But sometimes it can work the other way. If someone does not understand why the same difficult dynamic keeps arising in their lives, then looking at in terms of this planet square that planet can have a very positive effect. The struggle is validated because it has a definite root in one's psyche. I've often heard friends say, after a visit to a doctor for tests, something like, "If one of the tests comes back positive at least I'll know what I'm dealing with - what is at the root of these symptoms. And then I'm in a better position to do something about them."
But one person will take on such messages at a very deep level, and another will brush them off. The difference is the difference in temperaments of the two people which was shown in their charts from the moment they were born, regardless of whether or not anyone actually cast that chart for them.
I take your point about the potential misuses of astrology though, definitely.
Yes that is true also. Knowing about these aspects was a relief and a load off my mind - that all these difficulties were not just my perception. But I guess my conscious, rational mind, my free will (i.e. my sun) does find it annoying how every little seemingly troublesome thing triggers off an extreme intense anguished emotional reaction (moon in scorpio) and my mercury immediately starts questioning "Why? Why is this happening? Is it the saturn venus? It must be that".
My practical sun in capricorn definitely does not like extremes in anything - so it tries to rationalize, "Is it really your hard aspects? But many other people have these same problems and much worse. Do they all have these same hard aspects? Why do you blame yours? Why are you using it as a crutch to feel self-pity and avoid taking responsibility for your thoughts and actions? Are you going to take steps to improve the situation or are you just going to sit around feeling sorry for yourself, fatalistic and trying to find something to blame."
So that is why I sometimes feel annoyed by these types of interpretations - because they get you in a rut of fatalistic thinking - at that point you can't think in terms of free will. You keep thinking in terms of karma and pre-determination rather than evolution of the soul, learning lessons and spiritual growth through exercising our free will.
This is one of my favorite quotes:
“You should check your vices while on earth. If you do not, you carry them over with you to another life.
Only we can rid ourselves of the bad habits that we accumulate when we are in a physical state. If you choose to fight and not to rid yourself, then you will carry them over into another life.
Only when you decide that you are strong enough to master the external problems, then you will no longer have them in your next life. " Many Lives Many Masters - Dr Brian Weiss
So how do I get rid of my bad habits and vices if I think fatalistically all the time? Astrology/astrologers should make it very clear that these aspects are only the lessons/syllabus/classes that we need to focus on in this lifetime - it is not our fate - it is the college program we are studying in and these planets are the professors that we have chosen to teach us these lessons - and that WE DEFINITELY WILL LEARN! Our sun (i.e. our free will, the conscious rational mind) will make sure of it - though it may require the square/opposition to give it a few swift kicks in the backside now and then.
For example, my main hard aspects requires me to learn about saturn (duty, responsibility, discipline, honoring promises, dealing with frustrations, time delays and endurance, "in sickness and in health", patience, ect) regarding venus (love, affection, relationships, peace, harmony, beauty, aesthetics, etc.). Probably in a previous life I was irresponsible regarding a love relationship - thus causing hurt to someone - and now I must learn to become more responsible - my soul needs this lesson in order to graduate (nirvana, enlightenment) from earth.