Dignities and Rulerships in Astrology

Rulerships, Dignities or Debilities of the planets in astrology

Each Planet is more or less in harmony with at least one element (Fire, Earth, Air, Water), or especially with the Signs of the zodiac; we speak of dignity or rulership when the planet is in [at] domicile [home] in its own sign to which it belongs, of detriment or Exile especially when it is opposed to its Domicile, and Fall or Exaltation, respectively for a placement in the increasing hemisphere and the decreasing hemisphere. Traditionally, these placements were also established in relation to the evolution of the declination of the planet in the months of the year; the declination, depending on whether the motion was increasing or decreasing, gave all the strength to the planet.

In order to achieve a good understanding of these notions of dignities or debilities of a planet, it is necessary to understand the notion of cycle and the notion of Aspects :

• Planet in Domicile : the planet is at home, this corresponds to an aspect of Conjunction, the energy of the planet gives its full power, it expresses its qualities, it radiates in a harmonic and positive way, the function of the planet is not hindered.
  This placement is favorable to the house concerned.
• Planet in Fall : the planet symbolically gathers its momentum to achieve the cycle, it is confronted with a phase of tension, this corresponds to an aspect of increasing Square (even if the sign of Fall does not necessarily make square to Domicile), its energy is partially hindered, the planet does not give its full harmony, it is not fully at ease, its power is occulted, it is unable to express the depths of its nature, it has to overcome an obstacle.
  This position is unfavorable to the house concerned.
• Planet in Detriment : the planet arrives at the paroxysm of the cycle, at the symbolic enlightenment (equivalent to the Full Moon), this corresponds to an aspect of Opposition to its Domicile, its energy is very attenuated, the planet is not in harmony in this sign and expresses itself in a negative way by an antagonistic tension.
  This position is unfavourable to the house concerned.
• Planet in Exaltation : the planet accelerates symbolically to return to a new Conjunction and finish the cycle, it faces a phase of tension this time due to the integration of the Opposition, it corresponds to an aspect of decreasing Square (even if the sign of Exaltation does not necessarily make square to Domicile), its energy is exalted, it expresses here its full power, the planet gives its full positive harmony, it is in friendly territory and bear its fruits.
  This position is favorable to the house concerned.

As points out the french astrologer HADES :

• At home, the planet acts in every direction, with force, “like a homeowner in his house”
• On the fall, its action is directed downwards, literally as well as figuratively, the fall really indicates the fact of falling, of going down, even if eventually it can be sublimated
• In detriment, the action of the planet is mainly for the benefit of others, with an impoverishment of the native as a possible consequence…
• In exaltation, it is a little bit the reverse of the fall, both really and symbolically, all the strength of the planet is directed upwards, to raise it, to take over

Unfortunately these notions are wrongly ignored by some modern astrologers…
Study of rulership allows however a more detailed analysis of charts at all levels. The question of the planetary dignities or debilities (of Rulerships) must be systematically studied in any chart to evaluate the relative strength of planetary energies, their influence in Signs, and in relation to their Aspects.

It has to be noted that a planet that does not fit with any of the above cases, neither at Home, nor in Fall, Detriment or Exaltation, is said to be a“peregrine planet”, it is in “neutral” placement somehow (to be determined).
According to the Sign placement, according to the Aspects received and according to the innate “coloration” or “neutrality” of the issuing or receiving planet, the planetary energies do not interact in the same way.

Important nuances to understand, the planets in their dignities and their debilities (their rulerships or lack of rulership in the different sectors of the chart) somehow tint the other planets by a domino effect, not only those they rule, but also those who rule them (there is a reciprocal exchange of energies)…

For example, if you have a Saturn in Libra (planet always delicate in its expressions), the strong expression of the planet (here in exaltation) will be useful for the structuring of the Libra energies but could also greatly alter the expression of its Ruler Venus by tinting her with a lot of introversion, bringing her closer to a Venus Capricorn.
Another example, Mars exalted in Capricorn (strong position for the planet) will necessarily give at one level or another the tone of a strong Saturn to the chart and more specifically to the Animus.
Let’s have a last example : the placement of Jupiter or Venus, by its benefic part, will always give a very special strength to the ruler of the sign of its placement (e.g. a Jupiter in Cancer will favor the expression and exteriorization of the energies of the Moon, and so on…).

• Can the effects of a planet in Fall or in Detriment be compared to those of a Retrograde planet ?
  In some respects yes, except that the notion of rulership seems more important to me, in the sense of “power”, than retrogade motion…
  Fall and Detriment indicate in some way an “atrophy of the planetary function”, while retrograde motion indicates more simply a different mode of action…
  In that sense, it seems better, a priori, to have a dignified planet in retrograde motion rather than a direct planet in Fall or Detriment, it seems to be less of a problem to the natives.
  Also, much depends on the rest of the chart, in order to appreciate the strength of the planetary energy in question…

Below is a table to help you in planetary rulerships. Some Signs of Fall and Exaltation are still under debate among astrologers, especially for Neptune and Pluto (these planets have been discovered recently and have a very long cycle).

By experience, I retain the signs below, on the one hand to keep the coherence of the notion of cycle, “Fall / increasing hemisphere”, “Exaltation / decreasing hemisphere” compared to the Domiciles (which are almost not discussed), on the other hand to maintain coherence and logic of progression in the zodiac, and in the astrological symbolic solar system, as well as in relation to the Aspects linking the signs.
However, I am open to any debate on the rulerships indicated here.

Planet classification :

or sign classification :

NB : In terms of planetary rulerships, you will notice that the Mutable signs (Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, Pisces) are more neutral, therefore potentially more compatible.

These rulerships have demonstrated their coherence in charts analysis experience. However, we lack hindsight for Neptune and Pluto.

As for Neptune, Leo seems to be the “weaker” sign considering the increasing half-cycle, neptune, which is a very hazy planet is not at its ease in this oh-so-solar sign, neptune means the ego dissolution whereas the Sun of Leo IS Ego !
Conversely, Neptune in Aquarius performs as its best in this sign of the collective and the sense of the common good, a sign inclined towards universalization and very receptive (attached to 11th House and the opposite sign of Leo).

As for Pluto, for some astrologers it is in its Exaltation in Aries and in its Fall in Libra, this is an misinterpretation in my opinion but quite understandable.
First of all from a logical point of view it goes against the very principle of cycle mentioned above (“Fall / increasing half-cycle”, “Exaltation / decreasing half-cycle”) because the Exaltation is then in increasing half-cycle and the Fall in decreasing half-cycle (!).

Then from a more philosophical point of view, one should not confuse the “common points” that the planet Pluto has with the sign of Aries, (which we find besides with the planet Mars, the sign of Scorpio, and the Aspect of Square), with a Exaltation.

Pluto is a planet of metamorphosis, of introspection ; Aries is the sign of the beginning of Individuation (1st House), the primary energy of the personality… In Aries, it is too early in the process of individuation to initiate such a plutonian transformation (one must reach the collective hemisphere and 8th House). In reality, the common point could be that Pluto means a form of end of cycle (last astrological planet), and Aries means the beginning of a new one. At the very least one could say that Aries is “secondary home” of pluto (a bit like Virgo with Mercury and Gemini), but again I think this would be a misinterpretation (although Aries is a very strong placement for pluto !).

Compared to Scorpio, Aries impresses an energy of “increasing quincunx”, a mental, alert, sometimes frustrated tension, a preparation for the enlightenment of the Opposition… one must always keep in mind this established fact.

I assign the Fall to the signs Capricorn and Aquarius, signs that announce the beginning of the slowing down of the planet Pluto in its revolution; and I assign the Exaltation to Cancer and Leo, signs that announce the acceleration of the planet (see Pluto’s article the paragraph about its complex cycle and irregular orbit).

Symbolism is well respected, the Plutonian metamorphosis is well tested in signs such as Capricorn and Aquarius, and it is galvanized in the signs of ego and individuality represented by the Moon and the Sun, Cancer and Leo…
Dane Rudhyar in “Astrology of Personality” partly addresses this point in the chapter on rulerships but without really giving a “clear-cut”” answer…

But once again, I’m open to discussion if you wish…
I hope that these guidelines for reflexion will be positive for you.