Please re-study as well the Essay archived below for December 30, 1999

Every astrologer must be familiar with the symbolism of the growth-fuel of life: the energy symbolized by the Sun and the focus of that energy into the reigning need of our existence. The 144 polarities possible for the Sun and Moon were covered eloquently by Grant Lewi in Heaven Knows What (Llewellyn Publications) and by a few other authors. My presentation in Synthesis & Counseling in Astrology are, by design, short, pithy, practical descriptions of the energies involved in our life and the dramatic psychological orientation that define the major needs that drive our life development.

We can never escape our individual Sun-Moon polarity. It is instantly modified from the “cookbook” registration by the aspects to the Sun and to the Moon (see Essay below, November 30, 2000), the hemisphere emphasis (see Essay below, July 15, 1999) of the horoscope, and the phenomenological occurrences among the planetary need-symbol-aspects, etc.

Most powerful indeed, then, is the midpoint of the Sun and Moon relationship. This is an additional analytical appreciation of the “Lights” themselves. A planet square, opposed, conjoined or quindecile with the Sun/Moon midpoint (note: the “ / “ means midpoint) will dominate the life. A powerful other component is added to the core-significant Sun-Moon polarity by relating to the Sun/Moon midpoint.

First, analyze systematically the addition of different planets to the Sun/Moon midpoint. [This is done on page 783 of Synthesis & Counseling in Astrology.]

Think of your Sun and Moon polarity synthesis [see pages 76-102 in Synthesis & Counseling in Astrology. and add the cerebral dimension of Mercury [Mercury=Sun/Moon]. You can feel that the mind will be busy planning within concerns for relationships with others, for fulfillment and achievement and popularity. This is a busy midpoint picture (unless there are heavier modifications) and the personality will capitalize on this as a major personality trait.

What if Mars is there? It’s different. We can expect energies that work in strong fashion to support or to upset relationships for a dominant ego-expression. There will surely be a self-promoting drive to success, and this will be an obvious dominating characteristic in the personality. –If this is not clear in the personality, then there are depressive mitigating circumstances that must be studied.

What if the planet Saturn is involved: we can anticipate difficult concerns in relationship, always addressing problems, working through inhibitions and separations; even to the point of a health system being weakened. This is not an easy picture: a famous female lawyer with this dominating midpoint picture natally was raped at 18 and had three broken marriages/relationship by the time she was 35!

What about Neptune involved strongly –conjunction, square, opposed, quindecile—with Sun/Moon? We can expect misunderstandings galore in relationship; even deception (or being deceived); certainly much discontent.

The key analytical position here is not that we describe those conditions as inexorably present!!! Rather, we look for evidence in the life history of these circumstances occurring to one degree or another and we must discover with the client why they occur, what purpose is being served, how to adjust them for relational efficiency.

With Mercury, is the concern really about personal popularity, confirming the sense of being lovable? With Mars, is it a fear of being overlooked or exploited in the dynamics of relationship? With Saturn, is it a deep pain because of the parental model that itself was non-existent or bleak, or depressed in early life? With Neptune, is it that the client simply has had no way to learn empathy, relational communication, or the practical parameters of idealism, or is subterfugal exploits shoring up a down-deep weak self-image?

Think all these possibilities through; of course, including as well Venus, Jupiter, Uranus, Pluto.

Now, the extraordinary symbolic analytical sensitivity of the Sun/Moon midpoint extends to transits and Arcs to the natal Sun/Moon midpoint (conjunction, square, opposition)!! –There is simply no doubt that inspection of the life-development history is valid when such a transit or Arc occurs during the adult years. The phenomenon in reality is reliably sure in 90% of all such transit or Arc occurrences!!!

My students learn this analytical technique thoroughly. They put the Sun/Moon midpoint prominently into their horoscope drawings. They can see, in a flash, arcs to the point and transits to the point.

Who has not enjoyed the grace of a relationship with Venus=Sun/Moon; the tension and disruption currents with Uranus=Sun/Moon or tr Uranus = Sun/Moon? What about the power struggle with Pluto=Sun/Moon, arc or transit!

***It is obvious in life that Bill Clinton [August 19, 1946 at 8:51 AM, Hope AR] has Neptune=Sun/Moon [natal Neptune square the natal Sun/Moon midpoint; within a 2-degree orb, which is the limit recommended] in his horoscope.

Multimillionaire heiress to the Woolworth fortune, Barbara Hutton [November 14, 1912 at 2:25 PM, in New York City], married seven times, had Venus exactly at her Sun/Moon midpoint, Venus ruling the 2nd and the 7th!!

John F. Kennedy [May 29, 1917 at 3:00 PM in Brookline MA] had Saturn-Neptune at Sun/Moon. Note that Saturn ruled his 4th (his father) and Neptune ruled the 6th (the twelfth of the 7th), and both Saturn-Neptune were at the Midheaven.

Note how Arnold Schwarzenegger [July 30, 1947 at 4:10 AM, CED in Graz AUSTRIA] has tied his relationship with the world to his personal physical projection with Asc=Sun/Moon! –This midpoint picture also is a key for ‘publicity defining the life’!

In Synastry In synastry, one person’s planet in sharp aspect to someone’s Sun/Moon midpoint is going to create a relationship picture that can not be denied.

**Please be sensitive, super-sensitive, to your client’s Sun/Moon midpoint. Even if nothing is configured strongly with it, transits and Arcs will develop to it. How reality relationship concerns develop and how they are managed will be key for your client’s profile in relation to his or her world.

In the earliest years, Sun/Moon midpoint activation will be reflected through the child’s relationship within the family unit, its status and development.