Greybeard
27-08-2011, 08:12 AM
In psychology, the term Accidental means adventitious or of external origin, in contradistinction to that which is endowed or of inherent origin. Accidental experiences are of two kinds: dispositional when they occur early in life and strongly influence character development, and definitive when they occur later in life and act as precipitating or provocative agents. The timing of such events can be seen by measuring the directional arcs between sensitive points of the horoscope (angles and planets). The closer aspects produce events before the more distant ones.
The astrologer can easily and quickly get a close estimate of the timing of such life-forming events by simply counting the number of degrees between the two planets (or planet and sensitive point) that symbolize the event.
A woman (3 July 1953; 1926; Walnut Creek, California) has the Moon in the Third House at three degrees from the Nadir; we suggest that at the age of three she experiences an important change of residence, as well as changes in her relationship with a parent or the parents. Simultaneously with this direction, Saturn comes to the Midheaven by direction. There were certainly important events concerning both parents here. The 6-degree opposition of Moon to Saturn is activated at age three by the directions to and from the meridian angles. Her reply to our conjecture: she moved from America to Germany, there was abuse, the relationship with the mother in particular is deeply affected. She says that a psychiatrist she consulted as an adult focused strongly on her age three. Other aspects give us definition as to what exactly happened during this formative (dispositional) period or set of episodes. The Moon is in Aries and shows the nature of her response to the events, how the accidental aspects activated the essential nature (in Aries) of Moon.
In another case, a man has Moon in the Ninth House opposed to Saturn in the Fourth (I no longer have this chart in my files) with an applying (zodiacal) orb of 13°. I told him that “at the age of 13 you were saddled with heavy responsibility, compelled to assume burdensome duties; the mother went to a foreign country.” In fact, at that age his mother abandoned the family for another man, went to Canada, and the boy, who was the eldest child in the family, had to assume many of the duties of the mother to help raise the younger children. Here is a definitive accidental event. Naturally this set of events produced deep, life-long psychological effects in him that are described by the Moon- Saturn opposition. Notice the wide orb of 13° which some astrologers would not allow as effective, yet the aspect manifested very clearly and powerfully.
In astrology, planets are said to have dignity (or to be debilitated). The dignities and debilities of the planets are divided into two broad classes. The first of these is Essential Dignity, which is based wholly on the sign position of the planet. Essential dignity, in the psychological sense, indicates inherent or endowed characteristics of the personality. The second class of "dignity" in astrology is Accidental Dignity. This type of astrological dignity represents "events" (experiential, or circumstantial) and indicates things affecting the personality that are adventitious or of external origin.
The essential dignities (in domicile,or exalted -- along with their opposites "in detriment, in fall", showing debility) are very well defined. You can find lists of these dignities and debilities on many astrology websites.
On the other hand, the accidental dignities have never been clearly defined, which is a reflection of their adventitious nature. One of these dignities occurs when a planet is angular. An angular planet is one which stands close to one of the 4 Angles of the horoscope (Ascendant, Midheaven, Descendant or Nadir) and is within 10 degrees or so of the Angle. An angular planet is always a powerful influence in the life; it manifests through external events or life-patterns and will be involved in critical junctures in the life, creating turning points that very often change life-direction.
But in general an astrologer must weigh many factors in order to determine whether a planet is accidentally dignified, accidentally debilitated, or simply peregrine (a condition in which the planet has neither dignity nor debility). A planet's condition -- dignified or debilitated -- will determine how it acts in the life, whether it works more constructively or destructively. Observation shows that even planets that are dignified can work toward the downfall of a person, however; there can be "too much of a good thing". To make "snap judgments" when interpreting a horoscope can lead to egregious error.
A chart in which there are a good many planets in essential dignity usually indicates a life that is relatively "easy", successful, bountiful and rewarding. Where the opposite occurs, the likelihood is of setbacks, difficulties, and more limited success. A single powerful and well-conditioned planet can offset and even overcome these debilitated planets, but only at the cost of special effort. Also, the tenor of the chart taken as a whole must be gauged. A horoscope must always be judged as a whole. It represents the most complex organism we know of -- a human being -- and so that complexity must be reflected in the horoscope, and therefore judgment or interpretation is complex as well.
The dignities and debilities of the planets, both essential and accidental,are just one set of astrological tools among many sets that allow an astrologer to analyze with a high degree of certainty this most complex of organisms.
In the two examples given above, the statements made came from planets with some accidental dignity. They were angular and therefore could be expected to produce events or conditions that were quite apparent. The events were important in forming patterns of behavior in the life because they were angular. So, we see that the horoscope of any person will tell us not only the types of events, the people involved in them, the timing of them in the life, but also the psychological or other outcome of these accidents of life.
The astrologer can easily and quickly get a close estimate of the timing of such life-forming events by simply counting the number of degrees between the two planets (or planet and sensitive point) that symbolize the event.
A woman (3 July 1953; 1926; Walnut Creek, California) has the Moon in the Third House at three degrees from the Nadir; we suggest that at the age of three she experiences an important change of residence, as well as changes in her relationship with a parent or the parents. Simultaneously with this direction, Saturn comes to the Midheaven by direction. There were certainly important events concerning both parents here. The 6-degree opposition of Moon to Saturn is activated at age three by the directions to and from the meridian angles. Her reply to our conjecture: she moved from America to Germany, there was abuse, the relationship with the mother in particular is deeply affected. She says that a psychiatrist she consulted as an adult focused strongly on her age three. Other aspects give us definition as to what exactly happened during this formative (dispositional) period or set of episodes. The Moon is in Aries and shows the nature of her response to the events, how the accidental aspects activated the essential nature (in Aries) of Moon.
In another case, a man has Moon in the Ninth House opposed to Saturn in the Fourth (I no longer have this chart in my files) with an applying (zodiacal) orb of 13°. I told him that “at the age of 13 you were saddled with heavy responsibility, compelled to assume burdensome duties; the mother went to a foreign country.” In fact, at that age his mother abandoned the family for another man, went to Canada, and the boy, who was the eldest child in the family, had to assume many of the duties of the mother to help raise the younger children. Here is a definitive accidental event. Naturally this set of events produced deep, life-long psychological effects in him that are described by the Moon- Saturn opposition. Notice the wide orb of 13° which some astrologers would not allow as effective, yet the aspect manifested very clearly and powerfully.
In astrology, planets are said to have dignity (or to be debilitated). The dignities and debilities of the planets are divided into two broad classes. The first of these is Essential Dignity, which is based wholly on the sign position of the planet. Essential dignity, in the psychological sense, indicates inherent or endowed characteristics of the personality. The second class of "dignity" in astrology is Accidental Dignity. This type of astrological dignity represents "events" (experiential, or circumstantial) and indicates things affecting the personality that are adventitious or of external origin.
The essential dignities (in domicile,or exalted -- along with their opposites "in detriment, in fall", showing debility) are very well defined. You can find lists of these dignities and debilities on many astrology websites.
On the other hand, the accidental dignities have never been clearly defined, which is a reflection of their adventitious nature. One of these dignities occurs when a planet is angular. An angular planet is one which stands close to one of the 4 Angles of the horoscope (Ascendant, Midheaven, Descendant or Nadir) and is within 10 degrees or so of the Angle. An angular planet is always a powerful influence in the life; it manifests through external events or life-patterns and will be involved in critical junctures in the life, creating turning points that very often change life-direction.
But in general an astrologer must weigh many factors in order to determine whether a planet is accidentally dignified, accidentally debilitated, or simply peregrine (a condition in which the planet has neither dignity nor debility). A planet's condition -- dignified or debilitated -- will determine how it acts in the life, whether it works more constructively or destructively. Observation shows that even planets that are dignified can work toward the downfall of a person, however; there can be "too much of a good thing". To make "snap judgments" when interpreting a horoscope can lead to egregious error.
A chart in which there are a good many planets in essential dignity usually indicates a life that is relatively "easy", successful, bountiful and rewarding. Where the opposite occurs, the likelihood is of setbacks, difficulties, and more limited success. A single powerful and well-conditioned planet can offset and even overcome these debilitated planets, but only at the cost of special effort. Also, the tenor of the chart taken as a whole must be gauged. A horoscope must always be judged as a whole. It represents the most complex organism we know of -- a human being -- and so that complexity must be reflected in the horoscope, and therefore judgment or interpretation is complex as well.
The dignities and debilities of the planets, both essential and accidental,are just one set of astrological tools among many sets that allow an astrologer to analyze with a high degree of certainty this most complex of organisms.
In the two examples given above, the statements made came from planets with some accidental dignity. They were angular and therefore could be expected to produce events or conditions that were quite apparent. The events were important in forming patterns of behavior in the life because they were angular. So, we see that the horoscope of any person will tell us not only the types of events, the people involved in them, the timing of them in the life, but also the psychological or other outcome of these accidents of life.