A Basic Meaning of Aspects
This is about the relationship of various aspects(conjunction, inconjunction
etc.) to house structure, and thus establishing a basic meaning for the aspect
when used classical astrological prediction(secondary progressions and transits,
mostly). Remember, what I am explaining here has no current analog in 5th
stage psychological astrology.
You may wish to explore that yourself. Since I firmly believe
that ASTROLOGY IS ASTROLOGY, I cannot only believe that it remains discoverable
for the earnest student.
Another point to remember about progressions specifically is their degree
of action is strictly dependent on having the progressed aspect an angular
cusp, a planet in an angular house, or to the ruler of the Ascendant. Unless
one of these three happens, the circumstance that is being looked at will
affect others or people or people in his circle of friends, but not so much
of the individual himself. And also, he will not be aware of its impact on
these others until later for a succeedent house and MUCH, MUCH later for a
cadent house.
The basic meaning of an aspect is always based on the distance from the the
first cusp no matter what kind of chart it actually occurs in.
I posit two kinds of aspects: the capacitor aspects and the expender aspects.
The first appears to provide only a status quo, a continuance of what is.
But they are far more than that. Everything that exists, exists as a yin/yang
process. Whenever you see the capacitor aspects, look at them not as boring,
but as those which are storing energy in the chart for the expender aspects.
A chart with only trines and sextiles will leave a person with an enormous
well of stored energy, but no place to put them. “He was all dressed
up but had no place to go.”
The Expender aspects are those where energy is exspended in action. These
are more exciting because you can see things happening. However, a chart with
mostly expender aspects will be the chart of a worn out person who is unable
to develop enough energy to keep a sustained project going. “He had so
many places to go, that he let his wardrobe go completely to hell.”
THE ZODIACAL CAPACITOR ASPECTS
THE CONJUNCTION:
The conjunction is the most personal of the aspects as it matches the first
house. A progressed planet that functions in a conjunction to the ascendant,
the ruler of the ascendant, or a planet in the first house is a guarantee
of activity of a first house nature.
THE SEMI-SEXTILE
The semi-sextile is clearly a minor aspect, and stimulates minor events. Often
we call it “given 1/2 of a chance.” Since it measures to the asc
from both the 2nd and the 12th houses it will impact a slight more favorable
set of circumstances that are more likely to involve issues that are financial
interest or show getting help from others, or on the 12th house side a slight
greater chance of preparing self-protection of interests.
THE SEXTILE
The sextile is commonly considered an aspect that gives a chance. This is
obviously more impactive than the semi-sextile, which only gives “half
of a chance.” Its measurement to the 3rd house suggests a chance positive
impact with issues relating to travel, communicating, friends, relatives,
and on the 11th house side, unforeseen circumstances that give a positive
direction as well as a positive movement toward ones hopes and wishes.
Having the progression or transit in a sextile to an Rx planet has that tendency
to keep returning to it, and perhaps not accepting opportunity’s knock
the first time, only to discover that opportunity has left and gone to ask
someone else. It has a kind of VOC planetary feel, and if the Moon in the
chart was in fact VOC, then it would be the second of Ivy’s three rules
for finding stuff in charts.
THE TRINE:
The trine measures to the 5th and 9th cusps, so that the little effort gain
is more likely to be associated with speculations, and children, as a well
as religion, rituals, long journeys, dreams and publishing. An aspect at the
same time in another direction that is a square will mitigate the benefits.
THE PARALLEL
A parallel should be considered as strong as a conjunction. If both planets
are in they same hemisphere the strength will be maintained, but if they are
in opposite hemispheres, one cannot consider this to be a long term stability.
The semi-sextile, sextile, trine, conjunction, and parallel are often considered
keepers of the status quo and not considered changers of events. Because they
don’t bring a requirement of forced action they can be considered BORING,
but they have a purpose, and sometimes maintenance and little more of the
same is important. These four are the capacitors of the zodiac. You must build
up energy before you can expend it. So remember that these status quo aspects
are allowing you to build up the energy necessary to deal with the changes
brought about by the more active aspects.
THE ZODIACAL ENERGY EXPENDING ASPECTS
THE SQUARE
The square measures to the 4th and 10th cusps. As these square the first house
the action of the square, a forcing of action, tend to affect the first house
and its issues. More often than not, squares in the chart are likely to affect
issues of the 4th and 10th houses first, even of the square is to a planet
in another house. With the fourth and 10th houses on an axis from each other,
things that happen in the home affect things that happen in the career, and
vice versa. If the Progressing or transiting planet aspects a planet other
than Venus or Jupiter, one needs to be aware of the potential for worry, illness,
or something that combines the two.
THE SESQUARE(135 DEGREES)
This is the other half of a semi-square, and puts it in the middle of the
5th and the 9th houses. Generally its affect, in addition to the planet the
progressed planet is aspecting to, is an unfavorable situation involving loss
in anything that has a measure of speculation to it(or in other words a kind
of bad luck) as well as not a obviously positive circumstance for publishing,
educational or religious issues.
THE INCONJUNCT
This aspect measures to the 6th and 8th houses. As such the impact is likely
to have some involvement with things unraveling or changes involving money
that other people own or want from you. It also has the characteristic of
sneaking up on you, and forcing a reorganization of what you thought things
were going for. The Inconjunct ins clearly the planet of the Murphy’s
law of: “things always cost more and take more time that you figured
they would.”
THE OPPOSITION
The opposition measures to the 7th cusp. Oppositions generally have the flavor
of circumstances where other people are involved in a contract where the rights
are equal. And of course, just like the natal, predictive chart with an opposition
leaves one without a direct action required. Look to the created square in
the appropriate house for the action that is necessary for the opposition.
ERIC
Copyright©Eric J. Uberseder, 2002