Relationship Astrology

One of the things I love about astrology is that it gives us a way to understand how two people relate and interact.  And this is so much more than that question of “I’m an Aries, how will I get on with a Virgo?”.  Linda Goodman’s ‘Love Signs’ is an astrological classic, but you’ve got to look at it for more than just Sun Sign relationships.

Relationship astrology is a two-step process, it first looks at each person’s chart and their individual approach to relating, and then looks at how their two charts combine to see how they meet each other.  So, as well as looking at the Sun Signs, this is about the placement and interaction between all of the planets, especially the personal inner planets, the Moon, Mercury, Venus and Mars (yeah, I know, the Moon is not a planet!) and the Ascendant.

So, one of the first things that a synastry analysis will do is look at the interaction between the placement of Mars and Venus in two people’s charts.  Mars embodies the masculine energies, and shows the way we assert ourselves and our approach to sex.  Venus embodies the feminine energies and shows the way we respond to another and give of ourselves.  So, if one person’s Mars is conjunct (that is, in the same sign and degree) to the other person’s Venus, then the second person will probably find the first to be the embodiment of sexual attractiveness, and the first person will likely find an ease in expression of their desire.  But if the aspect between these two planets is Square (ie, they are 90 degrees apart), there is likely to be much more sexual tension, and while this doesn’t mean that the relationship can’t work, it is likely to involve more egoic discord that the two people will need to learn to deal with if they are to relate.  The sexual intimacy won’t flow with the same ease as the conjunct relationship, and while for some, this might constitute a perfect choice, for others it might seem like too much work!

This approach of Relationship Astrology is called Synastry, and it can be used to look at all kinds of relationships … intimate, love relationships, business partnerships, friendships and family relationships.

What a relationship analysis looks at is this …

• What does each individual bring to the relationship? – Describes what each individual is like in relationship, including their basic needs, their emotional nature, their way of communicating, what they look for in a partner and their assertiveness and sexual energy.  This is based on the Sign and House placement for each person’s inner, personal planets (Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars) and the key relationship Houses (5^th, 7^th and 8^th).  Every individual brings certain needs and expectations into a union, which affect his or her ability to feel loved and supported. This in turn affects the nature and course of the relationship.
• How do two people interact with each other? – A comparison of these components of two people’s charts describes how the two people relate in terms of these inner characteristics.  This describes the nature of the relating, whether it is likely to be an easy and flowing relationship or whether the forces at work are suggesting a less intimate bond. In other words how do these two people come together on an intimate level?
• What are the driving forces between two people? – This looks at the fundamental driving forces, which can be either major challenges or inspirations to the individuals involved. The relationship between one person’s outer planets and the other’s inner planets show how two people stimulate and provoke each other.  Do they create growth or stifle each other? Do they challenge or cause pain?
• What are the generational values? – Underpinning the success of many relationships is a sense of shared values. Often this comes from simply being born into the same generation. Sometimes it is more complex. Looking at the relationship between outer planets shows how two people share values, how the generational characteristics define their relationship.

Relationship Astrology shows the potential strengths and weaknesses of the relationship. It shows what each person’s preferred way of interacting is, and how that preference is likely to be met by the other.  It will shine a light on the places where challenges will be experienced and work needs to be done, and highlight the capacity for flow and ease in intimacy.

Of course, none of this is prescriptive or predictive, it just tells you about the energy you have to play with together … what you do with it is up to you!