All of us should be able to give a clear definition of peregrination: any planet not making a Ptolemeic aspect in the horoscope. [Conjunction, sextile, square, trine, or opposition]

Indeed, there are theoretical strictures that Astrology places upon this base definition that involve dignities, debilitations, final dispositorship, and more. In my opinion, trying to define the condition more specifically, theory clouds the issue and diminishes application.

I have ‘pushed the envelope’ of our learning to go past these ancient strictures, because, empirically, it is very very clear that they do not change the manifestation image of a peregrine planet. The “classically unaspected” state is enough to qualify. [Please see Synthesis & Counseling in Astrology, pages 155-190.]

All of us should know that that the word “Peregrine” comes form the Latin meaning “across, through, or beyond the border.” Our word “pilgrim” derives similarly from the Latin “pelegrinus”, an alternative form of “peregrinus.” The meaning sense is being foreign, alien.

But what does all that mean? What do we learn from the derivation of the “peregrine state”?

I have an interesting image in my mind every time I discuss peregrination: I think of the United Nations in New York City: the delegates from foreign countries to the U.N. are basically exempt from United States laws. A hit-and-run traffic incident involving a delegate driver or a member of his/her family, for example, will result in a warning to the embassy of the country or to deportation of the individual, i.e., he or she loses the job at the U.N. –In other words, being in the state of the U.N. offers to an individual very special freedoms. A pilgrim far from home is given respectful audience.

A peregrine planet is in such a state. It is “far from home” (the Sign it rules) and will potentially act up, act out, in terms of the House it rules, representing the issues of its home base. –For example, relationship will become a cause celebre in life development if the planet ruling the sign on the 7th cusp is peregrine.

When the Sun or Moon is peregrine, we have a core development issue focus: I like to say that the individual learns very soon in life that he or she is basically untethered … not necessarily ‘wild’, but not assimilated with others: the world doesn’t quite understand them, and they don’t quite understand the world. Usually this leads to a state of idiosyncrasy. Even a dissociated complex about individuality fitting into the scheme of things is possible. –I observe that someone with the Sun or Moon (or both) peregrine “dances to a different drummer”!

Hillary Clinton has a peregrine Sun ruling her 9th, which is an extremely powerfully reinforced area of her life development. Mia Farrow has a peregrine Sun ruling her 5th; her life is totally consumed with issues with, about, for children. David Copperfield has a peregrine Sun square to his Midheaven.

A man I know, a retired police captain, is encyclopedic with specialized fact recall, e.g., the detailed profiles of Russian military officers in WWII! But similarly with so many other areas of knowledge. His Mercury is peregrine! –And recall Howard Cosell, the fabulous statistics-and-memories engorged sportscaster! Same thing! And the super astrology writer and analyst, Erin Sullivan.

We can feel the focus of a peregrine planet throughout a horoscope, especially founded upon the base orientation within the House(s) it rules.
Jimmy Hendrix –famed rock guitarist– had Mars peregrine ruling his 4th: his parents were divorced when he was 9, his mother died when he was 16, and, to spare him any further instability in the home, he was sent to live with his ‘inspirational’ grandmother. These 4th-House concerns were very powerful within his development.

Sex-focused rebel-broadcaster Howard Stern has Jupiter peregrine in Gemini, ruling the 8th!

Musician, composer, singer, television host and so much more, Merv Griffin, had Neptune peregrine, ruling his 10th. –And so did Saddam Hussein, as far as we know!

The country of China has Saturn peregrine ruling its 12th!

Hugh Hefner has Mars peregrine in Aquarius (rebel with a cause) and also Venus peregrine in Pisces (the need for beauty).

Queen Elizabeth II has Sun, Moon, and Mercury all peregrine! –The Sun and Moon rule her public 7th, appropriately, and her Mercury rules her 5th and 8th, surely a monarch’s critical focus upon succession, progeny, etc.

I have learned to take this concept of peregrinating emphasis a bit further: I have found that two planets that aspect each other (usually the conjunction) but make no other Ptolemeic aspect with any other planet within the horoscope operate as a peregrine island! The focused pair is notably pervasive.

Feminist spokesperson sexual-rights rebel Gloria Steinem has Mercury-Neptune together as a peregrine island, with Mercury ruling the 8th and Neptune ruling her 5th!

Famed baseball player/convicted gambler Pete Rose has a peregrine island involving his Sun-Venus conjunction: the Sun rules the 5th, Venus rules the 2nd and 7th!
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**We understand how not being cleanly integrated with the rest of the planetary field allows a peregrine planet –an unaspected planet—to hit and run, to make its mark significantly, usually in terms of its House focus.

Noel Tyl