Natural vs Accidental Significators in Traditional Astrology
One of the key concepts in traditional astrology is the idea of significators. Traditional astrology distinguishes two categories of significators: natural significators and accidental significators. Understanding the difference between natural and accidental significators is crucial in interpreting a chart accurately. Let’s take a look at how to better grasp these notions, which combine rigorous analysis with intuition in the study of a natal chart.
Natural significators and astrological evidence
A natural significator is a planet that is associated with a particular symbol, character or area of life. For example, Jupiter in the 9th house represents a teacher, a religious leader, an importer or simply a mature foreign man. The 9th house represents the international, religion and spirituality, principles and values, higher education. Jupiter symbolizes a middle-aged man, a wise person. In the 9th house, our intuition suggests a mature man involved in teaching, religion or crossing a frontier. Of course, if Jupiter is debilitated, the wise man can become a guru, a cult leader or a malevolent teacher. If Jupiter is in the 7th house, there is a good chance that it is a judge or a mature man who will prove to be a suitor in love. Another example: Jupiter in the 5th house favors fertility and children.
The possibilities are endless. The attributes of the planets combined with their positions create these natural significations. Here are a few more examples:
- Mars in 3rd house can mean an accident on a short trip
- Saturn in 12th house suggests a psychiatrist or an unknown enemy plotting revenge
- Venus in the 5th house may signify a female partner or an artist. Or both
- The Moon in the 8th house suggests a psychic, a criminologist, a female forensic scientist
- The Sun in 10th house symbolizes a brilliant social success, a tycoon, a superior who has a special place in the individual’s career
- The Sun in the 11th house can be a political leader, club president or trade unionist
- Mercury in 3rd house is a young brother, a high school student, a sales representative, a writer
Accidental significators: position determines meaning
Accidental significators are planets that are deemed significator of a topic due to their position in an astrological chart and not due to an inherent similarity or link with the topic. Accidental dignity is a qualitative or quantitative assessment of a planet’s ability determined by its position in a chart and relationship with other planets. Mars may serve as an accidental significator for children and relationships if it is the ruler of the 5th house. Yet Mars has no inherent link with offspring. If the 8th house is in Sagittarius, Jupiter becomes the accidental significator of death. If Venus rules the 2nd house, located in Taurus or Libra, it becomes the accidental significator of finances, even though Venus has no connection with money in astrology.
Here is the natal chart of Queen Elizabeth II:
- Which planet is the accidental significator of childhood?
- Which planet’s natural significance in this chart is intuition and clairvoyance?
- Which planet is the accidental significator of social status?
Feel free to share your answers in the comments.
Modern astrology has left aside natural significators. Yet they are essential elements of astrological analysis. Interpreting a birth chart means following precise and rigorous rules. But it also means listening to your intuition. It’s not a question of aligning disparate elements before synthesizing them. It’s a skilful blend of observation, analysis and symbolism.
