| The
weekend of March 6 & 7, 1999, IsisInstitute.com
invited me to report on Rob Hand's engagement in the
Bay Area so I attended the Berkeley meeting where
he discussed the uses of ancient techniques. This
article comprises my notes taken from Rob's lecture.
I hope to encourage astrologers to seek this material
from Rob's publications, as they will be more complete.
I attempted some time ago to place a diagram here,
but as you will see, it is incomplete.
Rob encourages astrologers
to collect the ancient writers (now being translated
by ARHAT and previously in The Golden Hind Press)
and to read to themselves their own history. The
tradition and history of astrology requires a full
immersion program. Rob Hand offers this sensation
in his excursions throught the Ancient translations.
His work is a spur to the astrologer whose depth
awareness of the images occuring in the astrologically-trained
imagination finds unrequited hunger for better techniques,
greater understanding of the symbol. I had to re-absorb
the accuracy of the astrology of its hey-day, when
stellar consciousness was the order of the day.
While he is clearly of
the opinion that much of what Ptolemy wrote is inferior
astrology, Hand also asserts that among that load
ineffective techniques there are still quite a few
gems. The trouble now is to sort among the works
of Ptolemy and determine the usefulness of whatever
he has written.
Of Ptolomey's Tetrabiblos,
the two major editions currently available : Robbins
and University Press, the Robbins is the better
of the two translations, but was taken from an inferior
original text. The other was translated by an astrologer,
but the translation's quality is less good. Hand
does approve the Table of Essential Dignities as
scribed by Dortheus, and used by William Lilly,
with a caveat, he goes along with Ptolemy for the
triplicity ruler of the element Water: Mars.
For purposes of clarity,
his table includes a parenthetical Mars, next to
Dortheus' Venus, for day time triplicity rulers
of Water. Triplicity rulers are thus diagramed as
follows:
(this
table is obviously not complete; check Rob Hand's
website for the details.
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Night |
Participating |
ruler |
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Sun |
Jupiter
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Fire |
Earth |
Air
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Water |
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Venus
Moon Mars |
Saturn
Mercury Jupiter |
(Mars)Venus
Mars* Moon |
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| *Mars
rule 24 hours a day, according to Ptolemy, and
Rob really sees this as one of those working
techniques of Ptolemy's, not ready for throwing
out with such rapid dismissal. His reason for
liking Ptolemy's rulership of Mars over water
is based on the Mars temperament emphasis, particularly
when in Fiery signs. To paraphrase Rob's description,
Mars is too hot, too "trigger-happy"
in fiery signs and needs something to cool down
his heated responses in order to better "dignify"
him. In water, Mars is courageous, but still
more likely to have empathy (Water) and thus
not be so ready on the trigger. Mars, when ruled
by Water, takes a more Feeling approach, thus
dignifying him, and qualifying him as the 24-hour
ruler of Water. |
The
dignity of Mars in Capricorn occurs (in the European/Greek/Egyptian)
in sign Capricorn, the sign of Saturn and winter
in the Northern Hemispheric development of these
symbols. The wet cold is enough to slow down the
Mars "hot headed" impulse, thus dignifying
him in Capricorn.
THE
WHOLE NEW ASCENDANT
In
a much-needed review of the usefulness of the Part
of Fortune, Rob explains its usefulness from the
ancient point of view, quoting from Agrippa, Schoener,
and Ibn Ezra. But first, an introduction to ancient
style houses is in order.
At
the height of astrological development, the house
systems in use by the ancients did not seem to vary
too far from the Placidus cusps. Lilly used the
Regiomontanus cusps. Many Medievalists used the
Alcabitius system also. But all these fall into
a background category for purposes of this discussion.
In your mind's eye, use the house cusps as virtual
‘middles' of houses, for the sole purpose of
indicating a planet's strength in terms of an accidental
dignity. Example: A Saturn in Cancer is weak (hates
to do the big, mean overbearing Daddy-Sets-The-Limits-Now
Saturn since he's in thje place of a protective
Mommy. But if we place Saturn at the Midheaven,
we have an accidental dignity, returning to Saturn
his great authority and sometimes severity. The
house cusps therefore (whatever system you are using)
determine accidental strengths. That is where our
modern use of house cusps is correct and useful.
Where
we veer off the astrologically effective read of
a chart is over-dependence on house cusps to give
us any information at all. Jupiter in the 3rd, in
Taurus, being read as a "areas of wide interest
in mental work," or whatever is a watered down,
"anything means anything" problem of modern
astrology, the dilute of these more ancient views.
To go to the "full strength" point of
view, this Jupiter might be better "read"
as the Vedic system shows: at three or four SIGNS
from the ascendant.
If
Aquarius rises in this chart (no matter what degree)
the fourth sign from Aquarius will be Taurus. We
therefore read Jupiter as if in THE FOURTH PLACE
from the ascendant, no matter if aspects occur or
whether it is in the 3rd house. If Capricorn rules
the ascendant, this Jupiter is in the (count them
with your pencil to make this exercise as visually
ingrained as possible) 5th sign from the ascending
sign. Apply this to all the planets in the chart.
This is old-fashioned chart rotation, most commonly
used in Horary Astrology.
Rob
is careful to point out that Horary is the oldest,
most faithful tradition still steeped in the Ancient
manner of working the chart. And, of course Rob
conceded to the gag reaction that we would all have
to the complete redisposition of the chart, particularly
for those with late degrees of any sign rising.
Their
scheme of the houses (whoops! I mean PLACES) will
change considerably. He used the 7:45 p.m. chart
for Diana Princess of Wales to demonstrate his point.
THE PART OF FORTUNE and the Part of Spirit Princess
Diana Jul 1 1961 7:45 PM GMD Sandringham England
52N50, 00E30 Diana's ascendant is Sagittarius, giving
Gemini to the Descendant, the Marriage Partner.
The
ruler of Gemini is in Cancer. This is eight signs
away from the ascendant, even if it is situated
in the 7th house, it is in the EIGHTH PLACE. This
was a clue that death and partners were linked in
her nativity. The ruler of the Eighth Place (moon)
is in Aquarius. This is in the eight place from
the eight place. It would describe the circumstances
of the death. But, where is the Moon? Sagittarius
rises, second place is Capricorn. How did she die?
Third place from the ascendant is Aquarius. The
ruler of the 8th place appears in the House of Short
Journeys. But the most important new revelation
to come from this technique comes from the use of
the Parts of Fortune and Spirit.
To
calculate these, the old formula continues as follows:
Sun - Moon, + Ascendant. But, there is a caveat,
as most people know by now. Half of these charts
which are calculated in this way are incorrect.
"No wonder there are books and books on the
spiritual factor in the Part of Fortune.
There is no such thing," says Rob. "The
truly interesting thing is this: the Part
of Spirit is calculated in exactly the
same way, except the sum is subtracted, not added
to the ascendent." The big difference?
Day
versus night.
Formulae
for the Arabic Pars Fortuna:
DAY
NIGHT Moon - Sun, + Asc. Sun - Moon, + Asc.
For
the Part of Spirit:
DAY
NIGHT Moon - Sun, - Asc.
Sun
- Moon, - Asc.
This
situation describes why some authors ascribed so
much spirituality to the Part of Fortune:
half of their charts were calculated for the Part
of Spirit.
Rob
ascribes (by quoting the ancients) the Part of Fortune
to the Moon (Fortuna is her other name) and the
Sun as particular to the Part of Spirit. "In
fact, it is also called the Part of the Sun,"
says Rob. The moon, he describes as having a tidal
effect on the planets, pulling or pushing the Tide
of Fortune according to her whim. Fortuna is indeed
an indicator of wealth or poverty.
The
Part of Spirit is a point of consciousness, a wakefulness
and desire to know fully what is expected of the
life. Importantly, it is that point which enables
the astrologer to speak about how a client's life
fulfillment would be achieved. The "spiritual
truth" of a chart is expressed in this Part
of Spirit, and offers an unfettered signal in the
chart for discussing that which will fulfill the
life potential in terms of Soul and the following
of one's Daimon.
In
Lady Diana Spencer's chart, the Part of Fortune
is calculated with a day formula: the Sun is above
the horizon, and that is all it takes to qualify
as a diurnal (day) chart. When the sun is below
the horizon, then obviously the chart has nocturnal
(night) status. Translate the signs and degrees
to a numerical figure to best arrive at a correct
calculation.
Very
Important: round up to the next degree for
all minutes, and use integers to describe these
degrees. We will see that the calculation of The
Lady Di's Part of Spirit might be mistaken as being
in another sign, so close is the degree to a so-called
cusp.
Di's
Moon & Sun:
Moon
= 25 Aquarius 37
Sun
= 09 Cancer 42
number
of zodiacal degrees (sign) Aquarius = 300 Moon 325'
37"
Cancer
= 90 Sun 099' 42"
________________________________________________
Part
of Fortune, daytime formula moon minus the sun =
225' 55" 14' 34"
Sagittarius
Ascendant = +254' 34" _______
Add
to the asc = 480' 29" Subtract the circle -360'
00" _______
Part
of Fortune by Zodiacal location = 120' 29"
or 00Leo29
Round
up to please the Medievalist =01 Leo ________________________________________________
Part
of Spirit Add the Ascendant = 254' 34" Moon/Sun
difference = -225' 55" ________
(this
looks like it could be Aries, but wait!) 29' 39"
Round
up to please the Medievalist = 00 Taurus
In
Lady Diana Spencer's chart, the Part of Fortune
is in Leo, which ascribes to her "Fortune"
to be have been made by Royals, perhaps too (!)
simply. Her royal status made her fortune. This
simplicity is the key that the method works.
Her
Part of Spirit is in Taurus. What indeed would have
been the meaning of her spiritual potential? Rob
recalls a story about her being pleased at having
been dubbed by the press as, "Queen of Hearts."
The
Venus in Taurus seems a realized astrological description
of such a Queen. She achieved her fortune via Royalty,
but achieved her spiritual fulfillment via compassionate
work on the behalf of the ill and less fortunate,
as the Queen of Feeling (hearts). Her Aquarius Moon
in the sign of the Commoner would allow her to feel
a kinship to the Aquarian ideal, the "everyman",
in direct opposition to her Leo Royalty. She indeed
was the "People's Princess."
EACH
PART IS TAKEN AS A NEW ASCENDANT
To
fully exploit the chart from the point of view of
the Medieval Astrologer, each Arabic Part now becomes
a New Ascendant, and we are taking each indicator
as a reason for a whole new orientation.
Using
Diana's Part of Fortune in Leo, the second place
from Leo would be Virgo. Third place, Libra and
so forth. Each place from the Pars Fortuna would
indicate its own aphorism. Second place from the
Part of Fortune would be those who would support
her. That would be located in the natal 10th place
from her ascendant in Sagittarius, indicating that
her public stature was a great support to her, even
in death.
The
11th PLACE of wish fulfillment was also considered
to be the place where the Part of Fortune makes
its "fortune," and in Diana's chart, that
would be Gemini: the descendant, or rather Ascendant
to the Throne of England, her ex-husband, and perhaps
also Dodie El Fayad.
As
is well-known, both had extreme status in the wealth
department. By extension, the Part of Spirit may
also find expression in the 11th Place, the "ultimate
fulfillment," being shown there. Here, the
11th Place from the Part of Spirit is shown to be
in Pisces. The place of Pisces is, according to
her birth chart, shown to be the natal 4th from
the Ascendant. In Horary, that would be "the
end of the matter," as in closure. In this
case we can see ultimate outpouring of the cosmic,
all-encompassing grief for her loss (Pisces can
be a gob of tears) expressed in the "end of
the matter" her death.
THE
MEDIEVAL POINT OF VIEW SIMPLIFIES THE READING
Astrologers
suffering from the "everything means anything"
mush of modern astrological technique will begin
to see that the old, traditional methods might remove
the computer's edge but also bring us closer to
the meaning in the chart, without bending, folding
or mutilating the supremely simple aphorisms. We
have only partially incorporated astrological tradition
in modern day fudging and smooshing of meanings.
The medievalists were not so privileged as to hold
or waste paper and pen so readily as we do now.
They did not use ephemerides or tables of any kind.
The took their sightings (planetary, lunar, etc)
directly from the sky, and made their charts exact
only to the degree of the "horoskopos"
(Greek, "keeper of the hour"), the Ascending
Degree.
Yet,
they were the better astrologers in comparison to
our age of Touchy-Feely Anything Goes Astrology.
Their prognostications and aphorisms are shown in
"worst case scenarios" as a rule. But
what do we do when we want to show the chart of
a murderer? We move to the case of Charles Manson,
or to the case of Geoffrey Dahmer. Why pussy-foot
around with a mere "wife-beater" for an
example of murderer? Let's take the real case of
extremes.
Similarly,
the medievalists were not wasteful of paper and
pen, as we might be today. They listed only those
cases which presented the extreme of its expression.
Mostly, these extremes express via the repetition
of its theme in the nativity. In Diana's chart,
we see the theme of the 12th house (not fortunate)
in the area of husband (Mercury is in the 12th of
of the 8th), Venus is in the 12th of the 7th place,
etcetera.
What
Place is the 11th from your Part of Fortune?
Which
is second Place from your Part of Spirit?
At
The Astrologer's Water Cooler we like to discuss
this topic. Click on discussions.
---Claire-France
Perez |