Wellness for Peace Education on Climate Change: Compatibility in Western astrology

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Compatibility in Western astrology

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astrological_compatibility

The first concept to be understood is that the different planets correspond to different kinds of love.

Venus is the planet of affection, attraction and/or romantic love. Venus is associated with the Zodiac signs Libra and Taurus. Mars is the planet of sex and passion; Martian love was called Eros by the Greeks. Mars is associated with the signs Aries and Scorpio. The Sun, which is associated with Leo, is also a symbol for love—the kind of love that is mutual honor, respect and an appreciation for each other as equals. The Greek word for this type of love is perhaps Philia. Agape is the love of God or the unconditional spiritual love. In modern astrology Agape might be associated with the planet Neptune or Jupiter, rulers of the spiritual sign Pisces.

A person is often a mix or blend of energies as described in the natal chart. The natal chart also tells the interpreter how or the manner in which someone loves. For example, if someone has Venus in Scorpio they will have a tendency to give affection in an emotionally intense, possibly mystical, way. If someone has a Mars in Taurus, their erotic style of loving will be sensual and slow.

When astrologers speak of aspects, they describe the relationships between the planets or energies. Each person has aspects or relationships between the planets in their birth (natal) charts that represent psychological strengths, weakness, natural blessings and personal demons. In synastry, or chart comparisons, aspects illustrate areas of ease and compatibility or challenge and incompatibility between the individuals studied.

Among certain astrologers, it is agreed that a relationship should balance strengths and weaknesses. Too much of even a seemingly good thing is often bland and unproductive, meaning that two "astronomical twins" who have the same planet alignments, were born at the same time, in the same place, etc, are not always the most compatible. Rarely are even the most narcissistic of people excited about the possibility of being in a relationship with themselves. So healthy or positive synastry between two charts is about blending and complementing another’s energies to create a healthy synergy.

Consider the zodiac as a circle or belt of fixed stars surrounding the Solar System. These fixed stars serve as “landmarks” in the sky. As the planets orbit the sun at their respective speeds and rhythms, when viewed from earth they appear to be in a particular constellation of the zodiac (area of the sky). Aspects have to do with the distance between planets as they travel. Aspects are measured in degrees since they all are moving within a big circle around the sun. Each of the 12 signs of the Zodiac occupies 30 degrees of the 360 degree circle. For example, if Mars is passing through the area of Virgo and Venus is traveling through Capricorn, at a certain time they will be exactly 120 degrees apart. This aspect is called a trine. A trine is considered the most positive aspect or relationship because it is between similar energies and therefore easily blended. In this example it is between the earth signs Virgo and Capricorn. If, however, Mars was in Virgo but Venus was in Scorpio, this aspect would be a sextile or 60 degrees apart. They are separated by one sign or constellation between them. The sextile is also a positive aspect because the energies complement one another. In this case they represent the elements of earth and water, which in nature need or support each other.

Astrology has a base-12 cycle in common with music. In music theory there are intervals which are more harmonious than others. If music theory can be applied to astrology, then the most harmonious to least harmonious aspects are conjunction, quincunx, sextile, square, trine, semisextile and opposition.

In practice the trine and sextile are considered the most positive aspects, the square (90 degrees) is the most negative, and the opposition (180 degrees) and conjunction (0 degrees) could be either bad or good depending on the kind of energies involved. An opposition of energies can be an ongoing battle or balance. A conjunction, meaning planets standing together in the same sign, can be a beautiful blend, e.g.,Moon/ Venus (emotions and affections) or frustrating—Saturn/Mars (Stop and Go). Again, conjunctions can be positive aspects in a chart when they are energies that blend or complement one another, but if they are energies that naturally oppose or antagonize each other, a conjunction is NOT a good thing. There is one exception, however, and that is the combination of Mars and Venus.

In a compatibility chart between a man and woman when a man's Mars is conjunct with (in the same position as) a woman’s Venus, this denotes a very primal and urgent attraction. They represent the opposite energies in the zodiac and in nature. Venus is the Female principle and Mars is the Male. The combination of attraction /Affection (Venus) and Passion (Mars) is 'the stuff of great love stories'.