Section 30 “The Sign Ruler, the Lord, and The Ultimate Ruler of the Nativity”
The sign ruler of the nativity, the lord of the nativity, and the ultimate ruler of the nativity influence each other, and so it is essential to distinguish the subtleties between them. The ancients seemed to have convoluted the terms by not distinguishing clearly one from another. Each of them have their own distinct power, just as the pilot of a ship has a different role than the owner of that same ship. And so we will illustrate here how these terms are intertwined with one another.
The ancient authors have said that the sun is the ruler of the day, and the moon governs the night, and such authors have also made the following distinctions. Ifthe sun is rising in the east in a day chart, then it is chosen as the ultimate ruler of the nativity. If, however, the sun is declining in the west, but the moon happens to be in the eastern part of the chart, then the moon is taken as the ultimate ruler, and especially if it is rising up to the point of the Ascendant as it makes its passage in to the eastern horizon. If, however, both the sun and the moon are declining in the west, then the Ascendant itself will be the ultimate ruler.
In a night chart, the rules are as follows. If the moon is rising in the east, then it is clearly the ultimate ruler of the nativity. If, however, it is setting in the west, but the sun is under the horizon of the chart, approaching or near to the Ascendant, then the sun is chosen. In the case that both the sun and the moon are under the horizon, but are in an angular or succedent house, then the moon will be picked as the ultimate ruler because it is the ruler of the sect. If, however, the moon is found to be declining in the west, and the sun is in an angular house, then the sun is chosen.
In general, whichever light is closer to the pivots will be assigned as the ultimate ruler, then the light that is nearer to the east, and then the light of the sect. If both the sun and the moon are descending, then the Ascendant will be used as the default. And once the ultimate ruler of the chart has been found (C), then one can also find the sign ruler of the chart, as well as any planets that are co-rulers along with that planet.
The ruler of the sign in which the ultimate ruler falls will be the sign ruler of the chart, and the co-ruler will be the planet ruling the bounds in which it is placed. And it is necessary to examine these rulers, to see if they are making a testimony by some kind of aspect to either the Ascendant or the moon. The whole judgment of the nativity will be derived from these things.
Some authors simply take the planetary ruler of the bounds in which the Ascendant falls to be the sign ruler of the chart, and they use the ruler of the Ascendant sign as its co-ruler. Those same authors use the ruler of the Midheaven as the ruler of the nativity, in the case that it is productive by being in an angular house. If this is not the case, they use any planets that are situated close to the Midheaven, as if such planets are a supreme ruler sitting up high on a throne in the chart, governing all the affairs of the nativity. When it is the case that there are no planets near the Midheaven, they will use any planets that are rising after the Midheaven.
First of all, these authors would use the ruler of the Ascendant or any planets that had walked up and stopped near to the Ascendant, either by sign or by bounds, whether it be the ruler of the moon, or the ruler of the Midheaven, or the ruler of the Lot of Fortune. This planet could be considered as long as it would have been rising or setting within seven days before or after the native’s birth, or even would have been making a station within that time (D).
It is of common consent that the planet chosen will be the supreme ruler of the chart, and essentially it controls the nativity. If two planets meet these requirements, then the most powerful planet that is rising will be chosen. The ruler of the sign of the preceding new moon is also taken alongside this ruler. I would suggest also that the ruler of the bounds in which the preceding new moon occurred should also be considered, especially in the case that the moon is separating from the sun. If, however, the moon is waning, then the ruler of the bounds of the full moon should be used.
And from all the planets identified, the planet that is most sympathetic to the nativity should be chosen as the lord of the chart, which is the planet that is placed in the most superior position. This would be the planet that is closest to the Ascendant degree or most closely placed in the ascending sign or has the greatest power by being in the closest aspect to the Ascendant.
Next one must examine this lord of the nativity by means of the techniques described in the following sections, to see what kind of power it holds. But often times, the process of actually locating the lord of the nativity is the most difficult task of all. For at times it is the case that the lord of the chart and the sign ruler of the chart are the same planet, which occurs whenever the lord is found to be the same planet that rules the sign in which the sun or the moon falls, as long as it has been chosen as the light which is the ultimate ruler of the whole chart. And in this case, this planet will bring outcomes of great magnitude.