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What Challenging and Supportive Aspects Really Mean

by Hank Friedman

In modern Western natal and predictive astrology, the aspect of one planet upon another is often seen

as primarily positive or negative. But this reductionistic approach misses the real meanings of such

interconnections, and thats what Id like to explore in this article.

To start off, however, Id like to focus on two important ancient principles that have fallen out of use

in modern Western astrology. The first is that the planet forming the aspect (seeing the other planet) is

more important in defining the effect of an aspect than the type of aspect itself. In other words, the

aspects from a classical malefic planet, like Mars or Saturn, are going to be more challenging (even

the trines) than the aspects from benefics like Jupiter or Venus.

The second principle from classical Western and Vedic astrologies is that the quality and intensity of

the effect of an aspect depends upon which two planets are aspecting each other. Charles Carter, in his

classical book The Astrological Aspects, states very clearly, [The Sun and Saturn] are antithetic in

nature, and even harmonious aspects between them are not always in the strict sense beneficent...

As Vedic astrology points out, Mercury, Venus, and Saturn are friendly with each other (because they

all rule signs that are trinal to each other) and the Sun, Moon, Mars, and Jupiter are friendly with each

other (for the same reason), and so aspects between planets from the two camps are the most

challenging (e.g. Venus with Mars, or Sun with Saturn).

What this means in real life is that if you have a Mercury aspected by Saturn, you will

definitely have to work through issues around negative thinking, doubt, fear, or inhibited speech, butthe degree of challenge will be less than if you are born with Sun aspected by Saturn, where your basic

self-expression and sense of being is inhibited by self-judgments, withholding love from oneself, etc.

Having said all of this, Id like to return to the subject at hand: what are deeper meanings to both

positive and negative aspects.

First of all, conjunctions in birth charts often have both positive and negative effects. The conjunctions

of inner planets with the outer planets (Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto) are often quite intense, and

indicate both powerful transformative challenges in the persons life and extraordinary abilities given

to the inner planet by the outer one. Conjunctions by Saturn are both restrictive and inhibiting on the

down side, and focusing and disciplining on the high side.

Conjunctions by Mars can increase the blinding effects of heat, speed, and passion and/or energize the

planet near Mars. Combustion (i.e. a planet conjunct the Sun) has paradoxical effects: the inner

qualities of the planet (e.g. generosity and wisdom for Jupiter, artistic and creative gifts for Venus,

etc.) are illuminated and enhanced, but the combust planets expression often becomes less visible to

others (i.e. the person gets less credit or recognition for their talents) and, even more so, the themes of

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the houses ruled by the combust planet often become quite challenged. E.g. a person is likely to have

some difficulties with children if their 5th house lord is combust, but this can manifest as no children,

one of the children having difficulties in their own life, or tension between oneself and a child.

What Ive delineated above leaves a bit to be desired because it doesnt directly address the issue at

hand: what are the fuller meanings of challenging and supportive aspects.

Supportive aspects as commonly defined by modern Western astrology are planets in

trine or sextile, or conjunctions if with benefics (the Moon, Venus, and Jupiter). Traditionalsupportive

aspects are all aspects by benefics.

Challenging aspects as commonly defined by modern Western astrology are planets in

square, opposition, semi or ses-squares, or conjunctions if with malefics (Mars and Saturn).

Traditionalchallenging aspects are all aspects by Mars and Saturn, plus conjunctions with and trines

by either Lunar Node.

The positive themes of the supportive aspects are a natural flow of talent, harmony,

acceptance, peacefulness, spontaneity, openness, and contentment. However, too much of a good thing

can result in indolence, narcissism, indulgence, coasting, complacency, a lack of motivation, becoming

spoiled, and a marked lack of empathy with those with more challenging lives. i.e. people who have

things come to them too easily.

The positive themes of the challenging aspects include motivation, strength, action,

appropriate confrontations, initiative, transformation (and transformative events ), facing ones shadow

and working through it, and growing awareness and the release of ego through challenging events.

The negative sides of these challenging aspects include belligerence, tightness,

closedness, pessimism, rigidity, abdication or resignation in the face of lifes trials, a pattern of

struggling, seeing life as problematic, and compulsive defensiveness and/or insecurity.

We are placed here on Earth to wake up (a role of the challenging aspects) and to

embrace gratitude (a role of the supportive aspects). To dig deep, climb high, meet lifes tests head on,

and to develop ourselves (all via challenging aspects), but also to flourish, love, learn to easily express

ourselves, to flow with life, and become supportive to others (all via supportive aspects).