Solunars by Aldebaran Sidereal Academy

A.D. (male)
10/11/2023
4:27pm
Beaumont, TX

I was hoping for some comments on his background planets.

He's got a background Mars-Pluto trine (2°25'). I still have a hard time ignoring trines. I don't like what I think this means, and I'd appreciate being told not to worry about it.

He also has a background Jupiter and a background Uranus.

Foreground, he's got a closely angular Venus-Saturn opposition (1°30').

And I'm just already worried about this kid, you know?

Lance wrote: Wed Oct 11, 2023 5:18 pm He's got a background Mars-Pluto trine (2°25'). I still have a hard time ignoring trines. I don't like what I think this means, and I'd appreciate being told not to worry about it.

Ah, but it's not a trine - it's a square. Also, Pluto is stationary. General statement:
viewtopic.php?f=16&t=182#p1231

He also has a background Jupiter and a background Uranus.

Correct. By themselves, these usually mean something like (1) he doesn't feel he gets the breaks other people get - this may or may not be objectively true - and (2) feels cramped without a lot of sense of freedom, something reinforced by the angular Saturn.

Foreground, he's got a closely angular Venus-Saturn opposition (1°30').

And I'm just already worried about this kid, you know?

This, because of the angularity, is the single most important aspect, though hardly the only important aspect.

Let's go back to the start and get the lay of the land of the chart: Luminaries are Virgo-Leo, not a bad pair even though adjacent signs - by itself tends to be serious, an objective and logical thinker, etc. I've known writers including stage writers with this combination, and in fact there may be a knack for the stage. In my Example Chart catalogue, most of the Virgo-Leo examples mostly have a remarkable ease of holding the stage: Aimee S. MacPherson, Angelo A. Buono Jr. [one bad apple, right?], Cass Elliot, Lenny Bruce, Margaret Thatcher, Pres. William H. Taft, Robert Blake, and Tanya Tucker.

Venus is the most angular planet (1°18') and Saturn a close second (2°54'). Saturn rising is easily expressed and enhances the serious, measured, workaholic side of Virgo. Venus-Saturn across the horizon (especially with Venus setting) has a strong tendency not to feel loved - to grow up needing constant affirmation of being loved - often experiences childhood as severe. The best "treatment" for this, of course, is to love them to pieces unconditionally.

With Venus-Mars-Saturn, adult relationships may be hard until he learns some hard lessons. His reflexes might be to be a user, not particularly caring or concerned about how to treat others. That's mostly a matter of upbringing and life experiences, so parents can have a significant effect on that. Besides that side, the loudest thing about the Venus-Saturn is likely to be throwing himself into work. It may be hard work to love, but he'll love to work.

And yet, love will be terribly important to him. As a Virgo (Venus' fall), it may take a while for him to understand this; but don't let Saturn's aspect to Venus deflect attention from the fact that Venus is the single strongest planet. Of all the ten main categories of basic needs we all share, the need for affiliation and connection is his strong, though followed close by material needs (survival needs and needs to manage physical resources and build things). Third strongest are his information needs, and these strong curiosities will need to be fed voraciously.

Moon is not badly aspected overall (a moderate trine to Jupiter is the closest aspect, though the opposition to Neptune is only a little wider: not sure what this means other than the individual aspect meanings: if he weren't a serious, practical, logical, fact-driven type, this would be a sort of superstitious thinking: one wonders what the impact of childhood religion might be). The Moon aspects are good for theater also (just to follow the earlier theme).

Sun is important as a theme because of the Leo Moon. It ties into the Venus-Saturn by octiles and doubles up on Mercury by a conjunction. This suggests that the real key to the identity is the mix of the Virgo traits and the Venus-Saturn themes.

Venus is strong but harsh. The Virgo Sun suggests Venus feelings and behaviors being a little unfamiliar, especially early in life, and Venus is aspected by two malefics. Nor is Leo a great position for Venus. You might read about that placement for some nuance.

This brings us to Mars. Mars is not well placed. It's probably the biggest troubles spot. Mars in Libra is hard by itself (read up on it). Mars is background, usually meaning a feeling of blocked strength or insecurity about masculinity (which Mars in Libra can bring also). Virgo (being more androgynous) may deal with that better than most, Mars has strenuous aspects - one might call them brutal. Even closer than the close square to stationary Pluto is a trine from Saturn. Venus' wider sextile doesn't soften these much. He could overcompensate and be a bully or end up being bullied. I think, given a sane upbringing, he's more likely to have a callous emotional side, perhaps no more than a shortage of empathy. I've seen other youngsters with strong Mars-Pluto benefit from martial arts training from an early age if there is interest: It gives them skills and confidence, puts their aggressions in perspective and within an ethical framework. One gets less bullying (either direction) this way.

Does that help?

Thank you very much for this analysis. I'm still pondering it. I may have a few questions later.

Thank you again.

So, here's my main question. What about these *aspects* being either angular or backgrounded?

For instance, I have a Venus-Saturn aspect. It's not my favorite. I can certainly tell that love requires struggle/sacrifice and doesn't come easily. But *this* kid has that aspect, and both of the planets aspecting each other are foregrounded.

Does that supe up the aspect?

The same with the Mars-Pluto square being backgrounded. I read the blurb for that aspect, and think - yeah, all the parts talking about that energy being poorly expressed are gonna be true for this kid.

I vaguely remember that you were maybe up in the air whether it suped up the aspect itself *or* just emphasized or deemphasized the planets individually as usual.

The strength of the aspect energy itself is closeness of the orb. Technically the angularity doesn't have to do with the aspect strength but with the opportunity and necessity for those energies to be expressed.

Either foreground or background has a specific characteristic: Foreground in a natal means the aspect is upfront, out there, the main energy expressing in life. Background can be as big an matter, though, because the energy is just as strong but there is a big deal about it NOT having the opportunity to express.

My Venus-Pluto square is a good example. I've made no secret of the fact that as a teen in Indiana I had little Venus opportunity or activity and this changed dramatically within a few months of my moving to LA. The 0°13' Venus-Pluto square is in the remote background at birthplace and the immediate foreground of where I have lived ever sense. It was an issue - a big theme in my life (issue) - that it was unexpressed and inactive in Indiana, and an equally big theme that it was extremely expressed as an adult. Each of these versions has its own secondary and tertiary consequences, but the "all or nothing" of Pluto made it more obvious, switching from nothing toi all.

The kid's Vernus-Saturn opposition across the horizon includes THREE astrological factors, not one. In the middleground, it's just, "Here is a Venus-Saturn aspect. Read it by the book." In the background, it's "Here is a Venus-Saturn aspect, and add the consideration that the strong energy probably feels blocked." But in the foreground, you have, in order of strength, (1) Vernus closely angular, (2) Saturn closely angular, and (3) Venus opposite Saturn. It's like three aspects in a sense, and they all have to be interwoven.

The background aspect has a chance of developing into a health issue. That's just one possibility, but it's one example of how that works out. For instance, I remember thinking you Moon-Jupiter-Pluto fell in this category, but I don't remember if we ever explored your Venus-Saturn from this side. If Venus-Saturn background triggers a health problem, the usual form is: Gland abnormalities or disorders. Hormone resistance (from aging?). Thyroid or blood sugar disorders (diabetes). Heart disorders (including congenital heart disease, impact of “heartbreak”). Cosmetic afflictions. Calcium metabolism. Constipation (related to thyroid). (? Lead toxicity.)

You have access to the "CSA" sub-forum where I have been putting progressive drafts and rewrites of the book I'm working on. Go to the link in the "Newest Versions" post and download (for your own use) a copy of chapter 16, "The Three Grounds." There is a section of that chapter devoted to interpreting background planets - this probably will interest you a lot and may answer some of the questions. If not, loop back here and we'll talk more. (PS - There is a little bit more in the Health & Illness chapter.)

Awesome. Thank you very much.