Chapter VII. The Ruringc PLANET

Tue ‘ruling planet’ is either the lord of the ascending sign, or else that planet which is strongest or most prominent in the horoscope. No hard and fast rule can be given to indicate which this will be; and this is one of the many points that must be left to the judgment of the astrologer. Sometimes one planet seems to dominate the whole of the character and destiny ; while in other cases two or even more may have equal sway. Planets in the four angles have the first claim to consideration, as they are always important; and of them the first house is the most important and the fourth the least. If any planet is rising, it | will be part ruler; if more than one rises, then that which is strongest by sign, or is nearest to the cusp of the ascendant. If no planet rises, the lord of the ascendant is ruler, and of considerable importance; but attention must also be given to any planet close to the cusps of the tenth and seventh houses as well as to any that may be in close aspect to the degree rising. The planet that is in closest aspect to the Sun is always important, as will be seen from illustrations that follow.

All these points must be taken into consideration by the astrologer and carefully weighed with a view to determine which of them is entitled to rank as ruling planet, but in every case where there is the least doubt, the lord of the ascending sign should be considered as the RULING PLANET, for that planet will be the native’s representative through life and no other. Experience will soon render this a matter of comparative ease. The following examples will serve to indicate how it is done :—

Gladstone (born about 8 a.m., 29th December, 1809, Liverpoo/) had Sun and Mercury rising in Capricorn, and they may be considered as having been approximately equal in importance. The former planet gave him vitality, dignity, ambition, and force of character; and the latter, learning and eloquence.

_ King Edwa d VII (orn 10-48 a.m. 9th November, 1841, London) has jupiter riging »n its own sign, Sagittarius. This gave King Edward I 129

the Peacemaker that geniality and bonhomie for which he was so famous. Saturn is also strong because, like Jupiter, it is rising in its own sign; and this planet has brought gravity, thoughtfulness, and some reserve. The best side of Saturn’s influence is seldom fully seen until after middle age.

The Right Hon. Joseph Chamberlain (orn 2.45 a.m., 8th July, 1836, London) has Mercury rising in Cancer, a very characteristic position, giving subtlety, adaptability, and eloquence.

The Right Hon. A. J. Balfour (Lorn about 9-30 a.m. 25th July, 1848, Haddington) has the Sun in Leo on the cusp of the eleventh house in close conjunction with Jupiter and Venus. This makes a very fortunate combination; the Sun being probably the strongest.

The Kaiser, William II (d0rn about 3 p.m., 27th January, 1859, Berlin) has a very strong Martial influence in his horoscope for two reasons. Cancer rises; the Moon ruling the ascendant is in the martial sign Scorpio; Mars, its ‘dispositor’ (¢e., ruler of the sign it is in), is in the mid-heaven. \

Queen Wilhelmina of Holland (Jorn 6-30 p.m., 31st August, 1880, S. Gravenage) has a horoscope that illustrates the difficulty sometimes experienced in deciding which out of several planets is the strongest; for she has five planets in angles, and another, the Moon, dignified by being in its own sign. Probably Jupiter is the strongest, as it rules the rising sign, and ‘s in the first house.

The Tzar, Nicholas II (Jorn noon, 18th May, 1868, St Petersburg) has Virgo rising, and Mercury in Gemini in the mid-heaven, which makes it the strongest planet in the horoscope.

’ King George V (Jorn 1-18 a.m., 3rd June, 1865, London) has Neptune rising in Aries in close sextile with the Sun; and this renders it powerful. Jupiter is also strong from being elevated in its own sign.

Queen Mary (dorm 11-59 p.m., 26th May, 1867, London) has Jupiter as the strongest planet. It is in Pisces intercepted in the ascendant in dexter square to the Sun. Venus and the Moon are also both important.

King Victor Emanuel III of Italy (born 10-45 p.m. 11th November 1869, Naples) has Jupiter in the mid-heaven in aspect to the Sun; but Mercury and the Sun are also strong.

The Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria (born 8-23 a.m., 18th August, 1830, Vienna) has Libra rising, no planet in the ascendant ; Venus in

the mid-heaven must therefore be considered strong. Mars is also strong because setting in Aries; and the Sun is important because in its own sign, Leo.

Alfonso XII, King of Spain (born 0-30 p.m., 17th May, 1886, Madrid) has Virgo rising with Mars close to the cuspof the ascendant. Mercury is also important because lord of the ascendant and in mundane trine thereto from the cusp of the ninth house. Jupiter is in the lower part of the ascendant in close trine to the Sun.

Lord Rosebery (orn 3 a.m., 7th May, 1847, London) has the end of Pisces rising, and Aries intercepted in the ascendant containing Uranus and Mercury therein. Lord Rosebery is not ‘lucky’ enough for a Prime Minister. His best aspects come from the third house (speaking or writing) instead of the tenth or eleventh.

When Leo rises the Sun is the ruling planet in the majority of cases ; but if amy planet rises in Leo it will be the ruling planet unless the Sun is very powerfully placed in the map. The Sun as ruler gives dignity, power, loyalty, ambition, vitality, and a very strong and powerful magnetism. When well-placed and favourably aspected it brings success in life.

The planet that is in nearest aspect to the Sun (even when the Sun is not the ruling planet, nor even angular) must always have consideration, for that planet will often denote the whole life history, and in many cases is a far more potent factor in a horoscope than the ruling planet or even the Sun’s position.

The conjunction of the Sun with any planet will give it more life and force wherewith to act according to its nature.

The opposition of the Sun to any planet will also draw out the characteristics of that planet so that its influence becomes paramount. The square of the Sun to any planet denotes obstacles to be overcome, persons who have influence over the life, and vices or weaknesses in the character. The trine aspect will show the direction and nature of the fortune and success promised by this aspect. After noting the ascendant, this solar influence should be carefully considered in all nativities.

The conjunction of the Sun with the planet NEPTuNE gives a very

peculiar nature, difficult to understand. There appears to be a certain inner receptivity to the psychic influences of the invisible worlds, which may show itself in the form of inspirational faculties of some kind, artistic or prophetic: but the nature of this influence is not properly understood. The nature is usually strongly magnetic, and there is in the higher types a mystical tendency of a very pure kind, but in less advanced egos the same tendency is likely to exhibit itself in adherence to strange or fantastic religious sects, peculiar and inflated ideas, especially regarding sex and marriage. ;

The square is very insidious in its influence, leading to peculiar involved conditions in the environment, plots, and secret machinations of unknown enemies, etc. It has a very hampering and tantalising influence, seeming to deprive the native of the just reward of worthy efforts; for this reason it appears to be closely associated with what may be termed the ‘psychic’ karma of the native. Its influence is rarely manifested fully in the outer personal life, and appears to relate more to the inner life of feeling, emotion and consciousness. In those less advanced it appears indicative of a depraved moral nature, and cravings for illicit pleasures.

The opposition is in its general nature similar, though here the opposing influences, instead of being diffused over a wide field, seem as a rule concentrated in some one person, family, society, or state of circumstances, and the native is, as it were, balanced between effort and failure. There is often a high spiritual influence about such a position, the renunciation which such native is called upon to undergo, or the isolation to which he is condemned, seeming to be for the purpose of refining the inner nature. The mystical tendency of Neptune is more especially marked under this aspect, and such characters often possess a peculiar individual charm that is quite indescribable, as shown, for instance, in the writings of William Sharp, better known as ‘Fiona Macleod.’