from GIPHY
Many of the ways that classical literature discuss features include descriptions of planets “witnessing each other. If we are gazing at anything, then what we are doing is bearing “witness to that which we are viewing. Beginning on page 292 of his game-changing book, Hellenistic Astrology: The Study of Fate and Fortune (that’s an affiliate link; I get paid if you buy a copy), the astrologer Chris Brennan goes into great detail on this. That book belongs on your shelf if you take astrology at all seriously.
In the ancient world, these looks were thought to be an exchange of energy. In a nutshell, people believed that the human eye emitted an unseen light called “lumen” that lighted everything it touched. Anything that this lumen touched was “illuminated,” returning to the viewer visible light denoted by the term “lux.”
This can be seen in contemporaneous writings, such as the New Testament (Matthew 6.22-23, NRSV):
“The eye is the body’s lantern. Therefore, if your eye is healthy, light will fill the rest of your body; nevertheless, if your eye is unhealthy, darkness will fill the rest of your body. How great is the darkness if the light inside of you is darkness?
According to the explanations I’ve heard, modern astrology has lost its relationship to optical theory and now has more to do with vibrations. The planets appear to “resonate with each other at specific angles, producing consonant or discordant harmonies.” This fits in well with the way that many new-age people discuss vibrational frequencies. Even that, though, has some history!
In This Article...
Aspects and Musical Harmony
Ptolemy identified five fundamental features, which were generally accepted by astrologers throughout antiquity, the Renaissance, and early modern times.
The conjunction (0o), opposition (180o), trine (120o), square (90o), and sextile are the five aspects in question (60o).
Ptolemy argues that the reason these circle divisions are significant is because they stand in for the fundamental musical octaves (cf. Tetrabiblos I.13). The unison (conjunction), octave (opposition), fifth (trine), and major third all correspond to different harmonic intervals (sextile).
The most discordant interval in music, the tritone, is produced if the note played exactly halfway between the top and bottom notes of an octave (also known as a diminished fifth or augmented fourth). The astrological square, which lies midway between the conjunction and the opposition, is represented by this musical interval.
This is where the terminology for “harmonious trine” and “tense square” first appears historically, but I don’t believe that this is widely known (although it’s hard for me to believe that astrologer-musicians like Rudhyar or Ficino would have missed this, but I haven’t read enough of them to be able to provide the sources).
The current equally tempered octave contains twelve notes for those keeping track at home, however the chromatic scale came before the zodiac. Tetrachords, or 4-note scales, were utilized in Greek music!
Okay, so what? How do I actually interpret aspects in my chart?
You must first dissect a feature in your birth chart by asking yourself a number of questions before you can comprehend it.
- Who are the planets involved?
- What part is concerned
- What planet is the swiftest?
- Which houses are the planets in?
- The planets are in what houses.
It rapidly becomes complicated, but if you practice performing it often, it becomes second nature! To continue the musical analogy, it’s like mastering your scales and arpeggios. Let’s dissect this!
Assume that in your birth chart Mars is square Jupiter, that Aries is rising, and that you were born at night. When you were born, Mars was rising brightly over the eastern horizon if you were to look up at the sky at the time (and it was midnight). On a chart, it appears as follows:
Generally speaking, astrological planets may perceive things in the sign they are in. Moreover, planets emit seven “They can observe lumen rays to the extents indicated by the aforementioned factors. Mars is therefore striking a specific group of signs with his lewks, which is why we claim he can see those signs. Mars can see Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Leo, Libra, Scorpio, and Sagittarius from Aquarius. There could be an aspect between anything in Aquarius and anything in the other seven signs.
From his current position in Aquarius, Mars is unable to see anything in Pisces, Cancer, Virgo, or Capricorn. Therefore, everything in those signs is said to be “averse or “in dislike to Mars, and similarly, Aquarius is said to be “averse or “in aversion to those signs. We could talk about that for hours, but let me give you a quick visual:
Let’s imagine a planetsay let’s Jupiter in Sagittariusis in any of the signs that Mars can see from his position in Aquarius. Mars and Jupiter are so in a sign-based aspect. Mars and Jupiter can currently see one another since they are in signs that allow for this. This is what we refer to as “aspect based on signs.
Two planets can interact with one another if they are in sign-based aspects. The nature of the aspect determines the character of their interaction, whether friendly or antagonistic. The juice is in this:
- During a conjunction, two planets cooperate in accordance with their planetary natures (e.g., Venus helps, Mars hurts, etc.)
- Sextile: mildly reassuring and simple, but not really active
- Square: confrontational and tense, yet occasionally passive-aggressive
- Trine: fluid, causes events to occur, but isn’t always “good in a strict sense”
- Well, it’s in the name, opposition. Open fighting, a blowout, and explosive!
The general tenor of a planet’s interactions with other planets is described by sign-based characteristics. But until they reach a degree-based aspect within a sign, planets do not actively communicate with one another. This would imply that whatever this relationship represents would be activated when Mars moves to a later degree of Aquarius to meet the square that Jupiter is casting there.
Let’s put the story together!
Mars will be the one approaching Jupiter in this case since Mars moves more quickly than Jupiter (typically, unless Mars is in retrograde). Mars and Jupiter are in a cooperative connection with one another because of the sextile aspect. Imagine that Mars is approaching Jupiter as a pleasant acquaintance and requesting his assistance. Jupiter is delighted to share from his plenty with Mars because he is a nice fellow by nature, is in his own sign of Sagittarius, and has access to his own resources.
By examining which houses the planets involved rule, you may determine what aspects of life they are describing in the last step. Mars thus dominates the first house of your fundamental personality, body, health, vigor, appearance, and general conditions in this case, as well as the eighth house of the unavoidables: dread, death, and taxes. This is because Aries is the rising sign. Jupiter, on the other hand, governs the twelfth house of limitations, grief, and the unconscious as well as the ninth house of education, spirituality, and travel. Jupiter is positioned in the ninth house, which I already mentioned, while Mars is positioned in the eleventh house of groups and friends.
Let’s enter all the data into this formula:
The result is:
Mars approaches Jupiter, who oversees philosophy, religion, travel, and education, in a softly helpful manner. This has favorable effects on the native’s friends and associates. Mars represents the native’s physique, health, looks, and basic personality.
Then you can see where that leads. By making an attempt to associate with individuals who share their beliefs, philosophies, and values, the native can in this scenario enhance their personal circumstances. They benefit greatly from doing this, and it has the potential to raise their social position. That’s simply a very simple explanation, but by examining the natives’ particular context, we can learn more about how this element manifests itself in their daily lives. We would carry out it at an astrological consultation.
I’m still lost!
Learning how to read aspects in this way takes some time, and I haven’t even discussed the distinction between applying and isolating aspects yet! You will be able to comprehend aspects in your birth chart more easily, though, if you take the time to get this rhythm into your bones.
Keep in mind that learning astrology takes time! I’d love to be able to assist you with that because it’s always beneficial to have a second set of eyes go over your chart.
Was that of any use to you? Which queries remain unanswered? Comment below and let me know!
What do natal chart aspects mean?
Aspects are the angles that the planets make in your birth chart, to put it simply. These in turn interact with one another to establish a relationship. Conjunction, sextile, square, trine, and opposition are the five main aspects. Each planet has a celestial personality, and these personalities can be benign, harmonic, or tense depending on the planets involved and the angles they produce. Your birth chart’s characteristics might show you several areas of your life where you either prosper or face stress.
According to Maree, “the elements in our birth charts can highlight areas of ease and richness in our life when we feel like luck is on our side.” “They can also assist us in establishing a connection between some of the more challenging events that we all go through. Having this understanding enables us to take the necessary actions to cooperate with our individual blueprint. It enables not only self-acceptance but also recovery and success.”
How is a planet’s aspect read?
Even for me, a visual-spatial learner, that’s quite a knot to unwind. I was beginning to understand difficulties relating to houses and had a general idea of what to do with a planet in a particular sign, but I was completely lost when it came to understanding the aspects in my birth chart. But I wasn’t going to give up so quickly.
What is an Aspect in astrology, anyway
Aspects are how we explain the relationship between the planets, as simply as possible. You may see into the dynamic stories that are unfolding in your life by understanding the components in your chart.
When a planet is a specific number of degrees distant from another planet or point in the chart, it is said to be in an aspect. For instance, we refer to two planets as being in a “square aspect” when they are approximately 90 degrees apart (a square has four 90 angles).
That indicates that those two planets are in a connection that has the characteristics of a “square.” Consider the expression “squaring up before a fight,” which describes squares in English. “Square peg in a round hole,” the expression goes. This should indicate that a square is inherently adversarial: tense, with a genuine “can I talk to the manager issue.”
If you’re curious about the origins of this idea, like me, keep reading. If you’re not like me and simply want to know which characteristics denote which kinds of partnerships, then scroll down.
Because the word “aspect” literally means “look at” (Latin ad, “at, to + spect, “I look”), we must take a detour into classical optical theory in order to give aspects in astrology their due. I just overheard a head-on desk collision from half of you. “I’m just curious as to when I’ll find my true love! Keep following me, though I can see and hear you!
It’s crucial to keep in mind that the planets were not viewed by the ancients as passive components of a cosmic watch, but rather as active agents. We begin with the hypothesis that planets in the astrological ball of wax exchange looks with one another in order to communicate. similar to this
What elements of the natal chart are the most crucial?
In recent years, astrology has gained more and more traction in culture at large. It can be readily discounted, though, as astrology and horoscope websites offer predictions based on your sun sign.
I’ve read about and studied astrology for about five years at this point. I’ve read a lot of birth charts. People frequently tell me that they don’t fully resonate with their sun sign before I do their chart. Some components do, but not really.
What’s this? In essence, astrology and your unique natal chart serve as a universal road map for your whole existence. It makes sense that the precise timing and location of various celestial objects at the time of your birth would have an impact on the energies contained in your spirit since time, space, and matter are all what science refers to as continuums.
Your painstakingly computed natal chart is what makes you the lovely soul that you are. For the sake of time, I’ll concentrate on what I see as your chart’s four most significant features: the sun, moon, ascendant, and midheaven signs.
What astrological component is the most potent?
An angle of roughly () 010 degrees is referred to as a conjunction (abbreviated as “Con”). An orb of 10 is typically seen as a Conjunction. Some astrologers think an orb of no more than eight is appropriate if the Sun or Moon are not present.
A significant factor in a horoscope chart is a conjunction. Because they mutually amplify each other’s impacts, they are considered to be the most potent characteristics.
Depending on the planets involved, a Conjunction could be advantageous or harmful. Highly favorable Conjunctions can include any of the three possible combinations as well as the Sun, Venus, and/or Jupiter. Highly unfavorable Conjunctions can occur with the Moon, Mars, Saturn, or any of the other three possible pairings.
A 3-way favorable Conjunction involving the Sun, Venus, and Jupiter occurred exceptionally on November 910 of 1970. On March 10 of the same year, the Moon, Mars, and Saturn formed a harmful triple conjunction.
If one of the two planets in a conjunction is already feeling the strain of one or more hard aspects with one or more other planets, the addition of a conjunction will only heighten the tension of those hard aspects.
A planet’s conjunction with the Sun is particularly powerful if it occurs within 17 minutes of arc, or just at a distance of around 0.28. The planet is supposedly Cazimi, an old astrological name that means “in the heart” (of the Sun). For instance, “Venus Cazimi” indicates that Venus and the Sun are in conjunction with an orb smaller than 0.28.
The precise orb limit may vary depending on the planet in question if it is somewhat close to the Sun. It is allegedly combustible.
The Sun and Moon come together at the New Moon every month of the year.
What astrological elements are favorable?
Trines are typically regarded as the best and most auspicious aspect of them all, bringing luck, harmony, significant synchronicity, and the opportunity for favorable changes. Trines are produced by a 120 angle on the chart. “Knowing the elements makes interpreting a trine the easiest. When planets in the same element (fire, earth, air, and water) aspect one another, it forms a trine “says Stardust. Planets naturally understand each other’s motivations when they are in signs that belong to the same element, which makes it easier to work with their energy.
Stardust continues, “Trines are positive elements that result in a nice outcome. The only problem is that they occasionally take the easy route to accomplish their objectives. The biggest mistake we can make with a trine is simply not taking enough initiative because we’re too busy soaking up the good vibes. A trine’s easy-like-Sunday-morning, good-vibes-only flow can occasionally result in our energy being a little too at ease. Don’t let these fortunate celestial omens slide through your fingerstrines are not to be taken lightly!
What do astrological “hard aspects” mean?
The Astrotwins define “soft” aspects as those describing planets separated by an even number of signs, and “hard” aspects as those describing planets separated by an odd number of signs. These classifications can aid us in determining which elements can provide more of a challenge to us than an opportunity.
What homes is the Sun in?
At the third and tenth, the aspect of the Sun, Moon, Venus, and Mercury is 14, at the fifth and nineth, it is 12, at the fourth and eighth, and it is full on the seventh. In reality, astrologers appear to disregard partial aspects.
What houses Jupiter aspect?
We can argue that Jupiter has two unique aspects, namely a 5th house and a 9th house aspect, as planets typically only aspect the 7th house from their place of origin.
Is Sun more significant than Ascendant?
The Ascendant (or Rising) sign of your natal chart is what you will have if you know the time, place, and date of your birth. One’s social personality is thought to be represented by the ascendant. It has to do with how you appear to others and how they judge you. It also stands for the human body and the external manifestation of the self.
Think of your ascendant as your natural behavior: when you enter a room filled with strangers and possibly feel some nervousness as a result, your first instinct is to act in accordance with your ascendant. For instance, a Leo ascendant will take on a more active role; we may witness them shine as the Sun so demands of them and transform into the life of the party before our very eyes, whereas a Cancer ascendant is more likely to retreat into their “shell” and conceal certain aspects of themselves, much like the Moon they are ruled by.
The Ascendant serves as the lens through which one’s Ego is expressed or acknowledged by the outer world, depending on where it is in the Sun. Given that it represents You at your most natural state, it is undoubtedly the most significant feature of any chart. Despite the fact that the two opposing instances I mentioned above may have more conventionally introverted or extroverted Suns, how they express their unique personalities and how they move about the world are very much what their Ascendants present. Both when they are by themselves and when faced with the strange or unexpected, they act instinctively.
Knowing your Ascendant helps you understand who you are. It serves as a physical picture of the Houses that each planet was in at the time of your birth and serves as a tool for understanding life events, focal points, and aspects (or interactions) between the planets. Avoid the error of underestimating its significance.
Additionally, remember to read your Ascendant first when you read your next horoscope in the newspaper or online from an astrologer. I can assure you that once you do, accuracy will significantly increase.
