Q:

Quadrant: The local sky is naturally bisected by the horizon, and those two halves of the 360° sky can again be bisected by any vertical plane going through the midheaven and the nadir. If we require that this second plane also go through the north and south points on the horizon (see page 151 in "You and the Universe"), then that plane is called the local meridian. Together, these two planes quarter the sky, the zodiac, and the astrological horoscope into what are known as the four quadrants.

In the astrological horoscope, the four quadrants are similarly formed, but we need to start with the symbolism of the four hemispheres (upper-lower, right-left) to get their meanings. The ascendant-descendant axis divides the horoscope chart into an inner hemisphere below (houses 1 - 6), and an outward hemisphere above (houses 7 - 12). The I.C.-midheaven axis, on the other hand, divides the horoscope into a personal hemisphere on the left (counter-clockwise, houses 9 - 3) and a social hemisphere on the right (houses 3 - 9).

Throughout each day, planets move in a clockwise fashion due to the rotation of the Earth on its axis: starting, if you will, at the I.C., rising up past the ascendant, culminating at the midheaven, and then descending down past the descendant to return again to the nadir, or I.C. Keeping in mind this diurnal movement of all the planets, we see that on the left or eastern half of the chart they are passing from the inner pole (I.C.) to the outer (midheaven). Thus the left-hand side of the chart is said to represent inner energies, or actions that are our own the result of our inner life (impulses and emotional drives).

Correspondingly, on the right-hand side of the chart energies are descending from the outermost point (the midheaven) toward the innermost, the nadir. Therefore the right or western hemisphere of the chart is said to be under the influence of outer energies, and to stand for the actions of others and our experience in the outer world. Each of these hemispheres, the eastern/left and the western/right, is identified with its starting point relative to the daily clockwise motion of all the planets.

  Each quadrant has its own defining characteristics. The first quadrant, consisting of houses 3, 2 and 1 is a quadrant in the inward hemisphere containing energies flowing from the inner pole. It symbolizes your inner and personal experiences of life as influenced by inner impulses. The second quadrant, comprised of houses 12, 11 and 10, is an outer quadrant dominated by energy flowing form an inner pole. This symbolizes personal action taken on the outer world. The third quadrant, comprised of houses 9, 8 and 7, is an outer quadrant dominated by energy lowing from an outer pole. This represents external energies coming to us form the outer world that are not under our control. And the fourth quadrant, comprised of houses 6, 5 and 4, is an inner quadrant dominated by energy lowing from an outer pole. This symbolizes those parts of our personal world most affected by external energies, which we may later assimilate into ourselves. 

Quaduplicity: three groupings of the signs by the category of force they typify (or their seasonal position). They are: Cardinal (dynamic, active), Fixed (latent, stable), and Mutable (harmonizing, flexible). Planets in the same quadruplicity are square or opposed, and in tension with each other.

Quincunx: the 150° aspect; the inconjunct. It unites signs with no natural relationship or connection: discord, necessity for adjustment, or a forced choice between inharmonious conditions; orb 1.5° - 2°.

Quintile: an aspect of 72° or 1/5th of the circle, denoting the bringing together of the male and female within an individual, thus indicating marriage, creativity, and one’s art; 2° orb.