chart interpretation

Hi, everyone
I'm hoping someone can give me a general read/highlights of my chart, as well as some insight into an issue that has dominated my life. I have a real problem with expressing my emotions in close relationships, sometimes I say things I don't mean (sometimes even the opposite), and other times I don't say things I want to say. It's very frustrating, because I keep shooting myself in the foot, and sometimes to hurt the people I care about with things I say and do in anger. It's caused me to lose some relationships I cared deeply about, in fact, 2 just this summer alone! I know it, and can't seem to stop myself. Any insight into what in my chart might have an influence on this issue would be greatly appreciated I know I have some difficult placements, so please be brutally honest. Thank you so much

do u get angered in communication or r u good in arguments/debates?

Hahaha, both! Basically, I have trouble melding reason and emotion. I am a good debater, even about things I'm passionate about (I have a masters degree in Political Science, and I'm a teacher). Confrontation and argument can make me feel physically ill, I want to keep the peace, so I'm usually a slow burn. But when I'm angry/emotional about something, I get very much lost in the moment, and reason goes out the window. At that point, I'm not thinking, just feeling, and my actions and words reflect that. I can be very nasty (Scorpio stinger?). I almost always regret it afterward, and try to make the peace (Libra rising?) but sometimes it's too late. I tend to express hurt as anger, which leads to some unpleasant situations with my loved ones. I'm generally happy and even-tempered in most other situations.

The third house and Mercury have a lot to do with your communication style.

I am looking at your third house Neptune opposite Mars. When you get angry, probably Mars is activated. With Scorpio on the cusp of your third house, Mars is its traditional ruler. The opposition can be a difficult aspect. Neptune has a "now you see it, now you don't" or illusion/disillusion quality that can be very unsettling. When Mars gets activated, speaking bluntly may seem like a good idea at the time, but with Neptune you can never be sure what is real and what was merely your imagination.

Then you've got moon opposite Mars, as well. This suggests your feelings can change very rapidly, and perhaps in martial ways. Mercury square moon suggests it gets dragged into the fracas once something pings on your Mars.

With your sun and two other planets in Leo, you probably have a fair bit of pride, and once it gets hurt, the Lion doesn't take insults (real or imagined) lightly.

I think the key is to work on anger management.

Also, I found I tended to fly off the handle when transiting Mercury conjuncted, squared, or opposed my natal Mars, or vice versa. You can check an ephemeris (like the free one at www.astro.com for dates when your mood might be especially volatile. Forewarned is forearmed.

Thank you, Waybread, that makes a lot of sense to me. So, what you're saying is that my anger activates my Mars, and those aspects lead me to react emotionally (moon and mars) and with aggressive speech (mercury and mars). But the Neptune clouds the issues, so sometimes I imagine malicious intent where there is none, and that's where I hurt people I care about. I can certainly see that.
Can you please tell me what with my mercury makes me say things I don't feel or mean, and makes me so scared of revealing my vulnerability to anyone?
Thank you very much for helping me

Neptune is a very tricky planet. It can cloud our judgement. Sometimes telling off someone to her face seems like a good idea at the time, but then Neptune comes back to haunt us later, showing that we hadn't pegged the reality of the situation correctly.

Mercury is our thinking, analysing, and communicating function. In Leo, the fixed fire sign, people can be pretty clear that their ideas are correct, and stick to them. Sometimes this is truly admirable. But sometimes, given human frailty, people can be mistaken. Leo as a sign has a lot of pride. If that pride gets disrespected or wounded in some way, the Lion may start roaring.

Thank you, again, Waybread I'm starting to understand things a bit more. So it's Neptune in the 3rd house that clouds my communication in general, and leads to me being unclear and sometimes not tell the truth about my emotions, even though I may want to. When my emotions are not involved, my communication is fine, and clear. When you said "your feelings can change very rapidly, and perhaps in martial ways", did you mean that my thoughts could be violent (martial) or that I can be physically violent?

I guess you'll have to decide whether physical violence is part of your life or not. But certainly verbal attacks can be a way of expressing one's Mars nature.

Thank you, Waybread, for you help again. I know what you mean. Do you see anything in my chart that might help counter or mitigate these effects, that soften them? Or anything else that could hinder my communication, not only when I'm angry (which I'm not, usually)? You have really helped me understand why I do some of the things I do, I really appreciate it. I actually thought it was my Scorpio moon causing the problem, not Mars aspects. And I hadn't really considered Neptune at all.

No doubt your Scorpio moon square Mercury-Saturn has something to do with it. Our charts operate as a whole, so the moon is right there in the mix. It's out of sign and a bit wide, but we might also think of you as having a moon-Mars opposition.

Any of those blue lines on your chart suggest mitigating aspects. Venus is the principle of love and affection, and where yours conjuncts beneficial Jupiter and sextiles Mercury-Saturn, you have the capacity for a huge generosity of spirit. Jupiter conjunct MC is just a wonderful aspect for your career.

Sun trine moon gives you an innate sense of self-confidence compared to people who go through life as a bundle of insecurities. Some astrologers don't count out-of-sign aspects (Leo sun, Scorpio moon.) I do, although I think they operate differently. Namely as a fire-water blend, and with great fixity of purpose.

Never forget that Leo is royalty. You can afford to be generous, magnanimous, and even playful around other people.

Again, I would suggest that you check an ephemeris on a monthly basis. Plan ahead for dates when your Mars, Mercury, or moon are likely to get opposed, squared, or conjuncted by a difficult planet. Transiting Venus and Jupiter aren't likely to cause problems, but transiting Mars square Mercury, for example, can generate some sparks flying. Then just make a special effort on these days to stay calm. no matter what goes on during those days.

Good luck with this, leolady!

Waybread, you have been so helpful, I can't thank you enough I will definitely check out the ephemeris...I have a feeling there was some difficult transit this past Thursday night....

Hey, no problem! Astrology is my passion.

I have an afflicted Mars, so I have gotten into some real tiffs with people, myself.

Been there, done that, doin' it again.

Ah, I know what you mean! I always tell myself I'll stay calm, not fly off like that again...but when I'm in the moment, I lose my temper and say things that are hurtful. Is this a karmic thing needing to be worked out? Also,can you please tell me what my chart says about relationships, love relationships in particular (like, does my chart show a happy marriage), but also others? I know I have an empty 7th house except for the vertex...does that mean no?
Thank you again for all of your insight, I have learned so much from you

Why, thank you!

I am not a great believer in past-life astrology. I do believe that karma is something we face in the here and now. A behaves badly towards B. B shuns A. A is now full of regret. That's karma in my book, or perhaps simple human nature.

You know, I just noticed that you were born in the Bronx! I don't know if you still live there or nearby, but you probably are aware that to folks from the hinterland, an aggressive style of behavior is the sterotypical New Yorker! Is it possible the people you alienate are from parts of the country where less assertive styles are the norm?

Judging your marriage prospects is a bit tricky. Your 7th house cusp is right on the edge of its sign, so if your birth time were rounded and thus a couple of minutes off, your 7th house cusp might be Pisces rather than Aries. The 7th house indicates what type of partner appeals to you. With Aries on the cusp, you probably would admire someone feisty and independent! With Mars in Gemini, you would probably want someone who is smart, articulate, and a good conversationalist.

Just be aware that the 7th is both the house of marriage... and the house of open enemies. If your ascendant is in Libra, you do have the Venusian ability to attract other people, and would have a peace-keeping partner-oriented side to your personality. If it is Virgo, just guard against a possible tendency to expect perfection from ordinary mortals.

I don't practice a kind of fortune-telling astrology that says whether you will or will not get married, because I think people have a lot of freedom of choice in life. I think astrology can show likely or unlikely/good or bad times for this to occur. Just watch for Venus or Jupiter transiting your 7th house. At astrodienst you can also input a sensitive point called the vertex into your chart. When a transiting planet conjuncts it, you are likely to meet someone important to you, if not necessarily Mr. Right.

All kinds of people get married without any 7th house planets. A tenanted 7th house does indicate that being in a relationship is extra-important to that person.

Best wishes, W.

Once again, thank you so much for all of your time and insight. I knew about the Libra Asc (definitely not Virgo), but I hadn't considered the rulership of the 7th being different. The time must have been rounded down, so I'll look into that more for sure. You have been a tremendous help