If you were to memorize the keywords in this article that apply to planets, signs, and houses, you will be well on your way to interpreting horoscopes. You will be able to glean a great deal of information from birth charts.
What
Each planet represents what, or an archetypal need or human characteristic.
The keyword(s) for each of the planets is:
- Sun – life path, hero’s journey, the path to self-realization
- Moon – need, emotions, feeling
- Mercury, thinking, communicating, learning
- Venus – pleasure, drawing to, relating
- Mars – assertion, drive, action
- Jupiter – expansion, opportunity, growth
- Saturn – limitation, necessity, delay, industry
- Uranus – freedom, individuation, uniqueness
- Neptune – dreams, fantasy, escape, deception, illusion, spirit
- Pluto – death/rebirth, transformation, obsession
- Ascendant – self
- Mid-heaven – career
How?
The sign a planet occupies represents how that planet’s energy manifests
The keywords for the signs:
- Aries – assertively, aggressively, courageously
- Taurus – steadily, determinedly
- Gemini – quickly, wittily, mentally
- Cancer – nurturing, caringly, clannishly, needily
- Leo – dramatically, proudly, regally
- Virgo – analytically, neatly, discriminatingly
- Libra – fairly, indecisively, justly, artistically, accommodatingly
- Scorpio – passionately, intensely
- Sagittarius – adventurously, wondering, philosophically
- Capricorn – practically, industriously, disciplined
- Aquarius, friendly, communally, socially
- Pisces – spiritually, dreamily
Where?
So, let’s see where we are. The planets represent what (Moon – need, feeling, emotion; Mercury – mind, thinking, communicating). The signs represent how (Aries – aggressively; Taurus – steadily). Now we can put the planets in their respective signs into the houses, each of which represents a distinct or separate field of life experience, or where.
- First house – self
- Second house – money, assets, income
- Third house – short trips, siblings, mind, learning, secondary school years
- Fourth house – the family of origin, father, home, the domestic arena
- Fifth house – creativity, children, play
- Sixth house, work, productivity, health
- Seventh house – marriage, one-to-one relationship
- Eighth house – sex, other people’s resources
- Ninth house – belief system, philosophy, higher education, long-distance travel
- Tenth house – career, calling
- Eleventh house – friends, social group, peers
- Twelfth house – behind the scenes, alone time, service
Now you’re ready
O. K. So now you have Mary Lou’s chart in front of you. You’ve asked her on a date and she’s accepted. You think “Where can I take her where she’ll have fun?” Look at her Venus (keyword: pleasure). What sign is it in? What house does it occupy? You see she has Venus in the seventh house (one-to-one relationship), and you see that it is in the sign Virgo. So you decide on a candlelight dinner for two, only the two of you, at a restaurant where every attention to detail is scrupulously given (Virgo). She’ll come away from the experience thinking she’s had the perfect evening out with you. Or let’s say Venus is in the eleventh house (friends, groups) in Leo (party-hearty). You take her to a party of friends, where she can strut her stuff (Leo) and mix with lots of different folks (eleventh house). Again, a perfect evening.
If you memorize the keywords for the planets, you will be able to combine them to understand aspects.
Aspects
Aspects in astrology are the angular relationships between two or more planets. When planets are conjunct (in the same place as), sextile (60 degrees from each other), square (90 degrees apart), trine (120 degrees apart), or opposite (separated by 180 degrees), they are said to be in aspect to each other. Two or more planets in aspect to each other are married. One cannot operate or function without the other. Knowing this, it is a simple matter to combine the keywords for the planets involved in the aspect and reach an understanding of what this means.
What follows are the keywords for each of the planets:
- Sun – self, life path
- Moon – feelings, need
- Mercury – thinking, communicating
- Venus – beauty, pleasure, relating
- Mars – drive, assertiveness, action, energy
- Jupiter – philosophy, long-distance travel, growth
- Saturn – limitation, caution, responsibility
- Uranus – freedom, inventiveness, uniqueness
- Neptune – dreams, imagination, compassion
- Pluto – intensity, passion
So, let’s say you have your Moon (feelings) in aspect to your Mercury (thinking). It’s now a simple matter to combine the keyword feelings with the keyword thinking. Thus if you have this aspect we can conclude that you are a person who doesn’t separate feelings from thinking, because the two functions are married to each other. We could conclude in this case that you are a person who always communicates (Mercury) how you feel (Moon).
Try out this exercise with all of your planetary aspects and see what you come up with. You will, I think, end up confirming to yourself a great deal about who you are.
Your date with Mary Lou went well because with the planet Venus in Leo in her eleventh house taking her to a party were where she could strut her stuff (Leo) in front of a group of people (eleventh house) was the ideal environment. Now you’re going on a second date, and you want to go somewhere where you can talk, so you head for that nice quiet restaurant with the perfect atmosphere for carrying on a quiet conversation. You notice from looking at her horoscope that she has Mercury (conversation, communication) trine Jupiter (philosophy). You engage her in serious philosophical conversation and she thinks “Wow! He’s on my wavelength!” You bring up how you like to travel to foreign countries (Jupiter) and regale her with the adventures you’ve undertaken in your life. Now she’s putty in your hands.
A Brief Overview
The three essential building blocks to astrological interpretation lie in understanding the archetypal meanings of each of the ten planets, twelve signs, and twelve houses. Each planet represents a basic human energy pattern or human psychological need. Each sign conveys a manner or way or style of manifesting planetary or house energy. Finally, each house of the horoscope reveals the field of experience in which a planet or sign will manifest. In other words, a planet tells us what is operating. A sign indicates how particular energy operates, and a house tells us where particular energies or styles manifest. What follows is a listing of the basic meanings of planets, signs, and houses in the context of what, how, and where.
Planets
Sun
The Sun represents the essential path of your journey through life. It is the inherent nature of who you are. It can be accurately termed the journey of the hero. With the Sun you are always in the process of becoming. Thus it is the planet that symbolizes your capacity or your potential for self-realization. The Sun is masculine and assertive. The bodily organ ruled by the Sun is the heart. It rules the sign, Leo.
Moon
The Moon is feminine and receptive and rules your emotions. It signifies reaction, your habits or habitual behavior relates to your experience of your mother and women in general, and it signifies what you need in terms of your emotional security. It rules family and your ancestral past, as well as your home and domestic affairs. The Moon rules the breasts and stomach, and it rules the sign Cancer.
Mercury
Mercury rules thinking. It is the planet of the conscious mind. Mercury is neither masculine nor feminine and can be more accurately termed androgynous, for it rules a masculine sign, Gemini, as well as the feminine sign of Virgo. Communication of all types comes under the domain of Mercury. Its realm includes transportation and all of the means thereof. Mercury rules the reasoning parts of the brain as well as the hands, arms, and shoulders.
Venus
Venus rules the individual’s need for relating. It rules our urge for satisfaction and happiness, as well as our desire for comfort and ease. Venus embodies what is to us beautiful and attractive. It desires harmony and balance. It is the planet of charm. Its nature is inherently feminine and receptive, yet it rules both the feminine sign of Taurus and the masculine sign of Libra. Anatomically, it rules the lower back and the kidneys.
Mars
Mars represents willpower and assertiveness. It embodies the principle of energy and initiative. The mythological Mars is the god of war. This encompasses the realms of conflict, competition, and anger. It is the principle of acting and doing. It is masculine, and it rules Aries and is a co-ruler of Scorpio. The part of the body ruled by Mars is the head.
The first five planets just discussed above are termed the personal planets. In your horoscope, these five planets (along with your ascendant or rising sign – to be discussed later) make up the person you, as they embody the characteristics of your distinct personality expression and your own distinct and individual needs. The next two planets, Jupiter and Saturn, are less personal. These two planets, occupying more or less the middle or halfway point of our solar system, connect us to the greater world around us.
Jupiter
Jupiter represents the principles of expansion, abundance, reward, and opportunity. Whereas Venus refers to how we relate personally to those we are close to or want to be close to, Jupiter represents how we relate generally to the more impersonal world outside of our subjective sphere. Jupiter rules philosophy and religion, as well as foreign countries, long-distance travel, and higher education. It is masculine and assertive and rules the sign Sagittarius. Anatomically, it rules the liver and the upper leg, and the thighs.
Saturn
Saturn is the polar opposite of Jupiter. It embodies the principle of restriction and limitation, duty, discipline, obligation, and responsibility. Saturn is the great taskmaster of the planets and is called the lord of karma. Saturn represents authority, rules, and regulations. It is the ruler of the sign Capricorn, and it rules the outer extremities of the body (the skin), as well as the bones, knees, and teeth.
The outer three planets, beyond the orbit of Saturn, are Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto. Because these planets are so far away from us, they remain in a particular sign for a long time and affect entire generations of people in similar ways. Uranus takes eighty-four years to encircle the entire zodiac of twelve signs, Neptune’s orbit lasts 165 years and Pluto completes its journey through the zodiac in 248 years.
Uranus
Uranus is the principle of individuality and uniqueness. It triggers events that are sudden and unexpected. Where it is placed in your horoscope reveals where you walk to the beat of a different drummer and do things in a manner unlike anyone else. Whereas Mercury correlates with intelligence – the conscious mind, Uranus relates to genius – the superconscious mind. It represents invention, ingenuity, and innovation. Uranus represents the rebel, the outcast, and the revolutionary. Aquarius is ruled by Uranus. The parts of the body ruled by Uranus are the lower leg and ankles, as well as the body’s circulatory system.
Neptune
Neptune, the god of the sea, rules the subconscious, the dream world, and the world of images. Neptune is mysterious and ineffable. It is the lord of illusion and deception. Neptune has nothing at all to do with the material world, and everything to do with what is transcendent and beyond the realm of what we can see, feel, taste and touch. It is the planetary ruler of Pisces. Whereas Venus is the planet that relates to personal love, Neptune – the higher octave of Venus – embodies the principle of universal love and compassion. Neptune is feminine and is the planetary ruler of the feet and the lymphatic system.
Pluto
Pluto, or Hades in Greek mythology, is the great lord of the underworld. Pluto connects us to our dark sides, and to the dross and garbage we carry from our ancestral past. Yet it also promises regeneration, rebirth, and transformation. The myth of the Phoenix, who rises out of the ashes of its death reborn and transformed, is analogous to the journey of Pluto. Pluto’s position in your horoscope signifies an area where you plunge to the very depths, where you take things to extremes, even to where you succumb to obsessions and compulsions. Pluto is the power of intensity and passion, and total commitment to one’s mission. It is the planetary ruler of Scorpio and rules the reproductive system.
Signs
Aries
In the northern hemisphere (where astrology was born and developed) the Sun enters Aries and marks the beginning of spring at the moment of the Vernal Equinox. Aries, then, is akin to the sprouting of the seed, the initiating principle. Aries, first of the signs of the element of fire, rushes into and takes command of life. Impulsiveness, fearlessness, and a pioneering instinct characterizes this Mars-ruled sign, the first of the zodiac. Aries, as the first of the zodiac’s twelve signs, embodies the principle of self: self-awareness, self-preoccupation, self-projection, self-confidence. Aries, ruled by Mars – the god of war – embodies the journey of the conquering hero. Wherever the sign Aries appears in your horoscope is where you take command and depend on yourself, where no one guides or directs you but your self-assurance. Aries is the first of the cardinal signs, which are signs that actively initiate. In Aries, activity is directed toward impressing the self upon life in a very individualized manner.
Taurus
Taurus, the second sign of the zodiac, substantiates life. This first of the signs of the element of earth ground life energy and directs it toward stability and to the enduring purpose. It is the first of the fixed signs, directing energy in a determined and committed manner. Taurus values the self and tries to make it worth something. Taurus takes the life energy born in Aries and attempts to ground it and make it materially manifest in some manner. Taurus takes a stand and never budges; thus, the quality of stubbornness Taurus is well-known for. Wherever Taurus appears in your horoscope reveals a place where you will move slowly if surely and determinedly towards manifesting things concretely. Here is a place you will address your goals with certainty and conviction and see things through to the very end.
Gemini
Aries declares “I am,” or “I want to be.” Taurus declares “I have” or “I state my worth.” Gemini, first of the signs of the air element, declares “I think” and “I want to know.” This first of the mutable signs is where curiosity is born. As an air sign, Gemini is mental and intellectual, and it needs to reach out beyond the boundaries of self to communicate. Gemini is versatile and adaptable and therefore can adjust to changing circumstances and environments. You will bring Gemini’s versatility and curiosity to the place where Gemini appears in your horoscope. Here is where you will solve problems by thinking about them and bringing logic to bear upon them. Gemini, along with its ruler Mercury, refers to the development and use of the conscious mind.
Cancer
Life energy springs forth in Aries, becomes grounded and fixed in Taurus, and develops the capacity to think and differentiate in Gemini. In Cancer, the personality becomes set. This is the first sign of the water element and the second of the cardinal signs. Here the emotions take root and manifest with strength and purpose. Whereas Aries says “I am,” Taurus declares “I have,” and Gemini “I think,” Cancer declares “I feel.” This sign, ruled by the Moon, is connected to an extension of the self into family and home and roots. It refers to the foundations you erect around you to sustain and perpetuate your life. Cancer builds its nest and develops a strong sense of privacy, ownership, territory, and exclusivity. Wherever you have the sign Cancer in your horoscope is where you may be possessive and protective of what you have, and where your emotions are strongly invested.
Leo
The fifth sign of the zodiac is the second fire sign and the second sign of fixed quality. “I create” is the declaration of Leo. Ruled by the Sun, Leo seeks to make its mark upon the stage of life through the power of creative energy. Leo is warm and loving and giving, and it needs to play in life. Wherever you have Leo in your horoscope is where you need to act with the innocence of a child, where you dance with the joy of both playing and creating.
Virgo
Virgo is the sixth sign of the zodiac and the last of the personal signs. Its quality is mutable and its element is earth. Here the individual looks back at what has been developed through the first five signs and seeks to analyze and dissect what has been built to improve and perfect the self. Thus “I analyze” is the mantra of Virgo. Virgo is the second mutable sign and the second earth sign. Thus it grounds the self through adjusting the self. It embodies the urge toward perfection. Virgo constantly judges, discriminates, hones, and perfects. Wherever Virgo appears in your horoscope is where you will bring your powers of analysis and discrimination to bear upon matters and seek constantly to improve your level of competence.
Libra
The last six signs of the zodiac are social as opposed to personal, and Libra is the first of these. It is the third cardinal sign and the second air sign. All cardinal signs initiate, and this one is the initiator of the relationship. Whereas Aries, Libra’s polar opposite in the zodiac, is self-possessed and self projecting, Libra is possessed by the idea of self in connection with others. It seeks the balance of self versus other. Libra is ruled by Venus, goddess of beauty; it seeks to beautify, harmonize, accommodate, compromise, disarm, and charm. Libra tends to weigh alternatives and look at both sides of any issue or question. Thus it is apt often to sit on the fence, loathe to make decisions, and to commit: “On the other hand…..” Yet it always seeks fairness and justice and balance. Libra declares “I balance.”
Scorpio
Scorpio, the eighth sign of the zodiac, is the third fixed sign and second of the element of water. Whereas Libra initiates a relationship, Scorpio fixes the relationship in the sense that it intensifies the relationship. Deep and powerful emotions reside here in the sign of the scorpion, and natives of this sign use their powerful emotional natures in a controlled and directed manner toward their desired ends. Scorpio needs to dig beneath the surface to get down to the essence and the core of the experience. Thus it deepens relationships begun in the sign Libra. Wherever you have Scorpio in your horoscope is where you will be determined to explore issues deeply and profoundly and passionately, and where you will be unafraid to use the powers of destruction, annihilation, and elimination to seek personal rebirth and transformation. Scorpio is ruled by Pluto and co-ruled by Mars.
Sagittarius
Whereas Libra, the first of the social signs, seeks to relate, and Scorpio seeks a deepening of the relationship, Sagittarius seeks the meaning and understanding of its relationship to the world outside of self. Sagittarius is the third mutable sign and the third fire sign. In Gemini, the polar opposite of Sagittarius, the effort is to accumulate knowledge through curiosity and to develop reason and logic, In Sagittarius, the effort is to strive beyond knowledge into the realm of understanding. Thus it is inherently philosophical and metaphysical, and it is through this sign and its ruling planet Jupiter that we seek to know God, or whatever our idea of God might become. Sagittarius embodies a journey or quest for truth. Where you have this sign in your horoscope is where you will seek to broaden and expand your horizons, and where you will always be open to growing.
Capricorn
In Cancer, Capricorn’s polar opposite sign, the individual personality is established and set. In Capricorn, the social personality becomes set. Ideally, it is the sign of the perfected social individual. Capricorn is the fourth and final cardinal sign, as well as the fourth and final earth sign. It is ruled by Saturn. In Capricorn, the effort is to establish the self in the world through accomplishment and success. Thus the sign is characterized by industriousness and a willingness to work hard to achieve a position of influence, authority, and standing in its world. Capricorn employs the power of control to seek its ends, and it loathes to accept failure. Its symbol is the mountain goat, who keeps climbing and climbing, no matter how steep the ascent, until it reaches the top. Wherever you have Capricorn in your horoscope is where you will apply this manner of steadfastness and industriousness.
Aquarius
Aquarius is the third and last air sign and the fourth and final sign of fixed quality. Its ruler is Uranus and it is co-ruled by Saturn. As an air sign, it embodies ideas or ideals: equality, fraternity, humanitarianism, democracy, egalitarianism. In Aquarius, we see the rise of individualism, and the sign is characterized by inventiveness, innovation, and originality. And wherever you have the sign Aquarius in your horoscope is where you will bring these qualities to bear. Because of their strong individuality, Aquarians are often seen as rebels, revolutionaries, and non-conformists. Leo, it’s the polar opposite, tends to be personally secure and socially insecure. Aquarius, by contrast, is very secure socially yet tends to be personally insecure.
Pisces
The twelfth sign embodies within its characteristics some part of all the signs that preceded it. It is the fourth mutable sign and the third sign of the water element. Whereas Cancer’s emotions are of the self, and Scorpio’s emotions are directed to others, the emotions of Pisces are diffuse and directed universally. Cancer feels the self, Scorpio feels the other, and Pisces feels the world. Pisces embodies one’s connection to unseen, transcendent, and spiritual realms. Its path lies in a quiet spiritual withdrawal from all that is material – all that we can see, feel, hear, taste and touch – to merge with the infinite. Its ruler is Neptune. Where Pisces lies in your horoscope is where you need to tune into your intuition, your imagination, and your psychic receptivity.
Houses
First House
The first house, or “ascendant,” is the house of self. It embodies the consciousness of “I am,” and it is analogous to the first sign of Aries and the planet Mars. The sign on the first house cusp indicates how you see yourself and project yourself into the world. Along with the Moon, the first house is one of the distinct indicators of your personality expression. Whatever planet or planets reside in our first houses are there to take care of ourselves first and foremost.
Second House
The second house is about one’s self-worth, what one possesses and accumulates of material nature. It rules money and finances. Since it rules what we have, it often reveals natural talents and gifts that we possess. It is analogous to the second sign, Taurus, and the planet Venus.
Third House
The third house rules short-distance travel, siblings, our secondary school experience, much of our childhood. It rules the conscious mind and how we learn and by which we communicate. It rules all manners of transportation, electronics, and all methods of communication and dissemination of information such as the media: print, television, and radio. It corresponds to the sign Gemini and the planet Mercury.
Fourth House
The fourth house rules your background, your family heritage, your roots, and your domestic life. Psychologically, it is the foundation point of your horoscope, the very roots of your psychological being. In most horoscopes, this house rules your relationship with your father, although in some cases this can be reversed and it can rule your mother. This house is also associated with endings and new beginnings, and it rules the closing years of your life as well. It is analogous to the sign of Cancer and the Moon in meaning.
Fifth House
The fifth is the house of creative self-expression. Here is where we seek to express ourselves through fun and games and activities of sport and amusement. Actors, painters, performers, and musicians often have strong connections to this house. Children are ruled by the fifth house, which is analogous to the sign Leo and the Sun in meaning. Through this house we connect to the child within us – it is here that we are most open to our child-like innocence and our capacity to experience the joy of being alive. This house, and whatever planets reside here, says a great deal about how we give our love.
Sixth House
The sixth house rules your work habits and your health and healing. It can accurately be termed the house of crisis and just as accurately called the house of problem-solving. This house is analogous to the sign Virgo, and the purpose of this house is personal growth and self-improvement. This is a difficult house to negotiate when one or more of the personal planets reside here, but the rewards of hard work applied to the affairs of this house are enormous in terms of growth.
Seventh House
This house is the polar opposite of the first, which is the house of self. The seventh, then, is the house of others. Here we connect to other people, so the house deals with our relationship to whomever we are dealing with at any particular moment. Whereas the first house has only to do with “me,” nothing ever occurs in the seventh unless other people are involved in our experience. The house is analogous to the sign Libra and the planet Venus. It rules the process of accommodation, negotiation, and compromise. It rules marriage and any other partnerships we form.
Eighth House
This is a complex house. While the seventh refers to all one-to-one relationships, the eighth rules relationships that we take to very deep levels. Thus it rules our sexual relationships. It also rules death – more accurately – the processes of death, rebirth, and transformation. While the opposite second house rules our resources, the eighth rules shared resources and the resources of our partners. Its natural ruler is the sign Scorpio and the planet Pluto, and it is co-ruled by Mars.
Ninth House
The ninth house, which is analogous to the planet Jupiter and the sign Sagittarius, involves higher education, long-distance travel, publishing, law, and advertising. In a deeper sense, the ninth house has to do with our search for true understanding and meaning in life. Here we develop our philosophy and belief system. This house is comprised of the experience of a life-long journey, which is either physical, metaphysical, or both.
Tenth House
The tenth house is where and how we integrate ourselves into the society to which we belong. Hence it refers to our profession or career, and it reveals our public image, our reputation or standing in our world, and the authority we claim within it. Thus, when someone asks “What do you do?”, he or she is asking about your tenth house activities. The house also rules one’s mother, although in some cases this is reversed and rules the father. It’s more accurate to state that it rules the most dominant parent, the one who was most instrumental in directing us through childhood. The tenth house correlates to the sign Capricorn and the planet Saturn.
Eleventh House
The eleventh house rules friends and all peer-group associations. Thus it has domain over any groups or organizations to which an individual belongs. The eleventh house connects us to the community we are a part of. The sign Aquarius and the planet Uranus are the natural rulers of the eleventh house.
Twelfth House
The twelfth house connects us to realms that are beyond the material, and ideally, it is inherently spiritual. This house calls to us to consecrate ourselves to some cause or mission greater than self, to selflessly serve in some capacity the greater good or whole. A great astrological teacher once told me that the choice in the twelfth house is between serving and suffering, and I think there is much truth to that statement. The house rules hospitals, prisons, asylums, and large institutions like those of government and corporations. It correlates to the planet Neptune and the sign Pisces.
Aspects in Astrology
Aspect: the term used in astrology to describe the angular relationship between two or more planets, or between planets and other important points in a horoscope, such as the angles (ascendant or first house cusp, descendent or seventh house cusp, midheaven or tenth house cusp, and nadir or fourth house cusp).
There are several astrological aspects between planets and between planets and angles that are important to astrological interpretation. Primary among these are what are called the Ptolemaic aspects, namely, the conjunction, sextile, square, trine, and opposition.
Conjunction
Two or more planets are conjunct when they are very close together, within only about eight or ten degrees apart from each other. For instance, if a planet resides at 6 degrees of the sign Aries, and another planet is at 11 degrees Aries, then they are conjunct.
The conjunction is the most powerful aspect of all. It means the two planets are ‘married’ to each other – one can never act without the other. They always act in tandem. For instance, if your Moon is conjunct Pluto, then the planet of intensity, power, and passion (Pluto) is married to the planet ruling your emotions (Moon), then your feelings and emotional responses are deep and powerful and intense, never dispassionate and unconcerned.
Sextile
An exact sextile is an angle of sixty degrees, but planets are in a sextile relationship when they are 55 to 65 degrees apart. Thus, a planet for instance at 6 degrees Aries sextiles a planet at 9 degrees Aquarius, and it would also sextile a planet at 9 degrees Gemini. The sextile between any two or more planets or points is harmonizing in nature. The sextile aspect allows the planets forming the aspect constant opportunities to blend their energies in ways that benefit the native. For example, if you have a sextile between your Moon and Mars, then you take the opportunity to act (Mars) appropriately in your emotional responses (Moon). If your Sun sextiles Jupiter, then your natural optimism (Jupiter) affords opportunities for bringing growth, expansion, and abundance into your life.
Square
The square aspect divides the circle by a factor of four. Thus it is an angle of 90 degrees. We consider planets to be squaring each other if they are from 82 to 98 degrees apart. The square aspect embodies stress and tension, yet it is useful to possess a certain number of squares in one’s horoscope because they are motivational. The square aspect makes us aware that something may be amiss or needs to be worked on, resolved, or fixed. Thus, if the two planets which are the astrological indicators of sexuality, Venus and Mars, are in square aspect in your birth chart, then you are motivated to work at improving your sexual receptivity and technique. In short, the square motivates you to become a better lover.
Trine
The trine is an angle of 120 degrees, dividing the circle by a factor of three. Planets are in trine aspect to each other if they are from 112 to 128 degrees apart. This is the aspect of maximum harmony between planets. Thus, if your Venus trines Mars, you are comfortable with the expression of your sexuality just the way it is. You accept it and see no reason to work on it or change it in any way. Some astrologers suggest that the trine is a hallmark of laziness regarding the functions of the planets involved because it reveals a state of satisfaction with the status quo.
Opposition
The exact opposition aspect occurs when planets are separated by an angle of 180 degrees, but any planets between 171 and 180 degrees apart are considered in opposition. This aspect creates a “tug of war” between the planets involved, but the ultimate promise of this configuration is the potentiality of reaching a point of balance between their different functions so that the two energies involved can work evenhandedly. The opposition also promises the potential to develop the capacity to seek compromise, cooperation, and harmony between opposing forces. Thus, if Venus opposes Mars in your horoscope, you may run a pattern in a relationship that alternates between love (Venus) and war (Mars). You have the potential, however, to strike the balance between aggression and assertiveness (Mars) and receptivity (Venus) to your partner’s needs
“Minor” Aspects
Several other aspects are used in astrology. Among them are the semi-square, an angle of forty-five degrees; the septile, 51 degrees 25 minutes; the quintile, an angle of 72 degrees; the sesquare, 135 degrees; the bi-quintile, an angle of 144 degrees; and the quincunx or inconjunct, 150 degrees.
The semi-square and the sesquare both partake of qualities similar to the square aspect. There is conflict and tension between the planets involved and effort needs to be exerted to resolve the issues that give rise to that tension.
The septile is a rare aspect that divides the circle by a factor of seven. It represents a singular and unique individuality according to the planets involved; being directed by the occult, transcendent or universal forces; the possibility of social ostracism – and yet fulfillment of one’s destiny.
The quintile and bi-quintile, 72 and 144 degrees respectively, are based on a division of the circle by a factor of five. The quintile is a unique blend of interplanetary energy and represents transformative power according to the planets involved. The bi-quintile reveals the planets to be aligned in a manner that allows singular talent to manifest according to the qualities of those particular planets.
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