Gist of the Gemini

Here are the most commonly cited aspects in astrology and the mathematical angle they represent: Opposition: 180 degrees apart Trine: 120 degrees apart Square: 90 degrees apart Sextile: 60 degrees apart Conjunction: 0 degrees apart Again, it's a geocentric map. A square is two heavenly bodies at a 90 degree angle as seen from earth.  I fundamentally do not  agree with classifications of "good" influences and "bad" influences in traditional astrology.  Traditionally, a square and an opposition are bad influences.  I find it more useful to think of them as high energy aspects. Charts with no  oppositions or squares are "losers" who go nowhere. Too many of them and you have a drama queen unlikely to get their act together.  Trines are traditionally seen as "good" aspects. It's more accurate to think of them as stable harmonics. Keep in mind you can bring a bridge down with harmonics of that sort. If it matches up the right way, the motion a...

Astrology : The irrational belief that the Sun, the Moon and other heavenly bodies influence life here on Earth via invisible forces. Like gravity. The three most important points in a natal chart are the sun, the moon and the rising sign. I've tried to explain this before but it's rambly.  The rising sign marks one of the two horizons and is part of the House system. The Rising sign and House system tell you Earth's mathematical relationship or orientation in a geocentric map of the solar system.  So the most important influences in an astrological chart are the sun, the moon and the earth. If you phrased it right, no one on earth would disagree that the sun, moon and earth are the biggest influences in the solar system on life on planet earth. The personal planets are generally those closest to earth: Mercury, Venus and Mars. Those have the strongest influence on individuals.  Then you have planets that rule relationships to the larger world, like higher education, law...

... it's a misnomer that it's "the study of the STARS," which is what the word means. Historically, planets visible to the naked eye without a telescope were called wandering stars. So it's more like the study of gravitational influences of different bodies within our solar system.  I've written about Retrogrades  previously. Astrology is a geocentric map. Earth is in the middle and the points of interest are mapped based on how they appear from earth. Retrograde means it is "moving backwards." It does "move backwards" in the astrological chart, going back to earlier mathematical points in the chart -- 9 degrees of this sign instead of 11 degrees, for example -- but no planet physically travels backwards. It is sort of an optical illusion based on its relationship to Earth in a geocentric map of important gravitational points within our solar system.  All sources agree that Retrograde planets influence us differently than planets moving Di...

I'm not readily finding a citation to back this up, but my understanding is that some physician had an astonishing track record of referring patients for testing for a specific STD (I think syphilis) before they were showing known symptoms. His patients were getting correctly identified as infected earlier than average.  Rather than decide he's magic, they put two other physicians in the room with him to observe him and try to figure out what he was picking up on though he couldn't tell you himself what that was.  And they eventually identified a new symptom that shows up early: An eye flutter. I've written multiple pieces here giving my opinion that astrology was a cover story for learned commoners trying to make a buck advising kings of old. So astrology did the opposite of the above story and doubled down on conning people and using "The stars say..." rather than "It's my opinion" and asking people "But WHY do you think that?" and th...

I have Saturn at 17 degrees and Uranus at 11 degrees. I have a lot of stuff between 16 and 18 degrees and then a bunch of stuff at 11 degrees, so these are two major themes in my chart AND Uranus is part of a "stellium by transition of light." Stelliums are uncommon and it's three or four planets conjunct (at the same point together). Some people use wide orbs and say "It's this aspect even if it's up to 10 degrees off!" That's not my cup of tea, but I do have four heavenly bodies in one sign that work together as a group sort of AS IF it were a stelli even though they aren't conjunct because all their midpoints converge at 17 degrees. So it's a little like having a set of old fashioned scales and putting a bigger bowl or platter on one side so the weight adds up even though the pieces are not that close, I guess. Anyway, Uranus is kind of "expect the unexpected!" And Saturn is kind of "The tortoise wins because he's CONSIS...