Aspect Pattern Astrology: The Ambivalence Figure

I'm posting an extract about an aspect pattern from my book The Living Birth Chart. In the Huber Method of Astrological Psychology, aspect patterns offer interesting indications of a person's behaviour. This example uses the chart of a real person. The book has many such examples, with feedback from the individuals concerned on how they experience their own charts.

"The Ambivalence Figure is frequently found in charts. It’s triangular, so has a Mutable motivation, making it work in a flexible way, adapting to change as necessary. But it’s made up of red and blue aspects with no green aspects involved, which gives it with a “black/white” way of operating as it uses the red aspect to get active and “do”, and the blue aspects to enjoy life and just “be”. In the Ambivalence figure, the red working energy is held in tension in the opposition aspect, and much working energy is used here. The more relaxed blue energy in this pattern has a focal point where the two blue aspects meet. The planet here is sometimes called the “escape” planet as the person will use and express the qualities of this planet when they switch off from work, relax and enjoy themselves. The ambivalence in the name for this aspect pattern refers to its work/rest cycle of behaviour. People with this pattern are pulled between two opposing forces - doing and being (the effect of the red and blue aspects). They might be getting on with the job in hand and putting a lot of effort into it, yet all the while they long for some rest and relaxation, looking with longing at whatever the blue “escape” planet represents for them in their lives. When they have completed their work tasks and take some time out, they will enjoy this for a while, but when that niggling feeling comes along that they really ought to be doing something, or that it’s time to get back to work, they flip right back into red, working mode. Then the whole cycle repeats itself again.

Each aspect pattern will be modified and influenced by the planets that are involved, so this always needs to be held in mind when looking at aspect patterns in individual charts.

Gareth - 1.3.1973, 04.45, Crewe, UK.

In this chart, there is an Ambivalence Figure, pinned by Mercury opposite Pluto, with Jupiter in the blue corner as the “escape” planet. The conjunction of Moon with Jupiter perhaps emphasises the need to escape! One visual image we might see in the chart is of the head of a comical cartoon figure, rather like the “Road Runner” rooster, with its wide open mouth or beak pointing towards the “You”. We might also see a flower which is opening up with the tips of its petals reaching towards the “You” side of the chart. Note also that there is considerable vulnerability here as these images show the central core of the chart exposed to the “You” with no aspects to protect it. There are more planets on the “I” side of the chart, so Gareth will not like feeling “invaded” or overwhelmed on first meeting new people. There is a strong focus of planets around the AC and in the 1st House, suggesting he will be more of a private person, and will need time to himself. The planets people first contact on meeting him are Saturn and Pluto on the “You” side; he might be a little cautious and reserved at first, and he doesn’t suffer fools gladly! The direction is mainly vertical, and the chart shaping is triangular, with some linear aspects. He is flexible and adaptable, as the predominantly Mutable motivation suggests, with a touch of restlessness. He has 4 red, 4 green and 5 blue aspects, so there’s quite a lot of sensitivity and nervous energy to expend and he may not always get enough time to relax and “be”.

Gareth works in research, using Mercury and Pluto in the red opposition part of the Ambivalence Triangle. With these he gathers the facts and analyses the data that he needs to produce reports on various topics. He is a researcher in the energy sector, has researched health care, and for many years prior to this he was undertaking intensive research for his PhD. Both Mercury and Pluto are psychologically on the 3/9 Thought axis, reflecting the nature of the work they are applied to and emphasising the theme of thinking and ideas. Periods of intense work involving gathering facts, studying and analysing them have always been interspersed with the need to get away and travel.

With Jupiter as the blue “escape” planet he has often chosen adventurous activities and solo trips as an independent traveller. Gareth has long had a taste for hot-air ballooning, gliding, flying lessons, fast cars and routes less travelled. Jupiter as the blue “escape” planet in this pattern is conjunct the Moon, suggesting that he gets a lot of enjoyment and fun in his time off, which balances out the intense work and mental concentration involved in the red aspect in this pattern."

For more on aspect patterns, see Aspect Pattern Astrology, The Living Birth Chart and The Cosmic Egg Timer - all available from Amazon and other on-line retailers, in book or e-book format.