It comes from the Greeks. The Greeks had a worldview that the universe was made of the classical elements. It has its own unique history, but I'm interested in the actual result of it.
To summarize:

Each element was made of qualities which are hotness, coldness, wetness, and dryness.

Hot/warm is active, changeable, expand on energy. Cold things, conserve energy, are stable. Heat expands, while coldness constricts. Heat is active, cold is passive. Hot is quick to act and excitable from external stimulus, cold is slow to act and focus internally, and are more controlled.

Wet is soft and malleable, while dry is hard and solid. Wet creates bonds and is flexible, but dry breaks them. Wet is fluid, dry is stiff. Wet creates connections to others, dry differentiates themselves from others. Dry is tense and nervous, wet is relaxed.


Combined, these qualities also form the humors, which are sanguine/air (wet and hot), choleric/fire (hot and dry), melancholic/earth (dry and cold), and phlegmatic/water (cold and wet).


This can come to describe the signs too.
Air - Wet and Hot. Wet - creates bonds, sociable, flexible; Hot -dynamic, extroverted.
Fire - Hot and Dry. These two combined: extroverted, high energy, dynamic, severs connections, analytical.
Earth: Dry and Cold. These two combined makes for introversion, stable, passive, conserve, inflexible , analytical.
Water: Wet and Cold. Creates bonds, creative, flexible, conserves energy, passive.

So to the planets:
Back then, one of the conceptions of the solar system looked a lot like this:


Obviously we know now it doesn't work this way. But looking at it like this helps us understand how the planets came to be according to their nature.

How this worked was depending on proximity of the Sun and the Earth, helped determined the natures of the planets.



Hot and Moist were qualities that were the best for life. Cold and dry was considered destructive. And so, due to the Moon's close proximity to Earth, she was considered wet. Venus is both hot and wet due to her proximity to the Sun and the Moon. The Sun is the body of absolute hotness. Jupiter was considered hot and wet due to being tempered by the coldness of Saturn and the hotness of the Sun. Saturn was considered cold and dry due to how far it is from the wetness of earth and the warmth of the Sun.

Claudius Ptolemy in Tetrabiblos wrote:

OF the four temperaments or qualities above mentioned, two are nutritive and prolific, viz. heat and moisture; by these all matter coalesces and is nourished: the other two are noxious and destructive, viz. dryness and cold; by these all matter is decayed and dissipated.

Therefore, two of the planets, on account of their temperate quality, and because heat and moisture are predominant in them, are considered by the ancients as benefic, or causers of good: these are Jupiter and Venus. And the Moon also is so considered for the same reasons.

But Saturn and Mars are esteemed of a contrary nature, and malefic, or causers of evil: the first from his excess of cold, the other from his excess of dryness.

The Sun and Mercury are deemed of common influence, and productive either of good or evil in unison with whatever planets they may be connected with.

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And that's it Due to the temperate natures of Venus and Jupiter, they are considered all things good and fair. Due to the destructive nature of Mars and Saturn, they are considered the bringers of misfortune.

I'm not an astrologer, I'm just a fan. But I absolutely adore and love ancient logic.

94n said:

Due to the destructive nature of Mars and Saturn, they are considered the bringers of misfortune.

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Well that makes me feel a whole lot better as a Saturnian with both Saturn and Mars being the two tip top most prominent and influential planets of my birth, soul and personality.

Sassiness aside though it is very true, if one doesn't know how to direct their energies and control it. I had done year long workings to deflect and neutralize their negative effects upon my life and they haven't caused me trouble since. But instead of them bringing misfortune and suffering upon me, they exact it through me now as if their energies were forced to take an alternative path, like a blocked river...

My affirmations back then may have missed a few details in order to result in this, so if you have these prominent planets or just in general want to remove their affects with a massive working and don't want to become a sadistic blood-thirsty individual then I would suggest really putting in all the details in your affirmations to prevent it.... So now I often have great urge to exact misfortune and suffering upon people, especially on Saturday's, but I utilize this on the enemy and take great joy in it so long as I am not hurting innocent people or going against Satan's ideals, I've seen the enemy very fearful of this behaviour, I was surprised the first time a grey retreated from me. I just have to be very well put into discipline and self-control when discussing or dwelling on matters of black magick or other means of exacting harm as it amplifies those urges, that's why I have a poppet of a particular jew to torture.

What you've said here is very interesting information though and makes quite a lot of sense. There should be more knowledge regarding these traits of planets on our website, a lot of things are stated on the website without further clarification.

Also as a correction, several authors vary on Venus. Some say it's hot and moist. Some say it was cool and moist. But later on it's known to be cool and moist.

Ghost in the Machine said:

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No need to feel bad.
They're intrinsic natures of the planets, so they just are that way because its who they are. If they are well situated, they can confer good to the person, and if they are poorly situated, then it can cause harm. What we want for the malefic to be in is in a position where it can do the least amount of damage.


Quick way of identifying the functional benefics/malefics of the chart using nocturnal/diurnal distinctions:


To explain and give a background, planets have a preference whether they are nocturnal or diurnal. This is based on the heat of the day or the coldness of the night. These qualities modify and affect the planets. The ruler of the day will be the Sun. The ruler of the night will be the Moon. The nature of the luminaries match the diurnal/nocturnal qualities.

The Sun, Jupiter, Mars, are naturally hot bodies. They rejoice in the light of the day.
The Moon, Venus, and Saturn are naturally cold bodies. They rejoice in the darkness of the night.

In a day chart, the operative planets would be the Sun, Jupiter and Saturn. In a night chart, the operative planets would be the Moon, Venus, and Mars.

The day/night distinction will show which planets will be more active/operative. If you're a day chart, your chart will be team day. If you were born at night, your chart will be team Moon.

To identify the most positive planet, in general check to see if it's a diurnal or nocturnal chart. In a day chart, the most benefic planet would be Jupiter. In a night chart the most benefic planet would be Venus.

To identify the planet that's a general negative influence, check to see if it's a day or night chart again. In a day chart, the most problematic planet would be Mars. In a night chart the most problematic planet would be Saturn.


Mercury depends on its position if it's a day or night planet.

Why is this?
Claudius Ptolemy explains

THE day and the night are the visible divisions of time. The day, in its heat and its aptitude for action, is masculine:--the night, in its moisture and its appropriation to rest, feminine.

Hence, again, the Moon and Venus are esteemed to be nocturnal; the Sun and Jupiter, diurnal; and Mercury, common; since in his matutine position he is diurnal, but nocturnal when vespertine.

Of the other two planets, Saturn and Mars, which are noxious, one is considered to be diurnal, and the other nocturnal. Neither of them, however, is allotted to that division of time with which its nature accords (as heat accords with heat), but each is disposed of on a contrary principle: and for this reason, that, although the benefit is increased when a favourable temperament receives an addition of its own nature, yet, the evil arising from a pernicious influence is much mitigated when dissimilar qualities are mingled with that influence. Hence the coldness of Saturn is allotted to the day, to counterbalance its heat; and the dryness of Mars to the night, to counterbalance its moisture. Thus each of these planets, being moderated by this combination, is placed in a condition calculated to produce a favourable temperament. 2

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In simpler terms...
Mars, while a planet that mostly resembles the day (hotness, and masculinity), is more favorable in a night chart. It is more favorable because the nature of Mars is improved by the nature of the night. The night counterbalances Mars and adds more moisture, to a very dry planet.

Saturn, a planet that most resembles the night (coldness), is more favorable in a day chart. The heat of the Sun warms up Saturn's cold nature, which makes it slightly more beneficial. The nature of Saturn is improved during the day.

The day and night lessens the harshness and extremity of the malefic planets.

Saturn in a night chart will make the coldness worse. Meaning it can freeze everything in its path. It can be free to reject and deny, and be restrictive.
Mars in a day chart will make the hotness worse. Meaning it can burn things down its path. It can be too high energy, break things apart, aka aggression and recklessness.

As for Jupiter and Venus, the day/night matches their nature which allows them to freely express their nature. That's why if they're position contrary to their division of time they may not be able to produce as much because they're not as able to freely express themselves. As for malefics, we don't want them to freely express themselves, that's why they're placed contrary to their natures.

Check this out: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astrology_of_sect

Anyways, a random tid bit. Venus as a morning star is the goddess of war. Venus as an evening star is the goddess of love.

94n said:

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This is very interesting research you've taken up and it seems to make sense, of course forgive any skepticism, that is just how I am and how I believe everybody should be to a healthy degree.

Is there anything you might be able to explain with these kinds of traits or characteristics involving the planets that might result in the catering to a favourite time of day? Or a certain time of day that one favours or is drawn to? I don't know how common this may be of people feeling spiritually drawn to certain times, but I've always been very well at home during twilight hours, both dusk and dawn when the sun and moon are at a technical balance with one another. I always find it much easier to connect with energy and meditate during these times and I simply find great comfort in twilight, like a soothing blanket over my soul if that makes any sense.

As soon as the twilight is over though and it's either night or day, then I lose this sense of connection and don't feel as 'at ease'. It feels like suddenly something is taken away from me or that I am suddenly in unfamiliar territory.

Mr. Ghost, skepticism is healthy
These are all ancient techniques/concepts from thousands of years ago, lost through time and translation. I just found them to be interesting, and an interesting departure from what we're normally used to. However you decide to do astrology is up to you, and astrology is broad, multifaceted, and malleable to your requirements and needs; therefore, the "right" way to do it is whatever way that works for you.

Ghost in the Machine said:

Is there anything you might be able to explain with these kinds of traits or characteristics involving the planets that might result in the catering to a favourite time of day? Or a certain time of day that one favours or is drawn to?

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Sure, make a different thread

Saturn Day ruler Aquarius Night ruler Capricorn these two express different Nature's of the Planet.

Example.

I believe Saturn isn't a malafic Planet as Satan's signs the ones he is depicted in are Capricorn and Aquarius. I believe Saturn can be bringer of freedom through working to overcome everything to build up upon life through hard work yet to be have fun and be free while doing it.

Saturn only is bringer of destruction and bad things to lazy people or low vibration people. When your vibration is high and you sublimate it it is a bringer of gifts and rewards.

I have Saturn as co-ruler being aquarius and in a prominent position in my chart I don't believe this is a bad thing. It not only makes me more mature but also more free as well and balanced. My chart is a day chart btw.

Obviously no one likely wants to make it stronger unless they have Neptune Conjunct it or something but the thing is that it can bring a lot of good into the life. It is the material principal it allows someone to be grounded a good balancer between the material and the spiritual. A strong Saturn will allow you to be connected to the earth plane no matter what even if you lack earth element.


Just something to think about. It is only a malafic Planet due to our level of Development.

94n said:

Back then, one of the conceptions of the solar system looked a lot like this:

Obviously we know now it doesn't work this way.

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Good job sharing this with the community. I'm sure most people didn't know about it because most people don't care about researching here.

I quoted that bit because I wanted to correct the small mistake of opinion. The ancients already knew what the universe looks like. We actually know less know about the universe than we did in the Golden Age of mankind. Those particular planetary arrangements show something else: the planets (and luminaries) ordered according to their distance from Earth.

Great posts I have definitely noticed this before, about Mars being less malefic in night charts, and Saturn less malefic in day charts.

As for the order of planets (regarding the second image you posted), and this is the same for the planetary hours in a day. Saturn is first, as it is the slowest moving in Earth's sky, and so on, moving inwards, ending with Moon, and then the cycle begins again. According to the ancient Chaldeans.

Small tip for anyone reading who doesn't know if their chart is day or night: If Sun is in bottom half of the chart (northern hemisphere, 1st house through 6th house), then it is a night chart. Sun in top half (southern hemisphere, 7th through 12th house) then it is a day chart.

Stormblood said:

94n said:

Back then, one of the conceptions of the solar system looked a lot like this:

Obviously we know now it doesn't work this way.

Click to expand...

Good job sharing this with the community. I'm sure most people didn't know about it because most people don't care about researching here.

I quoted that bit because I wanted to correct the small mistake of opinion. The ancients already knew what the universe looks like. We actually know less know about the universe than we did in the Golden Age of mankind. Those particular planetary arrangements show something else: the planets (and luminaries) ordered according to their distance from Earth.

Click to expand...

In the book:"Vimana aircraft of ancient India and Atlantis" suggested by HP Mageson it's written how in the libraries of Egypt and Alexandria there was a book called "The true history of mankind over the last 100000 years" and it was burned along every other text by those tollerating xians.