Zodiac signs are not indicators of personality. For many years now, I've taught in my work that Zodiac signs represent needs and that each sign indicates a very specific need that can be summarized with a couple of words or a short phrase. In their totality, these needs or lacks are what drive all of our actions in attempts that try to fulfill them. They don't describe who we are. They describe what drives everyone. This is known in psychology as "drive theory". Here's a description from Wikipedia of how this works in humans:
Drive theory is based on the principle that organisms are born with certain psychological needs and that a negative state of tension is created when these needs are not satisfied. When a need is satisfied, drive is reduced and the organism returns to a state of homeostasis and relaxation. According to the theory, drive tends to increase over time and operates on a feedback control system, much like a thermostat.
The difference between individuals, is not our personalities. It's what we perceive to lack in our lives. We are psychologically driven to notice what is lacking and this lack creates a negative tension that we want to reduce or counteract by trying to eliminate it. This then, engenders change. In fact, Aristotle talks about a similar kind of tension between a negative and a positive force as the root of all worldly change. So this dynamic is not only what creates human actions, it's also what ensures all change in the world, both human, as well as non-human earthly change. It's for this reason that astrology speaks to both human psychology (i.e. inner world astrology) as well as to the changes in our lives and in the larger world (outer world astrology).
These -- let's call them "need phrases" -- have not only been extremely accurate in describing the relationship between a domicile lord and its Zodiac signs, but they've also been quite revealing in explaining why certain planets rule over the fall of other signs. Today, I want to illustrate the specific relationship that a planet has over the sign that it rules by fall. Notice, that I didn't say, "the sign in which a planet HAS its fall". This is because -- in the same way that a planet does not need to be IN its domicile to rule over it --- a planet ALSO does not need to be located in its fall sign to have rulership over it. This axiom applies to any essential dignity or debility.
Below, I'm going to illustrate each dignity using repetitive language so that at the end you can see that the same relationship will apply to ALL of the rulers and their corresponding fall signs. And in so doing, you'll be able to recognize that Fall describes a redundancy between sign and planet.
The Sun and Libra
The Sun has its fall in the sign of Libra -- or in my preferred way to state it, "controls the fall of Libra". Astrological sources often explain that the Sun has its fall in Libra because Libra is the sign that naturally occupies the 7th place, which is the place of sunset. And while it may be true that the Sun "falls" when it sets in Libra's natural place, it's not for this reason that it rules over the fall of that sign, since that relationship is not seen with the other fall signs and their rulers. To explain a dignity or debility function, one's explanation must apply to every instance of that variable.
We need to go back to Mesopotamian history to understand why the Sun has its fall in Libra. Libra corresponds to the month of Tišritum in the Babylonian calendar (Tishrei in the Hebrew calendar). In both the ancient Babylonian, as well as the Hebrew calendars -- and it was probably true of most calendars of the ancient near east -- this month was a time of judgment. Still today, this association exists in the Hebrew tradition: "The Mishnah contains the second known reference to Rosh Hashanah (the 1st to 2nd days of Tishrei) as the "day of judgment" (Wikipedia).
Rosh Hashanah was ordained as a Day of Judgment for two reasons: The first is that on this day the creation of the world was completed and it was the Divine intention that the world be ruled by the trait of strict justice. Hence, the commencement of the year was ordained as the Day of Judgment. The second reason is, as we noted above, that on this day Adam was judged, he repented, and he was forgiven.[Chabad.org]
A ledger kept by God would account for one's actions during the year, and those who were found to be wicked would be "sealed to die". This is how death comes to be associated with this sign. I cite the Hebrew tradition here because it isn't that different from the Babylonian one. The only difference is that the God who was entrusted to provide justice to humanity was a solar god. In fact, as far back as the Sumerian solar deity UTU, all the way through until the solar deities of the Mediterranean Hellenistic age, Sun gods were also gods of justice. This is significant because it means that the Sun DECREASES or "brings down" the NEED for judgment or justice, precisely because he IS provider of justice. He brings fairness and restores balance, thereby reducing the need for Libra, which represents a lack of those things.
So let's write out the first formulaic statement that we'll also follow with the other planets throughout the post. We're going to write the word "diminishes" or "decreases" in place of the word for "fall" since that's the function that I'm describing.
Libra represents the need for judgement. The Sun diminishes the need of Libra, because he provides justice.
The Moon and Scorpio
The Moon controls the fall of Scorpio. Scorpio represents the need to purge or eliminate that which has become unsustainable, decayed, or toxic. Again, we are NOT this sign just because we have this sign occupied by a major planet! We all have this sign somewhere in the chart. But those of us who have planets in Scorpio, will have that sign imprinted early on in our childhood because of experiences that make us need it. In the case of Scorpio, it means something unsustainable or toxic was NOT eliminated or purged, creating the tension that will persist into adulthood and play out in different scenarios. OK. So what about the Moon? The Moon is the nurturer and protector. She is the "shield that guards the realm of men" (to quote Game of Thrones :-) ). The armor of the Crab (the Moon's domicile), represents the need the Moon fulfills. But she protects in order to nurture new growth. Think of a womb, a mother, or the earth itself. What the Moon provides can never be toxic if it's to nurture new growth. Therefore, the Moon's action will always diminish the need for purging what's toxic, decaying, or unsustainable. We can now plug in these meanings into the same phrase for this fall relationship:
Scorpio represents the need to eliminate decay or toxicity. The Moon diminishes the need for Scorpio because she provides the container for healthy new growth.
Mercury and Pisces
Pisces is the last sign of the Zodiac and therefore, of the cycle of life. It corresponds to old age, when an organism is becoming subject to entropy and matter starts losing its definition. This expresses as restriction or confinement to the proper function of the restrictive matter that must be transcended, because it has no repair or solution (as we might find in Virgo). So the need in Pisces is a need to transcend some physical or material limitation. This often expresses as a limitation in the body or in one's resources or finances. These two examples of material confinement probably account for 90% of the Pisces expressions in our society.
Mercury is the mercantile god, who is depicted in Rome carrying a bag of coins. In Greece, he's a fast-moving, traveling deity, who has wings on his sandals or hat. In Mesopotamia he holds a stylus and a tablet, symbolizing his connection to writing, record-keeping and knowledge. It's his ability to make connections, that allows him to trade and to communicate with others. So Mercury is quite capable of moving beyond any physical limitation because he's good at earning money and he can travel beyond physical confinements. In fact, as Hermes, he was a psychopomp, a creature capable of freely traveling between the worlds of the living and of the dead. So he automatically provides the transcendence of any physical confinement.
Pisces represents the need to transcend physical or material limitations. Mercury diminishes the need of Pisces, because he provides the ability to transcend material limitations.
Venus and Virgo
Venus has power over the fall of Virgo. Virgo represents the maiden who has a need for perfection, purity, and cleanliness. In Virgo we perceive what's broken, missing or lacking in certain situations. Venus is planet of love, beauty, sex, desire, attraction and possession. This is a difficult relationship to assess, because I could probably see it in two ways: Both fertility of the land (that is farming) and fecundity in nature (sex) are messy processes, which are quite the opposite of the need we are trying to fulfill in Virgo. So on the surface, it looks like Venus would actually be increasing, not diminishing that need in Virgo.
However, Mesopotamian history, Hellenistic astrology, and language, all appear to argue the opposite. Vettius Valens, a Hellenistic astrologer, tells us that Venus "loves cleanliness" and his significations for her mention variations on this theme. It's not a common attribute in Hellenistic astrology; in fact, it disappears altogether later in the tradition. But this association between Venus and cleanliness originates in Mesopotamia. The River (Eridu) is one of the Babylonian constellations that rises with the Sun in the 6th month of the Babylonian calendar, as does the Furrow, the constellation of Virgo. The 6th month was called Elūlu or Ulūlu in Akkadian. In Cultic Calendars, Cohen (p. 322) tells us that this is the month in which "the goddesses are purified in the sacred river, they have their annual cleansing." Cleansing, is the first step in a beautification process. The verb elēlu is a play on that months' name and means "to become pure, clean, free", but also to "manumit a slave (woman)", which is one of a few reasons, why the association with slaves also appears in the 6th place. [You can read a deeper explanation about this place's meaning in my other blog post]
So cleanliness is both tied not only to the month, but also to Venus herself. While Inanna/Ishtar is often linked in marriage with a fertility god (Tammuz) and with the cycles of life, there are no prominent myths that actually describe her marriage nor does she have children. Instead, her stories emphasize her independence, power, and complex relationships with male deities. So there's an aspect to her that is perpetually maidenly, like the image of Virgo. This is also reflected in the month name. If we place a pause between the two syllables of the month name, Ulū and lu, we get a phrase that means "a man who gives a negative reply, who refuses (as in a marriage proposal)" (these definitions are direct quotes from my Akkadian Dictionary). A refusal of her marriage proposal, is exactly what Gilgamesh gives Ishtar in Tablet VI of the Epic of Gilgamesh, after she becomes smitten with him when she sees him bathing in the river. So we can now begin to see the redundancy between Virgo and Venus. In fact, in charts, the theme of lost fidelity often accompanies Venus when she herself is in Virgo, precisely because one is looking for the freshness and desire that Venus herself seeks in a relationship that is no longer youthful or innocent.
Virgo represents the need for maidenhood, innocence and cleanliness. Venus diminishes the need for Virgo, because she provides desire, youthfulness, and cleanliness.
Mars and Cancer
This one is really easy to see. Cancer, as implied by the Moon's function above, indicates a need for safety and protection. Mars is the defender warrior. He already wears armor because his primary job is to protect and defend. So naturally, there is a redundancy here too.
Cancer represents the need for safety and protection. Mars diminishes the need for Cancer because he provides protection.
Jupiter and Capricorn
Capricorn represents the need for worldly success, accomplishment and legacy. While Saturn can satisfy that need through its hard work, planning and discipline over time, Capricorn just expresses a lack of its outcome, not what it takes to get there. Jupiter is a planet that supports, validates and elevates one's choices in life. Jupiter is often associated with outcomes of good fortune and success, whatever they may be. A legacy also need not be institutional or financial; it can take the form of our descendants. And here to, Jupiter can provide, since Zeus is well-known for his procreative tendencies, fathering no less than 19 offspring!
Capricorn represents the need for worldly success, accomplishment and legacy. Jupiter diminishes the need for Capricorn because he provides worldly success and offspring.
Saturn and Aries
Lastly, Aries represents the need for autonomy. It is the first sign of the Zodiac, which corresponds to birth and childhood, when we're learning how to coordinate our bodies in a drive for increased independence and autonomy, while negotiating how much dependency we allow ourselves. Every new beginning is some form of struggle with this basic theme. Saturn is the planet of self-sufficiency and autonomy. In its attempts to fulfill it's Capricorn long-term goals and the need for legacy and success, it isolates itself. In fact, Robert Schmidt's word for Saturn's principle is exclusion. Naturally, it's the opposite of the Moon, whose principle is inclusion.
Aries represents the need for autonomy and independence. Saturn decreases the need for Aries because he provides isolation and self-sufficiency.
In Summary
By applying the same structural analysis to all of the fall signs and their rulers, two things become apparent. The 1st is that the planet's function as fall lord is to decrease or diminish the need represented by the sign. The fall lord does not fulfill the need of the sign -- the domicile lord does that. Rather, there is a redundancy aspect to the fall ruler that makes the need unnecessary or less pronounced.
There's nothing inherently bad or negative about this. In fact, in most cases, it can be quite beneficial. Take John Lennon's chart with his natal Sun in Libra in the 7th. His Libran need to collaborate expressed itself in quite a beneficial selection of a working partner in Paul McCartney. But because the Sun is co-present with Mars, it later resulted in a decision to leave that working partnership. But that event is not tied to the fall, its actually tied to Mars' removal power over the partnership (as detriment lord of Libra) and would have been the case, even if the Sun were not in the sign of its fall. [you can about the other dignity functions here and here.]
The other thing we notice is that the fall lord's inherent abilities, or sometimes qualities, makes the need for the sign unnecessary or redundant. In Lennon's case, the Sun's ability to judge the situation and decide to leave what was perceived as an unequitable situation in his partnership, didn't give him a just outcome, but it did make the need for justice no longer necessary or relevant.
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