Major Chart Patterns
Dignities
Here we are entering a more contentious area of
astrology, that of ‘sign rulership,’ of the essential
dignities and debilities of The Lights, and the planets, in
the various signs. The various planets are considered
stronger in some signs than in others; in fact, there is a
whole pecking order that is usually divided into four
parts, which, together, are called the Essential Dignities
and Debilities. Separately, these four parts are:
Rulership, Detriment, Exaltation, and Fall.