Cazimi

kuh-ZEE-mee

arabic: Kaṣmīmī (in the heart)

Definition

A planet is cazimi when it sits within roughly 17 minutes of arc of the centre of the Sun along the zodiac — close enough to fall within the Sun’s visible disk. That 17' figure is the half-width of the Sun used by medieval Arabic astronomers, whose full apparent diameter was about 34'. A cazimi planet is read as enormously strengthened, "in the heart of the Sun" — the sharp opposite of a combust planet (about 17' to 8°30' away), badly weakened, and of one under the sunbeams (about 8°30' to 17°), moderately weakened.

In Tradition

For Arabic, medieval Latin, and traditional Western astrologers, cazimi flips the usual weakening pull of being near the Sun: the planet shares the Sun’s throne and acts with the fullest force in whatever it governs. Lilly’s Christian Astrology (1647) gives cazimi a +5 score, the single strongest situational boost there is, and Lehman places it within the wider register of solar proximity treated as accidental dignity — strength drawn from circumstance.

In Practice

Astrologers measure how far each planet sits from the Sun and flag any within about 17' as cazimi. Because the orb is so narrow, the condition is brief, so an exact birth time really matters. In horary, the question-answering branch, a cazimi significator points to a strong, protected, or empowered party. In a birth chart, a cazimi planet is read as remarkably concentrated — whatever it governs comes through with unusual force or visibility. Practitioners distinguish "by-degree" cazimi, the loose form within 17' of longitude only, from "by-orb" cazimi, the tight form that also asks the planet to be near zero ecliptic latitude; the strict version needs both to give the full effect.

Historical Origin

The term descends from the Arabic kaṣmīmī ("in the heart"), passing into medieval Latin straight from the Arabic transmission (Sahl, Abu Ma'shar, Al-Biruni). The graded solar-proximity scheme is attested earlier in Hellenistic sources under hupaugē and consolidated under the Arabic ihtiraq. Lilly’s Christian Astrology (1647) fixed the ~17' boundary and the +5 score.

Etymology

Origin: Arabic. Meaning: From Arabic kasmimi or kasimi, from the Arabic phrase meaning "in the heart" (of the Sun). Some scholars trace it to the Arabic root q-s-m (to divide, apportion). Entered medieval Latin directly from Arabic..

Further Reading