Exaltation

Exaltation is the second-highest essential dignity. When a planet is in its exaltation sign, it is like being an honored guest at a grand event: not at home, but treated like royalty and performing brilliantly. The Sun is exalted in Aries (its vitality blazes with initiative), the Moon in Taurus (its nurturing nature finds deep, earthy stability), Venus in Pisces (love becomes boundless and transcendent). Exaltation often brings out an idealized or heightened version of the planet's energy, impressive and elevated, though sometimes slightly overdone. It scores +4 in the essential dignity system. The exaltation scheme is one of the oldest in astrology, predating even Ptolemy.