Astrology
I had a question recently asking if a particular star was rising (conjunct the Ascendant) in one's natal chart, whether that made it a "lucky" star for the person and contrawise, if the star was on the Descendant (conjunct the 7th house cusp) that made it personally "unlucky".
It appears that the original Hellenistic use of the angles, ie 1st house cusp or Ascendant, 10th or Midheaven, 7th or Descendant, 4th or Imum Coeli ("below heaven") was as a measure of strength, with the Ascendant being strongest, closely followed by the Midheaven.
While the houses now have additional meanings, eg 2nd is money, 4th real property, etc., the angular houses retain their use as indicating strength and prominence. See Bonatti, Book of Astronomy, Tr. 2 Ch 4 Dykes trans at 94 "...four are called "angles", name the 1st & 4th and 7th and 10th. And these houses are the stronger and firmer parts of the Heavens..."
The most prominent part of a house is conjunct the cusp. A planet that is not in a house, but in the previous house within 5 degrees of the cusp of a house, strongly influences that house, even stronger than if it were say, 20 degrees into the house. This is the "5 degree" rule of Ptolemy. Tetrabiblos, Bk III.
So a planet, fixed star, etc., conjunct the Ascendant or Midheaven is giving the strongest possible influence over the strongest houses in the chart. The orb will vary depending on whether this is a planet (perhaps up to 8 degrees) or fixed star (within 1 degree usually) or varying for Nodes, etc.
In any case, a planet or fixed star conjunct the Ascendant or Midheaven will be very influential for the chart and very prominent in the life of a person if it is a natal chart.
Now, how it will affect the person or manifest depends on what the nature of the star is and the person's life situation. But merely being conjunct the Ascendant or Midheaven doesn't change the nature of the star. Algol conjunct the Ascendant in your natal chart, doesn't generally make Algol a "lucky star" for you, rather it makes you metaphorically lose your head and make bad choices or occasionally is an indication of violent death by literally losing your head. Now this does not rule out the possibility that you can tap into the energy of Algol more easily since it is so prominent but Algol stays Algol. Of course, my experience with Algol shows me that he or she is powerful, but quite useful in the proper circumstance as well. See, for example Large Algol Talisman and Small Algol Talisman.
I do notice that there is a tendency for astrologers to assume that the Heavens re-arrange themselves based on our personal birthcharts. If Saturn, for example, rules the 7th in your chart, he foretells, among other factors, your love life. This does not, however, make Saturn a love talisman for you, because this is not his nature.
We are the result of the mingling of celestial forces, not the arbiters of their nature!
- Mars Conjunct Capulus Then Algol - Into The Danger Zone
These aspects will be active from tomorrow through until Monday 27th May Ok Mars is now entering the stars of the warrior constellation Perseus and this is always a very tricky and nasty time in Astrological terms. Mars will hit Capulus first in the...
- Usno Page For Astrological Magic: Part 2, Fixed Star Elections
Ok, in the previous post on the USNO page, I discussed how to use the page for planetary talismans using the rising or transiting/culminating time as determined by those friendly folks at the Naval Observatory. (I used to walk by the Observatory when...
- Algol And The Head Of The Dragon
I had a recent post asking whether the fixed star Algol conjunct the South Node would be a problem. This is a good example of the nuances of traditional astrology. We do not want to fall into a classifying everything as simply good or bad, reality is...
- Algol: Respect The Sources & The Spirits!
I had a post on my discussion group from a poster who had created an Algol talisman during what they called an "Algol transit" and then had left the talisman in a particular spot, rather than keeping it with them. They then suffered a rather spectacular...
- How To Do Fixed Star Talisman Elections
My software guy, Peter, was working on a new program, Stellis, for fixed star elections, but he is having problems with illness in his family so I don't know if Stellis is going to get off the ground. Basically it would have automated the process...
Astrology
Personal Lucky Stars?
I had a question recently asking if a particular star was rising (conjunct the Ascendant) in one's natal chart, whether that made it a "lucky" star for the person and contrawise, if the star was on the Descendant (conjunct the 7th house cusp) that made it personally "unlucky".
It appears that the original Hellenistic use of the angles, ie 1st house cusp or Ascendant, 10th or Midheaven, 7th or Descendant, 4th or Imum Coeli ("below heaven") was as a measure of strength, with the Ascendant being strongest, closely followed by the Midheaven.
While the houses now have additional meanings, eg 2nd is money, 4th real property, etc., the angular houses retain their use as indicating strength and prominence. See Bonatti, Book of Astronomy, Tr. 2 Ch 4 Dykes trans at 94 "...four are called "angles", name the 1st & 4th and 7th and 10th. And these houses are the stronger and firmer parts of the Heavens..."
The most prominent part of a house is conjunct the cusp. A planet that is not in a house, but in the previous house within 5 degrees of the cusp of a house, strongly influences that house, even stronger than if it were say, 20 degrees into the house. This is the "5 degree" rule of Ptolemy. Tetrabiblos, Bk III.
So a planet, fixed star, etc., conjunct the Ascendant or Midheaven is giving the strongest possible influence over the strongest houses in the chart. The orb will vary depending on whether this is a planet (perhaps up to 8 degrees) or fixed star (within 1 degree usually) or varying for Nodes, etc.
In any case, a planet or fixed star conjunct the Ascendant or Midheaven will be very influential for the chart and very prominent in the life of a person if it is a natal chart.
Now, how it will affect the person or manifest depends on what the nature of the star is and the person's life situation. But merely being conjunct the Ascendant or Midheaven doesn't change the nature of the star. Algol conjunct the Ascendant in your natal chart, doesn't generally make Algol a "lucky star" for you, rather it makes you metaphorically lose your head and make bad choices or occasionally is an indication of violent death by literally losing your head. Now this does not rule out the possibility that you can tap into the energy of Algol more easily since it is so prominent but Algol stays Algol. Of course, my experience with Algol shows me that he or she is powerful, but quite useful in the proper circumstance as well. See, for example Large Algol Talisman and Small Algol Talisman.
I do notice that there is a tendency for astrologers to assume that the Heavens re-arrange themselves based on our personal birthcharts. If Saturn, for example, rules the 7th in your chart, he foretells, among other factors, your love life. This does not, however, make Saturn a love talisman for you, because this is not his nature.
We are the result of the mingling of celestial forces, not the arbiters of their nature!
- Mars Conjunct Capulus Then Algol - Into The Danger Zone
These aspects will be active from tomorrow through until Monday 27th May Ok Mars is now entering the stars of the warrior constellation Perseus and this is always a very tricky and nasty time in Astrological terms. Mars will hit Capulus first in the...
- Usno Page For Astrological Magic: Part 2, Fixed Star Elections
Ok, in the previous post on the USNO page, I discussed how to use the page for planetary talismans using the rising or transiting/culminating time as determined by those friendly folks at the Naval Observatory. (I used to walk by the Observatory when...
- Algol And The Head Of The Dragon
I had a recent post asking whether the fixed star Algol conjunct the South Node would be a problem. This is a good example of the nuances of traditional astrology. We do not want to fall into a classifying everything as simply good or bad, reality is...
- Algol: Respect The Sources & The Spirits!
I had a post on my discussion group from a poster who had created an Algol talisman during what they called an "Algol transit" and then had left the talisman in a particular spot, rather than keeping it with them. They then suffered a rather spectacular...
- How To Do Fixed Star Talisman Elections
My software guy, Peter, was working on a new program, Stellis, for fixed star elections, but he is having problems with illness in his family so I don't know if Stellis is going to get off the ground. Basically it would have automated the process...