Dreamhouse: Attic: Roof: Astro: Lots: Interpretation

Arabic Parts or Lots

General Guidelines for Delineation and Interpretation

More will be added, as time permits. In the meantime, follow the usual guidelines:

Look at the placement of the part by sign and house.
Examine aspects to the part, focusing attention on major Ptolomeic aspects from a planetary body.
Use a tight orb.

In addition, remember that the formula are designed to express the symbolic interaction of the components, and that the resulting degree is stimulated by activity regarding those components. This is often a clue to interpretation. As a general rule of thumb, do not use formulas which are not strictly applicable to the question at hand. The exception to this, is when you choose a specific part for study and analysis across the board, and calculate it for all charts you encounter. Last, but far from least, a part may represent any or all of the following:

The native's attitude toward the subject of the part.
The way the subject is expressed in the native's life, including the native's susceptibility to prominence of the topic, or lack of prominence.
The way the native behaves or reacts to the part being triggered, or the subject being brought up.
The native's hopes, fears, dreams, and so forth regarding the subject.

For example, the Part of Marriage may show whether a person seeks or fears marriage; what they desire in a potential marriage partner; the types of experiences they may have as a married person; and the type of partner they will become while married.

Remember that, in theory, every possible topic is represented, and that every part can be expressed in each individual's life. Look at a variety of charts, and try to find what it is which accounts for a part being activated more or less strongly in any one chart. As you begin your study of how to apply arabic parts you may find them only grossly applicable, or in obvious and shallow ways, but as you continue your studies they may bring forth greatly subtlety and richness (as well as accuracy) to your delineations.

Lots/Parts in Prediction

According to DeVore:

"All these points are susceptible to stimulation or accent by Lunations, Full Moons, and Eclipses on these degrees, and by transit or progression of the planets over the arcs in which they are located. In short they represent just that many added points of sensitivity and receptivity."

Please note that the lot or part is not progressed itself, but can be triggered by the progressed planets or angles moving over the sensitive point. In my experience, the lots are most noticeable when triggered by angular movement (conjunction, opposition, squares), and also with the most significance when the movement involves the planets or points included in the formula.

Arabic Parts and a Chart 'Fingerprint'

You can get a 'fingerprint' of the overall issues of significance in a chart by running the parts in Astrolog (URL: http://www.astrolog.org/astrolog.htm). Look for those which conjunct a planet or angle. Astrolog doesn't calculate them all, but it is still interesting. I use the Astrolog command:

-Pz

This will list the Parts for that chart in order astrologically, from Aries to Pisces, making it a very easy thing to locate parts conjunct a planet or angle. Here is one example, the fingerprint for an event chart -- a marriage which resulted in the birth of one son prior to their divorce, April 27, 1991; 7:40 PM CDT; Chicago IL.

 ME:           Entertainment 16Ari19 [ 6th] (Asc   - Jup   + Ura   N)
 SU:             Coincidence  7Tau13 [ 6th] (Asc   - Ura   + Mar   N)
 SU:          Unpreparedness  7Tau27 [ 7th] (Asc   - Mar   + Ura   N)
 VE:                   Death 16Gem00 [ 8th] (Asc   - Moo   +   8   N)
 MA:        Ostracism & Loss 13Can52 [ 9th] (Asc   - Sun   + Ura   N)
 CH: Rulers & Disassociation 23Can34 [ 9th] (Asc   - Mar   + Moo   Y)
 CH:                    Oils 23Can34 [ 9th] (Asc   - Mar   + Moo   Y) Comm.
 CH:  Life/Death of Absentee 23Can34 [ 9th] (Asc   - Moo   + Mar   N) Hora.
 JU:             Originality  3Leo07 [ 9th] (Asc   - Mer   + Ura   N)
 JU:              Air & Wind  3Leo07 [ 9th] (Asc   - Mer   +   4 R N) Event
 JU:                 Secrets  3Leo23 [ 9th] (Asc   - Asc D + Mid   N) Hora.
 MC:         Children (Male) 14Leo42 [ 9th] (Asc   - Moo   + Jup   N)
 MO:                Violence 27Lib49 [12th] (Asc   - Spi   + Mer   N)
 MO:       Trickery & Deceit 27Lib49 [12th] (Asc   - Mer   + Spi   Y)
ASC:               Captivity  7Sco20 [ 1st] (Asc   - Sat   + Sat R N)
 UR:             Retribution 13Cap44 [ 3rd] (Asc   - Mar   + Sun   Y)
 UR:                 Passion 13Cap44 [ 3rd] (Asc   - Sun   + Mar   N)
 UR:                    Fire 13Cap44 [ 3rd] (Asc   - Sun   + Mar   N) Event
 UR:     Lost Animal (Light) 13Cap44 [ 3rd] (Asc   - Sun   + Mar   N) Hora.
 NN:            Lost Objects 23Cap28 [ 3rd] (Moo   - Asc D +   4   N) Hora.
 NN:                 Friends 23Cap41 [ 3rd] (Asc   - Ura   + Moo   Y)
 SA:                 Destiny  5Aqu33 [ 3rd] (Mid   - Moo   + Sun   Y)
 IC:         Deep Reflection 16Aqu27 [ 4th] (Asc   - Sat   + Moo   Y)

I have used the same technique with horary and solar return charts with very helpful results. As with reading any of the parts, it helps if one has a poetic mind. For example, with horary, I have sometimes seen the part of Air and Wind conjunct a significator when the weather was terribly windy and became part of the story told by the chart, and other times the Part simply showed that the person represented by the significator had more trouble than usual stopping talking. :-) With solar returns, it can give a feel for the tone of the year, with some themes or issues to be encountered. Here is the fingerprint from a solar return of a young woman who during the year represented became pregnant with her first child out of wedlock during her parents divorce. For this young woman, the effect of becoming pregnant was to turn her life around for the better, encouraging a greater sense of responsibility in her actions.

 AS:                 Fortune  6Cap29 [ 8th] (Asc   - Sun   + Moo   Y)
 IC:  Understanding & Wisdom  1Tau52 [12th] (Asc   - Sat   + Sun   Y)
 IC:      Tragedy & Brethren  1Tau52 [12th] (Asc   - Sun   + Sat   N)
 IC: Time Occupied in Action  1Tau52 [12th] (Asc   - Sun   + Sat   N) Hora.
 DE:             Retribution  4Can31 [ 2nd] (Asc   - Mar   + Sun   Y)
 DE:                 Passion  4Can31 [ 2nd] (Asc   - Sun   + Mar   N)
 DE:                    Fire  4Can31 [ 2nd] (Asc   - Sun   + Mar   N) Event
 DE:     Lost Animal (Light)  4Can31 [ 2nd] (Asc   - Sun   + Mar   N) Hora.
 NN:        Cancer (Disease) 17Leo52 [ 4th] (Asc   - Jup   + Nep   N)
 VE:       Misinterpretation 19Vir09 [ 5th] (Asc   - Moo   + Ura   Y)
 JU:                  Enmity 27Vir45 [ 5th] (Asc   -  12 R +  12   N)
 UR:     Freedmen & Servants 24Sco32 [ 6th] (Mer   - Jup   + Sat   N) Hora.
 UR:                   Rains 24Sco34 [ 6th] (Asc   - Moo   + Ven   Y) Event
 MA:         Children (Male)  7Sag26 [ 7th] (Asc   - Moo   + Jup   N)

With natal charts, I have found this technique less clear. It can be helpful in adding another dimension to a reading for a new client, but it is difficult to see the influence of the fingerprint over the span of time represented by an entire life.

Last modified January 5, 2006.
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