The Astrology of Plagues in the Shadow of the Coronavirus Outbreak

Time will tell if the 2020 coronavirus (COVID-19) will enter the pages of history as one of the worst pandemics on record. A pandemic which wrecked entire economies and changed the trajectory of nations. At the moment of writing (April 2020) this seems to be the case but like many other historical events true understanding only comes with hindsight.

Let's assume for a moment that the Mars-Saturn conjunction in Aquarius is a pivotal moment in the occurrence of the current coronavirus outbreak. If this is true we should note the position of the heavenly bodies on the 31st of March 2020, the date of the exact conjunction. These included: the latter conjunction between the two malefics, Jupiter conjunct Pluto in Capricorn, the nodes in the Capricorn-Cancer axis, Chiron in Aries, Uranus in Taurus, and a time frame which is less than a year short of the Jupiter-Saturn conjunction in Aquarius. This dry list of planetary placements would prove vital for this short article, since the primary objective is to try and understand which combination of astrological influences is capable of producing a large scale, and at times global, pandemic.

As far as plagues are concerned in world history, the largest and most deadly in the history of the west were the 14th century outbreak of bubonic plague in Europe, the Spanish flu which burst into the scene towards the end of the First World War, and the Plague of Justinian which erupted in the Byzantine Empire during the 6th century CE. The 14th century bubonic plague took the lives of between a quarter to half of the population, the Spanish flu reduced the world's population by a figure of between 20 million to 50 million men, and the Plague of Justinian inflicted a similar death toll to the 14th century bubonic plague in the eastern part of the Mediterranean basin^[1]. An astrological and historical review will help us understand whether a unique astrological signature exists for such outbreaks of mass death caused by tiny microorganisms.

The Astrology of the Black Death in Europe

The 14th century outbreak of bubonic plague in Europe is more widely known as the Black Death. That particular outbreak started its way in central Asia in the fourth decade of the 14th century, from which it spread to the Crimean peninsula in 1346, and then to Italy in 1347, from which it spread to the rest of Europe. According to one estimate, the first wave of plague caused the death of no less than half of the continent's population as it gradually advanced inside mainland Europe between the years 1347 to 1352. The Black Death was carried by rat fleas and its fastest spread routes were commercial shipping lanes^[2]. The Black Death outbreak in the 14th century is easily one of the most terrible pandemics humanity has ever witnessed.

Already during the days of the Black Death notable contemporary astrologers found blame with particular planetary patterns, which aren't so different from the ones we're witnessing today with coronavirus. The Paris medical faculty issued an official report which hanged the blame for the plague's creation on the triple conjunction of Mars, Jupiter and Saturn, which happened in Aquarius during the month of March in the year 1345^[3]. This is not very different than what we've recently experienced with the near conjunction of these three planets in another Saturn domicile, in Capricorn during February to March 2020. A further look into the 1345 placements reveals another important similarity to the contemporary coronavirus placements. In both cases the asteroid Chiron was placed in Aries, and it shouldn't escape us that the simple symbolism of such a combination is "new diseases". Additional comparison shows that just like today the nodal axis in 1345 was transiting a cardinal modality, then it was in the Libra-Aries axis. Moreover the troublesome south node was positioned in the same sign such as Pluto. Please note that 1345 is approximately two years before the Black Death has reached the shores of Europe, but according to the Paris medical faculty it was necessary to look back in order to trace the origin of the disease. From a historical viewpoint this of course makes sense, since the plague began its course in central Asia before it advanced westward into Europe. Concerning some of the period's later planetary positions, 1347 was the year in which Jupiter perfected a conjunction to Pluto. A major symbolism in a context such as this is "death on a mass scale", and of course we have a Jupiter-Pluto conjunction in our time as well. Lastly, I may throw into the mix a less obvious but a persistently recurring pattern of Mars retrograde in Leo, which occurred during the time of December 1347, a short time before the plague continued its spread from Italy to the rest of Europe. This may be an opportune time to mention that in Greek myth Apollo, the Sun god, was also associated with the outbreak of diseases, while the Sun of course is the planetary ruler of the sign Leo.

  

The Black Death in Florence, 1348

 

The Astrology of the Spanish Flu

The Spanish flu is probably the first global pandemic, it raged between the years 1918 to 1920, following the tragedy of the First World War. According to estimates, about one quarter of the world's population back then contracted the flu, and the mortality rate has reached a figure of 5%, that is one out of twenty cases. Unlike many other diseases in the history of medicine which tended to kill off the very young and the elderly, the Spanish flu proved most fatal to people who were in the prime of their years, ages 20-40. Additionally it's important to point out that while the first and less fatal wave of the flu hit in the spring of 1918, the second more potent wave hit in the summer of 1918, bringing with it an influx in the fatality rate. The sudden transformation in severity was possibly due to a mutation in this particular variant of influenza virus, and the name Spanish flu originated due to contemporaneous publication which wrongly pointed to Spain as especially infected^[4].

From the point of view of Astrology, we can find similar patterns in the chart placements of the coronavirus, the Black Death and the Spanish flu years. There are some dissimilarities too, and I'll address those as well. First and foremost it's important to point out that also in the case of the Spanish flu the conjunction between Jupiter and Pluto appears, and it perfects side by side with the deadly second wave of August 1918. Another point of resemblance is Chiron's ingress into Aries in the spring of 1918. Similarly to its present position, it spent the years of the Spanish flu in the first degrees of Aries. Again, much like today, in January 1918 the nodes were positioned in the first degrees of the Capricorn-Cancer axis. Also it's revealing that the Spanish flu outbreak occurred about a year or two before the great conjunction of Jupiter-Saturn in Virgo during the year 2021. Not unlike our own time, it seems that the short sequence of years before the great conjunction coincides with much turmoil, as if the world is in a "balsamic moon" phase. Back to the list of indicators, it might be worthwhile to point out that Pluto transited through a cardinal sign again, that time it was in Cancer. It's one of the main indicators, as we'll later see. More on Pluto, it should be noted that Pluto was in the same sign as the North Node in the early stages of 1918. Lastly, it's important to point out Mars' retrograde motion in Leo, two years before the outbreak of the Spanish flu, during March 1916. The retrograde motion of Mars in Leo is mentioned here for the second but not the last time. As far as differences are concerned, we can find outer planets placements in Capricorn or Aquarius during both the coronavirus crisis and the Black Death years but not during the Spanish flu period. Also in the case of the Spanish flu we cannot find many planetary placements in air signs, despite the contagiousness of that influenza strand.

Red Cross nurses tend to Spanish
flu patients in California, 1918

The Astrology of the Justinianic Plague

The Justinianic Plague is named after the Byzantine emperor Justinian I, and it occurred during one of the empire's golden epochs. The capital of the byzantine empire was Constantinople, which was probably the world's biggest metropolis during that time period, but the bubonic plague which hit the city during the year 541 CE changed the course of history by relegating a minor role for the Byzantine empire henceforth. The plague itself was similar to the later 14th century outbreak of Black Death in Europe. Behind the borders of the Byzantine empire the plague reached many port cities in the mediterranean, the Persian Sasanian empire, and many towns in the eastern half of the Mediterranean Basin. Much like the the Black Death which occurred eight centuries later, the death toll was between one third to half of the population^[5].      

Astrologically speaking, the Plague of Justinian was characterized by a few very specific patterns, much like the later Black Death in Europe and somewhat like the Spanish influenza virus of the early 20th century. But first, on the origin of the plague, historians agree that the plague came to Constantinople through Egypt, but there's no consensus on whether the plague reached Egypt from India, Africa or from a different location^[6]. This is also the reason why we examine the transits of September 539, two years before the plague reached the Byzantine capital. If so, the main similarities in terms of planetary positions are Pluto in Capricorn, the nodes in Capricorn-Cancer axis, a Mars conjunction to Saturn in Libra, Jupiter in Aquarius, and Uranus in the earth sign Virgo. This short list is comprised of many parallels to the current astrological placements, experienced throughout the coronavirus. Notice the similar position of Pluto, the similar although reversed placement of the nodal axis, the Mars-Saturn conjunction in an air sign, the position of Jupiter in a sign whose ruler is Saturn, and lastly the placement of Uranus in an earth sign. It's also worthwhile to mention Mars' retrograde motion in the sign of Leo during the month of December 542, at the zenith of the plague and its utmost spread along the Mediterranean Basin. In the category of dissimilarity to other plagues which were surveyed, the Justinianic Plague didn't occur prior to the great conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn and the Jupiter-Pluto conjunction perfects too early relative to the plague, in December of 537. It would also be interesting to examine Chiron's placement during those years, but sadly ephemeris data on Chiron during the first millennium is incomplete. 

Byzantine emperor Justinian
during whose time the plague 
raged in Constantinople.

The Plague Which Never Was

For fairness' sake we must point out that in the year 846 CE a similar planetary pattern, to the ones which were described in this article, was present. However, there is no historical record of a contemporaneous plague. To be more precise, September 846 included the following planetary placements: Jupiter in Capricorn, Saturn in Aquarius, Uranus in Taurus, the nodes in the Cancer-Capricorn axis, Chiron in Aries and Pluto in Aries as well, a cardinal sign mind you. Furthermore, we are dealing with a period of about two years before the great conjunction, which occurred in the month of May 848, and a Jupiter-Pluto conjunction which occurred in January 849. All things considered, this bears a major likeness to planetary positions during the Black Death, the Spanish flu, the Justinianic Plague, and the the current coronavirus pandemic. Nevertheless, besides natural disasters and wars which occurred during the middle of the 9th century, there is no mention of a major plague in the historical chronicles of that time. This anomaly is difficult to explain, but one possible solution is that in this same critical month of September 846 there was a Jupiter-Neptune conjunction which had a mitigating effect on this otherwise corrupting planetary mixture. Another argument, which may explain this exception to the rule, is the nodal axis that year which wasn't aligned with either Saturn or Pluto, rather it was aligned to the arguably benefic conjunction of Jupiter and Neptune. 




A Summary of the Astrological Characteristics of Plagues   

We have become acquainted with a number of planetary configurations which tend to repeat themselves during times of mass sickness and plague. For the sake of convenience, and based on the findings of this small research, a list of such planetary factors is brought before you:

* A conjunction between Jupiter and Pluto
* Pluto in the same sign or conjunct the nodal axis, that is Pluto's involvement in the eclipse cycle
* A time period of around one to two years ahead of the great conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn
* A conjunction between Mars and Saturn just prior to or at the beginning of the pandemic
* Chiron in Aries
* Pluto in a cardinal sign
* Uranus in an earth sign
* Jupiter in an earth or air sign
* Saturn in an earth or air sign
* Numerous planetary placements in either earth or air signs
* A retrograde Mars in the sign of Leo

Side by side, we must not forget the curious case of 846 CE, which shows that the presence of such planetary positions is not a sufficient condition for the outbreak of plague. The astrological branch of forecasting future events remains, as ever, an elusive prospect. Our friends, the scientists, know best that complex systems tend to surprise and frustrate the expectations of the researcher. Maybe Aristotle described it best when he said that "the whole is greater than the sum of its parts".  

References

^[1] Aberth 22-28, 36-53, 117-123.
^[2] Ibid 36-53.
^[3] Horrox 158-173.
^[4] Aberth 117-123.
^[5] Ibid 22-28.
^[6] Rosen 193-197



Bibliography  

Aberth, John. Plagues in World History. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2011.

Horrox, Rosemary. The Black Death. Manchester University Press, 1994.

Rosen, William. Justinian's Flea: Plague, Empire and the Birth of Europe. Random House, 2010. 

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This article was first published in Hebrew in the astrological magazine urania.org.il, on the 5th of May 2020. 
To access the original version of the article please use the following URL: 
http://urania.org.il/האסטרולוגיה-של-מגפות-בצל-התפרצות-וירו

Saturn in Aquarius – Forecast, Historical Overview, and Contemporary Events (2020-2023)

Saturn will enter Aquarius for the first time in our generation on the 22^nd of March 2020, he will spend a period of a bit more than three months in Aquarius till he will return to Capricorn amidst a retrograde motion on the 1^st of July 2020. He will later return to Aquarius a week short of Christmas, on the 17^th of December 2020, after which he will leave Aquarius in favor of Pisces on the 7^th of March 2023.

Preliminary Notes on the Nature and Significators of Both Saturn and Aquarius

Amongst the significations of Saturn we can find time, old-age, work, labor, planning, strategy, borders, limitations, reality, agriculture, heavy industry, coldness, fear, winter, history, tradition, scholars, physical laborers, maturity, discipline, harshness, depression, et cetera.

Amongst Aquarius’ sign representations we can find friendship, groups, genius, socialites, freedom, rebellions, alternative currents, reversals, followers (unlike leaders), the nobility (unlike the king), committees and boards, detachment, objectivity, progressive ideas, humanism, high culture and more.

From previous cycles, when Saturn was in Aquarius, we can learn a lot about what expects us in the coming three years. It takes Saturn about 29 years to complete a full revolution around the Sun, and we know that in the early 90s, early 60s, early 30s and during the early years of the first decade of the 20^th  century Saturn was in Aquarius.


Saturn’s Spheres of Influence in Aquarius, by Categories

* Dissolution of previously existing power structures
Here we need to comment on the egalitarian nature of Aquarius as a sign, and also concerning the fact that it is the sign of freedom and revolutions. One example is the dissolution of the Soviet Union and its reversal back to the nation state of Russia during Saturn’s Aquarius sojourn in 1991-1994. The end of Apartheid in South Africa, during the same years, is another good case in point. Another example is the Nazis rise to power and the disbandment of the fragile Weimar Republic in the early 30s. One more example can be found in the creation of the Russian parliament in the time of the last tsar, Nicholas II, in 1905. It’s important since Russia was an old-fashioned autocratic state and a creation of a state parliament was a symbolic move towards a more progressive position and a proto-modern state (even though it was virtually without powers).    

* Scientific and intellectual achievement
Saturn’s stay in Aquarius during the early 90s brought with it the early golden age of the internet. The early 60s on the other hand were an age when the space race between the USA and the Soviet Union was in full swing, shortly after communist Russia have successfully launched the first man into space, Yuri Gagarin. Even earlier, during the early to mid 1930s Europe was entangled in an arms race, after it became apparent that Germany wasn’t demilitarizing after the first world war (science can be implemented for good or for ill). Likewise, in 1905 Saturn was once again in Aquarius. During that time Albert Einstein had what biographers call his “extraordinary year”, when he published four major papers in physics and changed modern science forever. Also the Wright brothers’ first successful flight attempt happened in the year 1903.   

* Breaks in the status qua or trying to do things differently
This is another major manifestation of Saturn in Aquarius, and here are a few examples. The Oslo Accords, which were signed by Israel and the Palestinian Authority in the early 90s, have tried to end a long conflict between the two sides. In the previous Saturn cycle, during the early 60s, the Cuban Missile Crisis was a failed attempt by the Soviet Union to place nuclear missiles within range of the US. If such an attempt was successful the status qua of America’s national defense interest would have been violated. A last example is from quite a while before. in the early 30s, the United States has ended a decade or so of prohibition after it became evident that alcohol consumption did not decline and that organized crime was at its height.

* Civic causes, betterment of people’s lives, society becomes more free
These are the final ingredients on this list of categories. We can find examples from virtually all Saturn’s cycles in Aquarius during this last century. In the order of newest to oldest we can mention the 1990s as a decade of growth, prosperity, peacemaking and generally a mini-golden age after the end of the cold war. Things became less rosy as time progressed but the first half of the 90s, when Saturn was in Aquarius and then in Pisces were ‘as good as they come’. Earlier in 62 till 64 we witnessed the height of the African American civil rights movement, spearheaded by Martin Luther King Junior. Also during those years Alcatraz Prison was closed, in a symbolic and factual gesture of expanded freedoms. The Saturn cycle before that, in the early 30s was the time of FDR’s New Deal. The newly elected American president attempted to deal with the aftermath of the 1929 stock market crash, he did so successfully and raising the standard of living for millions of Americans was a side effect of the New Deal’s many measures. In the earliest years of the 20^th century we can witness Saturn in Aquarius’ social effects in the opening of women admission to colleges and universities worldwide. Additionally, In the tail end of that Saturn in Aquarius transit, Finland was the first European country which gave women the right to vote.  


Saturn in Aquarius and the Coronavirus
In terms of current events, this lines are being written simultaneously with the coronavirus outbreak. Here too, Saturn in Aquarius provides some interesting insights for things to come.
First of all, the literal symbolism of Saturn in Aquarius can be interpreted as limitations on social contact, group meetings, public gathering and the social sphere, which is so vital for the air signs. Classic Aquarius like locations have already been hit, in the form of museums and galleries, music festivals, cultural events, sports outings, pubs and bar, and so forth.
On a more close and personal level, the Saturn Aquarius symbolism has a strong tinge of anti-social behavior, simply because people are afraid of contracting  coronavirus. Moreover, Saturn is closely tied with governments, rules and regulations, all of which are responsible with contracting the social sphere at the moment.
Lastly we mustn’t forget that Aquarius is an air sign, and one of the industries which has been hit the most is the airline industry.


Saturn’s Transits 2018-2025
Another valid point of view on the Saturn in Aquarius transit is examining Saturn’s transits on a continuum. This is also important since no transit appears out of thin air, rather they are preceded and followed by transits in adjacent signs.
Adopting such a frame of reference, the 2018-2020 Saturn in Capricorn transit seemed to have characterized a timespan when governments worldwide became more authoritarian and human rights began to be reduced, global warming began to seem undeniable (or at least, hard to deny), the world became less united and hard borders began to spring up everywhere (Trump’s wall, Europe’s legislation against refugees, Brexit, China’s crackdown on HK and the Uighurs, Russia’s effort to deny Ukraine entering the EU and other such unwelcome developments). Maybe it is also the place to point out that Saturn’s night domicile is Capricorn, but as events have shown worldly manifestations were less then ideal, albeit they remained true to the Capricorn symbolism of authority, bureaucracy, conservatism and regulation.  

Adjacent signs are often very much unlike each other, this can be seen in their differences by element and mode. Likewise, we can expect the Saturn in Aquarius period to differ significantly from the current Saturn in Capricorn period. We’ve already seen from the historical examples above that a few major counter trends might be on the way in. Namely, dissolution of current power structures, gradual expansion of social freedoms and civic rights, breaks in the status quo and scientific advancement. On a different note, technology might notch up the sharing economy to new heights. Likewise, peer to peer money transfer technology (like Bitcoin) will definitely claim a larger market share and begin to replace the old model of banks. Also on the topic of technology the internet giants; Amazon, Google, Facebook and Apple may finally start to be regulated and taxed, as befitting Saturn's restricting nature. 

Saturn in Pisces might be too far away and too weird and unexpected to be foretold as easily, but we might as well try. Again with the climate crisis theme, nations might find themselves dealing with faster and more volatile rises in sea levels, there might be a fresh water shortage in different areas around the globe, and floods could prove to be a problem as well. Why so negative? Saturn is related to challenges and karma after all. If this will prove to be the case, we would need to do a good job in the coming three years in terms of developing green solutions, green technology and becoming more united. That is, If we want to face the third millennium successfully and survive. Moreover, religion and spirituality will probably make a big comeback, as some people will undoubtedly become disillusioned with the all-pervading scientific world view. No doubt some will search for an alternative. This may also be a reaction to society’s growing reliance, and dependence, on science during the Saturn in Aquarius period. Also on the topic of science, the Saturn in Pisces timespan may be characterized by big advancements in biology, genetics, chemistry and maybe cloning. All the soft and “watery” sciences, so to speak. Politically speaking, we can be fairly certain that after Saturn’s five years sojourn in Saturn-ruled signs, some people will become disillusioned by politics and governments all together, thus a period of socio-political experimentation will ensue. Maybe anarchism will come in vague, maybe there will be a phase of new nations building, and maybe other forms of organization will become prominent. Concerning this final point we must remember that Pisces is a sign which marches to the beat of one’s own drum.


Pluto in Aquarius, A Disclaimer and Maybe a Word About Politics
From the point of view of March 2020, it’s a bit hard to believe that Saturn in Aquarius will fulfill all of its promises. Even when we consider that Jupiter will join Saturn in Aquarius for the vast majority of 2021 and will continue to his domicile in Pisces in 2022, it’s still somewhat hard to believe. At the current moment the “Saturn in Capricorn machine” which relies on thinly disguised oligarchic and plutocratic forms of authority seems to be invincible, and there are plenty of examples. From Trump’s America and what seems like an upcoming loss for the progressive candidate, Bernie Sanders, to autocratic heads of state in China, Brazil, Eastern Europe, Turkey, Israel, India, Russia and many other nations.

The words above seem reason enough to postulate that the real solution may only hide in Pluto’s revolution around the sun, rather than Saturn’s. Pluto is much smaller, but in a way it’s a far but an influential planetoid (dwarf planet). On its current transit it will spend three last years in the critical and final degrees of Capricorn, and those tend to pile up difficulties most often than not.
If this is truly the case, we would need to wait for March 2023 for Pluto’s first ingress into the sign of the water bearer for some real good news to arrive.




Photo credit: NASA

The Capricorn Glyph Explained

The Capricorn glyph is often misunderstood. And there are many variant representations of it, here are some, in the apparent order of most simple to most complex:








In all of them we can see the head of the sea-goat, where the horns are visible. Even in the topmost Capricorn glyph, the Aries horns are visible in the 1-2 o'clock position of the image.

* If you're not familiar with it, please use as reference the Aries glyph shown below




Other than the horns, which aren't necessarily the horns of a sheep (like in the Aries glyph) but rather the horns of any hoofed mammal, we also have the body and tail since Capricorn isn't a goat but rather a sea-goat (a mythological animal)!

As it can be clearly seen in the top three images, the body and/or the tail continue from one of the horns, after which there's a tail twist which finishes the glyph. 
There are three main differences between the glyphs.

1. The orientation of the horns, which makes the top most glyph distinct.
2. The angle of the body and/or tail, which takes a different orientation in each glyph variation.
3. Finally, it can also be argued that the rounded section of the topmost glyph can be considered as the body of the sea-goat, while the same thing can't be said for the other two glyphs. As it's also visible, the topmost sea-goat is well fed.

What are our conclusions? That we can jokingly consider Cap to constitute an advanced version of Aries. With Aries being the earlier zodiac version of the later developed cardinal-sign modality of Cap. As far as hoofed mammals go, the goat seems to be superior to the sheep.

Personally, I like to consider Cap to be related to Chinese astrology's Dragon sign. Now, in no shape or form am I an expert in Chinese astrology, and for that reason I'll copy-paste a typical Dragon sign description:
"As the symbol of [the] Chinese nation, dragon represents authority and good fortune. People born in the year of the Dragon are powerful, kind-hearted, successful, innovative, brave, healthy courageous and enterprising. However, they tend to be conceited, scrutinizing, tactless, quick-tempered and over-confident" 
What do you think? It seems to me that many similarities exist between the two, and I'd further suggest you'd do more research on dragons in our eastern astrological counterpart.

Since this is a western astrology blog through and through, I want to bring home my point.
Consider the possibility that your good old sea-goat is actually a great sea serpent. Caps act it out all the time, rivaling Leos in the competition for being the fiercest and most authoritarian sign. Also consider that goats and Chinese dragons, in many depictions, have horns and a beard. We can also consider that in Chinese myths dragons are great sea serpents, which is another peculiar similarity. In terms of traits, dragons are depicted as old, wise, stubborn and cunning. Sounds familiar?

Finally, I want to use this platform and opportunity to suggest a much needed simplification and revision in the Cap glyph. A fourth version, if you may. 

In the following version, which I use profusely in my astrology practice, you have the three important elements fashioned in an orderly and straightforward manner, from left to right.
The 'Aries horns' come first, then comes the body and/or tail, with the familiar twist.
Unlike the presently used glyphs though, no eccentric geometry is employed since I see no need in turning our beloved sea-goat on it's head or twisting its body-tail combination in exorbitant ways. 

Alas, if you dislike tail twists and you prefer to emphasize the body of our magnificent sea-creature. I.e. a full-body sea-goat, like a good wine. I'd suggest that you'd use the following variation of the new and revised Cap glyph:
After all, sea-goats need to glut, for we shall not allow their population to thin down and dwindle away... 

    

* Chinese dragon description is taken from -yourchineseastrology.com- website
   yourchineseastrology.com/zodiac/dragon.htm

A New Take on the Eight Lunar Phases – Moon Types Reconfigured

This article is my take on the lunation cycle or the eight lunar phases.
It is based on primarily two sources and on some insights of my own. Those sources being Dane Rudhyar’s pioneering work in this field (his 1967 “The Lunation Cycle”) and the writings of an astrologer whom I consider one of my mentors, the late great, Kelly Lee Phipps.

One of my innovations in discussing the eight lunar phases (as far as I’m aware) is the notion that individuality and the personal are represented by moonlight, while the collective and society are represented by darkness. Also light can be seen as representing rationality and reason, while darkness subjectivity, emotionality and intuition. Taking note of these premises while contemplating the eight phases provides some new insights on this underdiscussed topic.
To be more clear and provide some examples; the new moon phase is a phase of 100% darkness, the crescent a phase of 75% darkness, the first quarter a phase of 50% darkness and decreasing, and so on and so forth.

Another simple but illuminating insight, which can be gained, are the different relationships between personality types who were born under different moon phases. Especially the insights one receives when contemplating opposite moon phases, and the phases before and after any given lunation, representing past and future karma appropriately .
On a somewhat similar note, it’s also worthwhile to contemplate possible meanings of the moon’s astronomical position relative to the sun at each of the phases.
Lastly, in my research some interesting parallels were found between the eight phases and the signs. The parallels were nicely fitted within a symmetrical scheme, which will be presented as well.

A technical note before we begin. Usually the lunations are divided on a 45^o segment basis, but if one uses whole sign houses logic they can interpreted in the following manner.
Say a person has his moon at 10^o Libra and his sun in 20^o Libra, classically this is a balsamic moon phase but since both the moon and the sun are in Libra this can easily be interpreted as a new moon type of energy. Apply this logic in other cases to test this new ‘whole sign’ way of interpreting lunations.

   


New moon

* Moon is 0 to 45 degrees before the sun in the order of signs.

Practically all of the sources claim that the new moon phase is the most subjective, intuitive and at times irrational of the eight lunar phases (also can be childish).
Unlike the balsamic phase, which is characterized by the same amount of bright-dark ratio, new moon natives prefer to initiate, begin ventures and to be in the driver’s rather than the passenger’s seat. Unlike the opposing full moon phase, which describes relationship challenges, new moon people excel with people and in romantic relationships. This is also evident from the symbolic significance of the moon and the sun being in conjunction to one another.
General symbolic meanings of this lunation revolve around embarking on new journey, making a fresh start and other such forward looking initiatives. Obviously, the unknown outweighs the known in the native’s life and new moon people are usually fine with that.
After writing horoscopes for a while, it became obvious that new moon times usually go more smoothly than full moon times. Thus, stress and pressure are usually not a major factor in the native’s life. Rather the focus is on finding one’s calling, being happy, and reaching flow states (mundane or mystical).
On a social-individual axis, social convention or group belonging take a far larger role in the life of these natives, and often they identify themselves with the values of their peer group. Still this is a waxing moon (light increases), meaning that individual assertions are also vital. Notice that the balsamic moon phase was just completed so self-sacrifice and selfless giving are at an end, this phase is very much about the self-actualization (albeit through social integration).

Zodiacal analogy: Cancer. both for its cardinal qualities, subjective nature, and slow to act mode of operation. Cancers are goofy and aloof but also they possess firm ideas about what they want.
-----
Celebrity examples: Kyle Minogue (singer), Giorgio Armani (designer), Prince William (royalty).
-----
Keyword: I want.

 

Crescent moon

* Moon is 45 to 90 degrees before the sun in the order of signs.

People who were born under a crescent moon are past the initiation of the new moon phase, rather they walk the path of curiosity and exploration. They get to try all kinds of things throughout their lives, mingle with different people, and try on a variety of vocations and ways of life. On the challenging side of things the world looks looming large and the possibilities seem endless, to the point of fear and confusion. It’s vital to overcome inertia though, to go out there and make the first move. Astrologically speaking, this is the case because the light-dark ration of this moon phase is in favor of the dark, while the movement forward is a waxing movement towards more and more light. In a way, the new moon darkness pulls these natives backwards while the first quarter light-darkness equilibrium establishes an aim as far as asserting individual personality and ego driven goals are concerned. Considering the latter, it becomes clear why being assertive and overcoming fear are much desired qualities for crescent moons.
One astronomical fact is that during this stage the small moon is stepping away from the large sun. Metaphorically or symbolically speaking, this is a “leaving home for the first time” kind of movement.
The opposite disseminating phase types are experts proselytizers and presenters, specializing in big picture ideas and large movements. Crescent moons on the other hand are highly adept when creativity, finesse and adjustment come into play. Especially in social settings.

Zodiacal analogy: Gemini. for the nervousness, the curiosity, for trying on different life paths, for exploration and the centrality of other people in these natives’ lives.  
-----
Celebrity examples: Pope Francis (pope), Penelope Cruz (actress), Julius Erving (NBA hall of famer).
-----
Keyword: I engage.



First quarter moon

* Moon is 90 to 135 degrees before the sun in the order of signs.

People who were born under the first quarter moon are natural fighters, waging battles against unjust causes, outdated traditions and malfunctioning systems.
The dark - bright ratio of this moon phase is important, for this is the exact phase in which the light overcomes the darkness. Symbolically speaking this can represent the triumph of individual will over others’ expectations or any social forces. Moreover this tipping point of exactly half darkness and half light is laden with a hefty amount of tension, under which circumstances assertive action is needed to break the deadlock.
First quarter people place a high premium on individual skill and ability, and although it usually doesn’t come without tiresome hard-work, they should strive and develop these traits regardless. It is also important for these natives not to get too embroiled in the thick of battle, and always to be able to differentiate which parts of an existing system are to be targeted and which other parts are benign. Moreover, it’s important to stress humility after each successful engagement.
Some lessons are apparent when we examine the opposite moon phase, the last quarter. While the last quarter is much about rebellion and changing the status qua in a way which isn’t aimed at meriting the self, the first quarter is unabashedly about proving yourself, proving other wrong, and claiming a reward or social status through meritorious action.
The previous crescent phase is much about exploration and finding one’s calling, the next gibbous phase is about perfecting one’s character, while the lunation phase between those two is the main act of the play, which without a doubt is accompanied by some drama.   

Zodiacal analogy: Leo. For this “Lion King” like saga of a talented and virtuous individual who’s out to prove himself and claim his rightful place in the world.  
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Celebrity examples: George W. Bush (former president), Michael Douglas (actor), Nicholas Culpeper (astrologer).
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Keyword: I overcome.



Gibbous Moon

* Moon is 135 to 180 degrees before the sun in the order of signs.

Gibbous moon natives were born at the phase, under which the moon was waxing towards the fully luminated state. This modality of perfecting, training, gaining skills or working towards some final state or goal was surely imprinted on some vital aspects of their lives.
The light-dark ratio comes to show that rationality and reason prevail here, as progress is perceived as a one way ticket towards what we are able to see, understand, quantify and measure. For the same reason mystery is often perceived as superstition, and subjectivity as confusion or lack of standards. Additionally the elimination of the final vestiges of darkness comes to show that these natives actively try to ‘sculpt’ reality around them, in a process of elimination almost, so that outside influences would be limited to favorable ones. Some gibbous moons can be easily influenced by others and for the same reason they need to keep the lid on people they have around for company. That also explains why a critical streak runs strong with people who were born under this lunation.  
The opposite balsamic phase is the stage where the ego is purposefully shed in order for natives to better integrate with some social or universal cause. Using a logic of negation, we come to understand that social conventions, traditions and old ways of living are abandoned in order for the self to reach fruition, and a unique individual way of life to take form.
For the reasons we’ve just discussed this is also the ‘workaholic’ lunation phase, an energy which can also be manifested as a higher calling to become a disciple, a spiritual servant, or a follower in one shape or form.
Adjacent lunar phases are the feisty first quarter phase and the self-contained full moon phase. Concerning the first, gibbous moons seem to have abandoned actual fighting as a thing of the past, their struggle is rather an inner one (like the true meaning of the word Jihad in the Quran). Relating to the second, full moon phase, the goal of self-actualization is definitely the aim of all this and the reason gibbous types put themselves through all these hoops. 

Zodiacal analogy: Virgo. For obvious, and fairly stereotypical, reasons. Namely perfectionism, hard work, propensity to train and to practice, less of a leader and more of a follower quality, and so on and so forth.       
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Celebrity examples: James Franco (actor), Silvio Berlusconi (former head of state), Sid Vicious (singer).
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Keyword: I perfect.

Full Moon

* Moon is 180 to 135 degrees behind the sun in the order of signs.

The full moon phase contains a curious contradiction at its center. On the one hand, it’s the completion of a cycle and the final step of the bright phase, while on the other hand it’s the polarity lunation with the sun and moon opposing each other. The first principle refers to the “whole package” kind of energy, manifested as self-assurance, responsibility, clear objectives, and solid outlook and values. The second principle refers to relationships obviously, with an emphasis on the ups and downs, the pulls and pushes. The challenges of relationships in other words. In fact this contradiction is fairly clear when you think about it. Since full moon natives are all about their goals and objectives, clear outlooks on life and well defined personalities there’s ample opportunity for conflict when they get involve with other people who do not share convictions similar to theirs. Quite expectedly, this is especially common when romantic relationships are at stake.
One theoretical conclusion is that this lunation is the most bright, which carries implications of maximum individual development, but minimal capacity to be in-tune with society or with groups. This also shows itself as people who like to do the talking but dislike doing the listening.
The preceding moon phase, the gibbous, is completed with this one. The gibbous is much about self-perfection, which by the way isn’t an issue by the time the full moon comes around. Using the same logic we can see that the ensuing moon phase, the disseminating, is much about ‘spreading the word’. A natural state of affairs after individual understanding and clarity were achieved. In fact, disseminating types are good at what full moon types don’t excel at, reaching out to people and making connections. This is also the reason why full moons can learn a lesson or two from disseminating moons.
The opposite, new moon phase, demonstrates by negation that full-mooners need facts, figures and evidence to guide their decision making process, in contrast to new moons’ reliance on gut-feeling and intuition. An additional contrast is that while new moon times are relatively quiet, full moon times are usually stressful and at times not without drama. As such, full moon natives learn to master stormy weather during the course of their lives.

Zodiacal analogy: Capricorn. For their confidence, vision, future-orientedness and for the challenge these natives experience when trying to relate to others and play the social game.  
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Celebrity examples: Cristiano Ronaldo (soccer star), Liv Tyler (actress), LL Cool J (rapper).
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Keyword: I am.



Disseminating Moon

* Moon is 135 to 90 degrees behind the sun in the order of signs.

Disseminating moons possess characteristics which highly resemble Sagittarian personality traits, having achieved personal insight at the full moon stage and wishing to inseminate (disseminate) everyone else with their flowering. The keynote is bringing the light of the moon (individuality) towards everything which is not the self (society, significant others, people in general). The final aim is to prove themselves to others and to achieve a sense of identity with those others, as if by the end of this phase. Once there, at the last quarter phase, they are more integrated with society, and more importantly they are more accepted by other people. This only happens after a mutual process of affecting others and being affected by them occurs, akin to a teacher who also learns from his students. This balance is represented by the half bright - half dark stage the moon is at during the beginning of the last quarter phase. By the last quarter phase the light is visibly waning, and it represents that disseminating moons ultimately wish to mix with other individuals and groups, or create such groups and organizations if none existed. The one-on-one full moon characterized relationships doesn’t do it for them anymore, rather they are about the merits and challenges of groups.
By logic of negation we can see the opposing crescent moon phase is characterized by worlds-apart traits such as quiet exploration, shyness and an eye for detail. This brings us to the understanding that disseminating moons can at times be overconfident, out-there and prone to generalizations.

Zodiacal analogy: Sagittarius. For the ability to be dynamic, to inspire and move ideas around.
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Celebrity examples: Drake (rapper), Carla Bruni (model), Marilyn Monroe (actress).
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Keyword: I show.



Last quarter moon

* Moon is 90 to 45 degrees behind the sun in the order of signs.

The last quarter is a point where the moon’s dark part overcomes its bright side. This bears several important implications for those born under its rays. With light representing individuality and darkness representing the collective or larger causes it’s foreseeable that these natives will try to go beyond the self. Not in a mystical surrendering way like balsamic moon types but in a very down to earth goal oriented way, maybe as humanitarians.
This may be a good time to contrast the last quarter type to the previous disseminating lunation type. While disseminating moons have a proclivity to proselytize and spread the word, last quarters are past that stage. Instead they look forward to change the rules of the game altogether, as the pendulum has swung too far. Back to the balsamic moons for a second though, last quarters are jealous of their quiet ways and demeanor, as the last quarter stage is a tension filled ‘breaking point stage’, at which the dark-light ratio is equal.
The opposite first quarter phase teaches an important lesson by logic of negation. While first quarters fight to gain the recognition they deserves as individuals, last quarters fight to break chains, overturn the tide or to bring about some forgotten ideology or sidelined of belief system. Regardless, the focus is not on the self, rather on ideas, ideologies, social movements and group consciousness acts and revisions. Rebels, reformists, future oriented individuals and pessimistic but deep thinking figures are all associated with this lunation.   

Zodiacal analogy: Aquarius. For the slight revolutionary tinge, the unorthodox way of doing things, and for self-denying combined with social work. From a less positive viewpoint these natives tend to be inflexible.
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Celebrity examples: Barack Obama (former president), Jon Bon Jovi (singer), Michael Jordan (NBA star).
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Keyword: I overturn.



Balsamic Moon

* Moon is 45 to 0 degrees behind the sun in the order of signs.

Balsamic moon natives were born at the end of the lunation cycle, at the darkest phase. Thus they are highly in tune with society, with others, with cross cultural causes and the like. The reminders of individuality and self (represented by the light of the moon) are to be done away with, but care should be taken while engaging in this process.
The light - dark ratio of this phase points towards an objective of spirituality, giving, selfless action, and ultimately integration and acceptance.
The critical streak of the previous last quarter stage is left behind, as this stage is less about self vs. society tension and more about the next new moon lunation, which symbolizes new beginnings, the here and the now, and flow-like intuitive existence. Since this is the case, the prevailing mood of balsamic moons is easygoing, soft, yielding and seemingly irrational when judged from a materialistic viewpoint. On the flip side, some authors warn of giving away too much, too soon, and this is a valid point since balsamic moons require wisdom and learning as solid foundations for any inspired action.
As the opposite gibbous lunation can be symbolized by an artisan, who constantly adds to and perfects his craft, this lunation is much about subtracting, surrendering and letting go.  

Zodiacal analogy: Pisces. For it is the final lunation phase, and also in terms of many trait similarities.
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Celebrity examples: Theresa May (politician), Rafael Nadal (tennis player), Redfoo (artist).
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Keyword: I accept.




Diagram of the eight phases and their accorded signs

Please notice how cardinal signs begin the waxing new moon semi-cycle and the waning full moon semi-cycle, how the middle of each cycle is represented by a fixed sign and how the hinges or transition phases are represented by mutable signs.
I do want to point out that I have had some second thoughts about the first quarter zodiacal equivalent. Aries seems to fit this lunation characteristics just as well as Leo, though using it interferes with the symmetrical scheme. The same can be said about Libra instead of Capricorn for the full moon phase.

 

New Rulerships for Zodiac Signs When you Consider Sect (day & night) - A Triplicity Application

But first some background.
In modern astrology we use a reduced dignity scheme where we only consider the rulership of a sign and its exaltation. For example, the rulership of the sign Aries is the planet Mars while its exaltation is the Sun. Conversely you can look at planets which are detriment or fallen within the limits of a particular sign. For example Venus is considered deblilitated and Saturn is considered fallen in Aries.

Here's the full list of the two strongest dignities (The sign of the planet and its exaltation) and its converse detriment and fall.

But that's only part of the story.
Ancient astrologers (Hellenistic, Arabic and else) used a more comprehensive system which included more parameters for rating the planets.
Other dignity parameters included Triplicity, Term and Face which strengthened (or weakened) the planet's ability to "act" or perform its duty.
The great late British astrologer William Lilly (1602-1681) used a table to examine the strength and debility of each planet (from now on: Lilly's point scoring system), he gave each of the dignities a score based on the potency of that particular dignity.
Here's the part about essential dignities:

In own sign	+5		In Detriment	-5
In exaltation	+4		In Fall	-4
In own triplicity	+3
In own terms	+2
In own face	+1

In this article I'll use Lilly's point scoring system in order to revisit the 'today-excepted' rulers of the signs which only take into account the first two types of dignity (Sign and Exaltation).
I'll show that by merely adding the third strongest type of dignity (Triplicity), which takes into account whether the native was born during daytime or nighttime, our entire system of sign rulership changes.  

But beforehand, what's a Triplicity anyway?
Well, in Hellenistic Astrology they used to divide the planets into day and night planets. This is also called Sect, with an inner division between planets of the diurnal sect and planets of the nocturnal sect.
You can read Deborah Houlding's article and try and decipher the logic behind this division, but here's the basic grouping anyhow:

* Some authors consider Mercury to be a changeable planet, swapping between the day and the night sect

The basic premise is that Diurnal planets are masculine, outgoing, extrovert and of the yang polarity
While Nocturnal planets being feminine, introvert, preserving and of the yin polarity.

This bears resemblance to the division of the signs into masculine (Fire and Air) and feminine signs (Water and Earth).
It's also worth mentioning that contrary to common sense mars is aligned with the nocturnal sect because it balances its hot and fiery qualities, allowing it to excel.
In the same manner cold and rigid Saturn is aligned with the diurnal sect, for balance reasons as well.

Now this is where it gets a bit complicated.
The Hellenistic author Dorotheus of Sidon matched signs with planets according to their sect, or day and night affinity.
There are other divisions by different authors (Ptolemy, Schoener, Morin) but the Dorotheus division has the largest consensus inside the astrological community.
Here it is:

As you can see, the signs are grouped according to their element (fire, earth, air, water) - those are also the triplicities; arrangement of the signs by threes, or by trines.
Furthermore, we can see from the table that the diurnal planets only have affinity with masculine signs and the nocturnal planets only have affinity with feminine signs.  

An important principle: the first planet [D] in the triplicity has priority and is strongest during the day, while the second planet [N] has priority and is strongest during the night. The third planet [P] is a participating planet and adds some influence during both day and night, but is weaker than the main triplicity ruler.

For example: A day birth with Sun in Aries receives a +3 score (according to Lilly's system) for the sun as its triplicity ruler. If that individual was born during the night his Aries sun couldn't exert its power, but say he also had a Jupiter in Aries, in that case his Jupiter in Aries would gain the +3 boost as night ruler.
To bring home the final point, if that individual also had a Saturn in Aries that Saturn would have gained a +1 score as participating ruler. In that case it doesn't matter if the individual was a day or night birth, the participating ruler strengthens in both cases.

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All this is fine and well but none of it is new.
Now that I'm done with the intro and you understand how all of this works (hopefully), I can proceed to the main point of the article.

What I did was simple.
Using Lilly's point scoring system, I calculated the strength and debility of all the planets associated with the signs, but I added Dorotheus' triplicity rulers to the equation.
Here are the results:



    * Orange bracket - Strongest dignity in the sign (by day or night)
    * Red bracket - Sign ruler (Almuten) by day or night
    * [D] - Day rulership (day birth)
    * [N] - Night rulership (night birth)


The chart shows the sign ruler, exaltation planet and the three triplicity rulers for each of the twelfth zodiac signs. Scoring is done according to Dorothean rulerships and Lilly's system for day and night births.

For example: Venus receives 5 points for its sign rulership of Libra by day or by night. Saturn receives 4 points in Libra because it's exalted their by day or night, and it receives an additional 3 points for Saturn by day since it's Libra's triplicity ruler by day - that totals to 7 points by day only. Mercury receives 3 points in Libra by night as it's its triplicity ruler by night while it gets no point by day. Finally Jupiter receives 1 point in Libra both by day and by night as it's its participating ruler. 

* It's important to note that the planet which gets the highest score is also called Almuten in the sources. Originally the term is being used to accord for all the dignities, including dignity by term and face which I do not mention in this article.
In the last example Libra's Almuten by day is Saturn (+7) and Venus by night (+5).


Now that we've considered sect, in addition to regular rulerships ,we can see that the most dramatic change is different sign rulerships for five signs:
*
Pisces - Venus by day:  gets +4 from exaltation and +3 from day rulership, totaling at +7 and beating day-time Jupiter at +5.
Aries - Sun by day:  gets +4 from exaltation and +3 from day rulership, totaling at +7 and beating daytime Mars at +5.
Taurus - Moon by night:  gets +4 from exaltation and +3 from night rulership, totaling at +7 and beating night-time Venus at +5.
Libra - Saturn by day:  gets +4 from exaltation and +3 from day rulership, totaling at +7 and beating daytime Venus at +5.
Capricorn - Mars by day and night:  gets +4 from exaltation and +1 from mars as participating ruler, totaling at +5 and tying Saturn for rulership of the sign by day and night.

The most practical application of these insights is to consider Venus, the Sun and Saturn as the natural rulers of Pisces, Aries and Libra respectively - for day births.
We can also consider the Moon as the ruler of Taurus for night births and Mars as equal co-ruler of Saturn - in general.
Whether a person was born during the day or the night is easily available information, so the information is easily applicable.


Implications to Natal Astrology from these findings: 
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Unlike a Pisces individual who was born at night and should be a deep thinker, interested in the bigger picture, sanguine and jolly (a Jupiter type); a Pisces individual who was born during the day should be aesthetically minded, good with personal relationships, more of an 'in the world' individual and less careless (a Venus type).
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Unlike a Aries individual who was born at night and should be rash, competitive and goal oriented (a Mars type), a Aries individual who was born during the day should desire to achieve great things or fame and should care more about individual development (a Sun type).
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Unlike a Taurus individual who was born during the day and should be pleasant, well humored, good with people and social (a Venus type), a Taurus individual who was born at night should be family oriented, security minded and maybe loony or weird (a Moon type).
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Unlike a Libra individual who was born at night and should be Indecisive, socially oriented, pleasant to people, caring about personal relationships (a Venus type), a Libra individual who was born during the day should be more of a firm type, legally minded, realistic and at times harsh with himself and others (a Saturn type).
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In the case of Capricorns it seems that besides Saturn which is responsible for their discipline, rigor and realistic outlook on things, Mars is equally responsible for some of their unaccounted traits of competitiveness, career climbing, motivation for doing hard work and excelling and general sharpness in features or personality.
It's interesting to note that now that Capricorn is co-ruled by Mars it becomes the ultimate baddie of the zodiac signs with the two malefics backing him up :)
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* The latter descriptions apply to sun signs



An additional set of conclusions is possible due to the latter findings.
Now that we added sect rulers to our understanding of common sign dignity we can differentiate between two signs with the same ruler. For example, we can see in which of the Mars signs (Aries and Scorpio) Mars is stronger?

Some of the more interesting findings are:
Aquarius Saturn by day (+8) & Capricorn Saturn by day or night (+5)
Sagittarius Jupiter by night (+8) & Pisces Jupiter by day or night (+5)
Scorpio Mars by night (+8) & Aries Mars by day or night (+5)
Taurus Venus by day (+8) & Libra Venus by day or night (+5)
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* The Mercury rulership doesn't alter, even though Mercury adds points to Gemini as night ruler. The reason for this is the double dignity Mercury has in Virgo; Mercury has rulership in Virgo both by sign and exaltation.
I always wondered about that one as it seems like a wack feature which tweaks with the balance of things. Not to mention the huge debility scores mercury gets in Pisces, a whooping (-9).


In the debility department, the less worse detriments are:
Scorpio Venus by day (-2) & Aries Venus by day or night (-5)
Taurus Mars by day or night (-4) & Libra Mars by day or night (-5)
Gemini Jupiter by day or night (-4) & Virgo Jupiter by day or night (-5)
Leo Saturn by day or night (-4) & Cancer Saturn by day or night (-5)
--
* so basically the left positions are slightly less worse off than the right positions. Scorpio Venus by day may be more better off then the others. 


And those are the falls whose harm is mitigated by one of the sect lights:
Cancer Mars by night (-1) & Cancer Mars by day (-4)
Virgo Venus by day (-1) & Virgo Venus by night (-4)
Capricorn Moon by night (-2) & Capricorn Moon by day (-5)
--
* same principal as above, but the mitigation factor is greater in this case.



Some notes and disclaimer:
* Robert Hand in his book on Sect and few other authors have mentioned a triplicity system where the first ruler (night for example) gets a +3 score, the second ruler (day ruler in this example) gets a +2 score and the participating ruler gets a +1.
* Other authors mentioned a system where all sect rulers get a +3 score.
* I personally see less merit in these unbalanced point scoring methods, but some of you might prefer and adopt them.  
* When I went with the (+3 / 0 / +1) system I considered the participating ruler as a form of minor dignity, akin to Face in the five-fold system of essential dignity.
* I think that the moon as participating ruler of the water triplicity should be scored at least by the value of +2. Still, the moon is the chief nocturnal agent in the chart.
* It's also worth testing the new "day & night sign rulerships" using Morin's triplicity system, which raised in popularity due to knowledgeable astrology bloggers such as Altair Astrology Blog and Anthony Louis' blog posts.



~
Warm regards,
Dima.