Introduction to Natal Astrology – 3:
Sepharial on position, children, friends, travel
– Written and compiled by Philip Graves – 16 Jan 2004
– Reformatted for WordPress, June 8th, 2016
Position in life
If the majority of planets and luminaries is rising in the eastern hemisphere of the horoscope, the individual is expected to rise in life and become his or her own boss. If the majority is in cardinal signs and the majority is in the fourth quadrant of the horoscope (between the ASC and MC), prospects for sucess in one’s field and the defeat of competitors are outstanding.
If the majority of planets and luminaries is in cardinal signs, prominence in early life can be expected. If in cardinal signs and angular houses, prominence in one’s field of work is portended. If in fixed signs, sucess comes more slowly but lasts longer. If in mutable signs, success comes in serving others or through being helped by others, but there is a risk of success being prevented by multiple occupations being followed either concurrently or successively. If the majority is dignified by domicile, exaltation or angular house placement, prospects for success are hopeful.
Venus or Jupiter conjunct the MC or in the 10th house always brings elevation in one’s field. Saturn in the tenth house brings a rise to a good position but indicates a substantial and often sudden fall at some point. Mars in the 10th results brings criticism by others on account of one’s impatience and fighting spirit in career matters, and jealous, slanderous rivals who cast doubts on one’s character. When the Moon is in the 10th house together with Mars, gossip against one may be well-founded; and a parent may suffer loss of honour as a result.
If the majority of planets is setting in the third quadrant (between the MC and DESC), or undignified by position, or afflicted and in retrograde motion, there are poor prospects for the individual’s position in life, which will decline with advancing age.
Several planets in the second quadrant of the horoscope (between the IC and the DC) indicate success after marriage or towards the end of life. Well-aspected and dignified planets in the fourth house, especially if benefics or luminaries, show a successful ending to the career and a happy end to life. Malefics in the fourth house, undignified, bring dangers and troubles to the end of life; but if dignified and aspected by benefics they are compatible with success. Saturn in the fourth house indicates seclusion or retirement. Uranus shows eccentricity and inclines to miserliness. Neptune indicates forced retirement and a risk of institutionalisation at the close of life. Pluto here, if ill-aspected, shows a disintegration of domestic life, or retirement in uncongenial conditions or far from the birthplace, and occasionally the disappearance of the individual prior to death.
Several planets in mutual square and opposition aspect in cardinal signs cause the individual to carve out an original path, attaining renown but suffering opposition. If the Sun or Moon in a cardinal sign is afflicted by a malefic, a controversial measure of fame sustained by unpopular actions is indicated.
Affliction between the Sun and Moon indicates trouble with bosses and superiors, unstable reputation, and periodic loss of jobs. Combined with either luminary being afflicted by Saturn, this leads to idle powerlessness.
The Sun in harmonious aspect to Uranus promotes popularity, and honours through success in public office. Any planet (but especially the Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus or Jupiter) essentially dignified and in the first or tenth house and well aspected brings honours and success.
Children
The Moon‘s condition by sign, house and aspects is the primary indicator of the inclination and power to bear children. In the Water signs, Gemini or Sagittarius, the Moon is fruitful; and, in the Water signs, if harmoniously aspected by Venus or Jupiter, tends towards a large family. In Taurus, Virgo, Libra and Aquarius, it is moderately fruitful. In Aries, Leo and Capricorn, it tends towards barrenness, and, if afflicted by the Sun, Mars, Saturn or Uranus, disposes to a small chance of any child being born. In the 1st, 7th or 10th house, the Moon increases the number of children. The Moon and Venus both being afflicted by Saturn in an angular house disposes to sterility, as does a conjunction of Venus and Saturn in the 7th house.
The fifth and eleventh houses must also be considered, with a view to the signs on their cusps and the planets within. The Water signs, Taurus or Virgo on the 5th house cusp bode well for a large family, if the Moon is well placed by dignity and aspects.
The Sun or malefics in the fifth or eleventh houses bring affliction to the children. The malefics in these houses in fruitful signs (the Water signs, Taurus or Sagittarius) show children will be born but some are likely to die. The malefics in these houses in harmonious aspect to benefics show children will be raised but with difficulty. The Sun in the fifth, or Leo on the 5th house cusp, combined with affliction of the Sun by any malefic, disposes towards any children dying before they reach adulthood. The Moon or benefics in the 5th or 11th houses increase the number and strength of the children; but if afflicted by the malefics, incline towards a risk of early death to some of them. Neptune well-aspected in the fifth house produces children having diplomatic, musical and theatrical ability, and sometimes a marked psychic or religious capacity; but if ill-aspected in this house, causes a risk of drowning in childhood, kidnapping, or slavery. Pluto well-aspected in the fifth house (especially by the Moon or a benefic) gives ingenious children with marked administrative, artistic or scientific talent; but if afflicted in this house, causes distress, dishonour or disaster to the family through the behaviour and lifestyle of the children.
The condition of the 5th house favouring children but that of the 11th denying them, or vice versa, disposes to a risk of infant mortality. The Lord of the 5th house afflicted by malefics, or conjunct the Lord of the 8th, inclines to child death. The Moon in the 4th or 10th house and afflicted also indicates such a risk.
In a male nativity, the fifth house is significator of the first child, the seventh house of the second, the ninth house of the third, and so on. In a female nativity, the fourth house is significator of the first child, the sixth of the second, the eighth of the third, and so on. The sex of each child is indicated by the sex (masculine or feminine) of the sign occupied by the Lord of the signifying house. The condition and fortunes of each child are indicated by the general nature (malefic or benefic) and condition by aspect of any planets within the house, and (secondarily) of the Lord of the house. Malefics or afflicted luminaries within the house bode ill for the health of the child.
The majority of planets in masculine signs disposes to predominantly male offspring, while the reverse disposes to predominantly female children.
Friends
Friends are signified mainly by the eleventh house, its Lord, the luminaries, and Mercury. The luminaries, the benefics or Mercury posited in the eleventh house, dignified and well-aspected, bring numerous beneficial friends; but if afflicted or retrograde in this house, naturally disposed friendships are often prevented by circumstance. The malefics in the eleventh house cause suffering through friends, who require to be carefully chosen, but if exalted, bring unknowing, unintentional harm. The malefics here afflicting a luminary or Mercury bring false, designing, noxious friends; and if elevated above the luminary afflicted in the horoscope, bring ruin at the hands of these friends. Mars in the eleventh house brings extravagance and strife; Saturn here brings deceit; Uranus causes estrangement and quarrels; Neptune brings deceptions, frauds, plots and seductions; and Pluto produces strange friendships, sometimes with extraordinary beginnings, but with a risk of loss of friends through betrayal or disasters if afflicted.
The Lord of the eleventh house, or the cusp of the house itself, in a cardinal sign brings ambitious, hard-working friends; in a fixed sign, faithful, reliable friends; in a mutable sign, doubtful and inconstant friends. The Lord of the eleventh in the first house, or the Lord of the ascendant in the eleventh, or the Lord of the ascendant in harmonious aspect or conjunction to the Lord of the eleventh, brings many beneficial friends.
The luminaries and Mercury in any house, dignified and unafflicted, or in harmonious aspect to a benefic or any other planet, portend a quiet, successful life with numerous sincere, happy and fortunate friendships and associations. The Moon afflicted by Saturn, brings false friends. Mercury in harmonious aspect to the luminaries or benefics confers numerous true friends.
The Lord of the Ascendant in the twelfth house inclines to reclusiveness.
Enemies
The Lords of the fourth, seventh, eighth and twelfth houses, and planets within these houses, indicate opponents to the welfare of the individual. Benefics fulfilling these criteria show enemies only if they afflict the Sun or Moon. Malefics in any of the above houses and either in harmonious aspect to a luminary and to a benefic, or exalted and in harmonious aspect to a luminary or a benefic, pose little threat of serious opposition.
Any planet (especially malefics) afflicting a luminary or the ascendant, considered by its (the planet’s) nature and house placement, denotes an enemy and likely cause of loss or trouble. Such afflictions by the Lord of or by a planet posited in one of the aforementioned houses provide a strong indication of enmity. A malefic in such a house, in its detriment or fall and afflicting a luminary, produces the most virulent type of enemy, continually and effectively malicious and persistent.
Malefics in the seventh house, especially if in opposition to the Ascendant, cause strifes and open contests with people of contrary interests to the individual. The Sun here causes open, powerful rivals. Mercury shows commercial rivals and petty slanderers. Mars shows physically violent foes. Saturn brings deceitful, fraudulent enemies. Uranus produces public rivals. Neptune confers ambushes, plots and schemes designed to lead the individual into trouble. Pluto, if afflicted, indicates scandal-mongering opponents in public life, or opponents to the marital or business partner.
Malefics in the fourth house show opponents to the finances, dignity and honour of the individual. A malefic in the sixth house, or the Lord of the sixth afflicting the Lord of the tenth, brings a risk of harm caused by employees or juniors. Malefics in the twelfth indicate secret enemies waiting close around, and enemies to personal comfort.
Mercury afflicted in any house indicates an abundance of enemies. Afflicted by Mars, it shows scandal and slander; by Saturn, deceit and treachery; by Uranus, controversy, legal disputes and quarrels; by Neptune, frauds and plots; by Pluto, libellous mendacity aimed at damaging the individual’s reputation.
If the Lord of the Ascendant is elevated above the Lord of the 7th house, essentially dignified and harmoniously aspected, the individual will face enemies fearlessly and conquer them unassisted. Jupiter’s placement in the first or tenth houses will further assist this the individual to vanquish enemies. If the Lord of the Ascendant is well-aspected but neither dignified nor elevated, help from others will be required to defeat opponents. If it is more strongly placed than the Lord of the seventh, and the Lord of the tenth is more strongly placed than the Lord of the fourth, the individual will entirely overcome enemies; but in the reverse scenario, the enemies will overcome the individual.
Travel
Travel is primarily indicated by the Lords of, and planets tenanting, the third and ninth houses; secondarily, journeys (as opposed to voyages) are indicated by the Moon, Mercury and Mars; and thirdly, a wandering disposition is favoured by the prevalence of planetary placements in cadent houses and mutable signs.
The third house shows inland journeys while the ninth signifies voyages and air travel abroad. The Moon indicates changes, while Mercury indicates the mental inclination to changes.
The majority of the Moon, Mercury, Mars and the Lords of the third and ninth houses being in cardinal or mutable signs favours frequent changes and journeys; but the majority being in fixed signs, or fixed signs being on the cusps of the third and ninth houses, tends to little travel. The majority being in Water signs, and / or these signs being on the third or ninth house cusps, indicate much foreign travel.
The Sun, Moon or Mars in a cadent house inclines to many journeys; and, if in a Water sign or Sagittarius, to voyages and life abroad. Neptune in the third or ninth house increases the inclination of sea and air travel, the distance being greater if in the ninth, unless in Gemini. Afflicted in one of these houses, Neptune menaces with sickness or disaster while travelling by sea or air. Pluto in the third or ninth house brings travel stemming from unusual circumstances to do with the individual’s family (if in the third house) or that of the partner (if in the ninth).
The Moon in Gemini or Sagittarius, and in the first or tenth house, inclines to long voyages and confers a love for travel and life abroad, as does the placement of Mercury, Mars and Jupiter all in cardinal or mutable signs. The Moon or Sun in aspect to Mars favours changes and journeys. Either luminary in aspect to Saturn brings aversion to travelling, if Saturn is strongly placed; but in aspect to Mercury, Uranus or Mars manifests in restlessness, if this planet being aspected is strongly placed. The Moon in aspect to Uranus, either of them being in an angular house or the third or ninth, produces sudden changes and frequent home moves. Saturn strongly placed in the first house or conjunct the Ascendant disposes to a love of locality, contraindicating influences that favour change and travel. Planets in a Water sign in the first, tenth or twelfth house show a voyage in early life.
Continue to Part Four of Four…