the-astrology-book

Association for Astrological Networking
Why should some aspects produce harmony and others conflict Although
astrologers have speculated on this point (often making numerological speculations),
the question has never been satisfactorily answered. In terms of the astrological tradition,
it is easy to see that the trine, the primary soft aspect, usually brings a sign of one
element into relationship with another sign of the same element (e.g., 15° Gemini is
120° away from 15° Libra, which is 120° away from 15° Aquarius, which, in turn, is
120° away from 15° Gemini, making a grand trine composed entirely of air signs), and
signs of the same element tend to blend together harmoniously. By way of contrast,
the square, which is the primary hard aspect, brings signs of very different, potentially
conflicting elements into relationship (e.g., a planet in a water sign squaring a planet
in a fire sign).
But such an analysis breaks down as soon as we compare oppositions and sextiles,
which involve precisely the same kinds of elemental combinations (e.g., the natural
opposition to a planet in a water sign is a planet in an earth sign, and the natural
sextiles to water signs also involve earth signs). Thus, at this stage in our understanding,
we can only observe that a certain aspect produces a certain effect, without fully
knowing why. This should not be too bothersome as the situation is not much different
from the natural sciences, in which one can describe the effects of, say, gravity
without being able to explain why gravity works.
Because aspects are a basic part of astrological understanding, every astrology
software program automatically calculates the aspects between the planets. These
aspects are displayed either as lines drawn between the planets and/or in an aspect
grid. All major programs also calculate and display aspects to the midheaven, the
ascendant, the north lunar node, Chiron, the four major asteroid, and, depending on
the program, to other points as well.
Sources:
Brau, Jean-Louis, Helen Weaver, and Allan Edmands. Larousse Encyclopedia of Astrology. New
York: New American Library, 1980.
Donath, Emma Belle. Minor Aspects Between Natal Planets. Tempe, AZ: American Federation of
Astrologers, 1981.
Hand, Robert. Horoscope Symbols. Rockport, MA: Para Research, 1981.
Whitman, Edward W. Aspects and Their Meanings: Astro-kinetics. Vol. III. London: L. N. Fowler,
1970.
ASPECTARIAN
An aspectarian is a chronological list of all the aspects that the planets make with one
another during a particular period of time, usually a month. In addition to the planets
and their aspects, the time that an aspect becomes exact is given.
ASSOCIATION FOR ASTROLOGICAL NETWORKING
The Association for Astrological Networking (AFAN) is a nonprofit organization
that serves a unique function in the astrological world. While the activities of other
organizations emphasize astrological education, certification, and research, AFAN
THE ASTROLOGY BOOK
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