The Aspects

The Aspects in a chart show how the Planets are interacting with each other.

Traditionally, some Aspects are referred to as harmonious and some as inharmonious, although you shouldn’t equate those terms with good and bad.

Some modern astrologers will refer to Aspects as being either supportive or challenging.

Context and choice are everything, and sometimes help isn’t helpful and a challenge is a boon.

The Aspects describe the state of being and/or the action between the Planets, and that is why they can be likened to being the verbs in the language of Astrology.

Usually, Planets that are in aspect to each other have lines drawn between them in a chart, often with a small glyph denoting the Aspect attached to the line.

Planets are said to be in aspect to each other when they are a specific distance apart from each other as measured in degrees.

The different named Aspects denote a number of degrees apart that relates to a geometric figure.

It is useful to think of Aspects in Astrology as a form of sacred geometry with a bit of the music of the spheres thrown in.

Mathematics and music are profoundly intertwined with each other, as has been expounded upon at length by Hermetic teachers such as Pythagoras.

If you know how to play piano, or at the very least have played around on the keys, you know that certain notes sound pleasing together and others do not.

With a bit of thought and observation it is not long until you discover notes that are certain distances apart consistently produce either harmonious or inharmonious results.

Now, the heavens are not a piano with discrete keys tuned to separate notes, and the emanations from the Planets passing through the Signs produce waveforms much more complex than vibrating piano strings; however, the same general principles apply, and when they are the correct interval apart, the correct number of degrees apart, they tune into a geometric relationship that results in a harmonious or an inharmonious exchange.

In the chapters that follow, I will continue to elaborate upon these basic building blocks of Astrology so you’ll be able to understand and to apply these principles in your magickal practice.

In order for you to properly absorb the essentials of Astrology, I’ll feed you pieces of information in small chunks.

I will also periodically repeat information with a few added details to assist you in integrating the material into your working knowledge.

You will find it useful to reread earlier portions of this book if you proceed into the more advanced work toward the end.

Appendices at the end of the book include a variety of tables of correspondences that I believe you’ll find be