The above picture displays the 5 essential dignities in traditional astrology, according to Ptolemy.
Traditionally, there are 5 dignities:
Since the Bounds and Faces are the least “important” ones of the dignities and since there are multiple different systems for them I won’t go into them for now for the sake of the post’s length.
While not considered a dignity, there is a sixth position a planet can be in that is called peregrine. Peregrine planets are those that are in none of the five dignities; especially in earlier days, most astrologers considered peregrine planets to be in a weak position.
The dignities are measurments used to find out the relative strength/weakness of a planet - essentially how dignified a planet is in a chart, thus evaluating its strength and visibility. The more dignified, the stronger and more visible the planet, which is considered to put the planet in an auspicious and magnified position.
Having a planet in an auspicious (dignified) position makes it easier to handle, lets the native take more advantage out of it and thus makes it a favourable tool, as if the planet were to shine fortunate light on the native to support it.
Having a planet in an inauspicious (debilitated) position on the other hand makes it harder to handle, has it causing more trouble and often presents the planet as an obstacle of sorts where the native stand in its own way, thus easily bringing more unfortunate events and disadvantages until the native matured enough to care for the planet properly.
A planet is in domicile when it is in the sign it rules over; an example for this would be the Moon in Cancer: The moon being the natural ruler of cancer makes it domicile when it falls in the sign of the crab.
Domiciling planets are elevated to a strongly dignified (= of more strength) position, making them especially strong and prominent in the chart. Domiciles allow the planet to express itself in its entirety as the “coat” of the sign’s signature does not diminish or hide any aspects of the planet’s nature. Quite the contrary, it makes it shine all the brighter and stronger.
Domicile is considered an extremely auspicious position as the planet tends to express its positive sides more due to the lack of resistance and struggle while expressing itself. Nevertheless the negative aspects can, in an overall immature native, be highlighted too.
In the table of Essential Dignities the Domicile position is found under “House of the Planets in the 2nd column.
A planet is in detriment when it is in the sign opposite to the one it rules over; an example for this would be the Sun in Aquarius: Aquarius being the sign opposite Leo, the one the Sun naturally rules over, makes it the detriment position of the Sun.
Planets in detriment are put in a debilitated position, making them more troublesome parts in the chart. Detriments hinder the planet by taking the way it is and wants to express itself and consecutively “distorting” until it finds itself on the other end of the line as it wants to be. This usually leads to frustration and worry as the native wants to express the planet the opposite way of how the planet naturally wants to express itself.
Detriment is considered an inauspicious position as the planet tends to express its negative sides more. It is also common for this planet to have a delayed expression due to its inability to automatically and naturally find a proper way to express itself.
In the table of Essential Eignities the Detriment position is found under “Detriment” in the 7th column.
Why planets are exalted in the signs they are is unknown to Western Astrology. While there are theories none of them are more than mere speculation since the origins of this were lost over time.
Exalted planets are put in a dignified position, although not so much as domiciling planets. An Exaltation acts as a point of comfortable awareness of the planet. This is due to the sign being of similar and compartible nature to the one of the planet whilst still maintaining some vital differences that result in exaltations usually being self-aware parts in the chart. As the planet is not at home here it acts more reserved in its self-expression than the Domicile but still pronounces the more positive aspects of the planet more readily.
In the table of Essential Dignities the Exaltation position is found under “Exaltation” in the 3rd column.
A planet is in fall when it is in the sign opposite to the one it exalts in; an example for this would be Venus in Virgo: Virgo being the sign opposite to Pisces, the one Venus exalts in, makes it the fall position for Venus.
Planets in fall are put in a very debilitated position, making them troublesome parts in the chart. When a planet is in fall, its self-expression happens in a way that is completely foreign to the planet, to a point where it puts it in a lost and weak position where every taken action seems or feels inappropriate and awkward. The planet has tremendous trouble expressing itself properly.
Fall is considered a very inauspicious position as it renders the planet with either strongly decreased strength or the inability to function appropriately, thus making it suspect to expressing its negative aspects most commonly.
In the table of Essential Dignities the Fall position is found under “Fall” in the 8th column.
The concept of triplicity is less important than Domicile/Detriment and Exaltation/Fall when considering a planet’s strength, but still more telling than Decans and Terms.
Triplicity says that each element has three rulers: A day- and a night-ruler, depending on the chart sect one or the other, and a 2nd ruler (only pictured in the chart below, not the one above) for both day and night. When a planet the day/night ruler (in the according chart type) of the sign it is in it adds more strength than when it is the 2nd ruler.
In some cases the triplicities can give a planet two different magnitudes. For example, Virgo in a Day Chart is both elevated - due to its triplicity - but simultaneously falls in Venus. Since domicile, detriment, exaltation, and fall are the most important factors when considering a planet’s strenght, the fall would overweight the triplicity here, however the triplicity would lessen the severity of the fall and would have the planet show its good sides more often.
In the table of Essential Dignities the triplicity is (partly) shown under “Triplicity of Planets” in the 4th column.
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