Category Archives: Love & Relationships

Synastry of Joe and Jill Biden

Joe & Jill Biden Scorpio Joe Biden has been married to his Gemini wife, Jill, for 31 years as of last June, so for a couple with inconjunct Sun signs, they obviously have a lot going for them.

Fortunately, with good complete birth data for Joe, we have a chart wheel to work with. He has Sagittarius Rising, placing Gemini on the cusp of his seventh house, which rules marriage and committed relationships. Jill’s Sun, Mars, and Moon are located there. Planets in the seventh house in synastry, particularly the luminaries, show excellent compatibility in one-on-one relationships. Joe has Saturn conjunct Uranus conjunct his Descendant natally, describing the type of person he is attracted to. In his case, it’s a bright, lively Gemini who is also dependable.

Jill’s Sun-Mars conjunction is sextile Jupiter in Aries, giving her a more assertive edge and an optimistic spirit – both qualities she shares with her Scorpio Sun-Sagittarius Rising husband. Mercury is Gemini’s ruling planet, and her Mercury is in methodical Taurus and complements Joe’s Mercury in intense Scorpio. Another parallel between their charts is his Sun-Mercury conjunction, which resonates with her Gemini Sun.

They have a lovely Mercury-Venus intra-aspect, underlining their ability to communicate with thoughtfulness and sensitivity to the other’s feelings (intra-aspect in synastry is where the same two planets from each chart form aspects. For example, A’s Sun is conjunct B’s Moon and B’s Moon is square A’s Sun). This is a very loving and powerful synastry aspect. The close trine between her Venus in Cancer and his in Scorpio adds another layer of shared warmth and affection.

This couple also has what can be considered a classic synastry aspect for creating enduring bonds, and that is a Sun-Saturn intra-aspect with his Saturn conjunct her Sun and her Saturn sextile his Sun. With the Saturn-Sun conjunction located in his seventh house, their choosing to marry was a natural progression for the relationship.

Mars and Pluto, co-rulers of Joe’s four planets in Scorpio, form an intra-aspect between their charts, too.  His Pluto in Leo is sextile her Mars in Gemini, and her Pluto in Leo squares his Scorpio Mars. Passion and commitment go hand in hand with this set of aspects.

They do have reversed lunar nodes, with his North Node in Virgo and her in Pisces. This can be a rather irritating aspect to live with day to day, but since they have been together for many years, I’m inclined to believe the other excellent synastry aspects offset the effects of this one.

As with the other political couples I’ve reviewed, this is yet another instance when it would be wonderful to have a full set of birth data for both people. However, working with what’s available shows us the underlying structure for the enduring and loving relationship we see before us. Seeing Joe and Jill Biden together says it all.

Libra loves synastryposted by Neith . . .

Verified Birth Data: Joe Biden 20 November 1942, 08:30 AM EWT Scranton, PA; Jill Biden 05 June 1951, Hammonton, NJ

Saturday Archives: The Natal Chart in Synastry, Part 1 – Pluto

Judgement - Pluto from Celestial DeckIn honor of Mars entering his home sign of Scorpio, I selected this post on how Pluto in our natal charts affects our ability to relate to others.

Because I keep referring to our natal charts as the starting point of what to consider first when looking at compatibility with others, I thought I would do some posts looking at how the outer planets impact how we relate to others. So I’m going to start with the furthest out, Pluto, and work in towards the Sun . . .

I have touched on Pluto in synastry but there is always more where he is concerned. Pluto is all about the depths of our beings and it can take a lifetime to explore all his mysteries. When looking at a natal chart to get a sense of how the individual will react/respond in relationships, Pluto aspects can offer significant clues. In fact, the two books I read and reviewed here this past year, “The Hades Moon” and “Healing Pluto Problems”, contain a lot of very sound information on the Pluto effect in natal charts. So I will hit some of the high points in this post and suggest both books as resources for further exploration.

Pluto aspecting the Sun, especially by conjunction, square and opposition, points to a tendency to obsess when it comes to relationships. This is an individual who often draws other Plutonians or Scorpios to themselves, and just as often scares the holy crap out of those who are not interested in wading through the darker side of their natures. Often a Pluto transit to the Sun will help this person work their way down to the reasons behind their obsessive behaviors. This is a painful process but can do wonders for freeing us from the worst of our obsessions, making it a lot easier to form good relationships with others.

When the Moon is in aspect to Pluto, the emotional issues are often a source of angst. I suggest reading “The Hades Moon” as a primer on dealing with issues stemming from Moon/Pluto aspects. One of the difficulties with Moon/Pluto aspects is the nature of the Moon herself. She describes our intuitive, unconscious behaviors and feeling nature; and often forgiveness of self and acceptance of what we may view as “bad” is imperative to begin the healing process. The rewards for taking the plunge and healing our emotional wounds can be finding a way to self-respect and better relationships.

Venus and Mars in aspect to Pluto can lead to “sticky fingers”. Pluto here makes it very, very hard to keep from holding on to the object of our desire so hard it destroys the relationship. Mars/Pluto aspects often give us hints as to what type of behaviors we sabotage potentially good relationships with, and Venus/Pluto aspects can be likened to a black hole of neediness. Again the solution lies within our selves . . . we need to find our way to reclaiming our power from the dark side and owning it without judgment. This is possible because I’ve done it . . . but only with help from Donna Cunningham’s tools for dealing with Pluto. Yes, I know, good Plutonian that I am, I keep recommending her books over and over. :-)

Pluto conjuncting the Ascendant or Descendant is obviously going to have an impact in how the person reacts/responds when relating to others on a one-to-one basis too. Pluto on the Ascendant (or Scorpio Rising) is the power player and often lays down the rules in a “my way or the highway” manner. Their partners are often the submissive sorts who don’t mind being bossed around. Having Pluto on the Descendant is the reverse of this – the partner drawn to this individual is the controlling type.

All of the above examples are drawn broadly and I would like to note that there are many people out there who use their Pluto aspects natally in a much less drastic fashion. If you are looking at your chart and seeing Pluto aspects, the best course of action is to start the process of acceptance and understanding. Giving our selves the time to allow healing to take place is important too. This all comes from personal experience in case you are wondering . . . I am a Plutonian and Pluto has transited ALL my personal planets and Ascendant by conjunction. And I’m still here to talk about it!

Libra, an Air signposted by Neith . . .

Synastry of John and Cindy McCain

John & Cindy McCain With Sun signs in Virgo and Taurus, John and Cindy McCain are an earth duo. They share an appreciation for the here-and-now reality of the physical world and a generally conservative approach to life.

Although Sun signs are not necessarily that important in synastry, two people with Sun signs in the same element generally tend to understand one another. Moreover, John’s Moon is in Capricorn, the third earth sign, and Cindy’s Moon may be in Capricorn, too, depending on what time she was born. As with the other political couples I’ve written about, missing birth data makes it tough to achieve a 100-percent precise reading.

The one air element in their synastry, appropriately, is a trine between John’s Mercury in Libra and Cindy’s Mercury in Gemini – invaluable for communications. Since they have a Saturn-Mercury intra-aspect, with John’s Saturn squaring Cindy’s Mercury and her Saturn semi-sextile his Mercury, he can come across as rather authoritarian on occasion, causing her to step back and close down. Without the benefit of the harmonious trine between their Mercury signs, it would be more difficult to open the door to understanding.

They do have good chemistry, with his Leo Mars sextile her Gemini Venus and her Mars in Capricorn trine his Venus in Virgo. John’s natal Mars is square Uranus and trine Jupiter, giving him impulse control issues, so Cindy’s ability to respond to his needs with understanding has no doubt been very good for their relationship.

Because of their 18-year age difference, they both have the North Node in Capricorn, South Node in Cancer. The synastry aspects to the lunar nodes show a deep connection, with her Venus-Jupiter in Gemini forming an out-of-sign conjunction with his South Node in Cancer. This aspect may show how her wealth allows them to live comfortably with several homes around the country. Her Mars conjoins his North Node in Capricorn, providing active support for his need to serve his country and its traditions.

Chiron is another active element in their synastry, with her Venus conjunct his Chiron in Gemini and his Moon conjunct her Chiron in Capricorn. The question here is whether these two sympathetic personal planets have provided a comfort level allowing for the healing of old wounds. Chiron often shows us where we feel most insecure, and John has a square between natal Chiron and Venus, reflecting doubts about being loveable. Cindy’s Chiron is closely trine her Sun, suggesting that she experienced positive reinforcement of her self-esteem growing up, thus making it likely she has been able to help John sort through his issues in this area.

They both have Juno in Leo, with Cindy’s Pluto in Leo closely conjoining them. Their idea of an ideal marriage and household is thus very similar, and this particular aspect has no doubt stood them in good stead with all the entertaining in support of John’s political career over the years. With Pluto adding his two cents, discussions about jealously and possessive behaviors had to have played a role behind the scenes.

With the strong Capricorn element in both charts and their favorable synastry aspects in general, it is easy to understand how they are both drawn to politics and serving their country in very traditional ways. They both share a desire to live within a conventional framework, and it has obviously worked for them as a couple, because John and Cindy were married for 29 years as of April.

Libra, an Air signposted by Neith . . .

Verified Birth Data: John McCain 29 August 1936, Cocosolo, Panama; Cindy McCain 20 May 1954, Chicago, IL

Saturday Archives: The Natal Chart in Synastry – Uranus

With all the Uranus action in the sky these days, I decided to select a post from the Archives on how Uranus in the natal chart can affect the way we relate to others. 

If you are wondering what happened to Part 2 on Neptune, he rendered me inarticulate on his illusive self, so I decided to forge ahead with Uranus. Uranus is nice and straightforward compared to Neptune. He’s the one who pushes us to express who we truly are and to follow the excitement. Uranus can also encourage us to make radical changes and go to extremes of behavior.

Uranus plays an interesting role in our charts when it comes to looking at our behavior in relation to others. A person with a strongly Uranus influence in their charts often have an innate restlessness that makes it difficult for them to settle down in one place with one person. Those with Sun/Uranus aspects by sextile and trine seem better able to balance their need for self-expression with the consideration for the needs of their partners . The conjunction and square are found in the charts of brilliant sorts who can get caught up in their personal projects and completely forget little things like lunch dates, anniversaries, etc. With the opposition, it’s the partner that is brilliant and erratic!  

Moon/Uranus aspects point to emotional independence. At the far end of the spectrum are people who are quite solitary in nature and don’t quite understand why others need intimate relationships. Again it’s the conjunction and square in the chart that indicate the extreme. Those of us with Uranus trine or sextile to our Moons have an easier time finding a balance between intimacy and solitude. Air and Fire sign Moons deal better with a dynamic Uranus aspect than do Water and Earth Moons. The Water sign Moons in particular who are drawn to merging with their partners find a dynamic aspect with Uranus particularly disconcerting. The Moon/Uranus opposition can find one attracting an emotionally distant or unavailable partner.

I’m going to touch lightly on Uranus/Mercury aspects because these show up in the charts of those with lots of intelligence, occasionally bordering on genius. These individuals can operate at such a different level than most people it’s hard for them to find something to talk about over coffee or drinks. The “common” touch is often missing making it hard for them to relate to others. Their challenge is to find someone who can talk their language.

Venus and Mars in aspect to Uranus operate similarly – Venus functions by drawing others to us and Mars is how we pursue. Both of these planets when aspected by Uranus can make our love lives very exciting or make us feel like we are caught in a revolving door with lovers coming and going unexpectedly. There is a decidedly selfish element here especially if Uranus is conjunct, square or opposed to your natal Venus or Mars. This can be moderated by awareness of what’s going on. The sextile and trine are often found in charts of creative sorts who are good at thinking of original ways to enjoy themselves.

If you have an accurate natal chart based on a good birth time, Uranus aspecting the Ascendant and Descendant are strong clues to your relationship style too. Obviously a person with Uranus conjunct the Ascendant will project an aura of independence and originality – a “one of a kind” vibe. For those who are interested in this person, they may have to get to know them well enough to move past the public image. With Uranus conjunct the Descendant, we draw partners who are often brilliant and unpredictable. The challenge here for someone who desires a stable, durable relationship is to incorporate those qualities into themselves . . . Libra, an Air signposted by Neith . . .

This is the Tower tarot card from the Adrian Tarot deck. This cutting edge artwork seemed to fit Uranus the best.

The Synastry of Barack and Michelle Obama

Michelle & Barack Obama Barack and Michelle Obama, possibly the next president and first lady of the United States, bring great aspects for compatibility to their Leo-Capricorn relationship.

Although Leo and Capricorn are inconjunct, their planetary rulers, the Sun and Saturn, are in harmony in Barack and Michelle’s synastry chart. Barack’s Saturn in Capricorn is closely conjunct Michelle’s Sun, and her Saturn in Aquarius opposes his Leo Sun. Saturn-Sun aspects in synastry are often found in lasting relationships formalized in a legal way such as business partnerships and marriage. Because Saturn is happier with rules to follow, his effect on the Sun is felt as supportive rather than oppression. This Sun-Saturn intra-aspect may be the reason Barack refers to Michelle as “his rock,” and it without question has created an enduring bond for them.

There are a couple of other intra-aspects with their Suns, one featuring Jupiter and the other, Mars  (an “intra-aspect” is one in synastry where the same two planets from both charts aspect each other greatly increasing the influence). Mars and Jupiter bring energy and enthusiasm with a generous dose of humor and generosity. Where Saturn provides the “glue,” Mars and Jupiter help lighten the load, because partners are always happy to see each other when these two planets are well-positioned in the synastry chart.

A nice tight trine between Barack’s Venus in Cancer and Michelle’s Venus in Pisces is also a blessing. This aspect makes for a similar sense of aesthetics and in what gives them pleasure. This aspect is wonderful for bringing harmony and enjoyment of the moment.

It’s also interesting to note that Barack and Michelle have several inconjunct elements in their synastry, starting with their Sun signs and Barack’s Mercury in Leo is inconjunct Michelle’s Mercury in Capricorn. The Leo-Capricorn inconjunct is often seen as the difference between wanting to be in the limelight and preferring to work behind the scenes. What works to promote understanding between these very different signs is the powerful Sun-Saturn intra-aspect (the Sun and Saturn rule Leo and Capricorn).

Without a birth time for Michelle, we can only guess whether her Moon falls in Aquarius or Pisces. If it is in Aquarius, her Moon is trine by sign to Barack’s Gemini Moon, and if in Pisces, her Moon would square his. However, a Pisces Moon would conjoin her Venus, and that would give her a Moon-Venus conjunction with Barack’s Chiron in Pisces. I would interpret this as her ability to help Barak get in touch with his inner wounds through love and compassion.

Saturn plays one more part in this synastry, with Michelle’s Saturn conjunct Barack’s Aquarius Ascendant. It’s possible that she is the one who makes sure he is ready to step out on to the stage with no flaws in his appearance. Saturn aspects to the Ascendant are yet another indicator of a lasting relationship.

From what we have seen of this attractive couple, it is obvious that they have a solid, happy relationship with each other and with their two beautiful daughters. They have both Saturn aspects to keep them in line and great Mars-Jupiter aspects for having lots of fun together. This one looks like it will continue to grow and mature with grace, dignity, and joy, and bless all who come in contact with them.

Libra, an Air signposted by Neith . . .

Verified Birth Data: Barack Obama 4 August 1961, Honolulu, HI; Michelle Obama 17 Jan 1964, Chicago, IL

Todd and Sarah Palin, Latest Power Couple

Todd and Sarah PalinIf there ever was a couple whose synastry was defined by the inconjunct (150°) aspect, this is it. These are two strong-minded individuals, he with the Sun, Moon, Pluto, and Uranus in Virgo, and she with the Sun, Mars, and Saturn tightly conjunct in Aquarius.

In this instance where we have no good birth times to work with, we can only speculate about their chart wheels and the possibility that Sarah’s Moon may be in late Capricorn rather than early Aquarius. A late Capricorn Moon would be much happier with Todd’s Virgo Moon and Venus-Mars in Cancer, but we may never know. And it’s doubtful we will ever have a good birth time for Todd. He was born in Dillingham, Alaska, in 1964, the year a 9.2 earthquake devastated the Anchorage area.

Since both of them likely have their Sun, Moon, and Mercury in the same sign, it is the essential differences between Aquarius and Virgo that are highlighted. Aquarius is fixed air and is noted for being quite stubborn about their quirks, while Virgo is mutable earth, a more subtle, service-oriented sign. The key to understanding how these very different people have sustained a marriage lasting 20 years with five children may be in the known conjunctions in their synastry chart.

The nitty-gritty of any compatibility chart comparison is to be found in conjunctions, a major indication of shared experience. Todd’s Virgo stellium is conjunct Sarah’s Uranus and Pluto. Her Sun, Mars, and Saturn in Aquarius form an out-of-sign conjunction with his Saturn in Pisces. Over the course of the next few weeks, Saturn in Virgo will continue transiting their shared planets in Virgo, an indication of the stress of being in the public eye.

Because of the role Neptune has in both their individual charts and in their synastry, their Neptune in Scorpio conjunction moves beyond a generational aspect in importance. Neptune squares Sarah’s Sun and is sextile Todd’s Sun. This means they have a Sun-Neptune intra-aspect. An intra-aspect in synastry is one with the same planets from both charts in aspect by degree, e.g., her Sun is square his Neptune and her Neptune is sextile his Sun. Their shared religious beliefs are one of the important factors in their marriage. This intra-aspect can create a sympathetic bond and soften the edges of the harsher differences.

Another intra-aspect with Neptune involves Mars. Since Todd has a Venus-Mars conjunction in Cancer, and Sarah’s Mars is in Aquarius and her Venus is in Aries, they can use a little help from Neptune’s rose-colored glasses to keep the romance alive.  Cancer and Aquarius are also inconjunct and have about as much in common as apples and oranges. Neptune may create illusions, but also may represent strong religious beliefs that have kept them from straying.

Of course, one can never underestimate Saturn’s role in supporting a lasting relationship.  She has a natal Sun-Saturn conjunction, and he has a Mercury-Saturn opposition and his Saturn conjoins her Aquarius stellium. They have a Mars-Saturn intra-aspect, underlining their need to honor their vows and behave according to the “rules.”

The transpersonal planets (Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto) have a fascinating role in this chart comparison. In Sarah’s chart, Uranus and Pluto do not form aspects to her personal planets, but Todd’s Sun is conjunct both of those planets as well as being square to Neptune. As often happens, when we have unaspected transpersonal planets, we meet those archetypes in the form of another person. It is very possible Todd has a powerful impact on Sarah, although neither may be consciously aware of it. He is her means to tap into the darker side of her nature.

The picture of this relationship I see emerging is of Saturn and Neptune playing key roles – Neptune in the form of their common faith, and Saturn with his insistence on following the rules and respecting legalized bonds. Otherwise, these two would have gone their separate ways long ago, because practical earthy Virgo has little patience with airy Aquarius visions for humanity. It is easy to see Todd as the ultimate self-sufficient Alaskan happily spending hours in the solitude of the back country, a natural for Virgo. And it is also easy to understand Aquarius Sarah wanting to be deeply involved in her community, working with like-minded people for what she sees as the greater good.

Libra, an Air signposted by Neith . . .

Verified Birth Data:  Todd Palin   6 Sept 1964, Dillingham, AK; Sarah Palin 11 Feb 1964, Sandpoint, ID

Saturday Archives: Neptune in Synastry . . .

Neptune's Horses by Liza EastmanSince I’ve been coming across Neptune aspects in the compatibility charts I’ve been working with lately, this is the post I decided to pull from the archives. Neptune has also been a powerful influence in the sky lately too, conjuncting the Full Moon in Aquarius. It does not pay to ignore this subtle but powerful planet.

When I think of Neptune in synastry, the duality of the Neptune experience comes to mind. Neptune is the higher octave of Venus but not often expressed as that. Wandering around in a hall of smoke and mirrors and lots of illusion is a far more common experience. Yes, it’s possible we can find our “soul mate” and live happily ever after is a cloud of romantic bliss . . . and if you buy that I have this piece of real estate in the hinterlands that would be perfect for you.

Neptune is darn tricky to understand but when it comes to synastry I see Neptune as playing an important role. He can soften some of Saturn’s harsher edges and give us some relief from Pluto’s obsessions. Or he can lead us down the garden path and make both Saturn’s strictures and Pluto’s obsessive behaviors even worse. Think of some poor badly abused individual that proclaims how much their abuser “loves” them because their addictions to drugs and alcohol (Neptune) are being fed. Admittedly this is an extreme example but there are lots of these folks out there in this type of situation.

If we see sextiles and trines between Neptune and various personal planets in a comparison, I find these are helpful in promoting a pleasant romantic vibe. If it’s Venus involved there is likely to be candlelit dinners and flowers that are given for no particular reason except to express appreciation for one’s lover. With the Sun and Moon, Neptune can bring a deep sense of connection, often spiritual in nature and a willingness to exercise tolerance generously. Sometimes Moon/Neptune aspects can promote an emotional, psychic awareness of each other. Mars/Neptune aspects are good for cheering each other on to achieve especially if one or both people are in creative professions. Neptune can be a source of inspiration and creativity that seems to well up out of the cosmos.

Neptune conjunct personal planets and the Ascendant/Descendant can be a little trickier to handle. It’s been my experience Neptune is on his best behavior with some harmonious distance involved. Up close and personal as in the conjunction, he can start churning out his illusions easier and it’s easier to get lost in them. However, Neptune conjunctions do intensify the sense of a psychic link as well as empathy for the other. So I tend to give them the benefit of the doubt and look to other aspects to get an idea of how the Neptune effect will play out.

It’s the squares, inconjuncts and oppositions with Neptune that can get really interesting – particularly the square aspects. Here is where the desire to escape from sordid reality can seriously emerge and create major difficulties. Religion, drugs, and other assorted addictions are often a part of relationships with the tension creating aspects. The opposition can lead to being seduced by a so-called “spiritual leader” where one person projects all kinds of fanciful notions on another. Neptune is often about projections and expectations – both our own and others. With the inconjunct the effect may be of either living in la la land with occasional shocks of cold, hard reality or the reverse which may be more manageable.

When Neptune has us firmly entranced, it seems we must dance to his tune until something else happens to break the spell. In a typical relationship, we are most “in Love” for about two years or there abouts. Now which planet changes signs roughly two and half years . . . . Saturn!! Saturn can help ground us and show us the way to enjoy Neptune’s benefits without succumbing to his downside. This reason I say this is because I have Moon conjunct Neptune natally closely sextile to Saturn and that is my personal experience of both of these outer planets.

Libra, an Air signposted by Neith . . .

This image is of the quilted version of Walter Crane’s painting, “Neptune’s Horses“! Liza Eastman does amazing work, doesn’t she?!

The Synastry of Obsession

Prosperine by RossettiMany times we need to choose what the nature of a relationship will be. Will we be friends or lovers?

When the outer planets are dominant in a compatibility chart, we often are drawn into a relationship despite our best intentions. I recently received an email from a young woman asking about her troublesome relationship with a young man, and in the process of looking at their synastry chart, I realized she may have been overwhelmed by the undertows created by the outer planets.

In their natal charts, they both have Moon in Libra and Mercury in Scorpio, indicating emotional and mental compatibility. However, her Sun in Capricorn is square his Libra Moon, even though his Sagittarius Sun is sextile her Moon in Libra. In most instances, a Sun-Moon square creates the possibility of misunderstandings and makes it difficult to sustain an intimate relationship. Nonetheless, this is pretty darn good chemistry.

Pluto’s influence is very evident, with his Mars-Pluto square and her Mars conjunct Pluto in Scorpio. It’s like they both have Mars in Scorpio on steroids. Both have Moon-Pluto natal aspects, so finding perspective in emotional matters is challenging, to say the least. Pluto and the sign her rules, Scorpio, both have obsessive qualities. Pluto’s role in both natal charts says they are both intense and possibly obsessive.

However, Neptune is also prominent in both charts. Neptune is conjunct her Sun-Venus, and he has also has Venus, Mercury, and Neptune conjunct in Sagittarius. In their synastry, his Sagittarius stellium conjoins her Mercury, a combination just about guaranteed to create a lot of empathy. It also indicates a possible psychic connection. The problem here, though, is that confusion can arise as a result. Venus-Neptune aspects make it difficult to sort romantic expectations from reality, too.

Just to make things more interesting, her Uranus conjoins his Sagittarius Sun – always good for instant attraction. A couple of wide Venus-Uranus synastry aspects add to the possibility of things heating up quickly and cooling down just as fast. The one planet not strongly represented in their synastry is Saturn. Saturn can help us stay grounded and practical – both necessary for durability.

As is also quite common with outer planet influences in synastry, the circumstances surrounding this relationship make being together as a couple difficult to bring about. To her credit, this woman understands what is at stake and is doing her best to detach from the relationship in order to preserve her sanity.

As an astrologer looking at their charts, I can see both the carrot (all the personal planet conjunctions for comfort and mutual understanding) and the trap (the outer planet synastry aspects), so the fact this relationship developed is not at all surprising. When someone has Libra rising and a Moon in Libra conjunct the Ascendant as well, learning life’s lessons through the vehicle of relationships is a given.

As to how to deal with this, I recommend getting a copy of Donna Cunningham’s book, Healing Pluto Problems. Donna believes those of us with powerful Pluto signatures in our charts can heal ourselves, and I can affirm that having done it. I send many blessings and lots and lots of good wishes flowing out to this young woman. Have courage; you can succeed.

Libra, an Air signposted by Neith . . .

Ask Real Astrologers: Who’s Good Enough for This Aries?

 This week’s question comes from Suzette in New Mexico:

I am at my wit’s end. I’m divorced for five years and have been married twice.

In January, I left my boyfriend of a year and a half, whom I loved with all of my heart, because our values clashed and there were seemingly insurmountable issues. I’ve put myself back out on the dating scene since then but I haven’t found a single man I’m attracted to in the least. They’re too short, too unemployed, too much baggage, too shallow, too young, too old, too what have you. Have had to beat them off with a stick, as I’m still nice-looking and am carrying myself with my usual saucy confidence, but wow, is there anyone out there I’m ever going to click with again?

I have a lot of love and life in me yet, and with no clearly worthy suitor to say yes to, I’m adrift and bereft. Any help would be deeply appreciated.

Libra ponders . . .Neith’s response:

Suzette, the first thing I noticed when looking at your chart was Uranus and Pluto in Virgo sitting in your seventh house out of orb of aspecting your personal planets (Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, and Mars). This tells me that the archetypes and energies those two heavyweights bring are not easy for you to connect with. For you, the best option is to learn about Uranus and Pluto and gain understanding of how those archetypes are at work within yourself. Many times the key is recognition, because once we have identified our issues we can begin to work with them. Until we do, they can walk through the door on two feet and create all kinds of havoc in our lives.

The opposition between your Aries Sun-Saturn conjunction and your Moon in Libra also reflect the importance of bringing your emotional nature and intrinsic self into balance. Your Moon is the apex of a Yod with Mercury sextile Venus as the base. Spending time sorting what you truly value and what you can live with in relationships and what the deal-breakers are will help immensely.

Mars in Scorpio in the eighth house puts the spotlight on unwritten contracts. In other words, what are your expectations of how you are to behave as a married person? Do you feel you need to behave differently as a married woman than a single one? And what do you expect from your spouse? All of these questions are eighth house issues for sure.

Good luck with your quest, Suzette!

Aquarius expounds . . .

Pat’s response:

Suzette, I agree wholeheartedly with Neith and would like to add that your Sun-Saturn conjunction makes you susceptible to expecting perfection in yourself. Because your Moon is opposite your Sun (you were a Full Moon baby), you may be projecting this unreasonable expectation onto a partner.

In terms of what’s to come for you, I see two major transits that will affect your search, and both support examining yourself before finding the right partner.

First, Saturn currently is transiting your seventh house of marriage and partnership. Close relationships often break up during this transit, so it’s no surprise that you left your boyfriend. Just as often, however, we end up getting into new commitments with Saturn in this key area of our charts, so it’s very possible that once you’ve got some important issues worked out in your own mind, you will attract someone who’s right for you.

Second, Neptune currently is sitting on your Ascendant, in conjunction with Chiron and the North Node. I’ve written a lot on my blog, The Pisces Chronicles, about how this configuration combined with the current eclipse series has created a window of opportunity for deep healing of past wounds. When we do this, we are more able to find loving, stable partnerships.

I’d also like to note that transiting Uranus is sitting on your natal Chiron in the first house, so you will be pushed into doing a certain amount of healing work, whether or not you feel ready or want to.

I will share a personal story with you about my online dating experience. Most of the Internet dating sites allow you to fill out a “laundry list” of things you’re looking for in a partner. The one I was using let you rate these desires as being nice to have or non-negotiable. I put only three requirements in the latter category, and I recently met someone who doesn’t meet two of those three requirements and with whom I’ve felt more of a connection and have done more personal growth work than anyone I’ve ever been with in my life (two marriages with two long-term relationships in between).

I believe that when you find the right person, his looks and imperfections won’t matter a bit.

I think you’d gain a lot through a full astrological consultation. I currently am not accepting new clients due a higher-than-normal workload, but I highly recommend Neith (of course!), who is thorough, gentle, and amazingly insightful

Wishing you nothing but true love.

Got a quick question? Click here to contact Ask Real Astrologers.

Saturday Archives: Shared Degrees in Synastry

The Lovers Osho Zen tarot deckI got to thinking about why we are drawn to certain people whether we met them face-to-face or online and it has a lot to do with having planets and Angles within a few degrees of each other. As an astrologer I have consistently noted my clients have planets sharing degrees with those in my chart and I just read in John Townley’s book, The Composite Chart, he and other astrologers have a similar experience.

Shared Degrees are one of basic pieces in the puzzle of synastry. The short version is simply when the same degrees show up in both charts or in the charts of several individuals these are “Shared Degrees”. Sun Sign based astrology for the masses often points to a certain segment of the population with say the first 10 degrees of a Sign as a clue to the effect of transits – for my purposes I going to narrow that down to around 6 degrees.

For example, I have Venus in Sagittarius at 2 degrees in my First House. This is a friendly, cheerful placement of Venus . . . ***waves & smiles*** I would not be at all surprised to find planets and major angles from zero to six degrees in the charts of my faithful readers. And when Saturn moved into Virgo at the beginning of September in his usual relentless fashion, he squared my poor little Venus. At the same time all those people out there with planets, Ascendants and Midheavens from zero to six degrees also went “Whoa! Saturn is in the house!!” And we’ve all been paying a lot of attention to various tasks related to where Saturn aspected our charts.

Because we usually share several points of contact between the charts of those we are drawn to, we are often affected at the same time by a transiting planet. If it’s Venus doing the transiting or Jupiter, the effect is often upbeat and positive. Mars can be energizing to the point of igniting yelling matches or, if you are lucky, great sex! Saturn transits often point us in the direction of picking up neglected responsibilities and so on.

My point is this: Because we share degrees with our friends, lovers and associates, we will be affected by transits at the same time. Those shared experiences can either draw us together or drive us apart. Often it’s difficult to assess exactly what the result will be except with good old 20-20 hindsight. That being said, a good astrologer can be very helpful in alerting his or her clients to upcoming transits and what to be aware of . . .

Libra, Venus ruledposted by Neith . . .