Synastry method - a sample

[Jim Eshelman]

(Originally posted 1/27/2015 on the old site.)


The following is extracted from another thread. I stated my approach perhaps the best I ever have, so I'm trimming it and adding it here. It turns out the charts themselves were wrong, but that doesn't affect the demonstration of technique.

My synastric technique has varied so much over the years that one could question whether it's a technique. There is such a wide range of what can be interactive between two charts that my eyes and mind wander all over the place until I get a general picture - especially looking at different ways to view the aspects and, especially, to get them in their order of relative importance. Orbs of 5° or more may be valid and descriptive, yet that doesn't necessarily give you priority or a way to discern the core flavor of a relationship.

For many years I did little more than rank the co-aspects by orb and, to this day, I wonder if that isn't the most useful. However, for a number of years, I have tended to go with a three-layered approach to center my mind into looking at two charts together. For all of these, I put each chart around the outside of the other (and Solar fire makes it easy to flip from one view to the other).

[Jim Eshelman]

LAYER ONE
For the outer circle, look at only the two luminaries, two benefics, and two malefics, i.e., the classic 7 planets minus Mercury. See what conjunctions, oppositions, and squares are there. (I'm always looking for close aspects but, since we're narrowing it so, we can be casual about orbs.)

[For a sample chart we were considering,] placing chart (A) around the outside of her friend's chart (F), a quick look shows:
A Sun sq B Jupiter (moderate orb)
A Moon conj B Sun (nearly partile - VERY important!)
A Venus-Jupiter conj/op B's MC & Venus (close)
No contacts by the malefics.

This is a fantastic first impression! The strong Moon-Sun interchange, the close, powerful benefic focus on angles and Venus, and a little Sun-Jupiter thrown in for good measure is quite excellent and there are no malefic aspects at all.

Now we switch: Put his planets on the outside. We see:
B Sun conj A Moon (nearly partile - VERY important)
B Sun sq A Mercury (partile)
B Moon op. A Pluto (wide)
B Venus conj A Venus & Asc (close)
B Venus sq A Pluto (0°16')
B Jupiter sq A Sun (moderate)
B Saturn sq A Neptune (close)

This is much the same story from the other side, but with some details added. Flesh out with the new aspects introduced, e.g., Sun-Mercury adds communication themes and most likely he is a mentor of the mind or inspires her; Moon-Pluto means he is at least a bit like a moth drawn to a flame (and, were this stronger and the Moon-Sun weaker, we'd expect a bit of a "hit and run" sexual encounter; but Moon-Pluto is much weaker than the persisting aspects); and, of course, the critically important Venus-Pluto - read about it here http://solunars.net/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=32&p=174#p182 to get a full statement. Among other things, it adds enormous intensity.

So, summing up, this is a quite positive relationship with very significant possibility of interpersonal connection, "clicking," deep contact. It is too strong of a contact to be considered flitting regardless of how small or great time it lasts - it feels significant - and it has intensity. Depending on how the people treat the intensity, it may be of short duration, or they may be able to tolerate and sustain that level of energy over time. The potential affection, joy, and even love are very high, though the first impression is not about persistence - it's about significance, intensity, and pleasure. There are other small elements as mentioned above.

Now, on to level 2.

[Jim Eshelman]

LAYER 2
For this, I treat the charts as if they are transit charts to each other. I don't even really think in terms of synastry but, rather, what kind of "event" each represents in the other's life. I start at Pluto and move inward, as I would for transits, so that the larger context gets established before the inner details rise to attention. Since it is a transit, I'm usually looking at only 1° orbs but, as I would for transit analysis for a date, I'm looking a bit outside that orb to see what's happening a little before and after.

First, place A's planets around B's chart to see what kind of "event" or experience she is for him.

We see that this is the general time Pluto has been transiting his Ascendant. This is life-transforming etc. - all the usual Pluto transit to angles stuff. He either surrenders to having his life-pattern and self-concept dismantled and resynthesized, or he rebels, flees, fights back - all depending on how he responds to this sort of energy. Pluto is also on the approach to oppose his Moon, so whatever is happening now is a setup for an approaching time of uprooting unresolved emotional content, opening him emotionally, confrontationally challenging his historic relationship to material ideas and the feminine in general, etc. He's setting up for that!

But, most importantly, Pluto is in partile square to his Venus. This is a pivotal redefinition point in relationship - elopement, divorce, or both! - capable of forming dramatic, important, intimate pairings or terminating existing ones. It isn't necessarily easy, but it's powerful.

Neptune squares his Saturn, almost partile. If we were really looking at transits, we'd know that, interweaving with the multiple Pluto crossings of the above aspects, Neptune would be making probably three exact transits to Saturn, and we are close to one of them. It "hovers in the air of the time." This is emotionally difficult. Things are turbulent and unclear - likely the uncertainty and lack of footing that comes from the transformation setup (since we interpret each transiting planet, as we move inward, in the context of what we have already learned from the slower patterns). Neptune to Saturn can be depressive, and at least morbidly complex. Ability to protect oneself practically and emotionally is challenged, and he will demonstrate whatever he habitually does when this happens to him. Saturn bounds need to relax; and, the flip side, he needs to find a way to feel safe. Mostly I think this is the uncertainty in the face of the Pluto circumstances, but it could be more, on its own, as well.

Uranus does nothing. Saturn does nothing.

Jupiter has recently passed his IC - a generally good stage of life - and is in partile opposition to his Venus. (The same Venus is transited by Pluto.) This is really, really good! By itself, the Jupiter transit to Venus is social, pleasure-oriented, romantic - love and pleasure matters to well - he feels popular, attractive, makes people smile, so he smiles more himself. So far, we can read this as an overwhelming and really good Venus experience that is life-altering.

Mars does nothing. Sun is a few degrees past square to his Jupiter (so there was a pretty good day in recent memory, painting the overall positive aura of the week). This brings us to Venus.

Transiting Venus is just past his MC and is quickly approaching conjunction with his own Venus. It's almost partile opposite transiting Jupiter, and, though we might predict the exact Venus event' for a couple of days later, there's no question that this is an incredibly happy day. This is the kind of day when a man thinks there's no reason the universe can offer that he shouldn't immediately marry the woman with whom he has just fallen in love.

Mercury squares his Sun. As a transit, this means that others seek his opinion and, in general, mental matters predominate. Some form of this tops off his relationship to the day. (I keep getting the impression he is her teacher, maybe literally.)

And then... Moon conjoins his Sun. Wham! Whammo whammo!

That's the "event" B experiences A to be in his life.

[Jim Eshelman]

LAYER 2, Part 2
So, what kind of event does B represent in A's life?

Pluto does nothing.

Neptune squares her Mercury, not quite partile. It more broadly opposes her Moon. We can expect these to be broader-effect transits, things generally in operation for the year or so in which the more particular event occurs.

With that in mind, we see such things as: She has enormously increased sensitivity, probably feeling (or being) more telepathic or at least empathic. She is also befuddled, disoriented, "not knowing which end is up." Things are confusing because what things mean is no longer stable, and there is a tendency to enhance and exaggerate (alternative way to say it: strongly feel and assert) how things feel and what they mean. Read my Neptune transit interpretations to Moon and Mercury for more, but this is the general impression. - Since we are looking at a relationship, I have to mention that "poor judgment" is one meaning of Mercury-Neptune, but, given the broadly positive connection of the charts, I probably wouldn't make any more of that than to say "making the right life-redirecting choice for the wrong reasons."

Uranus does nothing.

Saturn squares her Neptune. This is surely emotionally troublesome in the face of the general background of Neptune "transits." If I hadn't already looked at the rest of the chart, I would, at this point, be regarding this event as really emotionally difficult, troubling, soul-searching, soul-pummeling. Saturn to Neptune shows reality's impact on one's fantasies and dreams and ideals - think this through to see all the different forms that can take, and read my Saturn to Neptune transit notes for some subtleties. In particular, both material and emotional security issues are highlighted, and persona demons arise and have to be confronted.

There is relief in sight from this, though. Jupiter is approaching the square to her Sun. If this were a transit analysis for the present time, I'd say that some relief, something that puts those personal demons in perspective and lets them be domesticated, is just around the corner, likely timed by Jupiter's exact aspect. Again, like the Neptune, this is a transit of the broader region of time, not the immediate day.

Mercury-Mars does nothing. But the Sun... ah, the Sun!

"Into my loneliness comes" (goes an old poem) "the sound of a flute in dim groves that haunts the uttermost hills..."

The Sun conjoins her Moon! It is almost the exact day of it. And Sun squares her Mercury exactly. Sun to Mercury is a day of a flurry of motion and communication, errands, phone calls, being busy, being business. It demands practical solutions and mobilizes the mind to produce them. It shows special attention to her ideas.

But Sun to Moon simply means special attention - a pivotal day when she receives close attention from someone whose opinion she highly values or holds in good favor. It is a significant day, and a day on which significant relationships can be formed. In the broad background of the psychologically tumultuous Neptune and Saturn transits, softened by the Jupiter presence, this is the day that says, "Get up and do something about it! You've got your opening!"

(That may not apply to the relationship. But I'm going to continue interpreting this as transits.)

And then along comes Venus. Venus is near her natal Ascendant. It has just conjoined her Venus and is exactly opposite her Jupiter. This is a really good day! Not only does she "get special attention from someone that matters," but it's a day of fun, pleasure, social, gifts, love.

[Jim Eshelman]

One thing I love about this approach is that it preserves the integrity of each person's experience of the event. You don't both necessarily even see it as the same kind of event - the encounter, relationship, etc. has a different value, meaning, experience, place in the life of each of you. The above approach preserves that.

[Jim Eshelman]

LAYER 3 is just, "Go back and get anything you missed." In this, I can get really sloppy with the orbs, and I'll even take sextile and trines of Sun or Moon is involved (out to 3° - I did a couple of case study sets that showed me these descriptions fit). But here's the main point: Nothing you add after this point should contradict what you've already found. It is, at most, "additional facts" that, however, have to fit into the larger picture already framed.

In our sample charts, there isn't much else here. Maybe some subtleties. For example, there is a stylistic mismatch of an Aries Moon and a Pisces Moon. This is surely aided by B's Aries Sun, though.

Anyway, that's how I do it.

[SteveS]

Outstanding Jim Knowing you the way I know you, you are one of the few who could possibly make this approach work for helping people exploring their relationships with Sidereal Astrology. OK, here is what I will do if I get before a large group of women with my experiment:

I am going to make copies of this topic and give it to everyone in a possible group setting. PM me your fee for doing this type analysis and I will tell the class if anyone is interested in a professional Synastry reading relationships to contact you.

I am going to tell Kelly tomorrow to tell her group of women there will be free detailed Natal Chart interpretations generated by Solarfire with take home typed content with your individual Natal Chart interpretations. I then will tell the class I will do their Solar Returns free in a rapid fashion highlighting your ISR teachings. Then we will sit back and wait on any possible feedback. If we get positive feedback from your Natal Chart interpretations, you and I could explore the possibility of computerizing your same Natal interpretations ONLINE charging a fee (small fee as possible) trying to attract a large demand---could work based on JSAD's link article about new generations being starved for astrological material pertaining to their lives. Kelly today said she was going to purchase Solarfire with me teaching her how to input the necessary data where she can do her own individual commercial thing with Sidereal Astrology in her store. She comes into contact with a lot of women helping them with their heath issues. Every one in my class will be given a list of the best Sidereal Astrology books possible, and if anyone wishes to begin a serious study of Sidereal Astrology they can contact your forum or me direct for help on their questions, but only after they begin a serious study of Sidereal Astrology by at least reading one of the books from the Sidereal Astrology list. We will 'wing it' and see what happens.

[Jim Eshelman]

I am going to make copies of this topic and give it to everyone in a possible group setting. PM me your fee for doing this type analysis and I will tell the class if anyone is interested in a professional Synastry reading relationships to contact you.

If you want, we can work out something. I'd rather others learn to do this. Frankly, I'm sure you could do it if you just focus on treating each chart as transits to the other, read it from Pluto inward, and examine each person's experience of the relationship as the experience that have under those transits.

[SteveS]

I will talk with Kelly, since she is the one who is very interested in providing a commercial synastry healing service for her women customers at her health food store. If she wants to contact you to work out something agreeable with you, I leave it to her individual decision. I have very little experience with synastry charts except the Solarfire generated one I did for Kelly and her ex, and the one I did for me and her, which I only paid attention to 0,90,180 with the personal points between Kelly and I. A detailed synastry chart was provided to my wife and I by a Chicago Astrologer back in the 70,s. Kelly tells me over 50% of the women she knows from her generation are divorced, many multiple divorces, and feels a great demand for synastry by her women friends. Kelly is keenly interested in these synastry charts asking me many questions that I have no feel for possible answers with my lack of experience. Kelly asked me if a synastry chart could foretell a good marriage or a very troubled marriage. I told her I don't really know with lack of experience. But I did tell her I had lots of experience with Natal Charts reading certain key signatures for a Natal Chart, and felt that harsh multiple divorces was more than likely foretold with high % with a Natal Chart. Kelly wanted me to show her any possible Natal signatures foretelling multiple divorces with her divorced (multiple times) friends and this turned out to be a big Bingo with their Natal Chart signatures. Kelly also feels a great demand for synastry charts with dating single women.

[Jim Eshelman]

Steve, take your chart and your wife's chart. Put hers around the outside ring of yours (or use the Synastry Grid option as an aspectarian), and, starting with Pluto, read her birth moment and place as transits for an event that occurred to you, challenging yourself to describe the "event." Use partile 45° aspects. Read Pluto aspects, then Neptune, etc. down to Moon last and then angles, as if an event were spiraling into its exact moment.

Then flip the rings and read it from her perspective. The aspects will be identical, but the nature of the event may be quite different!

I bet your brain will snap into a recognition of just how much you know about the subject! It could be a lot of fun for you, too - each pair of charts is a new discovery.

[SteveS]

Will do Jim.

[Jim Eshelman]

Jim, are there some additional techniques/charts/factors that you use, beside the approach outlined here, for situations when you want to do a detailed, fine-points, in-depth analysis of a relationship?

This is primarily what I do. I mean... you can always go back and make sure you've hit all the aspects without missing them. If it were my own relationship, I'd look at least once at the Composite, but I remain unsure how much weight to put on this. (There are several alternate reasons why Composites may seem to work sometimes, other than the idea that the technique is intrinsically valid; and I've seen at least a few that were far off the mark.)

Oh, a first copulation chart is highly responsive to transits for years after (maybe forever) - calculated for when things start.

There's this method, though it's actually more superficial than the above, sort of a REALLY quick first impression that is easy to override.
http://solunars.com/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=443

Oh, almost forgot: One I learned to pay attention to from Bradley in conversation. Progress each person's chart to the moment and place of the other's birth, with particular attention to the obvious points of progressed Moon and the quotidian angles. The Q angles alone (Q2) are sometimes stunningly descriptive. This is really just another variation of the transits approach, i.e., really exploring the experience of what it would have been like to exist at the moment and place the other was born. (We are all momentary intersections of space and time, not people.) - But don't let this one leave you with a different impression than the foregoing (other than intensity or singular significance).

But some of these are not as on-target as you might expect. Marion's chart progressed back to the moment and place of my birth does have Q EP exactly conjunct her Moon, and her progressed Sun is near (but IMHO maybe not near enough) Q MC. Progressed Moon is opposite my Saturn. Not really descriptive of our relationship on balance. OTOH my chart progressed to the moment and place of her birth has my Venus exactly on WP, progressed Moon conjunct Uranus and Jupiter within minutes (and opposite progressed Mars within a degree), and then a 39' Sun-Neptune conjunction.