Sagittarius is a light-hearted and freedom loving sign. From the seriousness of Scorpio, we move into this cheerful and optimistic sign. Sagittarius is the Archer, half-human, half-horse, who is ready for the hunt. The saying, “I shot an arrow into the air. Where it landed, I know not where,” applies almost perfectly to Sagittarius. This article will talk about Sagittarius, its astrological associations, and how to interpret this sign in a Nativity chart.
Sagittarius by Season
The zodiac signs that are most commonly used in Western Astrology are based on the seasons rather than the constellations. This is known as the Tropical Zodiac. Because of this, the Sun is in Sagittarius the same time every year, from about November 22 to December 21. These dates do vary a little from year to year, so if you were born at the very beginning or the very end of this sign, you might want to have a Nativity Chart cast in order to be sure.
In the Northern Hemisphere, Sagittarius is the last sign of Autumn, which makes it the Mutable Sign of this season. The harvest is finished, but the cold winter has not yet begun. It is time to relax and enjoy the fruits of our labor from the year. We have time to talk, enjoy being with our friends and family, take a vacation, and discuss our ideas and beliefs.
Sagittarius’ Holidays
The main holidays and celebrations that fall during the Sun’s sojourn through Sagittarius relate to the celebration of Light and hope. Below are some of these holidays:
- The United States – Thanksgiving, the 4th Thursday in November
- Christianity – Advent, the Sunday nearest to November 30 to December 24
- Filianism – Advent, November 28 to December 24
- Judaism – Hanukkah, varies
- Scandanavia – St. Lucia’s Day, December 13
Sagittarius by Element
Sagittarius is a Fire Sign. As such, Sagittarius is passionate and courageous. Fire is the energy that gives fuel to our lives. As a Mutable Sign, Sagittarius is the most laid back of the Fire Signs and takes herself the least seriously. Cheerful and friendly, her joy and love of life are infectious, and it is hard not to smile in her presence.
As a Fire Sign, Sagittarius is a Day Sign, and she is also Hard.
Sagittarius’ Dignities and Debilities
Planets do better in some signs than others. The relative strengths and weaknesses of each planet by sign are known as essential dignities and debilities. Here are the dignities and debilities for Sagittarius.
Ruler – Jupiter
The ruler of Sagittarius is Jupiter. Jupiter is the Greater Benefic and is the planet of good fortune and harmony. Sagittarius is Jupiter’s Day House, and Jupiter is a Day planet. For this reason, Sagittarius is the sign that Jupiter is strongest in.
Exaltation – South Node
Traditionally, the South Node is said to be exalted in Sagittarius. It is unclear as to what exactly this means on a practical level, however.
Triplicity Rulers
Triplicity rulers govern all three signs of an Element. In the Dorothean system, the rulers of Fire are the Sun by day, Jupiter by night, and Saturn is the participating ruler. William Lilly also assigns the Sun to Fire by day and Jupiter by night. In his system, there is no participating ruler, however.
Detriment – Mercury
Mercury has a difficult time operating in Sagittarius. This is because Sagittarius would prefer to be on the go than to just sit and think. Even though Sagittarius generally enjoys philosophy, she tends to lack patience for the precise intellectual disciplines that Mercury is known for.
Fall – North Node
Traditional authors say that the North Node is in Fall in Sagittarius, but what that actually means is a mystery in the present day and age.
Terms
In addition to the planets that have dignity in a sign in its entirety, there are planets that rule specific degrees of each sign. These are known as the planet’s terms or bounds. There are two main systems of the division of the terms, Egyptian and Chaldean.
Egyptian Terms for Sagittarius
0 – 12 Jupiter
12 – 17 Venus
17 – 21 Mercury
21 – 26 Saturn
26 – 30 Mars
Chaldean Terms for Sagittarius
0 – 8 Jupiter
8 – 14 Venus
14 – 19 Mercury
19 – 25 Saturn
25 – 30 Mars
Face
Each sign is divided into three parts, known as face or decantes. Each face has a separate ruler. The faces of Sagittarius and their rulers are:
0 – 10 Mercury
10 – 20 Moon
20 – 30 Saturn
Sagittarius and the Body
Sagittarius rules the hips, the thighs, and the buttocks. If you have Sagittarius prominent in your chart, these areas are especially prone to illness and injury. If you have a Cancer Ascendant, you must be careful of these areas also, because Sagittarius governs your 6th House of injury and illness.
If you have Jupiter in Sagittarius, you need to take any injuries and illnesses to these parts very seriously, because strong parts of your chart are the most dangerous. You will also have to be careful of your liver because that is one of the organs that Jupiter rules. This is also true if you have a Taurus Ascendant because in this case, Sagittarius will govern the House of Death, which is the 8th House.
Sagittarius in a Nativity Chart
The first places that most astrologers look at in interpreting a chart are the Sun, the Moon, and the Ascendant or Rising Sign. If you have your date, time, and place of birth you can learn these by getting a Nativity Chart report from an astrologer or getting a computerized report for free from Astrology Season. Here are brief descriptions of how to interpret a Sagittarius Sun, Moon, and Ascendant.
Sagittarius Sun
The Sun is one of the triplicity rulers of Sagittarius, and so it is strong in this sign. Sagittarius is also a Day Sign, which really helps the Sun to shine!
Sagittarius Sun by Day
If you were born during the day with a Sagittarius Sun, you are in the lucky position of having your Sun in Hayz, which means that the Sun is in a day sign in a day chart. This means that you are able to manifest all of the joyful, energetic, and playful qualities of both Sagittarius and the Sun. You have quite a bit of self-confidence and courage. It will be easy for you to express your Sagittarius nature boldly and fully.
Sagittarius Sun by Night
If you were born at night, your Sagittarius nature will be a little more subdued, because it will have to find a way to express itself through your Moon. If your Moon is in a Fire or Air Sign, you will still enjoy your freedom loving side and have plenty of opportunities for adventure. If your Moon is in an Earth or Water Sign, however, your Sagittarius Sun can easily get pushed aside or locked away. This could cause restlessness and dissatisfaction, and it can even lead to a feeling of depression. You will need to find ways to feed your Sagittarius Sun and give it the freedom and adventure it so desperately needs.
Sagittarius Moon
Sagittarius is not a great place for the Moon. Unless your Moon is between 10 and 20 degrees of this sign, it is in a condition known as peregrine, or a stranger in a strange land. You may have trouble with restlessness and boredom, and you will generally not have a lot of interest in Lunar activities such as cooking or nurturing others.
Sagittarius Moon by Day
If you have a Sagittarius Moon by day, your Sun will completely overrule your Moon. On one hand, this will mean that you will have fewer outward difficulties than you would otherwise. On the other hand, you are more likely to feel confined or trapped. You may find that you seem to sabotage yourself and get into trouble. The way to remedy this is to find a way to have some adventure in your life. This is a real need and hunger for you. Finding time to play is not a luxury. You can not afford to do without it.
Sagittarius Moon by Night
If you were born at night, your Moon is your dominant luminary. This will give your Moon more strength, but it will also mean that you have an impaired Moon in charge. One of the ways that this could manifest is by feeling stuck in a supportive role that you resent. How easy or hard this will be will depend on other areas of your chart, but in any case, you need to find ways to accept yourself for who you are. You absolutely need to find space for fun and to take breaks from supporting or caring for others.
Sagittarius Ascendant
If you have a Sagittarius Ascendant, you have a cheerful disposition and make friends very easily. Indeed, you are very likely to have many friends or at least many acquaintances. Whether your extroverted and sunny demeanor goes deeper than the surface will depend on the rest of your chart.
Jupiter is the ruler of your Ascendant, and the position and condition of Jupiter in your chart will have a tremendous impact on your life.
In the Whole Sign House system, the sign of the Ascendant determines the planets and signs that rule every area of your life.
Home – Pisces
If you have a Sagittarius Ascendant, Pisces is your 4th House, which makes you surprisingly sentimental when it comes to your home and your roots. This means that Jupiter is not only the ruler of your Ascendant but also the ruler of the 4th House. You identify strongly with your family traditions and the past. On the other hand, Pisces is the most mystical and the least “down to earth” sign of the zodiac. While you likely look at your home and your roots with rose-colored glasses, you may not have the interest or inclination to get involved in the practical matters of running your home.
Partnership – Gemini
With a Sagittarius Ascendant, you tend to have many friends on a superficial level, but one-on-one partnerships can be a bit of a challenge. You are easily bored and may have trouble with fidelity. Mercury-ruled Gemini rules your 7th House of Partnerships, and the most important thing for you in this area is intellectual stimulation. You need someone who is interesting and multi-faceted to hold your attention.
Career and Public Reputation – Virgo
If you have a Sagittarius Ascendant, Virgo governs your 10th House, which means that it is also ruled by Mercury. The Virgo Mercury, however, is much calmer and steadier than the Gemini Mercury. You take your career and public reputation very seriously, and you have the attention span to meticulously make sure that every aspect of this part of your life is perfect.
Do you have Sagittarius prominent in your chart, or do you know someone who does? Please comment below. I would love to hear from you.
The Stars Within Their Courses 