It isn’t enough to know what planets fall in each of the 12 houses; you also need to look at how they interact with one another. Do they provide an easy flow and are in harmony with one another or are they a source of tension? Aspects are the angular relationships between points on a chart. You can view them on your own natal chart or when looking at the 2 individual natal charts too see how the planets will interact with one another; this form of astrological study in known as synastry. In short it shows the overall compatibility between 2 individuals.
Allow me to quickly review the aspects bearing in mind each sign has 30 degrees
Lets begin with the conjunction, it is most visible when 2 planets or house cusps are in the same sign working together. As you can see my sun (the ego) and mercury (communication, learning,) are conjunct (in the same sign) of Cancer. You would come to the conclusion that being that mercury is one of the faster planets and my sun is brightly shining on it I make a connections efforlesly, am a great public speaker & I enjoy talking. Conjunctions share the same approach, but it is important to see the 2 heavenly bodies that are forming this aspect. In synastry if someones mercury is conjuncting your sun, you will love speaking with one another and sharing ideas. However not all conjunctions are wonderful, for instance if you moon (feelings) conjunct your own or another persons Saturn (restriction) Ewwww! Sober feelings and heaviness…
The angular houses are considered to be the most important in the natal chart if your personal planet (Sun, Moon, Mars, Venus) conjunct an angle in another persons chart this relationship for better or worse is fated. A planet can also conjunct one of your angles. My Neptune (planet of dreams, spirituality & escape) conjuncts my 10th house cusp (career & social standing) this indicates I chose a career outside of the norm. A lot of psychics have this placement and I find it too funny although non coincidental that I love astrology!
Next up is the opposition. Unlike the conjunction an oppositions are not in harmony they occur with opposing signs (Aries/ Libra Taurus /Scorpio etc). They are coming from 2 different view points and you are always striving for balance between 2 energies. For instance I have moon (feelings, the past) in Aries and Pluto(death, transformation, control, & psychoanalysis) in Libra. Aries and Libra are opposite one another in the zodiac. Aries is a ME FIRST sign and Libra strives for balance (the scales) Anything involving Pluto is deep…heavy life changing. Having a Moon opposite Pluto is difficult because you want to love, are filled with all of this emotion but at the same time you want to control everything. I don’t know how to let things just be, I’m always digging, looking searching. I can tell you when I meet someone I know the end before it even begins. This is not for light love. Anytime Pluto touches a personal planet nothing is ever light. In synastry when your moon opposes another persons Pluto it would indicate a lot of emotional power struggles and depending on the individuals involved the “moon person” may run like hell from the Pluto person. The Pluto person will see thru them, right down to the core and not everyone is looking for a transformational type of love. In oppositions you need to look at the planets and signs involved and see how they operate and opposing one another.
Next up are trines!(think Triangle) Trine Trine Trine even the word is nice! Trines happen in the same element; (fire signs will trine one another ex. Leo trine Aries. Water signs trine each other ex. Cancer and Scorpio). They are the easiest aspect; the flow of energy is effortless. We do not have to work on these energies, we are born with them. (keeping in mind the planets involved). I have a natal Sun (ego) trine Uranus (unexpected & eccentric) this would tell you I’m very liberal I was born different and being that it is a trine I’m ok with that. I also have Venus (love & beauty) trine Pluto (transformation & depth) where as Pluto can at times be hard to deal with when it trines Venus it is an easy free flowing aspect. It indicates I have a very romantic nature, I believe in love at first sight and because Pluto operates on a deep level seeing through things…I will know the “one when” I see him. (fingers crossed)
The square occurs between 2 aspects in the same mode (Cardinal, fixed or mutable) but in different element (air, fire, water, earth). The square is a hard aspect scratch that it is the hardest aspect. Squares represent friction. Where an opposition is about trying to find balance it’s like a tug of war the square is more stable stuck in its ways, less reluctant to change. It is the 2nd most powerful aspect after the conjunction. These 2 energies do NOT blend together, they represent conflict and stress I have a Cardinal T-square in my chart Ahhhh! The positive side of the square aspect is you have to work to achieve; to get over these barriers and hurdles. My most notable square is Sun (ego) in Cancer square Moon (feelings) in Aries. Cancer is a cardinal water sign and Aries is a cardinal fire sign Water puts out fire…they do not blend. Cancer is all about nurturing and tending to other individuals while Aries is all about fufilling your own needs. You can not simoutenously do this. In astrology The moon represents the woman and the sun represents the masculine energy, it is of popular opinion that the aspects between your moon and sun are indicative of your parents relationship at the time you were born. Can you say TENSION?! that which was than inturn transferred to me. My Sun (your ego your identity) is at odds with my moon moon (inner self, your emotions). They are separate, my wants and my needs are at odds. In synastry you definitely want sun and moon contacts and if you are into wedding date astrology you want the sun and moon aspecting one another! They represent the husband and wife. Preferably with an easier aspect such as the trine. When one persons Sun (ego) squares another persons Moon (feelings) it would imply the moon person will often feel second to the sun. Speaking from personal experience, the sun person is the ego so they are in theory shining, but the sun is all about the sun or it would appear that way to the moon person. The moon person always feels second-this is one aspect of many in synastry-but a hard one. Friction is a definite though a high barometer of attraction is likely.
Sextiles occur in every other sign they are 60 degrees apart (Aries and Gemini (skips Taurus) sextile one another. Taurus and Cancer sextile one another skip Gemini) Water signs sextile earth signs and air signs sextile fire signs. I always like to think of compatibility like this water nourishes earth and earth absorbs water. Fire fuels on air and air fuels fire. Sextiles are not as strong as trines still they represent positive energy working harmoniously together. I have mars (in Taurus) sextile mercury in Cancer (water nourishes earth). Being that Mars is my drive and how we go about getting what we want and Mercury is communication and learning they are working together this means I have a thirst for knowledge. I want to get to the bottom of things, I’m outgoing and communicative
