While the angular places present areas of power and light, the cadent places present areas of weakness and darkness. To be cadent means to fall. Therefore, these are the places that fall away from the angles . These are some of the most unfortunate places in the chart and in the heavens.
Starting at the Ascendant (AS) and moving in a clockwise direction (the direction of the diurnal motion of the planets and stars), we immediately come to the first area of darkness, the 12th place. The 12th place is the darkest of all the places. It is averted to the ASC—that is, it cannot be seen by the ASC. It does not connect with the ASC by one of the classic Ptolemic aspects (sextile, square, trine, opposition). Astrologers know it as an unfortunate place, a place of weaknesses and evils, the place of personal undoing.
Continuing clockwise, we rise up to the MC, the 10th place, and fall away from it into the 9th place. The 9th place is the best of the cadent places because it makes a very favorable trine aspect to the ASC. The next cadent place is the 6th place from the ASC, the place that falls away from the the Descendant (DS). The 6th place is the next darkest of the places. Only the 12th place is darker. The 12th and the 6th place share the same axis, and like the 12th place, the 6th place is averted to the ASC.
Finally, leaving the 6th place and continuing clockwise, through the 5th and the 4th places from the ASC, we fall into the 3rd place. The 3rd place is the next best of the cadent place because of its favorable sextile aspect to the ASC. Only the 9th place is more favorable.
Here is of list of the cadent places, in order, from best to worst: 9th, 3rd, 6th, 12th.
Review your chart. Planets in these places or ruling these places can tell us something about the areas of difficulty in your life. Combined with various time lord techniques, you can understand the qualities of periods of your life (past, present, and future).
