WHICH HOUSE RULES CARS?

WHICH HOUSE RULES CARS?

/This article was originally published
at http://www.skyscript.co.uk/cars.html /

The third, of course. It takes us around…

No, the second! It’s our possession!

Come on, you’re both wrong. The car is in the first, because it’s like “the ship I sail in”.

Sounds familiar?

I’ll be very straight: this article is meant to prove that cars are in the third house, whatever their brand, colour or age, and in whatever way your horary question concerns them. This may sound like a very ambitious task, and it is, because a car is a very heavy vehicle and it takes enormous strength to carry it from one house to another.

But let’s try – it may prove being worth the trouble 🙂

Our first step in moving the car is, of course, to find one. Rambling through Lilly’s writings, there’s none. Why? Well he didn’t have one. Nor did any of his clients. People in his days travelled by carriages, by riding horses or sailing – or by walking, if they really had no other choice. The closest associate to a car in Lilly’s days would be a carriage, but, sadly, none of Lilly’s clients seems to have lost their carriage, so we have been left with an unfortunate void for a traditional significator of a car.

Let me repeat that: unfortunate. Because it’s really incredible how much ink has been spilt over cars in later years on various forums by us diligent searchers of truth called horary astrologers – in vain. It’s not just that we  haven’t come to an agreement; the gap is getting wider! I’m afraid that if an emergent step is not taken soon, we might end up meeting someone with his car in the sixth because “drinking so much gas is SICK”!  Or you may come across a newbie to astrology babbling: “My car shoots like an arrow. It’s in the ninth!” Or: “Come see my new car! It’ll kill you!” (The eight, right. I knew you’d guess that one.) Not to speak of those whose car is their best friend and holds a honorary place in their eleventh. I have a nagging feeling that if we had a fortnight astrology conference dedicated to that delicate subject, we’d end up without a consensus – and with no decent garage to park our cars in.

Did I call myself ambitious, writing this article? Doesn’t “mad” sound better?

OK, let’s find that car. Searching through the 20th century horary material, we find more than a few horaries with cars fitting nicely into their 3rd houses, but I’ve been informed by a honorable member of a traditionally oriented horary forum that those people’s views don’t matter because a) their books contained fundamental 20th century ideas; b) they were not to be reached, neither by phone nor by mail; or because c) they had a bad character. It’s not likely that I can get a point by referring to such people, is it?

OK, let’s leave them alone. Although, to be true, a car is a fundamental 20th century idea, so we’ll have to apply some fundamental 20th century thinking when searching for a car house rulership, I’m afraid. But I’ll try to stick as close to the past centuries as possible, I promise!

So, having remained without our 20th century allies, we’re left with only two eternal weapons: William Lilly (alas impoverished of a car), and our brain.

True, Lilly didn’t have a car, but he had some ships – in his book, that is. So, for the beginning, let’s take the car from the third line – the one which is in the 1st house. Astrologers who have it parked there defend their choice by quoting Lilly, CA Chapter XXVI “Of a ship, and whatever are in her, her safety or destruction: The ancients doe put this question to those concerning the ninth house, and I conceive for no other reason, then because it must be granted, that ships are made for travel and journeys: however, in regard most part of the judgment concerning its safety or ruin is derived from the ascendant and his lord, and the Moon, I thought fit to place this judgment as belonging to the first house.” (Accents mine.)

Note he doesn’t say that ships per se are ruled by 1th house; he rather seems to be contented with them being ruled by the 9th, whereas in questions concerning their “safety or ruin” he thinks it fit to place this judgement into the 1st. Which is just fine with me and I believe with you too. Note there’s a very unambiguous parallel with questions concerning missed persons which he places in the 1st house too. Is the man/ship safe? Will he/it return? Etc.

Now think about that:

Astrologers of the past had their ships in the 9th house because they were used for long journeys. Now, don’t you think that those astrologers would, if they lived today, put their cars in the 3rd house because they are used for short journeys?

Did I hear NO? I knew it. I told you 😉

Although, that’s not really fair you know because I have descended even deeper than the 17th century – I have descended into antiquity. I was referring to the ancients. Give me half a point for that, will you?

I can hear you saying, but who said that cars are in the 1st always; they’re in the 1st only when they’re on the road.

If you think that you’ve won half a point back, read along.

Let’s say that your belief is grounded on the view of a well known contemporary astrologer who says: “Contemplating my car, and asking ´Will it get me to Glasgow?´, I am seeing my car as what Lilly calls ´the ship that I sail in´, hence 1st house.  Similarly with ´Will my flight arrive safely?´ The analogy is with the body (1st house) seen as the vehicle of the soul.” (John Frawley, The Horary Textbook, p.142.)

Congratulations on the second part! I’m seeing a parallel here: we can’t get off the plane until the flight’s over, like our soul can’t step out of our body until we’re dead. (Unless, of course, out-of-body experiences are part of our daily gymnastics.) The destiny of the plane is my own destiny, like the destiny of my soul is the destiny of my living body. As for the car getting me to Glasgow, that’s another story. I can get in and out of it whenever I want. The car is not part of me. I control it. It doesn’t control me.

I can hear you objecting. I know what you mean. But I’m only done with one aspect of my reasoning. You may have a point in saying that we are concerned with our safety when driving our cars, but can you in all sincerity say that you have a horary chart in your files asking “Will I get lost if I drive downtown to the grocery store?” Or: “Is it safe for me to drive home tonight?”

I’m not saying that such questions are not legitimate. They are, of course, and can be asked if you are (in the first case) a 90-years old grandpa suffering from a serious sclerosis, or (in the second case) dead drunk, or (also in the second case) afraid that your wife will jump out on you when you come home late. For example. But this has still nothing to do with your car. It has to do with your general bodily and mental condition which is shown by the 1st house, and with your wife shown by the 7th.

But let’s say that your question was: “My car is old and shaky. Will it endure the 250-miles long trip to Boston which I plan for the next week?” (That’s very much like Will it get me to Glasgow, right?)

Well, that’s different – you are interested in the condition of the car which is closely related to the quality and safety of your trip. Alas, that still doesn’t justify you to put it in the 1st, because you (1st house) can always step out of the car (3rd house) and have it mended. That’s quite different to sailing on Titanic and finding yourself in the middle of the ocean when the ill-fated ship starts to sink. If the ship sinks, you’ll sink too. In all probability, that is, especially if you were on that ship in one of those centuries when horary astrology concerning ships lost at sea evolved.

Whereas if you’re considering the general safety of your trip, like wondering whether the wolves would attack you on the road (read: a policeman would stop you while driving too fast), that’s clearly a 1st house matter (besides having to do with Saturn of course) but it’s also clear (or so I hope) that this has nothing to do with the condition of your car (which is, still and again, a 3rd  house matter). Except if, of course, your car is so fast that you can’t control it, but I doubt that your policeman is going to believe that. (Neither will I.)

On the other hand, an accident could happen, right? In this case, your car might not get you to Glasgow, Boston or wherever. This IS a 1st house matter, true, but still has nothing to do with your car – except if your car had a defect but that wouldn’t show in the 1st but in the 3rd house. The 1st would show whether you were guilty of the accident, and whether you’d survive. If someone else caused it, that would be shown by the 7th. If the car of that person had a defect that would show in the 9th (3rd from 7th ).

So, can you see the difference between the 1st and 3rd houses? That’s crucial, because it’ll affect your future car horaries’ delineations, so don’t be hurried.

Pour yourself a cup of tea. Have a biscuit. Think. Ponder.

And if still not persuaded, think of a horary that appeared a few months ago on the Skyscript forum. Someone said “I’m planning a trip from Germany to Scotland with my old car. So I asked will my car make it through the trip or will it break down?” The chart had ascendant in the “deadly” Scorpio and its ruler Mars peregrine at the end of Virgo (28,5 degrees), still inside a one-degree orbed square (separating) with Pluto and about to enter its sign of detriment (Libra). Someone suggested that some astrologers use the 1st house for questions concerning the possibility of a breaking of car on the trip, so he concluded that “the car’s condition is about to get worse”. I hope you agree that he was right.

Except that, of course, he was not right. Because the car was shown by the 3rd house and not by the 1st! If it was shown by the 1st he wouldn’t make it to  the nearest border – what with such a schlump of a car! – but seeing that 3rd cusp was in Capricorn, with Saturn in the 10th and Jupiter on the cusp of 3rd applying by retrograde motion to the trine of Saturn its dispozitor, I described the car as endurable, sturdy and “fit to be travelled in”. I added that the 1st house shows his worries but they’re, obviously, unnecessary.

The guy sent me a private mail a few weeks ago saying that the trip went as planned and that the car is still OK.

Now let’s take a break, have another sip of tea and a bite of your biscuit.

Ready to have a look at our second car which is awaiting our attention in the 2nd   heavenly house?

This car says that it belongs there because it’s your possession. It thinks, on account of everything it has read in the astrological literature on the matter of personal possessions, that all personal possessions except houses, lands, pets, “lesser cattle” and (sometimes) stocks belong to the 2nd house. It has read in some books, incidentally, that it should be in the 3rd house, but it is utterly averse to that idea, either because it wants to “belong” so dearly, or because it has so much self-respect and a pronounced feeling of self-worth. I’ve cost you 30.000 euros and now you want me to be pushed into your cadent 3rd house?! Shame on you!!!

I’m sorry you had to suffer this shameless outburst, but let’s try, first, to show it that it’s not so well-read as it would like to appear. Firstly, since it has so much respect for our astrological forefathers, let’s face it with one of the eldest, Vettius Valens from the 2nd century. He placed possessions in the 4th, all except the helm which held a honorable place in the 1st. (For the obvious reason for being able to save his head.) There were no possessions in his 2nd house which had more to do with “manner of living, giving, receiving”, but since our car’s main function is to serve us and go where we want it to, it has obviously much more to do with the 3rdwhich Valens associates with (among other things) “being abroad” and “slaves”. (I hope this has taught our car a lesson and will be very quiet and subservient from now on.)

Now let’s  move on to Julius Firmicus Maternus, the 4th century Roman writer. His 2nd house shows “increase in personal hopes and in material possessions”, whereas his 4th house shows “family property, substance, possessions, household goods”. So what does that mean? Increase in personal possessions is in the 2nd while possessions per se are in the 4th? Why? I guess it’s because as soon as he brought his “increase in possessions” home it took over the function of the 4th. It’s in my home so it’s in the 4th house. Good. Is your car in your home? In your house? In your flat? I guess not. It’s on the road, travelling. “It is also the house of travellers”, says Maternus of the 3rd house. So which house do you think Maternus would put his Fiat into? In the 3rd, I guess – unless he’d decide to keep his shiny new car in his bedroom, of course.

Let’s get into our car now and drive over towards the 2nd millennium. There we meet Al Biruni, the 11thcentury Arabian writer. He’s another astrologer without a car, for obvious reasons, but let’s see if he gives us any clues as to which house he’d put his car into.

Immediately we see that he’s got somehow “modernized” because he doesn’t keep all his possessions in his 4th house any more. He has “nutriment, livelihood and household requisites” in his 2nd –  I guess it’s because once you bought something in the 11th century it wasn’t “stuck” in your 4th house the way it was in the former centuries; you could more often change those “household requisites” on account of the developing commerce and trading.

(Allow me just a note here: this process of “relocating” possessions had obviously begun several centuries before Al Biruni, at least in Arabian culture since another astrologer from that part of the world, Mashallah who lived in the 8th century, wrote that 2nd house signifies bringing together of substance and the appurtenances of life, and taking money and donations, whereas his 4th is already taken over by houses and land.)

But because a car is not a household requisite and because Al Biruni has decided to put short journeys into the third and travel into the ninth (thereby making a step further from Mashallah who gives all journeys to 3rd and 9th and 7th houses), I guess you already know what I’m thinking… We need cars for short journeys, right. Most of  the times anyway.

Interestingly, in his Indications relating to horary questions he considers “journeys by water” to be a 3rd and not a 9th house matter which makes me wonder whether a Venetian barcarolle  wouldn’t belong into the 3rdtoo – as well as all our boats and “lesser yachts”.

As for other possessions, it’s interesting that Al Biruni places “feasts, food and drink” under the dominion of 5thhouse – probably on account of the pleasure we derive from them. So, if this honourable astrologer would put my birthday cake into my 5th house, again I see no reason why I wouldn’t put my car into my 3rd house.

But let me take a pause here and ask you, honestly, do you realize how much more “movable possessions” do we have in our age compared to the few our ancestors had? What with all our tennis racquets, skis, mobile phones, computers, i-pods, birthday cakes, party dresses, rollerskates, tents and motorhomes, to name just a few? Not to mention the heavy load of our stocks and bonds which are, incidentally, getting lighter ad lighter in these days of recession, but that still doesn’t save them from being our possessions? Adding, of course, that it doesn’t save us from feeling the heavy load of them, in spite of them getting lighter and lighter? Ehhhh…. Sorry, on account of them getting lighter and lighter?

Fortunately, it seems like the majority of the 20th century astrologers have reached a consensus to push at least those to the 5th and 8th houses, but still… Do you realize what a serious risk of tumbling over our 2ndhouses have if we keep putting all our possessions in there? I’m afraid we won’t be able to handle it, you see. (Maybe a Taurus could but that’s not enough to save our heavenly map from falling apart, due to the heavy pull from the east/east/north direction where our 2nd house is located.)

Speaking of  Taureans, I know at least two who’re quite happy with all their movable possessions in their 2nd, these being William Lilly and John Frawley. (With Lilly fortunately having at least his letters in the 3rd and books in the 9th.) OK guys, have them there if you want. But leave my car in the 3rd because otherwise my horary chart is running a risk of being pulled off its gravity and getting lost in outer space!

(This being said, we of course know that Lilly didn’t express his choice of a house for the car, for the obvious reason again, but just in case you see… Who knows where his spirit is wondering these days, what with all our 20th century ideas…!)

As for the motorhome that I’ve mentioned in one of the previous paragraphs, let me tell you of a cute little chart I saw the other day on one of the horary forums concerning a lost camera. Where is it, the querent wondered. The 2nd ruler (camera) was in the 9th , while the Moon applied closely to a conjunction with Jupiter the 9th house ruler. (Because the 9th cusp was in Saggitarius, that is.) The camera was found in their motorhome. Now since motorhomes are used for long journeys (travel), it seems like we’ve found the right house for our motorhomes?! (A sigh of relief here because we’ve just managed to put some substantial weight off the 2nd house!)

Now if our stocks are in the 5th because they’re connected to risk and speculation, and if our books are in the 9th because they’re connected to learning, and if our goats are in the 6th because they’re connected to serving, and if our motorhomes are in the 9th because they’re connected to travelling, why wouldn’t our cars be in the 3rd because they’re connected to short trips and moving around?

Think about that. Any biscuits left?

Even if you don’t agree, I do hope that I have shown you that our astrological forefathers did not put all movable possessions into the 2nd.  It follows that there’s no traditional “ordinance” that we put our cars into the 2nd house either – especially because a car can hardly be called “movable”, since we don’t usually move it but it moves us. (Although, considering it’s not such a big task to even move a house nowadays – what with all our modern machinery! – this may not be a valid criterium.)

But if  you’re still not persuaded and think that your car is in your 2nd house, let me ask you: where would you look for your missed item if its ruler was in the 3rd house? Around the corner? In your neighbours’ house? Along the route you’ve made earlier that day? Somewhere around your house? There’s your car parked in front of your house but of course you won’t search there because your car belongs to your 2nd house, right? Go on. Knock at your neighbours’ door. I wish you luck.

On the other hand, if you missed your book and found its significator in the 2nd house, would you search for it in your car? Yes? I wish you luck again!

I’m not proposing that you look for your lost book whose significator you’ve found in the 2nd house, in your purse, that’s not exactly what I mean. A suitcase or a drawer would be a better idea – but a bookshelf would be the best idea because the ruler of the 2nd in the 2nd usually shows that the missed item is where it’s supposed to be. Do your books belong into your car? I guess not, except if your car is a travelling library.

Now, having made a detour around some 20th century astrologers who have published horary charts with 3rdhouse cars, there’s at least one contemporary astrologer whom we can’t avoid because she’s written a whole book on house meaning, and this is Deborah Houlding, the author of Temples of the Sky. Let’s take a look at the Second House chapter, page 64, where she says: “If someone asks about the prospects of selling their car this is a 2nd  house matter concerning a personal possession, although cars generally fall under the rulership of the 3rd  house of travel.

So, she has cars in the 3rd house but the one she’s selling in the 2nd. (Accent mine, lest someone would confuse it with buying. It’s selling.)

Does this make sense? Of course it does! I’m not selling the car for its function, but for the money I’m going to get for it – especially if it’s an old-timer whose sole function is to sit in my garage and wait to be sold to someone who recognizes its value. If I use Manilius’ words, I’m hoping to “increase my material possessions” – by transforming a 3rd house matter into the 2nd hose matter.

(Actually, thinking of it, I’m inclined to put such a car on the cusp of the 3rd, with the front two wheels placed in the 2nd and the last two in the 3rd. It follows that if you find a planet so placed in your horary chart concerning the prospect of selling your car, judge it to be the significator of the car to be sold – allow those 5 degrees frontal cuspal orb! –  and the chart itself fit to be judged:)

On the other hand, I’m not buying a car for its value, but for its function. I’m not buying it to give it a honourable place in the middle of my drawing room but to use it for my daily trips. In other words, I’m not buying it to “sit” in my 2nd house but to make the daily routes shown by my 3rd house.

It follows that when I’m buying a car, it’s definitely in the 3rd  – while the 2nd shows if I can afford it. Got the point?

Now what if someone steals your precious car? Does this make it a 2nd house matter? Before expressing my humble opinion let’s see what Deborah thinks about that (quoting from her course material which is on her website): Is a car best signified by the ‘possessions’ theme of the 2nd house or the ‘transport’ theme of the 3rd? The answer depends upon the context of the question. If a querent asks about purchasing a car, the car in question is not yet a personal commodity and should be signified by the 3rd house (the 2nd house is then free to signify the financial means of the purchase). (Yes Deborah that’s exactly my opinion too!) But if the querent is intending to sell a car or fears it stolen, then the focus upon the car as a personal commodity/fionancial asset, properly signified by the 2nd house and its ruler.

Well… Hmmm… Actually, this has logic too, but a stolen car is still a car so the 3rd house would have to be considered at least in the process of trying to locate it, as well as in the process of examining the possibility of its return, me thinks. My own experience in “stolen car horaries” is not so rich as to be able to draw any definite conclusions here, but I do hope that the example of a stolen horary car which follows shortly will educate us in this direction just a little bit more too.

Now comes the crucial part so make yourself another cup of tea. Or, rather pour yourself a glass of whiskey because this last bit may prove to be a little  disappointing to you as astrologer. I must say it, though, because I consider it to be a fact – in my humble opinion, of course.

So, here is the crucial part: In the end of the ends, you know, heavens just don’t care what we astrologers think. They don’t give a damn. Sorry.

Still with me?

  1. Let me explain: the important thing, you know, is not which house rules cars in the opinion of me as astrologer, but which house rules cars in the opinion of my clients.

But how would they know? They wouldn’t and they don’t, of course, but the heavens which direct the course of their minds, they do know. Horary charts which we draw and read reflect just what is “the right house” for every article, person, emotion or process enquired about. They do so in strict adherence to the laws of the universe (call them God if you wish) which connects everything below and above and is therefore there to decide what goes where. Our task of astrologers is to decipher the universe’s language, but since the heavenly soft disk is being continually updated by every thought our brains produce, we must be continually alert. Now if there’re 1.000,000 people whose subconscious minds tell the universe that their cars are in their 3rd houses, one feeble brain wave of one astrologer who’s decided that his car is in his 2nd or 1st house, won’t persuade them to the contrary. I hope you know what I mean. I mean that, actually, even if you are certain that at least your car is in your 2nd house, this car will still be in the 3rd. Because that’s where the heavenly software has put it, being “persuaded” by several hundred thousands of human subconscious minds.

You can also decide to swim against the current, of course, but then it might happen that you’ll look for your lost car in your purse. Because you’ll find 2nd ruler in your 2nd. Theoretically, you’de be right. Practically, you’d be mad.

Now let’s take a break, have another sip of tea and a bite of your biscuit. Or another glass of whiskey, if you like. Since it’s probably getting late, this could be a better idea anyway 🙂

….

Ready to take a look at my 5 example charts?

Chart 1Where are my husband’s keys?

8th September 2006 at 23:41, Ljubljana, Slovenia (46°03’N, 14°31’E)

Primož (my husband) lost his keys. He had been missing them and looking for them for a couple of days and when still not found, I asked myself the above question.

The keys are signified by Saturn ruler of the 8th (2nd from 7th) house which we find in the 3rd in Leo, while the Moon, cosignificatrix of the lost item, is in Aries, lately separated from its dispozitor Mars, but now void of course. A closer inspection shows that a trine to Saturn will be her first next aspect – which surely gives hope of finding the keys.

Now where are they? Since the Moon is separated from Mars by an opposition, I thought they must have been lost in some hurry, maybe in connection with our small children (Mars in the 5th) – or were they the ones who had them last? I thought of the “surroundings” immediately, but if they were lying somewhere around the house (on the ground or soil), at last one of the significators would have to be in an earth or water sign – especially since the Moon is also the hour ruler therefore has even more say in the matter. But she’s in a fire sign, and Saturn too, and Fortuna too, which made me think it must be above ground and/or close to a source of heat. In the car, surely – since the car has an engine! We have two cars, one is mine and one is his, so because Saturn is in “my” 3rd the keys must be in MY car, I decided.

Off I went, searching the car all over, but with no avail. No wonder, I thought, noting that my ruler Mercury was in a close applying conjunction with the south node and a close applying square with an angular Pluto. Too many obstacles here, not to mention the void Moon. Was it because of the darkness (combine Pluto with the late hour and you have the answer!)? Adding the inharmonious hour ruler I thought it no wonder that the chart didn’t help me a bit. Confused and worried I went to bed.

The next example is the follow-up on this, so read along…

Chart 2: Where are my keys?

10th September 2006 at 13:23, Ljubljana, Slovenia (46°03’N, 14°31’E)

A day and a half passed, and my hubby approaches me: “Hi dear” he says, “my keys are obviously lost. I’ve been searching all over and they’re nowhere to find… I do wonder what your stars say… Could you help me find them, by means of your art? I mean, where are they for God’s sake? ”

“Sure,” I said, and drew a chart for his question right away. (Lucky me, I thought, my chart didn’t work but maybe his will… After all, he’s more interested in getting his possession back than me, although it’s our joint problem, after all, and I was really interested too.)  “Go back to your room,” I said, “I must concentrate now. I’ll be with you shortly.”

You will notice that the ascendant/descendat axis in this chart is the opposite from the former one, which is very appropriate, right? His ruler Jupiter is in his 12th again, like it was before, showing him to be “lost”, confused and unable to find the keys.

But the keys also have the same significator, Saturn! Which is – in the 9th – his wife’s car! I looked no further, but went straight out, determined to find the keys which just MUST be in MY car!

And so they were. I made a little mistake to start my search at the back of the car, thereby losing a few minutes, but finally I found them just where they actually should’ve been: in the front part of the car, on the right side, lying on the bottom under the plastic cover which had been hiding them – but at the very end towards that part closest to the machine. Yup, the Moon in the chart was still in Aries, confirming the indication of the “hot” part of the car – and of its front, since both the Moon and Saturn were in the beginning parts of their respective houses.

You will note that by this time, Mercury (me) had already passed those restrictive aspects from Chart 1, and is now freer to express its reasoning abilities, indicated by its dignified sign position – being also strong by its 10thhouse position of course.

Less than 5 minutes passed till I stepped into my husband’s room, with his keys in my hands. He starred at me, unbelievingly. “Where did you find them?” he asked. “In my car,” I said. “You asked me to find them, so I did. It’s a pity you had to miss them so long. Why didn’t you ask me before?!”

P.s. Just a note here for those who may have said, looking at the first chart, ok, this chart showed that the keys were in the surrounding area, but since the car was parked in front of the house it was a part of that area, which is shown by the 3rd, so the car itself doesn’t need to belong into the 3rd! But think – if such reasoning was valid, then this second chart would have the keys’ ruler in the 3rd house of the chart too, showing that “surrounding area” of our home again, but it didn’t because my car (that is:  the querent’s wife’s car) was shown by radix 9th – 3rd from his 7th. That’s not “the surroundings”, but either “far away” or “the spouse’s car”.

Chart 3: Will I buy a new car this year?

4th January 2005 at 11:28, Ljubljana, Slovenia (46°03’N, 14°31’E)

A new year had just begun, and I was wondering what it’ll bring me. I had wished for a new car for some time, and suddenly an urgent question arose in my mind: Will I buy it this year?

I know what you think: which house rules my present car, and which house rules my (eventual) new car?

Don’t complicate! The 3rd house rules cars – any car I’m thinking of. If my question concerned a former car, it would be in the 3rd. If it concerned my present car, it would be in the 3rd  too, whereas if it concerned a future car, it would be right there as well. But in case you’re not happy with such choice of rulers, it’ll be my pleasure to try to prove you that that’s how it should be.

So, let’s see! I’m ruled by ascendant in Aries – quite properly, since Mars, its dispozitor, rules engines. Mars is in Saggitarius in the 8th. The new car I’m thinking of is ruled by Mercury the 3rd ruler, whereas the Moon is my cosignificatrix – and it shows the action, of course.

Mercury is in the 9th, closely applying to conjunct Pluto and Venus, but it’s separating from Mars (me), whereas the Moon (in the 7th in Libra) has just separated from a sextile with Mercury. The double separation between the car’s ruler and my rulers shows no future action in this respect, so there’ll be no new car for me this year. Right?

Did I hear no? Well if you’d judge the car to be in the 2nd the answer would be yes, I will buy a new car this year, because the Moon applies by sextile to Venus the 2nd ruler! Whereas if the new car I’m thinking of would be shown by 3rd from the 3rd (the most frequent “choice” among astrologers being infatuated with those unbecoming 20th century ideas), my new car would be shown by Saturn sitting on cusp of the 5th (3rd from 3rd), with the Moon in Libra applying by square to it. Now, because the Moon is in Saturn’s exaltation while Saturn is in the Moon’s home, there’s a strong mutual reception between them, which would show a yes, but with considerable  difficulties and with me probably regretting the deal later.

Nothing such happened.

Case closed? I thought so, yes, but a strong preponderance of planets in 7th and 9th made me think. Although the question did not concern my husband, the 7th could show him and the 9th (3rd from 7th) his car(s). There’s some heavy traffic going on along that route, so that surely suggests something? My husband’s ruler Venus is in his (derived) 3rd while the 9th (derived 3rd) ruler Jupiter is in his 1st – so there’s a mutual reception by sign AND house between them. The Moon in his 1st shows some change’s preparing there, whereas planets in the 9th (his 3rd ) can all signify his car(s). So – the Moon in the 7th separates from a conjunction with Jupiter (his 3rd ruler – car) and applies by sextile to Mercury the radix 3rd ruler (of cars) and Venus (his significator but also showing his car). Actually, his ruler Venus in his 3rd shows that his thoughts are with his car, and – because of the mutual reception and Moon’s translating light between the said planets – that he thinks of exchanging the old car with a new one. (Please note that if Mars, the 8th ruler, showed his car, nothing such would be going on). So, I thought, is HE going to buy a new car this year?!? He’s obviously thinking about that already, and the chart surely shows that he will!

And he did, some 6 months later. But I didn’t. I didn’t even consider it seriously any more because I decided to save some more money and buy a really good car – well I have a dignified Jupiter in my natal 3rd so I always think that I deserve the best in the concerns of this house, so waiting a little doesn’t hurt 🙂

Chart 4: My friend’s car is stolen. Who did it, where is it and will he get it back?

5th December 1994 at 9:07, Ljubljana, Slovenia (46°03’N, 14°31’E)

My husband called me from his job, saying that his good friend’s car was stolen a couple of days ago. He’s very worried, he said, so can I look it up? Will he get it back?

Now since it wasn’t his friend who asked the question, but my husband, the 1st house represents him; the 11thshows his friend while the 1st (3rd from 11th) shows the stolen car.

Immediately we see that the Moon is in the 1st, reflecting the subject of the query – the car. Ascendant (or derived 3rd cusp) is in Capricorn which shows black colour, while its ruler Saturn shows the same. Saturn (especially peregrine as it is in this chart) would also show an old car, and this was an 8-year old black Opel Kadett (a German brand). Now do you think that this old black car would be better shown by Saggitarius (derived 2nd cusp) and the Sun which is on its cusp?

For examining colours, let’s take a look at Lilly’s CA, p. 86: “Saturn giveth black colour. Capricorn: blacke or russet, or a swart browne”. Of  Saggitarius he says “yellow or a greene sanguine”, while the Sun represents “yellow or yellow purple”. So, which house suits better?

Besides the Moon which shows, as we’ll see a bit later, the thieves (being in the possession of the car), there are Uranus and Neptune in the 1st (derived 3rd)  which is very much in accord with the fact that there were 2 electric and 1 classic guitars in the car at the time it was stolen. I guess we immediately see a connection here?!

That the querent is very much concerned with a material loss is shown by Jupiter, ruler of his 2nd, in his 1st, while his own significator Mars (placed in radical 8th of loss) applies to him by a tight square. This shows his worry and loss, but since Mars receives Jupiter by sign, this gives some hope of recovering his possession.

Did I just move the car form the 3rd into the 2nd? No! The car remains in the 3rd, but the value it has for the querent is indeed shown by the 2nd ! This is confirmed by the fact that there’s Mercury, the derived 8th ruler (of  insurance money, in this case) on cusp of the derived 2nd, but it is combust and in its detriment, showing that his car was not insured, so he’s not likely to get any refund in case it’s stolen or damaged. This shows that his 2nd house is all about money and (possible) loss, implied in the question, whereas the car as such is more properly described by the 3rd.

Will he get his car back? Mars (the car’s owner) is not in aspect neither with Saturn not the Moon, but the Moon’s first application is a sextile to the conjunction of Jupiter and Pluto (which co-rule him on account of being placed in his 1st, while Pluto is also a modern ruler of Scorpio but you can ignore this if you don’t use modern sign rulers – there’s no need to either, at least in this case!), which shows that he’ll get it back. In all probability, that is – especially because there’re some indications in this direction from the man’s 1st / 2ndhouses interaction, reinforcing the suggestion of re-possession.

Who’s the thief? According to Lilly, he’s shown by a peregrine planet which is closest to an angle, but there can be more than one thief if there’re more than one peregrine planets on an angle; in this case, the most angular peregrine planet is Venus, but since the Moon which is also the 7th house ruler (the “natural” house of thieves) practically “sits” in the car, she also shows the thief/thieves, so that we obviously have more than one thief here. That Venus is at least one of the thief is shown by this planet being in trine with Saturn (the car).

I told my husband that the thieves were obviously very young people, because the Moon was in her first quarter, and because Venus was oriental. (See Lilly page 362, ref. the age of the thief: The Moon for her age, viz. young, she in her first quarter.   …  Where note, the Moon or any planet oriental, denotes the thief more young.)

Where is the car? I hate this part, you see. Because a stolen car is probably moving around so how could you possibly locate it? Especially since the Moon was angular and in a movable sign, but this could also suggest that it’s not far from where it was stolen? The Moon was in an eastern part of the map and in a southern sign (Capricorn), while Saturn (the car) and Venus (the 4th ruler) were in water signs, so I judged the car to be somewhere southeast of where it was stolen, and this part of our town is incidentally bordering on swampland. But that’s all I can say, I said.

Two and a half days after the question (and four days after the theft) the Ljubljana policemen – while on their regular duty – stopped a car in the centre of  town; the car seemed “suspicious” because it was pretty damaged and “inhabited” by a gang of  merry teenagers, so they stopped it. It was our man’s car, yes! The youngsters (who stole it a few days before) had been obviously chasing it around since then – and had a great time doing it, as is maybe shown by a Scorpio Venus (stolen for fun?). One or two of the guitars were missing, and as the owner of the car told us later, he heard that one was in a southeastern part (!) of Ljubljana though I don’t know whether he ever got it back.

As for the timing – since the car was found 2,5 days after the question it seems quite interesting that MC wants 2,5 degrees to conjunct Venus (bringing the thieves into focus), while ascendant wants roughly the same (3 degrees) to sextile Saturn (the car).

Since Saturn is the natural ruler of policemen (law enforcement), I find it quite interesting that it is in trine with Venus (the “lesser fortune”), showing that the policemen were lucky this time, and that the thieves practically “fell” into their hands (applying trine of Venus to Saturn).

Chart 5: Will I buy this Chrysler Neon?

2nd October 1999 at 17:08, Ljubljana, Slovenia (46°03’N, 14°31’E)

This is perhaps the simplest and most straightforward of all the five charts, since it represents the situation and course of events so vividly.

The thing is, I fell in love with a Chrysler Neon. It was a beautiful, elegant, dark green limousine with a pretty set of round lights in its front and back. It was less spacious as desired, but its elegant shape and all-around likableness made me dearly want it.

Another thing is, I didn’t have enough money. The car was new, which needn’t be since I’d be OK with an older (and cheaper) one, but there weren’t any similar on the market, since it was a rare brand. When thinking of how to get the money, I asked myself the above question.

I am shown by ascendant and Saturn which is in Taurus in the 2nd house, retrograde. This shows my main concern: will I get enough money, and how? Retrograde state of Saturn reflects my worry and insufficient resources, but the applying sextile of the Moon, strong in Cancer and in the fortunate 5th house, ruling the 6th, suggested I’d get the money somehow. I was thinking of buying it on lease which would make the car more expensive in the long run, but since that seemed liked the only possibility, I started to make preliminary arrangements with the sellers.

The car is shown by the 3rd house with its cusp in Taurus, ruled by Venus. This planet is exactly conjunct the west angle, and since planets exactly conjunct any angle are of special importance in horary charts, this clearly reflects that the question concerns a car. Let’s see if its colour corresponds!  Taurus rules (CA p.86) “white mixed with citrine”, Leo “red or greene”, while the 7th house rules (CA p. 54) “a darke blacke colour”. OK, so let’s mix some white, citrine, green and black (I guess with Leo we have a choice, right, so let’s leave the red out), and what do we get? Exactly the dark green of my beautiful Chrysler Neon!

Alas, there’s a problem. The 7th house is the house of “others”, which could – in the context of the question – be my rivals – if there were any, of course… (It’s also the house of the sellers, right, but let’s stop at the possible rivals for a minute.) The car was the last one of the Neons which were imported to be sold to Slovenian customers; on account of this, its price was already lowered, so there were other potential buyers contemplating to buy it. The position of the 3rd ruler on cusp of 7th is by itself an indication that the car could go to someone else – especially since my ruler Saturn does not aspect it, along with my coruler the Moon and Jupiter which rules the intercepted Pisces. OK, Venus applies to Jupiter by trine, but before this aspect could be perfected, Mercury, co-ruling the 7th, , “gets” Venus by means of its exact applying sextile.

Which is exactly what happened. A couple of days later, having decided to buy the car on lease, I came back to the shop, only to be told by the seller that the car has just been bought by someone else. What a pity, I thought. But looking at it from retrospect, it was all “written in the stars”…