Please help me understand how receptions work

That might be the dumbest question ever, however, I try to interpret horary charts and I always always get confused with who receives whom in receptions.

For example, I did a horary chart where three people can be spotted. It doesn't matter whether we interpret this horary chart correctly in particular (and that's why I won't post the whole of it) but I'll use parts of it as an example.

One is represented by Saturn, the second one is represented by the Moon and the third one is represented by Venus (once again, that may or may not be correct in this particular chart but that doesn't matter).

Saturn is in Libra, the Moon is in Capricorn, Venus is in Cancer. Now that's fun, yeah?

So Saturn is after Venus, Venus is after the Moon and the Moon is after Saturn. That wouldn't be so unusual in real life if it were true.

Saturn puts Venus on a pedestal (exaltation), the Moon hates (detriment) Saturn and Venus loves (domicile) the Moon.

Now.. is that how you go about it? Or...

Saturn hates Venus (Venus is in Cancer, Cancer is Saturn's detriment), the Moon loves Saturn (the Moon is in Saturn's domicile), the Moon loves Venus (Venus is in the Moon's domicile), Saturn is exalted with his own self.

How does the chain of command really work?

That's not the first horary where I get totally confused, I always wonder who rules what due to what.

Thanks very much for your feedback.

Edit: Or... we stick to the basics and we have three people: Saturn, Moon and Venus. Irrespective of signs, Saturn hates the Moon and exalts Venus, the Moon hates Saturn and might exalt Venus (domicile ruler of Taurus), Venus might be friendly with Saturn (triplicity) and with the Moon (triplicity).

Too many possible paths of interpretation.

JUPITERASC said:

In giving the visitor 'a reception' there is an implication of tolerance and attention from the host, as well as an element of influence and control

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So it's kind of both: 'I care about you but I also control you.'

Saturn is in Libra, the Moon is in Capricorn, Venus is in Cancer. Now that's fun, yeah?

So Saturn is after Venus, Venus is after the Moon and the Moon is after Saturn. That wouldn't be so unusual in real life if it were true.

Saturn puts Venus on a pedestal (exaltation), the Moon hates (detriment) Saturn and Venus loves (domicile) the Moon.

Now.. is that how you go about it? Or...

Saturn hates Venus (Venus is in Cancer, Cancer is Saturn's detriment), the Moon loves Saturn (the Moon is in Saturn's domicile), the Moon loves Venus (Venus is in the Moon's domicile), Saturn is exalted with his own self.

How does the chain of command really work?

That's not the first horary where I get totally confused, I always wonder who rules what due to what.

Thanks very much for your feedback.

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A planet in another planet's sign is received by its ruler.

As for your example of Saturn in Libra, Moon in Capricorn, and Venus in Cancer. Venus receives Saturn, Saturn receives the Moon, and the Moon receives Venus. However, Venus injures Saturn by aspecting him from his detriment of Cancer and he will reject what she signifies and what she is trying to accomplish. The Moon is being hurt by her own debility in that sign, but Saturn will be able to help her accomplish what she signifies.

Be very careful not to confuse reception with love or affection, it typically only signifies willigness to cooperate.

I would offer that it represents a more equalized and balanced sort of reception and exchange of energies, between the planets involved. Each planet expresses through the other's natural energies; Universally, there is a current mutual reception between Pluto in Capricorn and Saturn in Scorpio. Recently I posted about what that might mean, on both a personal and global level, however I did not receive any comments.

kimbermoon said:

I would offer that it represents a more equalized and balanced sort of reception and exchange of energies, between the planets involved. Each planet expresses through the other's natural energies; Universally, there is a current mutual reception between Pluto in Capricorn and Saturn in Scorpio. Recently I posted about what that might mean, on both a personal and global level, however I did not receive any comments.

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It sounds like it might be an interesting topic, however traditionally (since this topic is posted in the traditional forum) Pluto has no dignity anywhere and wouldn't be considered in any form of reception.

As Kaiousei no Senshi has pointed out, especially as pertains to horaries as the question regards, but also in traditional delineations of nativities, reception will be what gives a deeper understanding to how planets will perform in aspect with each other and over the houses they rule.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but this is how I understand it:

A sign is like a home, a significator is the person. If you are in someone else's home (ruling sign or exaltation), it is because they welcome you there, but if you are there and it is your debility or fall then you really aren't happy to be there, you want out! Rx I think means as well that you don't want to be there but you may change your mind.

Jupiter, for example, is debilitated and Rx in Gemini at the moment. So, I understand that Mercury welcomes Jupiter (for whatever your topic is)... But Jupiter is not happy with the topic, like Jupiter is turning its back on your hospitality or open arms. But Jupiter is Rx, so this doesn't seem like a permanent situation and Jupiter may turn around and accept your open arms.

Well, that is where I'm at either this concept. Lemme know if my understanding requires adjusting

Kaiousei no Senshi said:

A planet in another planet's sign is received by its ruler.

As for your example of Saturn in Libra, Moon in Capricorn, and Venus in Cancer. Venus receives Saturn, Saturn receives the Moon, and the Moon receives Venus. However, Venus injures Saturn by aspecting him from his detriment of Cancer and he will reject what she signifies and what she is trying to accomplish. The Moon is being hurt by her own debility in that sign, but Saturn will be able to help her accomplish what she signifies.

Be very careful not to confuse reception with love or affection, it typically only signifies willigness to cooperate.

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Thanks very much for the explanation. I've just read love horaries where they use love for domicile, infatuation for exaltation, loathing for fall and hate for detriment. It made sense where I read it. Especially the exaltation signifying infatuation that dies out when the planet leaves the sign (it was very good for solving love triangle scenarios ).

zona967 said:

So it's kind of both: 'I care about you but I also control you.'

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Not exactly - not that variety of melodramatic soap opera dialogue!
but more accurately as Kaiousei no Senshi explains:

Kaiousei no Senshi said:

Be very careful not to confuse reception with love or affection, it typically only signifies willigness to cooperate.

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So, utilising a 'landlord tenant relationship' metaphor, when someone rents your home and is resident there temporarily, there is an element of 'control' in that they could face eviction for non-payment of rent HOWEVER they are free to read astrology books or any other reasonable activity - so long as the rent is paid on time. They cannot for example redecorate without agreement with the owner however BECAUSE it's not their home and if they trash it there are consequences.

appleberry said:

but if you are there and it is your debility or fall then you really aren't happy to be there, you want out! Rx I think means as well that you don't want to be there but you may change your mind.

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appleberry said:

... turning its back on your hospitality or open arms.

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Wow, I think that might be spot on!

JUPITERASC said:

Not exactly - not that variety of melodramatic soap opera dialogue!

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JUPITERASC said:

they are free to read astrology books or any other reasonable activity...

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I need to work more on the metaphors and try to apply them to actual scenarios, that might work.

One scenario I had trouble with was was when I asked a relationship h1-h7 question and Jupiter (him) was Rx in Gemini almost opposing Mercury (me) Rx in Sagittarius. One was in h3, the other h9, so opposing houses as well. It was mind boggling.

I don't remember the exact question but the two of us recently fought and still aren't on speaking terms. We were in two different countries at the time of the fight and of the question.

Ultimately, I think we both want to cooperate with each other but we each want everything our way and won't see things or do things unless they are on our terms, thus the mutual reception/anti-reception.

zona967 said:

I need to work more on the metaphors and try to apply them to actual scenarios, that might work.

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Because a natal chart is a symbolic image then metaphors are useful

tsmall said:

As Kaiousei no Senshi has pointed out, especially as pertains to horaries as the question regards, but also in traditional delineations of nativities, reception will be what gives a deeper understanding to how planets will perform in aspect with each other and over the houses they rule.

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Metaphors assist in the 'deeper understand of how planets will perform in aspect with each other and over the houses they rule'
as tsmall has highlighted

appleberry said:

A sign is like a home, a significator is the person.

If you are in someone else's home (ruling sign or exaltation), it is because they welcome you there,

but if you are there and it is your debility or fall then you really aren't happy to be there, you want out!...

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Using metaphor then along with appleberry's analysis we could be melodramatic and say metaphorically speaking Venus in detriment in Aries is in a war zone, on planet Mars territory, in a desert area miles from civilisation

Deborah Houlding:
"Mars is at home on sandy and hilly ground, newly built land or where construction work is taking place. Land where sheep and small cattle feed or stables for small animals. Unfrequented places where criminals find refuge...."

Not Venus ideal domestic environment! Being less melodramatic, we could say that metaphorically, perhaps the apartment Venus is being offered is in an area of the city that is frequented by criminals and there's construction work going on making it a noisy and uncomfortable place to reside

appleberry said:

One scenario I had trouble with was was when I asked a relationship h1-h7 question and Jupiter (him) was Rx in Gemini almost opposing Mercury (me) Rx in Sagittarius. One was in h3, the other h9, so opposing houses as well. It was mind boggling.

I don't remember the exact question but the two of us recently fought and still aren't on speaking terms. We were in two different countries at the time of the fight and of the question.

Ultimately, I think we both want to cooperate with each other but we each want everything our way and won't see things or do things unless they are on our terms, thus the mutual reception/anti-reception.

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Wait, Mercury in Sag and Jupiter in Gem is the best reception you can get. It means you both are very open to each other. Jupiter can help you go big and you can help him focus on details. It might be really painful (both in detriment) but the support you get from each other is immensely strong. Keep going!

JUPITERASC said:

Venus in detriment in Aries is in a war zone, on planet Mars territory, in a desert area miles from civilisation

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Hahaha, my Venus is in Scorpio, I concur there. There's no such thing as a 'peaceful relationship' for me, I wonder how people do that, it's totally boring. It's dirty fighting in a puddle, the strongest survives, haha. It's good for people on a path to self-knowledge, they have no other choice but to grow, hahaha. That's where modern astrology gets the 'depth' part from Scorpio. Scorpio is a fricking war sign and in modern society you don't beat people up physically, you have to be verbally cunning. So having no choice but to fight, you're forced to grow. That 'depth' thing really is self-preservation, but of your real 'higher' self. Everything else is too thin to survive.

Long live war.

appleberry said:

Jupiter, for example, is debilitated and Rx in Gemini at the moment. So, I understand that Mercury welcomes Jupiter (for whatever your topic is)... But Jupiter is not happy with the topic, like Jupiter is turning its back on your hospitality or open arms. But Jupiter is Rx, so this doesn't seem like a permanent situation and Jupiter may turn around and accept your open arms.

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The thing to remember here is that Jupiter is always going to be Jupiter and will suffer his debility silently and respectably. He's never going to enjoy it (retrograde or no), but he won't act out because of it and will still remain a humble guest. Unlike, say, Saturn or Mars who are going to act out more. Retrograde doesn't have much to do with reception, and a retrograde significator is going to imply a change of mind or direction regardless of reception.

JUPITERASC said:

So, utilising a 'landlord tenant relationship' metaphor, when someone rents your home and is resident there temporarily, there is an element of 'control' in that they could face eviction for non-payment of rent HOWEVER they are free to read astrology books or any other reasonable activity - so long as the rent is paid on time. They cannot for example redecorate without agreement with the owner however BECAUSE it's not their home and if they trash it there are consequences.

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This is a decent analogy. The receiving planet won't ever evict a planet in its house, but it can treat it like a prisoner, which can be much worse.

zona967 said:

Wait, Mercury in Sag and Jupiter in Gem is the best reception you can get. It means you both are very open to each other. Jupiter can help you go big and you can help him focus on details. It might be really painful (both in detriment) but the support you get from each other is immensely strong. Keep going

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This is actually not a very good mutual reception to have and I'm sorry to say that based on that information appleberry's relationship doesn't look like it will bear much fruit. Certainly the two planets are in mutual reception and that is useful in that it shows a willingness to cooperate, the Opposition is a huge obstacle and may be insurmountable in this context. The two planets have nothing to give one another because they are in their signs of detriment, so it's basically like two drunk people helping each other walk home. A willingness to cooperate, but no substance to accomplish it.

zona967 said:

Hahaha, my Venus is in Scorpio, I concur there. There's no such thing as a 'peaceful relationship' for me, I wonder how people do that, it's totally boring. It's dirty fighting in a puddle, the strongest survives, haha. It's good for people on a path to self-knowledge, they have no other choice but to grow, hahaha. That's where modern astrology gets the 'depth' part from Scorpio. Scorpio is a fricking war sign and in modern society you don't beat people up physically, you have to be verbally cunning. So having no choice but to fight, you're forced to grow. That 'depth' thing really is self-preservation, but of your real 'higher' self. Everything else is too thin to survive. Long live war.

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A puddle... Not much depth to a puddle...

btw traditionally Scorpio is quote:

“...Ruled by malefic Mars, many places signified by Scorpio suggest a hostile environment, resonating fear/threat, characterised by a lack of light and restricted movement: includes habitats where vermin, reptiles or insects gather and, according to Al Biruni, deserted places, prisons and places of grief/mourning.

Fixed member of the water triplicity, Scorpio also relates to locations where water collects and stagnates: muddy or swampy grounds, bogs, marshes, sedimentary deposits and quagmires. Al Biruni mentions black mud and underground conduits, but also captured the destructive martial power through his association with drowned (flooded) land and torrents....”


“Scorpios strongest line of attack is always in defence, where their fixidity brings enduring patience and determination, and their natural resilience makes them seem practically impassable. Consider the role of scorpion gods in ancient symbolism and myth; invariably their function is to act as guardians, custodians and protectors; oblivious to external distraction but ferocious in the cruel retribution unleashed on those who break their sentinel.

When Scorpios do engage in conflict their method of operation is reflected by the terrestrial creature that defines their celestial motif - all scorpions are venomous predators who never actively hunt/chase down their prey....”


“....instead they patiently sit and wait, months if necessary, proceeding to ambush only when their quarry is close enough to stand little chance of escape. In business and battle Scorpios make inestimable adversaries, particularly when they take up positions where they can calculate, control and hold back a concerted effort until its execution will realise maximum impact. Consequently Scorpios excel at military leadership, board room politics and court room disputes in a game of cool, calculated planning geared towards maximum damage for minimum effort....”

JUPITERASC said:

“....instead they patiently sit and wait, months if necessary, proceeding to ambush only when their quarry is close enough to stand little chance of escape. In business and battle Scorpios make inestimable adversaries, particularly when they take up positions where they can calculate, control and hold back a concerted effort until its execution will realise maximum impact. Consequently Scorpios excel at military leadership, board room politics and court room disputes in a game of cool, calculated planning geared towards maximum damage for minimum effort....”

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'Tis true. The most fun is when two people with Scorpio planets get together. But we do lose too and sorely at times.

My English is far from perfect so my analogues suck for the most part - "puddle" was obviously a wrong metaphor.

zona967 said:

Wait, Mercury in Sag and Jupiter in Gem is the best reception you can get. It means you both are very open to each other. Jupiter can help you go big and you can help him focus on details. It might be really painful (both in detriment) but the support you get from each other is immensely strong. Keep going!

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Yup... lol... That's exactly the situation in reality (funny that you can see that without knowing us or our situation)...

Just how do I get Mr Jupiter to understand that

Kaiousei no Senshi said:

The thing to remember here is that Jupiter is always going to be Jupiter and will suffer his debility silently and respectably. He's never going to enjoy it (retrograde or no), but he won't act out because of it and will still remain a humble guest. Unlike, say, Saturn or Mars who are going to act out more. Retrograde doesn't have much to do with reception, and a retrograde significator is going to imply a change of mind or direction regardless of reception.



This is a decent analogy. The receiving planet won't ever evict a planet in its house, but it can treat it like a prisoner, which can be much worse.



This is actually not a very good mutual reception to have and I'm sorry to say that based on that information appleberry's relationship doesn't look like it will bear much fruit. Certainly the two planets are in mutual reception and that is useful in that it shows a willingness to cooperate, the Opposition is a huge obstacle and may be insurmountable in this context. The two planets have nothing to give one another because they are in their signs of detriment, so it's basically like two drunk people helping each other walk home. A willingness to cooperate, but no substance to accomplish it.

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Rx... I was only referring to horary, where I understand it can mean that but definitely depends on the question.

Two drunk people, hopelessly unable to help each other at the moment...lol... That is a very good interpretation for the two of us...