Oppositions and T-squares

Hey everyone,

I've been having some thoughts about t-squares and I'd like to hear opinions/experience on these ideas.

T-squares (a planet situated so that it is square to both of two opposing planets) seem to assume a relationship between signs that I haven't heard mentioned before (if it has, please let me know where!). That is, the apex point is said to be where the two opposing planets can "resolve" expression of the two energies (as the opposing planets are said to see-saw back and forth until they can be integrated or used together, in a sense).

For one, opposing planets fall on an axis by sign, and the axis itself has a common ground -- concerned with the same principle, but expressed in opposite ways (security for Cancer/Cap, relationship between self and others for Aries/Libra, resources for Taurus/Scorpio, etc.). For the apex planet, it could occur on either side of another axis from the opposing planets, and since this is a place of "resolve" then the relationship between those two axes has meaning.

For example, if you have an opposition in Aries/Libra, then you resolve it through Cancer/Capricorn (or visa versa).

If you have an opposition between Leo/Aquarius, then you resolve it through Taurus/Scorpio, and visa versa.

So my question is what do these signs mean to each other in this context? How is this meaning related to a square aspect without an opposition present? What about another planet trine/sextile the opposition? What does it mean for "out of sign" oppositions and squares? It seems like looking at it this way may help understand the signs better and how aspects play out in one's life, or don't play out.

Hi. I think this is a very useful way to approach the signs, and that you presented it very well.

The two axes which form a cross are the yin and yang expressions of a particular mode. So, as you say, the Cancer Capricorn axis is concerned with security - the maintenance of some sustaining factor (yin) as time marches on and initiatives must be taken (cardinal). These signs complement one another in some ways, but may be overly cautious if left to their own devices. The Aries Libra axis brings the challenge to take initiatives (cardinal) which are driven by a sense of limitless possibility (yang).

I can't 'thank' your post as I'm on my phone, but thanks for bringing this up.

I forgot your questions.

A trining or sextiling planet doesn't challenge the opposing planets. Here, the polarity is the same, so for instance Taurus is trine/sextile the cardinal yin axis, so the notion of preserving the sustaining factor finds sympathy in the fixed yin sign.

An opposition with no other contacts could get into a rut of see-sawing because there's nothing new to break up the equilibrium or stalemate or reciprocation between the opposing signs.

Out of sign configurations or aspects are more complicated to interpret. We have to treat the sign combination and the aspect more separately, noting that they are hinting at different dynamics.

A square aspect on its own involves one yin sign and one yang sign from the same mode, so in one sense its more balanced. In another sense its less stable - the elements involved and the hemicycle which both signs share say how this will manifest. For example Taurus and Leo are fixed fire and earth, both in the personal (or individual) hemicycle, so there is a suggestion of being intensely focused (fixed) on the expression of one's unique individuality (personal) in a rather unreflective manner (fire plus earth).

Just to clarify, the halves of the zodiac which each begin and end at a solstitial point can also be referred to as hemicycles. Thus the Virgo Sagittarius square occurs within the hemicycle in which there is a trend towards increasing collectivisation. The Capricorn Aries square is in the hemicycle in which there is a trend towards increasing individualisation.

Flapjacks, I have a bunch of oppositions in my chart (Leo-Aquarius, Virgo-Pisces) but with no planets in Taurus-Scorpio and just one in Gemini that does not complete a T-square, none in Sagittarius unless we count Chiron. So while it might be beneficial to develop my Taurus-Scorpio and Gemini-Sagittarius natures, I have a very different approach to resolving the conflict of the oppositions.

Step one: Get a good sense of each planet according to its sign, house, and other aspects (which might be quite favourable.) It is especially beneficial to have a planet that trines one member of the opposition and sextiles the other.

Step two: Think of the opposing planets as in a dialogue. What does each want? What are their needs and motivations?

Step three: Work out a plan for actions that give each of the opposing planets what they want. This may take a little ingenuity, but not much.

Just for example, I have Saturn in Virgo opposite Mars in Pisces. Saturn is a stickler for self-discipline, and doing everything correctly, even where it doesn't matter at all. Saturn also rules endurance. Mars rules athletics, and Pisces is a water sign. In winter, I swim laps at the local rec center pool, and I try to build up my distance. Saturn gets its self-discipline and Mars gets a sport related to water (Pisces.) Hopefully I get some fitness into the bargain, and dissipate some of the negativity of the two planets in a positive way.

I've never quite gotten the "empty leg" thesis for the T-square, which I believe came from Tracy Marks, How to Handle Your T-Square. To me it just seems like converting a troublesome enough T-square into a grand cross! To me, it makes more sense with planetary collaborators that are in a sextile or trine relationship, and that already symbolize energies in the person's life.

To get back to Mars-Saturn, if I include Chiron in Sagittarius, it does make a T-square. Here we could see all kinds of problems with Chiron's proclivity for feeling wounded: defensiveness (Chiron-Mars), self-criticism (Saturn-Chiron) and a wild see-saw between being defensive or aggressive (Mars) alternating with remorse and insecurity (Saturn.)

What I am trying to do is focus on Chiron's wisdom and compassion. This is much harder than going swimming 3x per week. Yet it requires self-discipline (Saturn) as well as courage (Mars) to face myself (and sometimes, to stand up to others.)

The above is basically my working out of choice-centered astrology.

Then Chiron is a helpful collaborator in my moon-Mercury/Venus opposition. It sextiles Mercury-Venus and trines my moon.

So most planets will have a few friends in the horoscope to help them.

Thank you both for your input! It's given me a few "ah-has" to think about!

miquar said:

A trining or sextiling planet doesn't challenge the opposing planets. Here, the polarity is the same, so for instance Taurus is trine/sextile the cardinal yin axis, so the notion of preserving the sustaining factor finds sympathy in the fixed yin sign.

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waybread said:

I've never quite gotten the "empty leg" thesis for the T-square, which I believe came from Tracy Marks, How to Handle Your T-Square. To me it just seems like converting a troublesome enough T-square into a grand cross! To me, it makes more sense with planetary collaborators that are in a sextile or trine relationship, and that already symbolize energies in the person's life.

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I've wondered why I don't hear much mention of the trine/sextile relationship with oppositions. It does seem like a productive energy; even if not borne through difficulty like the square. I've also wondered why you'd want to simulate a grand cross, which is generally stagnating focus on the planets involved, imo.

The trine/sextile relationship is somewhat explored in the context of a kite formation, but it seems like it should have just as much importance even without the presence of a kite.

My sun/moon opposition in Cancer/Cap is trine/sextile Jupiter in Pisces, and also square Pluto out-of-sign in Scorpio. The squares to Pluto are evident, impossible to ignore... but I haven't considered much Jupiter's role here. There is a basic conflict between what I feel and what my goals in life are. Capricorn is reserved, distanced, pragmatic while Cancer is wants a warm home, to care for others and be empathetic. Jupiter in Pisces supports readily Cancer's nature (trine), and shows that this side is often rewarded and noticed. Cap has to work a harder (of course!) and in it's pragmatic fashion, becomes concerned with fairness. So the opposition can be expressed simultaneously through the placement of Jupiter: protecting (Cap/Cancer axis concerned with security) those in distress (Pisces/Cancer) or who are disadvantaged (Pisces/Capricorn).

One way this shows up distinctly is that I don't kill bugs in my house when I can help it; no matter what kind of bug it is. It's not fair to kill them for existing because they can't ask permission to be there and generally have no idea where they are anyway. I've gotten flack at work when I said I feel bad that we "torture" and kill bacteria (I'm in microbiology). I know it's silly, but I still can't help but wonder what an E. coli's experience of life is.

miquar said:

A square aspect on its own involves one yin sign and one yang sign from the same mode, so in one sense its more balanced. In another sense its less stable - the elements involved and the hemicycle which both signs share say how this will manifest. For example Taurus and Leo are fixed fire and earth, both in the personal (or individual) hemicycle, so there is a suggestion of being intensely focused (fixed) on the expression of one's unique individuality (personal) in a rather unreflective manner (fire plus earth).

Just to clarify, the halves of the zodiac which each begin and end at a solstitial point can also be referred to as hemicycles. Thus the Virgo Sagittarius square occurs within the hemicycle in which there is a trend towards increasing collectivisation. The Capricorn Aries square is in the hemicycle in which there is a trend towards increasing individualisation.

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This is a great explanation of squares and why they can be both stressful and productive. I have not used the ying-yang analogies much, but I should start doing that. It certainly makes your avatar appropriate, miquar.

waybread said:

Flapjacks, I have a bunch of oppositions in my chart (Leo-Aquarius, Virgo-Pisces) but with no planets in Taurus-Scorpio and just one in Gemini that does not complete a T-square, none in Sagittarius unless we count Chiron. So while it might be beneficial to develop my Taurus-Scorpio and Gemini-Sagittarius natures, I have a very different approach to resolving the conflict of the oppositions.

Step one: Get a good sense of each planet according to its sign, house, and other aspects (which might be quite favourable.) It is especially beneficial to have a planet that trines one member of the opposition and sextiles the other.

Step two: Think of the opposing planets as in a dialogue. What does each want? What are their needs and motivations?

Step three: Work out a plan for actions that give each of the opposing planets what they want. This may take a little ingenuity, but not much.

Click to expand...

Thank you for this advice. I hope others on the board find it useful, too.

Flapjacks, it's a little hard to say without seeing your chart, but if you've got a Cancer-Capricorn opposition involving your moon and sun, both of them may respond well to the key words "parental" or "parenting" and "mentor." Also, I recall that Capricorn is the sea goat with the fish tail, and both Cancer and Pisces are water signs. Any time you can spend near the ocean (or any body of water) should be beneficial.

Do you want to post your chart, for illustrative purposes?

The square from Pluto seems pretty tense. Sun-square Pluto people, sadly, were often bullied as children, so they grow up with understandable difficulties in trusting people. This can lead to interpersonal struggles with the power dynamics in a relationship, because personal power is terribly important to a personalized Pluto. Have you seen Judy Hall's book on the Hades Moon? She takes the view that it usually involves a toxic relationship with one's mother.

A more empowering interpretation would be to use Pluto as a catalyst for self-transformation. Pluto can be the phoenix energy of new "life after death."

Jupiter seems like your ally. Not only does he generally soften what he touches (even the square edges are not so sharp) but he rules faith and optimism for the future.

Your kindness towards microbes is astonishing-- and spot-on for anyone with true reverence for life.

waybread said:

Flapjacks, it's a little hard to say without seeing your chart, but if you've got a Cancer-Capricorn opposition involving your moon and sun, both of them may respond well to the key words "parental" or "parenting" and "mentor." Also, I recall that Capricorn is the sea goat with the fish tail, and both Cancer and Pisces are water signs. Any time you can spend near the ocean (or any body of water) should be beneficial.

Do you want to post your chart, for illustrative purposes?

The square from Pluto seems pretty tense. Sun-square Pluto people, sadly, were often bullied as children, so they grow up with understandable difficulties in trusting people. This can lead to interpersonal struggles with the power dynamics in a relationship, because personal power is terribly important to a personalized Pluto. Have you seen Judy Hall's book on the Hades Moon? She takes the view that it usually involves a toxic relationship with one's mother.

A more empowering interpretation would be to use Pluto as a catalyst for self-transformation. Pluto can be the phoenix energy of new "life after death."

Jupiter seems like your ally. Not only does he generally soften what he touches (even the square edges are not so sharp) but he rules faith and optimism for the future.

Your kindness towards microbes is astonishing-- and spot-on for anyone with true reverence for life.

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Thanks waybread! You are right about all this, I think. I do want to keep this thread more about aspect patterns with oppositions, so if you show me yours I'll show you mine.

The Pluto squares seemed to manifest as a very turbulent home life as a child, a stepfather who was abusive towards my mother and left us destitute (my mother told me he has a Scorpio Sun and Cancer Moon), as well as extreme emotional problems and "willfulness" since infancy. I did read Donna Cunningham's "Healing Pluto Problems" to help get through some very troubling times, and it resonated. Perhaps I'll pick up Hades Moon as well.

Pluto by nature usually brings painful experiences, it seems, so as a square to Sun and Moon, I feel like Jupiter really does leave the possibility open for rising above difficulties presented by Pluto.

To illustrate how Pluto/Jupiter might be working in tandem, I have a story. Pluto is in the 6th house. I loved animals as a kid and had pet rats. I was seven years old.

One day I was angry about something; I think I got in trouble and was sent to my room. I was so mad I started throwing things, including my pet rats. I threw one against the wall. And when he didn't seem to react, I got angrier and threw him again. I threw him three times before it suddenly dawned on me what I was doing, and I felt such guilt, remorse, shame and horror at my own actions (and display of power over a weaker creature) that it scarred my soul. To this day it makes me cry. I took very good care of all my pets after that, and in the end he seemed no worse for wear and still snuggled with me and seemed happy through his life. I tried very hard to make up for what I did; to keep my purpose and stay true to myself as a loving and caring person (Cancer Sun), through better control and maturity with my feelings (Cap Moon).

I think if Jupiter influence wasn't there, perhaps I wouldn't have been able to see past the childishness. Pluto shows concern and issues with power and dominance, and Pisces Jupiter can't stand abusive behavior and champions humility. The extra dose of empathy, perspective and kindness afforded by Jupiter mediates Pluto's lessons and influences how they will be resolved in a positive way. At least, that is how I'm thinking of it. Even keeping reverence for life was an unusually contentious learning experience.

If Pluto's squares weren't present, the depth of understanding of displays of power and personal difficulty to inform the sentiments that Jupiter symbolizes would not be shown so clearly, and you can see the natal chart in that way as a descriptor, not a determination, of the personality and life.

Flapjacks, thanks for sharing your chart and your story. Jupiter looks to be a real asset in your chart. For one thing, it helps out what it touches (even though an afflicted Jupiter can tend towards excess, that's better then some sort of tight Pluto-Mars square.) For another, it precisely seems to help out your sun-Mercury opposite moon. Traditionally your Jupiter is well-placed in the 10th house and exalted in Cancer. Retrograde, it can give you a serious demeanor, but that's not a hardship.

You have a nice Neptune-Venus trine that should give you a rich imagination and be helpful in creative visualizations.

You've also got an exact Chiron-Uranus opposition.

Pluto seems like the tough guy in your chart, making no sextiles or trines anywhere except to that generational Neptune, yet its quintile with Mars can give you sufficient ambition that, coupled with your Capricorn moon, you can advance in your career or chosen pursuits if you want to do so. However, he can challenge you to be the phoenix rising from the ashes.

I find it fascinating that you care for pet rats as well as microbes! Most of us would find rats to be just rodents, and would prefer to snuggle with a cat or puppy. Maybe something in you identifies with the outcast: I wonder where Black Moon Lilith is in your chart!

Here is mine. I'm a real privacy wonk, so I've changed some of the birth data slightly, but it's close enough for you to see the structure. Your feedback is welcome on my oppositions or anything else.

Hi Waybread,

I've been waiting until I have more than 15 minutes to look at your chart. You weren't kidding about the oppositions! I haven't seen many charts with a lot of oppositions without t-squares. I can see why it would be important to you to know how to evaluate them without looking for special configurations.

You also have the Moon/Mercury Rx opposition, except in Leo/Aqua. At least with my experience of this configuration, expressing feelings early on lead to a lot of strife, and so (Rx) Mercury became very careful/stifled/inward motivated to figure out the discrepancy, and causes a vacillation between listening to your head and listening to your emotions; although Venus complicates it further for you. Since Mercury is your chart ruler, it may get the most attention in this dynamic, especially being in the same sign as your Sun and conjunct Venus, and the ruler of those planets, Uranus, is conjunct MC and way at the top of the chart, a position that make me think it is "presiding" over the chart, and it is in turn also ruled by Mercury in mutual reception.

Leo/Aqua axis is important for you overall (interesting it also occurs in reversed in the 5th/11th houses). Expressing yourself and letting yourself have the spot light vs. finding a greater purpose for all, getting lost in anonymity is a big part of your life, as well as trailblazing your own path (NN in Aries).

Even though Neptune does trine/sextile Pluto/Sun opposition, I think Neptune, being positioned in Libra and in the 1st house, might also help communication between all the oppositions in the Leo/Aqua. Leo/Aqua being so concerned with how one relates to the environment/others, and Libra concerned with balance and equity. I think Neptune shows a place of depth of understanding (intuition) where it is placed, and in Libra, an intuitive understanding of what constitutes justice, fairness, diplomacy; but a difficulty expressing it in a direct way through the house placement (your identity). This likely shows up in relationships most often, ruler of your 7th house and Mars (men). You can go from cutting off ties completely to letting yourself be walked over, all to figure out this nebulous balance of give and take, finding where the boundaries are, even though for you there shouldn't be a need for explicit boundaries (Saturn Rx in 12th) because it should be something that's inherently understood; and the fact that it's not for others has been a learning experience. (at least, this is what I'm getting)

I get the sense from your chart, as well, that you come off to people initially as a lot different than you really are, at least when meeting personally. 1st house Neptune is difficult to pin down, and Virgo ASC doesn't immediately speak for your Leo/Aqua placements. You may be able to show a traditional, self-effacing appearance but be very bold, creative, inventive, hold strong convictions and you stick-to-your-guns in your private life.

Do you find that transits that square these oppositions have strong effects?

waybread said:

Pluto seems like the tough guy in your chart, making no sextiles or trines anywhere except to that generational Neptune, yet its quintile with Mars can give you sufficient ambition that, coupled with your Capricorn moon, you can advance in your career or chosen pursuits if you want to do so. However, he can challenge you to be the phoenix rising from the ashes.

I find it fascinating that you care for pet rats as well as microbes! Most of us would find rats to be just rodents, and would prefer to snuggle with a cat or puppy. Maybe something in you identifies with the outcast: I wonder where Black Moon Lilith is in your chart!

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I never thought of caring for my rats as being odd. Haha. I suppose I am pretty focused on outcasts. I was eight or so when the Disney Lion King Movie came out, and my favorite characters were the hyenas. Of all the "classes" of animals in that story, they got the shortest end of the stick (when your complaint is "We're hungry and there's no food, please someone help us" then you're not the bad guy in my book). It was only later that I realized this was not the common interpretation; they were "bumbling, comedic-relief villains" to root against, not poor, desperate and manipulated outcasts deserving of sympathy.

Lilith is conjunct Chiron at 16 degrees Gemini.

Your last story seems well-illustrative of your Ven being (5 x) semi-octile (not trine) to Nept as, in fact, it is...

triangulated by your Moon.

and a home recast with tight orbs shows Pluto only 90'ing Merc (so no T-square).

Take a think: is your Moon really Plutonian (i.e., do you have such aspect's trademark scary/scowly face most of the time from which people garner first impressions of you)...? I guess not and that, instead, a Neptunian impression of your Moon prevails (perhaps modified a touch by your Moon's loose semi-decile to Sat).

Krewster said:

Your last story seems well-illustrative of your Ven being (5 x) semi-octile (not trine) to Nept as, in fact, it is...

triangulated by your Moon.

and a home recast with tight orbs shows Pluto only 90'ing Merc (so no T-square).

Take a think: is your Moon really Plutonian (i.e., do you have such aspect's trademark scary/scowly face most of the time from which people garner first impressions of you)...? I guess not and that, instead, a Neptunian impression of your Moon prevails (perhaps modified a touch by your Moon's loose semi-decile to Sat).

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We've hashed on this before Krewster! I know you don't think the orbs for the squares to Pluto are tight enough.

I don't think someone with Moon/Pluto square needs to be scowly all the time. Are you saying everyone with this square is a grump? I keep my emotions in check usually, and put on a happy face for others even if I'm feeling bad (Gemini ASC and so on).

I've had experiences in my life, over and over, that speak for a Plutonian moon so strongly that I cannot deny it (see the earlier post). It gets muddy because t. Neptune went over Moon along with t. Uranus, and that has lasting effects that makes things complicated.

You could say that since those transits were also opposing Mercury, the square to Pluto is showing there. But Moon cannot be ignored. One example to show you what I mean (there are numerous ones), is that during the Uranus/Neptune transit, I became obsessed (Pluto) with building a mechanical brain (Mercury/Uranus). I was diagnosed with OCD (Pluto) and medicated (Neptune/Uranus) and I was even told by a psychologist (Pluto) that "my brain was broken" to justify medicating me (Mercury/Uranus).

My behavior was due to being unable to emotionally handle my home situation, as what anxiety I had exploded upon my stepfather entering my life, but this was hardly considered in how I was treated by doctors. It's a rage I can never let go of, so I tuck it away instead. Who tells a 10 year old that their mind is broken, especially one coping with a violent stepfather at home? I was eight years old when police arrested him for domestic abuse the first time, when I hid in a closet in fear, and no one asked me about him when they decided it was because of some chemical imbalance that I didn't concentrate in school and became afraid of everything. When I grew old enough to understand all this, I felt violated by those doctors mentally and emotionally. They looked at the mental side, and ignored the emotional one, highlighting this opposition, and it's relationship with Pluto.

If you can tell from what I've described, Mercury and Moon cannot be separated in my chart; they are intimately connected, and Sun binds them together as well through rulership and combustion. I've learned from Zarathu just how important my moon is in my natal chart, and I don't think it can be ignored even with wider orb aspects. Because of all this, I consider the squares to all three planets as valid.

I thank you for your mentioning the minor aspects, though, as always!

Dangit I got all heavy again. Darn Plutonic Moon/Mercury.

This is an interesting thread!

I have 3 oppositions in my chart and 2 t-squares

moon(sag, 4th) opposition mars(gem, 10th)
sun(leo, 12th) opposition saturn(aquarius, 6th)
mercury(leo,12th) opposition saturn(this does not form a t-square)

what I've read about the moon opposition mars is that it means I am dominating and overbearing and reluctant to compromise. Maybe I am just deep in denial, but I've always considered myself accepting of others whether or not I understand their ways. I have a fiery temper but I think it is because I feel like other people are always getting on my way to success and try to slow me down for no reason and that just kind of gives me an instinctual reaction to just "push people out of my way". So I guess that makes me seem pushy? I'm not sure I understand this opposition yet... Both moon and mars are square to my venus(leo, 1st) but I don't really get it... Am I supposed to channel that opposition rage/ambition to my venus through relationships?? wouldn't that mean more conflicts? Or maybe it means I should channel it into art(which i have done to some degree, making art is like meditation to me).

Since my mercury does not form a t-square i really have no idea how to handle the mercury-saturn opposition. My sun and saturn are square to pluto and that t-square.. i feel like sometimes i understand it but right now?? Nope

-roz

Flapjacks, thanks for a terrific chart reading.

One way that I experienced oppositions to my sun was in deciding, fairly early on in life, was that I couldn't count on anyone else to stick up for me. I would have to learn to do that for myself.

Just a bit more infill, if I might. I once read that Neptune in the first is the chameleon of the zodiac. The first house shows our outward personalities and how we interact with other people. Neptune there can absorb others' vibes and be anxious to please, and so morphs into the kind of person s/he thinks the other person wishes to see. However, I don't discount traditional astrology's whole sign house system, which puts Saturn in the first; as I think I sometimes come across as harsh or critical even when this isn't my intention.

I also have Mercury and Saturn (and/or Mercury and Uranus, depending upon how one reads Aquarius) in mutual reception.

Probably the most difficult transit I ever experienced was Pluto square sun, followed by Pluto square Mars. With Pluto square sun, nearly everything I thought I'd been working for suddenly seemed illusory and "not me"-- except that I didn't know who the real "me" was. With Pluto square Mars, I got embroiled in all sorts of difficult power relations in my workplace. (And yes, subsequently I have been trying to own my "inner Pluto.")

Moon-Pluto contacts are very real, in my experience. Mine are 10 degrees apart, but parallel within the same degree, This seemed validated in my life by a mother with her sun in Scorpio, and who exhibited many Plutonic traits (in my experience. I don't think the moon shows one's actual, objective mother so much as our experience of her.)

With your moon opposing your sun, perhaps Mom was understandably implicated in marrying a violent man.

roz, I would read moon opposite Mars as giving you a very volatile temper! People with Saturn opposite sun are often very hard on themselves (or feel as though other people are unusually critical of them.) The best way I know around this is to view Saturn as your greatest teacher. His lessons are always very real-world related: patience, hard work, deferred gratification, and ground-truth. Mercury opposed by Saturn can mean "depressed thinking" but it can also make you a very careful thinker, as well, because Saturn does not reward carelessness.

Mars square Venus can be a very sexy combination, especially if Jupiter is involved by aspect.

waybread said:

roz, I would read moon opposite Mars as giving you a very volatile temper! People with Saturn opposite sun are often very hard on themselves (or feel as though other people are unusually critical of them.) The best way I know around this is to view Saturn as your greatest teacher. His lessons are always very real-world related: patience, hard work, deferred gratification, and ground-truth. Mercury opposed by Saturn can mean "depressed thinking" but it can also make you a very careful thinker, as well, because Saturn does not reward carelessness.

Mars square Venus can be a very sexy combination, especially if Jupiter is involved by aspect.

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Yeah... I am kind of in a rage half the time...
You're right, the lessons are hard but it's always better to have gone through something difficult than never to have confronted the problems. But I also don't want to be too much hardened by saturn. I'm always self-editing, maybe it's merc opp. sat that does that but I hate obsessing over trivialities.

I read that t-squares are either cardinal, fixed or mutable but my other t-square that is supposed to be mutable has the venus in leo(fixed) although it is almost in virgo. Are all t-squares supposed to be in one quality only?

Most squares, t squares and grand crosses occur between planets which are in signs of the same quality. Those which don't are a little more complex to interpret because although the planets are making the aspects, they are not all in phase in terms of the cycle of the qualities.

Agreed. Some astrologers count out-of-sign aspects, some don't. I do. However, a planet at 29 degrees Leo is still in Leo, regardless.

Interesting discussion on T-squares. I'm just learning about the different aspects, and I have a T-square in my chart, although I didn't know that's what it was called.

For me, Uranus conjuncts the midheaven in Libra and opposes Jupiter, which is right on the nadir in Aries (and conjunct Chiron, which is also right on the nadir). Saturn squares them from Cancer in the seventh house.

From what I've been reading, this must be a very potent combination: cardinal signs, midheaven, nadir, and ruler of the ascendant (I have Capricorn rising) involved. (Descendant isn't in the square; Saturn is too far away to conjunct it).

What does it all mean?


(I would post my chart but can't get the file to upload.)

Lovely Thread!

4 oppositions wage war in my chart, they are:

Moon 11th - Uranus 5th
Moon " - Neptune 5th
Jupiter 9th - Pluto 4th
Mc - Pluto 4th

After having run into tons of General interpretations I am really not that much wiser concerning specially the Moon ones.