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Planetary Dignities And Joys

The essential Planetary dignities help to construct an Astrological picture of how well a Planet is performing, how comfortable it is, and the extent to which it can express its strength (or weaknesses) based on its placement in the Zodiac Signs. They are a construct of ancient Hellenistic Astrology largely defined by Ptolemy.

The Planetary joys are House placements where the Planets are particularly happy and can also add another layer of detail to our analysis.

Read on below for an explanation of what the essential dignities and Planetary joys are:

Essential Dignities

So what are the essential dignities? There are five essential dignities: domicile + detriment; exaltation + fall; Triplicity; Terms/Bounds; and Decan/Face. Each of these can be used to add a layer of understanding and meaning, as modes of mitigating certain aspects and placements, and gleaning more detail.

Domicile is the Sign of Planetary rulership, where it is most comfortable and powerful to express its characteristics. This is like its home. Two Planets are said to be in mutual reception if they are in each other’s sign of rulership, this is like being at each other’s houses and can offer some assistance. For example, if Jupiter is in Scorpio and Mars is in Pisces, they are said to be in mutual reception. Jupiter can help soften some of Mars’ hardness and difficulties and lend Jupiter some gumption in return. If we were to assign points, this could be 5 out of 5.

Detriment is the Sign opposite its rulership, its polarity axis. This is where it feels uncomfortable and is forced to behave in more creative ways. This is like being in a holiday rental where you don’t you don’t know where anything is, you might need to use a shoe to open a wine bottle or a knife to hack into a tin of beans if you can’t find the corkscrew or tin opener. This would be like taking away 5 points.

Exaltation is where a Planet is able to operate to the best of its ability, without actually be the monarch of its domicile. This is the second-best option and is like being an esteemed guest of honour. It’s not your house and you may need to ask for certain things, but you’re very comfortable nonetheless. There is also a specific degree of exaltation (and fall) but generally the whole Sign is considered a Planet’s exaltation, if it also happens to fall at the degree of exaltation, that’s like a nice little extra sparkle. This could be like assigning 4 points.

A Planet in fall is opposite its Sign of exaltation. This is like being in exile. It has little resources and is nowhere familiar. Again, this is not necessarily a bad thing, it can just mean that the Planet needs to operate a bit more creatively or ingeniously, Macgyvering a situation or two. It can often bring struggles, however, in the traditional traits of that House or Sign. This would be like taking away 4 points.

Read up on the Planetary Characteristics, What the Houses Represent, and the Qualities of the Zodiac Signs for more information!

Triplicity rulerships are like supporting Planets based on the Elements for Day or Night Charts. For Fire Signs these are the Sun for the day and Jupiter for the night, with Saturn as participating ruler for both day and night; for Earth Signs they are Venus, Moon, and Mars respectively; for Air Signs they are Saturn, Mercury, and Jupiter; and for Water Signs they are Venus, Mars, Moon. For example, if you were born at night and you have the Moon in Taurus, it is not only exalted here but also its triplicity ruler, making it more prominent.

Terms/bounds are a way of breaking down the degrees for further Planetary information. This is less useful than triplicity rulership but still adds a little boost and detail. For example, 23º of Taurus is ruled by Jupiter (although it is mainly ruled by Venus), which can bring some expansiveness. You can see the Planetary bounds in the table below (this gets a little tricky because there are Ptolemaic bounds and Egyptian bounds which differ slightly). This would be like assigning 3 points.

The decans/faces help add another, final layer of detail and nuance. They are like sub-rulers. Every Sign is comprised of 30º (a 360º wheel divided by 12 Signs = 30º each), and can be further sub-divided into 3 segments of 10º each, these are the decans. Each decan is ruled by a different Planet, based on the Chaldean Order (from fastest to slowest optically: Moon Mercury Venus Sun Mars Jupiter Saturn), or triplicity rulership.

For example, if you have the Sun at 27º degrees of Scorpio, you are in the third decan, which is ruled by Venus. This will be a slightly different representation of a Sun in Scorpio at 8º which is Mars’ decan, as this is also its rulership, we can expect it to be a slightly more forceful expression of the Scorpio energy. In the example above, it would be in the decan of the Moon and would be like assigning 2 points.

Read more about the Chaldean Order and Decans here.

Putting it all together, for example, the essential dignity of Mars at 25º of Capricorn would take into account the fact that Mars is exalted in Capricorn, that it is the "bounds" ruler of the 25th degree of Capricorn, if it were at 19º it would instead be the face ruler of the 19th degree of Capricorn.

If there is no essential dignity, it is said to be peregrine, and acts neutrally.

Essential Dignity of the Planets:

SUN ☉

Domicile - Leo (the Sun is comfortable here as it is the centre of the solar system, and Leo likewise is a natural at being the centre of attention)
Detriment - Aquarius (the Sun is less comfortable here because Aquarius cares about the collective)
Exalted - Aries 19º (the Sun is happy here because Aries is also concerned with the self)
Fall - Libra 19º (obviously being a Sun Sign, it does not mean that Librans struggle, simply that as the Sun is all about the self, and Libra is all about the other- there is a natural mismatch)

MOON ☽

Domicile - Cancer (both deal with emotions, the body, and the maternal figure)
Detriment - Capricorn (Capricorn is a more rigid, sterner Sign, the Moon is emotional- Capricorn is not)
Exalted - Taurus 3º (Taurus enjoy the luxuries of life and naturally represents fertility and abundance- the Moon is intimately tied to the harvest)
Fall - Scorpio 3º (the Moon is not comfortable with the intensity and depth of Scorpio)

MERCURY ☿

Domicile - Gemini + Virgo (both Signs that reflect Mercury’s analysis and attention to detail- Gemini is the Yang expression directing this outwards, while Virgo is the Yin representation turning its attention inwards)
Detriment - Sagittarius + Pisces (Sagittarius is all about big-picture thinking, Mercury is concerned with the minutae, a natural misalignment. Pisces is not comfortable with linear thinking)
Exalted - Virgo 15º (being the most observant and analytical Sign, Mercury is especially happy here)
Fall - Pisces 15º (being the most diffuse, ethereal, and otherworldly, Mercury is unhappiest here)

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VENUS ♀

Domicile - Taurus + Libra (Taurus is fecundity and abundance, Libra is relationships and beauty- Venus is extremely happy here)
Detriment - Scorpio + Aries (Scorpio can be too deep and calculating for Venus, and Aries can be too forthright or assertive for it)
Exalted - Pisces 27º (Venus is comfortable in this empathetic, creative Sign of Universal oneness)
Fall - Virgo 27º (Venus is not happy with the perfectionism or criticisms of Virgo)

MARS ♂

Domicile - Aries + Scorpio (in Mars we get the outward, Yang expression of Mars; with Scorpio we get the internal depth and perseverance)
Detriment - Libra + Taurus (Libra is about the other, Mars is about the self. Taurus is about slow pleasures, Mars is about instant gratification)
Exalted - Capricorn 28º (here we get the reserved stamina that is needed to truly see things through, perseverance and follow-through)
Fall - Cancer 28º (Cancer is all about emotions, Mars knows no such thing)

JUPITER ♃

Domicile - Sagittarius + Pisces (Sagittarius is literally expansive, searching and learning; Pisces is boundaryless)
Detriment - Gemini + Virgo (Both are too concerned with the fine print for Jupiter)
Exalted - Cancer 15º (Cancer is a giver, so is Jupiter)
Fall - Capricorn 15º (Capricorn is too rigid for drunken Jupiter)

SATURN ♄

Domicile - Capricorn + Aquarius (Both are Signs concerned with the future, this makes Saturn happy)
Detriment - Cancer + Leo (Cancer is too emotional and Leo is too concerned with the self for Saturn)
Exalted - Libra 21º (The most effective way to make longterm progress is together)
Fall - Aries 21º (Aries is concerned with the self, Saturn is for the structural collective. It is reserved, Aries is passionate)

Because this is an Ancient Hellenstic method, only the 7 Classical Planets are covered (and traditional rulership is used), however there are modern Astrologers that also use essential dignities for the generational Planets (Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto).

Planets can also gain accidental dignity by being placed near one of the angles, or be in a fortunate aspect to a benefic, amongst a few others. These are all also particularly important in Horary Astrology.

So what does this mean for your Natal Chart? There are no objectively good or bad placements. Everything can be mitigated by aspects etc and offers an opportunity. It is not possible to have only a Chart of domiciles and exaltations, nor would we want one. The most growth comes through the biggest struggles, and it is the forcing of ingenuity that causes us to be most creative. Otherwise we may be unappreciative of everything because it would have come too easily. Also, these placements literally would not exist if they were not necessary. We need a balance.

Planetary Joys

This relates to the Houses a Planet falls in and is relatively simple, it is just which area of the Chart they are happiest in, depicted above with some significations. The day Planets have theirs above the horizon and the night Planets below the horizon line.

The Planetary Joy schema was part of the foundation for the creation off the signification of all the Houses.

Planetary Joys

The Sun has its joy in the 9th House, the so-called House of God.
The Moon has its joy in the 3rd House, the House of Goddess.
Mercury is said to be in its joy in the 1st House (titled Horoskopos the Greek word where we get horoscope from, also part of why you must always read for your Rising Sign).
Venus has its joy in the 5th House of Good Fortune (dealing with children, creativity, and romance, she is extra happy here).
Mars has its joy in the 6th House of Bad Fortune (as a traditional Malefic in a House traditionally associated with work, accidents and health, and therefore ill-health, it is happy to do its work here). From the example above, if dignified Mars were placed here, it would be extremely strong (notwithstanding any harsh aspects).
Jupiter has its joy in the 11th House of Good Spirit (dealing with communities, hopes and wishes- right at home here).
Saturn has its joy in the 12th House of Bad Spirit (the other Malefic in the traditional House of bad fortune, although I don’t ascribe to this concept, Saturn is happy here as it can also deal with isolation and loneliness).

All of these elements can be used in combination to paint a more detailed picture of a Natal Chart, however they are also fairly advanced and not always necessary or relevant. The most common considerations to take into account are rulership, detriment, exaltation, and fall. To learn more, get our Cosmic Guidance: Traditional Astrology 101 Course or our Astrology + Natal Chart eBook!

So those are the essential planetary dignities and joys, I hope it helps bring more insight to your understandings! Feel free to let me know in the comments section below if you have any questions or suggestions.

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