Consideration of this quantitative choice, Too Much or Too Little, is an analytical technique because it is a mind-set within which the analyst frames “gulps” of synthesis. –Just as the presentation about “Why? and To What Extent?” was similarly a guide to analysis preparation [Analytical Techniques, April 28, 2004].

In the opera world, there’s a saying –a guideline—among singers: “If the conductor asks you for more voice,i.e., “you’re giving me too little”, you may be in trouble; if he eases you back from giving too much, i.e., “you don’t need to give me so much”, you’re in good shape!” In the first case, you may be at your limit, having spent all you’ve got; so then what? In the second case, you’ve still got capital in the bank. It’s easier to take away than it is to add on.

In astrology, when we see Saturn strong with Venus, for example, we think immediately “not enough emotion” or “there’s a tightness about emotional sharing.” In effect, there seems to be too little freedom with emotional expression, too little confidence, experience, and projection of emotional content in relationships. That’s how we look at it. –In this case, it is extremely difficult to do anything about that: how can you add emotional content; if you knew, you would have already, surely done it!

What if we frame this differently as we work with the accumulating analytical profile: “There seems to be too much control on emotional expression … for this reason or another, etc.” This framing is definitely easier to manage: we can remove controls!

What about Neptune concerns? “Too little practicality or reality sense” is much more difficult to deal with than “too much fantasy or suppression.” –With any defense mechanism, remember, it is too much of something, not too little, that really tells the story, the imbalance.

What about Uranus concerns? “Too little thinking about others” is much more difficult to deal with than “too much self-emphasis.” –The lesson to learn here is that all the emphasis on self is simply not needed; it can be a waste of resources; it’s overstating one’s case.

In Martha Stewart’s case –with Ascendant-ruler Pluto conjunct the Leo Sun— it is much more difficult to contend with too little modesty than it is to deal with too much overcompensatory self-aggrandizement, too much enforcement, imperialism!

For Saddam Hussein –with Mars conjunct the Moon in Sagittarius—it is much more difficult to deal with too little circumspection than it is with too much self-centered opinionation.

For Prince Charles –with Moon conjunct the Node in the 10th—it is much more difficult to deal with too little self-willed organization than it is with too much mother influence.

This can be very subtle often, but the attitude in the astrologer’s mind as the synthesis accumulates –eschewing the concept of “too little” and following the concept of “too much” within aspect assessments— is very helpful. It may occur two or three times within the preparation of the analysis; so just think how that can permeate the entire tone of the consultation that will follow!

With Adolph Hitler –with Saturn square the Mars-Venus-retrograde conjunction in the 7th House, with strong reference to the 8th: too little exploration of sexual fulfillment in relationships would have been much more difficult to handle than too much sexual repression and problematic organization. The answer would have been to work to understand where the “too much” came from, why the “too much” was adopted. Not to get into “why have you never had an easy time with sexual expression?”

With Hitler’s all-powerful Moon-Jupiter conjunction in Capricorn in the 3rd, one would be more helpful thinking “how much enforcement power is necessary to get the job done … and why” rather than “there is too little restraint in the enforcement powers.” –Why did Mein Kampf have to be such a long book?

In my own life, with an extremely strongly focused Moon in Leo, I have often had to check myself at various times/levels of maturation and ask myself how much self-dramatization did I need to move myself along in life fulfillment?! –I never asked myself, how little control was I exhibiting? The answer to the first probe supplied the graceful control for greater efficiency and growth of the situation, pertinent to the corollary insight.

–So every time you are getting ready to conduct the opera, with all those planet- singers running around, check their vocal balance: you can work best with all those singers by noting the excess of their registration more than their lack of appropriateness. And your client can too!