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The Major Aspects: Squares & Oppositions · Astrology for Beginners

• 0:03
  SPEAKER_00: Hello everyone, welcome back to the Astrology for Beginners podcast.
• 0:07
  SPEAKER_00: I'm your host, Stephanie Kate Boucher, and I am so happy to have you here.
• 0:12
  SPEAKER_00: This is the podcast for you if you have ever wanted to learn how to read a natal
• 0:17
  SPEAKER_00: chart or were kind of interested in astrology and wished that you understood more
• 0:22
  SPEAKER_00: about it but didn't know where to begin or it seemed too complicated and you didn't
• 0:27
  SPEAKER_00: have the time or the resources to invest in learning it.
• 0:32
  SPEAKER_00: My goal is to break things down for you episode by episode in the most simplified
• 0:37
  SPEAKER_00: way that I can so that you can learn to speak the language of the stars.
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  SPEAKER_00: Thank you for learning astrology with me.
• 0:47
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome, my friends.
• 0:49
  SPEAKER_00: We are back today to continue our discussion about the five major aspects in
• 0:54
  SPEAKER_00: astrology and how to interpret the aspects that are in your natal chart.
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  SPEAKER_00: The aspects in your chart, of course, are represented by all those colorful
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  SPEAKER_00: messy looking little lines running through the middle of your chart.
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  SPEAKER_00: And last week,
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  SPEAKER_00: we talked about the softer aspects,
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  SPEAKER_00: the ones that are considered to be more harmonious and gentle,
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  SPEAKER_00: those being the trines and the sextiles.
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  SPEAKER_00: These aspects tend to bring out
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  SPEAKER_00: the very best energy or the most positive traits associated with each planet and
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  SPEAKER_00: facilitate smooth and easy communication between those planets.
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  SPEAKER_00: They also signify the natural talents and abilities that you were born with and
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  SPEAKER_00: would be best served to use and develop throughout your life.
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  SPEAKER_00: The week before that, we talked about conjunctions and how those are a blending of energy.
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  SPEAKER_00: And it's like taking two completely separate things or maybe two distinct flavors
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  SPEAKER_00: and combining them to make a flavor that's entirely new.
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  SPEAKER_00: And of course,
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  SPEAKER_00: the other thing a conjunction tends to do is amplify the energy of both of the
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  SPEAKER_00: planets involved.
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  SPEAKER_00: Any planets that you have in your chart that are conjunct will carry a more
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  SPEAKER_00: prominent role in your life,
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  SPEAKER_00: as do all planets in aspect,
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  SPEAKER_00: really.
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  SPEAKER_00: Today, though, we are going to discuss the hard aspects.
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  SPEAKER_00: We'll talk about squares and we'll talk about oppositions.
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  SPEAKER_00: These are the aspects that are represented by the lines in your chart that are red.
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  SPEAKER_00: At least in most programs, they are red.
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  SPEAKER_00: And they tend to feel much more challenging than the other aspects do.
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  SPEAKER_00: These are the parts about ourselves and our personal experiences that typically
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  SPEAKER_00: make life feel more difficult for us,
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  SPEAKER_00: at least at first when we're young and haven't done as much work on ourselves yet.
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  SPEAKER_00: They can be our knee-jerk reactions or how we respond when we feel challenged or afraid.
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  SPEAKER_00: Because usually that's when we slide into our shadow side, right?
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  SPEAKER_00: It's when we feel afraid or upset or something like that.
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  SPEAKER_00: These are the spots where we tend to get tripped up or get ourselves into trouble
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  SPEAKER_00: or where we think,
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  SPEAKER_00: feel,
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  SPEAKER_00: or behave in ways that...
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  SPEAKER_00: really don't serve us, ultimately.
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  SPEAKER_00: At least that's the risk.
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  SPEAKER_00: That's what can happen if we're not self-aware,
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  SPEAKER_00: if we're not willing to look at ourselves and make adjustments to our thinking and
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  SPEAKER_00: behavior patterns,
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  SPEAKER_00: if we're not willing to mature and grow from our adversity.
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  SPEAKER_00: And that's really what the hard aspects are for.
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  SPEAKER_00: They can create a sense of struggle, yes.
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  SPEAKER_00: They can create conflict, yes.
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  SPEAKER_00: But they're there to challenge you,
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  SPEAKER_00: to create tension so that there's more energy and dynamism in your life,
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  SPEAKER_00: which will push you forward in your personal growth journey and actually make it
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  SPEAKER_00: possible for you to accomplish something.
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  SPEAKER_00: People typically don't want to see a lot of hard aspects in their chart.
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  SPEAKER_00: We don't like it particularly when we look at our charts and we see too many red lines.
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  SPEAKER_00: Sometimes this even makes us feel bad about our charts or ourselves.
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  SPEAKER_00: We want to see lots of the blue lines instead because that seems a lot easier.
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  SPEAKER_00: But the reality is we really need some red ones.
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  SPEAKER_00: If we didn't have any red ones, if we didn't have any hard aspects,
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  SPEAKER_00: We could have all kinds of blue lines all over the place,
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  SPEAKER_00: but there would be a real danger that we wouldn't actually do all that much with
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  SPEAKER_00: our lives because we need some kind of challenge or conflict,
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  SPEAKER_00: something to work on to see what it is that we're really made of and what we're
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  SPEAKER_00: capable of doing.
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  SPEAKER_00: So just like the hero in a story,
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  SPEAKER_00: right,
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  SPEAKER_00: like a novel or a movie,
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  SPEAKER_00: there needs to be a challenge for that hero in order to become the hero that they become.
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  SPEAKER_00: This is part of the art of storytelling.
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  SPEAKER_00: Every hero, every protagonist, needs to face a conflict of some sort.
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  SPEAKER_00: That's where the story is.
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  SPEAKER_00: If the protagonist didn't have a challenge to solve,
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  SPEAKER_00: They'd just be sitting on their couch watching Netflix and there wouldn't be a story to tell.
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  SPEAKER_00: And it can be the same with us in our lives.
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  SPEAKER_00: Sure,
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  SPEAKER_00: we have talents from our trines and our sextiles,
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  SPEAKER_00: but our challenges are what shape us into who we become over the years.
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  SPEAKER_00: And our challenges are where we learn and where our biggest growth edges are.
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  SPEAKER_00: Now,
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  SPEAKER_00: of course,
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  SPEAKER_00: I'm not saying that extreme hardship or constant disappointment is good or healthy either.
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  SPEAKER_00: It's just that we need a balance of ease and at least some adversity in our lives.
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  SPEAKER_00: So if you're not sure about that,
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  SPEAKER_00: then think for a moment about whether you've ever met anyone at any time in your
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  SPEAKER_00: life who has always had everything in their life come really easily for them.
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  SPEAKER_00: like in all areas, right?
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  SPEAKER_00: At least from what you could tell.
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  SPEAKER_00: Like they've never really had to try all that hard or they've never really had to
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  SPEAKER_00: put that much effort into getting something or another that they wanted in their life.
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  SPEAKER_00: There aren't too many of those people,
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  SPEAKER_00: but maybe you've met someone who has never appeared to face any real adversity.
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  SPEAKER_00: And if you can think of someone like that, I would then ask, did you like that person?
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  SPEAKER_00: Did you enjoy their company?
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  SPEAKER_00: I think so.
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  SPEAKER_00: Maybe not, because there typically won't be as much self-reflection or self-examination taking place.
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  SPEAKER_00: And there's certainly not going to be much grit or resilience because they've never had to develop it.
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  SPEAKER_00: So again, as with all things in astrology, there isn't much of anything that is all good or all bad.
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  SPEAKER_00: I know I keep saying this, and that's because it's true.
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  SPEAKER_00: Everything, everything contains polarity.
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  SPEAKER_00: There is light and shadow in every single thing.
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  SPEAKER_00: And sometimes the shadow is absolutely necessary.
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  SPEAKER_00: We just have to put in the effort.
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  SPEAKER_00: Okay, let's talk about squares first.
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  SPEAKER_00: A square occurs when two planets or two objects or two points or angles or two of
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  SPEAKER_00: most anything in a chart are approximately 90 degrees apart on the wheel,
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  SPEAKER_00: give or take about 5 to 10 degrees in either direction.
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  SPEAKER_00: Remember, we use wider orbs for the Sun and the Moon, so up to 10 degrees there.
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  SPEAKER_00: But smaller orbs for outer planets because they move so slowly.
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  SPEAKER_00: So maybe even less than five with those.
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  SPEAKER_00: Some people use two degrees or less even with outer planets.
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  SPEAKER_00: But roughly 90 is what we're talking about for the sake of this conversation.
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  SPEAKER_00: Now,
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  SPEAKER_00: 90 degrees will mean in the majority of cases that the two planets in question are
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  SPEAKER_00: going to be three signs apart.
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  SPEAKER_00: The reason I say in most cases is because there are exceptions.
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  SPEAKER_00: You can have a situation where one planet is near the very end of its sign,
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  SPEAKER_00: like,
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  SPEAKER_00: say,
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  SPEAKER_00: Mars being at 29 degrees Aries.
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  SPEAKER_00: And instead of Mercury being at 29 degrees of Cancer,
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  SPEAKER_00: which is three signs apart and a perfect square,
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  SPEAKER_00: it's at one degree of Leo.
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  SPEAKER_00: That's 92 degrees apart.
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  SPEAKER_00: It's still a square,
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  SPEAKER_00: but it's what we'd call an out-of-sign aspect or an out-of-sign square because it's
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  SPEAKER_00: more than three signs apart.
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  SPEAKER_00: We'll be talking about out-of-sign aspects at some point soon,
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  SPEAKER_00: but for today,
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  SPEAKER_00: we'll just focus on the basics of squares and how they typically function.
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  SPEAKER_00: Now, a square is typically considered to be the most difficult aspect in astrology.
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  SPEAKER_00: Most people enjoy squares the least.
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  SPEAKER_00: And that's because, as we've just talked about, they are a lot of work.
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  SPEAKER_00: This aspect tends to bring out the more challenging qualities of each planet,
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  SPEAKER_00: sort of how I said that the trine brings out the best qualities in each of the planets.
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  SPEAKER_00: This aspect kind of does the opposite.
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  SPEAKER_00: If you think back to that neighborhood analogy that I used in the last two episodes, the square...
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  SPEAKER_00: would be represented by the person who lives on your street or in your neighborhood
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  SPEAKER_00: who it feels like you're always at odds with.
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  SPEAKER_00: Neither of you seems to enjoy or appreciate or approve of anything that the other one does.
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  SPEAKER_00: They don't like all your holiday decorations and they're complaining and trying to
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  SPEAKER_00: get you to take them down because they're too much and they think it makes the
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  SPEAKER_00: neighborhood look ugly.
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  SPEAKER_00: You don't like their loud music because it keeps you up at night or all the cars
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  SPEAKER_00: they always park in the street that are partially blocking your driveway sometimes.
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  SPEAKER_00: And the fact that they're in your neighborhood at all just makes life seem more
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  SPEAKER_00: irritating than you want it to be.
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  SPEAKER_00: Squares represent obstacles and inner conflict and tension.
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  SPEAKER_00: This is what occurs when one part of our personality or one of our personal
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  SPEAKER_00: objectives clashes,
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  SPEAKER_00: actively clashes,
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  SPEAKER_00: with another part of our personality or other personal objectives.
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  SPEAKER_00: One of our behavioral patterns or behavioral tendencies or one of our emotional
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  SPEAKER_00: patterns or emotional tendencies or something about the way we think even gets in
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  SPEAKER_00: the way of something else we want to do and it can end up being self-sabotaging.
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  SPEAKER_00: If you've ever known of someone who was struggling with something,
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  SPEAKER_00: like they were struggling to make the best choices,
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  SPEAKER_00: or they kept repeating a behavior that they knew they shouldn't,
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  SPEAKER_00: and then you heard someone say about that person,
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  SPEAKER_00: You know, he can't get out of his own way.
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  SPEAKER_00: Or maybe you've said that about someone you know.
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  SPEAKER_00: That's a really great analogy for square energy.
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  SPEAKER_00: One behavior is blocking another behavior.
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  SPEAKER_00: One part of themselves is restricting another part of themselves.
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  SPEAKER_00: And there can be a struggle that takes place as this person learns how to manage
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  SPEAKER_00: those two very different energies.
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  SPEAKER_00: And with lots of practice and self-examination and reflection, we can learn to manage them.
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  SPEAKER_00: And doing so makes us wiser.
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  SPEAKER_00: That's the point.
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  SPEAKER_00: So what would be some examples of how this could play out?
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  SPEAKER_00: Well, let's say you had Mars and Aries, and that was in a square with Mercury in Cancer.
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  SPEAKER_00: They're three signs apart, very close to 90 degrees apart.
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  SPEAKER_00: They're forming a square.
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  SPEAKER_00: Mercury,
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  SPEAKER_00: as the planet of thinking and communication,
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  SPEAKER_00: in the sign of Cancer,
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  SPEAKER_00: is really going to want you to communicate with a lot of sensitivity.
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  SPEAKER_00: Remember, Cancer is a very nurturing sign.
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  SPEAKER_00: It's in tune with everyone's emotions, and it wants to be caring.
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  SPEAKER_00: So this would be a very sensitive,
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  SPEAKER_00: caring,
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  SPEAKER_00: nurturing communication style that would give you a strong desire to handle your
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  SPEAKER_00: dealings with other people with gentleness,
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  SPEAKER_00: warmth,
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  SPEAKER_00: and care.
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  SPEAKER_00: You're certainly going to want to be friendly or kind and not make anyone feel bad, right?
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  SPEAKER_00: And with this placement, you would do this a lot of the time, most likely.
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  SPEAKER_00: But it's in this square with Mars and Aries.
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  SPEAKER_00: And Mars and Aries is very different.
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  SPEAKER_00: Mars is the planet of action.
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  SPEAKER_00: And Aries is not always known for being that tactful or patient.
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  SPEAKER_00: Mars and Aries could be, for example, quick to anger.
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  SPEAKER_00: It could be hot-headed at times.
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  SPEAKER_00: It's impatient.
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  SPEAKER_00: It's very direct.
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  SPEAKER_00: It's often lacking in sensitivity.
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  SPEAKER_00: And
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  SPEAKER_00: It may be downright blunt in its delivery of things.
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  SPEAKER_00: So in a square aspect, you'd have this desire to be sensitive and you would be some of the time.
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  SPEAKER_00: But sometimes when you got upset or were feeling impatient or you really wanted something,
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  SPEAKER_00: if you get heated in any way or even just really excited...
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  SPEAKER_00: you would be at high risk of acting impulsively or speaking impulsively and saying
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  SPEAKER_00: or doing something harsh that the sensitive mercury and cancer part of you really
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  SPEAKER_00: regrets later.
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  SPEAKER_00: Or you might tend to blurt things out that really hurt someone's feelings or really offends them.
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  SPEAKER_00: Your thinking and your actions can really be at odds with this square.
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  SPEAKER_00: Your mind knows it wants you to do one thing,
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  SPEAKER_00: and then you're predisposed to taking actions that aren't in alignment with that.
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  SPEAKER_00: And in this particular case,
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  SPEAKER_00: with this placement,
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  SPEAKER_00: it may happen too quickly for you to stop it in the moment because Mercury and Mars
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  SPEAKER_00: are both very quick to respond.
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  SPEAKER_00: So it may all just feel like it happens too fast for you to get a handle on it in the moment.
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  SPEAKER_00: And of course,
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  SPEAKER_00: this could cause significant problems in your relationships and in your life
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  SPEAKER_00: because people don't particularly enjoy being offended or hurt or on the receiving
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  SPEAKER_00: end of someone's temper or sharp words.
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  SPEAKER_00: So this could be an ongoing pattern that has a detrimental effect and gets in the
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  SPEAKER_00: way of you being that sensitive,
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  SPEAKER_00: caring person you want to be and having the nurturing relationships that you want.
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  SPEAKER_00: Pluto square Mercury,
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  SPEAKER_00: by the way,
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  SPEAKER_00: could offer a somewhat similar result,
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  SPEAKER_00: Pluto being the higher octave of Mars,
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  SPEAKER_00: except that instead of being simply quick-tempered and sharp,
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  SPEAKER_00: with Pluto,
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  SPEAKER_00: the person might slide into a power struggle where they're vying for control of the situation.
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  SPEAKER_00: Maybe they think they need to have the upper hand,
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  SPEAKER_00: or maybe their communication can take a darker turn when they feel triggered and
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  SPEAKER_00: the verbal jabs,
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  SPEAKER_00: you know,
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  SPEAKER_00: cut a little deeper.
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  SPEAKER_00: And it could veer into being, I don't know, maybe verbally abusive in some cases.
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  SPEAKER_00: Not necessarily, but it's possible.
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  SPEAKER_00: Again, it depends on the level of self-awareness and effort.
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  SPEAKER_00: But back to Mars,
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  SPEAKER_00: square Mercury,
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  SPEAKER_00: the lesson to be learned from this aspect would be about learning how to avoid
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  SPEAKER_00: getting so heated and not simply reacting to stimuli so quickly.
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  SPEAKER_00: As I said before, these two planets are quick to respond.
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  SPEAKER_00: So there's very rapid thinking with this aspect.
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  SPEAKER_00: And the person would want to learn how to slow down in heated moments, stay really mindful.
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  SPEAKER_00: A mindfulness practice would be excellent here,
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  SPEAKER_00: where they could learn how to recognize when they're starting to heat up,
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  SPEAKER_00: stay present with themselves in the moment,
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  SPEAKER_00: take some deep breaths,
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  SPEAKER_00: slow their thinking down,
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  SPEAKER_00: and really consider how they want to respond next and what response is going to
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  SPEAKER_00: meet the situation most effectively and appropriately.
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  SPEAKER_00: That is the lesson they'd be trying to work on.
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  SPEAKER_00: And if they're aware and they stay mindful and are willing to work on it,
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  SPEAKER_00: for the lifetime, they will get better at it.
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  SPEAKER_00: There's a huge opportunity to grow into being a really fantastic communicator here over time.
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  SPEAKER_00: And what you can do,
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  SPEAKER_00: another thing you could do is channel the abundance of energy created by the square
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  SPEAKER_00: into an endeavor where those qualities,
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  SPEAKER_00: that quick thinking,
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  SPEAKER_00: that sharpness is actually an asset.
• 17:53
  SPEAKER_00: We've talked about giving planetary energy a safe container in which to play out in before.
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  SPEAKER_00: I think it was in the episode on conjunctions.
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  SPEAKER_00: So where might it be an advantage to be able to think on your feet, so to speak?
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  SPEAKER_00: Sports, maybe.
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  SPEAKER_00: Maybe stand-up comedy, if you also happen to be funny.
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  SPEAKER_00: debate, there are places where it pays to be quick and sharp.
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  SPEAKER_00: And that can be a place for a very healthy expression of this energy.
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  SPEAKER_00: Squares with the sun or the moon before we move on to oppositions are about having
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  SPEAKER_00: an identity or a personality that is in conflict with the qualities associated with
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  SPEAKER_00: the other planet.
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  SPEAKER_00: So if you were born with, say, the sun square Saturn, for example, you
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  SPEAKER_00: You might be someone who rubs up against authority figures a lot.
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  SPEAKER_00: You might bristle at being under any kind of authority,
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  SPEAKER_00: like teachers,
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  SPEAKER_00: parents,
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  SPEAKER_00: employers,
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  SPEAKER_00: that type of thing.
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  SPEAKER_00: Or you might not want to take on or accept a lot of responsibility.
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  SPEAKER_00: Maybe there's resistance around maturing into your adulthood and having to take on
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  SPEAKER_00: the work or family responsibilities of being an adult.
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  SPEAKER_00: That's not always bad,
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  SPEAKER_00: but it might be a good thing for someone to know about themselves because maybe
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  SPEAKER_00: they'd simply want to design a life where they're not responsible for a lot of people.
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  SPEAKER_00: Maybe family life just isn't for them.
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  SPEAKER_00: Or maybe they wouldn't like a job where they're in charge of a department or managing other employees.
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  SPEAKER_00: Or maybe they know they're not going to get along with a boss or,
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  SPEAKER_00: you know,
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  SPEAKER_00: someone who's above them in rank and they just kind of need to work for themselves.
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  SPEAKER_00: Those are just some examples.
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  SPEAKER_00: Moon square Saturn could be about struggling to become emotionally mature or being
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  SPEAKER_00: emotionally immature as one possibility or possibly struggling with loneliness or
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  SPEAKER_00: low self-esteem because the moon is about our emotional landscape and Saturn can
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  SPEAKER_00: become depressed and
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  SPEAKER_00: And Saturn's also about authority,
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  SPEAKER_00: so possibly depression or low self-worth related to a harsh childhood could be indicated.
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  SPEAKER_00: It could signal that there were cold or harsh or strict parenting practices in place,
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  SPEAKER_00: for example,
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  SPEAKER_00: that was damaging emotionally.
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  SPEAKER_00: Possibly that could be with the father because Saturn can represent our fathers, but not always.
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  SPEAKER_00: And the moon can represent our mothers.
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  SPEAKER_00: So it might even be that there was a lot of conflict or a lot of fighting going on
• 20:41
  SPEAKER_00: between our mother and our father.
• 20:43
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe they were at odds with one another and that impacted you.
• 20:47
  SPEAKER_00: Let's talk about oppositions now.
• 20:50
  SPEAKER_00: Oppositions occur
• 20:51
  SPEAKER_00: between planets that are approximately 180 degrees apart.
• 20:56
  SPEAKER_00: Again, give or take five degrees in either direction.
• 21:00
  SPEAKER_00: These are planets that are exactly opposite each other on your natal chart wheel.
• 21:06
  SPEAKER_00: They are typically at opposite signs,
• 21:08
  SPEAKER_00: although like the square,
• 21:10
  SPEAKER_00: there can be times when one planet is at the end of its sign and the other planet
• 21:16
  SPEAKER_00: can be at the beginning of the next one.
• 21:18
  SPEAKER_00: So instead of a Libra-Aries opposition,
• 21:23
  SPEAKER_00: maybe one planet is at the end of Aries and the other is at the beginning of
• 21:28
  SPEAKER_00: Scorpio because Scorpio is what's right after Libra.
• 21:32
  SPEAKER_00: In my neighborhood example,
• 21:34
  SPEAKER_00: this planetary relationship is a bit like the neighbor I talked about who you have
• 21:39
  SPEAKER_00: a hard time getting along with because your perspectives always seem to be different.
• 21:44
  SPEAKER_00: It's not a relationship of open conflict like the square.
• 21:47
  SPEAKER_00: It's not as abrasive as that.
• 21:49
  SPEAKER_00: There's not as much animosity there.
• 21:52
  SPEAKER_00: It's more that you can't seem to find a way to see eye to eye and compromise with one another.
• 21:59
  SPEAKER_00: You want to find a compromise and you're going to try and they're going to try.
• 22:03
  SPEAKER_00: But it's hard because you just see things from such a different vantage point and
• 22:08
  SPEAKER_00: you can't really grasp what it is the other person wants.
• 22:13
  SPEAKER_00: You've got Aries.
• 22:14
  SPEAKER_00: You've got Libra.
• 22:15
  SPEAKER_00: They're opposites.
• 22:16
  SPEAKER_00: They don't see the world the same way.
• 22:19
  SPEAKER_00: One's individualistic and competitive.
• 22:21
  SPEAKER_00: The other is partnership-oriented and wants win-win situations.
• 22:26
  SPEAKER_00: You've got Pisces.
• 22:28
  SPEAKER_00: You've got Virgo.
• 22:29
  SPEAKER_00: They're opposites.
• 22:31
  SPEAKER_00: One is very ethereal and wants to go with the flow and head where the wind takes them.
• 22:36
  SPEAKER_00: The other is hyper-organized and detail-oriented and has a plan in place for everything.
• 22:43
  SPEAKER_00: And so how do you get these two characters to get along?
• 22:47
  SPEAKER_00: How can they be themselves and accomplish their goals when they're moving seemingly
• 22:52
  SPEAKER_00: in opposite directions?
• 22:54
  SPEAKER_00: That's the lesson.
• 22:55
  SPEAKER_00: It's about learning to see both sides.
• 22:58
  SPEAKER_00: It's about getting a 360 degree view of life instead of getting stuck in a more singular mindset.
• 23:07
  SPEAKER_00: which sounds easier than it is.
• 23:09
  SPEAKER_00: It really is not that easy.
• 23:11
  SPEAKER_00: What it feels like in practice is like feeling that you can have one thing or the other,
• 23:19
  SPEAKER_00: but not both at the same time.
• 23:21
  SPEAKER_00: So there's this push-pull effect where you are swinging back and forth between the
• 23:26
  SPEAKER_00: two things like a pendulum.
• 23:28
  SPEAKER_00: We actually all can relate to this feeling in theory,
• 23:31
  SPEAKER_00: because everyone,
• 23:33
  SPEAKER_00: every single person has at least one opposition in their chart,
• 23:38
  SPEAKER_00: and that is between the North and South nodes.
• 23:41
  SPEAKER_00: Even if you don't have any other oppositions, you still have the North node opposite the South node.
• 23:48
  SPEAKER_00: And that push-pull effect is exactly what we get there, right?
• 23:53
  SPEAKER_00: We're torn between wanting to stay where we're comfortable
• 23:57
  SPEAKER_00: Wanting to use the skills and knowledge we already have and feeling called over and
• 24:04
  SPEAKER_00: over to go explore this new part of ourselves or this thing we're really intrigued by,
• 24:09
  SPEAKER_00: but that we're not expert at yet or comfortable with yet,
• 24:13
  SPEAKER_00: but we feel like we want to do it anyway.
• 24:16
  SPEAKER_00: And we don't feel like we can be in the past and the future at the same time.
• 24:22
  SPEAKER_00: So we swing toward our north node for a bit and then we get tired or scared or
• 24:28
  SPEAKER_00: discombobulated and then we swing back toward our old ways or our comfort zone,
• 24:34
  SPEAKER_00: recoup for a bit until we're ready to swing back the other way again.
• 24:39
  SPEAKER_00: Really, what we need to do, though, is realize that it's not a one or the other choice.
• 24:46
  SPEAKER_00: It's really about integrating the two things.
• 24:49
  SPEAKER_00: It's about taking your skills and your talents and your knowledge from the past and
• 24:54
  SPEAKER_00: then using those for leverage as you move toward this new future.
• 25:00
  SPEAKER_00: And it's really the same with planets in opposition.
• 25:04
  SPEAKER_00: It's also true that oppositions can be about circumstances outside of ourselves
• 25:10
  SPEAKER_00: that block us or get in our way.
• 25:13
  SPEAKER_00: Squares are more about internal conflict,
• 25:15
  SPEAKER_00: internal challenges that have to do with our personalities or our psyche.
• 25:20
  SPEAKER_00: But oppositions can be about where we're being challenged by the world or by circumstances or people.
• 25:29
  SPEAKER_00: So if you had Mars, let's say, in the 12th house,
• 25:33
  SPEAKER_00: You might be inclined to want to do a lot of spiritual work in your life or work
• 25:39
  SPEAKER_00: that had a cause attached to it.
• 25:41
  SPEAKER_00: You might also want to relax more or you might be someone who needs a lot of downtime.
• 25:47
  SPEAKER_00: You'd want to put your effort towards those types of things because Mars is about our efforts.
• 25:53
  SPEAKER_00: But if Mars in the 12th house was in opposition to Saturn in the sixth house,
• 26:00
  SPEAKER_00: that might make it really difficult to put your time and effort towards those 12th
• 26:04
  SPEAKER_00: house things.
• 26:05
  SPEAKER_00: Saturn in the sixth could indicate that you have a lot of responsibility to meet in your day-to-day life.
• 26:13
  SPEAKER_00: There could be a lot of job responsibilities unrelated to your spiritual work.
• 26:17
  SPEAKER_00: that require you to put in long hours or a lot of scheduling responsibilities.
• 26:24
  SPEAKER_00: You may also have a need for lots of structure in your day-to-day life for any number of reasons.
• 26:31
  SPEAKER_00: Or maybe there are some health challenges that need a lot of your attention instead.
• 26:37
  SPEAKER_00: So what you feel like is, I really want a spiritual life.
• 26:41
  SPEAKER_00: I really want to take that astrology course or become a coach or something like that.
• 26:47
  SPEAKER_00: But I just can't because I don't have any time to take that class or I have too
• 26:52
  SPEAKER_00: many responsibilities to take care of all the time and there's no room for anything else.
• 26:57
  SPEAKER_00: I can either meet my responsibilities and just give up on the idea of the spiritual work or
• 27:03
  SPEAKER_00: Or I could say, to hell with it, I'll abandon my life and go become a monk or something.
• 27:08
  SPEAKER_00: But man, that sure feels irresponsible.
• 27:11
  SPEAKER_00: I don't really want to do that.
• 27:13
  SPEAKER_00: It's one or the other.
• 27:15
  SPEAKER_00: And it may sometimes be one or the other.
• 27:18
  SPEAKER_00: It may be that right now you have to keep that job that has you working 12 hours a
• 27:23
  SPEAKER_00: day because you really need the money and you can't quit right now.
• 27:28
  SPEAKER_00: Or you may really need to spend your free time taking care of your aging mom with
• 27:34
  SPEAKER_00: dementia because there's no one else to do it.
• 27:37
  SPEAKER_00: But that's not, in fact, the lesson that is inherent in the opposition aspect.
• 27:42
  SPEAKER_00: The lesson would be about learning how to see the very valid perspectives and
• 27:48
  SPEAKER_00: desires of both of these planets and finding some way to integrate them.
• 27:54
  SPEAKER_00: And it may not happen right away, but is there a way to work toward making that spiritual work happen?
• 28:00
  SPEAKER_00: part of your daily routine.
• 28:03
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe it's just penciled in for 15 minutes every morning before you go to work.
• 28:08
  SPEAKER_00: As an example, Saturn in the 6th house is great at bringing structure to your daily routines.
• 28:16
  SPEAKER_00: So if you can put something in your daily routine that makes your Mars in the 12th
• 28:21
  SPEAKER_00: house feel happy and satisfied,
• 28:23
  SPEAKER_00: that could be a really good thing for both planets.
• 28:27
  SPEAKER_00: Mars in the 12th can also be used to infuse an element of the spiritual into
• 28:34
  SPEAKER_00: whatever you're already doing in your sixth house stuff.
• 28:38
  SPEAKER_00: Can you make what you're already doing feel more spiritual?
• 28:42
  SPEAKER_00: Can you find more beauty in it?
• 28:45
  SPEAKER_00: Can you feel more gratitude around it?
• 28:47
  SPEAKER_00: Can you use mindfulness as you approach your daily life?
• 28:52
  SPEAKER_00: Can you make every action a thing of service?
• 28:56
  SPEAKER_00: So there's usually much you can do to reframe things and integrate the two energies
• 29:03
  SPEAKER_00: and make both planets feel valued.
• 29:06
  SPEAKER_00: It's also possible that you could,
• 29:08
  SPEAKER_00: again over time,
• 29:10
  SPEAKER_00: slowly make a job transition and begin moving toward a more spiritually inclined
• 29:16
  SPEAKER_00: job so that your days are automatically structured around the activities that Mars
• 29:21
  SPEAKER_00: in the 12th house does.
• 29:22
  SPEAKER_00: wants.
• 29:23
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe you become a yoga or mindfulness instructor.
• 29:27
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe you learn to practice Reiki or astrology or any number of things.
• 29:33
  SPEAKER_00: So oppositions can feel like the world is blocking something from you,
• 29:38
  SPEAKER_00: but the opportunity is around learning to use the hand that you're dealt to your
• 29:43
  SPEAKER_00: advantage and experimenting and exploring your options until you find the right compromises.
• 29:52
  SPEAKER_00: In the next episode,
• 29:54
  SPEAKER_00: or in the next couple,
• 29:56
  SPEAKER_00: I'm going to talk about some of the minor aspects in astrology.
• 29:59
  SPEAKER_00: Not all of them, but I do want to cover a couple of the key ones.
• 30:04
  SPEAKER_00: I'd like to talk about semi-sextiles and quincunxes, and I also want to cover aspect patterns.
• 30:13
  SPEAKER_00: Sometimes the aspects in our charts,
• 30:16
  SPEAKER_00: the trines,
• 30:16
  SPEAKER_00: the sextiles,
• 30:17
  SPEAKER_00: the squares and oppositions,
• 30:19
  SPEAKER_00: if you step back and look at them more broadly,
• 30:22
  SPEAKER_00: form shapes.
• 30:24
  SPEAKER_00: And those shapes have meaning.
• 30:26
  SPEAKER_00: And we'll talk about that.
• 30:27
  SPEAKER_00: We'll talk about things like grand trines and grand crosses and kite patterns.
• 30:34
  SPEAKER_00: Mystic rectangles, yods, cradles, baskets, wreaths.
• 30:39
  SPEAKER_00: There are all kinds of different ones.
• 30:41
  SPEAKER_00: So that is likely where we're going next.
• 30:45
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, that wraps up today's discussion.
• 30:48
  SPEAKER_00: If you have a sec, please take a moment to rate or review this podcast.
• 30:53
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• 30:58
  SPEAKER_00: That will ensure that you never miss an episode,
• 31:01
  SPEAKER_00: and it will also help the show by making sure more people can find it.
• 31:05
  SPEAKER_00: That's all for now, everyone.
• 31:06
  SPEAKER_00: Have a great week, and I will see you next time.