Declinations@astrologyguild.com

Let Us Explore Declinations!

by Edward L. Dearborn, AB, MA

Like most public swimming pools, there is a shallow end and a deep one with varying depths in between. In like manner, the astrologer can immerse one's self into declinations according to one's inclinations. Each of the following factors is progressively a bit more complex. By examining the declinational placements of the planets in your chart, you should find strengths you missed by looking only to the zodiacal signs and houses. Add these findings, to one's chart interpretation for they are underlying assets worthy of consideration; especially when one finds any out-of-bound planets.

Power Points
We find the power points at or near the zodiacal longitudes (1.) 0° of Aries and Libra, (2.) 0° of Cancer and Capricorn, and (3.) 15° of the Fixed Signs. The beginner can locate these key declinational power points by merely looking in an open ephemeris to the date that is the focus of your concern. (Allow a ±1° orb.) When one of the luminaries or a planet is in a power point area, that placement strengthens the qualities of that body in accord with its prescribed nature. When the astrologer finds bodies in any of these areas, their very presence indicates added emphasis for the body or bodies. By adding emphasis to that body when interpreting it within the chart will enrich one's understanding of the chart.

This initial area (1.) is associated with the Aries - Libra axis that equates to 0° of declination; (2.) the second area is related to the Cancer - Capricorn axis that equates to 23° 27' North and 23° 27' South declination; while (3.) the third involves the middle of the fixed signs and is located at 16° 20.5' of North and South declination. An orb of 1° of declination in either direction is the maximum allowable for each area.1

A planet and/or the Sun or Moon in any of these three areas by declination, by virtue of placement at a power point, has greater strength consistent with its basic nature and should be recognized as being more powerful in the chart than one would normally expect.

Out-Of-Bounds
Any body that lies beyond the Ecliptic by declination, one that lies farther North or South than 23° 27' by declination, is considered to be outside of the dominion of the Sun and is relatively unencumbered by ordinary solar considerations. One will find any out-of-bound (out-of-bounds) body will behave beyond normal conditions or expectations.2 With a cursory look into a ephemeris that contains declination, one can easily determine if a body is out-of-bounds (out-of-bounds) by declination. An out-of-bounds body has a magnified amount of energy consistent with its natural qualities, and, whether a person or nation, can accomplish much more that one might normally expect. However, the force involved may be applied in either a positive manner or conversely.

The Sun is never out-of-bounds, as it is always (technically) on the Ecliptic, the Sun's Path. Also, neither Saturn nor Neptune has ventured outside the Ecliptic by declination during modern times due to their rather circular orbit about the Sun. If a planet is located in the signs of Gemini, Cancer, Sagittarius, or Capricorn, that planet may, indeed, be out-of-bounds. An exception, among planets, involves Pluto due to the extreme tilt of its orbit about our Sun.3 Also; the Moon is non-conforming at times.

Our Moon goes out-of-bounds for a few days every two weeks for a period of ten years and then does not venture out-of-bounds for the following nine years in a predictable cycle.4 When a person is born with the Moon out-of-bounds, and only the Moon placed thusly, most likely this will indicate a basic insecurity that involves the lack of a good mother-child relationship.5 When another body or bodies are simultaneously out-of-bounds with the out-of-bounds Moon, then we have an entirely different and easier situation.6

When we consider secondary progressions, those years when the Moon is
out-of-bounds by progression are tied to emotional trials for the native, and aspects of planets that involve the Moon either increase or decrease the impact of each progressed period. Kt Boehrer provides her readers with many insights relative to the various planets when they are out-of-bounds, and over six pages of her text are devoted just to the Moon's out-of-bounds placement.7 This writer learned about the role of out-of-bound bodies from Mrs. Boehrer's pioneering research in her Declination: The Other Dimension, the first book devoted entirely to declination and introducing 'the out-of-bounds condition' to astrologers.

At a higher skill level, one learns to bring bodies that are out-of-bounds within bounds - so to speak. This is accomplished by bringing the out-of-bounds body within the Ecliptic for the same distance that it lies beyond it. [Example: Venus 24° N 30'. Subtract 23° 27' ( maximum extent of the Ecliptic) resulting in 1° 03', that is subtracted from 23° 27' (the Ecliptic's tilt) to yield the inbound co-declinational placement at 22° N 24'.] This co-declinational placement at 22° N 24' (plus the declinational (natal) placement at 24° N 30' as well) reacts as if the planet was actually there in the natal chart. After over 25 years of serious research, Kt Boehrer has proved this by utilizing hundreds of charts and has found this to hold true. Both of the placements--the declination and the co-declination work!

Since a body must have a declinational equivalent in zodiacal longitude and a body beyond 23° 27' North or South declination cannot be directly equated to a zodiacal degree, the body needs to have a co-declination to bring it into play as an interpretive factor in a chart. Using Venus at 24° N 30' it does not equate to any zodiacal degree; however, its co-declination at 22° N 24'of declination equates to 13° 15' Gemini and 16° 45' Cancer where one will find the Sun at 22° North 24'. There are two zodiacal equivalents because the Sun passes through any particular declinational point while ascending and then while descending in declination, and the degree & minutes of declination, co-declination of a planet will agree with the zodiacal location of the Sun in each instance including the related solstice point.

As Kt Boehrer states in her text, "Longitude is the language of astrology and declination speaks volumes when translated into longitude along the ecliptic."8 A body must be along or within the arc inscribed by the Ecliptic or along the Solar Path to be equated with the zodiacal longitudes. Her text explains the procedure (as with Venus above) and includes the asteroids Ceres and Pallas thus opening another door in the use of declination with asteroids. I would suggest to those interested in research that one consider the inclusion of selected fixed stars and other galactic bodies, in addition to the asteroids.

Parallels of Declination
The next level of skill involves the determination of parallels and contra-parallels by declination. The parallels and contra-parallels are very strong aspects and are well worth the time devoted to seek them out. They can be ascertained when two bodies are within a 1° orb of one another in declination. (The exact time of their conjoining is a powerful timing devise.) If the two bodies are either both North, or both South in declination, they are in parallel; if one is North and the other is South, they are in contra-parallel. In each instance, the bodies are equidistant from the celestial equator at 0° N/S 00' to form the parallel aspects.

Until recently, relatively few astrologers have attempted to interpret the significance of parallels. The common explanation has been to compare the parallel to a conjunction and the contra-parallel to an opposition. This is partially so. Some of the 'heavy-weights' of the past have stated that the parallel is stronger than a conjunction. Others say the parallel is very strong placement and that it is more subjective while acting over a longer period of time.

In 1903 Alvidas wrote:
"It is essential to give the attention particularly to the declination of the planets, for the Zodiacal parallel is of more importance than any other aspect formed by the planets, as in all cases the effect of this aspect is similar to that of a close conjunction only more powerful and effective."9

In 1935 Robert deLuce wrote:
"The parallel êê, which means two bodies having the same declination, has the same meaning as the conjunction, except that the influence of the parallel is milder, more passive and spread over a longer period of time than the conjunction. The parallel is in the nature of a sustaining force, which may remain latent unless difficulties or a crisis arise that test the native's strength."10

What I cannot understand is that if the parallel is so strong, then why has this dimension of astrology been neglected by so many? Possibly the answer involves the time needed to research declinations and the scarcity of background information. Today, with the advent of computers designed to crunch numbers, we certainly have the tools to remedy this problem.

M. J. Makransky has shed more light upon the interpretive phase of the parallel in a two-part article titled "A Touch of Distinctiveness"11 wherein he compares the longitudinal conjunction between two planets with the declinational parallel of the same two. Generally speaking, the parallel has a more subjective quality than the conjunction, for the parallel operates more on a level of intuition and feeling than the conjunction or opposition, and a parallel is a more satisfying use of energies for the native than a longitudinal conjunction that involves the same pair of bodies.12 Also, parallels extend over much longer periods of time with their effectiveness within a chart. By progression a parallel may last a lifetime or longer.

In a letter to the writer, Mr. Makransky says that aspects formed in zodiacal longitude are related to the expectations and pressures associated with the social and cultural demands placed upon people generally. In contrast, parallels (and contra-parallels) provide liberation from those demands. The more parallels one may have in the chart, the greater the freedom of choice. They give one a freedom to pursue "one's own star" rather than, in contrast to the longitudinally oriented aspects, respond to the rewards and punishments of one's society.

He states further that the parallels are beneficial in nature, although they do tend to isolate one from other individuals, for they lead one toward goals of a different nature along "the road less traveled". Parallels tend to show a more "spiritual" side of the native than do the longitudinal aspects. The parallels of declination exemplify an ideal of individualistic effort while blazing a new trail all by one's self.

Conversion of Declinations to Zodiacal Longitude
All declinations from 23° 27' North to 23° 27' South can be converted to the zodiacal degrees from 0° of Aries to 29°59'59" of Pisces. By converting out-of-bounds placements to their co-declinations, they can be converted as well.

Except for any body found at 23° 27', either North or South, each body has two longitudinal equivalents. (At 23° 27' the longitudinal equivalent is either 0° of Cancer if in North declination, or 0° of Capricorn if in South declination.) The reason for this is that, until the maximum declination on the Ecliptic is reached, the body is ascending in declination. When leaving the maximum declination, the body is descending towards zero, and then it begins its ascent towards the other maximum. Mercury at 18° N 30'equates to 22° Taurus 53'and to 7° Leo 07', the first while it ascends in North declination and the second while it descends in North declination. Anyone familiar with either solstice points or antiscia will recognize the association. Both of these locations by declination in the chart would be activated, as well as the position at which the ephemeris may have indicated Mercury might be at zodiacal longitude of 25° Taurus 42'as given in the ephemeris. Yet, the bottom line is that if Mercury has a declination of 18°N 30', then it equates to whatever zodiacal longitude the Sun would have if the Sun were at 18°N 30'. Since the Sun at 18°N 30' ascends through 22° Taurus 53' and descends through 7° Leo 07', both are associated with Venus in this example. Both places are equal to the declinational location of the Sun, and all three ¾ 25° Taurus 42' (ephemeris position), 22° Taurus 53', and 7° Leo 07' (both as equivalents from its declination)-will be activated by transit or progression as if Mercury were actually in each of these locations in the chart. (We can also add 4° Leo 18' to these three, because it is the 25°n 42'solstice point of the ephemeris location of Mercury in this example.) There is a table available to assist one in the conversion of declination to longitude and visa versa. One is found in Kt Boehrer's text. John Halloran sells a computer software program that provides the conversions of declination to zodiacal longitudes. Without the table, one need but look to an ephemeris for the longitude of the Sun for an approximate placement when the Sun is at the same declination as the planet with which you are concerned, both ascending and descending.13

Planetary Cycles
For those individuals who are interested in mundane matters, The Church of Light teaches members about this interesting technique. For those of us in the Northern Hemisphere we should erect a chart for a planet each time that the planet crosses from 0° South 00' to 00°North 00'declination as it travels around the zodiac. The chart erected for this point in time is indicative of the activities of this particular planet until such time as it again crosses from South to North at a later date; interpretation of the chart is limited to those energies with which that particular planet is associated.14

For matters involving the United States, one would erect the chart for Washington, D.C. For Canadian affairs, one would erect the chart for Ottawa.

Individuals who may be focussed upon Southern Hemisphere matters, would erect the chart when the planet crosses into South declination. For Australian activities one would erect the chart for Canberra, its capitol. For the Southern Hemisphere the present Mars Cycle began on November 8, 2000 at 23:24 GMT and will be effective until October 19, 2002.

For those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, the previous Mars Cycle began on February 13, 2000 at 2:04 PM GMT, while the present Mars Cycle began on January 19, 2002 at 11:11:17 PM GMT and will be effective until the next transit of Mars over the 00°S00' demarcation line to 00°N00' on December 17, 2003 at 7:17:45 PM GMT.

The Progressed Moon
The progressed Moon was referred to above under Out-Of-Bounds. Research has revealed a 28-year cycle related to the financial earnings of an individual with the key times in the cycle tied to the years at which the Moon crosses the 0° Aries - Libra declinational axis when going from either South to North or visa versa.15 At 0° of declination by progression the native will, most likely, experience some general change of attitude; when the progressed Moon is near its maximum North or South declination, the native usually has a change in their financial fortune. Details of this cycle would cover several pages, so space does not allow for its treatment here. Several articles have been written about "The Earning Cycle".16

Midpoints
When the astrologer becomes more acquainted with the use of declinations, exploration of the whole area of midpoints is in order. Ebertin's Combination of Stellar Influences17 is a handy tool for interpretive purposes, because he merges the meanings of three planets together.
The easiest midpoint to find is when one has a contra-parallel while a third planet is located at, or very near, 0° N/S declination. This 0° body is at the midpoint of any or all contra-parallels in the chart, and thus the 0°planet accumulates even more power at this power point than its 0° placement alone would imply.

Some examples of other possible midpoints would be (1) two bodies, one at 20° North and the other at 10° South, thus generating a midpoint at 5° North (15° from each of the two); (2) two bodies, one at 20° South and the other at 8° South, thus generating a midpoint at 14° South (6° from each of the others); and (3) each out-of-bounds planet (or asteroid) has an out-of-bounds declination (in ephemeris) and an inbound co-declinational location; thus it provides a dual opportunity for it to be involved with midpoints. Each has equal merit. Check them out.

Asteroids and Fixed Stars
If you wish to research these and other stellar bodies or galactic points, several of which are often found beyond the Ecliptic in their declination, there are formulae that can aid your exploration of bodies above 46°54' and 70°21' in either North or South declination.

Formula
This involves in part the concept of a mirror image. The maximum limit of the Ecliptic is 23°N or S 27'. A body beyond that 23° 27' limit and no greater than 46°54', it will have a co-declination somewhere between 23° 27' and 0° in the same North or South declination. If the body has a declination beyond 46° 54' and no greater than 70° 21', it will have a co-declination between 0° and 23° 27' but in the opposite declination (a change from N to S, or S to N). With a body right at 70° 21' the co-declination will equate to 23° 27' of the opposite declination. Example: 70° N 21' equates to 23° S 27' or 70° S 21' equates to 23° N 27'. As we venture out further, beyond 70° 21' we move inward toward 0° 00'. Thus the location of the fixed star Canopus in the southern sky is14° 59' Cancer & 75° S 49' in 2001, and the 75° South 49' equates to co-declination of 17° North 59'. Therefore 75 S 49 - 70:21 = 5:28; take 5:28 from 23 N 27 = 17 N 59. When a declination reaches beyond 70° 21'it does not go out-of-bounds again but turns back towards 0° 00'.

Latitude
Latitude is the sister to declination. However, very little research has been done in this area. Kt Boehrer acknowledges that planets can be outside the Ecliptic by latitude as well as out-of-bounds by declination. A body that is outside by latitude can still be equated directly to zodiacal longitude, whereas, the body that is out-of-bounds by declination must be converted to a co-declination to do so. When a planet is out to the side by latitude, the qualities of the planet are strengthened but not as much as when that planet is out-of -bounds by declination. Saturn can be beyond (to the side of) the Ecliptic by latitude but not by declination.18 These are still 'uncharted waters', and research is needed here too.

A very unusual occurrence
At the time of the New Moon that preceded the Presidential Inauguration in January of 1997 we had a complex array of aspects. The New Moon occurred on January 9, 1997 at 4:26 A.M.GMT. Mars and Saturn were in opposition and contra-parallel to one another. Although neither was technically out-of-bounds by latitude, they were both beyond the Solar Path a short distance by latitude with Mars in a southern longitudinal sign at 1° Libra 44' while in North declination. The reverse was true for Saturn which was in a northern longitudinal sign at 1°Aries 46' while in South declination. It could happen only due to their close proximity to the Aries - Libra axis. Also, both were closely conjoining the Lunar Nodes. This writer assumes this complicated configuration continued to thrive during the last four years of Clinton's hectic presidency.

The Decl-S.I.G.
If you wish more information about declinations, I would recommend you purchase Kt Boehrer's text, available from A.F.A., and contact the Declination -Special Interest Group.19 The Decl-S.I.G. (Declinations) has been publishing The Other Dimension, devoted to declinations since 1996.

Leigh Westin has written two excellent and technically oriented articles on declination. Both articles are found in the Spring 1998 issue of the NCGR Geocosmic Magazine. That issue of the Magazine was devoted to 'Declinations'. Please do take my challenge to you, and take a good look into declinations if you have neglected them until now!

Et Cetera
In addition to C.C. Zain, those who have studied the writings the texts of Ivy Goldstein-Jacobson, as did Kt Boehrer, have found a good source for the study of declinations. One should not overlook the breakthrough provided by Mrs. Kt Boehrer who discovered of the role played by out-of-bounds placements and the method she found to bring them into the zodiacal longitude of the Ecliptic. Mrs. Boehrer has found through extensive research that the orb of influence of each parallel is a full degree on either side of exactness at the 23° 27' limit of the Ecliptic and no more than one degree orb when at the 0° North and South declinational area surrounding the early degrees of Aries and Libra and late Virgo and Pisces or at the power point associated with 15° of each of the fixed signs at 16° N or S 20' 30" of declination.

Published in Today's Astrologer (Vol. 63, No. 11) Lunation: November 15, 2001
Originally published in Today's Astrologer
Vol. 63 Number 11, Lunation: November 15, 2001
by AFA under title "Exploring Declinations".

Ed has been a stout supporter of the Guild since its inception, although he is miles away on the other side of this continent.

Let Us Explore Declinations!

by Edward L. Dearborn, AB, MA

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