rules. For example, because Mercury rules Gemini, it is in dignity when in the sign
Gemini. As the name of the term implies, this is regarded as a fortunate placement; a
planet in its dignity is traditionally regarded as being in harmony with the sign and
consequently strengthened. For example, a person born during a period when Mercury
was in Gemini has—unless other factors in the natal chart mitigate against it—a good
mind and good basic communication skills.The attitude of modern astrologers toward the traditional dignities is mixed,
partly because natal planets placed in their dignities are not always the unmitigated
blessings one might anticipate. The Moon in the sign of its dignity, Cancer, for exam-
ple, is a highly sensitive placement that, unless counterbalanced by other factors,
tends to make a person too sensitive and moody. More generally, all of the traditional
dignities should be utilized with caution.The situation is different in horary astrology, where the classical dignities have
a definite bearing on the question being asked. In Vedic astrology, a planet that is
placed in the sign it rules is also regarded as being fortunately placed and strong.Sources:
Brau, Jean-Louis, Helen Weaver, and Allan Edmands. Larousse Encyclopedia of Astrology.New
York: New American Library, 1980.
DeVore, Nicholas. Encyclopedia of Astrology.New York: Philosophical Library, 1947.DIRECT
When a planet is moving from west to east in the natural order of the zodiac, it is said
to be moving direct. Direct is the antonym to retrograde, which is the apparent move-
ment of a planet backward through the zodiac.DIRECTIONS
Directions is an alternative designation for progressions.DISPOSITOR
A planet is the dispositor of other planets when they are located in the sign the first
planet rules. For instance, if both Mercury and Mars are in the sign Taurus, then Venus,
the ruler of Taurus, is the dispositor of Mercury and Mars. One would say that Mercury
and Mars are “disposed by” or “disposed of by” Venus. A planet in its own sign, such as
Venus in Taurus, is said to dispose itself (or, sometimes, to dispose of itself). In some
charts, one can trace a chain of dispositors (e.g., Venus is the dispositor of Mercury and
Mars, while Jupiter is the dispositor of Venus, and so on) until stopping at a single plan-
et that is the final or ultimate dispositor of every other planet in the chart; such a plan-
et is regarded as having an especially strong influence over the entire horoscope.Direct
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