What makes a planet strong/weak

haidee

Well-known member
It's something I've wondered about now that I've seen some threads asking for dominant planets, what planets are the 'strongest' and others replying with saying this and that planet is weak/strong etc.
But how can you tell? Is it a certain stressful aspect? Certain aspects to some planets? Where the planet is placed? All combined, or something else? :andy:
 

JUPITERASC

Well-known member
It's something I've wondered about now that I've seen some threads asking for dominant planets,
what planets are the 'strongest' and others replying with saying this and that planet is weak/strong etc.

But how can you tell?

Is it a certain stressful aspect?

Certain aspects to some planets?

Where the planet is placed?

All combined, or something else?
:andy:
Almutem Figuris is an old doctrine http://www.astrologyweekly.com/forum/showthread.php?p=381593#post381593
where one planet
according to certain calculations applied
receives the honors to be the Ruler or Lord of the Chart
:smile:
Robert Zoler had applied the therm AlmuteM instead of AlmuteN in order to differentiate the Lord of the Chart from the Lord of certain house or place in the natal chart such as Almuten Domus (Ruler of a House).

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.

In his writings Zoller trace the beginnings of this Almutem Figuris and he found it in the writings of Iambichus (c. 245–c. 325) who was Syrian neo-platonic philosopher who wrote also about Astrology in his writings.
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.

Iambichus speaks (through the name of Porphyry) about the Peculiar Daimon, that is some kind of an Guardian Angel and it is conected to the personal soul but its not the same
Here's what Iambichus says in his Theurgy:
This [daimon] therefore is present as an exemplar before the souls descend into the realm of generated existence. As soon as the soul chooses him for leader the [daimon] immediately comes into charge of completing of its vital endowments and when it descends into the body it unites with the body and becomes the guardian of it common living principle. He likewise directs the the private life of the soul and
whatever the conclusions we may arrive at by inference and reasoning he himself imparts to us the principles."


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.""
 

booboo

Well-known member
I like using a technique one of the other astrologers on the forum uses- astrodynes. They are interesting, one of the biggest advantages, in my opinion is that they list also whether a planet/house has friction, which pulls your attention on it and helps you find out how easily you access that energy. The original program, which calculates them the most precisely is expensive though so I use the free one astro123, whose calculations though have some little differences are close enough to be reliable :smile:
 

haidee

Well-known member
Thank you both.
I've now tried the Astro123 program and see a bunch of numbers that I can't comprehend. :unsure:

JA, is the Almutem Figuris used only in traditional astrology? Not that I mind, I just want to make sure I'm using the correct house-system for the calculation. :)
Also, I've never heard of Syzygy...? Can it be seen in a chart?
 

JUPITERASC

Well-known member
Thank you both.
I've now tried the Astro123 program and see a bunch of numbers that I can't comprehend. :unsure:

JA, is the Almutem Figuris used only in traditional astrology?

Not that I mind, I just want to make sure I'm using the correct house-system for the calculation. :)
Also, I've never heard of Syzygy...? Can it be seen in a chart?
Almutem Figuris as stated on the quote is an old doctrine
and the thread is posted on the Traditional forum

Syzygy - is traditional term referring to the full Moon or New Moon.
From the Greek suzugia, and the Latin syzygia, meaning 'union' :smile:


Many traditional texts refer to the 'preceeding sysygy'
meaning
either
the New Moon
or
Full Moon
that most closely preceded the birth.
The planet that had the greatest dignity in this degree
was an important consideration in a number of techniques
such as the Animodar method of rectification.
http://www.skyscript.co.uk/gl/syzygy.html


DIGNITY TABLES

GregoryRozek-astrological-tables-01.png

http://gregoryrozek.com/en/astrology/astrological-tables/
 

conspiracy theorist

Well-known member
Thank you both.
I've now tried the Astro123 program and see a bunch of numbers that I can't comprehend. :unsure:

JA, is the Almutem Figuris used only in traditional astrology? Not that I mind, I just want to make sure I'm using the correct house-system for the calculation. :)
Also, I've never heard of Syzygy...? Can it be seen in a chart?

The Syzygy is the lunation (new moon/full moon) that occured immediately before your birth. A chart is said to be conjunctional if you were born just after to a new moon and preventional when born just after the full moon.

E.g In my chart the Sun is at 5 Sag and the Moon is at 26 Aqu. The Syzygy that occured prior to my birth is located at 29 Sco because the new moon happened on this degree, making my chart conjunctional. If I was born with a leo moon then the previous lunation would occur in Gemini, making my chart preventional. The position of the moon is what's important in the Syzygy.
 

Oddity

Well-known member
Some astrological software can be set to show the syzygy in a chart, though unless I'm doing some specific calculations where it's important, I usually set it not to show and simply have the information in a table to the side. I hate crowded charts. Possibly the real reason I'll never use asteroids ;)

The chart almuten can be worth figuring out, because it can show you some of your heart's desires, and - it's your guardian angel. Actually, in ceremonial magic, but even in the chart it's the planet most likely to always be on your side. The one that isn't likely to lead you wrong. And that can be worth knowing.

Ibn Ezra did a couple of different calculations to find the almuten (one involves the positions of the superiors and just complicates things, in my opinion).

He used Placidus houses. I use Alchabitius. Some people use Regiomontanus or Whole Signs. I don't think it matters a lot, but you can play around with different house systems if you like. Your results will be either identical or fairly similar regardless what you use. If it comes down to a split with one house system saying one, and another house system saying another, you will know from your own experience of you which one it is - and the calculations will only be a point or two apart, anyway.

Do not put a lot of faith in point systems. You need them for lengthy calculations like the almuten which uses all your planets, the planetary day and the planetary hour, because points give the general overview, and that's what your looking for in that type of scenario.

Where people tend to fall down is things like: Well, I have Venus in Virgo, so that's -5, but it's in term and triplicity so that's +5, so it all evens out.

It doesn't. Use it that way and you're kind of comparing apples to furniture polish.
 
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haidee

Well-known member
Very interesting and appreciated. :joyful:
It seems like Almutem Figuris highlights only the most powerful planet. I'll definitely look more into it and try to calculate it for myself.

However, what I initially wanted to know was how to tell which planets are strong and which ones are weak.... And what it basically means? :unsure:
Some have talked about planets close to angles, located in their own signs/houses and stressful/harmonious aspects.
Or will it show once I do the Almutem Figuris method?

I'm assuming Astro123 (correct me if I'm wrong, booboo) will show a chart sort of like the Chart Delineation by Walter Pullen on Astro.com; a list of the planets and its ranks. Although I'm not sure I'm reading it correctly.

Apologies, if this is much more simple than I think it is. :lol: I'm a confused person.
 
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booboo

Well-known member
Yeah it is sort of the same graphically- you have the planets on the left side given from top to bottom in power. In the middle you have the power column and the harmony/discord column, the +numbers showing it has no discord, and the -ones showing discord. And when you scroll down you have the same thing, but for the signs and houses.
 

JUPITERASC

Well-known member
Very interesting and appreciated. :joyful:
It seems like Almutem Figuris highlights only the most powerful planet.

I'll definitely look more into it and try to calculate it for myself.

However, what I initially wanted to know was how to tell which planets are strong and which ones are weak....

And what it basically means? :unsure:
Some have talked about planets close to angles, located in their own signs/houses and stressful/harmonious aspects.
Or will it show once I do the Almutem Figuris method?

I'm assuming Astro123 (correct me if I'm wrong, booboo) will show a chart sort of like the Chart Delineation by Walter Pullen on Astro.com; a list of the planets and its ranks. Although I'm not sure I'm reading it correctly.

Apologies, if this is much more simple than I think it is. :lol: I'm a confused person.
The Almutem Figuris of any natal chart is
according to Robert Zoller
"as powerful as all the other planets taken together"
:smile:
Zoller about the Almutem Figuris says
that it is equally as powerful as all the other planets taken together."
 

Bunraku

Well-known member
Thank you both.
I've now tried the Astro123 program and see a bunch of numbers that I can't comprehend. :unsure:

JA, is the Almutem Figuris used only in traditional astrology? Not that I mind, I just want to make sure I'm using the correct house-system for the calculation. :)
Also, I've never heard of Syzygy...? Can it be seen in a chart?
Hahahaha I tried the astrodynes/Cosmodynes, and thought the same thing. It has books and instructions on how to interpret and interpret charts with it though. Books that I haven't gotten a hold of yet and need to soon before they go out of print and circulation.

Zarathu is excellent at it. You should check his posts out.
 
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