The dignity or debility of a planetary placement is debatable, to a certain degree. In traditional Hellenistic astrology, there were only seven planets – Sun to Saturn. With the original seven, the dignities and debilities came into use to determine the expression of each planet in each Zodiac sign. The expression would be indicative if the planetary placement was favorable or not. However, the application and usage of the outer planets – Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto – threw the original application of terms out of whack. It became a little messy, as certain Zodiac signs were re-associated with a new planetary ruler. Originally, Mars ruled both Aries and Scorpio, Jupiter ruled both Sagittarius and Pisces, and Saturn ruled both Capricorn and Aquarius. With the new planets in use, Scorpio was paired with Pluto, Neptune with Pisces, and Uranus with Aquarius. This then affected the application of the dignities and debilities. So, this article aims to identify the types of dignities and debilities with both modern and traditional associations of such.
There are four ways to categorize the strength of a placement – domicile/rulership, detriment/exile, exaltation, and fall. Arguably, one could include peregrine as well, which is a borrowed term from horary astrology.
Domicile or rulership refers to the planet being in its traditional ruling sign. Arguably, this application can be used for modern and traditional rulerships. When a placement is domicile, it’s acting in its own true potential. This is the strongest position for a placement to be in because the planet in its corresponding ruling sign is most comfortable there, therefore most comfortable in projecting the strength of said placement. Domicile placements would include;
- Sun: Leo
- Moon: Cancer
- Mercury: Virgo & Gemini
- Venus: Libra & Taurus
- Mars: Aries & Scorpio (traditional)
- Jupiter: Sagittarius & Pisces (traditional)
- Saturn: Capricorn & Aquarius (traditional)
- Uranus: Aquarius (modern)
- Neptune: Pisces (modern)
- Pluto: Scorpio (modern)
So, the opposite of domicile would be detriment, which refers to a placement in the weakest state possible. In order for a planet to be considered incredibly weak or inept in a Zodiacal placement, the planet would have to be operating in the opposite sign of its ruling sign. This is a case where opposites don’t necessarily attract! This is also referred to as exile, which infers that the Zodiac sign feels exiled in the planetary placement. For a placement to be detriment or exile infers that this is an extremely uncomfortable placement for both the planet and Zodiac sign. The expression of such placement may be difficult to appraise in a chart, hard to master, and a sore spot in the individual’s life. Detriment placements include;
- Sun: Aquarius
- Moon: Capricorn
- Mercury: Pisces & Sagittarius
- Venus: Aries & Scorpio
- Mars: Libra & Taurus (traditional)
- Jupiter: Gemini & Virgo (traditional)
- Saturn: Cancer & Leo (traditional)
- Uranus: Leo (modern)
- Neptune: Virgo (modern)
- Pluto: Taurus (modern)
But what if the placement isn’t domicile or detriment – then what? Well, the placements could arguably be expressed in exaltation or in fall. Exalted placements are complimentary to domicile placements, and fall placements are complimentary to detriment placements.
Exaltation refers to a planet that is in a Zodiac sign that is considered well-placed. Exalted placements are considered well-placed because the planet and the Zodiac sign are somewhat complimentary to one another. Now, the determination of exaltation may differ from planetary placement to planetary placement. In some cases, the exalted placement is likeable because it trines an original domicile placement. The exalted placement may also share the modality with the domicile placement. The exalted placement may also sextile the domicile placement. In some occurrences, like Neptune and Pluto, there is harmony between the domicile and the exalted placement’s rulerships. Regardless, exalted placements are strong, superior even, in expression. Ideally, if one doesn’t have a domicile placement, the next best thing would be the exalted placement. Exalted placements would include;
- Sun: Aries (elemental trine with Leo Sun)
- Moon: Taurus (sextiles Cancer Moon, Venus and Moon are in reception to one another)
- Mercury: Virgo (shares mutable modality with Gemini Mercury)
- Venus: Pisces (sextiles Taurus Venus)
- Mars: Capricorn (sextiles Scorpio Mars, shares cardinal modality with Aries Mars)
- Jupiter: Cancer (elemental trine with Pisces Jupiter)
- Saturn: Libra (shares cardinal modality with Capricorn Saturn, elemental trine with Aquarius Saturn)
- Uranus: Scorpio (shares fixed modality with Aquarius Uranus)
- Neptune: Leo (modern application, the Sun and Neptune are in reception of each other)
- Pluto: Aries (modern application, Mars and Pluto are in reception of each other)
In contrast, fall is the opposite of exaltation and complimentary to detriment. Fall points to planetary placements in incompatible or uncomfortable astrological positions. Essentially, the domicile placement would interact poorly or poorly aspect a fall placement. This very reason also makes fall placements so compatible with detriment placements. In essence, a fall placement is considered weakened in expression, but isn’t nearly as unfortunate as a detriment placement. The fall position of certain Zodiac signs are usually trine, sextile, or in harmony with the detriment placements. Fall placements can even oppose or square the domicile and exalted placements. Fall placements would include –
- Sun: Libra (elemental trine with Aquarius Sun, opposes Aries Sun)
- Moon: Scorpio (sextiles Capricorn Moon, opposes Taurus Moon)
- Mercury: Pisces (opposes Virgo Mercury, shares mutable modality with Sagittarius Mercury)
- Venus: Virgo (opposes Pisces Venus, sextiles Scorpio Venus)
- Mars: Cancer (opposes Capricorn Mars, sextiles Taurus Mars)
- Jupiter: Capricorn (opposes Cancer Jupiter, sextiles Virgo Jupiter)
- Saturn: Aries (squares Capricorn Saturn, opposes Libra Saturn)
- Uranus: Taurus (opposes Scorpio Uranus, squares Aquarius Uranus)
- Neptune: Aquarius (opposes Leo Neptune)
- Pluto: Libra (opposes Aries Pluto)
Finally, the arguable fifth dignity would be peregrine. Peregrine is borrowed from horary astrology, and can be used to categorized the planetary placements with no immediate significance in expression. Peregrine placements are meant to represent the neutral placements, which implies that said placement don’t have a strong negative or positive expression. After all, peregrine placements lack major aspects to the other placements and rulerships, so these placement merely exist. Peregrine placements would include placements are quincunx other placements, and operate at a fairly loose orb. Think of peregrine as the “gray area” placements, the one’s that don’t definitively fit in one category or another, and typically operate in a neutral expression.
Personal Opinions on Dignities
Essential dignities and debilities are an awesome way to categorize the strength in expression of a planetary placement. With that being said, I also think it’s a somewhat sensitive method of categorization. After all, while this is an efficient way of categorization, it can also be received in an emotionally unproductive manner. After all, while it’s wonderful to be told that one has domicile or exalted placements, it can be equally difficult to hear about having exile, detriment, and fall placements. Hearing that a particular placement is considered unfavorable can be somewhat damaging to the appraisal of said placement. After all, if it’s communicated that a detriment or fall placement is a weak point, then the stance on said placement will be associated with negativity. This can lead to poor appraisal of the placement, which can actually hinder potential opportunities for positive, productive growth instead.
When reading a birth chart or the upcoming forecast, it’s noteworthy to acknowledge the dignity or debility of the placement at hand. However, it ought to be paired with an explanation of both shadow and light attributes of the placement. For example, it would be wise to include that Leo Sun is domicile, but to also give a well-rounded review of all positive and negative attributes of the placement. Same would go for a Scorpio Venus, that can still have both positive and negative attributes even though it’s a detriment placement. This way, the placement can be highlighted as dignified or debilitated but still have an explanation of all attributes that make up that placement, which can help with appraisal.
This can then help those better understand how to make the most of an exile, detriment, or fall transit or placement. It can also with grasping that even exalted or domicile placements have difficulties as well. No matter the dignity or debility, know that each astrological placement has potential for greatness!
The Crone 