How do you calculate the dominant planets in a birth chart?

JUPITERASC

Well-known member
I read only two methods. A traditional Spanish astrologer who said it was any planet over the angles counting 10 degrees, if not the ruler and so on. Another method that was by aspect score, state of the planet, regency, etc.
What methods do you use to calculate dominance in your chart?
check out ALMUTEM FIGURIS :smile:

https://www.astrologyweekly.com/forum/showthread.php?t=49000



Almutem Figuris is an old doctrine where one planet according to certain calculations applied, receives the honors to be the Ruler or Lord of the Chart.

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.



Zoller about the Almutem Figuris says that it is equally as powerful as all the other planets taken together."

Benjamin Dykes (great student of Zoller) says about Almutem Figuris:
"Almutem Figuris, a powerful planet in the natal figure whose spirit or angel acts as the native's special link to the Divine. The Almutem Figuris is a spiritual astrological delineation, similar to but not the same as Lilly's the "Lord of the Geniture." But like Lilly (and Plato), the Almutem Figuris was taken to affect the native's thoughts, beliefs and character. Spiritual enlightenment can demand that we open our eyes to this particular planet and use it to access the Divine. Significantly, this is a function that many modern astrologers now attribute to the sun sign." (In his article on Happiness).






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.""
 

AppLeo

Well-known member
I found this to be the most in-depth technique https://youtu.be/Lo8gXjDEQmM

It's a long and frustrating video to watch though.

For me, I use a basic list and assign points.

1. Ruler of the Chart: This is likely enough to determine if the planet is the most dominant. The ruler the chart speaks volumes to a person's approach to life and should never be overlooked. I give the chart ruler 2 points, and the MC ruler one point.

Also, the ruler of the chart can only be a traditional planet.

2. Chart Sect: If it's a day chart, Sun, Saturn, and Jupiter get a point. Night chart, Moon, Venus, and Mars get a point.

3. Angularity: Planets on the angles, or in angular houses get a point. Planets in cadent houses lose a point.

4. Dignity: Planets that are domicile, exalted, detriment, debilitated get a point.

5. Emphasis: This a bit subjective, but what feels like a dominant planet? Is the planet all alone in a particular hemisphere, not aspecting anything, or making many aspects.

----

If you take my chart for example, I have Capricorn Rising so Saturn gets a point. Mars rules my 10th house.
Saturn: 2
Mars: 1

I have a day chart.
Saturn: 3
Sun: 1
Jupiter: 1

Angularity: Venus and Mars in 7th house, Saturn conjunct IC, Moon in 9th, Jupiter in 3rd
Venus: 1
Mars: 1
Moon: -1
Jupiter: 0
Saturn: 4

Dignity: Sun in Leo, Mars in Cancer, Jupiter in Pisces
Sun: 2
Mars: 2
Jupiter: 1

Emphasis: Mars is exactly conjunct descendant, Saturn makes tight aspects to both Sun and Moon
Mars: 3
Saturn: 5

Based on this, I'd say Saturn in my most dominant planet.
 

Opal

Premium Member
Or you can go to astroseek.com

Put in your data and one of the many options is your planet strengths.
 

AppLeo

Well-known member
With this method I get all planets: Uranus 17, Sun 13 and Mars 12 as dominants.
With the traditional ones: Mars 12, Venus 9, Sun 9 and Jupiter 9.


In the Appleo method I get Mars 4, followed by Saturn 3 and Sun 2.

The almuten figuris I am figuring out how to get it out.

If you use whole sign house system, I think your Sun is pretty strong. It's in the first house, widely conjunct ascendant, in a day chart, exalted in Aries, and a benefic is conjunct it.
 

AppLeo

Well-known member
I keep it in mind, in fact because in the first method I learned to calculate dominants from a traditional astrologer he talked about 10 degrees between the angles taking into account first AC, then MC and then the rest, this method with placidus. But, it is not very different from the result by you approach it in the whole house system. In this method the dominant is the sun and its co-dominants Jupiter and the moon.

Precisely you helped me in the other thread my natal chart and I thank you, as well as Jupiterasc and Elena. But I use placidus, do you know how to interpret it with placidus?

With almuten I don't feel like I have dominant Saturn, I have saturnine things no doubt, but as dominant I don't see it. I am very optimistic, I like the public. I think my energy is more solar, martian or jupiterian, maybe even Uranian.

With placidus, I'd go with Mars or Saturn. Having planets in the cadent houses, like Sun and Jupiter in 12th, really weakens them. Saturn is strong because it's in your first, and ruler of the MC, and it prefers a day chart, which you have.

Even without whole sign house system, with Sun and Jupiter close the Ascendant, they'll still have strength.

And sorry for neglecting the outside planets, I just find them to be irrelevant since they don't work under sect, and don't have dignities really..
 
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JUPITERASC

Well-known member
Everything is different.

My almuten figuris is Saturn according morinus, I really don't know
which method is correct.
The only thing I can see is that Mars, Sun and Jupiter are repeated in all of them.
There are multiple methods to research

ALMUTEM FIGURIS is Medieval astrology

keep in mind that

Hellenistic astrology precedes Medieval astrology
and advises an astrologer to:
Investigate the MASTER OF THE NATIVITY
the bound houseruler of the Predominator.

The beginning, the main, the end
the measurement standard of the whole nativity is the Master.

It makes clear what kind of person the native will be
what kind of livelihood he will have
what appearance or health one will have
and all the things that will accompany him in life.

Without this star nothing, neither occupation nor advancement
will come to anyone.
Robert Schmidt of PROJECT HINDSIGHT
http://www.projecthindsight.com/index1.html

http://www.projecthindsight.com/

says Greek astrologers used metaphor
to convey the idea of the functions of the various planets
based on the Greeks being a seafaring nation
who two thousand years ago navigated the oceans
using sailing ships

hence
THE HELLENISTIC NAUTICAL METAPHOR :smile:



The ship itself
is
the native’s life
as represented by the Predominator


The first and second Trigon Lords
aka Triplicity Lords of the Predominator
are the Winds that carry the ship to its destiny.


The third Trigon aka Triplicity Lord
symbolizes the oars that move the ship.


Oikodespotes aka Domicile Master of the chart
is the ship owner
and
sets the agenda or destiny for the native
BUT
under the restrictions set by the bound ruler of the Predominator.


KURIOS aka LORD OF THE NATIVITY is the CAPTAIN OF THE SHIP
aka Executor
aka the one responsible
to bring the ship
to the destination set by Oikodespotes aka Domicile Master.


The Ascendant sign is the “...helm...” of the ship
and represents the physical life.


Domicile Lord of the Ascendant is the Helmsman
or the First Officer of the ship.

Lot of Fortune
represents everything that befalls the native
that is not of his or her own doing.



Domicile Lord of the Lot of Fortune
represents the man on the prow of the ship
aka Second Officer
who is on the look out for things/events
that are going to befall the native.

Clearly it is crucial that the Lord of the Lot of Fortune
be able to communicate with the Domicile Master
and
the Ascendant/Helmsman
LORD OF THE NATIVITY aka KURIOS

 

JUPITERASC

Well-known member
I think it would be like this,
predominator Moon,
Nativity Master Venus,
Co-Master Mars
and Nativity Lord Saturn or Venus/Mars.
It can be wrong

.
I'm no expert - anyone can read translated ancient texts & apply :smile:
we are fortunate to have had Robert Schmidt translations
as well as translations of Benjamin Dykes https://bendykes.com/
Martin Gansten et al https://brill.com/view/title/57015

*

How to Calculate the Rulers of the Birth Chart
According to Porphyry
The Rulers of the Nativity

There are four different rulers of the nativity
that are important to pay attention to:
1 Predominator epikratētōr
2 Master of the Nativity oikodespotēs
3 Co-Master or Joint Master of the Nativity sunoikodespotēs
4 Lord of the Nativity kurios



Predominator
In order to find the Master of the Nativity
you must first find the Predominator
since the Predominator is the one who designates the Master. :smile:
The Predominator is typically one of the luminaries
as long as they are well-placed.
If they are not, then it defaults to the Ascendant.



Here are Porphyry’s considerations for determining
if one of the luminaries can become Predominator:


  • The luminary that belongs to the sect of the chart is preferred
  • Sun day day, Moon by night.
  • The luminary that is more angular is preferred
  • over one that is in a less angular house.
  • The one that is more eastern in the chart
  • towards the rising sign is preferred.

  • if the Sun is in the 1st house in a day chart
  • Sun is the Predominator.
  • Sun in the 9th with the Moon in the 1st
  • then Moon is Predominator

  • If both luminaries are in cadent houses
  • then the Ascendant becomes Predominator.



Master of the Nativity
According to Antiochus and Porphyry
there are two variant traditions for calculating the Master:
1. The Master of the Nativity is the domicile lord of the Predominator.
The bound lord of the Predominator
becomes the Co-Master of the Nativity.


2. Others say that
the bound lord of the degree of the Ascendant
is the Master of the Nativity.
The domicile lord of the rising sign is the Co-Master of the Nativity.



Lord of the Nativity
Two separate approaches are given
for the determination of the Lord of the Nativity:

First Approach
The Lord is the domicile lord of the Midheaven, if this planet is angular.
If it is not, then:
1. The Lord is a planet in the Midheaven/10th house.
If there is no planet in the Midheaven then:
The Lord is a planet in the 11th house.


Second Approach
Planets capable of being the Lord of the Nativity
in the second approach are:
The domicile lord of the Ascendant.
Or
A planet in the rising sign, and especially?
in the bounds of the Ascendant.
Or
The lord of the Moon.
Or
The lord of the Lot of Fortune.
Or
A planet that makes a heliacal rising, setting
or retrograde station
within 7 days of the birth

if there are multiple
then
the one that is not under the beams is preferred.

The bound lord of the prenatal lunation.



Porphyry makes an important statement
after outlining the second approach
to the effect that
the Lord of the Nativity is the planet that generally is:

  • Capable of rising out from under the beams of the Sun.
  • Has more familiarity “...dignity...” in its location
  • through zodiacal rulership.
  • Has the most “...power...” in relation to the “...figure...”
  • of the nativity, which probably means being in
  • one of the “...advantageous...” or “...busy...” places
  • which are houses that are more angular.
  • Has the most power in relation to
  • its configuration with the other stars in the chart.


.
 
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