Sesquisquares? Major or minor or...

[Byron]

I was just surprised to suddenly realize that today I had 7 transits that were sesquisquare (sesquare, sesquiquadrate, what have you) to my natal chart, all within a 1 degree orb:

• t. Moon ssq my Saturn
• t. Moon ssq my Chiron
• t. Mars ssq my Ascendant
• t. Saturn ssq my Venus
• t. Saturn ssq my Jupiter
• t. Uranus ssq my Pluto
• t. Chiron ssq my Neptune (separating)

However, this has not been an unusually bad day.

I certainly HAVE been ailing under t. Saturn square my Ascendant; t. Uranus square/opposite my T-square of Chiron, Saturn and Uranus; and t. Mars opposite my Pisces stellium. All these I can backtrack to actual unpleasant events when the transits came in orb, and continue to experience the ongoing stresses. (T. Mars Rx brought on plantar fasciitis coming back into opposition to my Pisces Mars, and I actually suffered a serious injury to my foot when t. Mars opposed my Mars exactly...and did not realize how serious until I took my socks off later that night and saw the awful bruise! How classic Pisces vs Mars is that?!!)

But after today's cluster of sesquisquares, I'm wondering if I've been giving them too much attention. I know Lois Rodden and SolarFire include them in their readings as important malefics, but Robert Hand completely ignores them in Planets in Transit. Our moderator Vista doubted their signficance and now, so do I, considering that with SEVEN sesquisquares hitting me at once today, I should feel much worse...but I don't. <knocking on wood>

I would love to have all your views on sesquisquare transits.

[Claire19]

Forget all of them. They are minor and I dont even use them. Concentrate on your major aspects is my suggestion. Chiron has a very small orb of no more than 2 degrees in aspect and I only use that as a possible support to other influences.

[Frisiangal]

Hi,
I don't think you should look at the sesquiquadrates as merely

However, this has not been an unusually bad day.

The transiting Moon is only effective for a few hours in aspecting anything in the chart. Yet your lunar return was in the 3rd house....and conjunct transit Jupiter. You may have been somewhere and heard or been told something that had an effect upon your feelings regarding your need for Taurean safety and security. What you heard may be especially relevant regarding major transit issues you are also working through. The sesquiquarates could have a significant effect in how you are NOW finding yourself having to deal with these same issues.

Do not undermine sesquiquadrates. Transiting MEAN Black Moon Lilith conjunct tr. Jupiter conjunct natal Moon in your chart may bring hidden facts to light that you did not expect. A different approach to an
issue may be deemed necessary. The sesquiquadrates in direct/
retrograde/direct transits are going to eventually act themselves out.

[Byron]

Hmm...as I imagined, there is certainly some controversy regarding sesquisquares.

I wanted to go along with Claire completely, as minimalism appeals to me...I get overwhelmed by the seemingly endless array of aspects, celestial bodies, points, stars...if we include them all (many of which may be so minor or of no effect at all), interpretation becomes so impossibly complicated and contradictory to the point that it's useless.

However, I had a recent personal experience that makes me theorize something I haven't read...that sesquisquares may add details, or specifics, to major transits, but might not act on their own.

Here's my own experience: While Saturn was still within 1 degree squaring my Ascendant, I was also constantly plagued with plantar fasciitis (pain, sometimes extreme, in the heel) and my big toe was badly injured twice. During its square to my Asc., Saturn was also sesquisquare my Pisces stellium (feet).

But now that Saturn Rx has just left orb squaring my Ascendant, but the sesquisquare to my Pisces planets is still in orb, the plantar fasciitis has disappeared and my poor toe is healing nicely and no longer hurts.

Frisiangal, that is very astute to call attention to my Lunar Return, too. I find that with the Luminaries, the transit effect seems to linger for a couple of days, which would cover the peaking of sesquisquares the next day. I DID feel an emotional peace and security after reading (still 3rd House) an article that reassured me about some personal issues at the time of that return.

Thanks for mentioning Lilith, which I've heard of but didn't want to pursue (minimalist that I am). It's actually not a body but a point, right?, like the Moon's North and South Nodes. I know my Nodes play a definite role in my natal chart. Hidden facts (re opponents, enemies) HAVE recently come to light, but I had considered that part of t. Saturn square my Ascendant. But in fact, the most devastating disagreement with me yet, written by two young colleagues, came in my e-mail today, with the Black Moon still in orb conjunct my Moon, but the Saturn square had already separated...and I WILL definitely have to take a new approach.