Contents
List of Tables and Examples ................................................................... xii
List of Charts .......................................................................................xiv
Foreword by Noel Tyl ............................................................................xvi
Introduction: What Is Synastry? ............................................................... 1
Chapter 1: The Basics ..................................................................... 5
In This Chapter ......................................................................................... 5
Why the Client Seeks Help ....................................................................... 5
What Astrology Can Offer ........................................................................ 6
Which Relationships Can We Analyze? ...................................................... 7
What Is Compatibility? ............................................................................. 7
The Difference Between Synastry and Natal Readings ............................... 8
First Impressions........................................................................................ 9
Why We Form First Impressions ............................................................. 10
Why We Create Impressions in Others .................................................... 10
Why First Impressions Often Are Wrong ................................................. 11
Appearance Counts: The Ascendant ........................................................ 11
Analyzing the Ascendant for First Impressions ......................................... 12
Controlling Other People’s Impressions of Us .......................................... 14
Finding the “Real” Person ........................................................................ 16
Chapter 2: Relationships and the Individual ................................ 17
In This Chapter ....................................................................................... 17
The Promise of the Natal Chart ............................................................... 17
The Chart as a Whole.............................................................................. 18
Hemisphere Emphasis ............................................................................. 18
Strong or Weak Planets ............................................................................ 19
Other Emphasized Chart Features ........................................................... 20
The Primary Needs: Sun and Moon ........................................................ 21
Steps to Analyze the Sun and Moon ........................................................ 23
Interpreting Compatible or Incompatible Needs ..................................... 25
How Needs Are Made Visible to Others .................................................. 26
Another Look at the Ascendant ............................................................... 27
Drawing Some Conclusions .................................................................... 28
Chapter 3: First Steps in Comparisons ......................................... 29
In This Chapter ....................................................................................... 29
Initial Comparisons ................................................................................. 29
Start with Elements Alone ....................................................................... 30
Comparing Elements ............................................................................... 30
Highly Compatible Elements .................................................................. 31
Elements That Are Compatible with Effort ............................................. 31
Not Compatible or Disinterested Elements ............................................. 32
Comparing Sun, Moon, and Ascendant ................................................... 33
Conveying Information to Clients ........................................................... 34
Comparing Individual Characteristics ..................................................... 34
How Much Should You Say? ................................................................... 39
The Foundation in Place ......................................................................... 39
Chapter 4: The Foundations of Relating ....................................... 41
In This Chapter ....................................................................................... 41
Communicating Feelings ......................................................................... 42
Analyzing Communication Using Mercury and the Moon ...................... 42
The Value System .................................................................................... 43
Self-Worth ............................................................................................... 44
Love, Sex, and Pleasure ............................................................................ 46
Connecting Self-Worth and Love ............................................................ 48
Children .................................................................................................. 50
Beyond Pleasure ...................................................................................... 52
Marriage and One-to-One Relationships ................................................. 54
Planets in and Ruling the Seventh House ................................................ 55
Likelihood and Lastingness of Marriage ................................................... 58
Learning about Ourselves ........................................................................ 60
viii Contents
Chapter 5: Basic Chart Comparison ............................................. 61
In This Chapter ....................................................................................... 61
What Does Synastry Involve? .................................................................. 62
The Method of Comparison .................................................................... 62
Making the Necessary Calculations ......................................................... 62
The Effect on Each Other ....................................................................... 63
Finding Patterns of Interaction ................................................................ 66
Measuring Important Interchart Aspects.................................................. 67
Focusing on the Most Important Planets and Aspects .............................. 68
Planets in Relationships ........................................................................... 68
Aspects in Relationships .......................................................................... 69
Planets in Aspect in Synastry ................................................................... 72
1. The Luminaries ............................................................................... 72
2. The Angles and Their Rulers ........................................................... 74
3. Mercury .......................................................................................... 76
4. Venus .............................................................................................. 77
5. Mars................................................................................................ 78
6. Jupiter ............................................................................................. 81
7. Saturn ............................................................................................. 82
8. Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto ........................................................... 85
Checklist: Key Areas of Comparison ........................................................ 86
Keeping It in Balance .............................................................................. 88
What You’ve Learned So Far .................................................................... 88
Chapter 6: Life Issues .................................................................... 89
In This Chapter ....................................................................................... 89
Going Deeper .......................................................................................... 90
Fear of Rejection ..................................................................................... 90
The Natal Chart and Life Experience ...................................................... 90
Succedent Houses Show Core Issues ........................................................ 91
Secretiveness and Denial .......................................................................... 93
Contents ix
The Twelfth House .................................................................................. 93
Planets in the Twelfth .......................................................................... 93
Triggers from the Partner’s Chart ............................................................. 96
The Challenge to Grow ........................................................................... 97
Effects of Outer Planets ........................................................................... 98
Aspects Between Outer Planets and Personal Planets ............................... 98
How Each Outer Planet Takes Effect ..................................................... 100
Aspects Between Outer Planets .............................................................. 102
Karma, Saturn, and the Seven-Year Cycle .............................................. 104
Using Uranus and Neptune to Enhance Your Understanding ................ 106
Other Outer Planet Connections ........................................................... 110
Chapter 7: Charts of the Relationship ........................................ 111
In This Chapter ..................................................................................... 111
What Defines a Bond? ........................................................................... 111
Combining Charts ................................................................................ 112
An Alternative Method .......................................................................... 113
Advantages and Disadvantages of These Methods .................................. 114
Helping Clients Understand the Composite Chart ................................ 115
Working with the Composite ................................................................ 116
Emphasizing Aspect over Sign ............................................................... 118
Combining Multiple Charts .................................................................. 120
Marriage Charts .................................................................................... 121
What to Analyze in the Marriage Chart ................................................. 122
Moving Forward into the Present ... and the Future............................... 124
Chapter 8: Beginnings and Endings ........................................... 125
In This Chapter ..................................................................................... 125
When Does a Relationship Begin? ......................................................... 126
Progressions Show Lasting Changes ....................................................... 126
Transits Time the Changes ..................................................................... 128
Will It Last? ........................................................................................... 131
Preparing and Delineating Directed Charts ........................................... 133
Directions of Marriage Charts ............................................................... 134
x Contents
Making Composites from Progressed Charts ......................................... 134
When Will Changes Happen? ............................................................... 134
What Changes Will Happen? ................................................................ 135
Giving a Joint Predictive Reading .......................................................... 141
Important Directions in Individual Charts ............................................ 143
Directions Involving Composite Charts ................................................. 144
Strategies for Using Transits to Composites ........................................... 145
When Will It End? ................................................................................ 146
O.J. Simpson and Nicole Brown Simpson, Part 1—Natal Synastry ....... 150
O.J. Simpson and Nicole Brown Simpson, Part 2—Directions .............. 154
Chapter 9. The Consultation ...................................................... 161
In This Chapter ..................................................................................... 161
Ethical Issues ......................................................................................... 162
The Right to Privacy ............................................................................. 162
How Much Information to Give? .......................................................... 163
Advice and the Law ............................................................................... 164
Preparing for the Consultation .............................................................. 165
Selecting Information ............................................................................ 165
Collating Information ........................................................................... 167
Develop a Strategy for Timing the Session ............................................. 168
Let Astrology Be Your Guide ................................................................. 169
Spend a Moment on Yourself ................................................................. 169
Your Role as Astrological Counselor ...................................................... 170
The Relationship Goes “Live” ................................................................ 172
Giving Constructive Advice ................................................................... 175
Wrapping It Up ..................................................................................... 178
Appendix A: Further Reading .............................................................. 179
Appendix B: Relationship Analysis Worksheet ........................................ 181
Appendix C: Charts ............................................................................ 193
