In astrology, looking at the planetary contacts between two natal charts can provide a great deal
of information towards understanding and working with the potentials, challenges and themes
of relationship expressed therein. We can see whether there is potential
for ongoing inspiration and creative growth through inter-supportive partnership, but also where old
family-based patterns and tendencys towards aggression, control, emotional turmoil, repression,
boredom and growing apart over time may be factors to consider. No relationship
is perfect; knowing the strengths and weaknesses of a bond can help two people participate with
better awareness and flexibility in those areas in life that not only may call for healing of past karmic
conditions, but also point the way towards evolutionary growth and realization of the best in personal character.
In romantic liaisons, passion explodes and we want to know if what we feel is real
or just an infatuation. Goals in life, values, the handling of emotions, educational level and social
status can matter greatly in determining the chances of partnership success.
In some cases, family ties, educational level, religious or career expectations can carry great weight.
Will the togetherness still be there in the future? Does the other
have what it takes to honor a long-term commitment? Do the two of us have enough in common to keep
our bonds warm and alive, even when the going gets rough? What if someone has
years of loyalty put into a partnership that is going through a difficult phase; are
matters going to improve or is it better to cut and run? What if a partnership is founded on
compulsion, fear of loneliness or money concerns?
Issues of interest in a romantic synestry reading might include:
- Dynamic aspects between each person's Sun (essential self) and Moon (emotion/feeling, security needs, the past).
Classic indicators for long-term relations include harmonious Sun-Moon aspects between two, or one
person's Sun or Moon resting on an angle of the other's chart. However some partnerships that thrive
the longest have Sun and/or Moon in hard therefore challenging aspect to one another;
inferring that each can act as a provocateur, dominator or teacher to the other, in effect stimulating continual
growth instead of allowing much rest in a comfortable old shoe.
- Venus (attraction, sensuality, desire, pleasure) and Mars (drive, libido, will, getting what you want) vibrations.
Not everybody wants easy-going love (Venus trine Mars); some don't feel much grand passion unless there is
combat (Venus square Mars) involved. Couples who have Venus opposing or squaring the other's Venus (differences in
feminine ideals, desires and personal values) or Mars square or opposing the other's Mars (differences in life goals,
how drive and desires are expressed and needs met) have their work cut out for them in reaching cooperative agreements;
however once the needs of each are understood and engaged like gears in a clockwork, these energies can operate as dynamos not
only within the relationship but also the relationship as a force to be reckoned with out in the world.
- Issues brought forward from childhood and/or the unconscious. Indications for deeply ingrained behavior patterns
and early trauma are found in the fourth house of root psyche and early childhood; also the eighth house
of genetic and behavioral inheritance from the ancestors and contact with the "other side", be it the spirit world or other dimensions.
Also included is the twelfth house, which represents the collective myths and archetypes that underlay our patterns of identity and action;
also karma, bondage and self-undoing through that which resides in the unconscious, therefore in denial.
Plan on Saturn (father, ego, authority), Moon (mother, security needs),Mars (aggression, drive, anger,),
Neptune (the astral plane, psychic ability, scapegoating, addiction, religious inclination, compulsion, self-delusion),
Uranus (trauma, creativity, the need for freedom and independence, alternative sexuality) and/or Pluto (trauma, abuse, death,
transformation, regeneration, power, powerlessness) being involved in some way.
- The Nodes of the Moon: The Nodes are the two places, expressed as degrees and minutes of a tropical zodiac sign,
where the Moon will cross the ecliptic or apparent path of the Sun relative to earth at a given point in time. The South Node
is where the Moon will cross as it moves from north to south of the ecliptic; the North Node is where
the Moon will cross moving from south to north of the ecliptic. The two Nodes of the Moon are always directly opposite to
one another in space. Here is where we find those fascinating karmic connections that whisper
of soul contacts and lessons moving in a continuum through the apparent past, present and future of linear time.
The South Node is associated with the past, including established behavior patterns, deficiencies, talents and skills; it
represents where we feel most comfortable and safe, where its easy for us to function due to familiarity but also where we owe service, where
we must toil in some way to resolve past karmic imbalances.
The North Node associates with path of soul growth, therefore resides in an area of life
where we are striving for new understanding and mastery. Western astrological thought tends to favor the North Node because western culture
favors growth of all kinds and material acquisition; more is better, etc. Whereas Eastern astrological thought
associates the North Node with the lower human traits such as greed and power-seeking, traditionally considering the area a distraction,
a way to stay trapped on the Wheel of Life while the South Node emphasizes the spiritual life; where we will be challenged to
deal with loss and limitations that bring forth realization of spirit and release from the wheel of karma. As relates to synestry, when
one person's planets are right next to another's nodes, the bond is sure to be complex and magnetizing in nature.
So even if the contacts are difficult, as when involving Saturn (limitations, loss, burdens, ego) or Mars (violence), chances are the two involved
will compulsively be drawn back again and again to re-inact certain unfinished business.
- Asteroid Chiron, or themes of wounding, abandonment, the maverick or entitlement: Chiron meanders in
irregular orbit between the planets Saturn and Uranus. As such it symbolizes "the rainbow bridge" that connects the
limitations of physical life and society with the boundless potentials of cosmic creativity. The placement of Chiron
in a natal chart can represent a place of perennial wounding, where we are endlessly working to heal or realize success
in an area of life fraught with constant frustration and challenge. In synestry, a Chiron contact from one individual
to another's planets, especially Sun, Moon, Venus or Mars indicates that the partner is chosen hopefully to act as a
healer or teacher to other; in the more difficult sense, someone may be tapped for a codependant adventure instead of
experiencing a rapport of mutual parity.
- Will a partner enhance our standing in career and community? Wherever a potential partner's
Saturn is placed in the other's chart is where that person will likely have an inhibiting affect, whereas
Jupiter or Venus nicely placed in the first house of basic persona or the public houses seven through
twelve can be quite adventitious to career and community standing. A lover with many planets in the partner's
second house (money, values, self-esteem) and/or third house (basic communications, lifestyle) can present as a user
and may lack commitment potential. Heavy planetary action involving the eighth or twelfth house can bring out turgid
drama over sex, money, power, control or other disturbing dysfunctions that one might rather not face.
Frequently when another's Saturn or Pluto is in the partner's tenth house of career management, the
twelfth house of true profession or the sixth house of work and health, they will in some way hamper
full success in the house affairs indicated. But a partner's Saturn placed on another's Sun and in
the company of other positive aspects can also serve as an anchor and stabilizer, sometimes very helpful
in facilitating the concrete realization of another's creative potential. Someone's Mars (aggression, anger,
the drive to dominate) landing on another's Decendant angle or seventh house of partners and open enemies is
usually not an indicator for friendly, supportive behavior, whereas Venus placed there can increase the desire to
over-indulge, but could also enhance the potential for financial gains through the partner.
- Are belief systems and personal values similar? Here we would examine the position and aspects
of Neptune, who represents spirituality, mysticism, and artistry but also the potential for
substance abuse, unrealistic expectations and tendency to lie. We would also purview the position and aspects
made by Jupiter, who is an indicator for organized religion, ethics, morals, dogma and the law. Another
potent indicator is Venus, who besides representing personal values also has to do with self-esteem and
how finances and assets are managed. It's also useful to examine the house affairs covered by the signs pertinent to
these planets, including Pisces for Neptune and Jupiter, Sagittarius for Jupiter, and
Taurus and Libra for Venus.
- Wealth or poverty; finances, paying bills, sharing joint finances: The second, fourth, eighth and
eleventh houses contain primary indications for money or lack thereof. The second house is money made and assets
acquired by the individual; someone with many planets in another's second is either after the other's money
or will be a source of abundance for the other. The fourth house indicates money made through real estate, minerals
and oil or wealth of the immediate family; the eighth is money made through extended family connections, other people
(such as corporations or institutions) or inheritance; the eleventh is abundance to be attracted through community connections, networking
and friends. In synestry, mutual hard aspects given some ease by harmonious aspects from the personal
planets can indicate a dynamic financial partnership; the interplay of Jupiter (over the top), Saturn (restrictive)
or Uranus (disruptive, changeable) in aspect can make the situation more complicated and prone to stress,
whether the aspects are hard or soft. Jupiter and Venus are the classic indicators for all matters financial, however
don't discount Pluto as a power-player and Saturn for taking responsibility. Uranus is always active in the charts
of creative entrepreneurs, and Mars provides the get up and go to compete, however Neptune is not always grounded in
reality or interested in balancing the checkbook.
- Is there balance in the relationship: Or is there a giver and a taker, a teacher and a pupil,
a parent and a child; one who dominates and one who submits? There is no such thing as a relationship of
perfect equals on the earthly plane; the interplay is meant to be dynamic, as responsibilities
and needs shifted and shared through time. Major problems develop when the partners in a mutual play make
a contract that lock each other into a static state reflective of an unequal value in status, therefore subject
to power abuse or the with holding of funds, affection or approval by another. Once again, mutual Moon, Sun,
Mars, Saturn and the outer planets in sign and engaged by aspect can provide much information. Another useful
indicator involves the overall pattern of planet placement both in an individual's chart and as the planetary
groupings of two person's correlate when place in synestry.
For example, an individual who has many natal planets placed very close together tends to focus and concentrate
their energy into a few key areas of interest; they are already learning lessons of balance, as in
acknowledging the reality of the existence of other people or the value of maintaining a healthy body.
Two people with a concentration of natal planets either in the same quadrant of the horoscope
or the one right next door will have a mutual task of achieving balance with those areas of life represented by
the empty side of the chart; there will be no relief via the other "doing it for you" in compensation. For example
what nature of creature is the mutual private life, if one in a partnership has an intense focus into career,
the other specialises in nurturing themselves at spiritual retreats?
Another spectacular arrangement involves planets arranged as a see-saw on two sides of
the chart; for an individual this indicates a tendency to polarize between extremes in behavior; which can be
expressed by cycles of introversion versus extroversion, interaction versus withdrawal, bi-polar mood swings,
obsessive-compulsive habits or even projecting an entire aspect of psyche, for example emotional-feeling or
creative-aggressive components, onto others. In partnership, two people with a majority of
planets occupying either side of a see-saw or in square through synestry would commonly be seeking to complete
or heal a missing part of themselves through relationship with the other. This dynamic often plays out as intense,
compulsive attraction in the beginning, followed by war and then repulsion in the longer haul, unless the shadow side
of what has been rejected by self is held up to the light and integrated. Even then the relationship may not persist
as the hapless other is no longer needed as an adversary, parent, money box, exotic alien, rebel against society, servant or
burden of responsibility.
In a nutshell, the most functional relationships have many planetary aspects between them, both hard and soft.
Commonly there are two or three complex planetary aspects present such as a t-square, mystic rectangle or grand trine,
and someone's personal planet in sextile or trine to individual planets in opposition can oil the gears of compromise.
Couples with a synestry of many planets in one quadrant of a horoscope chart or mostly easy aspects of sextile
and trine can be great friends but are more prone to grow apart or fall prey to boredom over time, as there is less contrast,
friction and spice available to feed the forces of Eros.
- What is the extrovert-introvert blend? An introvert commonly has many planets located in the left lower
quadrant of chart; the extrovert commonly has many located in the right upper quadrant. Most social and transpersonal
planets in one half of the chart, with all personal planets located in the other gives an interesting picture
of one who displays one sort of persona in public, another in private. There are of course, many
other aspect-sign-planet combinations that make for sociability versus desire for a private life. Moon-Saturn in
Libra and the fourth house, for example will likely need time to brood alone, at home but also needs the family to show up
for dinner.
- Speaking and listening to each other? The primary planetary indicator to use is Mercury, which
rules the facilities of thought and speech. Within a natal chart Mercury takes on many flavors
depending on the sign it is located in natally and the aspects it makes to other planets. For example
Mercury in Pisces would rather use telepathy than words to communicate, whereas a Gemini Mercury never shuts down the verbage.
A potential relationship can go a long way on mutual Mercuries being in good aspect and/or sign harmony to
one another, as in Mercury in Aries conjunct (next to) another Mercury in Aries or trine to one in
another fire sign (Leo or Sagittarius). Clear communication becomes more challenging when mutual Mercuries are antagonistic
by sign, for example a heart-felt Mercury in Cancer trying to get touchy-feeley with glacial Mercury in Aquarius
as in an itchy quincunx aspect; these arrangements indicate difficulty in meeting on the same page let alone
in the same room, or speaking in terms that are understandable to one other. Mercuries in square or opposition to one
another tend to exchange by quarrel and quibble, or can refuse on occasion to talk at all.
Another adventure awaits with an afflicted Mercury, as when in square or opposition with Neptune; in a natal chart this combination is classic
for one who is prone to lie or mislead, or who is honest enough but cannot always put what they are thinking or feeling
accurately into words. This aspect occurring between two people can be very good for making or watching movies together.
If both individuals have hard Mercury-Neptune contacts, we can hope that both entertain the same ethics and hold the
same illusions in common, not so bad. Mercury afflicted by Uranus tends to shoot from the hip, be argumentative
and ever restless in movement; Mecury in a hard dance with Pluto will likely be blunt and to the point, but is
less likely to always consider those sensative feelings or be much of a diplomat. Mercury in hard aspect to Saturn or
Mars in an individual's chart can make for criticism, perfectionism or unpleasant loss of temper; in synestry with
another's planets any of this combo can set off fireworks, humiliate or inspire into action. Mix the Moon in and we can
get deeply emotional, feelings easily hurt or reversion to unfortunate communication patterns originating in childhood,
usually involving mother.
- How would children fit into the picture?? Children are ruled by the fifth house of a
horoscope chart, while indications for adopted or foster children are to be found in the eleventh house. It is likely
useful to examine the natal charts of each person interested in partnership first, before putting the charts together
for purposes of synestry. Considered separately, a natal chart can provide much insight into how an individual was treated
as a child, the potentials for fertility and of course themes and attitudes they would have around raising children in general.
An individual chart with hard contacts and complex aspect patterns especially involving the fourth, fifth, eighth, tenth or eleventh houses,
or the parental signs Cancer and Capricorn prominent, likely has had serious dealings with family matters and parental influences already.
Children brought in from a previous relationship are unique souls with their own wants and needs;
therefore a synestry comparison between the potential parter and each child in question might provide the most useful information.
Hard aspects involving mutual Sun, Moon, Mars or Saturn could certainly indicate some hard work ahead with personality clashes,
keeping the peace or establishing boundaries of respect. If the outer, transpersonal planets of one individual meet in hard aspect to the
personal planets of another, this can indicate unconscious triggers operating to generate friction out of personal
interaction, that are not always fairly or easily going to be resolved.
One person's Saturn in the fifth or eleventh house of another or making hard aspects to those houses
generally indicates either few children or those that appear could be a disappointment or burden of
responsibility in some way. Uranus placed in the same fashion indicates potential for rebellion and disruption, sometimes
the task of dealing with potential genius. A Neptune placement can indicate issues with drug or alcohol use, sometimes
mental instability; positively, Neptune can foster artistic development, spark an interest in metaphysical matters or promote ideals
by which to live. A potential partner's Saturn, Uranus, Neptune or Pluto in hard aspect to a child's Ascendant or
planets in the angular houses, including the first house of basic persona, the fourth house of root psyche and home,
the seventh of partners, enemies and projected parts of self; or the tenth of dealings with authority, would call for
special sensitivity on the part of the adult, to realize the great impact their attitudes positive or negative,
would have on the child's growth and development.
- What about projecting needs, falling in love with an illusion, demanding perfection? Mr. Neptune,
the king of illusion and deception is always involved in these permutations. Placements to look for include one
person's Neptune in their own or another's seventh house of partners; or Neptune riding high on one of
the angles. Neptune in a dance with Mercury, Mars or Venus does potentially invite complications in the
form of unrealistic expectations, deception, with holding information, rose-colored glasses or
a diffusing of partnership energy otherwise directed forward. Otherwise, Neptune moves slowly in the heavens therefore
two people could share a similar Neptune placement, therefore sharing the same dreams, illusions or need for an
afternoon cocktail. Between parents, grand-parents and children one person's Neptune or Uranus can be in square to the other's,
an indicator for potentially serious differences in spiritual beliefs and/ or the deployment of creative energy. Or one's Uranus
in square to another's Neptune does not make an easy meeting ground between mutual ideals, ethics and
sense of reality. Unrealistic expectations, demands for perfection or a compulsive need for control can also issue forth from a
natal concentration of planets particularly in Scorpio, Taurus, Sagittarius, Virgo or Pisces; also, consider someone's heavy-handed
Saturn sitting on another's Sun, Moon or Nodes of the Moon, it can get tiresome over time.
