Some very good points in these last two posts. It will be really interesting to see the medieval approach applied to MJ's chart.

Tom tells us that

[quote]The temperament is the foundation of the natal reading. We build on it, therefore, step one in the natal reading is to determine the temperament and then everything after that is delineated with the temperament in mind. If the nativity shows a talent for leadership, a choleric might do well in an aggressive business or in the military, a sanguine type might do better heading a department at a university, the melancholic a chain of funeral homes. This sort of thing can be done with most of the houses in one way or another.
[/quote]

So, how d'you do it?

It seems that there are different ways of defining the temperament. Lilly and Coley appear to follow the method I find described by Montulmo, as does Sibley, although the latter combines the temperament coming from the pre-natal epoch with that of the birth chart.

These three sum the various humors, as does Scott Whithers in an article in The Traditional Astrologer (issue 17, September 1998). Scott does seem to cut out many of the counts that Lilly & Co might have included, which is worrying.

And then there's John Frawley in his 'The Real Astrology Applied' who challenges how Lilly et al. apply the method--adjectives vs. nouns.

Finally, Lee Lehman in "Classical Astrology for Modern Living" who seemingly ignores the standard method of Montulmo, Lilly, etc and offers three variants that she calls Triplicity, Seasonal and Traditional, none of which delivers temperament.

Of course, here in my present domicile, temperament should perhaps best be described as " 'tude".

To my questions: just what is the best way to identify temperament? Is it straight counting as per Lilly or is it Frawley's modifying approach?
If, as Tom says, "temperament is the foundation of the natal reading" then there must be an agreed approach to identifying it. Can someone kindly point me towards it?

By the bye, I utterly fail to comprehend just what Tom means by the final sentence in the above quote.

By the bye, I utterly fail to comprehend just what Tom means by the final sentence in the above quote.

And said quote says:

This sort of thing can be done with most of the houses in one way or another.

The problem with answering this in depth is that it would take an entire delineation to do so. I'll use King Charles I chart since emotions do not run too high over a political figure dead over 350 years. He was choleric. He had Mercury in detriment combust. So we have a "hot headed" individual who has difficulty seeing other people's point of view. Were he Sanguine he might have been less intractable even with the combust Mercury. If he were phlegmatic, he would have been less inclined to act out his combust Mercury. If he were melancholic he may have been ponderously reflective with his combust Mercury.

As for the houses, since the temperament is asscociated with the body it is also associated with illnesses, so when delineating the 6th house we take into consideration the native's temperament to determine the nature of persistant or common diseases. If Leo is on the 6th and the native is choleric, a heart attack or other violent heart disease is more likely. If Sanguine there may be other diseases associated with the heart that would likely manifest.

What types of partners is a choleric likely to attract or a sanguine? What kids of studies would interest the various types (9th house)? What kinds of careers? The temperament gives us insights into all of these.

If, as Tom says, "temperament is the foundation of the natal reading" then there must be an agreed approach to identifying it. Can someone kindly point me towards it?

Would that it were so. Widespread serious study of the traditional texts only began in the mid 1980s. We know there is a lot we don't know. Dorian Greenbaum did a great deal of research on this subject and discovered, like a lot of astrology, there is no universal or near universal agreement on how to do it. Dorian came up with her own method, which, when compared to Fralwey's usually produces similar results. John's method makes a great deal of sense especially when it is explained by contrasting it to Lilly's chapter on this subject.

There ain't no easy way.

Tom

Hi Tom,

I totally agree with you about stopping and asking "why?" when reading the older texts. With some authors at least, you can get so caught up with "If you see X, then it means Y" statements, you can lose sight of why and how the techniques are supposed to work. Probably they assumed that if you had already mastered the basics (like in CA1), you would intuitively understand the conceptual background -- so they whisk you through the rest rather quickly.

I think many modern texts make a mistake in the opposite direction: e.g., spending so much time talking about the deep, archetypal, unconscious meaning of Mercury, they overlook the fact that a student needs a lot of "If X, then it means Y" to translate it all into a concrete interpretation.

I'm curious to know how you apply your temperament delineation to other houses. For instance, if the ruler of the 9th is in your 7th, then you have relationships with foreigners, religious people, long-distance relationships, etc. So the 7th house tells you about them. But how does that correlate with the temperament of the native (1st house)? Surely both a melancholic and a choleric person could each have relationships with foreigners?

Apart from medical astrology, temperament seems to me to be a measure of how dynamic the personality is, e.g., careful and reserved (melancholic). One of the things I like about these methods is that you get a multi-faceted character analysis: dynamism (temperament), personality (planetary significator), needs for happiness (rising sign), balance of intellect and emotions (Mercury-Moon).

BTW, here is how I was taught to do temperament. Add up the qualities of:

1. Rising sign
2. Almuten of the ASC
3. Planets in the 1st
4. Planets aspecting the ASC (closest aspects matter more)

If the Moon is in the 1st, the qualities of her phase are important. Mercury changes depending on his influences by aspect (I don't have tons of experience with this).

You can see this differs from Lilly (CA3 p. 533): I don't change the qualities of the planet if it is oriental/occidental, the Moon's phase only matters if she's in the 1st, I don't take the Sun's quarter into account. I *think* this may be because RZ wants the technique to be as ASC-focused as possible, since the ASC signifies the body. The Sun is going to be in the same quarter for everyone at a given time (same with the Moon's phase), so adding them to every temperament calculation takes away from the importance of the ASC. That's my guess.

Best,
Ben

I don't change the qualities of the planet if it is oriental/occidental

Neither do I, but I think I only half-understand the reason for the change and my feeling is that I should know more about this. The reason why I?m presently fascinated with Culpeper, who I?ve read several times before but never with the interest I have at the moment, is because he was on my list of authors whose works I have accessible that I felt would help me understand the reason for the shift of temperament through orientality and occidentality. In fact he doesn?t give much illumination on that at all, and he?s just halted the good research I was doing by dragging me down a whole new exploration of decumbiture, crisis points, herbs and the traditional approach to medicine and expunging destructive humours from the body. I suppose waiting for Dorian?s work might save me a lot of time anyway. But before this all the evidence was leading me to believe that the oriental-occidental shift is terribly underrated, at least in my understanding of it. In physical descriptions significators generally become taller and hairier when oriental ? why is this? If the bodily characteristics change then the temperament must do so likewise.


Regarding Cenned post I?d add that I believe Graeme Tobyn varies from the others as well. I?m actually resistant to do any astrological interpretation that requires me to add numbers up in order to understand how a planet is being expressed. That probably sounds terrible. I do these things to begin with in order to understand the process but once I do understand it I?m guided more by evaluating the chart in its entirety. Whenever I have done them I?ve totted up numbers to find out exactly what seemed obvious to me in the first place. However, these recent posts have made me realise I?ve probably become too slack in my approach. I?ve learned a lot from the forum over the last couple of days, from Mark?s probings, Ben and Tom?s structured knowledge and Kirk and Kevin?s inspiring reflections.

My probings? One thing I have learned from my natal is that my ASC ruler is Mars is in mutual reception with Mercury, which Lilly calls a "piercing wit." And I have often pitied the person who's on the end of me asking them a barrage of not-stop questions.

Good topic, but MJ's just been left in the wake. Not that I particularly care. But I would like to see how a chart can show a person who's born black but becomes white. That's some serious mutability there.

Hi Mark and Deb,

I've wondered about the oriental and occidental differences myself, and assumed it had to do with the fact that an oriental planet for a time anyway, is visible on its own (more or less; it still needs the Sun to become visable) where as an occidental planet is not. Therefore there should be differences. I've never gone beyond that point, but I probably should.

I'm curious to know how you apply your temperament delineation to other houses. For instance, if the ruler of the 9th is in your 7th, then you have relationships with foreigners, religious people, long-distance relationships, etc. So the 7th house tells you about them. But how does that correlate with the temperament of the native (1st house)? Surely both a melancholic and a choleric person could each have relationships with foreigners?

To use John Frawley's explanation (and I use his so often because the are usually so clear) the temperament is the cloth from which the clothing is made. It can be rugged like denim or fine like silk. We can, of course make something like a denim tuxedo or silk work clothes but they are still denim and silk. That they are denim and silk tells us something about the clothes, but the denim and silk do not change.

Our temperament does not change. It can be controlled a bit but it does not change. A sanguine type can go to the gym and bulk up but what we have is a sanguine with muscles, not a choleric. (Again thanks to Mr. Frawley).

As to Mark's question: A choleric (hot and dry) native is going to be complimented by a cold and moist person (to a point: if the native is extremely choleric and the other is extremely phlegmatic, they are not going to understand each other. If they are both moderately choleric and phlegmatic they will compliment each other well). In your example, the native will be attracted to a foreign born or other 9th house type that compliments his temperament. If the ruler of the 7th were in the 4th, the native would find his temperamental compliment closer to home. For a full explanation of complimentary temperaments in synastry see The Real Astrology chapter 15.

The first house is only part of the temperament. It is, admitedly an important part. I've been surprised a few times when working out a temperament to find the person is not what I expected at all, and my expectations were based on either reputation or the ASC and its ruler.

As I noted in a post above there are several ways of working out a temperament, and I'm eager to read Dorian's work on the subject to see what her research has revealed. Like anything in astrology we have to find the technique that suits us best and stick with it. I don't like adding them up like Lilly does and Lee Lehman does as well. Like Frawley says take a man; let's say he is an effeminate man. No matter how many adjectives we use to describe him, he does not become a woman. The same is true of temperament.

Most of us have all of the temperaments in our make up to one degree or another. Usually one, sometimes two dominates. In theory balance is the ideal. We usually need every one of the four now and again. For this reason if one is missing entirely, that too becomes important in the delineation. But again, this is rough work. It is the foundation. It is not the fine points; it is part of the fine points. And then each temperament is expressed through the significator of the manners, another topic entirely.

Tom

Hi Tom,

OK, that's interesting -- so the delineation of the temperament is applied to advice in the form of synastry. I didn't know Frawley had a section on that, I'll have to check it out.

Zoller does something similar with the rulers of the ASC: each of the rulers shows by house and condition whether and how the native gets personal happiness needs (shown by the ASC) met. Most people gravitate towards the domicile ruler, but if it is afflicted and weak, they may find their efforts to achieve satisfaction stymied. The astrologer can look at the other rulers and offer them alternate paths to follow.

E.g., let a water sign be rising, and the domicile ruler be in the 10th. The native needs emotional security, to feel that everything's all right (water), and tries to achieve that sense of security through ambition and deeds that achieve a good reputation (10th). But the ruler is afflicted, in detriment, etc. So the native will try and try but never seems to get the sense of safety about life he craves. But if the exalted ruler is strong in the 7th, the astrologer can suggest cultivating his relationships and cooperative partnerships as an alternate path to that sense of security and stability in life.

Ben

Hi,

As promised, here is the first installment in my medieval delineation of Michael Jackson?s chart. I?ll post the installments in the order that I usually delineate, so I?ll start with character, personality, and personal happiness. I haven?t decided whether I?ll do health. In each installment, I?ll start by showing the testimonies I consider, and end with a non-technical summary of the sort I would want to show the native him/herself.

Disclaimer 1: I?ve seen several birthtimes for MJ, and I don?t know which one is the right one (I?ve seen one with Aries rising), so I?m going to go with the natal figure posted above. Fingers crossed!

Disclaimer 2: I?ve never read an MJ biography, so I?m basically treating him as an unknown person aside from a few public facts; and you?ll see that while medieval astrology has a psychology, it?s more in the vein of classical philosophers ? i.e., character based. So even if I knew his biography well, I wouldn?t be able to do any of the deep psychological treatments as found in modern astrology.

Michael Jackson Character and Body

Temperament

ASC: Gemini (Hot, Wet)
Almuten: Merc (Hot, more Dry)
Moon square ASC (Cold, Wet)
Venus sextile ASC (Hot, Wet)
Saturn oppose ASC (Cold, Dry)

Hot = 3, Cold = 2, Wet = 3, Dry = 2: Hot and Wet.

Temperament is sanguine. Humanitarian, liberal, artistic, creative. Artist, musician, active, people-connected activities.

Physiognomy
Gendered body type: Gemini rising, and the majority of planets aspecting the ASC and almuten are masculine: body inclines more towards masculine.

Modal type: Motive (2nd decan Gemini): long rectangle (Gemini) with a triangle (decan). Longish, masculine body with broader shoulders and narrower waist and hips.

Height and weight: tall (Gemini), esp. with all the masculine motive planets aspecting the almuten and ASC.

Planetary body type:
ASC: Saturn opposes by 4.55, Venus sextile by 3.04, Moon squares by 2.48.
Almuten (Mercury): conjuncts Sun by over 10.00, trine Saturn by 6.12, square Mars by 3.13.

Even though Saturn is farther away than the other planets, he is the most angular above the horizon, and aspects both; and his body type is more in line with the other bodily testimonies that show height rather than round (Moon) or short and squarish (Mars).

Saturn: hard-working, suffering, serious, scientific, criminal. Suffers in silence; dreary and sad. Wisdom achieved through suffering, experience and study. An anti-social streak.


Prime Motivation:
Gemini: The native seeks freedom of expression and movement, using airy means like speech, interactions, ideas.

Rulers:
? Dom/almuten: Mercury. In 4th, retrograde, sunbeams, angular. Afflicted by Saturn. Tries through the family, using speech, ideas, and business. Somewhat successful here, with fear, setbacks, and difficulties.
? Exalt:
? Trip: Mercury. See above.
? Trip: Saturn. In 7th, in triplicity, angular. Through marriage and partnerships. They will be better if over business and property, not if they are marriages.
? Trip: Jupiter. In 5th, triplicity, succeedent. Through entertainments, children, having fun, esp. through singing, travel, generosity and money-related ventures. Successful here.
? Term: Venus. In 4th, afflicted by Mars, angular. Through family and the home, using love, partying, women and beauty. Pretty successful here, despite the affliction.
? Decan: Mars. In 12th, detriment, cadent. Through his private life. Unsuccessful here.

Aspecting ASC:
? Square Moon by 2.48. Adds glamorous, fantasy reputation and position and actions.
? Sextile Venus by 3.04. Adds a love of home and family; a nice home and family.
? Oppose Saturn by 4.55. Adds contentions with enemies, marriages that are sad.

Native seeks freedom of expression and movement, using speech, interactions, ideas, seeking a glamorous, fantasy reputation and position; he has a love of home and family, and tends to engage in contentions with enemies and marriages that are sad.

He is somewhat successful in achieving this happiness through his family (using speech, ideas, business); and more so through entertainments, children and having fun, esp. through singing, travel, generosity and money-related ventures; and less so through Venusian activities involving the home, i.e., a beautiful home, partying, etc.

The native will be unsuccessful in any attempts to achieve this freedom in his private life; indeed he has secret enemies and these private, hidden things will work against him. He should also be careful about his partnerships with others ? any marriages will be colored with gloom and sadness, and he has open enemies; but perhaps if they involve business or property relations (Saturn) they will contribute more to his happiness.


Quality of Mind:
Mercury: retrograde, angular, sunbeams. Leo. Afflicted by Mars. Fixed.
Moon: Angular, triplicity. Afflicted by Saturn. Mutable.
Moon is stronger; no relation between them; moon squares ASC.

Native lives more according to the pleasures of the senses than the intellect; and these will tend to diverge from and conflict with the intellect. Emotions/desires are more changeable and it is difficult for him to know what he seeks; but his mind is more fixed and stable. The thrust of his mind is honest, gentle (Jupiter disposes Moon, sextiles both Mercury and Mercury?s dispositor). Afflictions show less stability and sharpness: harshness of emotions: Mars shows a quarrelsome mind and unjust; Saturn shows dishonest emotions.

Lilly?s method shows Saturn (good condition) and Mars (bad condition) as signifying manners because they aspect Mercury and the Moon. See above.



Triplicity rulers of Angles:
ASC: Mercury (angular but highly afflicted); Saturn (angular, unafflicted), Jupiter (succeedent, unafflicted).
MC: Same.
Native?s ability to achieve what he wants out of life is realized, but afflicted by, his family members, in the first 1/3of life; he becomes known for, and engages in, sad and difficult partnerships and encounters with enemies in the middle third. In the last 1/3 of life, he achieves more happiness and peace, being known for actions that are generous, fun, wise; travel, children, etc.

Interpretation Summary:

Native is a sanguine personality, creative, liberal, artistic, engaged in people-oriented activities. He is hard-working, suffers and is aware of suffering; tends toward dreary and sad, achieving wisdom through suffering and experience, and with an anti-social streak.

Native lives more according to the pleasures of the senses than the intellect. The emotions are more changeable, it is difficult for him to know what he seeks, and there are signs of dishonest emotions; emotions diverge from and conflict with his intellect; his intellect is more fixed and stable but he has a quarrelsome mind. Still, the general thrust of his mind is honest.

Native?s body is masculine, with short trunk and longer arms and legs; broad shoulders and narrower waist and hips suggesting a triangle superimposed on a longish rectangle. His height is about 6?, and normal weight between 157-170#.

In terms of his personal happiness, the native seeks the freedom of expression and movement, using speech, interactions, ideas, seeking a glamorous, fantasy reputation and position; he has a love of home and family, and tends to engage in contentions with enemies and marriages that are sad.

He is successful in achieving this happiness through his family (using speech, ideas, business); through entertainments, children and having fun, esp. through singing, travel, generosity and money-related ventures; and less so through Venusian activities involving the home, i.e., a beautiful home, partying, etc.

The native will be unsuccessful in attempts to achieve this freedom in his private life; indeed he has secret enemies and these private, hidden things will work against him. He should also be careful about his partnerships with others ? any marriages will tend to be gloomy and sad; but perhaps if they involve business or property relations (Saturn) they will contribute more to his happiness.

The first third of life will see him finding what he wants out of life on account of family, but he will also be afflicted and encounter difficulties here. The second third of life will see him in sad and difficult relationships and encounters with enemies, though his efforts and activities are strong. The third third of life will see him enjoying himself more and being happier ? pleasure, travel, enjoyment, perhaps teaching or being wise; good relationships and friends.

Michael Jackson ?Rank of Fame? Delineation
Rank of fame deals with the native?s reputation and the actual level of social contribution and power/influence he or she operates at. So it is a kind if mixture of what other people think, along with the real actions and influence that affect (and effect) reputation.

The sun is used as a natural significator of fame, along with the MC, plus some other considerations such the ?slavery? considerations: e.g., how powerful the malefics are versus the benefics and luminaries. In medieval astrology, people with malefics more pronounced tend to have a lower quality of life, encounter more difficulties and struggle ? which clearly affects one?s rank of fame.

Below I also use profections, firdaria, and primary directions to determine times of fame and increased reputation.

N.B.: I did some quick research on the internet to find dates of album releases and so on, since those are obvious signs of fame. But I often found that different websites have conflicting dates (or even the year!) of some releases. And Sony leaves out a number of things I had to find elsewhere. If anyone else knows of events that match the dates below, I?d be grateful (I really don?t feel like reading his whole autobiography!)

Sun
Angular, unafflicted, but in 4th house below horizon. Fame is indicated.
Sextile Jupiter: the native is known as generous, expansive, philosophical, native often exaggerates.
Dispositor Mercury: in the 4th, conjunct Sun. Fame on account of his family.

10th
Planets in the 10th: Moon. Angular; afflicted by Saturn.

Planets aspecting the MC: Venus opposes by 1.33, Mars squares by 3.15, Saturn sextiles by 0.16.

Rulers of MC:
? Saturn. Angular, triplicity, trine Mercury, square Moon, trine Venus.
? Mercury. Angular, retrograde, sunbeams, afflicted by Mars.
? Jupiter. Succeedent, unafflicted,
Almuten MC: Saturn.

Native is known for actions that are:
Saturn (strongest, most testimonies): involve difficult partnerships and contentions with enemies; hard work, discipline, suspicion.
Also Venereal activities (she is the primary professional significator) and self-destructive actions, afflictions by enemies.

Slavery:
Luminaries angular; benefics angular/succeedent.
Malefics are elevated above sun, and one is angular; Moon is afflicted by Saturn; Mars in 12th.

Liber Hermetis:
Moon applies to both malefics. Native?s fame (and reputation, in 10th) turns difficult and afflicted.

Firmicus: none.

Native is not at the greatest heights of service, but is not held down and it looks as though he achieves a high level. Look for things to turn downward as time goes on, with difficulties and afflictions.

Doryphory
Mercury is oriental and aspects the Sun. Saturn is occidental and aspects the Moon. Their almutens are Jupiter and the Sun: each is strong, unafflicted. This adds more fame, honor, entertainment, pleasure that the native is known for.

5 planets are angular and 4 aspect the angles; Moon is afflicted. The native has a fairly strong social functioning.

When
Firdaria of the Sun:
As chief firdar ruler: Aug 2002 ? Aug 2012: not sure; just began.

As sub-firdar ruler:
Oct 1963 ? Feb 1965 (age 5-6): Jackson 5 comes to fame.
May 72 ? Dec 73 (age 13-16): Jackson 5 records series of hit singles.
Feb 82 ? Oct 83 (age 23-25): Thriller released, huge international star.
Aug 91 ? Aug 92 (age 33-34): Dangerous released; he starts an international relief foundation.
Jul 2019 ? Aug 2020 (age 61-62):
Dec 2029 ? Oct 2031 (age 71-73):


Profection of the 10th to itself:
Age 24 (1982): Thriller released; huge international star.
Age 36 (1994): Highly publicized marriage to Lisa Marie Presley; first scandal over boy erupts.
Age 48 (2006):
Age 60 (2018):

Primary directions:
Sun to sextile Jupiter (as benefic and playing part in the doryphory): June 1965 (age 7): Not sure.
ASC to square Sun: Sept 1965 (age 7): not sure.
ASC to sextile Sun (converse): Sept 1981 (age 23): not sure.
MC to conjunct Moon (planet in 10th): Mar 1984 (age 25): not sure.
ASC to trine Sun: May 1988 (age 29): not sure.
Sun to square Jupiter: Nov 97 (age 39): unsure; Blood on the Dance Floor released in November.
MC to trine Sun: Jan 2003 (age 44): unsure.
Sun to conjunct Jupiter (converse): June 2010 (age 51)
Sun to oppose Moon (planet in 10th): June 2010 (age 51)

I don?t have information on his locations during solar returns, or else benefics in the 10th during a solar return are supposed to show fame for that year.

The native will eventually suffer on account of enemies and poor relationships (Saturn angular, sextile MC and opposing ASC); but the native?s fame/reputation will generally remain strong.


Summary:

Native will achieve fame on account of his family, and will be known as being generous, philosophical, and as an exaggerator [could this be extravagance and excess, esp. because of the 5th house location of Jupiter? He has been criticized for his exaggerated sense of self]. He will be known for actions involving difficult partnerships and contentions with enemies, hard work, suspicion, along with self-destructive actions and afflictions by enemies. (He will also be known because of his professional activities, which are related to arts, music, entertainment ? see professional delineation in later installment).

As time passes the native?s reputation will become more difficult and afflicted, but generally speaking his fame remains strong, and he will probably achieve a rather high level of fame, with important social functioning.

As for periods when fame is achieved, see above. But note:

Thriller came out and brought great fame during the period of the firdar of the Sun and Jupiter (Feb 82 ? Oct 83) and the profection of the 10th to itself (Aug 82-83). The Sun is the natural significator of fame, but Jupiter sextiles him and shares in the doryphory rulership, so this would make sense.

From Oct 2009 ? Mar 2011, his firdaria rulers are again the Sun and Jupiter, and the converse direction of the Sun to Jupiter takes place in roughly June 2010, as does the Sun directed to oppose the Moon. His life (ASC) and actions (MC) should be ruled by their third triplicity ruler Jupiter by that time, so I would expect this period, especially 2010, to be a time of increased fame, social functioning and happiness.

See above for other matches between predictive techniques and life events.

Michael Jackson's Profession or Mastery
?Profession? here has to do with a fundamental skill the native has for his/her whole life, and which wants to be expressed; it relates to what the native is meant to do in society. The goal is to identify a planet or planets that govern a certain range of abilities. The profession or mastery may not be the native?s day job.

Planets in/aspecting angles:
Moon (10th) ? I already said this involves glamour
Saturn (7th)
Venus (4th)
Mercury (4th)
Sun (4th)

Favor Venus and Mercury; Venus is closer to the cusp so gets favored.

Rulers of angles (all of which are almutens, too):
1st: Mercury. Angular, sunbeams, afflicted by a Mars square.
10th: Saturn. Angular, triplicity, unafflicted, trined by Venus, aspecting MC closest of all.
7th: Jupiter. Succeedent, unafflicted.
4th: Sun. angular, unafflicted.

Don?t make Mercury the main significator because Venus is more angular and aspects the MC. But he should be considered secondary because of his rulership of the 1st and his angularity.
Saturn should be considered as an addition because of his rulership of the MC and his close aspect to it (and the ASC).

Professional significator is Venus with Mercury participating; and Saturn added in. Look to Ptolemy for a description of Venus-Mercury and Saturn aspecting (Tet. IV.4).

The almuten of these three is the Sun, which adds glamour, authority; activities where presence is important.

With so many planets angular, the native has a number of skills.

Venus and Mercury are angular, so strong; but they are afflicted by a square from Mars (in detriment in the 12th, ruler of 6th, exalted ruler of 8th). So the native?s skill is high. But he will incur danger and destruction on account of his profession, likely from hidden enemies or the native?s own self-destruction (12th) ? incarceration and condemnation.

Summary:
The native?s ?profession? or personal skill that wants to be expressed, is related to activities in music, theater, entertainment, and pretty things, and professions related to women?s finery. Look for professions that involve visibility and personal presence or even glamour. The previous delineation of Rank of Fame showed that the native does experience fame, so it is reasonable that what he is famous for is also his profession (instead of it being a special hobby unrelated to his day job).

The native?s skill is high; but there is danger of incarceration, troubles, condemnation, on account of hidden enemies or self-destruction on account of it.

Michael Jackson Financial Significator
This delineation focuses both on a cluster of significators of wealth (Jupiter, Moon, rulers of the 2nd) and a special significator that is supposed to show where the native makes his wealth, whether by good or bad means, etc. Then there are some predictive techniques (some of which I omit since I don?t know the state of his income levels!)

One thing not apparent in this delineation is that the financial significator is found through a ranking system: starting with the POF, you see if each candidate meets certain criteria. If it fails, you reject it as the significator and move to the next one. The more you reject, the poorer the native is. In MJ?s case, the POF is in a good situation, with a very benefic Jupiter as its dispositor ? so it was the significator, indicates strong, wealth, and there was no need to go any further.


General

1. Rulers of the 2nd:
Almuten/domicile: Moon. Angular in 10th; afflicted by Saturn square. She can perform but not at high level.
Exalted: Jupiter. Succeedent in 5th, in triplicity and unafflicted.
Triplicity: Mars. Detriment and cadent. Cannot perform.
Triplicity: Venus. Angular in 4th. Afflicted by square to Mars. She can perform but not at high level.
Triplicity: Moon. See above.
Term: Mars. See above.

Jupiter: The native?s strongest and most lasting source of income by this method is through activities involving entertainment (5th), children (5th), travel, teaching (Jupiter by nature).

2. Triplicity rulers of 2nd corresponding to 1/3 of life:
First third: Mars. Cadent, detriment. Income lowest here.
Second third: Venus. Angular, afflicted by Mars. Income strong.
Third third: Moon. Angular, afflicted by Saturn. Income strong.

3. Jupiter (natural significator of substance)
See above.

4. Moon (another natural significator)
See above.

So native does have wealth that comes mainly from activities surrounding entertainment, children, travel, teaching. His income will increase as he gets older, and while there are troubles and contentions afflicting his money situation, generally things look good.


Specific significator (FS)
a. Part of Fortune (3 Sag 29). Unafflicted. Triplicity ruler Sun aspects it, and the Sun is himself unafflicted and strong.

The POF is the special financial significator. Being at the top of the list, it shows wealth and ease in getting it. Its dispositor is Jupiter, succeedent and unafflicted in the 5th ? again, from entertainments, etc.

By quadrant, its almuten is Mars. By whole sign houses, its almuten is Jupiter.
Where the native gets his wealth:
POF in the 6th: native gets wealth from subordinates and people who attend to him. (Could this mean fans?)
Almuten of the 6th is in the 12th: from institutions, confinements, secret enemies. (Could this mean on account of difficult contracts and other means that make life confining?)
By whole sign houses, the almuten of the POF is Jupiter (see above).

By what activities:
Ruler of POF is Jupiter, unafflicted: from offices and responsibilities, managing important things.

Legality and licitness of the wealth:
Again, the ruler is Jupiter. He sextiles the Sun, significator of fame. So the native makes his money by licit and laudable means.

Location of the ruler of the ASC:
In the 4th. The family and the native?s property (i.e., immoveable property like a home) also plays a positive role in his accumulation of wealth.

When wealth is gotten:
Triplicity rulers (see above): in the latter 2/3 of life.

Primary direction of POF:
Square the MC: Sept 1977 (Age 19)
Oppose ASC: August 1988 (Age 29-30)
Sextile Sun: June 1994 (Age 35)
Trine Sun: Feb 1997 (Age 38]
(Remember primary directions don?t show every important event)

Profecting the 2nd house is probably not worth doing, in an extensive way, since you?d pretty much have to be his accountant to know what his income was year to year. But I do note that his profected 2nd comes to the 12th house this year, which has a Mars in detriment (he also afflicts the ruler of the 12th). Malefics mean expenses, so the native will have many debts and expenses this year.

Firdar of the FS?s ruler (Jupiter): Aug 1978 ? Aug 1990 (Ages 20 ? 32).

Summary:
The native?s wealth is strong and comes easily. His most lasting and strong source of income some on account of activities involving entertainment, fun, children, teaching and traveling. He will have important managerial responsibilities in earning it, and he will make his money by licit and laudable means.

His family and property will also play a positive role in his accumulation of wealth.

He may also gain wealth on account of subordinates or people serving him; and institutions or secret enemies or otherwise things that confine and restrict him. [Note: if this is correct, perhaps it means fans and restrictive contracts and managers? I favor Jupiter, but there may be something to this.]

His wealth will be greatest in the last 2/3 of life, and there will be an extra emphasis on finances from 1978-90. [Note his great fame and wealth during this period, especially the Jupiter-Sun firdar ? Jupiter is wealth, the Sun fame, and they are strong and in aspect in the natal figure.]