NITTY GRITTY ASTROLOGY, COURSE 1

SOPHISTICATING THE PLANETS

 PICKING UP WITH THE
PLANETS…

• Further thoughts on how the modern planets work

and how planets in general work within the
context of zodiac signs.

• Understanding signs in a context that allows

students to describe and articulate circumstances,
ability, and possibilities.

• Planets with signs are the adjectival modifiers of

cosmic sentences.
THE MODERN PROBLEM OF ALL
THINGS NOT BEING EQUAL…

• With the advent of the modern cookbook in pop astrology,

planets in signs were all treated as having a different “color” or
texture per the sign.

• This is more modern. Classically, a planet was seen as either

having strength, weakness or neutrality in a particular sign. A
Venus in Cancer ≠ Venus in Virgo, with just neutral traits. There
was less “psychological care” for each of the planets in a sign.

• Generally the mindset was that a planet was only as good as

its dispositor or its natural signs of rulership or dignity.
OUTERS AS RULERS?
• No modern rulerships in the traditional system as they’re largely
based on the conjecture of two major astrologers: CEO Carter
and Alan Leo to accommodate “modern” planets

• However, Kevin Burk presents a proposal by June Wakefield

that presents a novel solution to whether outer planets are
rulers

• The Sun in the chart is not the true Sun, instead the Earth/Moon
dyad

• The true Sun’s energy is expressed on the material plane

through all the planets and all the signs.

• The outer planets operate as Secondary Suns, bringing the

energy of the true Sun closer to us on three planes: Matter,
Mind, and Life.
RULERS OF MATTER, LIFE AND
MIND
• Uranus, ruler of the Plane of Matter, then expresses itself
through Saturn and Earth/Moon: Aquarius, Capricorn,
Cancer and Leo

• Pluto, ruler of the Plane of Life, expresses through Mars/

Venus, ruling Aries, Taurus, Libra, and Scorpio

• Neptune, ruler of the Plane of Mind, expresses through

Jupiter/Mercury, ruling Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius & Pisces
WHAT ABOUT CHIRON, THE ASTEROIDS,
AND THE TRANSNEPTUNIANS?

• Important, but not “common currency” for analysis of a chart.

• For instance, you could live most of your life in the US without ever
seeing a $1000 bill or $5000 bill. You could pay for nearly everything
you have in your life with lower denominations.

• I feel the same way about Chiron, asteroids, and Kuiper Belt Objects
like Eris, Sedna, or Quaoar. They’re an explanatory” currency that
doesn’t need to be used as much as common currency, like the 80/20
or Pareto principle.

• These other planets are also more a struggle between the divergent
practices of astronomy and astrology. These outer planets don’t have
an inner schema in which they fit.
ASTRONOMY VS. ASTROLOGY: OR
QUESTIONS NEVER ASKED (OR ANSWERED)

• These new planets and points discovered and

named by astronomers bring up a fundamental
question: are astrologers in control of their field of
knowledge if they’re not naming and signifying
what these discovered planets or points mean?

• Similarly, is it important in your opinion to connect

new discoveries in space to what we can pin and
identify in the human psyche? Is evolution real?
WITHER DO YOU WANDER, WANDERERS?
PLANETARY DIGNITIES
PLANETS AND THE PLACES THEY
WANDER…
• Planets could be seen as agents of Spirit
with differing functions, intentions, and
natural expressions.

• Zodiac signs can be seen as the vectors

or coordinates for crystalizing forms,
whether parts of the body, kinds of
physical places, or states of mind.

• Often the agents of Spirit may not “find”

the right proportion or ratio of measure
for their expression in different “vectors.”

• Astrology is celestial poetry, planets

compose stanzas in the verse of the
zodiac sign they travel and on the topics
of their entanglements with each other.
Astrologers transcribe and describe what
their works have rendered.
BASIC RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN
PLANETS & “SIGNS”
Ruler/Patron Element
 Modality
Sign
Planet (Triplicity) (Quadruplicity)
Aries ♈ Mars ♂ Fire 🜂 Cardinal
Taurus ♉ Venus ♀ Earth 🜃 Fixed
Gemini ♊ Mercury ☿ Air 🜁 Mutable
Cancer ♋ Moon ☽ Water 🜄 Cardinal

Sun☉
Leo ♌ Fire 🜂 Fixed
Virgo ♍ Mercury ☿ Earth 🜃 Mutable
Libra ♎ Venus ♀ Air 🜁 Cardinal
Scorpio ♏ Mars ♂ Water 🜄 Fixed
Sagittarius ♐ Jupiter ♃ Fire 🜂 Mutable
Capricorn ♑ Saturn ♄ Earth 🜃 Cardinal
Aquarius ♒ Saturn ♄ Air 🜁 Fixed
Pisces ♓ Jupiter ♃ Water 🜄 Mutable
 ZODIAC EXPLAINED
Comes from the Greek, Zoe (life) + kuklos (wheel)—the
wheel or circle of life. Also, from Greek Zoion—place of a
living being or images of life.

The Zodiac reflects the body of the cosmos, the Universe or

God.

Each sign relates to a bodily function and esoteric meaning

of each function.

The “sign” reflects a symbolic moment, becoming a

signature.

It is a band of constellations, parceled into evenly

distributed 30 degree signs, that fall along the apparent
path of the Sun around the Earth. This path falls at a 23
degree angle across the Earth or the visible sky.

The Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn represent the ecliptic

and the heart of what we dub the Tropical Zodiac. The
Zodiac actually extends another 8 degrees above and
below the ecliptic.
 THE STORY OF DIGNITY
• In every chart, a planet can find it:

• Easy to express itself OR

• Harder to express itself OR

• Complacent about expressing itself or not.

• THIS MOSTLY DEPENDS ON THE SIGN IN WHICH IT FINDS ITSELF.

• However, the owner of the chart, whether that’s a person, a question or an event, will
relay a story about how that planet has posh robes, plain clothes or tatters to wear. The
key thing to keep in mind is that planets can describe what’s naturally present in relation
to given circumstances, not whether the people or event is good or bad.

• For instance, the gift of flowers to a person when he or she is sick or low, is usually
greeted as a “good” thing. A weapon wouldn’t be, most likely. However, when he or she
is threatened by violence, a weapon can be greeted as a “good” thing.

• In other words, PLANETS IN PARTICULAR SIGNS THRIVE BETTER OR WORSE IN

PARTICULAR CONTEXTS (SIGNS). FIND OR CREATE THE “RIGHT” CONTEXT.
TABLE OF ESSENTIAL DIGNITIES
THEMA MUNDI: RULERSHIP

The power to just be

(Essence)

Put your feet up and

walk around in your pjs
or nude, like at home.

No obligations, but
natural appreciation &
expression
RULERSHIP EXPLAINED
• Each planet has one or two
taxicabs (or signs) that it
owns and operates.

• Imagine each cab has its

own route and clientele,
matching the nature of the
planet.

• For example, Saturn has one

style of cab (Mercedes) in
Capricorn and has a certain
type of clientele (high-end).
In Aquarius, he may have a
Volkswagen van kind of cab
and an off-beat clientele.
DEBILITY/DETRIMENT
EXPLAINED
• A planet in detriment is “put
out,” but may not know by how
much—as in the last to know.

• It is a “misbehaving” planet.

• A debilitated planet is
determined to act at home
while obviously not there.Or to
act in another place in a way it
wouldn’t at home, like trashing
a hotel room.

• The planet is anxious about

affairs associated with itself, as
if its abilities and interests were
borrowed or rented.
 CONSIDER THESE…
• For a better understanding of planets in
detriment or debility, reflect on these
scenarios.

• A soldier attempting to negotiate a

peace treaty with his gun on the table.

(Mars in Libra)

• 70+ year-old grandfather on a day-long

playdate w/ 6 yr old his granddaughter 

(Moon in Capricorn)

• A woman leaves her new date in a

restaurant to spy on her ex and his new
girlfriend at a hotel a few doors down. 

(Venus in Scorpio)

• A reporter submits 30,000 words on dirty

city hall politics for a 2500 word article
that should introduce tourists to the city.

(Mercury in Sagittarius)
EXALTATION EXPLAINED
ATTITUDE

ESSENCE

Home away from home, honored guest

Competitive expression

The awards & honors bestowed

Feels entitled or prized

Feels no obligation, but should

Pride, instead of gratitude

Actions performed with attachment,

instead of detachment

Re-connecting to ESSENCE free of

ATTITUDE
CONSIDER THESE…
A vigilante who uses his well-trained body and wealth
to hunt down and punish suspected criminals.

(Mars in Capricorn)

Ivy-league educated White man who feels entitled to

run a historically Black college regardless of his race.

(Sun in Aries)

Beautiful girl and the school’s homecoming queen

doesn’t see a problem with being ultra-nice, even
flirtatious, with a nerdy, awkward guy for free tutoring
with her math. After all, he knows she has a
handsome boyfriend. 

(Venus in Pisces)

Older sibling works hard to buy beautiful cashmere

sweaters while younger sibling & roommate freezes
in their 2 bedroom apartment because turning up
thermostat in winter is too costly.

(Moon in Taurus)
FALL EXPLAINED
ATTITUDE

ESSENCE

Exiled from home. Or robbed of one’s

belongings and driven away.

The ache of something missing

One wallows or feels capped in the

experience of the planet in fall.

Person struggles to learn the “graces”

of the planet in fall.

Forlorn & Forsaken

Must face the “failing” of what that

planet signifies with courage and
healing.
 CONSIDER THESE…
A powerful CEO feels obligated to filter all key decisions
through her husband first, who she adores as brilliant. He’s
never operated his own company.

(Sun in Libra)

A much beloved father figure in worldwide entertainment

doesn’t feel the need to explain accusations that he’s raped
scores of women over decades and covered-up their claims.

(Saturn in Aries)

A young boy sulks during math class because he arrived at the

correct answer for a problem, but had a cumbersome yet
inventive way of getting to his answer. His teacher can’t make
sense of it. 

(Mercury in Pisces)

A dutiful and highly competent social worker has frustrating

relationships with men. Her last boyfriend stole her rent money
out of purse for a heroin score. He swore he had gone clean.

(Venus in Virgo)
 PEREGRINE EXPLAINED
• The classic definition of a
peregrine planet is a planet that
neither gains nor loses dignity in a
particular sign.

• The modern definition is a planet

that has no traditional aspects to
other planets.

• Both definitions depict a planet

that doesn’t feel the need to
answer to anyone and could harbor
more “psychic” space for a person
or an event than it normally should.

• The planet could be perpetually

“bored” because it’s
undernourished by attention or
focus.
CONSIDER THESE…
• A drifter who finds it difficult to
adhere to any one particular vision
or endeavor of life. 

(Sun in Pisces)

• A person who swears he hates the

phone and chatting, but has nearly
every kind of social media account
to have and writes voluminous posts
and replies.

(Mercury at 11 Scorpio)

• Has appreciated setting up pranks

and tricks before he could read.
Loves sexual innuendo and naughty
jokes, particularly.

(Mars at 1 Sagittarius)
 SPEED & MOTION EXPLAINED
• Speed, particularly for the
interior planets of the
Moon, Mercury and Venus
tell a story of how that
planet “processes”
information and relates to
the world around it.

• A planet that’s moving less

than its average speed,
except for the Moon or Sun,
is approaching or exiting
from a retrograde.
 SPEED & MOTION EXPLAINED
• A retrograde planet is a planet that appears to go
backwards from the Earth’s perspective because there is
a discrepancy between the Earth’s revolution around
the Sun and that planet’s. For instance, Mercury
completes its revolution around the Sun three times
faster than Earth’s. Hence, why it retrogrades about
three times each year.

• A retrograde planet signifies a planet that’s at variance

in its expression than how other people may express
theirs.

• A retrograde Venus may have unusual tastes or

desires.

• A retrograde Mercury may think differently or have a

different way of expressing itself than others.

• A retrograde Mars may keep more energy in than

releasing it, allowing it to pent up as anger.

• A retrograde Saturn might….

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW INSIDE & OUT
BE SURE TO MEMORIZE THESE
BASIC RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN
PLANETS & “SIGNS”
Ruler/Patron Element
 Modality
Sign
Planet (Triplicity) (Quadruplicity)
Aries ♈ Mars ♂ Fire 🜂 Cardinal
Taurus ♉ Venus ♀ Earth 🜃 Fixed
Gemini ♊ Mercury ☿ Air 🜁 Mutable
Cancer ♋ Moon ☽ Water 🜄 Cardinal

Sun☉
Leo ♌ Fire 🜂 Fixed
Virgo ♍ Mercury ☿ Earth 🜃 Mutable
Libra ♎ Venus ♀ Air 🜁 Cardinal
Scorpio ♏ Mars ♂ Water 🜄 Fixed
Sagittarius ♐ Jupiter ♃ Fire 🜂 Mutable
Capricorn ♑ Saturn ♄ Earth 🜃 Cardinal
Aquarius ♒ Saturn ♄ Air 🜁 Fixed
Pisces ♓ Jupiter ♃ Water 🜄 Mutable
IDENTIFYING THE PLANETS
Let’s go through and identify all the major
planets, signs and degrees in the chart:

Sun

Moon

Mercury

Venus

Mars

Jupiter

Saturn

Uranus

Neptune

Pluto

North Node

Ascendant

Midheaven
 NEXT WEEK’S ASSIGNMENT
• Find each of the following in your
own chart (or I will tell you), if
possible:

• A planet in dignity or exaltation

• A planet in detriment or fall

• A peregrine planet (most difficult,

if not used to reading essential
dignities table)

• Choose two and describe them as

characters in the story of your psyche
or as a story or event from your life. If
you’re not comfortable with your own
chart, you can pick someone else’s.
See example next slide. Use
traditional planets only as outers have
no agreed dignities.

• Read if you have On The Heavenly

Spheres by Avelar & Ribiero, pp.
41-82
 SAMPLE CHARACTERIZATION
• Meet my peregrine Mercury at 11
Scorpio. If left to his devices in my own
mind, he’ll find some mischief, usually
something that leaves a person more
befuddled or confused than necessarily
entertained. When I can rein him in (and
I’ve gotten better at that as I’ve gotten
older), he loves solving perplexing
problems as much as he loves creating
them. However, he’s not above
transgressing an aspect of civic
propriety to entertain my equally
peregrine moon in Leo. 



I can’t say I remember peeing against
my home’s walls, but I once planted a
cherry bomb in dog poo near my dad’s
truck to see how it would splatter. I
considered it research. My family
considered it crazy. They wonder about
that incident to this day.