Skyscript Astrology Forum

Posted: **Mon Feb 26, 2007 6:44 pm**

Hi everyone!
Recently I`ve had a talk to a friend of mine, an astrologer. He asked me if I didn`t find the usage of triplicities unlogical. The dignity given by triplicity is based on the principle of the diurnal and nocturnal planets. For example Mars is nocturnal because he is too hot and dry and needs to be "calmed down" by ruling of the water triplicity - a nocturnal one. The same principle with Saturn, a diurnal planet. But if we consider their dignity in domicile, we will find that it highlights exactly the qualities (Mars`s heat and Saturn`s coldness) reduced in triplicities. Both of them (domicile and triplicity) are essential dignities, but based on different principles.

Posted: **Tue Feb 27, 2007 1:18 pm**

The most commonly used triplicities are, as you state based on sect. However there can be too much of a thing. Mars would be considered too hot, and therefore too malefic even at night if he were in Aries as both domicile ruler and triplicity ruler of fire. The same is true of Saturn in Capricorn if he were triplicity ruler of earth. Saturn would be too cold and therefore too destructive in that situation. The idea of essential dignity is to bring out the best of what the planet offers not make him extreme.

Triplicity, by itself is still a minor dignity. It will not be of enormous importance unless it sways the balance between two possibilities.

For the record Morin's table of triplicites tends to support your friend. He bases his on essential dignity and does not seem concerned with extremes, so in his mind, Sun is the day ruler of fire as the Sun has two dignities in fire (Leo and Aries) Mars rules the cardinal fire sign Aries so Mars is the night ruler (note the cooling effect of night though) and Jupiter, ruler of the remaining fire sign, Sagittarius, is the participating ruler. Your astrologer friend might be more comfortable with Morin.

Neither system is illogical. They ae simply determined on a different basis. Morin's system has never found favor and the Dorothean system dominates contemporary traditional astrology.

Tom

Posted: **Wed Feb 28, 2007 6:42 am**

Thank you, Tom, for your explaination! Actually that was what I told my astrologer friend, triplicities and domiciles are based on different principles. Just like that