late degrees and early degrees

isthmus nekoi

I've read that the degrees of 0-2 and 27-29 of any sign can be very signficant. Is there any particular reason why, or have you seen any solid basis for this claim?

I can imagine the late degrees being important if it involves a slow moving planet changing signs by progression.
 

Minderwiz

Early and late degrees are critical in Horary - if the Ascendant is in either end then the chart is not valid.

Also traditionally late degrees of signs were in the terms of Mars or Saturn - not seen as the most user friendly of planets. Even in early degress 5 out of 10 signs have Saturn or Mars ruling the first Term (though Terms were more around 6 degrees than 2 degrees).

Its also likely that in the later degrees of a sign the Moon (or indeed any planet) will be void of course - which again means that a horary chart is not fit to be judged.

I think, though I will certainly accept correction on this - that given the rather primitve angle measurement devices, early Astrologers might have experienced diffifulty in identifying when a planet changed signs. So there may be some 'error' correction built in here. However it is reasonably clear that as far back as Ptolemy Astrologers were using ephemerides to identify sign change.
 

isthmus nekoi

Minderwiz said:
...given the rather primitve angle measurement devices, early Astrologers might have experienced diffifulty in identifying when a planet changed signs. So there may be some 'error' correction built in here. However it is reasonably clear that as far back as Ptolemy Astrologers were using ephemerides to identify sign change.

Ah, actually that makes a lot of sense! That's kinda funny in a way :) Can you imagine what traditional astrologers would think of us now: all these accuracy in our calculations and our focus is on psychology!
 

oceanpoetry

Isthmus, I had read speculation on another site that 0º of the Sun indicates the native may feel like a "stranger in a strange land" - I can speak from experience, I agree with this interpretation! I was born 0º Cancer. Being born at the cusp, it is like just entering through a doorway into a new world.

here is the article, you might be interested in reading....
http://www.accessnewage.com/felissa/cusp.htm
 

isthmus nekoi

Thanks for the link, oceanpoetry :) My sis is a cusp Cancer too! I have read that the 1st and 28th degree also apply, but are not nearly as strong as 0 and 29.
 

dadsnook2000

Every degree

Every degree is part of the zodiac measuring system. The zodia is a reference for our annual solar cycle/orbit and was originally used to mark the seasons and our progress through them. In a cyclic sense each degree is equally important, one step on a long 360 degree journey. The signs of the zodiac originally related to agricultural and seasonal meanings; the birthing of lambs (Aries), the gathering of the harvest (Virgo), the paying of taxes (Libra, sharing a portion of the harvest), etc. Signs were useful shortcuts or references. The practice of giving some degrees importance was/is related to the form of astrology being practiced and the era in which that system of practice was introduced. Certain Hoary practices have already been mentioned in this post. Another practice involves the importance given to certain fixed stars (Algol is terrible, Spica and others each have given attributes). Current astrologers debate the merits of one house system over another, while other astrologers ignore the whole issue by considering that a planet moves into the next house when it passes the cusp of the sign that rules that house (even though a "house" may not start for many degrees later). Then, there are the "symbolic" meanings of each degree (astrology's version of tarot meanings, perhaps). This can go one forever. Me, I just use the darn degrees for measuring positions and aspects, its so much easier that way. Dave.
 

Minderwiz

Yes, Apart from horary, I tend not to place too much emphasis on those early or late degrees. Tracy Marks, treats planets in the 29th degree as shared between the two signs, though I tend not to do this as a hard and fast rule. I tend not to do this as a rule though there are times when I will seriously consider it - I have Jupiter at 29, 59 Scorpio - one minute from its rulership of Sagittarius - so I do consider whether it is shared between the two signs.

The other time I will use it is with out of sign aspects. I treat these very carefully because the relationship between signs is not what the aspect is supposed to reflect. Mars at 1 degree Aries is 'square' to, say, Venus at 29 degrees Gemini. However Aries and Gemini are not signs in square relationship. A traditional Astrologer would probably discount such an aspect entirely. I'm not sure I would go that far but I do think that at the very least the aspect is weakened.