I came down with a cold on 03/16/2010 and have had it ever since, almost getting well and then relapsing three times so far. To put this in perspective, I hardly ever get sick - it's been three years since my last cold - and when I do get sick it isn't for very long. What's happening to me now is extremely unusual. This is not a decumbiture chart, as I have never felt bad enough to give up and go to bed. The main lingering symptoms are malaise and a racking cough which is much worse at night - all night, every night!

I have tried to do my own interpretation of this chart, but my head is fuzzy and it isn't making much sense to me. My significator is Mars in Leo in the 5th and this did start as a febrile illness. The significator of the 6th house is Mercury which is in the 12th, perhaps indicating some hidden cause. Mars and Mercury have no direct connection (other than both being in fire signs). Moon on the cusp of the 6th makes me think that there could also be an emotional component. The Moon has Mercury as ruler, exaltation and term, so there is some connection there, but I can't make out what it is. I also don't know what to make of the significator of the illness being ruled by my significator; wouldn't Mercury being ruled by Mars make it easier for me to throw off the illness? Saturn retrograde is also in the 6th and falls in term, face and detriment for Mars, so perhaps this is also affecting the situation.

My question is about timing and none of the significators (including potentially Saturn) have aspects between them so I do not know where to look. My only thought is perhaps when Mercury crosses the Ascendent things will change. This occurs in a little over 4 degrees, and 4 days from the date of the chart have already passed (please let it not be another 4 weeks).

Hello cx61...

I believe that the main problem is that Saturn inside 6th, afflicting your ruler and posited in a sign of enmity to Mars (also, Saturn is cold and Libra is air). I believe that as soon as Mars get out of Saturn's orb for good you will feel a lot better. Remember that Mars went retrograde, so it hit Saturn 3 times, once direct to 1st station, once retrograde, once 2nd station to direct, so it may be a symbolism fit for those recurrences.

As a side note, I'm having some problems with sickness for the past 3 years, which is how long Saturn stays in a sign. Virgo is in my 6th cusp, and everytime Saturn went retrograde in Virgo I got sick, and this worked like a clock. And it's happening again

First of all, when I entered your data, March 27, 2010 at 7:41 am in Portland Oregon, USA into Solar Fire, I got a different chart. Eighteen Taurus 32 rises.

Using the things I learned from John Frawley's Horary Textbook, I looked to the condition of Venus, L1 and found her in detriment and in the 12th house, so it is no wonder that you are ill.

You ought to feel better when she gets to her own sign of Taurus, in five degrees and two minutes, which corresponds to five plus a tad units of time. In this case, she is in a Cardinal sign, where Frawley says time is slow, but a cadent house, where it is fast. Hence it is middling. If we select days, weeks and months for possible units, it would appear that you will feel better in five weeks, plus a couple of days, from the day you asked the question.

And now a suggestion. A cold that lingers and lingers is often not a cold at all, but rather allergies, and this is a prime season for them. You may wish to get yourself tested. Or you might just try some OTC allergy meds to see if they help. Ask a pharmacist which ones to try. Good luck to you.

Ellen

Ellen wrote:
In this case, she is in a Cardinal sign, where Frawley says time is slow, but a cadent house, where it is fast.
Ellen

Hi, Ellen, I spotted this in your answer; it seems that Frawley's explanation of the apparent swiftness of the cadent houses is a part of his book that causes most confusion among astrologers. it is probably just a wrong choice of words.
These houses are "fast" because the Querent usually has no influence over the situation and hence- the things seem to fall down from the sky i.e. they happen. it is not an indication of a possibility for the adequate action but rather an indication of the lack of it. Since the Querent cannot change the course of the events (they're outside of his control because his ruler is cadent and accidentally weak), the development of the situation appears fast.

But, a few months ago, in another thread, Deb was kind enough to share her own explanation of this placement in regards to the passage from Frawley's textbook. I have found her post and here's what she said:

The principle is that angularity gives force, so a planet that is angular is able to achieve its intention more quickly than a planet that is cadent. Let?s say that the indication of perfection was the querent?s significator moving to the trine of the quesited?s significator. If the querent?s significator is angular it will have a more forceful influence than if it was cadent, and its influence will make the event happen more quickly.

But if the querent does not want something to happen, or is trying to evade an inevitable loss (say the loss of a job ? or having to repay a debt), then being angular would give the querent?s significator more influence to resist the situation, so it can hold out longer. If it were cadent then its influence is weak and its force for resistance is low, so the event happens quickly because the defence collapses. This is the only reason why there appears to be a contradictory explanation in the traditional sources ? but as you can see, the underlying principle is consistent, it only varies according to context.

Thanks for that explanation, Aglaya! I didn't read Deb's post before. When I read Ellen's post I was confused why she'd flip things a bit...

In general Lilly says (Christian Astrology):

Observe if the Planet that is Significator of the thing desired, be in a fixed Signe, moveable, or common: fixed Signes shew stability, and that the thing shall continue, whether it be begun, or is to be begun: common Signes shew the oft probability of perfecting the thing, and yet not its conclusion: moveable Signes shew a sudden resolution or conclusion of the matter one way or other. From hence we being Foundations of Houses and Townes when Significators are fixed; short Journey when they are moveable: but in things wherein we define mediocrity, we elect common Signes.

Moveable Signes shew Dayes.
Common Signes, Weeks or Moneths.
Fixed Signes, Moneths or Yeers.
Angles are equivalent to moveable Signes.
Succeedant to common Signes.
Cadent to fixed Signes.

...for the Swiftnesse of a Planet in a moveable Signe doth somewhat hasten the time; a double bodied Signe doth not manifest so soon; fixed Signes prolong the matter; however, this is worthy of your consideration, that let the Significator be in what Signe he will be, yet if he be swift in motion and direct, he doth make the more haste in performance of the businesse he is a Significator in, and causeth the matter sooner to be accomplished..

Ellen, weird about the ASC being under a different sign in your program.

Anyone else know what the sign rising is - Aries or Taurus? Astro.com is usually accurate.