The astrology and psychology of relationships

Relating - part of everyday life

Relationships form a vital part of our everyday lives, yet they are probably the one thing where we feel we get things wrong, or misread the signals being given out. The question we might ask is "How can astrology help us be more successful in our relationships?"

In order to improve the way we interact with others, most often on a one-to-one basis, an understanding of where we are coming from ourselves can be very helpful indeed, and this is where the natal chart and astrological psychology can be a great help.

Chart A

Here are two charts.  The aspect structure in both is horizontal, indicating that the person is motivated towards contact with others, which is good news in the context of relationships. Both individuals will be willing to go out and meet people, make contact and form relationships in their lives, because relationships are important to people whose charts show a horizontal direction in the overall aspect structure (of course, this can only be accurately ascertained with an accurate time of birth).

Chart B

Although in astrology generally we might like to think that what we project out into the world to those we interact with and relate to comes from the 1st house, this is not necessarily the case. When taking an astrological/psychological look at the chart, the planet or planets in the 7th house are those which are most significant.

Planets on the DC (descendant) of the chart are those which are picked up on first by people we meet, followed by any planet or planets which are closest to the DC. If there are no planets on the DC, look to see which are closest. This is because whatever planet is there will respresent the quality/energy that will meet others when they first meet us.

Chart A has Sun/Moon in Cancer on the DC. They are opposite Neptune, so from this we could infer that this person is very willing to make contact with others, will do so with warmth (Moon involved) and also compassion/sensitivity (Sun/Moon opposite Neptune).

Chart B has Pluto in Scorpio on the DC. This is opposite Sun/Mercury, so from this we could infer that this person will be a striking, potentially powerful person (some might also experience them as a bit scary or be aware they are no pushover), but they will still be willing to communicate and make contact with others, and will draw on the energies of Sun/Mercury in opposition. They could be powerful communicators.

Both of these charts belong to real people, and both are featured in my new book Using Age Progession - Understanding Life's Journey. Available from the APA Book Shop, Amazon and other booksellers.

How astrological psychology can help you

If you're here, reading this, you're already interested enough in astrology to want to know more about what astrological psychology is. In a nutshell, it combines the best of traditional astrological knowledge with modern growth psychology, providing a powerful tool for self-understanding and psychological and spiritual growth.  

Using the chart as a tool and guide

 Astrological psychology is not about predicting the future. It won't tell you what's going to happen to you, nor will it tell you what to do or how to live your life because it's far more sophisticated than that. Astrological psychology and the natal chart, as used by trained consultants, is used as a tool and guide on life's journey, where we learn to take full responsibility for ourselves and our actions. It's also very successful at pinpointing where we are in life and offers a wealth of useful information about each psychological life stage we travel through - for more on this see my latest book Using Age Progression - Understanding Life's Journey.  

You may be wondering what makes astrological psychology so special. That's because it's a unique, clearly defined system which unites growth psychology and astrology. It was developed over a period of 50 years systematic research by Swiss astrologers/psychologists Bruno and Louise Huber.

What makes astrological psychology so special? Here is an overview of its unique features:

• The aspect structure is viewed as a whole which shows motivation and life purpose
• 40+ aspect patterns are used, each relating to motivation and recognisable, observable behaviour
• Interpretation of a chart includes both the personal and spiritual
• Using the Golden Mean within each house of the chart, psychological highs and lows can be understood and worked with positively
• Age Progression - using the chart as a LifeClock - allows for a deeper understanding of life's journey
• Potential inner conflicts can be identified and resolved
• The House Chart shows how conditioning and environmental influences affect the individual
• The Moon Node Chart considers the shadow side of the personality and how this can affect everyday life
• Using the three charts (Natal, House, Moon Node) together offers an overview of the individual and their developmental process   

 
There are books, distance learning courses and workshops on astrological psychology.

For more information on this fantastic 21st century use of astrology and psychology and how to find out more about it for yourself, click on the pages tabs under the blog heading, and to the Astrological Psychology Association website.

Using Age Progression - Understanding Life's Journey

 

I am delighted to announce the publication of my new book  

Using Age Progression - Understanding Life's Journey

The timing system of Age Progression through using the chart as a Life Clock is often the technique which grabs the attention of newcomers and seasoned astrologers the most. You might wonder why this would be so, but stop for a moment and consider this question. If you had a tool which identified precisely where you are now in your life journey, and which took into account the psychological and developmental phase you’re currently moving through, together with what this means for you as a unique individual, wouldn’t you want to use it?

Drawing on the energy dynamic of the houses, not the zodiac signs, Age Progression and the Age Point can be used to trace the developmental and psychological phases of life from birth through childhood and adolescence and on into maturity. Using specific techniques it is possible to chart the life journey and significant life experiences of any individual. Age Progression and the movement of the Age Point can be used for personal development and greater self-understanding when working on your own chart, and as it is not static, it can be a very useful resource if we hit a rough patch in life. It offers insights into what is being experienced, and how, as well as showing that things will move on; we do not need to be stuck there indefinitely, unless we choose to. With study and experience, Age Progression can be used effectively as a personal tool, and it can be used with clients by professional astrologers and counsellors trained in the Huber Method of astrological psychology.

 

Age Progression was developed after extensive research by Swiss astrologer/psychologists Bruno & Louise Huber, and it is probably the most sophisticated astrological approach to understanding what is going on in life at any given point in time. 

The book is in full colour and has a wealth of colour charts and examples illustrating how to use Age Progression. I wrote this book to share some of my experiences of using this technique over the past 26 years on myself, with clients, family and friends. It's never let me down, it never ceases to amaze me and it's a constant reference point which I use in my chart and in my life. I've written about it many times on this blog - look in the Labels list in the sidebar for LifeClock and Age Point to find where.

Using Age Progression is available at the 
APA Book Shop 

 at Amazon in the UK,  
 Amazon USA 
 and other on-line retailers as well as from a local book store near you.

Royal Babies - Prince George and the new Princess of Cambridge

Prince George, born on 22nd July 2013 at 16.24 in London

Congratulations to Wills and Kate on the birth of their first baby born on 22nd July 2013, and their second baby - the new Princess of Cambridge, now named as Charlotte Elizabeth Diana - born on 2nd May 2015. Click on the link above to read my thoughts on her chart.

Initial thoughts on George's chart - there's inherent talent, the capacity to learn but may he take more than one go at getting the lesson "right", together with an ability to be focussed and express mental/physical energy plus a whole lot of sensitivity. 

Prince George's chart's aspect structure shows a flexible, mutable inner motivation suggesting he will be able to adapt to changes and not become too fixed and rigid - probably a good thing as he has the capacity to express an abundance of energy. This is shown by the 7 red: 4 green: 4 blue aspects in the chart, giving it an overall red/green flavour which indicates sensitivity and possible touchiness. He may need to be handled with kid gloves when he's older - there's a sensitivity which could be expressed explosively when he reaches the "terrible twos", the age of temper tantrums.

George has several aspect patterns in his chart, and I'm not going to discuss them all, but instead will focus on one in particular, which is interesting as it appears in his mum Kate's chart and also in his great grandmother's - the Queen's - chart. It's the all-red Efficiency/Performance triangle, pinned by Mercury, Uranus and Pluto. Mercury and Pluto are in opposition across the 2/8 house axis which is all about possessions - mine and yours, personal and public. Across this axis there is conflict and a build up of energy which can be discharged and expressed via the planet at the apex of the triangle - Uranus. That's interesting for a start, as Uranus is on the cusp of the 5th house, slap bang in the area of the collective, and specifically strong in that part of the chart concerned with relationships. Might this hint at radical changes and a different approach to the haves and have nots in what will become his kingdom? Might he be a bit of a rebel, or a creative innovator?

His strongly placed cuspal Uranus is echoed by Saturn on the cusp of the 11th house. George has a strong 8th house and Cancerian influence in his chart, with Mercury, Mars and Jupiter there. The Sun, hovering on the cusp between Cancer and Leo only just hangs on by a pip squeak in the sign of Cancer, and being right at the end of the sign is weakly placed by sign, but is strongly placed in the cardinal zone of the 9th house. Bearing in mind that he - and we all - are much, much more than just our Sun sign, it's reassuring to see that George's Sun aspects his strongly placed Saturn, which will offer psychological support and back up for what could be a very sensitive nature. Like many Sun in Cancer people, he could have a soft and vulnerable inner core. Mars is conjunct Jupiter in Cancer  which makes for an interesting combination of energies and drives. These carry the potential for a keen and active perception to develop, along with a sense of justice and fairness, which may be directed out into the environment in a caring, sensitive way.

Nelson Mandela

Chart set for 18 July 1918, Umtata, South Africa, at 14.54. Time unreliable.

I first wrote about Nelson Mandela's chart  on the occasion of his 90th birthday in July 2008. Mandela, born on 18.7.1918 in Qunu, Umtata, East Cape reached this milestone almost 5 years ago, and I concentrated on his Age Point and one of his aspect patterns at the time.

The chart image is one of zig-zags, moving to and fro and giving the impression of a flexible structure with the ability to open up and close down. As the time of birth is uncertain, the orientation of the aspect structure could be different from how it appears in this chart, but the inherent colour/motivation and shaping/motivation still offer much information.

Mandela's chart has 2 red: 6 green: 5 blue aspects. It's heavy on green/blue and proportionally low on red. High blue/green suggests visionary ideals and a strong tendency to think, search, question and doubt, often on an internal level. It's interesting to note that the 3 long green quincunx aspects are contained within the central area of the chart and are not directly exposed to the outside. The overall shaping of the aspect structure shows a mixture of Fixed and Mutable motivation - he can dig his heels in and stay his ground, yet be flexible and adaptable. I guess that is a graphic representation of many of the experiences he's been though in his life, and his long imprisonment on Robben Island comes to mind - a Fixed situation, within which he had to adapt.

Mandela has an interesting 4-sided aspect pattern known as a "Stage", pinned by Sun, Moon, Venus and the Moon's Node. This spans the chart and contains 2 of the 3 long green quincunx aspects mentioned. They criss-cross inside the "Stage" like 2 green struts. This 4-sided figure provides the Fixed part of his motivation and it's composed of 1 red, 4 green and 1 blue aspect; this is where the bulk of the green thinking, searching, doubting, questioning, sensitivity and awareness could take place. The Hubers in their book Aspect Pattern Astrology describe the Stage as having ". . . a 'large' heart, but somehow still quite aloof. To be able to be open to everyone and everything, it protects itself from manipulation and prejudice and is very honest with itself. It can understand other people even in their innermost composition, identify their place in society and explain many things very graphically." I have featured this aspect pattern and his chart in my own book  Aspect Patterns in Colour.

Looking at his Age Point in general terms of psychological life phases. 18 years ago, when he was 72, his Age Point was conjunct the AC and had completed one circuit of the whole chart. Crossing the AC and entering the 1st House for the second time around, many people in their senior years experience a kind of re-birth, appreciating all they see and do anew and often though the eyes of a "wise child". Mandela's crossing of the AC at 72 coincided with his release from Robben Island. His Age Point now at 90 years is conjunct the IC, the 4th House cusp and the lowest point of the chart where deep connections with the collective may be felt. The last time his Age Point was at the IC he was 18, a time when he left home and went to study at Wesleyan College. Leaving home at around age 18 is a classic rite of passage, and few pass this place again.

At 90, as he was when I wrote this almost 5 years ago, it was less a case of a leaving of the home and more of a return to the roots from which we spring. The Hubers in their book "LifeClock" say ". . .the approach of the 4th House cusp can dissipate the sense of self to be engulfed by the collective. Many an event which used to be deemed really important now just vanishes into the mists of time, it is totally forgotten. And it doesn't seem to matter greatly whether it concerned our Self, or maybe someone else instead. . . .Many people in this phase of life have moments of true illumination and intuition. They suddenly seem to fathom the deeper meaning of events and surprise others by their wisdom."

Update 6th December 2013 Nelson Mandela has had an indelible effect upon the world. I wrote a brief update earlier in 2013, when there was much concern about his health. Ill and frail, he was an old man nearing the end of his long and eventful life. At the time of his passing, December 5th 2013, I can only reiterate what I wrote at the time - that his passing would be peaceful as he returned "home". Although his birth time is unreliable, it's the time given by Lois Rodden's Databank, and using Age Progression with this chart time, the hand of the Life Clock is currently opposite his 11th House Mars.

He will always be the elder statesman who has won and warmed hearts far and wide, enriching the collective to which we all belong. He was an outstanding figure, offering us all an example of the power and strength of forgiveness.

Details of Mandela’s life can be found at the ANC website, and on Wikipedia.