On Sect vs Rejoicing
© 2010, April 4 Curtis Manwaring
It is a matter of what the planet does and what its role is. Schmidt says that a contrary to sect planet is hindered in setting the agenda for the native and is placed in a role of going against the agenda of the ruling sect. That doesn't mean that the planet is powerless; look at the joys of the planets (Jupiter in Sag, Saturn in Aq, Mars in Sco, etc). Most of these are in places where there is no power shared (no exaltation lord) because the planet of the contrary sect is obligated to lift up the exaltation lord (Mars lifts up the Sun in Aries, Jupiter lifts up Venus in Pisces, etc) and they don't like to share power... Schmidt says cases like these are where planets "cross the isle" to the other side politically for a cause. The exceptions are the feminine planets which cooperate and share power and Mercury who being common to both sects decides to lift up himself and remain neutral to the power struggle.
We think that one planet has control of a given sign / house, but the more advanced thinking on this is that it depends... We get a hint of this in the concept of the almuten in the medieval period and with each place there are any number of planets that may have control - sometimes it is the exaltation planet, domicile lord, joint domicile master (signs trine to domicile), etc. Each planet has a political agenda and Schmidt says that the planets are said to be in the service of heimarmene.
So if a planet is contrary to the sect and has control of a given house, and it is in it's own places then it can effect from it's own significations, and such a planet is always subject to being overruled by a planet of the sect, but not necessarily. A planet contrary to the sect though and not in it's own places, but in the places of a sect mate, will bring things about with the help of the sect mate, again as long as it is not overruled, but a contrary to sect planet, not in it's own places, nor with help from sect mates can only affect the significations of the house; not bring in its own significations. So a Mars contrary to the sect having control of the 7th might bring marriage to someone in the military as long as its not overruled. If however it is not in its own places nor has any help, then it trashes the significations of the 7th because it is contrary to the sect, causing divorce, acrimony in old age, difficulty or danger with the public, etc... Benefics contrary to the sect are not as disrespectful in this regard. It is always the malefic contrary to the sect you have to watch.
All of this is with a view of what the planets want for the native; and the planets want what they signify. These are the political distinctions that give the interactions of the planets depth. The lights (Sun and Moon) are opposed to the domiciles of Saturn as light is always opposed to darkness, good opposed to evil. What is good from one planet's perspective (Saturn for instance) will be at odds with what the lights want. Mars also squares the lights and will be at odds in a different way. Mars trines the light of the nocturnal sect because they agree on agenda, but squares the light contrary to sect (Scorpio squares Leo). And Mars is made to disagree with the Moon (by squaring from Aries - Cancer, when it crosses the isle to lift up the Sun in exaltation contrary to the wishes of the Moon). So Mars is the lesser malefic in part because of this partial agreement, but Saturn disagrees either way.
