Rulership is the connection between planet and correlated sign and house.[19] In

traditional Western astrology, each sign is ruled by one and only one of the seven

visible planets (note that in astrology, the Sun and Moon are termed The Lights, while

the other bodies are called planets, which literally means wanderers, i.e. wandering

stars as opposed to the fixed stars). The traditional rulerships are as

follows: Aries (Mars), Taurus (Venus), Gemini (Mercury), Cancer (Moon), Leo (Sun), Vir

go (Mercury), Libra (Venus), Scorpio (Mars),Sagittarius (Jupiter), Capricorn (Saturn), Aq

uarius (Saturn), Pisces (Jupiter).[20]

Psychologically-oriented astrologers often believe that Uranus is the ruler or co-ruler of

Aquarius instead of Saturn; Neptune is the ruler or co-ruler of Pisces instead of Jupiter,

and that Pluto is the ruler or co-ruler of Scorpio instead of Mars. Some[who?] astrologers

believe that the planetoid Chiron may be the ruler of Virgo, while other group of modern

astrologers claim that Ceres is the ruler of Taurus instead. Other astrologers, still, use

the former planets Pallas, Vesta, Juno and Hygiea in their delineations and rulerships,

for example Vesta to Taurus and Pallas to Virgo.

Debate continues between those who consider the newly discovered planets as rulers

or co-rulers of certain signs and those that do not. Some astrologers do not even use

the astrological signs at all (mostly Cosmobiologists and Uranian Astrologers/Hamburg

School). Therefore they do not take into account planetary rulerships and the essential

dignities when interpreting an astrological chart.

Note that, if one starts from Leo and Cancer, the traditional planetary rulers are arrayed

outward in the same order from the sun as they occur in the natural solar system. The

Lights ruling Leo and Cancer, Mercury ruling Virgo and Gemini, Venus ruling Libra and

Taurus, Mars ruling Scorpio and Aries, Jupiter ruling Sagittarius and Pisces, Saturn

ruling Capricorn and Aquarius. The result is a symmetry of traditional rulerships across

the 0 Leo/Aquarius axis. Note that modern rulerships, which attribute Pluto as ruler of

Scorpio, break this symmetry.

The following table shows both, traditional[20] and modern,[21] rulerships.

Symbol Sign names Ruling

celestial body

Traditional / Modern

Aries Mars

Taurus Venus

Gemini Mercury

Cancer Moon

Leo Sun

Virgo Mercury

Libra Venus

Scorpio Mars / Pluto

Sagittarius Jupiter

Capricorn Saturn

Aquarius Saturn / Uranus

Pisces Jupiter / Neptune

Dignity and detriment, exaltation and fall[edit]

A traditional belief of astrology, known as essential dignity, is the idea that the Sun,

Moon and planets are more powerful and effective in some signs than others, because

the basic nature of both is held to be in harmony. By contrast, they are held to find some

signs to be weak or difficult to operate in because their natures are thought to be in

conflict. The most important of these categories are Dignity, Detriment, Exaltation and

Fall.

Dignity and Detriment : A planet is strengthened or dignified if it falls within the

sign that it rules. In other words it is said to exercise Rulership of the sign. For

example, the Moon in Cancer is considered "strong" (well-dignified). Seventeenth

century astrologer William Lilly compared rulership to a king on his throne, with

considerable dignity. If a planet is in the sign opposite that which it rules (or is

dignified), it is said to be weakened or in Detriment (for example, the Moon in

Capricorn).[22]

In traditional astrology, other levels of Dignity are recognised in addition to Rulership.

These are known as Exaltation (see below), Triplicity, Terms or bounds, and Face

or Decan, which together are known as describing a planet's Essential dignity, the

quality or ability to give of one's true nature. Contemporary traditional astrologers

like John Frawley or J Lee Lehman explain further on the concept of Essential

Dignity.[22]

Exaltation and Fall : In addition, a planet is also strengthened when it is in its sign

of Exaltation. In traditional horary astrology, Exaltation denotes a level of dignity

somewhat exaggerated compared to rulership. Exaltation was considered to give

the planet (or what it signified in a horary chart) dignity, with the metaphor of an

honoured guest who is the centre of attention but the extent of their ability to act is

limited. Examples of planets in their Exaltation are: Saturn (Libra), Sun (Aries),

Venus (Pisces), Moon (Taurus), Mercury (Virgo, although some disagree to this

classification), Mars (Capricorn), Jupiter (Cancer). A planet in the opposite sign of its

Exaltation is said to be in its Fall, and thus weakened, perhaps seemingly more so

than Detriment. The Planet in fall is passively rejected or ignored by the sign that it's

in. It can be likened to a mayor of a rival city trying to make suggestions to the

hosting mayor for how he should run his city: The host mayor finds it difficult to trust

him and cannot see how his input could have relevancy to his city. The people of the

city feel the same as their ruler. The result is impasse and failure on behalf of both

mayors and the city.[22] There is no agreement as to the signs in which the three

extra-Saturnian planets may be considered to be exalted.[23]

The following table summarizes the positions described above:

Planet (Symbol) Dignity Detriment Exaltation Fall

Sun ( ) Leo Aquarius Aries Libra

Moon ( ) Cancer Capricorn Taurus Scorpio

Mercury ( ) Gemini and Virgo Sagittarius and Pisces Virgo Pisces

Venus ( ) Libra and Taurus Aries and Scorpio Pisces Virgo

Mars ( ) Aries and Scorpio Libra and Taurus Capricorn Cancer

Jupiter ( ) Sagittarius and Pisces Gemini and Virgo Cancer Capricorn

Saturn ( ) Capricorn and Aquarius Cancer and Leo Libra Aries

In addition to essential dignity, the traditional astrologer considers Accidental dignity of

planets. This is placement by house in the chart under examination. Accidental dignity is

the planet's "ability to act." So we might have, for example, Moon in Cancer, dignified by

rulership, is placed in the 12th house it would have little scope to express its good

nature.[24]The 12th is a cadent house as are the 3rd, 6th and 9th and planets in these

houses are considered weak or afflicted. On the other hand, Moon in the 1st, 4th, 7th or

10th would be more able to act as these are Angular houses. Planets in Succedent

houses of the chart (2nd, 5th, 8th, 11th) are generally considered to be of medium

ability to act. Besides Accidental Dignity, there are a range of Accidental Debilities, such

as retrogradation, Under the Sun's Beams, Combust, and so forth.

Additional classifications[edit]

For more details on this topic, see Decans.

Each sign can be divided into three 10 sectors known as decans or decanates, though

these have fallen into disuse. The first decanate is said to be most emphatically of its

own nature and is ruled by the sign ruler.[25] The next decanate is sub-ruled by the

planet ruling the next sign in the same triplicity. The last decanate is sub-ruled by the

next in order in the same triplicity.[26]

While the element and modality of a sign are together sufficient to define it, they can be

grouped to indicate their symbolism. The first four signs, Aries, Taurus, Gemini and

Cancer, form the group of personal signs. The next four signs, Leo, Virgo, Libra and

Scorpio form the group of interpersonal signs. The last four signs of the zodiac,

Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius and Pisces, form the group of transpersonal signs. [27]

Dane Rudhyar presented the tropical zodiac primary factors,[28] used in the curriculum of

the RASA School of Astrology. The tropical zodiac is the zodiac of seasonal factors as

opposed to the sidereal zodiac (constellation factors). The primary seasonal factors are

based on the changing ratio of sunlight and darkness across the year. The first factor is

whether the chosen time falls in the half of the year when daylight is increasing, or the

half of the year when darkness is increasing. The second factor is whether the chosen

time falls in the half of the year when there is more daylight than darkness, or the half

when there is more darkness than daylight. The third factor is which of the four seasons

the chosen time falls in, defined by the first two factors. Thus[29][30]

the 'winter' season is when daylight is increasing and there is more darkness than

daylight.[29]

the 'spring' season is when daylight is increasing and there is more daylight than

darkness.[29]

the 'summer' season is when darkness is increasing and there is more daylight than

darkness.[29]

the 'autumn' season is when darkness is increasing and there is more darkness than

daylight.[29]

Indian astrology[edit]

Further information: Hindu astrology

In Indian astrology, there are four elements: fire, earth, air, and water. The master of fire

is Mars, while Mercury is of earth, Saturn of air, and Venus of water.

Jyotish astrology recognises twelve zodiac signs (Ri),[31] that correspond to those in

Western astrology. The relation of the signs to the elements is the same in the two

systems.

Nakshatras[edit]

Main article: Nakshatra

A nakshatra (Devanagari: , Sanskrit nakshatra, from naksha- 'approach', and tra- 'guard') or lunar mansion is one of the 27 divisions of the sky, identified by the

prominent star(s) in them, as used in Hindu astronomy and astrology (Jyotisha).[32]

Chinese zodiac signs[edit]

Main article: Chinese zodiac

Unlike the Western or Indian zodiacs, the Chinese zodiac signs are not derived from

constellations, and are not assigned to sections of the ecliptic. Instead, Chinese

astrological signs operate on cycles of years, lunar months, and two-hour periods of the

day (also known as shichen). A particular feature of the Chinese zodiac is its operation

in a 60-year cycle in combination with the Five Phases of Chinese astrology

(Wood, Fire, Metal, Water, and Earth).[33] Nevertheless some researches say that there

is an obvious relationship between the Chinese 12-year cycle and zodiac constellations:

each year of the cycle corresponds to a certain disposal of Jupiter. For example, in the

year of Snake Jupiter is in the Sign of Gemini, in the year of Horse Jupiter is in the Sign

of Cancer and so on. So the Chinese 12-year calendar is a solar-lunar-jovian calendar.

Zodiac symbolism[edit]

The following table shows the twelve signs and their attributes.

Sign Yin/Yang Direction Season Fixed Element Trine

Rat Yang North Mid-Winter Water 1st

Ox Yin North Late Winter Water 2nd

Tiger Yang East Early Spring Wood 3rd

Rabbit Yin East Mid-Spring Wood 4th

Dragon Yang East Late Spring Wood 1st

Snake Yin South Early Summer Fire 2nd

Horse Yang South Mid-Summer Fire 3rd

Goat Yin South Late Summer Fire 4th

Monkey Yang West Early Autumn Metal 1st

Rooster Yin West Mid-Autumn Metal 2nd

Dog Yang West Late Autumn Metal 3rd

Pig Yin North Early Winter Water 4th

The twelve signs[edit]

Chart showing the 24 cardinal directions and the symbols of the sign associated with them.

In Chinese astrology the zodiac of twelve animal sign represents twelve different types

of personality. The zodiac traditionally begins with the sign of the Rat, and there are

many stories about the Origins of the Chinese Zodiac which explain why this is so.

When the twelve zodiac signs are part of the 60-year calendar in combination with the

four elements, they are traditionally called the twelveearthly branches. The Chinese

Zodiac follows the lunisolar Chinese calendar and thus the "changeover" days in a

month (when one sign changes to another sign) vary each year. The following are the

twelve zodiac signs in order.[34]

1. Rat (Yang, 1st Trine, Fixed Element Water): Rat years include 1900, 1912,

1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008. The Rat also corresponds to a

particular month in the year. The hours of the Rat are 11pm 1am.

2. Ox (Yin, 2nd Trine, Fixed Element Water): Ox years include 1901, 1913, 1925,

1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009. The Ox also corresponds to a

particular month in the year. The hours of the Ox are 1am 3am.

3. Tiger (Yang, 3rd Trine, Fixed Element Wood): Tiger years include 1902, 1914,

1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010. The Tiger also corresponds to

a particular month in the year. The hours of the Tiger are 3am 5am.

4. Rabbit (Yin, 4th Trine, Fixed Element Wood): Rabbit Years include 1903,

1915, 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011. The Rabbit also

corresponds to a particular month in the year. The hours of the Rabbit are 5am

7am.

5. Dragon (Yang, 1st Trine, Fixed Element Wood): Dragon years include 1904,

1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012. The Dragon also

corresponds to a particular month in the year. The hours of the Dragon are 7am

9am.

6. Snake (Yin, 2nd Trine, Fixed Element Fire): Snake years include 1905, 1917,

1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013. The Snake also corresponds

to a particular month in the year. The hours of the Snake are 9am 11am.

7. Horse (Yang, 3rd Trine, Fixed Element Fire): Horse years include 1906, 1918,

1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014. The Horse also corresponds

to a particular month in the year. The hours of the Horse are 11am 1pm.

8. Goat (Yin, 4th Trine, Fixed Element Fire): Goat years include 1907, 1919,

1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015. The Goat also corresponds to

a particular month in the year. The hours of the Goat are 1pm 3pm.

9. Monkey (Yang, 1st Trine, Fixed Element Metal): Monkey years include 1908,

1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016. The Monkey also

corresponds to a particular month in the year. The hours of the Monkey are 3pm

5pm.

10. Rooster (Yin, 2nd Trine, Fixed Element Metal): Rooster years include 1909,

1921, 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017. The Rooster also

corresponds to a particular month in the year. The hours of the Rooster are 5pm

7pm.

11. Dog (Yang, 3rd Trine, Fixed Element Metal): Dog years include 1910, 1922,

1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018. The Dog also corresponds to

a particular month in the year. The hours of the Dog are 7pm 9pm.

12. Pig (Yin, 4th Trine, Fixed Element Water): Pig years include 1911, 1923,

1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019. The Pig also corresponds to a

particular month in the year. The hours of the Pig are 9pm 11pm.

The five elements[edit]

Wood: The wood person has high morals, is self-confident, expansive and co-

operative, with wide and varied interests and idealistic goals. The direction

associated with Wood is East, and the season is spring, which makes it the fixed

element for the animal signs Tiger and Rabbit.[35]

Fire: The fire person has leadership qualities, dynamic passion, and is decisive,

self-confident, positive and assertive. The direction associated with Fire is South,

and the season is summer, which makes it the fixed element for the animal

signs Snake and Horse.[35]

Earth: The earth person is serious, logical and methodical, intelligent, objective and

good at planning. The direction associated with Earth is Center. The season for

Earth is the changeover point of the four seasons. It is the fixed element for the

animal signs Ox, Dragon, Goat and Dog.[35]

Metal: The metal person is sincere, has fixed values and opinions, is strong of will,

and has eloquence of speech. The direction associated with Metal is West. The

season for Metal is Autumn. It is the fixed element for the animal

signs Monkey and Rooster.[35]

Water: The water person is persuasive, intuitive, and empathetic. The water person

is objective and often sought out for their counsel. The direction associated with

water is North. The season for Water is Winter. It is the fixed element for the animal

signs Rat and Pig.[35]

The five elements operate together with the twelve animal signs in a 60-year calendar.

The four elements appear in the calendar in both their yin and yang forms and are

known as the eight heavenly stems. When trying to calculate the relevant year of the

cycle in relation to the Western calendar, an easy rule to follow is that years that end in

an odd number are Yang (representing masculine, active and light), those that end with

an even number are Yin (representing feminine, passive and darkness).[35]

Notes[edit]

1. Jump up^ Mayo (1979), p. 35.

2. ^ Jump up to:a b Arroyo (1989), p. 27.

3. Jump up^ Bobrick (2005), p. 10, 23.

4. Jump up^ Johnsen (2004).

5. ^ Jump up to:a b Discovering the Universe Neil F. Comins (2009)p. 14, 15.

6. Jump up^ Rochberg (1998), p. ix.

7. Jump up^ Sachs (1948), p. 289.

8. Jump up^ Astrology and The Four Elements by Charlie Higgins

1997.http://accessnewage.com/Articles/astro/HIGELEMS.HTM

9. ^ Jump up to:a b Robert Pelletier & Leonard Cataldo Ibid p 43-44, 1984; Maritha

Pottenger, Ibid, pp 38393, 1991

10. Jump up^ Arroyo (1989), pp. 30-34

11. Jump up^ Hone (1978), p. 42

12. Jump up^ Glyphs from the alchemical symbology.

13. Jump up^ Arroyo (1975)

14. Jump up^ Arroyo (1989), p. 29.

15. Jump up^ As used in Sepharial's "The Manual of Astrology"-Brazilian edition (1988) by

Editora Nova Fronteira S/A, Rio de Janeiro

16. Jump up^ Hone (1978), p. 40

17. Jump up^ Arroyo (1989), p. 30

18. Jump up^ Hone (1978), p. 75

19. Jump up^ Hone (1978), p. 22

20. ^ Jump up to:a b "Rulerships." Carol Wills 2007. astrologynow.com 25

Nov.2007.http://www.astrologynow.com/carolwillis/Rulerships.txt

21. Jump up^ Hone (1978), p. 21.

22. ^ Jump up to:a b c Glossary of Astrological Terms. Logos, Asaa 19982004. 26 Nov

2007.http://logosastrology.dk/glossary.htm

23. Jump up^ Hone (1978), p. 144

24. Jump up^ Accidental Dignity. Astrological Dictionary 19982007. gotohoroscope.com.

26 Nov 2007. http://www.gotohoroscope.com/dictionary/astrological/5.html

25. Jump up^ Hone (1978), p.87

26. Jump up^ Hone (1978), p.88

27. Jump up^ "An Introduction to Astrology." Spiritsingles.com 25

Nov.2007.http://www.spiritsingles.com/Astrology/aboutAstrology.cfm

28. Jump up^ Rudhyar (1943)

29. ^ Jump up to:a b c d e "The Signs and the Houses", by Robin Armstrong, RASA School of

Astrology 2009 http://www.rasa.ws/index.php/rasa-library-articles-signs-and-houses-

30. Jump up^ "I Ching: The Sequence of Change", by Robin Armstrong, RA Publications

2009http://thewakingdream.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1392&I

temid=1551

31. Jump up^ Sutton (1999) pp. 7492.

32. Jump up^ Sutton (1999), p.168.

33. Jump up^ ""Almanac" "lunar" zodiac beginning of spring as the boundary dislocation?

China Network". 16 February 2009. Retrieved 5 January 2011.

34. Jump up^ Theodora Lau, Ibid, pp 28, 305, 604, 8894, 11824, 14853, 17884,

20813, 23844, 27078, 30612, 33844, 2005

35. ^ Jump up to:a b c d e f Chinese Astrology: Exploring the Eastern Zodiac by Shelly Wu

References[edit]

Arroyo, Stephen (1975). Astrology, Psychology and The Four Elements. California:

CCRS Publications.

Arroyo, Stephen (1989). Chart Interpretation Handbook. California: CCRS

Publications.

Bobrick, Benson (2005). The Fated Sky: Astrology in History. Simon&Schuster.

Caiozzo, Anna (2003). Images of the Sky. Paris-Sorbonne. Signs and

Constellations.

Hone, Margaret (1978). The Modern Text-Book of Astrology. Revised edition.

England: L. N. Fowler & Co. Ltd.

Johnsen, Linda (2004 March). A Thousand Suns: Designing Your Future with Vedic

Astrology. Yes International Publishers.

Mayo, Jeff (1979). Teach Yourself Astrology. London: Hodder and Stoughton.

Rochberg, Francesca (1998), "Babylonian Horoscopes", American Philosophical

Society, New Series, Vol. 88, No. 1, pp i-164

Rudhyar, Dane (1943). Astrological Signs The Pulse of

Life. http://www.khaldea.com/rudhyar/pofl/pofl_p1p1.shtml

Sachs, Abraham (1948), "A Classification of the Babylonian Astronomical Tablets of

the Seleucid Period", Journal of Cuneiform Studies, Vol. 2, No. 4, pp. 271290

Sutton, Komilla (1999). "The Essentials of Vedic Astrology". England: The Wessex

Astrologer Ltd.