Neith on Synastry

Where Did She Go?!

2008-04-10T10:11:00.000-07:00

I have decided to post all new synastry articles on our new website, Real Astrologers, in the interest of maintaining my sanity and to avoid being scattered all over the astro-blogosphere. Also gathered up and organized my posts from this blog there in Neith’s Kitchen.

Today I posted on Patrick Swayze & Lisa Niemi, his wife of almost 34 years (they were married June ’75). Even with only his birth time to work with as hers was not available, the astrology of their relationship affirms why their marriage has endured in the world of marriage go ‘round, Hollywood. When I was writing my post on Charlton Heston I discovered he and his wife were married in 1944 until his death last week. Both Charlton Heston and Patrick Swayze had/have Saturn on the Ascendant and in the first house – just a thought!

I also found this comment from Steve Judd on Saturn/Venus aspects and have to say as a person with Saturn trine Venus natally, it’s right on target.

Venus/Saturn contacts are often misunderstood, being thought of as inhibiting or restricting both financial and romantic opportunities. This seems to be the case in the first half of life (sorry!), but brings more than adequate payback in the second. Most Saturn/Venus people spend the second half of their lives in one long term permanent and contented relationship, the first forty years is finding out what they don’t want. And their financial status generally improves as they age, because despite fiscal challenges when younger, as they mature so a re-evaluation occurs which leads to a more structured approach to money. They get clearer and clearer in issues of worth and value as they age.

Come on over and explore our new website! I am looking for people who interested in having me write a post on their relationship again. Of course, I will abide by my usual confidentiality rules and post no personal information. Please use this contact information to reach me: email Neith

Evolution of a Family’s Synastry

2008-03-11T10:02:00.000-07:00

Thinking over the comments generated by the photo of me with my granddaughter, I realized this would be a good opportunity to take a look at the synastry of my immediate family. As is the case in many families today, this was a second marriage for my husband (my only marriage). He had two daughters from his first and it’s thanks to his older daughter I’m a grandmother. Having no children of my own, I see this as a great blessing in my life. The astrology of this extended family is very interesting . . . well, at least to other astrologers. ::grin::

For starters, both my stepdaughter’s have Gemini Suns within a few degrees of my Uranus in Gemini, the older one has Jupiter and Mercury in Gemini on either side of my North Node in Gemini, and the younger daughter’s Mercury is conjunct my Vertex in Cancer. Both young women have Libra rising and Pluto in Libra, and in both cases those conjunct my Moon/Neptune. What I see as the frosting on this particular cake is the way all our Nodes are aspected in the synastry: the oldest daughter’s North Node in Libra falls on the mid-point between my Sun and Moon, the younger daughter’s North Node in Virgo conjuncts my Midheaven along with her Saturn in Virgo and the aforementioned aspect to my North Node in Gemini above. For three people who never met before their father and I got together, that’s quite a selection of powerful synastry aspects! In other words, this is a good example of bonds that transcend blood relationships. When I take into account my natal Moon/Neptune is in my 11th house (where their Pluto’s/Ascendants fall) it is a good illustration of how we are a prototype of an Aquarian notion of family.

Then we come to the synastry aspects between the grandparents and the grand baby! She has strong Nodal aspects with both of us. Her Ascendant is exactly conjunct my North Node, her North Node/Uranus conjunction falls on my IC and her Sun is exactly conjunct her granddad’s North Node in Pisces. Talk about all of us helping each other learn about our North Nodes through love. As those of you who read my posts know, I’m always reluctant to use the “karma” word but I can’t help but feel we have been given a huge blessing in the form of a darling little one and all the aspects to the Nodes does hint at good karma.

Her Vertex is conjunct my Jupiter in Scorpio and from the first moment I held her I was a goner. Saturn plays a role here too. For one thing Saturn is in Leo in my chart, her mothers and hers. Yes, three generations of Saturn in Leo, how about that?! My Saturn/Pluto conjuncts her IC and her Saturn squares my Mars/Mercury and is sextile the midpoint between my Sun and Moon.

All this illustrates what I feel in my heart . . . even though this little one is not related to me by blood she is my granddaughter in every way that counts. She is a gift I thought never to have and am very, very grateful for – a not so small magic!

A Watery Mix – Two Moon Children

2008-03-07T09:28:00.000-08:00

Another astrologer sent me these two charts to get a second opinion on her relationship with another Cancer Sun. Interestingly these two both have their Suns at 16° Cancer, even though they were born several years apart. She did not have an exact birth time for him but believes he has Scorpio Rising and most likely has Moon in Aries conjunct Mars. I’m guessing they are both pretty powerful individuals in their own right because she has her Moon (Cancer’s ruler) in the first house conjunct Pluto and he his Scorpio/Aries influences.

What really jumped out at me looking at their synastry were three sets of intra-aspects (same planets from both charts in aspect) involving Saturn, suggesting this relationship will have legs. They have Sun/Saturn, Mars/Saturn and Venus/Saturn intra-aspects between their charts. His Saturn also squares her Moon/Pluto conjunction too. He is a fair amount older, often a factor where Saturn plays a major role in synastry.

Jupiter is in Libra in both charts conjuncting his North Node. Since he has a T-square with his Sun at the apex with Jupiter and Mars in opposition, this means her Sun is also squared by his Mars/Jupiter. I beginning to believe there is a mix of passion, generosity and a certain over-the-top quality to their interactions, not to mention drama?! With a Sun square Jupiter intra-aspect combining the warmth of the Sun with Jupiter’s ability to amplify they probably know how to have a good time or love a good debate. I believe Stephen Arroyo would call this Sun/Jupiter combo “over stimulating” . . . ::grin::

With her Moon/Pluto conjunction in Virgo inconjunct his possible Moon/Mars in Aries conjunction, sharing living quarters could get interesting especially for two Cancer Suns. Meticulous earthy Virgo does not have a lot in common with fiery Aries and if his Mars is indeed conjunct his Moon, patience will not likely be his long suit. In fact, this is one relationship where separate dwellings may save the day. Another synastry aspect adding a measure of challenge to their day-to-day relationship is a close square between their Mar’s. Having Mars square by sign (and in this case, by degree) says they have very different styles of taking action and will most likely find attempting to work on joint projects very irritating. On the other hand, her Venus in Leo is pleasantly sextile to his Venus in Gemini, an indication they have similar ideas of enjoyment.

As I was not given much information about the nature of their relationship, it’s difficult to speculate further but since we are talking Cardinal signs here with lots of Saturn in their synastry, they may find the challenges inherent in this relationship add interest. A real plus in their synastry is her Mercury conjunct his Sun providing a vital communication link between them. It has always surprised me to how often Cancer Sun people end up in lasting relationships with very challenging synastry aspects.

This is the Two of Cups from the Lover's Path tarot deck. For two water signs I felt the suit of Cups appropriate and having one cup full and the other spilled for what the astrology indicates is a rather tumultuous relationship! :-)

Two of Cups, Lover's Path deck © 2007 Kris Waldherr Art and Words. All rights reserved. www.artandwords.com.

Synastry between Sisters, a Family Matter

2008-02-27T13:25:00.000-08:00

The older sister wrote to me wondering if the two of them could regain some of the closeness they enjoyed when they were younger. These two sisters have a lot going on between their charts and a lot of parallels too. I’m going to start with the parallels and then move to the synastry.

For starters, they both have Scorpio Rising, so I looked to see what Mars and Pluto were doing in the individual charts and found several interesting things. They both have Pluto square Mercury, strong minded types here! And they both have Mars in aspect to Pluto with the older sister’s Pluto sextile her Mars/Sun conjunction in Sagittarius, and the younger one’s Mars semi-sextile Pluto. What this suggests is if they do have differences, and they are both sure they are correct, they could spend YEARS arguing the same points! Oh yes, their Mercury’s are in opposition by Sign – Capricorn vs. Cancer. They both have their Suns in aspect to Pluto too. The younger sister is a Gemini Sun trine Pluto in Libra and the older has Sagittarius Sun sextile Pluto in Libra. One last aspect they both share is Mars/Sun, one square and the other conjunct.

I see both of these women as feisty, very strong minded and tenacious as all get out and I’m betting they have a healthy respect for each other too. It’s a curious thing when Scorpio/Pluto types meet, circle around one another and decide if they are going to fight to the death or respect each other’s differences and take on the world as a team. To get an idea about the case here I looked at the synastry between their charts.

We find their Suns complement each other and the ruler of the older sister’s Sun, Jupiter, is sextile Mercury, Gemini’s ruler, in her Gemini sister’s chart – a very positive exchange. The opposition between the Suns affirms the sense of being a team too. They have three sets of intra-aspects (same planets/both charts) drawing them together including either Pluto or Mars. A contentious set of Mercury square Pluto’s, an invigorating one with Mars aspecting Mercury and one to sustain their bond with Saturn aspecting Mars.

Other assorted synastry aspects include the younger sibling’s Mars/Saturn conjunction setting on her older sis’s Moon in Virgo for durability, the younger sib’s Uranus conjunct her sister’s Ascendant and sextile her Moon to give some zip, and said Virgo Moon square the Gemini sister’s Sun for some sisterly nagging. And last but least is the Neptune/Sun/Mars grouping in Sagittarius – gentle, forgiving, psychic and subtle.

The feeling I got working with these charts is this: no matter how much time or distance comes between these two, if need arises they will come and stand by the other. I have noticed my own relationships with my sisters reviving now as we grow older and children are grown and have lives of their own. All relationships have natural cycles of closeness and distance but these two sisters are so nestled in each other’s hearts in the long run neither time nor distance will be an issue.

This is the Three of Cups from the Hanson Roberts tarot deck and is a lovely card for the expression of warmth and friendship.

A Fiery Duo – Independent Leo Lady & Aries Man

2008-02-20T10:43:00.000-08:00

One look at this Leo lady’s chart and it’s obvious she is someone to be reckoned with . . . Sun conjunct Saturn in Leo and Scorpio Rising. She is in a relationship with an Aries man and wishes to make it last. Her independent nature is underlined by Uranus in Scorpio (Rising sign) squaring her Sun (Leo’s ruler). I am going to take a quick look at how her Sun and Mars are aspected in her chart because those two planets rule her Ascendant and her Sun sign.

Since we’re talking Leo here, I’ll look at the aspects to her Sun first. It comes as no surprise to find the closest aspect to her Sun is a sextile from her Mars in Gemini, adding to her abundant energy. And the next closest is a sextile from Pluto, co-ruler of Scorpio – underlining the theme of this being a very forceful individual. A trine from Neptune in Sagittarius located in her first house lends a measure of elusive charm and softens the edges of her Sun/Uranus square. This adds up to a woman who needs a partner who is capable of appreciating her strong and decisive nature while allowing her lots of latitude.

Her Mars falls in her 7th House and is trine to Pluto and opposed by Neptune. Often a planet in the 7th represents the type of person we are attracted too, and with Mars there, an Aries is a natural choice. With Neptune involved, I anticipate a certain romanticism and illusive quality projected on potential partners too. Mars in Gemini squares her Mercury in Virgo located in the 10th house, so her mind is very keen and penetrating.

For the most part their synastry is OK using the shorthand method – Sun/Moon in Leo and Sun in Aries semi-sextile Moon in Pisces, Mercury’s complement one another, Moons possibly inconjunct which may mean sharing a home could have its awkward moments and their chemistry from Mars to Venus is so so. However there are good parallels: Both have Fire Suns, their Venuses are sextile as are their Mars, off setting some of the other aspects.

To me the most fascinating synastry aspect involves his Venus conjuncting her Taurus Descendant. Venus in his chart is dynamically aspected by all the outer planets, in fact Venus is far more heavily aspected than his Aries Sun! His Venus is the focus of a Yod with inconjuncts to Pluto sextile Neptune and opposed by Uranus falling roughly at the midpoint between Pluto and Neptune. Saturn in Virgo is trine his Venus. Without an accurate birth time for him, we don’t know where Venus falls in his chart but I’m betting it’s some place significant. In essence, this suggests to me in this particular relationship, he will be the yielding Venusian partner bringing subtlety and richness to their interactions as a couple. Her Saturn is square to his Venus adding the possibility of durability here.

A couple of other synastry aspects of importance are his Uranus conjunct her Ascendant – instant attraction – and his North Node in Leo/Mars in Leo conjunct her mid-heaven. Both have a lot to do with the attractive draw between these two and a certain fated quality.

Will this be a lasting relationship for them? Well, she is past her Saturn Return and he’s coming up on his within the next year and that’s a plus. If they are both comfortable with her being the assertive partner, then I see a good outcome here. Best wishes to the two of them!

This is The Sun card from the Lover's Path tarot deck. I choose it because the Sun is Leo's ruler but this particular card seemed to fit in other ways too . . . ::grin::

Looking Past Square Sun Signs

2008-02-09T14:43:00.000-08:00

This relationship is a great example of why it’s a good idea to look past the Sun signs for compatibility. We have a Libra woman and Cancer man who love each other very much and get along quite well. Looking deeper into the synastry between their charts it becomes clear why they are compatible. In this case, there are several excellent examples of parallels between their charts as well as more usual interchanges.

To keep this post a reasonable length I will give a brief run down of the shorthand synastry first. She has a Libra Sun, Gemini Moon and he is a Cancer Sun and Sagittarius Moon. The Sun & Moon are sextile and semi-sextile, both good aspects with just enough challenges to keep it interesting. Their Moons are in opposition forming a natural complement. Now their Mercury’s are square (Libra to Cancer) but since these two are Cardinal signs they might enjoy sparing!

Their chemistry is notably good from two different perspectives. First, they both have Venus in Virgo, shared sense of fun and aesthetics; and his Mars in Taurus is sextile her Mars in Cancer making it easy for them to work together as a team. Of course the Venus/Mars aspects are sextile and trine . . . nice!

It’s the parallels between the charts I found particularly interesting. Parallels come in very handy to understanding what makes the other tick because the approach is very similar. I will start with their Suns. Both of them have a strong Sun/Uranus aspect natally – she has Sun conjunct Uranus and he has Sun square Uranus. This is very good for knowing deep down just how important a feeling of autonomy is and how much space is necessary to avoid feeling trapped. On the other hand, they both have Sun/Saturn aspects coming down on the responsible side! He has Sun conjunct Saturn and her Sun is square Saturn.

They both have their Suns in aspect to Chiron too by square and opposition. This parallel aspect may prove extremely beneficial over the long run or it could be very difficult to live with. It all depends on how well they can handle their sensitivity to criticism and if they can help build up each other’s self esteem.

Neptune aspects both their Moons, his by conjunction and her by opposition; and they both have Venus square Neptune. Now I’d venture to say this is a pair of complete romantics. The Venus/Neptune square is especially fond of viewing the beloved through rose-colored glasses. If Saturn wasn’t a solid player in their synastry, Neptune could lead them down some strange and beautiful by-ways, possibly causing a serious hangover when reality intruded.

The final component strongly affecting this relationship is both having North Node in Scorpio. The reason this caught my eye is because his NN in conjunct his Ascendant and hers is within orb of this conjunction. Does this mean they will aid each other in transforming themselves? They do have a Pluto/Mercury intra-aspect giving their communications a decided depth and power. I believe I can safely say no matter the length of their relationship, it will have a profound affect on them both . . . Blessings to them and to the best possible outcome.

This is the Lovers card from the Hanson Roberts tarot deck.

Post on the Reversed Nodes on Northnode Astrology

2008-01-30T16:02:00.000-08:00

Elizabeth Spring kindly asked me to guest post on her blog, North Node Astrology, this week and I choose to write about the Reversed Nodes in synastry. I'm going to put a snip on this blog and encourage you to read the rest on her blog. She has other wonderful posts on the Moon's Nodes and usually adds one a week!

snip "What I found after looking up all my extended family’s birth dates was very interesting. Out of all the couples in both my parent’s generation and mine, only ONE had Reversed Nodes! In fact, only a few parent/children had Reversed Nodes and most of the time it was the mother, not the father, involved. These were children that left home at the first opportunity, usually going off to school halfway across the country.

It is my aunt and uncle who live closest to us who have the Reversed Nodes. They will have been married for 55 years this year and it has been a stressful relationship most of that time. My uncle is 10 yrs older than my aunt (my mother’s youngest sister) and they have 5 children, the oldest of whom is 9 years younger than I. I don’t have birth times for either person so I will just review the astrology using the shorthand method.

My aunt is an Aquarius Sun, Capricorn Moon and my uncle has a Taurus Sun and very likely an Aquarius Moon. If this is the case, the Luminaries form a trine and conjunction by sign – very compatible! Their Moons would be semi-sextile (Capricorn to Aquarius) and that does seem to fit. My aunt is extremely well organized and always had neatly written lists of chores for her kids posted about. =grin= "snip

This is the Three of Swords from the Lover's Path tarot deck and is obviously about the pain we can experience in our relationships.

Book Review: Relationships & Life Cycles by Stephen Arroyo

2008-01-10T09:49:00.000-08:00

This is the book that changed the way I looked at relationships from an astrological point of view. Stephen Arroyo, a fellow Libra, offers a fair and un-judgmental look at the astrology of relating. He clearly describes how energy moves between people as shown by the charts in synastry. I have used the guidelines he lays out in this book for many years with very consistent results.

The concept I call “intra-aspects” (same planets in aspect from both charts) is one Stephen came up with and these sets of aspects are invaluable in pointing to a major theme in the relationship. There are several examples of how these work in this book. He also demonstrates how he lays out the information from both charts to find these aspects. The software I use will produce a grid making it easy to find the intra-aspects.

Stephen is also one of the few astrologers who don’t make Saturn a “bad” guy and in fact he talks about the frequency Saturn/personal planet aspects by conjunction and square show up in chart comparisons of couples who have been together for years. He refers to Saturn aspects in synastry as stabilizing and my experience concurs with this assessment. Another valuable insight for me in regards to “hard” aspects in synastry is his assessment of individual charts and their tolerance for challenges in relationships. What is overwhelming to one person may be the spice of life to another.

Another concept Stephen discusses in this book is how parallels between two charts work. For example, one person has Sun in Aries and another has Sun conjunct Mars – they tend to relate well because Mars plays a big role in who they are as individuals. When two people have a number of these types of parallels in their charts they will find it easy to understand the other even without many of the classic synastry aspects.

The downside of this book is the way it is written. Most of the material is from a series of lectures he gave and while very informative this makes the presentation uneven and disjointed in places. However, compared to the value of what he offers this is a minor issue! If you are at all interested in the astrology of relationships, this is a must have for your astrology library . . . at least in my opinion. =grin=

The Composite Chart and Lifestyle

2008-01-07T16:54:00.000-08:00

Madeline, Skylight Astrology, asked me about the lifestyle I have with my SO and started me thinking about the possibility our Composite chart reflecting it. We live in the farm house in a rural area in central Washington. In fact, it’s the much remodeled house I grew up in and left many, many years ago. When I was single, my pattern was to move every couple of years or so – and my relationships tended to be short lived too, so looking at the composite charts for those relationships wouldn’t be too informative.

Within a year after my Aries and I became a couple, we bought the property and house we still live in 17 years later. In fact, we got married and signed our mortgage a couple of weeks later! Our composite chart has Sun conjunct Venus in Capricorn and Jupiter in Capricorn all in the 12th House – we are a very private couple and both of us prefer it that way. Aquarius is Rising and Mercury is conjunct the ascendant in the 1st House. The Moon is in Cancer in the 6th House and sextile Saturn in Virgo in the 8th. The thing is neither of us have any planets in Earth in our natal charts yet it is strongly represented in our composite.

We live a frugal life (Capricorn Sun) and are happy homebodies (Cancer Moon). Taurus is the sign on the cusp of the 4th House and very descriptive of our rural home with a big yard and vegetable gardens and fruit trees. We have experimented with u-pick berries and still sell berries we pick in season. Having the Moon in the 6th also shows the connection between our vocation of gardening and an awareness of the seasonal changes. We often plant according to the phase of the Moon too. Ceres in the composite is in Pisces in the 2nd House and opposes Saturn in Virgo in the 8th . . . another tie to the Natural world and placing value on living close to it. We are very aware of the need to bring balance in the way we live close to Nature and have many discussions about the best way to do this. Heh, we’ve planted many, many trees and shrubs on our property (Saturn in Virgo)!

I see the Aquarius Rising in our determination to live our lives in the way we see fit and perhaps the close inconjunct from Uranus in Cancer on the cusp of the 6th House to the Ascendant reinforces that spirit of independence. Are we living an anachronistic life or are we ahead of the times? Whatever it is, it is our choice.

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I’d love to get more feedback on the composite chart and people’s lifestyles as a couple. Of course, for a good composite chart, you need accurate birth times for both partners. Astro.com will calculate the mid-point composite chart for you for free.

This is The World tarot card from the Goddess deck. Gaia is one of my most beloved goddesses . . .

The Inconjunct in Synastry

2008-01-04T11:14:00.000-08:00

There has been discussion about the Inconjunct (150° degree aspect) in synastry and soul mates but I’m not going to go there since this is outside my personal experience realm. I’m going to discuss the possibilities inherent in everyday interactions when people have the personal planets inconjunct by sign in synastry. We are under the aegis of Earth now and it is nuts and bolts time, not ideology that is asked for.

A reasonably typical scenario is when two people are attracted to each other with red hot chemistry shown by strong Venus/Mars aspects between them. However when we look at the way the Luminaries and Mercury relate we find the inconjunct showing up. Let’s start with what happens when the Luminaries (the Sun & Moon) are inconjunct.

If person A has Sun in Gemini and person B has their Moon in Scorpio, the Gemini Sun will feel like all their efforts to relate are falling into a black hole of the Scorpio Moon. Gemini likes to keep things light and chatty and someone with Moon in Scorpio goes for brooding and secretive. There is a stark difference in style here and the possibility of the Sun person inadvertently offending the Moon person just by walking their walk and talking their talk is high. There is a better chance for the relationship to succeed if person B’s Sun is conjunct, sextile or trine person A’s Moon because it will give them a way to work around the differences shown by the inconjunct.

When the Moons are inconjunct, the greatest obstacle is the nature of the way the Moon operates in our charts. The Moon shows our habit patterns and our emotional response, often in an unconscious way. For instance, someone with Moon in Virgo is going to have difficulty living around a Moon in Aries person. Virgo is inclined to be very private about what they feel and slow to commit and fiery Aries just jumps right in and wants to know when they can move in! Earth and Fire have very different priorities around the home. Practical workarounds usually require lots of space, patience and negotiation. It’s also helpful if there are flowing aspects to the Moons from other planets in the synastry.

Mercury inconjuncts I do know a little about because that I have experience with. My Mercury in Scorpio is inconjunct my SO’s Mercury/Jupiter conjunction in Aries. The saving grace for me is Mercury is very strong in my chart and communicating well has been a long time focus for me, otherwise the frustration level would be much greater! Here’s an example: my mind is very slow to wake up, so telling me something important first thing after I wake up is usually not a good idea. Mercury in Aries wakes up totally engaged and ready to rock and roll. We learned to wait until I’ve been up for at least an hour before talking over critical matters – but it was tough to break our instinctive patterns of communicating.

Mars/Venus inconjuncts often indicates difficulties in timing. One person is exhausted or has other demands on their time, or they just aren’t in the mood, etc, etc. If the rest of the synastry is great, this can be consciously worked around even if it doesn’t feel very romantic.

Patience and a good astrologer can be very helpful when it comes to sorting out ways to work with inconjuncts in synastry. Knowing what’s going on is often the key to helping us be more understanding and considerate of each other. So if your lover is frustrating the heck out of you and you want to gain some insight as to ways to resolve it, collect your birth data and see an astrologer . . .

This is the Temperance tarot card from the Lover's Path deck. Vulcan and Venus are an excellent example of very different types having to find a way to relate.

The Natal Chart in Synastry, Part 5 – Jupiter

2007-12-28T10:12:00.000-08:00

Just as Saturn tends to get undeserved bad press, I feel Jupiter is on the receiving of too much good press. My position may be influenced by my Libra tendency to bring balance into everything but my experience with Jupiter inclines me to be more cautious in his praise. That being said, a strong Jupiter influence in the Natal chart does help a person bounce back from Life’s disappointments.

Sun/Jupiter aspects in the Natal chart do make for someone who will keep on looking for that special person to share their lives. I have an out-of-sign Sun/Jupiter conjunction (Jupiter is in the 12th House) and lord only knows, I needed that inner optimism because it took my Libra Sun/Moon self a looong time to find my partner – past my Uranus opposition cycle. The “hard” aspects (square and inconjunct in particular) can lead the Sun to unfounded optimism, leading to the occasional brutal smack of hard, cold reality but these folks are the “cock-eyed” optimists and will soon be chasing another rainbow.

The Moon in aspect to Jupiter, especially by square and conjunction, are those who like to inject some emotional drama into their lives and the lives of their loved ones. This I know because I live with someone who has Moon conjunct Jupiter. Fortunately his conjunction is in Aries, so the drama explodes on the scene in typical Fire sign fashion and dissipates just as quickly. Moon/Jupiter aspects do give an emotional resiliency, especially the trines and sextiles. The worst case scenario I’ve seen is a Moon/Jupiter/Pluto conjunction where the individuals fears (Pluto) were magnified by Jupiter to the point they practically immobilized themselves because they were so afraid of everything!

Mercury/Jupiter aspects can make a person a very good teller of tales or so prone to exaggeration you don’t know what the truth of the matter is. If Mercury is in a Fire sign, the result may be someone who blurts out whatever crosses their minds regardless of the impact of their words. Intent plays a big role with this aspect because it can cause us to laugh or create a great deal of pain as the result of the distortion of the facts.

When Jupiter goes dancing with Venus, we can expect the high, wide and generous romantic gestures. A man with Venus in aspect to Jupiter may be attracted to very voluptuous women and a woman with this aspect will really appreciate being showered with gifts and affection in the grand style. The conjunction, square and inconjunct can lead to living beyond one’s means because the hedonistic pull can be very strong. We tend to like people with Venus/Jupiter aspects because most of the time they know how to enjoy themselves . . .

Moving on the Mars/Jupiter aspects where the extreme expression is the daredevil. This person may create scenarios where he or she can be the hero/heroine riding to the rescue. Mars/Jupiter conjunctions in particular have great physical endurance and if you are not a hardy sort yourself, you may want to consider the ramifications of what it means to be around someone like this! Here again Jupiter “magnifies” the existing energy of the planet.

With an accurate birth time, we can also find out if Jupiter is conjunct the Ascendant or Midheaven in the chart. Those with Jupiter on the Ascendant tend to present a fun loving and sociable face in public even if they are very private people by nature. Jupiter on the Midheaven can be someone who excels in selling themselves or their ideas with flare and verve. Many of us are very different people when we are at home then out in the World and it pays to get to know someone in both settings.

As I was writing this I realized once again why discussing your natal chart with a competent astrologer who can see how the patterns in the chart all tie together is so important. The “cookbook” style on individual aspects just does not allow for the synthesis of information needed to see the whole person – and when we relate to others, the need for a balance, informed perspective is even more important.

This is the Wheel of Fortune tarot card from the Celestial deck. Jupiter is often tied to a willingness to take a gamble in life!

Love Triangle needs Resolution

2007-12-12T11:12:00.000-08:00

When this Aries woman wrote me and gave me the birth data for all three people involved (relationships started when all were in their teens), it grabbed my attention. All of these people are now in their late thirties and she is feeling a strong need to untangle the threads binding them all together. The players are the Aries woman, her live in Capricorn partner and her first love, a Sagittarius man. Using the shorthand method, the harmonious aspects favor her Sagittarius love far more than her Capricorn partner. I decided to look at the natal charts of all three to see what jumped out.

Ms Aries has her Sun conjunct Chiron and the North Node in Aries – all indicators of the need to practice independence and being true to her most authentic Aries self. Then she has Uranus/South Node/Jupiter conjunct, all opposing her Aries stellium pulling her towards the Libra ideal of one-on-one partnerships. The opposition also suggests she is drawn to very independent, larger than life type people (her Sagittarius love fits that bill with Sun square Uranus/Pluto natally). However, she has Saturn/Venus in Aries conjunct her Descendant and that describes her Capricorn partner. Oh yes, her Rising is Libra . . . All these factors speak to me of someone whose greatest challenge from an astrological point of view is to integrate her need for independence with being a good partner.

When it comes to the Uranus opposition my experience has taught to do one’s best to integrate Uranus’s demand for freedom and independent action into one’s self. The priority here and for all of us really, is to work on the relationship with the person we see in the mirror first and foremost. There is a great deal of truth in the tired old adage about loving ourselves unconditionally before we can love others that way. Aries is all about self-respect and learning it’s OK to like yourself.

Her relationship with her Cappie man using the shorthand method has semi-sextiles and inconjuncts between the Luminaries and their Moons and Mercurys are square by sign. Taking a closer look at the synastry reveled Jupiter intra-aspects with Mercury and Venus lending a great deal of generosity, warmth and willingness to laugh together. Her Mars is square his Saturn creating a stabilizing, binding aspect between them; this aspect and the fact he fits the profile for her Venus/Saturn conjunction on the Descendant may account for the durability of this relationship. Unfortunately she did not have an accurate birth time for either man, making Lunar and Vertex aspects unreliable.

Now to take a look at the relationship with her Sagittarius love . . . the synastry here suggests why this one has lasted too. They have a Sun/Saturn intra-aspect giving it legs. Plus her Saturn/Venus is closely conjunct his North Node in Aries. This latter aspect may add to his desire to maintain a certain distance between them as North Node aspects in synastry can be uncomfortable for the North Node person. It draws and repels at the same time for some reason, possibly because we all tend to be reluctant to live out the qualities in our North Node and prefer the more familiar patterns found in the South Node.

After looking at the charts, my intuitive sense is if her Sagittarius lover would be willing to step up and truly be there for her, she would be happy to accept him into her life on a full time basis. But the T-square in his chart with the Sun at the apex and Uranus/Pluto opposing Chiron the bottom, show it’s very possible he has his own personal demons to wrestle before he can be a good partner. On the other hand, her Cappie man has Sun trine Uranus/Pluto and a possible Grand Trine in Earth if his Moon in Taurus is within in orb, which leads me to think he is a much more stable, well-grounded personality thus making him a better prospect for her.

Needless to say, I wish her well and send many blessings and kind thoughts . . . after all, Aries falls in my 5th House of children of my spirit.

The is the Queen of Wands or Staves from the Goddess tarot deck - a good card to represent a fiery Aries!

The Natal Chart in Synastry, Part 4 – Saturn

2007-12-03T08:01:00.000-08:00

Saturn has gotten a lot of bad press over the years yet he has been my saving grace more often than not when Neptune, Uranus or Pluto embroiled me in their fun and games. As an astrologer, I look to Saturn in the natal chart to show how the individual handles their responsibilities to others and themselves. In fact, if we don’t learn to be responsible to ourselves first, the chances of us being there for others is not too great.

As a person with a natal out-of-sign Sun/Saturn square, I grew up with one or the other of my parents (Saturn) keeping my nose to the grindstone. We had a small family farm and we all had lots of chores to do. In general people with Saturn in aspect to their Sun, no matter the nature of the aspect, are often given responsibilities at an early age and are pretty much going to be made to attend to them. The effect of a Sun/Saturn aspect on how we relate as adults is often dependant on other aspects to our Suns. If we have a Jupiter or Venus aspect to the Sun natally, we will tend to develop a more optimistic outlook, and be less likely to choose a “parent” for a partner. If not, it may take several Saturn cycles including the Saturn Return to help us realize how valuable we are.

The Moon in aspect to Saturn has a sobering effect on our emotions and habits. We are often like Moon in Capricorn, very cautious and aware of where we fit into our social group; and likely to be “old” when we are young and “young” as we age. With a natal Moon/Saturn sextile myself, I know this pattern well. Saturn can have a dampening effect on the Moon, making one lean towards choosing friends and lovers based on whether they are reliable rather than exciting. That is unless Uranus is also aspecting the Moon, then all bets are off!

Venus in aspect to Saturn?! I have one of those too. With Venus in Sagittarius in the 1st House, having Saturn trine to it probably keep me from doing too many wild and crazy things. However, it’s possible with Venus in aspect to Saturn to be so conventional and hedged about by the need to fit in; all the fun can be drained out of life. This aspect is the one most associated with undervaluing our feeling of being desirable. Here again if we are patient with Saturn’s lessons we can learn how to unfold our wings and transform our self-image. People with Venus/Saturn aspects are sometimes the ones who undertake a healthy diet and exercise program to very good effect – mostly because they stay with it long enough to see real results. We attract partners who appreciate someone who demonstrates reliability, not very romantic but good for lasting relationships with others.

When it comes to Mars/Saturn aspects natally, I have to go with what I’ve observed in others, like my sister who has Mars conjunct Saturn in Cancer. She can work longer and harder without letting up than anyone I know – except for others with Mars in close aspect to Saturn. This aspect can cause deep frustration of the need to act but at the same time it gives great endurance. Mars/Saturn aspects function similarly to Mars in Capricorn, one of the placements of Mars said to give one a steady sex drive but very controlled. This aspect suggests this individual is going to take their time before committing to a relationship but if they do, they’ll be around for the long haul. Sometimes Saturn can give Mars a fear of taking action and lead to a situation of complete impasse.

With an accurate birth time, we can also find out if Saturn is conjunct the Ascendant or Midheaven in the chart. Those with Saturn on the Ascendant tend to present a dour face to the world even if they are fun loving and sociable in privacy. If we wish to draw a partner more in tune with who we are at home, we need to keep in mind to show this self more often. Saturn on the Midheaven is an indicator of someone who is all business on the job even if they are a party animal away from the office. In both these cases, it usually pays to take the time (Saturn) to get to know them in different settings.

This is more or less the cliff notes version of how Saturn works natally. I highly recommend getting a hold of a copy of Liz Greene’s book, “Saturn: a new look at an old devil”. Almost every astrologer I’ve ever talked agrees this book is the definitive source of information on Saturn. My copy is well read because it’s a staple reference book in my astrology library.

This post also appears on Lynn Hayes's blog, Astrodynamics, where she graciously asked Dharmaruci and I to guest post this week!! :-)

The World tarot card from Toni Allen's amazing deck. This is the card that represents Saturn, interestingly enough!

Neptune in Synastry, Part Two

2007-11-25T17:15:00.000-08:00

Neptune is so good at creating illusions and causing us to second guess ourselves, it’s no wonder this post got put on hold. However, I have been seeing Neptune aspects showing up with great frequency in chart comparisons lately so I thought I would take another shot at the elusive one.

Reading over on Elsa P’s blog the other day, I came across a great description of the way Neptune operates, especially in synastry. Here is the quote:

“And then he said the perfect “Neptune” thing. “It’s not that you look like a whore, it’s that they want you to be a whore… they wish you were a whore so when they look at you, you’re a whore.”

If Neptune is playing a major role is synastry (aspecting the personal planets in particular) wishes truly can become horses and you can ride off into La La land no problem. We want to believe the best of anyone that we care about and in general that’s no bad thing. One or two Neptune aspects, especially Venus/Neptune aspects, can amp up the “Romance” factor and make all concerned very happy. If there are some good solid Saturn aspects to keep all parties grounded in something resembling reality, Neptune aspects add a nice touch to the overall relationship.

Where unrealistic expectations and projections start to become problematical is if there are several Neptune intra-aspects (same planets from both charts). For example, if Neptune is conjuncting or squaring Mercury, it’s very easy for miscommunications to start snowballing. We can read way too much into the simplest statements and end up thinking someone is head over heels in love with us when they are putting out “friends only”.

Neptune on the Ascendant is often found in the charts of actors and actresses allowing them to appear to be someone they’re not. All of us watching them perform are part of the agreement to suspend disbelief and see them as the role they are playing. For an ordinary person, Neptune on the Ascendant can create problems because it can be difficult to know exactly how others are seeing us in our day to day interactions in the world at large. Our friends and lovers are ga ga over their idea of who we are, not the actual person. Conversely, Neptune can lead us to believe we are quite undesirable unless we have ourselves painted to the hilt. The beauty industry makes big bucks off this . . . REALLY big bucks.

There is a great deal to be said for consulting a trusted neutral third party if Neptune is heavily involved in synastry to help sort out what is really happening. I know I have brought up un-manifested potential before with Neptune aspects. I have Moon conjunct Neptune natally and can usually see the possibilities inherent in an individual. The dicey part is those possibilities may never materialize.

(Venus and Neptune will be trine in the heavens on November 26th - good timing for a post on Neptune on a blog about synastry! Posts on Neptune always seem to go sideways on me and refuse to fit into a pattern and I noticed this happened again. Well, I’m sure a post on Saturn in synastry will be nice and tidy! =grin=)

This is the Seven of Cups from the Goddess tarot deck and picking your choice of illusion is very fitting for a discussion of Neptune.... :-)

Mother & Daughter – Air & Fire = Hot Air!

2007-11-23T14:27:00.000-08:00

My Sagittarius friend asked me to look at her family dynamics and provided me with the charts of both parents. After looking at all three charts, I decided to break this into two parts, mother & daughter and father & daughter.

Let’s start with a look at the shorthand synastry between these two. The daughter’s Sagittarius Sun is trine her mother’s Moon in Aries and the mother’s Sun in Aquarius is semi-sextile her daughter’s Moon in Pisces. It is very common to see a strong Moon aspect between mother and daughter, maybe due to the Moon’s association with the feminine side. Where the Luminaries are concerned, this is a mixed set of aspects. The Aquarius Sun’s detachment may be difficult for the Pisces Moon, who desires emotional merging, to understand. This does mean their Moons are semi-sextile, so actually living in the same household may not have run so smoothly with the sensitive Pisces Moon feeling abraded by the more aggressive Aries Moon.

They have a square between the daughter’s Mercury in Sagittarius and the mother’s Mercury in Pisces. Here is where having mom’s Venus in Aries trine her daughter’s Mercury really helps smooth over communication difficulties with her sweetness and charm. Interestingly enough, it’s the daughter’s Saturn squaring her mom’s Mercury and she is the one wishing to correct her mother.

Adding to the general sense of parallels between the charts, is both have Venus in Fire Signs (Sagittarius & Aries) giving them a similar sense of fun and aesthetics. However, their Mars are square – Scorpio to Leo – so attempting to do tasks together is bound to have its interesting moments . . .

Saturn in general plays a supportive role in this relationship with mom’s Saturn/Pluto conjunction in Leo helping ground out her daughter’s Venus/Uranus conjunction. Now that her mother is past her Second Saturn Return I’m wondering if she is even better at being supportive in a loving manner. The daughter’s Saturn forms an out-of-sign trine to her mother’s Sun suggesting the willingness to be supportive of each other goes both ways.

The mother’s Uranus in Gemini may be a source of occasional frustration for her daughter because it squares her Moon in Pisces and opposes her Sun/Venus in Sagittarius. Thus it was mom who was more inclined to do something spur of the moment throw her daughter’s expectations off. But mom’s Jupiter conjuncts her daughter’s Sun, Venus and Ascendant and that probably makes up for lots of other boo boos, especially when all those are in Sagittarius – optimism rules the day!!

These two also share the same Nodal axis – North Node in Taurus, South Node in Scorpio. Here again this is a not uncommon aspect between parent and child and is an indicator they face similar challenges in the way they approach Life.

Despite the occasional frustrations, I have the feeling this mother and daughter truly love and appreciate each other and cheer each other on. Their Fiery sides may be given to drama and extravagant displays of affection. It’s the daughter’s perceptive Moon in Pisces that may feel left out the loop here between extravagant gestures (mom’s Jupiter) and quirkiness (mom’s Uranus).

This is the Queen of Swords from the Zerner Farber tarot deck. Good card for an Aquarius Sun woman who is an original!

Another Example of Family Synastry – Father & Son

2007-11-14T16:35:00.000-08:00

One of my cyber friends very graciously offered to let me do a post on him and his father to illustrate an example of a father/son dynamic. Here we see how there can be harmonious aspects between the luminaries and still have other aspects that show a great deal of tension in the relationship.

Looking at the luminaries, we see the father’s Sun in Capricorn conjunct his son’s Moon in Capricorn, and the son’s Scorpio Sun is trine his father’s Moon in Cancer. These are very good aspects to see in any chart comparison. Plus the father’s Venus in Capricorn is closely conjunct his son’s Moon – a wonderful aspect for creating an atmosphere of warmth and affection. Their Moons are opposite each other and in complementary signs/elements. This suggests they feel a certain level of emotional support and understanding.

Their Mercury’s are semi-sextile so this avenue of communication is only so so. My guess is this frustrates the son more than the father because he has Gemini Rising and a keen interest in good communication. Plus his Jupiter is widely conjunct his father’s Mercury and he would like to be able to share more with his dad.

The heart of the challenges to this relationship lie is a major T-Square formed between the charts. The father has an opposition between his Sun/Venus conjunction in Capricorn and his Moon/Mars/Saturn stellium in Cancer – and the son’s stellium of Venus/Uranus/Mars in Libra squares that. Magnifying this T-Square is the father’s Jupiter/Chiron in Libra conjuncting his son’s Libra stellium. In effect, the father’s natal T-square with Sun, Moon & Jupiter is exacerbated by the impact of the son’s planets.

When I saw the father’s T-Square it made me wonder if some authority figure in his life (Saturn conjunct Mars/Moon) shut down his attempts to enjoy himself (Jupiter/Chiron) – and this same dynamic is still in play in the next generation. It’s like there is much love and caring but it’s stifled by the need to maintain certain proprieties within the family circle. The Capricorn/Cancer axis is all about family and working hard to provide for the family.

Another thought that occurred to me is perhaps the father had artistic leanings (Jupiter in Libra) and was told there was no time or money for that kind of frivolity, so he set those dreams aside (Chiron). The son’s Libra stellium speaks to me of a deep appreciation of beauty, especially since it is in the 5th House of Creativity.

The son’s Moon in Capricorn conjunct his father’s Sun/Venus leads me to believe he desires his father’s approval very much and on one level he has it. But his need to express the Libra stellium that includes Uranus is somehow very much in conflict with his more conservative Capricorn Moon. In the end, Uranus will have his way. It’s amazing how strong the drive to express the power of an outer planet like Uranus is. He can trump the Luminaries and Saturn or Jupiter every time.

Family synastry is often a mixed bag of harmonious aspects and tension creating ones but each individual family unit is different. We all can benefit from learning to recognize both the good and difficult family patterns we carry with us, because most of us are striving to not pass on the difficult ones . . .

The is the King of Pentacles from the Celtic Tarot deck - a good card for a Capricorn Sun father.

What is going on with this Relationship? Where’s the attraction?

2007-11-10T15:34:00.000-08:00

I received a request to take a look at the synastry between a Leo lady and her Virgo boyfriend. Even though we don’t have an exact birth time for him, we decided to check out what was going on.

Using the shorthand method, I found mostly semi-sextiles (the aspect between neighboring signs)! There is a possibility he could have a Leo Moon if he were born very late in the day and that would be very helpful to the synastry between these two. As it is his Moon is in Cancer and semi-sextile her Leo Sun and square her Libra Moon – not the most promising aspects for a good home life. Their Mercury’s are semi-sextile too.

They both have Mars in Air Signs, giving them a nice parallel approach to taking action and her Venus is in Cancer and his is in Virgo – again shared interests and ideas of what’s fun. The flow from the Mars to Venus in both cases is OK but with not a lot in common. His Uranus squares her Venus and that’s a sign of instant attraction with the caveat the Uranus individual can lose interest just as quickly . . . drat! With her Neptune square his Venus, there is an element of romance generated too.

So what’s the connection?! They have one powerful intra-aspect with Venus and Saturn in both charts. His Saturn is conjunct her Venus and her Saturn is square his Venus. This is an indicator of an enduring bond of some kind with Saturn involved but not necessarily good for a romantic relationship. They also have some very good Mercury aspects in synastry (Thanks, Matthew!!). His Venus is conjunct her Mercury and his Mercury is conjunct her Moon/Uranus conjunction. This gives them the sense the other really does listen and cares what the other is saying.

His Pluto conjuncts her Moon/Uranus and Pluto can produce a powerful bond though control issues often arise with Pluto in synastry. His Neptune is sextile her Moon/Uranus too and that leads me to think he does see her in a romantic light. Another indicator of her attraction for him is her Ascendant in Taurus is trine his Venus and Sun in Virgo, so her appearance and the way she presents herself in public is a draw for him.

This is a case where the birth time can make a great deal of difference in the synastry. If he does have a Leo Moon conjuncting her Leo Sun, then the possibility of the relationship evolving are much better. We need the lift we get from good energy flowing between the Luminaries to give a relationship a foundation to build on. She does have her Moon conjunct Uranus indicating a certain emotional independence but Leo’s need warmth and appreciation to thrive.

By the way, Mae West, that most memorable actress was a Leo with Taurus Rising!! Now there was a woman with Style and who knew how to work it.

This is The Sun tarot card from the Lover's Path deck - very good for a Leo Sun individual.

The Natal Chart in Synastry, Part 3 – Uranus

2007-11-05T08:45:00.000-08:00

If you are wondering what happened to Part 2 on Neptune, he rendered me inarticulate on his illusive self, so I decided to forge ahead with Uranus. Uranus is nice and straightforward compared to Neptune. He’s the one who pushes us to express who we truly are and to follow the excitement. Uranus can also encourage us to make radical changes and go to extremes of behavior.

Uranus plays an interesting role in our charts when it comes to looking at our behavior in relation to others. A person with a strongly Uranus influence in their charts often have an innate restlessness that makes it difficult for them to settle down in one place with one person. Those with Sun/Uranus aspects by sextile and trine seem better able to balance their need for self-expression with the consideration for the needs of their partners . The conjunction and square are found in the charts of brilliant sorts who can get caught up in their personal projects and completely forget little things like lunch dates, anniversaries, etc. With the opposition, it’s the partner that is brilliant and erratic!

Moon/Uranus aspects point to emotional independence. At the far end of the spectrum are people who are quite solitary in nature and don’t quite understand why others need intimate relationships. Again it’s the conjunction and square in the chart that indicate the extreme. Those of us with Uranus trine or sextile to our Moons have an easier time finding a balance between intimacy and solitude. Air and Fire sign Moons deal better with a dynamic Uranus aspect than do Water and Earth Moons. The Water sign Moons in particular who are drawn to merging with their partners find a dynamic aspect with Uranus particularly disconcerting. The Moon/Uranus opposition can find one attracting an emotionally distant or unavailable partner.

I’m going to touch lightly on Uranus/Mercury aspects because these show up in the charts of those with lots of intelligence, occasionally bordering on genius. These individuals can operate at such a different level than most people it’s hard for them to find something to talk about over coffee or drinks. The “common” touch is often missing making it hard for them to relate to others. Their challenge is to find someone who can talk their language.

Venus and Mars in aspect to Uranus operate similarly – Venus functions by drawing others to us and Mars is how we pursue. Both of these planets when aspected by Uranus can make our love lives very exciting or make us feel like we are caught in a revolving door with lovers coming and going unexpectedly. There is a decidedly selfish element here especially if Uranus is conjunct, square or opposed to your natal Venus or Mars. This can be moderated by awareness of what’s going on. The sextile and trine are often found in charts of creative sorts who are good at thinking of original ways to enjoy themselves.

If you have an accurate natal chart based on a good birth time, Uranus aspecting the Ascendant and Descendant are strong clues to your relationship style too. Obviously a person with Uranus conjunct the Ascendant will project an aura of independence and originality – a “one of a kind” vibe. For those who are interested in this person, they may have to get to know them well enough to move past the public image. With Uranus conjunct the Descendant, we draw partners who are often brilliant and unpredictable. The challenge here for someone who desires a stable, durable relationship is to incorporate those qualities into themselves . . .

Hopefully, I will be able to get back to Neptune once he starts moving forward and quits messing with my mind!!

This is the Tower tarot card from the Adrian Tarot deck. This cutting edge artwork seemed to fit Uranus the best.

Some Family Synastry - Mother and Son

2007-11-03T09:44:00.000-07:00

When the mother requested I look at the synastry between her and her son, I was delighted to do so. We get caught up in thinking about compatibility and synastry as relating to our love lives without realizing we spend far more time interacting with family in one way or another than anyone else. This month starts the Holiday season here in America and while I love this time of year, I usually groan inside at the thought of dealing with my extended family. So I want to take this opportunity to send out a request for more data from my readers on family so we can look at the synastry with our nearest and dearest!

Now I will return to taking a look at the synastry of this mother/son relationship. I usually focus on the Luminaries, Mercury’s and Saturn aspects between the charts of family members plus Jupiter and the Angles. Saturn aspects between the charts of family members represent the durability of this type of bond.

Here we have a Capricorn Sun mother and Taurus Sun off-spring (Sun son is a little too much =grin=). Her Moon in Sagittarius is inconjunct his Sun in Taurus and his Moon in Scorpio is sextile her Capricorn Sun. These aspects favor the flow on the feeling level from her Sun to his Moon, which makes sense. His Sun in Taurus nature, Earthy and Fixed, has less in common with her Sagittarius Moon, Fiery and Mutable. He may feel his mom is emotionally flighty from the Taurus perspective. Of course, most everyone is “flighty” compared to Taurus . . .

Their Moons are semi-sextile but Scorpio and Sagittarius are very, very different in nature. Their unconscious expectations and habit patterns may have caused run-ins especially when he was a child. As we mature, we can gain understanding into our habitual way of doing things and make adjustments.

There is not a strong connection between their Mercury’s either, suggesting they have to work on communicating. Her Mercury is in orderly Capricorn and his is in zippy Gemini. He must be able to think quickly on his feet probably faking out those who see that Taurus Sun first and foremost. Her Moon is Sagittarius opposes his Mercury in Gemini and that has to facilitate communications between them.

They do have some strong Saturn aspects too. Mom’s Saturn in Aquarius squares her son’s Moon in Scorpio – and that sure sounds like she can play the authority figure with him very effectively. In the natural sequence of signs, Aquarius is on the cusp of the 4th House (female parent) for Scorpio, lending more support to mom as the boss. His Saturn/Neptune conjunction in Capricorn falls on her 7th House cusp and that says to me he may continue to be supportive of her over the years.

Curiously, his Uranus conjuncts her Sun so he will continue to throw her off her stride with his adventurous side. She has wisely learned to give her son plenty of freedom to follow his interests, a very good choice considering this Sun/Uranus aspect. Another outer planet aspect that aids her in being understanding and tolerant of him is her Neptune conjunct his Moon/Pluto and this aspect also tunes up her natural “mom” radar where he is concerned.

No matter where Life takes these two, with a lovely Moon/Jupiter intra-aspect, they will always think of the other with warmth and generosity. As her son grows into adulthood, it is very likely these two will become friends as well as mother and son.

Another intra-aspect that I noted and found very interesting is one involving both Ascendants conjuncting both Mars. This sounds like they energize each other when they do things together and they encourage each other to be physically active. I don’t know whether they have a sporting activity or hobby they share but it sound like what ever they are doing in the world at large, the other says “go for it!”

As always, what the mother shared with me about her relationship with her son is consistent with the astrology. Please keep in mind that these are people I have not met nor am I likely to meet in person. It continues to amaze me how generous people are about sharing their birth data - and through that a window into their lives with me and through me, many others. Thank you for your gift . . .

I liked this cheerful Queen of Pentacles for this Capricorn mom, she looks like she enjoys Life! ;-)

Love at a Distance, is there Hope?

2007-11-01T15:44:00.000-07:00

When I received this request for a post looking at the charts of these two, it touched me because I’ve been in this place before. Interestingly enough, this may just work for them! He’s in the Navy and not around right now and she can’t get him out of her mind and she’s wondering why.

With her Sun in Aries, this is a naturally independent person – a quality enhanced by having Jupiter conjunct her Sun. She also has the North Node in Aries right in there too suggesting that being independent and a self-starter is exactly right for her now. Her Sun receives additional support from a nice trine from Saturn in Sagittarius. The source of her tendency to worry about emotional issues stems from her Cancer Moon squared by Jupiter in his role of magnifier.

A quick look at their shorthand synastry looks good too. Her Aries Sun is trine his Leo Moon on the plus side but her Cancer Moon squares his Libra Sun. As a Libra Sun person myself, I would suggest using reason rather than emotional appeals when dealing with Libra. Their Moons are semi-sextile indicating minor annoyances when sharing living quarters but not that bad.

Their Mercury’s are opposed with hers in Pisces and his in Virgo. These signs are compatible by Element but can lead to lively discussions. This should not be a problem since Libra likes talking and Aries is always up for “lively”! When it comes to chemistry, it’s just fine. A nice complement of her Venus in Pisces to his Mars in Virgo with some extra zing created between her Mars in Taurus squaring his Venus in Leo.

They have a couple of excellent intra-aspects too. One of the best is between their Moons and Jupiter’s – this one has good will, friendship and simple pleasure in each other’s company written all over it. For adding durability and a sense of mutual emotional support is an intra-aspect with both Moons trine the other Saturn.

An interesting note is an inconjunct between his Uranus/Jupiter conjunction in Sagittarius and her Moon in Cancer. As long as he’s in the Service and they are together, he will most likely be called away from home at irregular intervals and for long periods of time. If she can become comfortable with that and learn to practice being the naturally independent soul she is this may work. Pluto and Jupiter both have been transiting her Saturn/Uranus conjunction in Sagittarius, so she may have already started learning about the true meaning of freedom – that it can be a state of mind. I wish her well and both of them the best!

This is the Three of Staves or Wands from the Lovers Path tarot deck. Not only is the image appropriate but the spirit of willingness to explore new options seems to fit too.

The Natal Chart in Synastry, Part 1 – Pluto

2007-10-28T10:25:00.000-07:00

Because I keep referring to our natal charts as the starting point of what to consider first when looking at compatibility with others, I thought I would do some posts looking at how the outer planets impact how we relate to others. So I’m going to start with the furthest out, Pluto, and work in towards the Sun . . .

I have touched on Pluto in synastry but there is always more where he is concerned. Pluto is all about the depths of our beings and it can take a lifetime to explore all his mysteries. When looking at a natal chart to get a sense of how the individual will react/respond in relationships, Pluto aspects can offer significant clues. In fact, the two books I read and reviewed here this past year, “The Hades Moon” and “Healing Pluto Problems”, contain a lot of very sound information on the Pluto effect in natal charts. So I will hit some of the high points in this post and suggest both books as resources for further exploration.

Pluto aspecting the Sun, especially by conjunction, square and opposition, points to a tendency to obsess when it comes to relationships. This is an individual who often draws other Plutonians or Scorpios to themselves, and just as often scares the holy crap out of those who are not interested in wading through the darker side of their natures. Often a Pluto transit to the Sun will help this person work their way down to the reasons behind their obsessive behaviors. This is a painful process but can do wonders for freeing us from the worst of our obsessions, making it a lot easier to form good relationships with others.

When the Moon is in aspect to Pluto, the emotional issues are often a source of angst. I suggest reading “The Hades Moon” as a primer on dealing with issues stemming from Moon/Pluto aspects. One of the difficulties with Moon/Pluto aspects is the nature of the Moon herself. She describes our intuitive, unconscious behaviors and feeling nature; and often forgiveness of self and acceptance of what we may view as “bad” is imperative to begin the healing process. The rewards for taking the plunge and healing our emotional wounds can be finding a way to self-respect and better relationships.

Venus and Mars in aspect to Pluto can lead to “sticky fingers”. Pluto here makes it very, very hard to keep from holding on to the object of our desire so hard it destroys the relationship. Mars/Pluto aspects often give us hints as to what type of behaviors we sabotage potentially good relationships with, and Venus/Pluto aspects can be likened to a black hole of neediness. Again the solution lies within our selves . . . we need to find our way to reclaiming our power from the dark side and owning it without judgment. This is possible because I’ve done it . . . but only with help from Donna Cunningham’s tools for dealing with Pluto. Yes, I know, good Plutonian that I am, I keep recommending her books over and over. :-)

Pluto conjuncting the Ascendant or Descendant is obviously going to have an impact in how the person reacts/responds when relating to others on a one-to-one basis too. Pluto on the Ascendant (or Scorpio Rising) is the power player and often lays down the rules in a “my way or the highway” manner. Their partners are often the submissive sorts who don’t mind being bossed around. Having Pluto on the Descendant is the reverse of this – the partner drawn to this individual is the controlling type.

All of the above examples are drawn broadly and I would like to note that there are many people out there who use their Pluto aspects natally in a much less drastic fashion. If you are looking at your chart and seeing Pluto aspects, the best course of action is to start the process of acceptance and understanding. Giving our selves the time to allow healing to take place is important too. This all comes from personal experience in case you are wondering . . . I am a Plutonian and Pluto has transited ALL my personal planets and Ascendant by conjunction. And I’m still here to talk about it!

This is the Magician card from the Goddess Tarot deck. I associate the ability to transform our very beings with this card . . . and Isis is a wonderful goddess to contemplate.

Relationships after Second Saturn Returns . . . Different Priorities?

2007-10-24T17:07:00.000-07:00

I received an inquiry from a woman in her sixties seeking information on two potential partners both of whom are also over sixty and past their Second Saturn Return. When we are in our child-bearing years we look for very different things in potential partners; first and foremost, what kind of parent will they make? After sixty, companionship rises to the top for the most part, as our children are grown and if we are fortunate enough to have grandchildren, we usually do not have those 24-7 to care for. This woman is looking at finding someone to spend the rest of her life with in a comfortable, companionable way.

I will start with a brief look at some factors in her chart that affect her relationships. She is a Cancer Sun conjunct Mercury person with Gemini Rising and this seems to me like someone who enjoys chatting with others and is generally sociable in nature. Her Moon in Aquarius is opposed by Jupiter conjunct Pluto in Leo indicating she likely attracts fairly intense types to her. Moon in Aquarius and Gemini Rising being in Air signs may give the impression she is less emotional and more mental than more Cancer Sun natives.

The two men she is interested in are both intense sorts. One is a Scorpio Sun with a lot of Libra and the other is a Sagittarius Sun with a T-square in Fixed signs: Venus/Mars conjunct in Scorpio opposed to Jupiter/Saturn in Taurus, both squared by Pluto in Leo. The Scorpio man is someone she met recently and the Sagittarius, someone she’s known for much longer.

There are some interesting twists in the synastry with her and both these men. I am going to fore go a detailed look at each relationship and focus on the twists . . . starting with the Scorpio man. Their synastry is only so so, even though she stated she feels comfortable with him. The best aspect is the trine between their Mercury’s and since she has a strong Mercurial influence in her chart, this is important. There is a nice trine from her Moon to his Jupiter and a possible conjunction between his Moon and her Jupiter (lacking an accurate birth time, this is not exact) – this helps them enjoy spending time together and a shared sense of fun. Her Uranus is trine his Venus/Chiron/Jupiter lending a sparkle to their relationship.

Then we come to the Sagittarius man that she says she knows well. They have excellent synastry between them using my shorthand method. Sun/Moon sextile and trine, Mercury’s trine, sextile between their Venus/Mars – nice! Their Moons are semi-sextile making living together a little more problematical but not bad. Looking at her chart, his Sun falls in her 7th House of partners, another solid indicator of compatibility. They have Sun/Uranus intra-aspects (same planets, both charts) giving their interactions a certain excitement and feeling of freshness.

However, there is a Moon square Saturn intra-aspect in effect between these two and that may be a source of discomfort. This is also a strong connection adding a durable quality to the relationship. A question she raised was whether her Sagittarius friend could move beyond his very strict upbringing . . . and I suspect that’s what has been expressed through this Moon/Saturn interaction. Saturn can come across as judgmental to the Moon and on the controlling side largely because insecurities come into play.

This is where having experienced a Second Saturn Return comes in. Often that is a time when we come face to face with old insecurities and hopefully, realize those are things we have grown past and can be let go of. If this is the case for both these people, then I would say they have a good chance of enjoying each other’s company. Perhaps knowing this is possible will prove helpful to her.

P.S. Yes, his strict upbringing is reflected in his chart by that T-square. Jupiter conjunct Saturn in Taurus opposing his Venus/Mars in Scorpio speaks to me of parental control and that is amplified by the square to Pluto, master controller! Makes me think of lots and lots of “thou shalt nots” in his childhood.

The Seven of Cups is about making choices, more than one of which looks desirable . . .

Lack of Relationships . . . Why? A Look at the Natal Chart

2007-10-22T16:04:00.000-07:00

This question is the one many of us ask ourselves at some point in our lives because we don’t seem to having success with finding someone or sustaining an existing relationship. The natal chart is the best starting point for looking at how we relate and to whom. In fact, when I do an in-depth compatibility report I typically start with a look at the natal charts of the individuals involved.

This young woman is an Aquarius Sun, Capricorn Moon and Pisces Rising and she has Saturn in Virgo on the Descendant. There is a very good reason she is starting to raise serious questions about her relationship issues . . . Saturn just moved into Virgo by transit and she’s starting into her Saturn Return. Even though it will be September 2009 before her Saturn Return is exact, Saturn is now approaching her natal Jupiter in Virgo which opposes her Mercury in Pisces – hence the questions. Saturn Returns are the culmination of a cycle of growth, not an isolated event.

There are a couple of themes that I see in her chart that tie into her ability to develop lasting relationships. One is her Aquarius Sun is square to Uranus in Scorpio adding more emphasis to her need to function independently as does her Venus in Aries in the 1st House. To say she is her own person is an understatement! On the other hand, she has a mild mannered Pisces Rising and Saturn on her Descendant suggesting that she takes what she sees as her responsibilities as a partner very seriously.

Mercury is the ruler of her Descendant and is in Pisces conjunct the asteroid Pallas in her 12th House. Pallas/Athena is the goddess who sprang full-grown from the mind of Zeus and is noted for her clear, sharp mind. With this combo in the 12th in Pisces, I’d say this is a person who can pull seemingly unrelated facts from thin air and make sense of them. Problem solving is her forte at least in the mental realm.

The paradox here is her chart is predominately yin in nature favoring Earth and Water signs and yet she has a Locomotive Chart pattern with Jupiter as the lead planet. This is typically the chart of a highly motivated individual. Her Moon is in Capricorn which is inclined to place practical concerns before emotional ones. This is also a very private placement of the Moon when it comes to expressing what they really feel. Her Moon is trine to Jupiter and Mars in Virgo in the 6th House bringing us back to vocational interests. Her chart speaks to me of a very career oriented, professional person interested in helping others.

So how is this very bright, discerning and practical young woman going to find a lasting partner for herself? My suggestion is that she acknowledge that it is she who will be doing the choosing and start thinking about the kind of man she would be most happy with . . . With Saturn on the cusp of the 7th, this person may be older, definitely responsible and productive, and willing to let her be who she is – independent and a self-starter. Mars/Jupiter conjunct in Virgo in the 6th suggests a co-worker or at least a professional person of some kind, possibly in the Service industry.

If she has been using her Pisces Ascendant as a smoke screen to camouflage her true nature for one reason or another, it may be time for her to re-consider this and fly her true colors, showing the World her fine mind and organizational abilities and desire to help others. I have found over the years how deeply important it is to state up front who we are and what we want. It saves a lot of time and misunderstandings and we can be pleasantly surprised! In order to draw those people to us that will best suit us, the bottom line is we need to be very clear about who we really are and what we really want and put that out there!! I wish her good fortune and much happiness on this path . . .

The Princess/Queen of Swords tells us to assert our individuality so that all will know our authentic self.

Attraction to Aries Sun Co-worker. Possibilities?!

2007-10-19T15:56:00.000-07:00

In this situation after looking at the charts of these two Aries Sun people, I have decided to look a little deeper into the chart of the woman who requested feedback about the possibilities of a relationship with an Aries Sun man she works with. She is attracted to him but the relationship doesn’t seem to get off the ground and she’s wondering why.

With an Aries Sun, Sagittarius Moon and Leo Rising, this is a fiery woman! She is most likely comfortable with taking the chance of expressing her interest in someone. However, her Mercury is in Taurus, Mars is in Capricorn and her Venus is in sensitive, empathetic Pisces. Finding the balance between these very different sides of her nature can be challenging. Adding to the complexity are two Pluto aspects . . . Pluto squares her Moon and is inconjunct her Sun. Experience with Pluto leads me to call this the “obsession factor”.

She has another challenging natal aspect that I suspect comes into play here too: Neptune/Jupiter inconjunct her Mercury in Taurus. This particular aspect can present a challenge in discerning the truth. Neptune as we know is great at clouding any issue he touches and Jupiter can amplify a situation and have us thinking something is more critical than it actually is. Finding ways to quiet the mind and gain perspective is very important. With Taurus and Sagittarius the Signs involved, I would suggest long walks in the outdoors, going for bicycle rides, doing tai chi in a park or on the beach – anything that combines physical activity, movement and Nature. Learning to become calm within is also a key tool in dealing with Pluto aspects as Pluto just loves to obsess if given an opening.

As to the synastry with her co-worker? We don’t have an accurate birth time and in this instance, that can make the difference between having a Moon in Leo (birth time of 6AM or earlier) or a Moon in Virgo if born after around 6AM. If he has a Leo Moon then they have Sun/Moon trines, giving them a lovely fire sign kiss. If he has a Virgo Moon, then their Moons will be square and a source of irritation on the emotional level. With Mercury’s semi-sextile, communication is OK but not great. They have potentially good chemistry between their respective Venus and Mars.

His Saturn is trine her Moon providing a level of support to their friendship. Her Mars in Capricorn is square his Sun/Saturn/North Node in Aries. Aries Sun is more tolerant of the push from Mars than most but with Saturn in the picture, Mars could cause the Saturn person to turn up stubborn . . . :-)

He may have some old wounding in the area of being able to accept love as his Venus/Mercury is conjunct Chiron. This may be a factor in why the relationship is slow to develop too. A plus here is her Jupiter/Neptune are trine his Venus/Mercury/Chiron, so he may eventually find her warmth and optimistic outlook helpful in finding his way to discussing old issues with her. His Jupiter is closely trine her Sun, another indicator of friendship and a spirit of generosity between these two.

Determining if this man has his Moon in Leo or Virgo is important to gaining an overall understanding of this relationship. From what I’m seeing it would appear they can maintain a friendship easily. My suggestion to her would be start learning about the Sun/Moon/Pluto aspects in her natal chart. Often when we start delving into the riddle of Pluto in our charts we come away with a much greater understanding as to what’s driving us and that ultimately will increase our ability to be better partners in our relationships.

I choose the Chariot Tarot card for this post because it is about bringing opposing sides of ourselves into harmony allowing us to make much greater forward progress.

* Update on Requests for Posts on Synastry*

2007-10-17T10:29:00.000-07:00

I’m to the point where I am welcoming more questions for posts on compatibility and synastry! Answering the questions submitted so far has been a lot of fun for me and hopefully, helpful to my readers. This is a great learning experience for me also. In fact, it’s helped me develop a short compatibility report that covers the basics with more personal insights than I am comfortable putting up on my blog for a very reasonable cost.