The Triplicity Rulers Method

In this article, we will practically test the method of triplicity rulers described by al-Andarzaghar and see how suitable it is for predictions.

Al-Andarzaghar was a Persian astrologer during the Sassanid period, frequently cited by Al-Qabisi. Later, Guido Bonatti studied his works, and Robert Zoller further disseminated his approach.

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Cherry Picking

I have long observed a recurring mistake among traditional astrologers. They meticulously follow the instructions of their predecessors and demonstrate their techniques on particular charts where these techniques work. However, they ignore numerous cases where the same techniques do not align with reality.

In science, this approach is called cherry-picking. It is a data manipulation tactic where only facts that support the desired viewpoint are selected while opposing ones are ignored.

This manipulation explains why many encyclopedists in traditional astrology cannot make accurate predictions despite their knowledge of numerous techniques.

Unsurprisingly, almost all traditional techniques (with few exceptions) prove no more accurate than random guessing. We should exclude any forecasting techniques that do not yield statistically significant, verifiable results from our practical toolkit as false and useless.

For this reason, my task as a practicing forecaster is to test astrological techniques without data manipulation. Such unbiased testing often reveals that many techniques favored by astrologers are untenable.

In this article, I will debunk another technique—the triplicity rulers of al-Andarzaghar. According to it, each triplicity ruler governs specific meanings of an astrological house. For example, if a person was born at night and the cusp of the 9th house fell in a fire sign, the triplicity rulers (following the system of Dorotheus of Sidon) would be:

1. Jupiter (primary, nocturnal ruler of the fire element)
2. Sun (secondary, diurnal ruler of the element)
3. Saturn (an independent ruler of the element)

According to al-Andarzaghar's hypothesis, these three triplicity rulers distribute the specific meanings of the 9th house as follows:

1. The first triplicity lord indicates travel.
2. The second lord points to religion and ecclesiastical rank.
3. The third lord is associated with science and divination through signs (including astrology).

A similar distribution applies to all 12 houses.

Testing Plan

We will test this technique in practice. Instead of taking known facts and seeking astrological explanations for them, we will proceed as forecasters:

1. First, we will examine a "blind chart" and make a prediction based on it.
2. Then, we will compare the prediction with reality.

Only this way can we objectively assess the technique's effectiveness. A full-fledged study would require analyzing hundreds of charts, but for the scope of one article, it is sufficient to examine one selected example carefully.

For the experiment, I randomly chose the natal chart of a man with an AA reliability rating from the Astrodatabank website. Here is the chart.

Now, let's proceed with the analysis:

1. Determine which house's affairs the stars incline the native toward (without interpreting the meanings of that house).
2. Identify the planet signifying the profession using al-Andarzaghar's method.
3. Identify the planet signifying the profession using the method of 17th-century mathematician and astrologer J.B. Morinus. We will use his method as a control (known to work), as I have not found cases where it yielded false results.
4. Make a career event prediction using primary directions. We will derive one event using al-Andarzaghar's significator and another using Morinus's significator.
5. Compare these two events with reality.

It is our research plan.

Step 1. Determining the House Connected to the Native's Activity

We will examine which houses are most frequently associated with the native's life and activities. The indicators of life and activity (1st and 10th houses) include:

• Planets in the 1st and 10th houses;
• Major rulers (by sign and exaltation) of the 1st and 10th houses;
• To a lesser extent, rulers of intercepted signs and planets whose aspects fall on the cusps of the 1st and 10th houses.

Starting with the 1st house:

1. The ruler of the 1st house, Venus, is conjunct with the cusp of the 7th house.
2. Mars is the co-ruler of the first house, as it rules Scorpio, which occupies most of it. Mars is also in the seventh house and simultaneously rules the seventh and second houses.
3. Saturn, who is also in the 7th house and rules the 4th house, is the ruler of the 1st house by exaltation.
4. Jupiter, the planet in the 1st house, also rules the 3rd and 5th houses.

The 7th house is more significant than the others in the native's chart. Now, let's examine the 10th house—the house of career.

1. The ruler of the 10th house, the Sun, also rules the 7th house by exaltation and is located in the 6th house. At the same time, the Sun expresses itself through its dispositor—Mars, which rules the 7th house.
2. On the cusp of the 10th house, there is an aspect from Saturn—a planet in the 7th house.
3. The aspect from Jupiter—a planet in the 1st house, ruling the 3rd and 5th houses—is on MC.

Again, the 7th house is more connected to the 10th house (the native's career) than others.

Conclusion: The 7th house is key to the native's life and career. However, it can signify many things—from battles with enemies to business alliances. It's time to interpret its meaning in the context of the profession.

Step 2a. Al-Andarzaghar's Method

According to the Arabic astrologer, we need to identify the three rulers of the fire element, where the cusp of the 7th house falls. Since the chart is nocturnal:

1. The first ruler of fire, Jupiter, governs women.
2. The second ruler, the Sun, governs controversies.
3. The third ruler, Saturn, governs alliances.

First Triplicity Lord—Jupiter

As the first triplicity lord, Jupiter inclines the native toward constant romantic affairs and relationships with women. The fact that Jupiter also rules the 5th house of physical pleasures reinforces this signification.

However, Jupiter does not indicate professional activity. It merely grants a love-filled life and is a significator of women and love affairs. Al-Andarzaghar provided no other meanings for the 7th house regarding the first triplicity lord.

Second Triplicity Lord—Sun

As the second ruler of the fire element, the Sun creates conflicts, battles, and lawsuits. Al-Andarzaghar left no instructions on interpreting situations where the significator of an unfavorable event (conflicts, lawsuits, battles) is a noble benefic planet. In our case, the Sun is in its exaltation. Does this signify mere conflict or conflict followed by victory? It's unclear.

Since the Sun is in the 6th house, which is associated with service personnel or the native's hard labor, one could clarify the nature of the battles. However, Occam's Razor principle prevents us from doing so.

N.B. on Occam's Razor. We always choose the simplest explanation for the intersection of a planet's and house's meanings in the context of real life. This approach is known in science as Occam's Razor: the simplest explanation is most likely correct.

We cannot find a logical explanation for a profession combining battles and 6th-house matters. Struggles with enemies among service staff or lawsuits related to hard labor for little pay make no sense in the context of a profession.

Therefore, we should disregard such illogical combinations.

Thus, the conclusion remains: the Sun, in the context of profession, suggests military activity, law, or sports—fields involving competition or conflict.

Third Triplicity Lord—Saturn

The third ruler inclines the native toward seeking business or trade partners (we are considering the 7th house in the context of profession). A logical contradiction arises here: any business is tied to the 7th house and implies partnerships. This signification by al-Andarzaghar does not clarify the nature of the activity.

Saturn also rules the 4th house of land and property. Thus, the native's overall activity should include:

1. Conflicts, lawsuits, and battles (according to the Sun).
2. Commerce in real estate or unreliable partners (according to Saturn).

The only logical professions that combine these traits are lawyers specializing in land disputes or experts in hostile real estate takeovers. Per Occam's Razor, other options are too specific and unlikely, so we should discard them.

Conclusion

• The primary planet inclining the native toward 7th-house matters is the Sun, which signifies battles, conflicts, disputes, and lawsuits.
• The secondary planet, Saturn, clarifies that conflicts and lawsuits involve unreliable partners and real estate.
• The professional profile concerns defending land rights, property seizures, and similar fields.

Step 2b. Morinus's Method

Unlike other astrologers who made assertions without reasoning or logical justification, Morinus was a classical scholar. Every claim he made was logically grounded, verified, and followed by his consistent theory.

1. Morinus asserted that an astrological house focuses planetary radiation passing through it toward Earth's center exclusively on specific objects and life circumstances. The house "compels" or "determines" the planet to influence strictly defined areas of life.
2. The closer the source of radiation is to the house cusp, the more intensely the house focuses this radiation on specific objects.
3. Morinus always considered whether the house's meaning harmonized or contradicted the planet's natural analogy.
4. He placed special emphasis on life context. Within this context, some combinations of planetary and house meanings became absurd or impossible, while others were highly probable. He called this "contextual determination."

According to Morinus, we must examine each point from Step 1 to find common ground between house meanings and planetary meanings. If we see the same pattern repeating in different ways, that will be the area where the native is bound to manifest. Let's perform this simple logical synthesis.

1st–7th Houses

Consider the points from Step 1 linking the 1st and 7th houses:

1. The ruler of the 1st house, Venus, is conjunct the cusp of the 7th house.

What do Venus and the 7th house have in common? The 7th house is the house of love, and Venus is also the planet of love. Thus, Venus's primary and brightest signification is women and romance. However, this says nothing about the nature of the profession.

What else could Venus and the 7th house have in common from the career or life activity perspective? Venus is the planet of fine arts, and the 7th house is the house of "other people," often meaning "the masses." Thus, Venus on the 7th-house cusp could also signify a life immersed in art presented to a broad audience.

N.B. on Occam's Razor. We always choose the simplest explanation for the intersection of a planet's and house's meanings in the context of real life. The simplest explanation is most likely correct. For this reason, exotic options like "professional gigolo" are excluded from interpretation.

2. The co-ruler of the 1st house, Mars, and the ruler of the Ascendant by exaltation, Saturn, are in the 7th house.

Mars and Saturn have unfavorable significations relative to the 7th house:

1. Mars is the planet of conflict, and the 7th house is the house of conflict. Thus, Mars, relative to the 7th house, indicates conflicts, lawsuits, divorces, battles, etc.
2. Saturn is the planet of solitude, and the 7th house is the house of union. This makes them diametrically opposed. Saturn's position relative to the 7th house indicates unsociability, loneliness, detachment, or loss of loved ones.

Therefore, Mars and Saturn will act against the favorable matters of the 7th house, creating divorces, conflicts, and periods of loneliness. But this has no connection to the profession:

1. Saturn in the 7th house could not produce anything related to a profession. It's hard to imagine a profession combining solitude (per Saturn's nature) and other people—enemies, allies, lovers, or mass audiences (per the 7th house's nature). According to Occam's Razor principle, it is a logically contradictory combination, and we should exclude it.
2. Mars in the 7th house could create an inclination toward military activity or sports, but this is unlikely. Here's why.

As I mentioned, in Morinus's approach, the closer a planet's radiation passes to a house cusp, the stronger its influence on the corresponding life area.

Mars, which could incline the native toward competition or military careers, is at the end of the 7th house, while Venus is right on the cusp. Venus's radiation permeates the cusp, meaning its influence will be maximally concentrated on 7th-house matters, while Mars will only partially affect this life area. Moreover, Venus is the primary ruler of life, while Mars is merely a secondary co-ruler of the 1st house.

Thus, Mars is unlikely to incline a person toward sports or military professions. At the same time, Venus on the DSC will inevitably establish the professional mainstream—a life in art accessible to the masses.

10th–7th Houses

Now, let's examine the 10th house and its connection to the 7th house.

1. The Sun is the ruler of the 10th house and the ruler of the 7th house by exaltation.

What do the Sun and the 10th house have in common? The Sun signifies fame and recognition, and the 10th house is also the house of fame and recognition. Thus, the Sun relative to career indicates public renown.

What do the Sun and the 7th house share? If we consider the 7th house to be the house of "the masses" and the Sun to be the publicity, then the Sun ruling the 7th house indicates mass fame. This aligns well with what we previously identified: a public life devoted to art.

2. The planet in the 7th house, Saturn, casts a very close aspect to the 10th-house cusp.

As I wrote earlier, the combination of Saturn (solitude) does not align with the 7th house's meaning (enemies, allies, lovers, mass audiences) in the professional context. Thus, we should disregard this logically absurd combination. Saturn will not incline the native toward any specific profession.

So, piecing it all together, we see two logically compatible meanings:

• The Sun inclines toward fame among the masses.
• Venus inclines toward fine arts presented to a broad audience.
• Mars and Saturn do not incline toward any specific profession.

Thus, we see the life of a famous artist—a poet, writer, actor, or singer.

Step 3. Event Prediction and Comparison with Reality

I will use the primary directions method to forecast events and determine their timing. This method yields highly accurate results.

Suppose I consider the degree of the noble Sun as the promissor of an event and direct this degree to the ruler of the Ascendant, Venus, in primary motion. In that case, I will derive the time when the promise of the 7° Aries manifests as a life event.

• From al-Andarzaghar's perspective, the Sun promises a battle or dispute—it is the promissor of a significant conflict.
• From Morinus's perspective, the Sun is the significator of fame and recognition in the arts.

In primary motion, the Sun reaches Venus 1 hour and 18 minutes after birth. During this time, Earth rotates 19.5 degrees, indicating the timing of the future event—approximately 19.5 years. Thus:

1. According to al-Andarzaghar, we expect a conflict, lawsuit, or battle at 19.5 years (1989), which (given the age) would mark the start of a career as a land dispute lawyer or real estate takeover specialist.
2. According to Morinus, we expect a major career breakthrough in the arts at 19.5 years (1989), which (given the age) would mark the beginning of a future profession as a famous singer, poet, actor, or writer.

Now, let's compare our conclusions with reality. It was the horoscope of Vince Vaughn, a famous American actor. His creative journey began at 19.5 years when he first moved to Hollywood and starred in his debut film in 1989.

Conclusions

As you can see, reality testing and comparison with Morinus's control forecasting method confirmed the inadequacy of al-Andarzaghar's approach. Moreover, Al-Qabisi, followed by Guido Bonatti, further distorted this ineffective method without any logical argumentation, assigning each triplicity lord control over a specific part of life.

For example, the first ruler of the element where the 8th house falls, according to Bonatti, indicates death but only in the first third of life. The second triplicity ruler indicates old things but only those encountered in middle age. The third ruler indicates inheritance but only what the native receives in old age.

All these claims lack any argumentation or logical sense and entirely contradict statistically observable patterns:

• Death typically comes at the end of life, not the beginning.
• People usually inherit in youth or middle age when they lose wealthy elderly relatives, rarely in deep old age.

With this article, I aimed to emphasize the importance of critically analyzing ancient texts and avoiding unintentional data manipulation, known as cherry-picking, when testing historical techniques.