February 2002

The Rulership Book by Rex E. Bills. Republished 1998 by the American Federation of Astrologers, Tempe, AZ. Paperback.

Almost everything and every place is associated with a planet or sign. We say that it is "ruled" by that planet or sign. Many of these rulerships are obvious. Others are by association. Others are by tradition. A key to understanding the astrological language is knowing some of the more common rulerships. Of course this is an ever-changing process, as is all meaning, but there is a great body of agreed-upon rulerships, as well as tentative ones.

This book is another of my old favorites. Rex E. Bills first published this hardback in 1971. It is invaluable for astrologers, and much missed when it was out of print for many years. There was great joy when AFA republished this gem, one of a kind, book in 1998.

The Rulership Book is very easy to use. Words, with their rulerships, are sorted by alphabetical order, as well as by planet, sign, and house. There are also special listings for parts of the body. Just browsing is very stimulating.

There are traditional signs for countries, in many cases different from the date-time chart. For instance, eastern U.S. is considered Gemini, central U.S. to the Rockies, Cancer, and the west coast, Leo. This makes sense. We have the constant movement and communication in the east, the heartland in the center, and the stars in California.

In addition, Saturn is now in Gemini—east coast—and was in fact eclipsed over the U.S. on September 10, just before the east coast got socked. The heartland is the part of the nation that voted for Cancerian GW Bush. And Leo Pres. Clinton had a special affinity for the west coast.

Astrology is really quite amazing. So is The Rulership Book.