Essential Dignities and Debilities
A planet which has rulership over a sign has essential dignity in that sign.1
Types of Essential Dignity
There are five types of rulership in traditional astrology: domicile, exaltation, triplicity, bound/term, decan/face.1
Each level of rulership corresponds to a different level of responsibility.1
Dignity, Behavior, and Responsibility
A planet with rulership over a house is responsible for seeing that the affairs of that house are carried out as well as possible.1
When a planet in rulership has essential dignity, it tends to behave in a balanced and controlled way, and things tend to turn out well.1,3 Dignity supports a planet in being more of what it's supposed to be.3
Planets without essential dignity have a difficult time behaving well.1 Planets that have debility are trying to be something they're not. They don't know what they are.3 People with debilitated planets tend to feel motivated to correct an imbalanced planet. A challenge can become a source of strength.1
Planets that are either very debilitated or dignified tend to become dominant influences in a life.1
When a ruler is debilitated, look down the chain of rulership command to find planets that are in better shape to help that planet.1
Domicile
Sun Leo
Moon Cancer Mercury Gemini, Virgo
Jupiter Sagittarius, Pisces
When a planet is in its domicile, it feels comfortable and at home.1
Using business as a metaphor, a planet is like the manager of its domiciles.1
Detriment
Sun Aquarius
Moon Capricorn
Mercury Sagittarius, Pisces
Venus Aries, Scorpio
Mars Taurus, Libra
Jupiter Gemini, Virgo
Saturn Cancer, Leo
When a planet is in a sign where it is in detriment, it feels off-balance, not at east, and disorganized. Planets are in detriment when they are in a sign that is opposite their domicile.1
Exalted
Sun Aries
Moon Taurus
Mercury Virgo
Venus Pisces
Mars Capricorn
Jupiter Cancer
Saturn Libra
Exalted planets are in a place where they are listened to and honored.1 Using business as a metaphor, a planet is like the owner of the signs where it has exaltation.1
Fall
Sun Libra
Moon Scorpio
Mercury Pisces
Venus Virgo
Mars Cancer
Jupiter Capricorn
Saturn Aries
Planets in their fall have to work hard to be heard in order to compensate for being in a place where they aren't respected. The signs of a planet's fall is opposite one of the signs of its exaltation.1
Triplicity
Day Night Participating
Fire Sun Jupiter Saturn
Air Saturn Mercury Jupiter
Earth Venus Moon Mars
Water Venus Mars Moon
Planets are assigned triplicity rulership by element. Each of the members of the triplicity trines the other two members of the triplicity.1
Fire and air signs get day planets.1
Earth and water get night planets.1
Triplicity denotes general good or bad fortune. Planets in a sign where they have triplicity rulership are more likely to be helpful.1
Using business as a metaphor, triplicities are like a management team.1 Bounds/Terms
Egyptian Bounds/Terms (measured up to degree number)2
Aries Jupiter (0-6) Venus (6-12) Mercury (12-20) Mars (20-25) Saturn (25-30)
Taurus Venus (0-8) Mercury (8-14) Jupiter (14-22) Saturn (22-27) Mars (27-30)
Gemini Mercury (0-6) Jupiter (6-12) Venus (12-17) Mars (17-24) Saturn (24-30)
Cancer Mars (0-7) Venus (7-13) Mercury (13-19) Jupiter (19-26) Saturn (26-30)
Leo Jupiter (0-6) Venus (6-11) Saturn (11-18) Mercury (18-24) Mars (24-30)
Virgo Mercury (0-7) Venus (7-17) Jupiter (17-21) Mars (21-28) Saturn (28-30)
Libra Saturn (0-6) Mercury (6-14) Jupiter (14-21) Venus (21-28) Mars (28-30)
Scorpio Mars (0-7) Venus (7-11) Mercury (11-19) Jupiter (19-24) Saturn (24-30)
Sagittarius Jupiter (0-12) Venus (12-17) Mercury (17-21) Saturn (21-26) Mars (26-30)
Capricorn Mercury (0-7) Jupiter (7-14) Venus (14-22) Saturn (22-26) Mars (26-30)
Aquarius Mercury (0-7) Venus (7-13) Jupiter (13-20) Mars (20-25) Saturn (25-30)
Pisces Venus (0-12) Jupiter (12-16) Mercury (16-19) Mars (19-28) Saturn (28-30)
Dictates how things are actually carried out in the world. Bounds are used to determine time lords. In natal charts, the bound lords color the expression of a planet.1
Using business as a metaphor, the bound/term ruler is like a planet's immediate supervisor.1
The first term rulerships are assigned to a planet with rulership. The last terms are assigned to a malefic.1
Faces/Decans
0-10 10-20 20-30
Aries Mars Sun Venus
Taurus Mercury Moon Saturn Gemini Jupiter Mars Sun
Cancer Venus Mercury Moon
Leo Saturn Jupiter Mars
Virgo Sun Venus Mercury
Libra Moon Saturn Jupiter
Scorpio Mars Sun Venus
Sagittarius Mercury Moon Saturn
Capricorn Jupiter Mars Sun
Aquarius Venus Mercury Moon
Pisces Saturn Jupiter Mars
Charles Obert considers faces to be the last-ditch dignity before the homelessness of peregrine.1
Peregrine
A planet has no authority or dignity of its own and depends on the dignity of its host to function.1
Almuten
The planet with the most rulership points for a degree.1
Domicile 5
Exaltation 4
Triplicity 3
Bounds 2
Face 1
It may not be the domicile lord but probably is.
Sources
1 Charles Obert, Introduction to Traditional Natal Astrology: A Complete Working Guide for Modern Astrologers, Almuten Press (2015)
2 "Table of Planetary Rulerships" hellenisticastrology.com (PDF) (2017)
Revision #4 Created Thu, Sep 3, 2020 12:57 AM by Ada Pembroke Updated Wed, Jan 27, 2021 1:14 AM by Ada Pembroke