In the article about the terrestrial state of a planet, you learned how astrological houses condition planets to manifest in various areas of life. Let's look at an example of a horoscope to see how it works in practice.
Instead of looking at what roles an individual planet takes on when determined by different houses, we will ask: what are the most apparent roles carried by the 10th house of the chart? This house determines several planets for social activity. Thus, we understand what the chart inclines the native towards
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Planet in 10th
In the 10th house, there is the debilitated malefic Saturn. It acts against the matters of the 10th house to the fullest extent—creating obstacles, hindering fame, or even nullifying it. However, it operates against the backdrop of the Sun—the natural significator of fame and recognition. Therefore, it is more likely to create obstacles to fame or dishonorable deeds rather than nullify them. If Saturn were in Cancer, it could restrict publicity and recognition. Still, being in the dignity of the Sun, it can not.
The Sun, against which it operates, is placed in the 7th house.
- Either these are other people of high social rank (wives, enemies, partners) involved in his activity.
- Or it is publicity (Sun) among other people, such as the masses (7th house). It is a fairly common pattern for people who perform on stage.
The Lord of MC
Now, let’s consider the second planet, related to the 10th house. It is the Sun, the ruler of the MC. Being the ruler of the 10th house (house of fame and recognition) accidentally and the ruler of fame and recognition naturally strongly links the native to public activities, fame, and recognition.
In this case, the Sun in the 7th house indicates either performing for the masses or victory over enemies (if the 7th house has a clearly negative connotation in the chart).
The Sun (public activity) operates against the backdrop of Venus, the natural signifier of love and attractiveness. It again reinforces the idea that it most likely refers to performances in front of a large audience, great personal attractiveness, or activities in the arts according to the nature of Venus.
But accidentally, Venus suddenly shows an entirely different picture. It rules the 8th house of deadly threats and is connected to Mars, which confirms this picture. Naturally, Mars rules wounds (which represent deadly threats) and battles, and accidentally, it rules the 7th house of wars and conflicts. Such a contradiction puts us in a deadlock.
Intersection of Meanings
We must find something similar that could unite these two contradictory indications—performance before the public/victory over enemies (Sun in the 7th) and fame gained through deadly threats and bloodshed.
The only conclusion we can draw is that fame is acquired through battles, avoiding deadly threats, victory over enemies, and personal charisma, clearly visible to the masses. We have excluded interpretations of artistic activities that do not fit the general picture.
This commonality of the two meanings also clarifies Saturn’s role now—it’s not just “some heavy obstacles on the path to fame,” it’s deadly threats and even poisoning, as Saturn receives an adverse aspect from the pair of Mars/Venus (deadly threats), and is on the poisonous star Alphard (Alpha Hydrae).
The Modern Reading
Modern astrologers may disagree with such statements, as they consider Venus the natural ruler of money and therefore well-suited to the 8th house’s meaning as “other people’s resources.” This thought would conclude that we are dealing with a stockbroker, a bank founder, etc.
But I object.
Firstly, Venus is in no way associated with money. The fact that Venus rules the 2nd sign of the zodiac, and the second house from the horizon denotes money connects Venus with finances no more than the second train carriage with the second course of my lunch, as they are united by the number two. There is no connection between the train and the food, just as there is none between the ecliptic plane and the sectors of the sky relative to the local horizon.
Secondly, we avoid ultra-specific meanings of houses in the natal chart. We do not consider the 8th house as other people’s money or my son’s real estate, as all the houses in the natal chart denote the circumstances of the native, not of other people around him (until we specifically look at wives, brothers, etc). We often use these ultra-specific meanings in charts closely connected to current events, like transits or lunar return charts. Therefore, relative to the native’s life and actions, the 8th house is counted from the 1st house (native’s life), representing deadly threats to the native.
Thirdly, the malevolent Mars, both by nature and by accidental significance, indicates wars and bloodshed. That excludes the idea of peaceful activities.
Fourthly, the evil star Algol, responsible for losing the head on Mars, the ruler of the 7th house, in combination with bloodshed, again speaks of military activities. And this once again confirms the overall picture.
Moreover, the conjunction of this same star with Venus—the ruler of the native’s death—(in combination with Mars) speaks of violent death from a head wound, which fits into the overall picture of constant deadly threats against the backdrop of which fame comes. At the same time, the interpretation suggesting that the native “knocks heads with money bills” lacks common sense.
Fifthly, we can easily verify the significance through a couple of events that Venus initiates.
Validation of Terrestrial State Assessment
Suppose we are wrong, and Venus signifies money rather than deadly threats in connection with activity. In that case, Venus’ unfavorable aspects should bring financial losses rather than create deadly threats connected with the native’s action.
But, when Venus on Algol approached the ruler of the 10th, the native suffered severe gas poisoning while performing his official duties. Algol is the star of “Losing the Head”. The gas poisoning damaged the native’s head, more precisely, his eyes.
Later, when Venus’s aspect in 16 Virgo (place of its fall) approached Saturn—the significator of his misfortune deeds—then in the same year, the native was the target of the first assassination attempt during a public appearance. As you can see, Venus is not associated with other people’s money, and our signification is correct.
In addition to everything we’ve said, the Sun—the signifiсator of the native’s fame, which he will gain in battles associated with deadly threats—is closely connected with Mercury, which, by its position on the 7th house cusp, is also most closely relates to fighting and bloodshed (being in the dignity of Mars) and, by house rulership, among other things, has significance for deadly threats, as it co-rules the 8th house. It again repeats the same pattern that we discovered earlier.
This was the horoscope of Adolf Hitler, who initiated a World War and survived more than 20 assassination attempts. He safely survived them because the most protective star of the sky—Spica—was right at the top of his first house when he was born in a small town in Austria.
