Hi! Could you provide more information on the pros of using equal rather than placidus? Thank you
Hi,
I’ve discussed this here and there on this blog before, here’s a recent reblog talking about why I use it.
When googling “Placidus vs Equal,” the first link that comes up is an astrologer discussing going from using equal, to placidus, and then back to using equal throughout her years. I actually share extremely similar views as her in terms of why I use the equal system. She also recommends a book (which I actually just ordered and I’m waiting for in the mail now!)
Here’s the summary of her blog post,
"In Phoebe Wyss’ [Phoebe Wyss’s book; Inside the Cosmic Mind] words:
“Archetypal astrology is an approach to astrological chart interpretation that is based on this cosmological view. The meanings of the chart factors such as zodiac signs, houses, and planets are then seen to derive from the twelve basic categories of meaning associated with the astrological archetypes. These fundamental cosmic principles and their inter-relationships are symbolised in the geometry of the zodiac …” (2)
Wyss’ book — which builds on the recent work of Richard Tarnas, Kieron Le Grice, and other pioneers in the field of archetypal cosmology — has taken me back and regrounded me in the basic geometry of sacred numbers, whose symbolism reflects the core shaping principles or archetypes governing the movement of energy throughout the whole cosmos. The number 12 is one of those sacred numbers.
From that symbolic, geometric perspective, dividing the inner space of the horoscope symbolically into 12 equal parts seems more appropriate than using any other house system, including Placidus, whose devising arises purely from measurements limited by the view from planet Earth in relation to the solar system in our tiny corner of space/time. " - Anna Whitaker
The sacred geometry she mentions is also discussed in great depth in Robert Zoller’s book, The Arabic Parts in Astrology: A Lost Key to Prediction. I highly recommend this book even if you aren’t interesting in learning Arabic Parts.
I think the equal house system is the best of both worlds. It’s like the whole signs system and placidus combined in some ways. It’s a system that honours the fundamentals of balance in astrology.
Another website mentions using the Whole Sign system introduces the concept of a “floating” MC. Similarly, the Equal House system has the same concept. The whole idea of this concept is that the MC “degree” can actually fall into a different house (9th, 11th, 12th, etc.) and may provide additional information on the midheaven.
Using the equal house system also eliminated interceptions. I think interceptions are kind of silly and an odd scapegoat for explaining the inability to express in a certain way. Everyone has all 12 signs within them and the inability or perception of inability to express a certain way shouldn’t be mistaken as an interception. The chart has other ways of demonstrating/explaining this.
