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Unlocking Your Birth Chart: Exploring the 5 Major Aspects - Conjunction, Square, Opposition, Trine and Sextile

Writer's picture: Silvia Silvia

Updated: Jan 8


Find out what hard and soft aspects in your birth chart says about your life opportunities and challenges
Find out what hard and soft aspects in your birth chart says about your life opportunities and challenges

After we have grasped the basic concepts of planets, signs and houses, the final building block in interpreting a birth chart is to look at the interactions and relationships between them, specifically the planets. This is what we called aspects.

 

Based on the degrees of angles that two planets are positioned against each other, astrologists have named these distances "aspects". As you can see, a birth chart is made of a 360 degrees circle, divided into 12 pies. The way two planets are angled towards each other can be of various aspects. For the sake of basic learning, most astrologists focus on the major 5 - conjunction, trine, sextile, opposition and square. Each of these aspect add further insights and descriptions of the wellness of a specific life area.

 

Before we get further into the explanations of major aspects in birth chart reading, I will need to set an important mindset first.

 

In birth chart reading, there is a critical guiding principle that frowns at interpretation on absolute terms. Meaning, there is no such thing as a bad planet, a bad zodiac sign or a bad house. And vice versa. Our life is ever-moving, ever-changing. There is always something good in something bad and something bad in something good. It is through this inter-winding of life experiences that we seek balance and harmony out of it.

 

Hence, when it comes to birth chart interpretation, try not to fall into the laziness and recklessness of fixating on one absolute outcome. "Oh, you have a bad house 7" "Oh, your house 2 is good"… … if only life is that straightforward.

 

Although the 5 major aspects do bring out the flavour of a "good' and "not so good" connotation, we must bear in mind the above guiding principle that nothing is in absolute term.

 

Here are the 5 major aspects in explanation.

 

Conjunction - Unity - when two planets are located exactly 0 degrees from each other, this is a conjunction. Conjunction is a neutral aspect as the experience depends on the combination of which planets. For example, the feeling moon in conjunction with the thinking mercury may bring out the ability of the native to express itself in a powerful way that touches the heart of the listeners. But the conjunction of an authoritative Saturn and mystical Neptune may create an inner conflicts which is often torn apart by sticking to the rules or to be more free-spirited. Hence, a conjunction outcome is dependable on the planetary archetype involved. But usually, a conjunction tends to lean towards more hamonious synergy as the native become more aware of themselves and take back control of the differences.

 

Trine -  Flow - when two planets are located within 120 degrees (one-third of the birthchart) from each other, formating a triangle, this is a trine. Trine aspects create immediate synergies between the two planets, drawing out the positivity from both sides, discarding the negativities, hence creating an absolutely syncronising and talented archetype. For example, when the action Mars trines the explosive Pluto, you will see a character that is able to create changes and transformation in a seamless manner, every plan and action falls into place smoothly and delivers the result

 

 

Sextile - Rewards - when two planets are located within 60 degrees from each other, forming a mini triangle, this is sextile. Quite similar to trine aspect, sextile is all about a rewarding relationship. When both planets join hands, they work hard in collaborating to produce sweet fruits through their combined efforts and talents. For example, when the optimistic Jupiter sextile the rebellious Uranus, you see a charismatic and generous archetype who is worldly and unique, creating amazing endeavours

 

 

Opposition - Conflict - when two planets are exactly 180 degrees apart from each other, it is literally known as an opposition aspect. This aspect is problematic as both planets often don’t see eye to eye. And because of this inter-conflict, they tend to bring out the worst side of each other. For example, when a native has the ego-Sun opposing the feeling Moon, you see an archetype full of self-oriented challenges. There is always an inner struggle between what it wants and what it needs, what it things and what it feels. Since both are at odds, nothing moves ahead

 


Square - Challenge - when two planets are 90 degrees apart from each other, it is known as a square aspect. This aspect causes delays and obstacles as both planets are always working on ironing out the differences to achieve some neutral grounds. One of the most typical example is when action Mars meet affection Venus. Like a man and a woman, both spend tremendous amount of effort to stay together as one. But eventually the relationship will be worked out as long as patience and wisdom take place,

 

 

With these aspects, you can perhaps understand now, why two natives who have Venus (luck, love attraction) in House 2 (House of Momey & Resources) may not necessary both be enjoying a materialistic life. This could be due to one native has a Square aspect Venus that caused the delay, while the other has a trine aspect Venus that helps wealth to flow.

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