Saturn Season Astrology

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Category: Conjunction

  • WTF is a Stellium in an Astrology Chart

    The idea for this entry came to me when I answered someone’s question on reddit about a stellium in their astrology chart. The question of “What is a stellium?”/“Do I have a stellium in my chart?”/“Tell me about my stellium!” seems to get asked a lot. Whether I’m being asked about this directly when reading a client’s chart, or if I just notice people asking these questions on forums (like reddit) as I creep in the shadows and answer questions (hahahaha!), it seems like everyone has questions about WTF is a stellium even is in the first place. But….astrologers can’t really seem to come to a consensus as to what exactly constitutes one. This is probably because there are many different ways to read a chart (and many different schools of astrological thought to practice from). Over 30 years of being a student of the discipline and 7 years of being a professional astrologer have caused me to come up with my own “guidelines” for reading a stellium in an astrology chart, and “rules” for deciding what constitutes a stellium in the first place. But before we get to all that, first a bit of pertinent information:

    WTF is a stellium, anyway? It is a massive group of planetary/celestial body energy (either 3 or more OR 4 or more) in an astrology chart in one location (such as having 4 planets in the 11th House). All of the planets might be in one house or sign, or the planets may cross over into two signs and/or two houses. Depending on the astrologer that you’re talking to/listening to/reading their work, some won’t count a bunch of planets/celestial bodies as a stellium if all the planets aren’t in the same sign and/or house.

    Side note: Have a stellium in your chart and want to know WTF it means? Or would you like some other kind of astrology reading? Get a reading from me here! Also, if you are more of a watcher than a reader, head to my YouTube channel where I have a bunch of astrology videos 😺

    And with all that said, let’s begin with my guidelines for what counts as a stellium in an astrology chart:

    1. If there are only 3 planets in conjunction with one another, and two of those planets are the Sun and Mercury, I wouldn’t consider it a stellium. Reason for this being that the Sun and Mercury are usually quite close together anyway (Mercury’s maximum distance from the Sun is 28°). If the Sun and Mercury are two of the planets in a stellium, I would want to see 4 planets clustered together.
    *Example 1: The Sun @ 3° Virgo, Mercury @ 5° Virgo , Mars @ 6° Virgo, and Saturn @ 8° Virgo WOULD be a stellium.
    *Example 2: The Sun @ 3° Virgo, Mars @ 6° Virgo, and Saturn @ 8° Virgo WOULD be a stellium.
    *Example 3: The Sun @ 3° Virgo, Mercury @ 5° Virgo , and Mars @ 6° Virgo WOULD NOT be a stellium.
    (^^^ It’s still really important in the chart, though, since it is a triple conjunction.)

    2. When I look at stelliums, personally they don’t all have to be within a 10 degree orb in total, but each planet has to be within 5-degrees of the next one in line (for the Sun and the Moon, I will sometimes widen the orb to 7°). For instance: Venus @ 3° 33′ Sagittarius, Jupiter @ 8° 12′ Sagittarius, and the Sun @ 15° 04′ Sagittarius. Even though Venus and the Sun are out of the 10 degree orb, they are linked by Jupiter in the middle. 

    3. Sometimes I will consider the North Node as part of a stellium if it falls somewhere in the middle of the stellium/all the planetary energy. If it falls as either the first or last planet in the stellium, then I usually don’t count it as part of it. Though that also really depends on the whole chart. I would definitely need to see 3 other planets with the North Node involved to count it as a stellium.
    *Really, in the case of the nodal axis I would be MUCH more focused on why (from an evolutionary standpoint) this person came into this incarnation lacking familiarity with so much planetary energy. That’s a whole other animal, though.

    4. Some people don’t like to count the major angles as part of a stellium situation. Really, for me, sometimes I do and sometimes I don’t. I will ALWAYS count an angle in a stellium if the planetary ruler of the angle is involved in said stellium. I don’t believe that they should be disregarded here. If I was counting a major angle as part of a stellium, I would want to see 3 planets around it forming a stellium.

    5. Some astrologers feel that in order for something to be a stellium, all the planetary/celestial energy has to fall in one house of the natal chart, or in one sign. Some are okay with the energy falling in different signs as long as they all fall in the same house. Some are okay with the energy falling in different houses as long as they all fall in the same sign. And some, like yours truly, are okay with the possibility of a stellium straddling different houses and/or different signs. We are such complex beings that it seems like it would shortchange the person on the quest to better understand themselves to not consider something a stellium just because the planetary energy straddles two houses and/or two signs.
    *The stellium will be strongest if it happens to take place in the same sign and house. The stellium is weakened when it happens to straddle two signs and/or two houses.

    6. The best way that I have found to read a stellium in a natal chart is to first start by reading them as a series of conjunctions within the AREAS OF LIFE (house) that they play out and HOW in the manner of the sign that they fall. If the luminaries (the Sun and/or the Moon) are part of the stellium, I would start with one of those first and the planets that they conjunct. If neither of the luminaries exist, I would then look for the tightest conjunction between two planets and start there. Once you have a firm grasp on the energies that the series of conjunctions bring to the table, you can then merge those different planetary conjunctions together to give you a good idea of what the stellium in question might mean for the person.

    7. The generational planets (and slightly slower moving planets like Saturn) can be involved in a stellium, but a clusterfuck of generational/slower moving planets (like Saturn, Uranus and Neptune in Capricorn all on top of each other in 1989) are not a stellium. THIS is called a SUPER-CONJUNCTION (or triple conjunction) and is not the same as a stellium. The reason it is not the same thing as a stellium is because these planets are slower moving so many people born under a certain generational super-conjunction will come under this super-conjunction influence.

    8. Since stelliums are such a massive amount of energy in one house, sometimes all that energy can be confusing and can cause some issues within the chart holder. If there are any issues to work out, one of the best ways to work them out (if possible) is to channel that energy into the opposite house (which generally gets neglected somewhat in this situation since the stellium puts so much focus on the house it is in). The only time this wouldn’t be applicable is if there is a stellium in the polar house as well (such as having stelliums in the 3rd and the 9th houses), or just having multiple planets in the polar/opposite house. 

    Disclaimer: I am not saying that I am unequivocally right here, these guidelines just work for me (and have for a very long time), and I figured that if they work and resonate for me then they might work and resonate with someone else as well. That’s the only reason I figured I’d throw my hat in the “WTF is a stellium” ring here. It really all boils down to how someone feels about a particular chart while they’re reading it. No right or wrong answer here 🙂

  • WTF is Declination in Astrology??

    WTF is Declination in Astrology??

    Recently, declinations in astrology have come up a WHOLE bunch in different places in my professional life (questions from clients, podcast interviews/conversations, etc.); you name it, it’s probably come up there. So….WTF is Declination in astrology, anyway?! Declinations are the movements of the planets North and South of the celestial equator. The regular natal chart wheel that we are used to seeing measures longitude (2D) along the ecliptic while Declinations measure the planets latitude North and South of the celestial equator (which brings it into 3D). Declinations are another way of seeing where a planet is in space, and where the planet is relative to other planets. Here is a picture to illustrate what I’m talking about:

    First! A few basic things!
    Question: How do you find the declinations of the planets in an astrology chart?
    Answer: You have to pull the table that lists the declinations! To do that (on free software), go to astro.com and enter your chart info/create your account. Assuming you have already done this, pull the chart wheel up. On this page you will see something that says “PDF” towards the top – click on it. Then you will see something that says “PDF Additional Tables” – click on it. The next page will say “planet positions;” go to the last column and you will see “Declinations.”
    **And if you would ever like to have me read for you (declinations or otherwise),
    you can get a reading from me by clicking here.
    Question: What can I do with declination? Why do I want this in my astrological toy box?
    Answer: You are able to see aspects and things in declination that add another layer/dynamic to chart weaving/reading. The kinds of things that I’m talking about are the parallel and contra-parallel aspects, and planets out of bounds (OOB).
    **The northern declination signs are Aries through Virgo. The southern declination signs are Libra through Pisces. Planets are at their highest northern declination in the signs of Gemini & Cancer. Planets are at their highest southern declination in the signs of Sagittarius & Capricorn. The higher the planet’s declination (north or south) the more likely the planet is go out of bounds.

    You can have planets that are in a parallel aspect and contra-parallel aspect. The parallel aspect functions like a conjunction. Planets that are in a parallel aspect will both be North or both be South. For instance, someone with a planet that has a declination 14° N 21′ and another planet with a declination of 14° N 05′ would say those two planets are parallel. The contra-parallel aspect, on the other hand, functions like an opposition. Planets that are contra-parallel will have one planet north and one planet south. For instance, if someone has a planet at 14° N 21′ and another planet at 14° S 05′, those two planets would be contra-parallel.
    ***When planets in a chart are BOTH conjunct AND parallel, that makes this particular aspect REALLY STRONG in a chart (a “double whammy” if you will). Same thing can be said about planets that are BOTH in opposition and contra-parallel.

    Table of declination and longitude from astrogold
    Table of longitude and declination of the planets from astrogold

    In the table above, you will see that I have the declination of the Sun and Mercury circled in red, and a pinkish/purple line going from the declination of the Moon to the declination of Chiron. Both of these are examples of parallel aspects. Because the Sun and Mercury are conjunct one another via longitude (what we are used to seeing when we look at the degrees of the planets), the parallel aspect STRENGTHENS and EMPHASIZES this conjunction. The Moon and Chiron are NOT conjunct one another via longitude, but when looking at declination they ARE parallel. This means that they are more blended together (or fucking each other) like a conjunction than they might initially appear (and should probably be read that way, even as undercurrent). Essentially there is a high likelihood that this person may carry the same flavor with them that Moon conjunct Chiron (via longitude) people carry.
    **It’s not circled or whatever, but Venus’ declination is contra-parallel the declinations of the Moon and Chiron. This person has their natal Venus and Moon opposite one another via degrees of longitude which is STRENGTHENED and EMPHASIZED by the contra-parallel aspect in declination. The declinations also bring Chiron into the equation in a way that wouldn’t be seen without looking at the declinations.

    Declination is where and when out of bounds (OOB) planets come into play. Any planet is considered OOB that has a declination of more than 23°26’28” North or South. The reason for that is the Sun’s maximum declination is 23°26’28″…meaning that any planet OOB is not under domain of the Sun and can give it the middle finger. The person above has both Mars and Jupiter OOB. Without going TOO much into things about this person, they can really DO whatever they want with that Jupiter + Mars conjunction in Capricorn since those planets can function in whatever way they want. This has both been used to their benefit and to their detriment at different times in their life.
    **It’s really important that when a planet is OOB that the person taps into the highest possible expression of the planetary energy of the planet (in whatever sign it happens to be in). Because the planet can function basically however the hell it wants to function, if it’s functioning at a lower vibrational expression the planet can do a lot of damage. OOB planets very much feel like the quote “with great power comes great responsiblity.” Wield it wisely.

    Have any planets parallel, contra-parallel and/or OOB in your own chart? Leave your thoughts on them in the comments if you’d like. I’d love to read what anyone comes up with 💜

  • Mercury and Uranus Aspects of a “Harder” Variety in a Natal Chart

    A question that I get asked often has to do with mental illnesses/mental differences, and if I’m able to see things like that in the natal chart. The answer to this particular question is yes and no. The natal chart is like a blueprint of possibilities for the person (and the soul) in this lifetime. Just because something “difficult” shows up in one’s natal chart regarding mental illness (or anything, really) doesn’t necessarily mean that the person will ever manifest that particular difficult energy into reality. Though, if the propensity *is* there for mental illness to occur, whether or not it actually occurs depends on a number of factors (such as biology, environment, and nurturing), as well as heavier transits hitting the aspect in question, thus activating it. Since I am specifically talking about mental illnesses & mental differences, certain aspects made between Mercury and Uranus (specifically the square, opposition and conjunction) seem to cause people some issues in the areas of mental health. The specific types of mental health issues that these hard aspects between Mercury and Uranus tend to produce are anxiety (either full blown or just some general nervousness), ADHD, all the way over to schizophrenia (among other things). This is a trend that I have noticed time and time again, and I suppose the part of me that finds mental health and psychology fascinating wanted to discuss it 🙂
    **Just for a bit of reference……Mercury is essentially the mind of the natal chart, where we think and learn in a concrete way, and where we communicate. It is traditionally quick and logical. Uranus goes far beyond the concrete mind and basic logic in a lightening fast, revolutionary, sometimes shocking and universal way. **
    ***Also, as a disclaimer, I am in no way, shape, or form saying that people automatically have mental issues and differences by default when they have these harder aspects between Mercury and Uranus in their natal charts. I’m only saying that the possibility could exist of, say something like, generalized anxiety disorder occurring in the native’s life if one of these harder Mercury to Uranus aspects is in the natal chart of the person. Just want to make that part really, really clear.***

    Mercury and Uranus in a Conjunction: Conjunctions naturally fuse together the energy of two planets, and they don’t usually operate independently of one another, if they are able to operate independently at all. You would be able to tell this from the orb of the conjunction; the tighter it is, the more fused together they are and the less of a possibility of them operating independently. Here you have two planets that actually very much like one another and get along, but they are both vying for the attention of the native, trying to make their independent presence known and express themselves. If any planet wins out in their bid for attention, it is usually Uranus; Uranus likes to shock and stun. There is usually a lot of nervous and anxious energy with this conjunction due to both planets being so quickly mentally inclined. Mercury, while fast, is pushed way beyond its regular quickness capacity with Uranus here. There may even end up being some jumbling and scattering of thought processes at times, and communication could be a little screwy, due to how quickly both think about things, and how quickly they desire to say what they think. The conjunction between Mercury and Uranus is (probably) the easiest of the “harder” aspects to work with. Depending on other factors (such as “positive or negative” aspects to this conjunction) in one’s natal chart, this conjunction could produce someone with a really genius and visionary mind, or someone who is quite genuis and visionary but can’t slow their mind down enough to make sense of their thoughts and communicate them effectively.

    Mercury and Uranus in an Opposition: With any opposition aspect, there is a natural “push/pull” or tug-of-war that occurs between the planets. One planet wants to do things it’s way by sign and house, and the other planet wants to do things it’s way by the opposite sign and house. There can be a real frustration here; Since these planets do naturally like each other there can be some irritation between the two with each one trying to get the other to come over to “their” side of things (and not understanding why the other planet won’t play along with them). Both are very quick, so the tug-of-war nature of this aspect can cause the person to feel incredibly mentally scattered, and quite frankly, at times mentally worn out. This can be quite anxiety producing for the native since both planets are so quick. There is a lot of great potential here for the genuis inside the person to emerge if they can learn to balance the energy between Uranus and Mercury in their natal chart. Knowing when to utilize the visionary, off-beat, and mentally light years ahead qualities of Uranus, and when to utilize the concrete mind and effective communication of Mercury. The balance is actually possible here, though it will take a lot of effort (and will be made easier or harder by way of the house and sign that each of the planets fall in). It may even end up feeling like less of a balance between the planets, and more like them “calling a truce.” However you want to think of this, once you acheive this you get both planets to quit their constant back and forth, and shut the fuck up….some of the time, at least.

    Mercury and Uranus in a Square: With any square aspect, there is usually nothing but tension. This tension can either serve as a driving force in our lives (as something to overcome), or it can serve as a crippling agent. Mercury square Uranus operates exactly this way. Here you have someone who is unusually smart (possibly even brilliant or genius), but the square causes issues with how the person is able to easily manifest these qualities in reality. On one side of the square you have Uranus in all of its revolutionary glory, with all of its visionary ideas. On the other side you have Mercury trying to communicate and think as clearly and effectively as it can. Oh, and let’s not forget that both planets are trying to do their thing at a rapid pace. With the tension here, it can cause someone to not be able to clearly process their own thoughts and communicate all of their many ideas effectively. This can lead to massive amounts of disorganized, bizarre, and/or scattered thinking, massive amounts of anxiety (in the extreme this anxiety could fall over into the realm of paranoia), and to someone who is just labeled as quite eccentric. How lightly or severely these qualities appear in the life of the native will depend on the rest of their chart. The goal with this particular square aspect is learning how to operate inspite of these differences. The person with this aspect will probably have their own unique way of doing so (and figuring out what works and how easily it works will have a lot to do with easier or harder aspects in the chart made to these particular planets, and the houses and signs they fall under). Once the native release some of this tension by operating inspite of it in a functional way, they are able to really let all their real brilliance shine through.

    If you would like me to read your natal chart for you (or any kind of astrology chart!), get a reading from me here 🙂 Also, if you are more of a watcher than a reader, head to my YouTube channel where I have a bunch of content!