the one it is exalted in.

© copyright 2000 New Library Limited All Rights Reserved

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The Foundation Course in Medieval Astrology by Robert Zoller Figure 8

Egyptian Terms

Key: eg:-

a

K6

=

"

rules first 6˚ a

C

rules next 6˚

B

rules next 8˚

F

rules next 5˚

L

rules next 5˚

© copyright 2000 New Library Limited All Rights Reserved

C6

B8

F5

L5

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The Foundation Course in Medieval Astrology by Robert Zoller Figure 9

Chart Example

Firdaria ‚ 25 Jan 1947 10 yrs ‚ ‚ 25 Jan 1947 ‚ … 30 Jun 1948 ‚ „ 3 Dec 1949 ‚ ƒ 10 May 1951 ‚ ˆ 12 Oct 1952 ‚ ‡ 17 Mar 1954 ‚ † 22 Aug 1955 … 25 Jan 1957 8 yrs … … 25 Jan 1957 … „ 18 Mar 1958 … ƒ 10 May 1959 … ˆ 1 Jul 1960 … ‡ 21 Aug 1961 … † 13 Oct 1962 … ‚ 5 Dec 1963 „ 25 Jan 1965 13 yrs „ „ 25 Jan 1965 „ ƒ 4 Dec 1966 „ ˆ 13 Oct 1968 „ ‡ 22 Aug 1970 „ † 30 Jun 1972 „ ‚ 9 May 1974 „ … 18 Mar 1976 ƒ 25 Jan 1978 9 yrs ƒ ƒ 25 Jan 1978 ƒ ˆ 10 May 1979 ƒ ‡ 21 Aug 1980 ƒ † 4 Dec 1981 ƒ ‚ 18 Mar 1983 ƒ … 30 Jun 1984 ƒ „ 13 Oct 1985 ˆ 25 Jan 1987 11 yrs ˆ ˆ 25 Jan 1987 ˆ ‡ 21 Aug 1988 ˆ † 18 Mar 1990 ˆ ‚ 12 Oct 1991 ˆ … 9 May 1993 ˆ „ 4 Dec 1994 ˆ ƒ 30 Jun 1996 ‡ 25 Jan 1998 12 yrs ‡ ‡ 25 Jan 1998 ‡ † 13 Oct 1999 ‡ ‚ 30 Jun 2001 ‡ … 18 Mar 2003 ‡ „ 4 Dec 2004 ‡ ƒ 21 Aug 2006 ‡ ˆ 9 May 2008 † 25 Jan 2010 7 yrs † † 25 Jan 2010 † ‚ 25 Jan 2011 † … 26 Jan 2012 † „ 25 Jan 2013 † ƒ 25 Jan 2014 † ˆ 25 Jan 2015 † ‡ 25 Jan 2016 ¡ 25 Jan 2017 3 yrs ¢ 25 Jan 2020 2 yrs

PL ‚ ƒ „ … † ‡ ˆ ¡ ¢ § ¨ £

Long 04à46 11á17 06à16 17Þ58 00à04 24Ý12 05Ú30R 10Ø07R 10Þ07R 12á38 20Þ46 19Ö09

Rul ˆ ‡ ˆ ‡ ˆ † ‚ „ ‡ ‡ ‡ †

†00à04 san01à29 34 ‚04à46 spirit06à07 ß „06à16 16° faith07à38

13°

à

31

á

1

17°

Ö

20

£19Ö09 hyleg22Ö26

8

17°

Ü

20

7 38 12°

Û

6

4

3

Ý

9

10

2

20°

46

Natal Chart Robert Zoller 25 Jan 1947 AD GC 8:59:00 AM EST +05:00:00 Mount Vernon United States 73w50'15, 40n54'45

38

§12á38

Þ

¨20Þ46

11

12°

…17Þ58 ¢10Þ07R ‡24Ý12

20°

12

ƒ11á17

Planetary Hours Day Hours 1 7:17 am ˆ 2 8:05 am ‡ 3 8:54 am † 4 9:42 am ‚ 5 10:31 am … 6 11:19 am „ 7 12:07 pm ƒ 8 12:56 pm ˆ 9 1:44 pm ‡ 10 2:33 pm † 11 3:21 pm ‚ 12 4:09 pm … Night Hours 1 4:58 pm „ 2 6:09 pm ƒ 3 7:21 pm ˆ 4 8:32 pm ‡ 5 9:44 pm † 6 10:55 pm ‚ 7 12:07 am … 8 1:19 am „ 9 2:30 am ƒ 10 3:42 am ˆ 11 4:53 am ‡ 12 6:05 am † Day Hours 1 7:16 am ‚

24

5

20°

Ø 24 20°

×

necess25×32 subst29×54

46

13°

34

¡10Ø07R

16°

Ù

ˆ05Ú30R

Ú

31

Parts Fortune 19 Ö 09 Spirit 06 à 07 Substance 29 × 54 Faith 07 à 38 Hyleg 22 Ö 26

Traditional Chart, Geocentric, Tropical Calculation Parameters House Sys: Alchabitius Semi-Arc Almut Trip: Day+Night+Partic Trip Ruler: Dorothean Term Ruler: Egyptian Decan Ruler: Chaldean Orient Defn: Ori/Occ to Sun Tropical, True Node True Sunrise Ang houses offset 8 degs Suc houses offset 5 degs Cad houses offset 3 degs

House Almutems 1‡ 2‚ 3… 4„ 5ƒ 6‚ 7„ 8ˆ 9† 10 ‡ 11 † 12 ˆ

House Cusps 1. 12 á 38 2. 17 Ö 20 3. 20 × 24 4. 20 Ø 46 5. 16 Ù 34 6. 13 Ú 31 7. 12 Û 38 8. 17 Ü 20 9. 20 Ý 24 10. 20 Þ 46 11. 16 ß 34 12. 13 à 31

Mutual Receptions ‚-ˆ by Rulership ‚-ˆ by Triplicity ‡-ˆ by Term

Source: Government Record Birth Certificate

Exn Tri ˆ … … ˆ ‚ ˆ … ‚ ˆ ‚ … … ‚ ‚ ‚

Trm „ … „+ „ „ ˆ ‡ ‡ ‡ ‡ „ „

Fac … ‡ … ƒ … … ˆ+ † ƒ ‡ ˆ ‚

Det ‚„ ‚ „ ‚ … ˆ‡ „ „ „ …

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Fal „

ƒ

„ ˆ

Dig 5 prg 2 prg prg prg 6

Ori ori ori occ ori ori ori

Sun

Antisc 25 Ý 14 18 Ü 43 cmb 23 Ý 44 12 ß 02 cmb 29 Ý 56 05 à 48 24 × 30 19 Ù 53 19 ß 53 17 Ü 22 09 ß 14 10 Û 51

Chart Results Chart is Diurnal PL Day Saturday ˆ PL Hour of birth † Almutem of Chart ˆ No Final Dispositor Moon 1st Quarter Waxing Hayz ‚ Financial Sig † Prof Sigs ƒ… PS Class … Artisan SAN 01 à 29 Chart is Conjunctional

Decl 19s04 12s02 20s43 19s10 21s07 17s49 19n29 21n58 21s57 06s48 23s06 07n30

Vel +01 01 +12 34 +01 43 +00 59 +00 47 +00 08 -00 04

F/S F S F F F S

http://www.new-library.com/zoller

The Foundation Course in Medieval Astrology by Robert Zoller Figure 10

The Firdaria

11

12

9

7

13

P3 8

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10

Q2

http://www.new-library.com/zoller

Robert Zoller. http://www.new-library.com/zoller/