This article covers the basics of synastry chart compatibility, the aspects between two charts and the midpoint-in-time, Davison relationship chart. You can also look further into synastry astrology in Best Synastry Aspects and also see the test I devised for my Synastry readings in action with the Soulmates Love Test article.
Synastry Compatibility
Finding true love with a soulmate is not all that it’s cracked up to be. It’s more likely to be a case of “Help, I’ve found my soul mate!” In synastry astrology, the 7th house is not just the house of marriage, it is also the house of open enemies. It is also opposed the 1st house of the physical self. Therefore the supposed “Soul mate” relationship is very often a tug of war on many levels. What may feel destined could also be a number of things. The beloved could be reflecting strongly back to you your animus or anima, what you are lacking in your chart, what you have disowned in your chart or, when the relationship turns sour, your worst demons.
With synastry chart compatibility, squares and challenging synastry aspects between a couple are karmic aspects and can be extremely challenging. These will usually enable you to “fast-track” your spiritual evolution by burning off a ton of ingrained karma. Often a soul mate comes into your life simply to do this, but it does not mean it is life long. Negative karma from the past can attract you even more strongly than positive karma. Hence those impossible, gut-wrenching, and often unrequited love affairs.
I don’t believe an Astrologer can or should ever tell you “This is THE one”. It could be “A” one however, and they can certainly show you exactly why you have been pulled together. You will also be able to see why you find it so hard to break up even if the relationship is making you miserable. Usually these are Moon/Saturn contacts.
Looking at the charts individually first is crucial to see what each person can handle in a relationship. Some people just cannot take too much drama, others would be bored without it. Some may need a very cosy domestic 24/7 togetherness, while others crave space, so that a long distance romance might actually suit. Therefore it’s really rather pointless saying “Oh my Sun is conjunct his Moon, we are destined!” if one of you is a thrill seeker and the other likes vegging infront of the TV.
Davison Synastry Chart
Relationships are the best teacher and love horoscope compatibility using synastry aspects can certainly see what type of lessons you are learning from each other. There are 3 ways to do this, and that is through casting the Composite, Davison and Draconic charts.
One of the most illuminating things to look out for, is when the partners important planets or points make a conjunction with the Sun, Moon, AC, Nodes or Vertex in the Davison chart. It shows how important the relationship is for each of them. It will reveal if one is more attached to the union than the other.
The Davison compatibility horoscope takes the midpoint in time between the couples birth-date. The co-ordinates are also half way. This is my specialty. I love Davisons because this chart actually exists physically, so one can take into account the fixed stars. I have also found them to contain the most magic. This chart describes why you have been brought together and what lessons you have to learn in this lifetime.
With the fixed stars, you can sometimes get a very clear picture of the past lives and karma that brought the couple together. With Soulmates it is usually very obvious. Symbols and themes will keep repeating themselves and a story will come out. The Tarot which is looked at with the Nodes will often confirm this. It is very important to look at the connections from the Davison to the couples natal charts. Strong indicators of many lives together and/or a karmic mission will be confirmed if the couple have conjunctions to the big 3 (Sun/Moon/AC). We have found the Nodes and the Vertex very important also.
Davison Chart Example
The big stand-out theme in our the Davison chart with my husband Jamie is the fact the tight North Node/Vertex conjunction in our synastry falls on the Sun of the Davison. Important synastry between the couples own birthchart’s and the Davison is crucial to dittermine if the relationship itself is important to them both. In our Davison chart the big feature is that the Sun is tightly opposed the Moon (27′) which means our SouthNode/Anti-Vertex falls on that Moon too making it all the more potent.
What is lovely about Huber charts is they do paint pictures, this is deliberate and is counted as part of the interpretation. In this we get what looks like two sail boats, the larger one containing the important Sun opposite Moon. It looks like the two of us voyaging along the astrological sea, the fixed stars above us serving as guides. It also looks rather like Sydney opera house!
I like the fact that travel is a theme with Jupiter in the first boat, very apt since we live 10000 miles apart. In the second boat we have Mercury (writing), Venus (art/love) and Mars opposite Lilith (sex & war) which describes our website pretty much. Look at abundant Ceres and Jupiter in the 5th. 4 kids between us, but also a fertile ground for creativity.
The closest star to the all important Sun is on is Mirfak in Perseus. This is the arm that cut off Medusa’s (Algol) head, we both have our demons to slay, and part of our mission with Darkstar is to help other address their own. I do see Perseus as some sort of exorcist. Further away but more important as a star is Alcyone (The Pleiades) on our Sun. Again it is another one of those Darkstars with a mixed reputation. “The ruthless visionary, a passionate but potentially arrogant person.” [1]. In my research I found Alcyone to be wise and magical, but it’s true it has not been an easy ride for us both. We have had our share of scandal and rockiness in relationships.
The rising star in the chart will show our souls journey and the impression we give to others. The closest star is Biham on the face of our friend Pegasus. Pegasus was born of Medusa’s blood. This connects with our Sun, heroic Perseus. If we can slay our demons both personally and in our work, we can reach for the stars like Pegasus.It also suggests ambition and long distance travel. More Pegasus, I like Chiron the Astrologer up front in the 1st house sitting on controversial Scheat! 
Chiron is sextile our Sun. There is no escape from the Astrology then, Uranus in the 7th, a married couple who are Astrologers also. We do battle however, Mars square Venus can be stressful in a working relationship with a spouse. Competitive, but creative. Venus will tend to win because she is on the brightest star in the sky Sirius. Mars can be tricky on Algorab... I was very pleased to see that we had Antares the heart of the Scorpion and Archangel star on the MC with Alderbaran, Archangel Michael on the IC protecting us.
Fortunate aspects to the luminaries are important, and we have Jupiter’s blessing (A trine to the Moon) to the competitive Sun/Moon opposition, we do need that because those very archetypical Sun/Moon, Venus/Mars hard aspects certainly show some sort of battle of the sexes. Not showing up here because its a Huber chart is the fact Lilith is opposite Mars too! Also not showing, a mystic rectangle with the Nodes and AC/DC and a high flying kite between the Sun/Moon/Jupiter and Chiron.
Soulmate Synastry
Davison charts often show very clear karma between a couple and clues to their past lives. I’m pretty sure Jamie and I have worked together before, I also think we have always had the issue of work/family balance also. (Mars square Ceres). The best synastry in the world however does not guarantee ever-lasting happiness. I show our chart here as a good example of a life changing and catalystic relationship. It’s a very strong and dynamic chart, but not necessarily an easy one.
Looking at our synastry with the Davison. It is interesting that my AC is 2 degrees off our Mercury (Writing/Astrology) on Rigel “Scientific, prominent position in connection with Mercurial matters or in science.” [2] While Jamie’s DC is our Ceres (The children). Our challenge is the reversing of traditional roles, as a single father of three young children, Jamie has had to take the role of the mother. I, on the other hand, am very much used to my independence. Having only one child and free weekends leaves me much time to write. When we finally live together, all this will change. Can this chart take on the challenge?
1.Star & Planets Combinations. Bernadette Brady. p 88-90.
2.Fixed Stars and Constellations in Astrology, Vivian E. Robson, 1923.
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That was an interesting read!
This could finally explain why I clearly loved him (my ex) more than he loved me. (together for almost 2 years ~ fight fight fight to get his love pfft!)
Our Davison Sun conjunct my Jupiter (1 degr.)
Our Davison Moon exactly conjunct my Ascendant.
Our Davison Moon conjunct my Mercury (1 degr.)
Our Davison Descendant exactly conjunct my Mars.
(I only looked at the davison Sun/Moon/Asc./Nodes/Vertex btw)
Nothing from his natal!;)
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Glad to see with my current one there’s more balance;
- Our Davison Moon conjunct *our* Chiron/Venus/S.Node conjunction (orb resp. 1’20/2’30/1*)
- Our Davison North Node conjunct *my* Sun (0,30) and conjunct *his* Sun/Moon midpoint (1*)
- Our Davison vertex exactly conjunct *his* IC.
- Our Davison AC conjunct *my* IC (1,40)
I just now focused on the fixed stars and I wonder if midpoints are also taken into consideration.
We have our Davison Sun/Moon midpoint at 9’31 Gem/Sag. So that falls on Antares and Aldebaran. Is there any relevance to that?
I’m not sure about midpoints in a Davison chart because the chart is already a midpoint in space. So its a midpoint of a midpoint. I think the Aldebaran/Antares axis is very difficult to carry off in a Davison because the struggle between so called “good and evil” can play out in the relationship. If this power can be turned outwards to help fight “evil” in the world then it can work really well though. Jamie and I have this on our AC/MC axis so I have first hand experience of this! Its quite a beast of an energy to handle on a personal level however, much like Pluto. Here’s a good article I found on it.
“In stellar myth, Aldebaran is Vision Holder for the Starseed Mission on Earth, defining what Emissaries of Light can best accomplish to serve Humanity through evolutionary transition. Aldebaran holds the vision for global leaders and world servers, inspiring the administrative planning of world affairs, especially for physical logistics and a global infrastructure designed to support humanity through evolutionary unfoldment and global change. Prominent alignments with the Aldebaran / Antares axis can express into the political and global arena.” ~ Humanity Healing
This is kind of interesting, Marina. You already know Aldebaran and Antares are conjunct my MC and IC, which is challenging to say the least! I was once told by someone who knew absolutely nothing about me (and nothing about astrology) that, among other things, I was a “Blueprint Deliverer” whose soul’s purpose is to help others to remember what it is we all came here for, which is to manifest love in practical, down-to-earth ways – something many of us seem to have forgotten. After the reading, I didn’t investigate much further, so I don’t claim to know very much about it – I did read where Blueprinters can be considered overly harsh (too direct?) by some, and also that Blueprinters are “primarily messengers.”
To be honest I have mixed feelings about what she told me, as well as the whole Starseed/Lightworker thing – not because what I was told didn’t fit (it did!) or because I don’t believe it’s possible (I do). The thing that troubles me most is that it makes it a little too tempting for us to begin to take our own preciousness a little too seriously and to stop acting meaningfully and with humility in the world we live in now. For me, it all comes across as a bit of a distraction that misses the point – but I suppose that’s a common frustration amongst us “Blueprinters”!:)
I also realize it’s not such a bad thing if it helps someone to feel as if they matter or to encourage, clarify and validate their path. Kind of off subject, but Humanity Healing has some very inspiring YouTube videos – “The Wounded Healer” is one of my favorites.
Yes I know EXACTLY what you mean. I absolutely cannot stand the starseed/lightworker label because it smacks too much of being a “chosen one”. I think a lot of “chosen ones” think its enough that they sit on their arse meditating while still colluding with the system in other ways…
I think I prefer the term “trail blazer”, its really about people being brave enough to live their authentic self and change the world by example. One example; I see a lot of people wingeing about the banks, yet bought into credit cards. No patience, wanting it NOW. What ever happened to saving up for what you wanted?
I had another thought about Aldebaran V Antares. I think Aldebaran is the tropical zodiac and Antares the sidereal. They need to be reconciled somehow, so that people don’t think is one V the other, that it’s both..somehow. I don’t know how that would happen… But that’s a whole other discussion and deserves a post to itself!
Can’t wait to see that – some friends had a baby last week and she has Antares absolutely bang on the Asc, and, of course, that Yod to Jupiter on the DC. If she’s a trailblazer/lightworker she couldn’t have better parents. One to watch I think.
“I think a lot of “chosen ones” think its enough that they sit on their arse meditating while still colluding with the system in other ways…”
Hahaha! Your comment made me smile, Marina. I’m always grateful when someone else gets it. Sometimes I wonder. . . And it’s not just a problem amongst the ‘spiritually elite’, although whenever spirituality or religion is involved it makes any obvious contradiction or deficiency far more significant. Same thing is true of political and social movements.
Much as we might like to, none of us exists in a bubble.ooooo Not forever, anyway.
When you have the time, I’d love to read your thoughts on Aldebaran and Antares. They really do work together in some strange way. Thanks Marina!
I forgot to say how much I agree you about leading by example. It’s really such a simple concept. Whatever we do, it always helps if we treat others with the same respect we hope to receive, and to define and embody the underlying principles that shape our values.
That’s why some of the well-organized, non-violent, peaceful-resistance movements of the past were eventually so effective in facilitating change. Economic boycotts can be powerful tools as well.
I heard a nice little tale about a “chosen” one the other day. She is a violet light worker, all well and good – however, there is the attitude which goes with self proclaimed spiritual superiority… which extended to using some land she occupies for a purpose not within its legal outlay… she was summonsed to court but didn’t go. She was arrested and put in jail (you don’t want to spand a single night in a South African jail!). She got a R3K (about £280 fine for her failure to appear in court plus another R10k (£850 ish) to get out of jail…
Now I wonder how she will assimilate this as an expression of the light!!
Very good article in Synastry,
I feel that it is also very important to realize that the whole chart is what it makes a more accurate study of two people and their “compatibilities”.
Usually the general public misunderstand and go for the general point of the solar signs.
Post like this makes people to understand better what the whole picture of the horsocope is all about.
I agree with Brian i never once before considered looking deeper past your every day sun signs.
Thank you for this example of the Soulmate Synastry
Marina, i have some questions related to Davison chart:
1.How to interpret Sun opposite Venus? (I can say it doesn’t works like a conjunction)
2.What means if the Composite and Davison are almost similar?
Thank you.
Lee
The BIG advantage to a Davison chart is that Mercury and Venus retain their natural orb limits to the Sun, so a Davison Venus cannot oppose the Sun as a simple midpoint composite Venus can.
wOULD U CONSIDER TRINES MARINA – OR JUST CONJUNCTIONS?