Quiet

A while ago I had a Myers-Briggs Personality Type Assessment test – not for any specific reason, more for personal interest and out of curiosity to see what emerged. I was assessed, by a qualified assessor, to be an IFNP personality type.

A brief explanation of what this means will be helpful here:

 I = people who prefer Introversion tend to focus on the inner world of ideas and impressions; 

N = preferring Intuition, these people tend to focus on the future, looking for patterns and possibilities; 

F = people who prefer Feeling tend to base decisions mainly on subjective evaluation of person-centred concerns;

 P = Perceivers tend to like a flexible and spontaneous approach to life, preferring to keep their options open.

This seemed to fit pretty well with what I already know about myself from and using astrological psychology for the past 34 years, and I was able to relate much of what had been covered in the test, and the final result, to my own chart. It’s strongly I-sided, with triangular aspect figures, has an overall Mutable motivation, has a perceptive Ear/Eye figure, the Jupiter/Neptune conjunction offers intuitive leaps and the Moon sits close to the DC welcoming all-comers.

Cut now to a few weeks later, when I came across a book entitled “Quiet – The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking” by Susan Cain. The “I” in my INFP personality assessment, standing for Introvert, aroused my interest in what this book had to say. It begins with a brief overview of the Myers-Briggs Assessment, and goes on to explore the realities of Introversion in considerable depth. It’s an intriguing, good read, easy to digest and follow with plenty of illustrative examples taken from real life.

Having been told by someone who knows me that I couldn’t possibly be an Introvert because I’m generally outgoing and find it relatively easy to talk to people, I begged to differ. Only I am aware of how I need to get away from people in order to have some quiet, down time on my own so I can recharge my batteries. I do have a very I-sided chart, with all planets there apart from the Moon, which sits alone on the doorstep of my chart, in full frontal access to the You. This can be useful when working with or meeting others, but it can also be exhausting; I need time on my own to recalibrate and recharge.

19.09.1945, 02.30, Tadcaster UK

 

 

As I read this book I became increasingly comforted by the fact that I'm an Introvert. I don't like to shoot my mouth off without a bit of reflection first; I prefer working alone and in silence and although I have worked in a team in an open plan office, I really found it distracting and not conducive to creative thought or productivity. Various social situations which Introverts would prefer to avoid are discussed, such as being at a noisy party. Introverts find being sociable and outgoing quite a strain and a drain, and long to go home, be quiet and read a book. 

Susan Cain's input on these very issues resonated strongly with me. Not that long ago I found myself in a social situation where a game of indoor skittles was declared to be happening. I don’t like competitive games. Hiding at the back of the group I was press-ganged into taking part, my stated preference of not wanting to play ignored, and was assigned to a team. Flinging the ball down the temporarily laid out bowling alley with little interest in the game and little regard for skill, to my horror I found myself in the final three players. What I really wanted to do was go back home and read my Kindle. At that point I made a deliberately bad throw to make sure I was out of the game.

Cain, herself an Introvert, claims that at least one-third of the people we know are introverts. They are the good listeners who prefer to listen rather than speak. They create and innovate but dislike self-promotion; they are not great at selling themselves and their ideas but are most comfortable working creatively in isolation. They are not team workers, yet many of them have made great contributions to society. Here Cain covers the actions and contributions of such people as Rosa Parks, Chopin, Dr. Seuss (author of The Cat in the Hat) and Steve Wozniak.

Cain asserts that society dramatically undervalues introverts, to its own detriment. The ideal of the outgoing, confident Extrovert is embedded in our culture. These people are supposed to be the winners, the leaders, those who can assert themselves by making a big noise (now why does Boris Johnson come to mind here, I wonder?) but many of them may lack the richness of a creative inner world and the insights which come with it.

Of course, both Introverts and Extroverts are needed in our society, and Cain explores how Introverts can, in fact, develop an Extrovert persona – rather like a sub-personality. In this mode the Introvert can be successful in a world which expects outgoing confidence if they can, when required, assume the role of Extrovert. It all started to sound rather like Assagioli’s Psychosynthesis technique of acting “as if” in challenging situations, and this resonated strongly with my experience and understanding of both Astrological Psychology and Psychosynthesis.

Cain relates the experience of a witty, high octane public speaker who can fill lecture halls to capacity, yet needs to retreat to a stall in the gent’s lavatory afterwards for some space to recharge, nurture and soothe his Introverted personality. It’s not that Introverts can’t be “out there”, it’s more that they have to balance their energies and respect their own needs to be quiet in order to do what they are good at. 

Astrological psychology has seemingly limitless boundaries and what can be seen and used in the natal chart can be considered alongside contemporary research into psychological behaviours and conditions, many of which bring us deeper understanding of what being human is about. Little did I know, at the time, where my assessment as an IFNP personality type would lead me!

Susan Cain – http://www.quietrev.com/author/susan-cain/

Susan Cain’s TED talk:

https://www.ted.com/talks/susan_cain_the_power_of_introverts

 

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.

Roger Federer's Detective Aspect Pattern

Editorial comment, January 2018: I wrote this post back in 2007, and the amazing thing is that Federer is still going strong in 2018. He's just won the Australian Open at the age of 36, quite an age for a tennis player to be on top if his game and still be winning on the international circuit.
 
Tennis player Roger Federer strolled out on to Centre Court earlier this month for the Wimbledon Men’s Final wearing white blazer and flannels. Looking cool, and for all the world as if he’d time-travelled from the 1930’s, he went on to win his 5th Wimbledon title in the presence of the legendary Bjorn Borg, himself 5 times Wimbledon Champion. What makes Federer tick, what is his inner motivation, and how might he be using the Detective aspect figure in his chart?

Federer was born on 8.8.1981, at 08.40 local time in Basle, Switzerland. His chart looks like a hammock, a swingboat, or an upright push chair with hood up. His is an “I” sided chart with Neptune the only planet venturing on to the “You” side. Such an “I” sided emphasis suggests someone who is focussed on their own growth and self-understanding. The direction of the aspect structure is vertical, indicating the urge to stand out, make a mark on the world and be recognised as an individual. The colour ratio of aspects is 2 red, 4 green, 5 blue. Federer’s chart lacks red aspects, but this is compensated to some extent by the 3 pairs of conjunct planets, each having potential talent according to the planets involved. With 4 green aspects, Federer is likely to be sensitively attuned to the surrounding environment.

His chart contains a Detective aspect pattern (a quadrilateral figure with red, green and blue aspects, and in Federer's chart pinned by Venus, Moon, Mars and Sun/Mercury). The Hubers say people with this figure “can discover the smallest clue, insignificant information and slight alterations. . .” Someone with this pattern “sticks to a trail, has a wide-awake character that nearly nothing escapes…with this figure in the horoscope, the person can adapt themselves meticulously to things and eliminate disruptive influences”. With his Mercury conjunct Sun very strongly placed on the 12th cusp and at the apex of the Ear/Eye part of the Detective figure, along with his Virgo Ascendant, and the blue Small talent triangle that is also part of this figure, it begins to sound as if these could be some of the things Federer draws upon in competitive tennis: the ability to focus on the game, absorb all relevant and sometimes minute details on an ongoing basis whilst playing, focus in 100% on the game and the goal of winning, and not be distracted by external factors such as the watching crowds.

I mentioned the position of Mars and the Gauquelin Effect in the charts of sportsmen and women in my posting on Venus Williams earlier this month. Federer’s Mars is not only placed in the fourth quadrant of the chart where this effect is said to be at its greatest, but it is also a part of his Detective figure, and in its strongest possible position, on the cusp of a House.

For more on aspect patterns, see the Huber’s book Aspect Pattern Astrology and my book Aspect Patterns in Colour both available from the APA Book Shop.

Bob Dylan

Bob Dylan's chart has been suggested as one to look at, and the initial chart image that comes to mind is of antennae seeking out information from the environment. There is an angular, sharp pointy feel to his chart along with a sense of movement, in the triangular/linear shaping of the chart which reveals a mobile, sometimes restless motivation.
Dylan was born on 24.5.1941 at 21.05 in Duluth MN, USA (thanks Sara for his data from Lois Rodden's AstroDatabank). Grouped closely together he has 3 planets in Gemini and 4 in Taurus. All, including unaspected Venus, are clustered around the "You" side of the chart, near the DC, with Mercury the closest. When you meet Dylan you meet his words. This man is an amazingly prolific writer and performer of his own work, and he's still going strong after 50 years in the business. With lyrics like poetry, full of philosophical ideas and anti-war protests, phrases and quotes from many of his songs have entered common usage.

The colour balance/motivation in his chart shows a ratio of 2 red aspects, 1 green and 5 blue. There's a lot of potential for relaxation and enjoyment here, plus an underlying need for stability. How Dylan lives this out I can only guess at - but I do know that his music and his performance of it, for me, has always had a "laid back" quality and the chilled out feel of the 60's scene he was so much a part of.

Mars is intercepted in the 3rd House, and the only way it can be noticed out in the world is via his Gemini Sun, which it is square to in a red linear aspect. That could easily sum up not just his protest songs of the 60's but it could also indicate a reliance on his Sun - strongly placed in the 6th House - to be heard.

He has but one aspect pattern and this is a Small Learning triangle which suggests observable on-going learning behaviour. It may be a specific task that is being learned, it may be seeking a better and more effective way of getting his messages across and out into the world via his DC Mercury. The other planets involved are Neptune (also intercepted and indicative of dreams, ideals, visions of how things might be) and Moon - his feelings, emotional needs etc. This strongly suggests that he writes from the heart. Moon is conjunct Saturn, too, and in Taurus which will help in the grounding and manifestation of the ideals, the feelings, and issues he feels strongly about.

But note that this Learning triangle is not direct - its sequence of colours and associated actions involved in the learning process is retrograde. What is done, learned, undertaken may well not come right first time around: several attempts may have to be made before he is either satisfied or successful.

Dylan has recently announced that he is buying a home in Scotland. In view of this, it's interesting to read on his Wikipedia entry that "in his autobiography, Chronicles (2004), Dylan wrote: "What I was going to do as soon as I left home was just call myself Robert Allen.... It sounded like a Scottish king and I liked it."

A full account of his life and work is at
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Dylan
and his website www.bobdylan.com
lists all his lyrics - it's worth a browse!

Astrological psychology - how to start with a chart

If I'm going to be commenting on the charts of other people, it seems only right that the playing field should be level to begin with, and that I should show my own chart and say a few things about it. I've been studying it, learning about it and better understanding it - and myself - for the past 23 years, and one of things that I and other tutors of API (UK) always do at the start of our workshops is to put our own chart up for the group and talk about it. So here is mine.

Visual image is where we start from - and even non-astrologers can do this! The coloured aspect lines in the central area of the chart, pointing towards the Moon, can be viewed as a bird's beak, the inquisitive nose of a small mammal, or as a the nose cone of a rocket. There is a sense of movement, of going somewhere with purpose; yes, this is me!

The colour of the red/green/blue aspect lines show the quality of energy available to the individual. If each colour is counted in my chart there is a predominance of red. Red aspects indicate activity, "doing" energy; green aspects confer awareness and sensitivity and blue ones indicate the ability to rest, relax and enjoy the moment. I have only two blue so it's not easy to sit back and do nothing - the excess of red aspects means I always want to be on the go, and find it harder to switch off and relax. This is all part of my unconsious inner motivation.

The shape that the aspect lines make is predominantly triangular. Again, this says a lot about my motivation. Triangular shapes (known as Aspect Patterns) show a motivation which is flexible, adaptable and able to go with the flow.

The overall direction the aspect lines and patterns take is predominantly horizontal, indicating that I am more interested in making contact with people, and working with them, than in carving out a prominent niche for myself. People come first, and have always been part of my work and professional life.

Which part of the chart has the greatest concentration of planets? Left or right? Top or bottom? Without a doubt, the left, or "I" side of my chart is packed with planets. This suggests I need my own space, and that I am focussed on knowing and developing myself. All true...but what about the horizontal direction of my chart, the working with people? The Moon - the planet at the "nose cone" end of the rocket - is the only one on the right, or "You" side, and it acts as the part of my personality which is sensitive to the needs of others. And on the "You" or "people person" side of the chart it is a very useful tool indeed to have there.

For more details on how to look at charts in this way, see tabs at the top of the page giving info on all my books and books by Bruno and Louise Huber on Astrological Psychology and visit the APA website for details of courses and training offered in Astrological Psychology.