As astrologer and author of Queer Cosmos Colin Bedell explains to mbg, “Each relationship of an aspect talks to a particular theme—some that feel a little bit more tension, which can provide some opportunity for growth, and then other aspects can have a little bit more ease, which may offer some complementing energy.” We can identify these aspects within our own charts, but on a daily basis, the planets in the sky are always forming aspects, affecting the energy of the day. Aspects are also important when thinking about astrological compatibility between two people. “The benefit of understanding aspects, even just a little, is that you may be able to have compassion for your squares, oppositions, and conjunctions (and the impact they have in your life),” astrologer Kayse Budd, M.D., explains, adding, “With knowledge, you can attempt to make peace with the way you are. Awareness allows you to highlight your strengths and work through your weaknesses.” With that in mind, here’s a primer on the five major aspects you’ll see on a chart and what they represent: When planets are conjunct, their energies blend, amplifying the themes associated with those planets and the sign they’re in. “This is very important, as it can change the overall impact of that planet in a person’s chart and life,” Budd notes. For example, if a person has Venus next to their sun, she says, this significantly influences their personality. “An Aries person, for example, with Venus next to their sun will be profoundly different than an Aries who has Mars next to their sun (or no planets next to their sun),” she adds. While conjunctions are usually thought of as favorable, it can depend on the planets involved, according to Budd, who notes that conjunctions involving Venus or Jupiter are likely more beneficial than those involving Mars or Saturn, for instance. “But all conjunctions, even the challenging ones, serve a purpose in the life of a soul. They help us grow, they help us learn, and they give us certain traits and skills that are uniquely valuable to our journeys here,” she tells mbg. “The signs and planets involved in sextiles usually reveal their positive energies or positive sides to each other and can be used synergistically,” she notes. Mars involved in a sextile, for example, will usually give action, courage, and initiative to the other planet involved in the sextile, she adds. As an example, someone could have Venus on their ascendant (rising sign). “This is a very favorable placement, but if it is squaring Saturn or Mars, it will behave completely differently than if it was forming a trine to Jupiter,” Budd offers as an example. “Squares will often result in the planets in question showing their challenging or shadow sides rather than their easy, favorable sides to each other,” she explains. “The result is that squares create resistance, frustration, and conflict, [with] the more negative or dominant planet in the square usually exerting the more obvious influence.” While squares are challenging aspects, it’s still important to acknowledge and work with them. As Budd says, they offer us an opportunity to bring our shadows into the light in order to heal. Having Venus (the planet of love) trine with Jupiter (the planet of luck), for example, could indicate you’ll be lucky in love in your life. There is also the possibility of having a “grand trine,” which occurs when you have three planets forming an equilateral triangle on your chart. “If you have one planet in each sign in an element (within 120 +/- 10 degrees of each other), you have a grand trine, which is a major blessing and allows energy to flow easily between the three planets,” Budd tells mbg. This results in “notable gifts” in these individuals, with the nature of those gifts being dependent on the planets and signs in question. Oppositions can results in “seesaw” energy within someone’s personality, Budd explains. “They may swing from one extreme to another, which can be uncomfortable or frustrating, but it is really pretty natural when people have multiple oppositions in their charts,” she says. Opposite signs do, however, exhibit elemental compatibility. “Earth signs are opposite water signs, and fire signs are opposite air signs. This is one reason I think oppositions are a bit easier to manage than squares.” Budd explains, adding the key to managing an opposition is to tap into the elemental compatibility of the two planets. As modern mystic and author of Astrology SOS Imani Quinn previously explained to mbg, one way to interpret your birth chart and the aspects in it is to figure out whether the themes of the planets in question “work” together. For example, Venus and Mercury conjunct in Taurus, in the seventh house, would indicate an ease when it comes to partnership and expressing emotions. Of course, it never hurts to get a professional chart reading if you’re just getting started, so there’s no room for misinterpretation. There are also resources online and through mobile apps that offer in-depth explanations for different aspects. Nevertheless, understanding these main concepts is a great place to get started.
