separately and apart from its bearing upon all other matters. But in a general way the character and disposition may be learned fro the Sun, Moon, Mercury, Ascendant and the ruling planets. It has
become
the
custom
of
many astrologers to take the lord of the
[PAGE 420]
THE MESSAGE OF THE STARS
rising sign as the ruler of the horoscope. That is correct in Medical Astrology because the Ascendant represents the body, but when we want to judge the character which is the combination of all the forces focused through the horoscopical wheel of life the matter is different. Then we must find what planet has the most dominant influence in the life and that is then the life ruler regardless of whether or not it is the ruler of the Ascendant. To find that planet look first to the lord of the Ascendant. If he is elevated, essentially dignified or angular and strongly aspected, remember, it matters not whether the aspects are good or bad as long as they are close and plentiful (for if it were only the good aspects that made the ruler then there would be only good people in the world. But we know that there are people of all shades of character and therefore it is necessary to select the ruler according to the aspects, regardless of whether they are good or bad), and above all, if the aspects are close, then the lord of the Ascendant is also the ruling planet, for he will exercise the most potent influence in the life. On the other hand if another planet is more highly elevated than the ruler of the Ascendant, if it is exalted, essentially dignified or placed in an angle and its aspects re more plentiful or closer than the aspects of the lord of the Ascendant, the judge that that planet will be the ruler of the horoscope and exercise a dominant influence in the life regardless of the [PAGE 421]
MIND AND THE RULING PLANET
fact that it is not the ruler of the rising sign. But if there are two planets running neck-and-neck in the race for rulership, so to speak, with no strongly marked difference in favor of one or the other so that it is difficult to make a choice, do not utterly discard one and choose the other, for then they will both be very active in the life and must be classed as co-rulers. THE INFLUENCE OF RULING PLANETS WELL ASPECTED THE SUN AS RULING PLANET