by Robert Wilkinson
Today we continue our look at the concept of dispositorship, and how it’s a primary factor in the ways a planet in any sign manifests. As I introduced in part 1, a dispositor provides the background material to why the "inner lights" (planets) work as they do.
To re-cap, even though each planet has their areas of influence, how that influence works is entirely dependent on what planet rules the sign they're in, and where in the zodiac that ruling planet is. Mars in Libra will express entirely differently when Venus (the planet that rules Libra) is in Pisces than when Venus is in Aries.
Also, there are three possible configurations to how the planets interrelate. There is final disposition, which is when a planet in its home sign disposes of other planets. There is mutual reception, when two planets are in each other’s signs and form the backdrop to all other planets in signs those two planets rule. And finally, there are “chains of dispositors,” when three or more are in signs ruled by other planets in that chain.
So let’s take a look at where the planets are now, and where they will be, so we can get a sense of how the outer planets will express throughout 2014.
LONG WAVE OUTER INFLUENCES
As long as Pluto is in Capricorn it will be disposited by Saturn. Since Pluto is the spiritual ruler of Scorpio, then these two are in a spiritual mutual reception. However, since Mars is the worldly ruler of Scorpio, then the sign Mars is in influences both Pluto and Saturn expressions. Of course, this will change in 2015 when Saturn is in Sagittarius, since Jupiter will then be the dispositor of Saturn.
When Neptune was in Aquarius, it had Saturn as its dispositor. Now that it’s in Pisces, it is its own dispositor on the spiritual level, but has Jupiter as its dispositor in worldly affairs. So while Neptune currently is in its home sign, bringing the very vast dreamscape we’re all experiencing, while Jupiter is in Cancer, that sign’s concerns will influence collective consciousness, and when Jupiter goes into Leo, we should experience a big shift from water to fire, and from introversion to extroversion.
Uranus in Aries will be disposited by Mars on a worldly level and Pluto on a spiritual level for years to come. That means we have a Capricorn spiritual energy as the backdrop to Uranus, and in 2014, a Libra emphasis for the first half of the year, followed by a Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, and Aquarius energy during the second half of the year. So Venus is part of Uranus’ disposition for the first half of 2014, followed by Mars, then Jupiter, and then Saturn.
As noted, Saturn in Scorpio is disposited by Mars on a worldly level and Pluto on a spiritual level. That means the same energies are at work behind Saturn in Scorpio as Uranus in Aries. Here I’ll note that when Mars is in Capricorn and Aquarius in November and December 2014 it will be in mutual reception with Saturn.
JUPITER – LOOKING BACK, LOOKING FORWARD
Jupiter influences any planets or houses involving Sagittarius and Pisces. So planets in these signs will take on the shading of whatever sign Jupiter is in. Jupiter's spends about a year in each sign, and its dispositor changes each year at the time it changes signs.
When Jupiter was in Capricorn from 12/2007-1/2009, it was influenced by Saturn (ruling Capricorn) which occupied Virgo. When Jupiter was in Aquarius from 1/2009-1/2010, it was still influenced by Saturn, since Saturn also rules Aquarius.
While Jupiter in Capricorn had Saturn only in Virgo, Jupiter in Aquarius had dispositor Saturn in Libra from January through early April 2010, then Saturn in late Virgo from April through July 2010, and then Saturn back in Libra through the rest of the time that Jupiter was in the Saturn-ruled sign of Aquarius. After that, when Jupiter was in Pisces from January through June 2010, and again from September 2010 through January 2011, it was its own final dispositor, and was the final dispositor for all planets in Sagittarius or Pisces during those time spans.
When Jupiter was in Aries from June to September 2010, it had Mars in Virgo and Libra as its dispositor. When it was again in Aries between January and June 2011, it had Mars in Aquarius, Pisces, Aries, and Taurus as its dispositor. It was then in Taurus between June 2011 and June 2012, during which time Venus went through all the signs. Venus in Sagittarius or Pisces made for a mutual reception with Jupiter.
Jupiter was in Gemini from June 2012 through June 2013, making Mercury its dispositor. Mercury also transited all the signs during that year. As with Venus, when Mercury was in Sagittarius or Pisces during that year it was in mutual reception with Jupiter.
From June 2013 to July 2014 Jupiter in Cancer was disposited by the Moon. Because the Moon moves through all the signs in a month, this is a time when Jupiter might seem more restless, or more varied at a quicker pace than when it’s in other signs. Of course, keep paying attention to the sign the Moon is in and the aspects being made if you want to know what Jupiter’s backdrop is on any given day.
This will steady a bit when Jupiter is in Leo between July 2014 and August 2015, since then the Sun will be Jupiter’s dispositor. The Sun is steady in its pace, moving through each sign month by month, and so we can expect to experience all the backdrops of the zodiac during the year Jupiter is in Leo.
When the Sun is in Leo in 2014, we’ll get a purely Leo Jupiter expression. When the Sun is in Virgo, it will bring more detail, more meticulousness, and more functional practicality to the Jupiter in Leo expression. When the Sun is in Libra, Jupiter’s expressions should be more refined, more elegant, and very classy!
ASPECTS BETWEEN DISPOSITORS
Aspects made to/from a dispositor definitely affects the planet being disposed. For example Saturn in the Scorpio sector of the Grand Irrationality at the current time means that any planets in Capricorn or Aquarius will share in that irrationality, especially those near Pluto or in septile to Saturn.
Or in late February 2014, Saturn in Scorpio will be the dispositor of Venus in Capricorn that makes a sextile to Saturn. However, Mars in Libra disposits Saturn, and Venus makes a square to Mars. So this is a chain of dispositors that rules Mercury in Aquarius, Venus in Capricorn, Mars in Libra, and Saturn in Scorpio. Mercury is trine Mars and square Saturn. Venus is sextile Saturn and square Mars. Studying what is harmonious to what, and what is frictional to what, will show where energies will be built and how they will be released.
In another example further down the road, in June 2015 Jupiter in Leo will be disposed by the Sun in Gemini . The Sun will be conjunct Mars in Gemini, with all of these having Mercury in Gemini as a final dispositor. That Sun-Mars conjunction will definitely bring a lot of forceful Gemini energy to Jupiter’s table!
These are just a few examples, and obviously there are many more. While I cannot possibly answer all the questions these articles have raised, by studying the qualities of the planets, signs, and aspects, you will begin to understand how the various interrelated energies operate, both in general and in your own lives.
Begin by finding the dispositors of your natal planets, and see how they’ve expressed throughout your life. Then take a look at the transits of those dispositors in the past and present, especially when they’ve changed signs. By observing what changes and what doesn’t, you’ll see how the expressions of the planets that disposit your natal planets shift as they transit the various signs.
Though some of this is technical, by studying the principles I’ve outlined here you can understand why two different people with Saturn in Virgo, Venus in Gemini, or Mars in Capricorn (or any other planetary position) can be so radically different in their responses to similar areas or events. What we've covered here can also help to elucidate why some supposed "compatibilities" are not so compatible, and some supposedly incompatible planets in signs actually get along quite well. The answer to the mystery could very well be found in the dispositors!
© Copyright 2007, 2014 Robert Wilkinson
Hi Robert,
Thanks for explaining this idea so well! I'm constantly amazed at the layers of complexity that can build up when interpreting a chart, either natal or current transits and then we have the progressed chart to consider as well. When I start to consider things like Yods and fixed stars as well, I get a bit overloaded and have to sleep on it for a while! :)
I know there are software packages that can aid us in understanding this from a wholeness perspective, I have much research to do.
Posted by: RodJM | January 27, 2014 at 05:01 PM