Sect

Chart Sect

A chart is either diurnal, meaning someone born in daylight hours, or nocturnal meaning born during the hours of darkness. Some obtuse idiots want to complicate things creating confusion with twilight or dawn. It is a simple question: Was some part of Sun visible at the time of birth, yes or no?

“The Sun’s light was visible at dawn.” No, wrong. We did not ask if Sun’s light was visible. We asked if you could physically see some part of Sun. Either you can or you cannot. It doesn’t get any easier than that. You can’t “sorta see the Sun.” That’s like being “sorta pregnant.” A woman is either pregnant or she is not. There is no in-between; no middle ground; and no maybe. It really is just that simple. If you can’t see the Sun then it’s night. If you can see Sun then it’s still day. It’s astrology, not maritime shipping or commercial aviation. Twilight means something to them, but not to us.

 The chart of Donald Trump on the left is a diurnal chart. The chart of Kamala Harris on the right is a nocturnal chart.

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 When in doubt, always rely on a primary source instead of a secondary or tertiary source for info. Here is a primary source, namely, the U.S. Naval Observatory at Annapolis.

https://aa.usno.navy.mil/data/RS_OneYear

The Naval Observatory, defines sunrise and sunset as the moments when the center of the Sun is physically 50 minutes of arc above or below the horizon. That is an astronomical definition, not an astrological definition. Bear that in mind.

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Planetary Sect

Arising out of diurnal and nocturnal charts is the concept of sect. Two sides. One is light. One is dark.

Team Sun: Sun, Jupiter and Saturn
Team Moon: Moon, Venus and Mars
Mercury: Common (he’s the free agent)

Mercury’s sect is dependent on chart sect. When the chart is diurnal, Mercury plays for Team Sun. When the chart is nocturnal, Mercury plays for Team Moon.

 Robert Schmidt likened sect to political parties and we like that analogy. Since there are Europeans here we’ll keep it simple. Team Sun is the Conservative Party. Team Moon is the Liberal Party.

In a diurnal chart, Team Sun rules. Sun is the sect leader and sect light. Jupiter is the sect benefic and Saturn the sect malefic. They are sect mates and they need to be in active signs (air or fire signs) to function best, but each has an affinity for its nocturnal sign: Pisces for Jupiter and Capricorn for Saturn. If not then they need to be their own bounds (terms) or that of their sect mate. Venus is the benefic contrary to sect, Mars is the malefic contrary to sect, and Moon is the light contrary to sect.

In a nocturnal chart, Team Moon rules. Moon is the sect leader and sect light. Venus is the sect benefic and Mars the sect malefic. They are sect mates and need to be in passive signs (water or earth signs) to function best, but each has an affinity for its diurnal sign: Aries for Mars and Libra for Venus. Jupiter is the benefic contrary to sect, Saturn the malefic contrary to sect, and Sun the light contrary to sect.

Mercury prefers Gemini (or other air sign) in a diurnal chart or Virgo (or Taurus or Capricorn) in a nocturnal chart but does fine in either house.

As you would expect, when the Conservative Party is in power, they want to push their agenda and pass legislation they believe to be in the best interest of the country. The Liberal Party will try to thwart them at every turn. However, sometimes, one or more members of the Liberal Party will side with the Conservatives to get the legislation passed. So it is in astrology. Sometimes, Moon, Venus or Mars will help Team Sun.

When the Liberal Party is in power, they try to enact legislation they believe to be in the country’s best interest. The Conservative Party will try to block that legislation but sometimes members of the Conservative Party will support the legislation. Again, so it is in astrology. Occasionally, Sun, Jupiter or Saturn will assist Team Moon.

You need to be aware of a minor disagreement among the Greeks for determining the proper sect for Mercury:

1. Mercury follows chart sect meaning if the chart is diurnal then Mercury plays for Team Sun. If the chart is nocturnal then Mercury plays for Team Moon.
2. If Mercury rises before Sun, then he is part of the diurnal sect and plays for Team Sun even if the chart is nocturnal but if Mercury rises after Sun, then he is part of the nocturnal sect and plays for Team Moon even if the chart is diurnal. We find this has no merit.
3. Mercury’s sect is taken from his bound ruler. When in the bounds of Jupiter or Saturn, Mercury is diurnal, but when in the bounds of Venus or Mars. Mercury is nocturnal. Should Mercury be in his own bounds, then he follows chart sect. This is reported by Vettius Valens and may actually have some merit.

For the time being, we will always follow Rule #1 concerning Mercury’s sect.

Being common, Mercury is neither malefic nor benefic but he can be made one or the other depending on the stars configured to him, meaning Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn.

When the chart is diurnal and Jupiter the sect benefic and Saturn the sect malefic, they function at their best meaning Saturn is less malefic and may function as an accidental benefic. Venus being the non-sect benefic and Mars the non-sect malefic function worse and Mars can be very malefic as the malefic contrary to sect.

But when the chart is nocturnal Venus is the sect benefic and Mars the sect malefic and Jupiter becomes the benefic contrary to sect and Saturn the malefic contrary to sect. Venus and Mars have the opportunity here to function well. Jupiter can cause problems and Saturn will behave badly if not well-placed.

In order to fully understand the concept of sect, we need to explore other conditions.