Aspects are the angles that the planets of your natal chart make. If the planets are the different parts of you, the aspects tell you how each piece of you interacts with all those other pieces, forming a more complex, even occasionally contradictory, picture. You’re much more complex than you realize!

For the benefit of simplicity, I will use Mars and Saturn as my examples here. Saturn, by definition, is easily defined and palpably felt in one’s chart (especially mine, being Saturn-ruled) and Mars is a faster-moving planet whose tenets aren’t closely related to Saturn’s.

Conjunction: “Combination” or when the Sun is involved, “Combustion”

*Mars conjunct Saturn*

**Treat this chart as if each house, 1 to 12, is paired with the sign it’s associated with, Aries to Pisces, respectively.**
**Also, ignore the watermarks; I am a Capricorn and, as such, I work on a budget.**

These planets are anywhere between 0° and 10° apart in your chart. The closer the distance, the more the energies of these two planets will do their best to become one. I don’t consider conjunctions bad or good, harsh or easy, on their own. Some planetary energies are easily mixed, while other energies must fight for dominance.

In this example, Mars and Saturn both are in the first sign and house. Mars belongs in Aries and is associated with the first house, so he is at home here. Your actions are direct, quick, and often forceful. Saturn in Aries is self-directed, self-censoring, and self-deprecating.

When these two energies merge, you’ll find that you are a self-directed worker, someone who doesn’t let much time go by before you establish your boundaries and your expectations of others. You aren’t likely as impulsive as someone with an unaspected Arian Mars, nor are you likely as self-conscious as an unaspected Aries Saturn.

This conjunction would likely see Mars having the upper-hand, since he finds himself in the sign he rules and a house he’s familiar with, leading to you to constantly check yourself, thereby activating Saturn’s energy. Saturn is also at his Fall here, essentially at his weakest potential.

Sextile: “Supplement”

*Mars sextile Saturn*

**If Mars is in Aries, then Saturn fines himself in Gemini in this example. A Sextile indicates planets being in complimentary signs; Air compliments Fire while Water compliments Earth.**

Sextile angles are our first good or easy aspect. This is a bit of a generalization though, as it describes the nature of the angle the planets are at, not necessarily the outcome of the aspect itself. Sextile planets are 60° apart (so really anywhere from 55° to 65°), and are typically found in complimentary signs (Fire and Air or Earth and Water).

In this case, your proactive and impulsive Aries Mars is easily able to get support from your hare-brained and changeable Gemini Saturn. The latter placement indicates that you are someone who is strong in their opinion and established in their word; others take what you say with authority. It also indicates someone who has no problem shifting their boundaries, as long a sit benefits their bottom line.

Why is this of benefit to Aries Mars? If you are forceful in action, then it would certainly benefit you to be able to back up those actions with an authoritative word. Also, if you make impulsive decisions, it would certainly be of use to have changeable standards, allowing you to match your morals with your actions.

Additionally, the powerhouse that is Aries Mars would also be of use to Gemini Saturn. This placement has a tendency to have multiple goals being worked on at the same time, so it needs a great deal of energy to get them done.

Square: “Squabble”

*Mars square Saturn*

**With Aries Mars, Saturn finds himself in Cancer. There, he is at his Detriment, though not at his weakest (that was in Aries); Mars takes the upper-hand, again**

Anywhere from 85° to 95°, one tends to find… contention… between planets. Squares aren’t anyone’s favorite aspect, but they are certainly the most beneficial to understand and work through. Squares are found where planets are in signs that are in the same Modality. This gives these planets similar goals, but leaves their energies lacking in cooperation.

In this example, Mars on his throne in Aries finds Saturn at his absolute worst. Saturn is forward-thinking, hard working and firmly set in the material world. Cancer, ruled by the Moon, is nostalgic, a strong proponent of self-care, and firmly set in its subjective, emotionally-based nature. A Cancer Saturn native would find themselves motivated by their past and bolstered by their family; they set their boundaries based on past experiences.

This is of no use to quick-moving Aries Mars. This planet’s need to break through walls doesn’t have time to check on how Cancer Saturn would like to use the long-used and well thought out way of demolishing said wall.

A person with this placement would find themselves constantly breaching the boundaries of others with overbearing advice or even with a pedantic, I-know-best attitude. Your need to push would be more emotional in nature, using a guilt-based and parental stance on your opinions.

When properly worked through, this square would present itself as someone who uses their previous experience and caring authority to help motivate others to make their own choices.

Trine: “Try? No need.”

*Mars trine Saturn*

**Think of this one as a double sextile… it’s not that… but it kinda is**

If a sextile is a green light for planet cooperation, a trine is a roundabout; the energy has no need to stop and it flows carelessly. A trine represents a 120° separation between planets, but applies to the 115-125° range. Planets in this aspect will be in the same element, giving them very similar energies. This makes the energy between the two planets easily exchanged, often synergistically.

Aries Mars holds Leo Saturn in high esteem, as they both share an innate fire. Leo Saturn is entirely self-motivated, though unlike Aries Saturn, they tend to rest on their artistry and creativity to get them by, and it usually does. That slight lack of accountability makes Leo Saturn far less restrained than Aries Saturn.

This lack of restraint gives Aries Mars a nearly unchecked ability to act on will. After all, you’re charming enough to get out of whatever consequences may come from your impulsive actions, right? Sure, I accidentally started a fire, but I’m creative enough to make that burn mark into a cool mural.

Herein lies the nature of the trine; yes, the planets work together effortlessly, but sometimes a buffer is absolutely necessary, depending on the situation. Again, Mars takes the reins here. He doesnt run Saturn over, but definitely makes him his sidekick.

Opposition: “Or”

*Mars opposite Saturn*

**Let’s see how Saturn reacts to being in the driver’s seat of this aspect.**

Another harsher aspect comes in the form of opposition. It’s not as contentious as a square, but there’s certainly a decision to be made. Falling between 175° and 185°, this angle represents a need to balance the energies of these two planets. One may ask what can balance the bombastic energy of Mars in Aries.

For the first time, Saturn is in a happier place than Mars. Libra is where Saturn is Exalted. He loves Libra’s love of the law, and its tendency to maintain peace makes his own tendency to create order much easier. A Natal Libra Saturn would find themselves in constant search of peace, always striving to mediate and follow the word of law (usually what other people think).

In this case, Mars’ propensity for quick action must be tempered by Saturn’s love of following the manual, step by step. In fact, this strong adherence to maintain what’s right and just will often completely take the fire out of your fiery Mars.

This may leave you feeling like you don’t have an outlet for your copious amounts of energy. Worse, there will be times when your impulsive nature takes over, leaving your Libra Saturn to make excuses for your hasty transgressions. Saturn actually wins here, giving his Exaltation in Libra.

Winning isn’t the goal here, though. The point of this opposition is to find a balance between these two energies. Use your Saturnian discretion when putting your copious amounts of energy behind anything; make sure you bring your innate fire with you even when your plans are slow-moving or dependent on others.

Quincrux: Also known as “Inconjunct”

*Mars inconjunct Saturn*

**You know the saying: your opposite’s sextile is your own quincrux.**

At 150° in distance (give or take 5°) this angle isn’t widely used and even less widely understood by beginners. I think of this aspect as “as far as you can go without being opposites”. In astrology, the opposite signs represent opposite ends of the same axis; they have the same goals, but approach them from separate angles.

Inconjunct planets simply don’t understand each other. Their signs don’t share an element nor a modality. They have almost nothing in common, so this often an area of tension in one’s life that simply has no resolution. A pebble in life’s metaphorical shoe that you can’t shake out.

We often find that this aspect shows itself in situations that we must go through that aren’t our doing at all; things we’re forced to bear, especially if they come up often.

Here, you’ll find Saturn in Virgo. If Libra Saturn is slow-moving, Virgo Saturn is downright methodical. Here we see your endless motivation tempered by perfectionism. On the other side, your need for perfection is often thwarted by your impulsive or unthinking actions.

article graphics by: Antonio Bryant via Canva