Another technique to determine your ability to accumulate wealth is the Almuten of Substance.

Almutens are a very Arabic technique whereby a formula is devised using various house cusps and Arabic parts that ‘weigh in’ on the question at hand. The essential dignities of the various dispositors of these parts and places are examined with a view to awarding one planet in the chart the status as almuten (or dispostitor) regarding the question.

Keep in mind there are many ways to devise these ‘recipes’ and indeed over the centuries many well known astrologers have handed down their own. Also keep in mind the 2^nd house has always been associated with one’s money and Jupiter is meant to bring all things bright and beautiful (including money) into our lives.

______________________

One good recipe for an Almuten of Substance is that of Omar of Tiberias (Circa 815 ce):

• Any planet in the second house
• The degree of the 2nd house Cusp
• The degree position of the Ruler of the sign on the second house.
• The degree position of the Part of Substance (Ascendant +Cusp of 2nd – Lord of 2nd) – this is also known as the Part of Possessions
• The degree position of the Ruler of the Part of Substance
• The degree position of Jupiter.
• The degree position of the Part of Fortune
• The degree position of the Ruler of the Part of Fortune.

_________________________

Schoener in the 16th Century used the well-established scoring system of:

• 5 points for the Ruler by Sign
• 4 points for Exalted Ruler (by sign)
• 3 points each for the (Dorothean) Triplicity Rulers
• 2 points for the (Egyptian) Term Ruler

_________________________

For my chart, it works like this:

Mercury is my Almuten of Substance – (with a score of 30, it surpasses all competitors by far).

The condition of my Mercury @ 20 Libra very good – as follows:

• Angular (in 4^th house) – GOOD (would have been better if conjunct the angle)
• Out of Sect (not so good – this suggests its not always reliable – can’t have it all)
• Not in rulership, fall, detriment, or exaltation (neither good nor bad)
• Making a reasonably tight (3 degrees) square aspect to ASC at 17 Cancer – so it is plugged into the angles – GOOD
• Making a (wide) trine to the Lord of the ASC (Moon @ 13 Gemini) – PRETTY GOOD (would have been better if aspect tighter)
• In reception with the Lord of the ASC (Mercury rules Gemini – so it gets on well with the Moon)- PRETTY GOOD (would have been better if the reception had been mutual)
• Mercury is the next planet to be aspected by the Moon by perfection – VERY GOOD
• Mercury forms a (wide) trine aspect with its term ruler (Jupiter) – PRETTY GOOD (would have been better if aspect tighter).
• Mercury is in its triplicity rulership (air) – VERY GOOD
• Mercury is in aspect with its other triplicity rulers (Saturn & Jupiter) – HELPFUL – Saturn (exalted in my chart in Libra) adds authority and Jupiter (in detriment in Gemini) adds luck with applied to alternative (non establishment) things (like astrology)
• Mercury plugs into the collective – VERY HELPFUL – it is in close aspect to Pluto (adding connection with issues effecting the collective at large) – it is in even closer aspect with Uranus (adding popularity in a rough diamond’ kind of way – and is in closest connection with Neptune (suggests media and fantasy)  – OK – using modern planets is cheating a bit – forgive me?

Hence my Mercury is pretty strong, plugged into the needs of the collective, and works hard for me (plugged into the angles). It is associated with merchants (buying and selling) and communication. According to Bonnati, Mercury in the terms of Jupiter ‘becomes great in the field of business and will mix with famous people’. Equally he suggests I may be ‘sacred, spiritual, or wise’. Ptolemy adds ‘business, writers, astrologers, any who live by the exercise of literature and giving explanations‘ as well as ‘divinations and interpreter of dreams‘.

This suggests I can make money through writing on subjects considered to be ‘sacred or spiritual’ like astrology and alchemy.

Furthermore, making money in respect will be easier when Mercury is highlighted favourably by transit, progression, or planetary period  (I’m really looking forward to this one – i.e. my Firdaria – see my post of 9 March 2014 on Mapping Your Life Story with Astrology).

Financially, 2019 (my Mercury/Saturn Firdaria) should be a very good year for me!