signs that semisextile: these signs may first appear they truely have nothing in common, in fact you wouldn’t think they are meant for each other but after they get to know each other with through steps and be patient, they can find stability in each other:
aries/taurus: self-care/perservation
taurus/gemini: realistic/logical thinking
gemini/cancer: curiosity
cancer/leo: passionate love emotions
leo/virgo: extroverted nature
virgo/libra: difficult making choices
libra/scorpio: straight-forward strategic
scorpio/sagittarius: adventurous seeking ideas
sagittarius/capricorn: principals
capricorn/aquarius: mental
aquarius/pisces: uniqueness
signs that sextile: these signs compliment each other, but are different in temperature. they can see each other weaknesses and strengths in each other. they share compatible elements and mixed modes.
aries/gemini: children/students of the zodiac
taurus/cancer: healers/care-takers of the zodiac
gemini/leo: actors of the zodiac
cancer/virgo: mothers of the zodiac
leo/libra: lovers of the zodiac
virgo/scorpio: analyzers/fbi of the zodiac
libra/sagittarius: optimists/pyschologists of the zodiac
scorpio/capricorn: professionals of the zodiac
sagittarius/aquarius: entertainers of the zodiac
capricorn/pisces: politicans of the zodiac
aquarius/aries: rebels of the zodiac
pisces/taurus: fairys of the zodiac
signs that trine: these signs may astrologers believe to be the best relationships you can have as a person, with the most depth and understanding for each other. they have very similar approaches to life and tend to see everything eye to eye. these are the signs that share the same element.
aries/leo: independent
leo/sagittarius: entertainers
sagittarius/aries: risk takers
taurus/virgo: hard workers
virgo/capricorn: perfectionists
capricorn/taurus: materialists
gemini/libra: socialites
libra/aquarius: philosophers
aquarius/gemini: intellectuals
cancer/scorpio: homebodies
scorpio/pisces: intuitive
pisces/cancer: sensitive
signs that square: traditionally known to be stressing each other out, often rub each other the other way around. these signs are those that share the same mode and differ in masculinity/feminity.
aries/cancer: cardinal fire and cardinal water (lighting and water)
cancer/libra: cardinal water and cardinal air (water and smoke)
libra/capricorn: cardinal air and cardinal earth (smoke and mud)
capricorn/aries: cardinal earth and cardinal fire (mud and lighting)
taurus/leo: fixed earth and fixed fire (rock and lava)
leo/scorpio: fixed fire and fixed water (lava and ice)
scorpio/aquarius: fixed water and fixed air (ice and cloud)
aquarius/taurus: fixed air and fixed earth (cloud and rock)
gemini/virgo: mutable air and mutable earth (wind and sand)
virgo/sagittarius: mutable earth and mutable fire (sand and fire)
sagittarius/pisces: mutable fire and mutable water (fire and mist)
pisces/gemini: mutable water and mutable air (mist and wind)
signs that quincunx: these signs can often irritate each other and are thought as oddball cominations. they help one another and find sensible ways of adjusting faulty attitudes.these signs have dissimilar elements and modes.
aries/virgo: both want quick and easy acess
taurus/libra: both need gentleness from others
gemini/scorpio: both want to know the ‘’how’s’’ and ‘’why’s’’
cancer/sagittarius: both need a sense of family and belonging
leo/capricorn: both like to take charge
virgo/aquarius: both have a need to change the world
libra/pisces: both are understanding and supportive of those in need
scorpio/aries: both love to test the boundries
sagittarius/taurus: both want to feel rewarded by life
capricorn/gemini: both prefer rationality by emotions
aquarius/cancer: both show an ever changing nature
pisces/leo: both share in an innocent type of optimistic hopefulness
signs that oppose: these are the signs thare are 180 degress apart directly facing each other. they tend to be and act as complete opposities, but also fitting perfectly. they complete each other and this is way a lot of astrologers think of them as soulmates. these signs are members of the same mode and have compatible elements (air and fire or earth and water)
aries/ibra: leaders of the zodiac (initiator and judge)
taurus/scorpio: caretakers of the zodiac (physical and emotional)
gemini/sagittarius: explorers of the zodiac (scholar and adventurer)
cancer/capricorn: parents of the zodiac (mother and father)
leo/aquarius: humanitarians of the zodiac (hero and villian)
virgo/pisces: dreamers of the zodiac (intellectual and imgination)
every chart has aspects, and those aspects can fall into a pattern. probably the most well-known is the grand trine. the element or modality in which the pattern falls is also important for the meaning, so i’ll explain the 4 most important patterns (imo) (and a bonus one :P) with elements and modality explanation and how it’s formed.
i also made a key at the bottom of the post if you don’t know the meaning of elements, modality, polarity, or if you don’t know the signs of fixed, fire, feminine etc.
if you don’t know if you have any patterns in your chart, you can simply find it onhttps://astro-charts.com/, fill in your info and scroll down a bit (it should under the normal aspects), if you don’t have any aspect pattern, you won’t see this section (you might also have a pattern i won’t explain, such as a stellium).
i also recommend to google the patterns, since it’s kinda hard to explain on paper what they look like.
grand trine
the grand trine is formed when 3 planets make a trine between 3 different signs (≈ 120º), usually in the same element.
the grand trine is a very powerful pattern because the trines strengthen each other. even tho the grand trine encourages talent and expression, a thing that is overlooked a lot is that there is a lack of tension, which can make the person have increased self-awareness, especially if there is a lack of square and oppositions in general.
fire grand trines: this makes you a proud and enthusiastic person, you are creative and like to express yourself. but be careful, because this pattern can make you have a god complex (because the grand trine is the strongest in the element of fire), which can be damaging to others.
earth grand trines: you have a good sense of stability and security of yourself and others and you hold a lot of power. people with a grand trine in earth signs tend to be organized and are creatively resourceful.
air grand trines: you are very curious and idealistic and you have a broad view on life. you’re also very intellectual and easy going. people with a grand trine in air signs also tend to have a lot of friends.
water grand trines: this pattern makes you highly intuitive and very creative. you are empathic and understand others quite easily. you have broad imagination, and also this grand trine can make you idealistic and a dreamer.
grand square/T-square
since the grand square and T-square are really alike and share many things, i decided to combined to two.
the grand square, also known as grand cross, forms when a planet squares (≈ 90º) two planets (in different signs) and also opposites (≈ 180º) a third planet. so that it forms 4 squares with 2 oppositions, making a big cross and square.
the T-square does the same, except it misses one of the squares, which also means it doesn’t have the second opposition. it’s called a T-square because people say it forms a T, but i personally don’t really see that, so i’d rather describe it as a triangle with 2 squares and an opposition (i’m sorry if this description is chaotic, it’s kind hard to explain, so I recommend to look it up (just google ‘T-square astrology’) or check if you have a T-square on astro-charts).
what they have in common is that they both have oppositions and squares, which can be very challenging. the other thing that makes them alike is that the planets (usually) fall in the same modality. having a grand cross or T-square makes you in general very goal orientated and you are willing to work hard to achieve your dreams. it could also make you want to have power and control.
cardinal grand cross or T-square: with the cardinal energy in this pattern, you want to achieve your goals all at the same time, which makes you ambitious but also blinded by what you want to achieve. these people are natural leaders and like having power. this pattern can also make you disoriented, because your ideals can be quite contradictory.
fixed grand cross or T-square: this can be a very hard pattern, due to the lack of flexibility, you want to be secure in everything you do. even tho it can be hard for others, this pattern also makes you very strong, determined and high self-worth (this pattern gives me so much royal vibes ngl). you like your comfort, but in order to move forward, you have to learn to go with the flow sometimes.
mutual grand cross or T-square: a grand cross/T-square in this modality makes you a person that’s very focused on healing, reasoning, teaching and integrating. with your thoughts and emotions. unlike the fixed pattern, you have a strong desire to just go with the flow, but make sure you don’t wander around your ideas and that you stay focused on your goal. this pattern can also make you very spiritual and interested in witchy things.
mystic rectangle
this kinda rare rectangle forms with 2 sextiles (≈ 60º), 2 trines (≈ 120 º) and 2 oppositions (≈ 180º) forming a rectangle with each other. this is a quite mild and harmonious pattern, because it balanced with either feminine or masculine energy. as long there’s not too much energy focused on only one of the planets, it should make you a very mindful person. if the balance is off, you can become self-contained and crave and hold too much power. a wedge is a half rectangle (so 1 sextile, 1 trine, 1 opposition) and is quite common unlike the rectangle. it’s also definitely not as powerful, but you can still share the same traits that a rectangle has.
masculine rectangle: you’re probably quite extroverted and like to explore the world. you express your energy outwards and like to entertain others. your actions are powerful and strong and you like adventures.
feminine rectangle: great change that you’re an introvert. you like to explore your own mind and express your energy inwards. your mind is vivid and powerful. if there’s strong mercury influences, it can also make you quite smart.
yod(bonus)
the yod, also known as the finger of god, forms with a planet that makes two quincunxes with different signs (≈ 150 º) and a sextile (≈ 60 º) between those signs. it doesn’t hold a certain energy through an element, modality or polarity like the others, so that’s why it’s a bonus. In general, the yod is a very very challenging pattern, but with lots of learning and growing it’ll make you very spiritual and aware (like god or smth :P). there will be a certain ongoing theme in your life, which is usually a difficult theme, it will take time, skill and practise to grow out of this certain theme. Look at the planets (and houses!!!) involved in the yod to know where you should put your focus on in life in order to overgrow the difficulty.
Simply put, aspects are the relationships made between planets. It’s how their energies interact with one another mathematically. Aspects (geometrically) are the slices of our Natal wheel, the Zodiac Circle. This circle adds up to 360 degrees. Half of the circle will give you 180 degrees, or an opposition. Dividing this circle into four equal parts will give you 90 degrees, or a square.
The Conjunction:
Conjunctions are planets that are very close together falling 0-10 degrees away from each other. Conjunctions can be described as easy as well as hard aspects depending on which planets are involved in the conjunction. A conjunction is the integration of two planetary energies. For instance, a Sun conjunct Venus aspect would indicate the Sun’s ego blends well with Venus’s grace and charm making for an optimistic, social individual on a surface level. This would be considered an “easy” conjunction. However, Mars conjunct Saturn would be a more difficult conjunction as Mars may feel restricted under Saturn’s rules and regulations, expressing themselves could seem harder, or center their energy on success and work while desensitizing them to emotion. Conjunctions typically fall under the same sign but there are still Out-of-Sign Conjunctions which are planets 0-10 degrees away from each other but occupying different signs.
The Opposition:
In case you didn’t get an inkling by it’s name, this is a hard aspect.Like mentioned above, oppositions are 180 degrees apart, meaning planets that are in opposition to one another are directly across each other on the wheel.Forexample the 1st house opposes the 7th house, the 2nd house opposes the 8th. Oppositions are like two energies on a seesaw, one goes up the other goes down. These two energies need balancing as they can swing from extreme to extreme. For instance, someone with moon opposite Pluto would struggle with integrating their emotional needs and comfort with their desire for power, control and strength. Creating a “ticking time bomb” like individual, due to suppressing (Pluto) their emotions (moon) for long periods of time till it all bubbles up to the surface resulting in explosions and outbursts. Oppositions are not a death sentence and can be remedied. In fact, oppositions are quite complimentary energies to one another, as the saying goes “Opposites attract.” (Determine what Signs Oppose each other here.)
The Square:
Squares are formed by 90 degree angles and for the most part can be found by counting three houses away from each other. Squares are also regarded as difficult aspects as the planetary energies here are having difficulty blending together. I usually describe a square between two planets as the planets are having a consistent argument between each other. They’re fighting. Squares highlight our inner conflicts and where we are challenged.Sun square moon would highlight where our emotional nature conflicts with our ego and outer persona. Squares lead to the most growth as they cause the most stress. Here is where we are challenged again and again until we get it right. Knowing the source of these conflicts give us a better handle on them and more control. (Determine what Signs Square each otherhere.)
The Trine:
Trines are formed by 120 degree angles, mathematically found by dividing the Zodiac circle by three. Trines are very easy aspects as the two planetary energies integrate harmoniously without any effort. Trines are the talents that come naturally to us, without a second thought. Here are the things that “fall into our lap.” At times these energies flow so easily through us we don’t even notice them, so a lot of times our trines are overlooked and taken for granted. For example, Moon trine Neptune can indicate a natural empathic and intuitive nature, easily picking up on energies of their environment and others. However, these individuals can have a tendency to ignore/distrust their inner voice and intuition telling them that someone is giving off a bad vibe. (Determine what Signs Trine each other here.)
The Sextile:
If you divide the Zodiac Circle by six you’d end up with a 60 degree angle, which is half a trine, or in other words a Sextile. The Sextile functions a lot like the trine except that it requires a bit of effort. These energies reflect our potential gifts and talents that we have to tap into. Unlike the trine, these energies are more apparent to us. For instance, Venus sextile Neptune can point to potential artistic abilities, the individual may have always had a quiet yearning to indulge in the arts. It’s not until they pick up a paintbrush and discover that they’re a Picasso incarnate. This is a harmonious aspect as the planetary energies here work together as friends. The Sextile points to gifts and skills we can access with ease. We work fluently and efficiently with ourselves here. (Determine what Signs Sextile each other here.)
This will be the thirteenth and final post in my series on astrological magic. Since I’ve gone over most of the basic knowledge you need in order to successfully use astrological magic, this post will contain some additional tips and little bits of information that didn’t fit neatly into any of the other posts. Remember that none of the individual posts in this series contain enough information to give you complete results. Please be careful, and feel free to ask us if you have any questions.
The Ruler of the Chart:
I haven’t clearly explained the concept of a chart’s ruling planet yet, but it is fairly simple. Most astrologers just consider the planet which rules over the ascendant to be the ruler of the chart as a whole. It’s important to consider that when a planet rules over a chart, its power is augmented. This means you should think of the planet as dignified when it is in any normal location, and that when it’s in its detriment, it is reduced to its normal power, rather than below it. Naturally, then, when the planet ruling over the chart is exalted, it is particularly powerful, even more so than its exaltation usually allows.
The Chaldean Order:
I’ve talked about the Chaldean order a little bit before, but here I’ll give you a brief explanation as to what it is exactly, and then I’ll list the planets in that order for an easy reference. The Chaldean people ranked the seven traditional planets based on their apparent speed of motion in the sky. They considered the slower moving planets to be more powerful, and the faster planets to have less power, but more adaptability. Over time, they adapted a very complex system of symbolism based on their ranking of the planets. By incorporating the Chaldean order into sacred geometry and other systems of symbolism, they were able to determine how the planets rule over the days of the week, the hours of the day, various parts of the world, various religious practices, types of clothing, metals, plants, and animals. This system (which has steadily expanded since it was created) is still important in Hermeticism and many other occult traditions today.
The Chaldean order of the planets is as follows:
Saturn
Jupiter
Mars
The Sun
Venus
Mercury
The Moon
Rising and Descending Planets (and the Effects of their Hierarchies):
There is a fairly important concept which is rarely discussed in astrological texts, but which is very useful to understand in astrological magic. When a planet is rising, it’s useful to note that it has effects which are in accord with the planet above it in the Chaldean order. This means Saturn in particular carries the influence of the fixed stars when it’s rising. When a planet is descending, its influence is more in accord with the planet below it in the Chaldean order. For example, Saturn descending is very beneficial to Jupiter’s influence. The Moon is a fairly unique case, then, since while rising it is concurrent with Mercury, but while descending, it works in accord with some of the more earthly forces below it. In astrological magic, the Moon can usually be thought of as the focusing lens through which the powers of the other celestial bodies are projected down to Earth (this is why its position is considered particularly important in many magical traditions).
Reception:
I feel like should explain the concept of reception, since I mentioned it fairly often in some of the earlier posts in this series. In the simplest terms I can use, a reception occurs when a planet is at a favorable aspect with the planet which rules over (or is exalted in) the sign where it sits. It also occurs when a planet is at a favorable aspect to the ruler(s) of two of the following (which are considered lesser dignities): the term, triplicity, face, or decan where it sits.
For example, if Mercury sits in Leo while at a trine aspect to the Sun, then Mercury is being received by the Sun. This is the most basic kind of reception, and it’s called reception by sign. When a planet is received by another planet, it is given power and protection in accord to the powers of planet which is receiving it. In this hypothetical case, Mercury is given a much greater affinity for intellectual communications between the common people and those in positions of power, and it might also take on a much more financially adept nature than normal, allowing Mercurial energy to be directed in a way that allows it to help a person generate great profits (especially since Mercury rules over commerce, and Leo rules over wealth and riches).
There are also situations where two planets are in mutual reception to each other. This kind of astrological condition usually represents the mutual benefit of both of the celestial bodies involved.
A good example of two planets which are in mutual reception to each other is a chart where Venus is in Leo while at a square aspect with the Sun, which sits in Taurus. Despite the fact that a square is generally considered an unfavorable aspect, when both of the planets involved in the aspect are also in each other’s greater dignities, any aspect they share will usually become favorable, no matter how hostile or difficult the aspect is usually considered to be.
A slightly different example of mutual reception is a chart where the Moon sits in Pisces at a sextile aspect to Jupiter, which sits in Taurus. The primary difference here is that the Moon doesn’t actually rule over Taurus, but is just in its exaltation there. There aren’t any notable differences in the overall effects of a reception by exaltation as opposed to a reception by rulership, but it’s important to always be aware of the exaltations of the planets, and the effects they can have on a chart. Forgetting something which seems like a minor detail, like the fact that a planet is exalted or in reception, can lead to significant errors when you’re calculating a chart. When you’re looking at the astrological conditions of future days in order to determine the best time to work, it’s very important to look over the charts thoroughly, so you can use their powers efficiently, effectively, and accordingly.
The aspects are a fairly difficult area of astrology for many people to get comfortable with, although when you become familiar with them, they will prove to be very useful.
I’ll be using the word “perfect” fairly often in this section, and I want to clarify what I mean. In this context, as a verb, “to perfect an aspect” is to have two planets which are applying to an aspect with each other reach the point where they are in their aspect exactly, with 0ºdeviance from the exact distance of that aspect. For example, if two planets are applying to a trine aspect with each other, and they are about to perfect the trine, this means the two planets are arriving at the point where they are exactly 120º apart.
As an adjective, the meaning of a “perfect aspect” follows along the same reasoning. When an aspect is perfect, it is exact. A perfect trine aspect occurs when the two planets involved are exactly 120º apart. A perfect conjunction occurs when the two planets involved are exactly 0º apart.
To familiarize you with the basic properties of the various types of aspect, I’ll go into some detail about how they work, below.
Applying and Separating:
When two planets are at an approximate aspect with each other (most astrologers consider an approximate aspect to be anything within 10º of the perfect aspect), and they are moving closer to perfecting their aspect, it is usually said that the faster planet is applying to the slower one at whatever aspect is occurring. For example, if Venus and Mercury are 118º apart, and they are getting closer to a perfect trine aspect with each other, you could say that Mercury is applying to Venus at a trine aspect, since Mercury is the faster planet of the two, and it is “gaining ground” on Venus (there are also some contexts where it doesn’t matter which planet is moving faster, and they would both be said to be applying to the aspect).
When two planets have completed their perfect aspect, and are now starting to move away from the aspect they shared, it is usually said that the faster planet is separating from the slower one at whatever aspect is occurring. For example, if Mercury and Venus had just completed their perfect trine aspect as I described in the example above, and Mercury is now moving past the perfect trine so the two planets are now 122º apart, you could say that Mercury is separating from a trine aspect with Venus. Since Mercury is the faster planet of the two, it is the planet which is increasing the distance between Venus and Mercury’s trine aspect. This is why Mercury is said to be separating (though as above, there are some contexts where it doesn’t matter which planet is moving faster, and you would simply say that both planets are separating from the aspect).
Conjunction:
A conjunction is probably the most influential aspect which can occur in a chart. When two planets are conjunct, their energy is blended, and the conjunction is considered a single source of energy, rather than two separate planets exerting their influence. Depending on the planets involved, this can be good or bad. It’s also important to understand that some planets are more powerful than others, meaning a conjunction isn’t necessarily an equal blend of two planets. Some texts on astrological magic say that conjunctions can have three basic properties. These properties are increases, decreases, and balances. In astrological magic, it’s generally accepted that the power of a planet in conjunction is usually determined by its place in the Chaldean order. This means Saturn’s influence is generally the most powerful, while Jupiter’s power is almost always equal to it (except in a few cases). To help illustrate the way a conjunction works, I’ll briefly describe some conjunctions involving Saturn.
Saturn and Jupiter are almost always equal in power when they are conjunct. If both planets are somehow dignified, then Jupiter will be more powerful than Saturn in the conjunction. If Jupiter is dignified, but Saturn is direct and exalted, Saturn will usually be equal. If Jupiter is weakened or in its detriment, and Saturn is not, then Saturn’s power will be dominant in the conjunction, especially if Saturn is dignified or exalted.
Saturn and Mars are an interesting conjunction, because although Saturn is the most powerful planet involved, the martial influence will almost always be prominent and noticeable here. This is because Mars and Saturn are generally “friendly” toward each other. If Saturn is direct and dignified or exalted, you may not see as much influence from Mars in this kind of conjunction. If Mars is in a similarly powerful position, and Saturn is weakened, you may see Mars dominate this conjunction, though Saturn’s influence is never obscured by Mars.
When Saturn is in conjunction with the Sun, this is generally considered a difficult position, unless they are in a sign ruled by Saturn, in which case they can be very powerful and agreeable to each other. As with any planet besides the Moon, if Saturn is close enough to the Sun to be in combustion, its effects are completely negated or obscured, and it you might not be able to find any Saturnine effects whatsoever in the chart.
Saturn conjunct Venus generally favors Saturn. If Saturn is weakened or in its detriment, while Venus is exalted or in a sign where it rules, you may see their influences manifest fairly equally. In nearly any other situation, though, Saturn is easily the most powerful influence of the two, taking very little influence from Venus.
Saturn conjunct Mercury is an easy situation for Saturn. It is extremely rare for Mercury’s influence to be prominent in this situation. Usually, you’ll see Mercury’s effects severely inhibited in this position. For any work involving language, communication, travel, math, trickery, or intelligence, this conjunction will cause great difficulty. If Mercury is exalted and Saturn is weakened significantly, you might see some more influence from Mercury here, but Saturn will invariably remain dominant, since Mercury’s role in a conjunction almost always serves to further intellectually articulate the influence of the planet it is conjunct with. This basically makes a conjunction between Mercury and Saturn function just like Saturn, but with a greater affinity for situations concerning intelligent thought, communication, and logic. When this conjunction is taking place, the things people say might generally tend toward the emotionally heavy.
Saturn and the Moon are an important conjunction to understand. Clearly, since Saturn’s effects are more powerful, it is by far the most dominant force in this conjunction, though the Moon’s influence is still present to some extent. However, there are times when the Moon’s influence is not so obscured. If Saturn is in a weakened position or its detriment, and the Moon is dignified, then the Moon’s influence will be greater than that of Saturn. If the Moon is not dignified, though, Saturn’s influence will almost always outweigh that of the Moon, even if Saturn is weakened. If Saturn is dignified, and the Moon is in a weakened position or its detriment, then the effects of the Moon in a conjunction will be nearly impossible to identify, and the conjunction will work almost as if it were just an augmented Saturn. In some rare cases, the Moon is slower than usual in its motion. If the Moon happens to be moving at a similar speed to Saturn, their effects will be fairly evenly balanced. In conjunctions between Saturn and the Moon, it’s important to note that the Moon’s most powerful position is when it is rising, and Saturn’s most powerful position is when it is descending.
Stellium:
When more than two planets are conjunct to each other, and they are all in the same sign, this is called a stellium. When this occurs, you should think of all three of them as one combined energy, and you should be especially aware of the nature of the celestial bodies involved, since a stellium will almost always be one of the most powerful forces in a chart. If a particularly favorable stellium is occurring, it is probably a good idea to carry out certain things while you can (perhaps charge some talismans), so you’ll be able to harness the power of such an event before it’s over. Even if you don’t necessarily need a specific power when a potentially useful stellium occurs, I highly recommend that you try to store it for future use. Foresight is an extremely useful tool in any magical art.
Good aspects:
The “good” or “favorable” aspects in astrology are the trine and sextile aspects. A trine aspect occurs when two planets are approximately 120° apart from each other, and it is considered the most favorable aspect possible. A sextile aspect occurs when two planets are approximately 60° apart from each other, and though not as good as a trine, is considered to be a favorable aspect.
A trine aspect is the most naturally manifested positive aspect. When two planets are at a trine aspect with each other, they are each lending beneficial energy to the other. Consider that in most cases, this is even considered positive if one of the planets involved is considered unfortunate. For example, Venus at a trine to Saturn does not harm the influence of either planet, but rather, Venus is strengthened and given greater emotional depth and responsibility, while Saturn benefits by gaining more expressly benevolent properties, and becomes generally more cheerful. Keep in mind that there are still plenty of situations where any two given planets are better off without any aspects at all, regardless of whether they are good aspects such as trine (this is briefly discussed in some of the earlier postsof this series,where I discussthe placementof the planetsand other influences).
A sextile aspect is the lesser of the good aspects. When two planets share a sextile aspect, they are only beneficial to each other if we go to the effort to cultivate the connection between them, and to consciously work toward fulfilling the potential of their aspect. Otherwise, we should consider the nature of this aspect basically the same as a trine, but altogether capable of being less powerful.
Bad aspects:
The “bad” or “hostile” aspects are the opposition and square. An opposition occurs when two planets are approximately 180° apart from each other (hence the name, implying they are opposite to each other in the chart), and is considered the most hostile aspect which can occur. A square aspect occurs when two planets are about 90° apart from each other, and is not as dire as opposition, but is still considered unfavorable and difficult.
An opposition is the most universally unfavorable aspect which can occur. Any two planets opposing each other causes a severe affliction to them both. Other factors are important, including whether either of the planets involved are at all dignified or in their detriments, and how powerful the concerned planets are on their own (based on the Chaldean order, as discussed above). Generally, it is considered extremely difficult (if not impossible) to reconcile an opposition between two planets, and when there is an opposition occurring, you should probably avoid trying to use the power of any of the planets involved.
A square is considered the lesser unfavorable aspect. The name is fairly indicative of the nature of this aspect. You could say that the planets involved are “squaring off,” or preparing to fight each other. Generally, this means that the relationship between the two celestial bodies involved is very volatile, and that making the wrong decision or move can cause major problems. Despite the volatility of the square, it can also be reconciled a lot more easily than an opposition. Think of it like a tense situation that you can defuse if you deal with it properly (as if you were mediating between two people who were about to fight).
Prohibition:
At some earlier point in this series, I have briefly mentioned a condition called prohibition which can afflict a planet. There are two kinds of prohibition. The first kind is called a bodily prohibition, or a conjunctive prohibition. A bodily prohibition occurs when two planets are applying to a conjunction, when a third planet swiftly overtakes both of the others, and completes a conjunction with the second planet (after also perfecting and separating from a conjunction with the first one in the process of overtaking it, of course) before the first two planets have had time to perfect their conjunction with each other. When this happens, the prohibiting planet is effectively stealing the prize of conjunction from the planet which gets left out, or prohibited. I’ve heard a bodily prohibition be described as a “planetary cock-block,” and I thought this was a fairly accurate way to simply and clearly express the nature and mood of this type of astrological condition. To be sure I’ve effectively explained how a bodily prohibition works, I’ll describe an example below.
When two planets are in the process of applying to a conjunction which, if perfected, promises the favorable or ideal ending of a thing (such as a magical work, a difficult time, or an event of any kind), all appears to be won. Consider, for example, that if the planets applying to their conjunction are, say, Mars at the 7º of Aries, and Saturn at the 12º of Aries, and they are ready and moving toward becoming perfectly conjunct (0º apart from each other, which we will say is the ideal astrological resolution to whatever hypothetical work we are carrying out). Now, just for the purpose of demonstration, let’s say that we hadn’t been paying attention when we were planning out the astrological conditions of the present time, and it just so happens that the Sun is very close behind Mars, currently at the 6º of Aries. Since the Sun moves significantly faster than both Mars and Saturn, we can predict that it will catch up to Mars, and form a perfect conjunction (which, when involving the Sun, is called combustion, and is considered a particularly unfortunate conjunction for whichever planet the Sun is incinerating) with it long before the desired Mars/Saturn conjunction can come about. But we also know that the Sun won’t just stop at that. It will completely overtake Mars, separating from it, and applying to a conjunction with Saturn, reaching full combustion of Saturn at 0º conjunct before Mars has a chance to do anything at all. When the Sun reaches Saturn after fully overtaking Mars, it is prohibiting Mars from uniting its energy with Saturn as planned, and it is prohibiting Saturn from exerting any power at all. When a prohibition of this kind occurs, you should basically consider the prohibited planet’s power negated for the duration of the prohibition, meaning the planet basically “loses a turn,” and does not get to express any power until it is free from the other celestial bodies involved in the prohibition.
The second type of prohibition is called prohibition by aspect, and it occurs when two planets are applying to a conjunction, and a third, faster planet located elsewhere in the chart overtakes any aspect (meaning this kind of prohibition is possible with trine, sextile, square, and opposing aspects) of one of the planets (perfecting the aspect in the process, and continuing on to separate from it, while beginning to apply to the same aspect of the next planet in the potential conjunction), and then proceeds to perfect the same type of aspect with the other planet, effectively prohibiting the two from achieving the power of their perfect conjunction. Below, I will describe an example of a prohibition by aspect, just to be sure I’m being articulate in my explanation.
Let’s imagine that Mars is at the 7º of Aries again, while Saturn is found at the 15º of Aries. As you can see, the two are applying toward a conjunction, just as in the example above. Remember that in our hypothetical work, we’re hoping for Mars and Saturn to perfect their conjunction, because that conjunction will bring about the ideal astrological conditions for the exact resolution (of whatever hypothetical event or work you wish to imagine here) we are praying for. But again, we failed to pay proper attention to the chart. This time, it’s a little less obvious of a mistake. Now, we may know not to plan for this conjunction when the Sun is so closely rapidly approaching the planets involved, but the problem here isn’t an actual celestial body prohibiting the conjunction. You see, the Sun is at the 5º of Gemini, which is a seemingly harmless location, right? Unfortunately not. Since the Sun moves faster than both Mars and Saturn, and it is approaching a sextile of Mars, it will perfect a sextile aspect with Mars, and then separate from it, long before the Mars/Saturn conjunction has even come close to completion. But of course, just like the example I described before, that isn’t all it takes for a prohibition to occur. Now, the Sun will overtake Saturn’s sextile as well, perfecting it before Mars and Saturn manage to complete their conjunction at all. Once again, this prohibition negates the potential power of the conjunction between the two planets involved, in addition to temporarily voiding their individual energies. Neither of the prohibited planets are able to exert any influence until they are each free from the other’s sphere of influence, and they have separated from the influence of the planet which prohibited them.
Now that I’ve spoken about those loose ends and tips, I can give you a basic step-by-step walkthrough of how to approach astrological magic if you’re using the methods I’ve discussed in this series.
First, you need to know exactly what your intentions are. If you don’t have a clear and thorough understanding of your goals in a work of magic, you might not get very good results. If you are precise enough in engineering the symbolism you use in a work, you will be able to get very precise control of your results.
Once you know exactly what your intentions are, you should decide which planets or signs you need to draw power from. Do this based on the things which each planet and sign rules over. Whichever planets or signs most influence the things your goals are concerned with are the ones you should use. It’s not necessarily a bad idea to combine the influence of more than one celestial body or sign, so long as you can elegantly represent the two of them together as a magical image, and provided you can also get them both in favorable positions at one time. It’s important to take care in choosing the ascendant, because that decision also determines which planet rules over the chart.
Now, you should be sure to derive an effective image from the stars,signs, or planets you’re using in order to create an effective visual representation of your desired effect. This doesn’t have to be based on any rigid symbolic foundation, but we should take special care to make our images properly represent the powers they are designed to conduct.
Once we’re actually about to perform our ritual, we need to draw our circle. After that, we need to consecrate it and carry out our ritual, saying all the necessary prayers. Then, we can safely conclude our work. Many people choose to include a banishing ritual or dismissal of the spirits at the end of their work (if any of us writes a post about these practices, I will edit this post and add a link to it at that time).
This concludes my series on astrological magic. I hope it has been helpful to you. If you have any questions for us, feel free to drop us an ask. If there’s any important information which seems to be missing from this series, please don’t hesitate to request it. Thank you for reading. If this is the first post you’ve come across in the series, and you found it interesting, useful, or enjoyable, please check out the rest. If you’ve finished this series and you’d like to see more of our work, you should check out Benefica’s series about the court cards in the Tarot. Very soon, she and I will begin to collaborate on a new series on the creation and use of talismans. Thank you for reading. We hope you will continue to enjoy our work.
