Almutem Figuris

SammyJo

Member
Can a planet be Almutem Figuris if it is:

a)retro
b)combust
c)without Ptolomaic aspect

Not all at once, but one of these, or a combination.

I'm asking this because some programs I came across have made such calculations.
 

JUPITERASC

Well-known member
Can a planet be Almutem Figuris if it is:

a)retro
b)combust
c)without Ptolomaic aspect

Not all at once, but one of these, or a combination.

I'm asking this because some programs I came across have made such calculations.
Better to check the calculations for yourself because software varies :smile:

The word Almutes is an Arabian word which means 'Winner'.
Because, the planet is the Winner of all the 'life giving' places. Or the places which are most sensible and important in the natal figure.

The method which we'll use here I call Ezra/Zoller method.
Arabian Astrologer Ibn Ezra (1089 — 1164) was the first (as far as we at this moment are aware) to explicitely wrote about calculating the Almutem Figuris.

The method of calculation

1. Find the Essential Dignities (the 5 dignities, apply 3 points to all 3 triplicity rulers), in the Degree of the:
- Sun
- Moon
- Ascendant
- Part of Fortune
- Syzygy (the prenatal lunation, the one that came last, i.e. after which the birth follows - New or Full Moon).

2. Add 7 points for the Day ruler and 6 points to the Hour ruler.

3. Add accidental dignities scores.

For the planet in 1st house you add 12 points.
10th house = 11 points
7th house = 10
4th house = 9
11th = 8
5th = 7
2nd = 6
9th = 5
8th = 4
3rd = 3
12th = 2
6th = 1

The planet which has most points in the aforesaid places is the Almutem Figuris of the chart!

Don't forget to apply the 5 degrees ruler for the planet near the cusp of the houses. For example, if Saturn is at 15 Scorpio in 4th, but the 5th house cusp is at 19 Scorpio, you will calculate that Saturn already in the 5th, and you will give him 7 points instead of 9 as he would took if he was in 4th house. This can make big difference.

The free traditional astrology software - Morinus (google it), calcualte the Almutem Figuris. You can find this option by typing F3. But I should warn you that in that calculation is included some adding of points according to the planets phases. Zoller did not mention any kind of phases calculation so at this moment I'm not aware why the author of the software did included that.

But the best way and more enjoyable is to calculate it with your own hand. You will be familiar with the chart more deeply if you do this calculations with your own hand as the older astrologers did.
And if you must use the Morinus software than subtract the phases scores and you will get the Almutem Figuris right. All else is the same calculation as the Ezra/Zoller method.

Zoller gives short discriptions for every planet being Almutem Figuris:

Sun:
"If the Almuten figuris is the Sun, the native will want to lead, express his creative power and be recognized."

Moon:
"If the Moon, s/he will want to care for, be cared for, eat and make love, dream"

Mercury:
"If it is Mercury, s/he will be diligent in the sciences, business and communications"

Venus:
"Id it is Venus s/he will be a lover of beauty, of music, of men and women etc."

Mars:
"If it is Mars, s/he will fight in order to dominate"

Jupiter:
"If it is Jupiter, s/he will philosophize and teach"

Saturn:
"If it is Saturn he will retire from society, investigate hidden things and suffer adversity.""
The Almuten Figuris is the planet that has the most dignity in the five places and other accidental considerations.

The Lord of Geniture is the planet that has the most essential and accidental dignity.

The sheer amount of work that goes into calculating the Almuten Figuris makes it difficult to mix up with simpler calculations. ;)

It's easier to just do it by hand if a program is giving you problems. :) I'm not familiar with Morinus, but maybe someone who is will pop in and set you right.
 

digimon19

Active member
.

Iambicus in his work "Theurgy or on the mysteries of Egypt" speaks about the thing how one can change his fate. He speaks that he can do that through Theurgy and through personal relationship with the Lord of the Geniture of which he (Iambichus) only says that can be known through Astrology, but he didn't explained the method.
Zoller, tracing back the Ibn Ezra's ancestry, through the Sabaeans and his teachers (Mashallah and other) all the way to the first centuries where this doctrine was thought. Because of that line Zoller thinks that the Lord of the Geniture of which Iambichus speaks in his writings is in fact the Almutem Figuris of the Ibn Ezra.

Ok, finding of Almutem is not a problem. I wonder if anyone has ever tried to do this kind of Theurgy, connection with Almutem?
 
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digimon19

Active member
Greetings,

Finding the Almuten is a big problem. Kryos or Kurios of the chart can't be computed by a mathematical scheme, but is a good point to start. It seems that Helios can never be Oikodespotes or Kurios. Maybe, can be Kurios, but only when is also Epikratetor or Hupostasis. Helios serve no one, the stars can only work for him or against him. The tradition is full of ambiguities related with this subject.

Next, the Lot of Fortune to be intelligible requires several conditions. This is stated by Serapio and others

I posted recently on this forum, a document wrote by a romanian astrologer named Elendiar, who is sharing his opinion on the subject. In short, the Lot of Fortune speaks about fortune and everything that concerns body only when Selene is rejoicing in feminine or nocturnal surroundings (in nocturnal sect, zoidion, confines; in the second heliacal cycle; above the Earth in a nocturnal chart etc) and Helios is rejoicing as well in diurnal surroundings (in diurnal sect, zoidion; confines; above the Earth in diurnal chart etc). If the rejoicing conditions are not fulfill in at least an avrage extent (sect, zoidion, confines, visiblity) the Lot will be compromised. In such cases, the Lot could be offering mixed results, Lot of Fortune could be taken hostage by the Lot of Spirit or even the Lot of Fortune could become unreadable.

Greetings, Marius Cojoc!
You're speaking about Hellenistic techniques but: 1)If we have easier procedure with Ben Ezra formula, why cant we just use Ezra's Almuten?
2) I just dont understand what practical sense has Almuten finding?
just for this??:

Quote:
Sun:
"If the Almuten figuris is the Sun, the native will want to lead, express his creative power and be recognized."

Moon:
"If the Moon, s/he will want to care for, be cared for, eat and make love, dream"

Mercury:
"If it is Mercury, s/he will be diligent in the sciences, business and communications"

Venus:
"Id it is Venus s/he will be a lover of beauty, of music, of men and women etc."

Mars:
"If it is Mars, s/he will fight in order to dominate"

Jupiter:
"If it is Jupiter, s/he will philosophize and teach"

Saturn:
"If it is Saturn he will retire from society, investigate hidden things and suffer adversity.""
 

Kaiousei no Senshi

Premium Member
digimon19 said:
Ok, finding of Almutem is not a problem. I wonder if anyone has ever tried to do this kind of Theurgy, connection with Almutem?

Hi again, Digimon (MangaAngemon was always my favorite),

This pretty much hits the nail on the head on one of the main purposes of the Almuten of the Figure. On the one hand we can sort of redirect a native's purpose in living to make them happier by pointing them to activities that are related to their Almuten of the Figure. On a more spiritual level, doing these things is supposed to help people connect with their personal daemon.

We're also told that planets are more likely to listen to petitions from those who have them well placed in their chart, and the almuten of the figure is really the best one to go with in almost all cases (at least in my opinion). I've had some good experiences with it.
 

digimon19

Active member
Kurios or Almuten of the chart reveals for the native his manner of living, his actions, his Ego, and gives info for his karma. If Kurios occupies a cadent place, the native will be prone to obtain posessions, assets, things which could measure, things which give us auspicious environment for life, material things, quantitative stuff etc; if occupies a succedent place, the native will be prone to obtain material and spiritual values from commitments, golas or expactations, it is prone to obtain confort and pleasure, qulitative stuff; if occupies an angular place the native is prone to obtain the quintesence of life, things which give us direction, purpose, faith, the native will be seeking God. Now it depends if Kurios is in sect or out of sect. The attitude does matter.

Kurios has may implications. For the moment, I prefer to studie which are truly and which are not. I can't use Ezra Almuten recipe. My belifes are different. I tried to explain this in the earlier post. Anyway, I'm sure that Zoller knows and does more than this. The scheme is good for an introductory matter for this issue. The identification of Kurios is not about counting dignities and numbers.

Greetings, Marius Cojoc
Ok, that is what I've found (I noticed you commenting there) http://skyscript.co.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?t=3334

The next planet that is equally important in the overall rulership of a nativity (besides Oikodespotes or domicile master of the chart) is called Kurios [Lord of the nativity]. Kurios is the executor of the agenda that Oikodespotes (domicile master) holds.
Kurios of a chart is determined from the following candidates:-
1. Ascendant sign. We look to the planet(s) in the Ascendant sign AND bounds of the ascending degree.
2. Domicile Lord of Ascendant.
3. Moon and its Domicile Lord
4. Tenth sign from ascendant and its Domicile Lord
5. Lot of Fortune and its Domicile Lord.
6. Any planets that make phasis* in the chart. Should also include planets that make a first or second station 7 days before or after nativity.
7. The bound lord of the pre-natal lunation.
The Kurios (The Lord of the nativity) is determined using the above hierarchy AND is also fit to conduct its business*.

Then on this link (still) Kurios of Hitler's chart is found by just counting (as Venus corresponds to numbers 2,6,7). Nothing about examining chart as the whole (or maybe I missed something). And nothing about the Kurios's (Venus) role in the life of Hitler. I wish it was a comperehensive practical analysis. If you dont mind, I want you to show us such analysis with explanations of someone's chart. I think it will be more clear to understand Almutem and its essence in practice.

With best wishes,
digimon19
 

digimon19

Active member
Hi again, Digimon (MangaAngemon was always my favorite),

This pretty much hits the nail on the head on one of the main purposes of the Almuten of the Figure. On the one hand we can sort of redirect a native's purpose in living to make them happier by pointing them to activities that are related to their Almuten of the Figure. On a more spiritual level, doing these things is supposed to help people connect with their personal daemon.

We're also told that planets are more likely to listen to petitions from those who have them well placed in their chart, and the almuten of the figure is really the best one to go with in almost all cases (at least in my opinion). I've had some good experiences with it.

Hi, Kaiousei!
Definitely MangaAngemon is a strong guy but I prefer beast-looking digimon like Greymon and Garurumon:smile:

Perhaps, if you do astrology, your Almutem is Mercury, isnt it?:smile: I find it interesting to try to connect personal daemon through related to him activities.

By the way, you use Ben Ezra methods of calculating?

And one more thing. Ezra says that if the Almuten is Jupiter, he will philosophize and teach. Now opened Lilly's Christian astrology p.78 and see that philosophers and school-masters are Mercurian professions. What didn't I understand? What's the difference of signification?
 

Kaiousei no Senshi

Premium Member
digimon19 said:
Perhaps, if you do astrology, your Almutem is Mercury, isnt it?:smile: I find it interesting to try to connect personal daemon through related to him activities.

If you're asking me if my almuten is Mercury, no. Mine is Jupiter.

If you're asking if astrology is a good activity to use to connect to your daemon if Mercury is your almuten figurius, then yes, I definitely think it would be a good place to start.

By the way, you use Ben Ezra methods of calculating?

Yes. I use Ibn Ezra's calculations.

And one more thing. Ezra says that if the Almuten is Jupiter, he will philosophize and teach. Now opened Lilly's Christian astrology p.78 and see that philosophers and school-masters are Mercurian professions. What didn't I understand? What's the difference of signification?

It mostly comes down to the nature of the planets. Mercury is more about communication and trade (thus the emphasis on commerce) whereas Jupiter is more about giving. You're right that there is some overlap in these two planets, but Mercury has always been considered the more material whereas Jupiter is the more spiritual. Thus Mercury will get things like the physical sciences and teaching in regards to mathematics and grammar, things that can be measured. Jupiter gets the more high-minded law, philosophy, religion, or things that must be weighed.

I hope that helps.
 

digimon19

Active member
The scheme you presented, belongs to Porphyry and its slightly different than was presented by astrojin. Porphyry point us the sensitive places, where we should look out for the Kurios. There are in fact, two distinct algorithms.

First algorithm, and the most important, is reffering to the Midheaven . The remarks are very vague, because it could be also reffering to the 10th place. Why Midheaven? Because this place is indicative of actions (praxis), of ruling and leading. If the ruler of the Midheaven is not in a pivotal image, Porphyry suggest us to choose the planet which fall upon the Midheaven and which “is ruling over action in the nativity as if in a citadel”. If there isn’t such a planet, Porphyry suggest us to choose the planet which is ascending after the Midheaven (Schimdt); before the Midheaven (Holden).

The central ideea is that everything is revolving around the Midheaven because is the most fit place to conduct businesess of the Kurios. Now, suppose that Midheaven fall in the 11th place, then what? The planet ascending after the Midheaven could fall in the 12th place and that which ascends before it, could fall in the 10th place?

I think that Porphyry was reffering to the Midheaven as a horoscopic point and not to the 10th place. My guess, is that the planet which fall upon the Midheaven is reffering to the planet which ocuppies the degree or the confines of the Midheaven. Also, the third choice is in fact the closest planet to the degree of Midheaven, which occupies the same image.

This is the aglorithm of Porphyry and what you posted is the algorithm of others astrolgers as Porphyry is reffering in his Introduction. The second algorithm is very cunning and difficult to compute. Porphyry describe it slightly different.

The central ideea of this second algorithm is that Kurios is chosen primarly by the type of business it conducts. Only if the AS surroundings are not optimal you will check Selene. The worst scenario is to appeal to the confines of the prenatal lunation to idenitify the Kurios. This means that the rest of the candidates where failing in their duty to conduct their business, or at least what Kurios was supposed to do. That will be an odd chart. The confines of the prenatal lunation, broadly speaking, are showing the operating principles for the natives life. They are related with actions as they guide them. How about a planet who is just in phasis? What places it will rule? There is pretty much to say on the subject. In Adoph Hitler chart, from my point of view, Kronos is the Kurios.

Thank you, Marius!
It's hard to grasp all these Hellenistic techniques at first glance.
I think I'll try to find Porphyrius texts translated into my native language.
 

digimon19

Active member
The scheme you presented, belongs to Porphyry and its slightly different than was presented by astrojin. Porphyry point us the sensitive places, where we should look out for the Kurios. There are in fact, two distinct algorithms.

First algorithm, and the most important, is reffering to the Midheaven . The remarks are very vague, because it could be also reffering to the 10th place. Why Midheaven? Because this place is indicative of actions (praxis), of ruling and leading. If the ruler of the Midheaven is not in a pivotal image, Porphyry suggest us to choose the planet which fall upon the Midheaven and which “is ruling over action in the nativity as if in a citadel”. If there isn’t such a planet, Porphyry suggest us to choose the planet which is ascending after the Midheaven (Schimdt); before the Midheaven (Holden).

Can Sun or Moon be Kurios?
 
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JUPITERASC

Well-known member
astrologers Chris Brennan and Leisa Schaim present a PODCAST lecture
on the ancient method of identifying the overall ruler of a birth chart
called the Master of the Nativity.
While in modern times
astrologers tend to refer to the ruler of the Ascendant as the ruler of the chart
in ancient Greco-Roman astrology the method for determining the ruler of the chart
was much more complex.
There are references to the master of the nativity
in many of the surviving astrological texts from the Hellenistic astrology tradition
although there are not many surviving discussions
about how to calculate it.
The approach that we present in this lecture
is derived from chapter 30 of Porphyry’s INTRODUCTION TO THE TETRABIBLOS
which is itself derived from a lost work of definitions by Antiochus of Athens.

During the course of the lecture
we talk about how to calculate the predominator (epikratētōr),
the master of the nativity (oikodespotēs geneseōs),
the co-master or joint master of the nativity (sunoikodespotēs),
and the lord of the nativity (kurios).
We also discuss various questions such as the arguments
for and against having one overall chart ruler,
the use of the master of the nativity to identify the guardian spirit
or daimōn by ancient astrologers and philosophers,
and the use of this doctrine
to identify more important placements in a chart.

The Master of the Nativity: Finding the Ruler of the Chart :smile:
https://theastrologypodcast.com/201...-the-nativity-finding-the-ruler-of-the-chart/
 

JUPITERASC

Well-known member
a tribute to the astrologer Robert Zoller
who passed away in January
and was a pioneer in the revival of the study and practice of medieval astrology.
Zoller's book The Arabic Parts in Astrology:
A Lost Key to Prediction (1980)
was one of the first books which helped to contribute to
the revival of traditional astrology in the 1980s and 90s.
Later he was one of the principal founders of Project Hindsight
in 1992, alongside Robert Schmidt and Robert Hand
and he produced several translations from Latin
under the auspices of that project, including parts of Guido Bonatti
Al Kindi’s On Stellar Rays, and the Liber Hermetis.

Robert Zoller, Pioneer in Reviving Medieval Astrology :smile:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5a4Y1U9IW8

Zoller left Projet Hindsight due to creative differences
relatively early in the project
but continued teaching and promoting medieval astrology.
 
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