Chapter Seven

THE DETAILS OF INTERPRETATION

The first step in looking at a horoscope is to get an over-all view. This affords a perspective for the later or more thorough analysis, and it also gives a reasonable check on the accuracy of the chart itself. Thus the sign on the ascendant should be noted, as well as the sign containing the sun, to see whether or not these two signs give an acceptable clue to the native's character, and account for his general appearance. Then the outstanding "focal determinators" should be located.

The major factors in establishing basic patterns have already been described, but it is necessary to consider some other possibilities, together with the order in which the patterns should be taken; and also to learn certain distinctions which give a special weight to some planets over others. The various focal determinators are not to be understood as in any way better or worse than each other, but only as keys to the fundamental difference in human lives. Thus hemisphere emphasis, rather than an aid to success, or a hindrance to it, is merely an indication of the terms on which the success must be won, if it is to be gained at all.

In other words, there are some few things that a tall man can do better than a short one, but these are relatively unimportant in the face of all the potentialities of life. In the same way it makes little difference, comparably, what the focal determination may be in any given chart. A man born to speak English will find it easier to live among English-speaking people, by and large, but this circumstance does not mean that he will be a better mechanic or a worse tennis player. Focal determination is the way the astrologer gains his first orienting look at a chart, and it reveals the general type of relation by which the native makes his root contact with the life about him. The common determinators are best given in the order of the ease with which they can be recognized by an initial glance, but the listing is in no way a scale of their relative value.

1.	Hemisphere emphasis
2.	Singleton planet
3.	Cosmic cross
4.	Grand trine
5.	Stellium
6.	Similarity to known type
7.	Preponderance
8.	Weighted planets

The determinators following the stellium have still to be described. They represent a sharp change in point of view, or a switch from actual planetary patterns to a consideration of various types of relationship, each with its own special characteristics.

"Similarity to known type" is the general likeness of new charts to horoscopes already possessed. It is also the reasonable approach of some new pattern to a more common focal determinator. In any case it means that the mind is given a familiar anchorage. The young astrologer, as he grows in experience, will discover definite types of charts turning up in his work fairly frequently. When he finds that a new individual has a horoscope with a definite resemblance, in one respect or another, to some chart he already has mastered, he has a valuable and correct clue to the new life. The great astrologers of prior ages actually worked this way, since they had no body of accumulated data on which to draw. There were few books, and mostly of little worth.

Preponderance

"Preponderance" is any case when an outstanding number of planets are drawn together in a common situation with definite meaning. This is the widest used and earliest known form of focal determination. Thus the majority of printed horoscope-blanks available for students in recent years are equipped with places to make special tabulations, and so discover what degree of preponderance may exist. While the methods are often unnecessarily cumbersome, they are entirely correct.

The usually recognized forms of "preponderance" are, first, in connection with the angular, succedent and cadent houses. Of the charts in the preceding chapter, the only real case of house preponderance, outside of the Pasteur stellium, is Gandhi, with six planets in angular houses. This testifies to the fact that his whole life must be lived out in public, and in the midst of critical issues. This is equally true of Annie Besant in the fifth chapter, with eight angular planets. In that chapter, by contrast, Elbert Hubbard has seven of his planets in cadent houses, and so has J. P. Morgan. Consequently, both of these men are seen to operate primarily with hidden or deeper factors in life. Hubbard made real traffic out of esthetic appreciation and mid-Victorian inhibitions, while Morgan profited by the new and mysterious entity known as the financial trust, with its use of interlocking directorates and other somewhat dubious devices. In the third chapter, the horoscope of Richard Burton shows eight planets in succedent houses, a fact which gives graphic testimony to his gift for self-expenditure and for expanding every phase of his experience.

The next type of common preponderance is the presence of an overbalancing number of planets in some one quadrature or triplicity. The cosmic cross, grand trine and stellium are the beginning of such a situation, as in the eight earth planets of Pasteur, the seven cardinal planets of Pasteur and Annie Besant, and the six air planets of Lord Byron. However, preponderance only accompanies these major patterns occasionally, and it is interesting to note that J. P. Morgan, with a fixed cross giving the most valuable insight into the focal determination of his horoscope and his life, yet has five planets in fire signs. This is a preponderance which indicates the single-mindedness and self-sufficiency by which he was characterized, despite his fixed cross obsession with broad ideas or intangible values; and once again it is seen how each signification in astrology will hold true in its own case, irrespective of what others may be found.

Weighted Planets

"Weighted planets" are the astrological orientation on which nineteenth century horoscopy preeminently depended. Many of the older books are almost filled with the details of "dignities" and "debilities," or the factors in this weighting. It is sufficient for the present-day beginner to be able to recognize the strength a planet will possess in certain selected cases of preferential position. The simplest type of this is what the older astrologers knew as "accidental dignity." A special example is the singleton, which is an unusually valuable determinator whenever it is found. Of somewhat lesser importance, a planet standing alone near the tenth-house or midheaven cusp, is the "elevated planet" of the horoscope. It has an enhanced influence in the life, and tends to bring honors to the native according to its nature and rulership. By the same token, a planet alone in the first house, or moving ahead of a group of others in that position, is the "rising planet." It reveals a particular strength in the resources of personality, according to its nature and rulership.

The importance of Saturn in Elbert Hubbard's chart, and of the moon in Gandhi's, is greatly enhanced by the fact that these are elevated planets. This position of Mercury in the horoscopes of both J. P. Morgan and "Chinese" Gordon, of the sun in Goethe's, of Saturn in Lord Byron's, and of Mars in Emerson's, give testimony to some rather important facts. Morgan and General Gordon held their places in life as representative of other people, or according to the "messenger" function of their elevated planet. Goethe had to speak for the dignity of all humanity, under the sun's influence, as he did in Faust. Both Byron and Hubbard were called to give voice to the broad sensitiveness of the race itself, as has been suggested, each in his special way. The influence of Gandhi's moon has already been indicated at length, as has the pioneer career of Emerson now further revealed by his elevated Mars.

In similar fashion the rising Mars of Byron is testimony to his impulsiveness. Since it is retrograde, it also reveals his anarchistic and introspective attitude. The rising Mercury of Gandhi, by contrast, shows the mahatma's extreme sensitiveness to the situation in which he enacts his prophet's role. The rising Pluto of Goethe and General Gordon gives them the characteristic personal "detachment," as well as the typical reaction to remote rather than immediate factors, which is evident in a later century with the discovery of this planet. The rising Mars of Elbert Hubbard places him in special kinship with Lord Byron. The rising and retrograde Uranus of Annie Besant yields a perfect description of her self-willed, introspective independence, and the rising Neptune of Emerson indicates the extent to which he was a true voice of his age.

The other principal type of preferential position among the planets is what the older astrologers called "essential dignity," or advantageous placing in the signs rather than the houses. One form is still in universal use, and it is exceptionally valuable. By it, each planet has a special association with the signs as a "ruler" or "lord" of one or two among them, and this relation can be best shown in tabular form.

Sun	Leo		Cancer	Moon
Mercury	Virgo		Gemini	Mercury
Venus	Libra		Taurus	Venus
Pluto, Mars	Scorpio		Aries	Mars
Jupiter	Sagittarius		Pisces	Jupiter or Neptune
Saturn	Capricorn		Aquarius	Saturn or Uranus

This scheme is easy to learn if it is observed that the signs are arranged in pairs and that the older planets, or those known before the discovery of Uranus, Neptune and Pluto, are rulers of the signs as paired in this way, the sun and moon ruling a pair together. The order of the planets in this rulership is the same as their position in the heavens, again with the sun and moon as an exception.

The two rulerships given to three of the twelve signs in the table is the result of a difference of opinion among present-day astrologers. Some hold to the ancient or "Chaldean" rulerships. Some put the new planets in the places shown. Some seek to avoid trouble by considering the new planets "co-rulers" at the three points of dispute.

A planet has weight when it is in the house it rules. More important, however, than any consideration of these older "dignities," is the fact that a planet also has lordship over any other planets lying in a sign of which it is ruler. Sometimes it will happen that one of them will ultimately rule all the others, directly or indirectly, and this is known as "singleton in disposition." Of all the dignities, this complete disposition is by far the most powerful. It is, however, the least immediately obvious of the focal determinators described in this text.

A "singleton in disposition" will be found in the chart of Gandhi, holding to the older rulerships of the signs. First it is necessary to find a case where one planet, and one only, is in a sign it rules, and in this instance it is Mars in Scorpio. Next it must be seen that all the other planets end up under the rulership of this one, or the Mars here. Scorpio contains not only Mars, but also Mercury and Venus. Aries, which is also ruled by Mars, contains Neptune. This means that Mars directly rules or disposes of three planets, or four out of the ten including itself. Mercury, ruled by Mars, is the lord of Gemini and Virgo, but neither of these signs contain any planets, and so Mercury adds none to the string of those ruled by Mars. This is also true of Neptune, which in the older scheme of rulership is not the lord of any sign. Venus, however, rules Taurus, which contains Pluto and Jupiter, and Libra, which contains the sun, so that Venus adds three to the original four under the Mars disposition, or brings the string up to seven out of ten. Pluto is lord of no sign and makes no contribution, but the sun is lord of Leo, the sign which contains the moon, and Jupiter is the lord of Sagittarius and Pisces, the first of which signs contains Saturn. Thus two more planets, the moon through sun and Venus, and Saturn through Jupiter and Venus, are added to the string under the final rulership of Mars, or nine out of the total ten. Saturn is the lord of Capricorn and Aquarius, but these signs contain no planets, and so Saturn makes no contribution to the string. The moon is lord of Cancer, however, and Cancer contains Uranus, the last of the ten planets, which is thus brought under the rule of Mars through the moon, sun and Venus in order. Mars is thus the undisputed ruler of the chart. This indicates that Gandhi's life is entirely and wholly a task of initiative, or of creative beginnings in every respect.

Summary

In summary of the over-all perspective, the beginner has seen that he takes the various focal determinators in the order by which it is easy to see them in a chart, until he finds the basis for a complete or guiding perspective on the life as a whole. At the same time he also observes the ascendant and sun signs, to see if the horoscope reasonably corresponds to the native's general character and appearance; a rough preliminary check against the possibility of a wrong chart.

In special detail, the beginner has been shown the possibilities in comparing all new horoscopes with the ones he already knows. He has seen the possibilities of over-all understanding when the planets are preponderantly in one kind of house or sign. He has given some attention to the significance of elevated and rising planets, as well as to the strength of planets as the rulers of particular signs.

Detailed Interpretation

He is now ready for detailed interpretation. Here the consideration passes from the differences by which people are distinguished among each other to the everyday activities by which all men carry on their normal lives. The best technique in a complete horoscope interpretation is a careful analysis of each planet in order, although exactly the same result may be obtained by taking each house in turn. If the planets are taken for "delineation," the houses appear as the domains which they rule. If the houses are taken, the planets appear as their lords or administrators. The advantage of working with the planets is that it gives a more dynamic, and usually more interesting, interpretation of the chart.

The first step is to relate each planet to the focal determination of the given horoscope. The second step is to show how its activity is shaped by the house it is in; revealing its activity in connection with everyday affairs. The third step is to indicate the significance of the planet's sign, showing how its activity affects the native's organism or relates the various parts of his life to the whole pattern of the chart. The fourth step is to reveal the planet's common activity with the other planets, as this is established by the aspects between them and shows the direction of emphasis in the life activities. The fifth and last step is to point out the special way in which the planet relates its house and sign position to the chart as a whole.

All these steps except the last have been amply illustrated in connection with interesting or important personages.

A planet is the lord of the sign or signs it rules, according to the table given, and in consequence it becomes the ruler of the house or houses whose cusps fall in the sign or signs in question. If a planet is in a house it rules, it is always able to advance the affairs of that house without interference. Thus Mars in Gandhi's chart rules the first house, and he has no difficulty in carrying out his own enterprises, once he determines what to do. Goethe's Jupiter rules the fourth house, where it is placed; particularly aiding his final creative work on Faust, done practically at death's door, and enabling him to put his whole soul into it. Lord Byron's Saturn is in his ninth, ruling it, and his moon is in his second, as ruler also, so that he was preeminently free to express himself in the depths of mentality and also in a broad emotional exploitation of money and resources. Annie Besant's moon in her fourth, as lord of that house, is responsible for her great ultimate emotional capacity, and her Venus in the seventh as ruler enabled her to capitalize handsomely on every opportunity that came her way. Elbert Hubbard's Jupiter in his sixth, as lord of the house, and his Mercury in the ninth as ruler, endow him with an expansive genius both in serving others or getting work out of them on the one hand, and in maneuvering his thinking around to serve his own purposes at all times on the other. Emerson's ruler of his ninth, present in that house, links him with Byron and Elbert Hubbard in a fluid control of his own thinking processes; and the fact that the lord of his eighth is in that house is an indication of the great regenerative power of his philosophy.

When the lord of a house is in another house, the affairs of the one house are made contributory to the other, and this is an important feature of any detailed delineation. Thus Elbert Hubbard's personality (the first house) is really focused in his mind (the ninth) because Venus, ruler of Libra on the first house cusp, is in the ninth, and it has already been seen that he was too often lost in the theoretical considerations of life for his own ultimate good.

One final word is very important at this concluding point in an initial "looking at a horoscope." The theory behind all chart interpretations is that if the pattern of the life's function is known, or accurately charted in experience, it is always possible to find a way for improving the native's circumstances, or leading him into some finer and happier situation. The real purpose in a study of astrology should be not the satisfaction of an intellectual curiosity, but ultimately the desire to be equipped, if only in a layman's fashion, for helping others to solve their problems. The basis of such an equipment, sketched all too briefly here because of the harsh but very real limitations of space, has comprised these seven chapters, and pointed to the way in which it can be done. In brief, this is how to look at a horoscope.

ADDENDA

In addition to the ten planets, the three following symbols are very commonly found in charts. They are of minor importance, relatively speaking, and for that reason are not introduced in this elementary text. However, it is better for the beginner to know what they are, and what they mean in a very general way, than to be puzzled by them when he encounters them.

 Dragon's head, a point of general "protection" in the chart.

 Dragon's tail, a point of "self-undoing."

Part of Fortune, a point where self-interest is particularly emphasized.