Hyleg, a term used by ancient Arabian Astrologers to designate the points in the horoscope which are the principal foci of vitality and healthy, namely the Sun, Moon and Ascendant.
The Giver of Life. Said of a planet so located as to have influence upon the longevity of the native. It is one of the most complex and controversial subjects in the field of astrology, but which has fallen more or less in disfavor as the result of the concept that any attempt to predict the time of death is now generally considered unethical. The strongest planet that occupied one of the Aphetic places became Hyleg, and was deemed to be the Apheta, the giver of life. When it had progressed to an aspect to the place of the Anareta, the taker-away of life, the native was presumed to have run his span and death ensued.
It needs but little argument to show that the great and glorious reservoir of life which we call the Sun is an important factor in the matter of health, and that the lesser Light, the Moon, has
dominion in this respect, for she collects and reflects the solar ray. And it is a matter of common knowledge that she is in some way connected with gestation, and parturition, therefore, the
Moon is the particular significator of health in a woman's horoscope while the Sun has the strongest influence in a man's figure. Both are important however, for if, in a man's figure, Saturn is
square to the Moon he will feel it, but if this configuration happens in a woman's horoscope, she will feel it more; and conversely, Saturn square to the Sun in a woman's horoscope will affect
her health, but not in the same degree as it will that of a man when occurring in his figure.
The reason why the Ascendant is designated as a factor in health and vitality is not so apparent upon the surface, but when we realize that the ascendant at birth is the Moon's place at
conception, the reason is obvious, for the Moon is the planet of fecundation, the focus and reflector of the solar Life-forces, and if, at the time of conception, when the human seed-atom was
planted, she was in a weak sign like Virgo, there is a fundamental lack of energy and vitality at the very start of life, and a consequent lassitude which affects through all the years of its
existence, the body then beginning to germinate.
Thus, to sum up, the Sun, Moon and Ascendant are all important significators of health and vitality for both sexes, but the position and aspects of the Moon are more important to a woman than
those of the Sun and Ascendant, and the position and aspects of the Sun are more vital to the health of a man than the two other factors.
The Aphetic places were from the 25th degree of the Eighth House to the 25th degree of the Eleventh House; from the 25th degree of the Twelfth House to the 25th degree of the First House; and
from the 25th degree of the Sixth House to the 25th degree of the Seventh House. If the Sun occupied any of these arcs, it became Hyleg. If not, the Moon was the next choice. Lacking either, the
planet which had the most dignities at the moment of the Lunation next preceding birth. Otherwise in a Day birth the Ascendant, or in a Night birth Fortuna, became Hyleg. The Anaretic places were
those occupied by Mars or Saturn, or by Sun, Moon, or Mercury if aspected by Mars or Saturn. Otherwise the Descending degree. Wilson's Dictionary of astrology gives several pages of rules and
exceptions, and then characterizes the whole subject as so much rubbish. It merely amounts to a consideration of aspects formed by progressed or transitory planets to birth positions and aspects,
with special attention to a prognosis of death -- an application of astrological analysis that is generally frowned upon by modern astrologers.
In modern times the word 'Hyleg,' and the designation of the vital parts of the horoscope as 'hylegiacal' places are not generally used. The writer always speaks of them as 'significance of health,' then everybody understands what is meant, and it seems senseless to befog the subject with mysterious terms when good, plain English conveys our meaning so much better. It should also be understood that to judge any subject, be it health, wealth, joy or sorrow or any other thing that may befall, the special significators give only a limited amount of information.
To obtain a really comprehensive knowledge each subject must be judged from the horoscope as a whole.
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