Brief  explanation of  Synastry

When two people meet, their chances for a compatible relationship depend on how their basic needs and personality traits will combine in the give and take of social or business interactions. These can be determined by comparing a companion's horoscope with your own natal chart.

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       In doing a comparison, first notice whether your companion has a predominance of planets in one of the elements. more than four planets in one element would constitute a predominance. A predominance of planets in one element tells you what that person brings to the relationship, for example:

       A person with a predominance of Fire signs brings an impulsive enthusiasm to the relationship.

       A person with a predominance of Earth signs introduces a stabilizing influence on the relationship.

       A person with a predominance of Air signs puts the relationship on an intellectual level.

       A person with a predominance of Water signs will flood the relationship with deep emotional actions and reactions.

       In general, people are more likely to be compatible with each other when their natal planets fall into compatible elements. The compatible elements are fire with air, earth with water. That means if you have a predominance of natal planets in the fire signs, you are more likely to have a compatible relationship with someone who has a predominance of natal planets in the air signs. If your companion's planets are mostly in the earth signs, you can expect assorted difficulties depending on which elements are involved.

       It is also important to note how many of your planets are in the Cardinal, Fixed, and Mutable signs; and where your companion's planets are. A predominance of planets in one quality (i.e., five or more planets in a cardinal, fixed, or mutable sign) tells you how someone is likely to act in a relationship. For example:

     A person with a predominance of Cardinal signs is anxious to see things get started.

     A person with a predominance of Fixed signs is more likely to be stubborn and unyielding in a relationship.

     A person with a predominance of Mutable signs will be adaptable and willing to make most of the compromises.

       Now it is important to note to see how you and your companion's planets are distributed among the masculine and feminine signs. If you and your companion each have the normal ratios of planets, you should have no trouble getting along with each other. You can work things out even when one of you has a gender ratio of seven-to-three while the other has a four-to-six ratio.

Masculine: Aries, Gemini, Leo, Libra and Sagittarius (all the Fire and Air signs)

Feminine: Taurus, Cancer, Virgo, Scorpio, Capricorn and Pisces (all the Earth and Water signs)

       If there is a difference of one or two planets in masculine (or feminine) signs between you and your companion you should have no trouble in establishing a compatible relationship. If there is a difference of three planets, you can still work things out. However, if there are more than three planets between you and your companion, in one gender, you will both have to work very hard to maintain a relationship. The reason is that the dominantly masculine person's behavior will threaten and overwhelm the reserved, security-motivated feminine person.

       If both people are dominated by the same gender (either masculine or feminine), they share the same viewpoint and approach to life. Initially, this can give them a strong feeling of compatibility. However, they will soon feel a need for the kind of stimulation that comes from defending mildly different points of view. They will have to turn to someone else to meet that need.

       Someone with eight or more planets in a single gender may find it difficult to find a comfortable relationship.

The Aspects

     By looking at one person's chart, and measuring the distance in degrees from that person's planets to the planets in another person's chart, we can make certain predictions about where the strengths and weaknesses of the relationship are: whether it has staying power; in what ways the people involved are compatible or incompatible; which of the partners will take the lead in certain situations; and what problems these people may have to overcome in the course of their involvement with each other.

     The measurements we use to make these determinations are called aspects. The main aspects employed in synastry analysis are the conjunction, sextile, square, trine and opposition. When two planets are in conjunction, they are "within orb" (usually six to ten degrees) of being in the same degree of the same sign. When sextile, the planets are within orb of 60 degrees (two signs) apart; when square, 90 degrees (three signs) apart; trine, 120 degrees (four signs) apart; and opposition, 180 degrees (six signs) apart. Generally speaking, sextiles and trines are considered easy aspects. Squares and oppositions are usually more dynamic or tension producing aspects. Conjunctions can be either easy or difficult to handle, depending on the planets involved.

     For instance, if John's Moon (his feelings, domestic life and moods) is trine Jessica's Venus (her asthetic sense and romantic urges) the planetary energies combine quite nicely and we would expect these two to relate easily and to be sensitive to one another's feelings. But if John's Mars (his aggressive, competitive urges) is also square Jessica's Mercury (her mental processes, communications and ideas) these planetary energies clash, and we can expect them to have some heated arguments because his aggressive urges are stirred up by her words and ideas.

     So, does this mean they will or will not get along? It means that, like almost all couples, there will be areas of life where things hum along nicely with virtually no problems, and there will be other areas of life that are occasionally challenging.

    Often, when people look at their chart comparison for the first time they will notice some negative aspects between their charts and become worried. But this is not necessarily cause for concern. Even the most idyllic match usually shows some areas of discord. Every relationship needs some dynamic tension if the individuals involved are to grow. A bit of challenge also brings excitement into the relationship. Without sexual tension, for instance, you can have a lovely friendship, but it may not go beyond that. What's important is that the comparison in general shows compatibility.Comparative House Placements

    In addition to looking at the aspects between the planets in the two charts, we observe where the planets of one person's chart fall in the houses of the other.

     No matter what your sign is, all the other signs -- Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius and Pisces -- are represented in your chart as well. Your chart will show your rising sign or Ascendant on the first house cusp, and the other eleven signs on the cusps of the other eleven houses. (Please note: many people have what are called "interceptions" in their charts. If you have an interception, there will be two signs, exactly opposite one another, that do not rule any house. Instead, the signs either directly before or directly after the intercepted signs will rule two houses each. Interceptions are quite common and have no bearing on relationships that we know of. Ask your astrologer if you have an interception in your chart. ) Assuming for the moment that you have Aries rising, your second house will then be Taurus, your third house will be Gemini, your fourth will be Cancer, your fifth, Leo, and so on, throughout your chart. But, if you have Gemini rising, your second house will be Cancer, your third, Leo, your fourth, Virgo, and so on, throughout the signs.

     So, if you are a Taurus (or, in other words, if you have Sun in Taurus) but your rising sign (also known as the Ascendant or First House cusp) is in Aries, your Sun will fall in your second house. Because the second house represents values, both tangible and intangible, your life force (Sun) will be focused to a great extent on what you value. If your rising sign is Scorpio, your Taurus Sun will fall in your seventh house (the house of marriage and important partnerships) and your life force will be strongly focused on meaningful relationship. If your rising sign is Capricorn, your Taurus Sun will fall in your fifth house, the house of romance, partying and children, and your life force will be focused on these issues.

     Just as your planets fall in different houses -- and affect you in different ways, depending on the houses they are in -- so the planets of the people in your life will fall in different houses of your chart . And the energies of these people will affect you in different ways, depending on which of your houses the planets fall into.

    So, getting back to John and Jessica again, if his Venus (asthetic sense, romance) falls in her seventh house (marriage and other important partnerships) he is likely to impress her as a exactly what she's looking for in a marriage partner. But, if his Saturn (limits, responsibilities, hard lessons) falls in her eleventh house (friends, hopes, associations) she may have to adjust her social life or aspirations somewhat in order to make a go of her marriage to him, and there may be occasional clashes between friendships and marital responsibilities.What To Look For In A Synastry Comparison

     The most important considerations in a synastry comparison are aspects to, and comparative house positions of the Sun, Moon, Venus, Mars, Saturn, and the Ascendant/Descendant(first and seventh house cusps). Typically, Mars and Venus show attraction. Sun, Moon, Descendant and Saturn show emotional/ego satisfaction and staying power. The moon's nodes and the tenth house/fourth house are considered next in importance. Mercury and Jupiter play supporting roles and when well-aspected, can add to the quality of a relationship; but in and of themselves they will not determine any major impact on the people involved, unless it's a purely business relationship.

     The outer planets, from Uranus through Pluto, play far more limited roles in determining the dynamics of relationship. These outer planets take on greater importance, however, when in very close aspect to (orbs of two degrees or less), or involved in a multiple-planet conjunction with, the Sun, Moon, Mars or Venus.