INTRODUCTION

If Astrology is Valid, Then Why Can't We Prove it?
This question is, in my opinion, the most fundamental and important question in astrology today. A myriad reasons have been given, and I will not review them here. Some studies have come very close to validating astrology, and the Gauquelin studies are the most often quoted studies in this regards, but even the Gauquelin studies are not completely and absolutely definitive.

ANECDOTAL EVIDENCE AND THEORIES:

The Ocean of Anecdotal Evidence and the Ocean of Theories
There seems to be almost as many astrological ideas and theories as there are astrologers, and no two astrologers interpret astrological charts in exactly the same way. The number of theories and concepts grows constantly as new astronomical discoveries are made and more ancient materials are translated.

It is possible that valid astrological concepts are obscured by the enormous number of ideas to choose from. Many astrologers agree with this, and many astrologers are convinced that their system of astrological interpretation is the most accurate, and that many others are inaccurate. There are classical astrologers who are certain that minor aspects and other modern inventions are the ruin of astology, etc. There is no end to diversity in astrology.

THE VIEW OF COSMIC TAPESTRY ASTROLOGY:

Cosmic Tapestry Astrology is not the most popular approach to astrological interpretation. Cosmic Tapestry is an approach to astrological interpretation that involves the analysis of complex patterns. These complex patterns are regarded as the fundamental and most important factors in the chart. Astrological influences are seen as energy processes that impact the psyche of people and thereby generate the motivations, drives, interests, and talents of the person. Although not popular at this time, it is my belief that cosmic tapestry astrology will grow and develop to become the dominant system of astrology. Of course every astrologer believes that his/her astrological system is best! These beliefs are based on the anecdotal evidence of the astrologer, and there is no proof at this time to distinguish which astrologer is correct, or, for that matter, whether the skeptics who regard all astrology as fallacious are correct.

SYMMETRIES IN CHART COMPARISON:

The 3 Powerful Symmetries in Chart Comparisons
As explained in the book Astrology for the 21st Century, a conjunction or opposition in the composite chart forms a very powerful symmetrical energetic system. Amazingly, when a conjunction or opposition occurs in the composite chart, there are two sets of identical angles.

For example:
Suppose that in a composite chart the Sun is conjunct the Moon. The composite Sun is, by definition, the midoint of the Sun in both charts, and the composite Moon is the midpoint of the Moon in both charts.

Let's refer to one chart as "his" chart and one as "her" chart: The conjunction or opposition in the composite chart occurs only if the angle of his Sun to her Moon is the same as the angle of her Moon to his Sun. Also the Sun-Moon angle in his chart is the same as the Sun-Moon angle in her chart, but in the opposite phase.

For example: if the angle of his Sun to her Moon is 40 degrees, then the angle of her Sun to his Moon is also 40 degrees. Aso, if his Sun-Moon angle is a waxing sextile, her Sun-Moon angle is a waning sextile.

To summarize, using symbols SuA for A's Sun, SuB for B's Sun, MoA for A's Moon, and MoB for B's Moon, we have the following:

A Conjunction or Opposition in the Composite Chart occurs only if:
SuA-MoB = SuB-MoA, and SuA-MoA = SuB-MoB

When angles are the same, they resonate with each other and create a powerful energetic system. When angles are the same, a symmetrical pattern is formed. Symmetry is critically important in quantum theory and in SuperString Theory. For more information on this theory, I would suggest reading Mario Livio's book, "Symmetry". I believe that astrology will grow into a discipline with strong connections to cutting edge theories in physics and mathematics.

OTHER WAYS THAT POWERFUL RESONANCES CAN OCCUR:

There are also 2 other ways that powerful resonances can occur between charts:
Note: By "alignment" I mean a conjunction or opposition.

1) Midpoint-to-Midpoint alignments

Midpoint-to-Midpoint alignments. If the Sun/Moon midpoint in his chart is conjunct or opposition the Sun/Mon midpoint in her chart, then the following must occur: Midt-to-Midpt: SuA-MoB = SuB-MoA, SuA-SuB = MoA-MoB

In other words, the angles between the planets are the same, just as they are in the composite chart alignment, and also the angle of his Sun to her Sun is the same as the angle from his Moon to her Moon.

2) Mixed Midpoint alignments

The third and last strong symmetric pattern is a Mixed Midpoint aligment: Take the midpoint of his Sun with her Moon (a mixed midpoint, that is a midpoint formed from one planet in each chart) and the midpoint of his Moon to her Sun. These two midpoints are either conjunct or opposition, this is a Mixed Midpoint alignment.

A Mixed Midpoint alignment occurs only if the following also occurs:
Mixed Midpt: SuA-MoA = SuB-MoB, SuA-SuB = MoA-MoB

In other words, in the Mixed Midpoint alignment, the Sun-Moon angle in his chart is the same as the Sun-Moon angle in her chart, and unlike the composite chart alignment, the planets are in the same phase, i.e.both are waxing, or both are waning. Also the angle of his Sun to her Sun is the same as the angle of his Moon to her Moon, which also occurs in the Midpt-to-Midpt alignment.

INTERPRETING THE ABOVE SYMMETRIES
IN CHART COMPARISON:

How Do Interpret All This?
The Composite Chart Alignment is the most powerful of the 3 symmetries. When a Composite Chart Alignment occurs, the angle of his Sun to her Moon is the same as the angle from her Sun to his Moon. This is a powerful synastry effect, i.e. these are angles between the charts and describe bonding and energy flow between the people. Having the Sun-Moon angle the same in both charts creates powerful similarity between the people.

Synastry angles create bonding and similar angles in the chart enhance friendship because the two people are similar to each other. The fact that the angles are in opposite phase makes the similarity slightly less powerful, but only slightly less. In astrology we rarely give greatest emphasis to the angle and only secondary emphasis to whether the angle is waxing or waning.

• Composite Chart Alignment creates powerful bonding and powerful friendship. Even a negative bond of distrust or dislike is a bond, so bonding does not automatically create similar interests and friendship.
• In romantic relationships a person can experience attraction but not compatibility, a common result of strong synastry but little similarity between the charts. The combination of bonding and friendship makes the Composite Alignment very powerful.
• In the Midpt-to-Midpt Alignment there is strong synastry, and therefore very strong bonding, because the synastry angles are the same. This bonding is not friendship however.
• The second resonance of having the Sun angles the same as the Moon angles is more subtle because we are comparing angles between different planets. The Midpt-to-Midpt Alginment has powerful synastry just as the Composite Alignment does, but it does not have the powerful compatibility and similarity between the two charts.
• In the Mixed Midpoint Alignment both charts have the same angle. The Mixed Midpoint Alignment gives very strong friendship, but not with an emphasis on feeling bonded. The two people are extremely comfortable with one another but may not even notice this similarity for a long time because there isn't strong magnetism drawing them to each other.

The Mixed Midpiont Alignment is the basis of the astrological birth control system of Eugene Jonas. His theory is that when the transiting Sun-Moon angle is the same as the natal Sun-Moon angle, a woman is more fertile. Supposedly Jonas had lots of data to support his theory, but the data was lost, and the studies have not been replicated. When the transiting Sun-Moon angle is the same as the natal Sun-Moon angle (measured from 0 to 360 degrees, so in the same phase as well as same angle), a mixed midpoint alignment occurs.

DISTINGUISING SYMMETRIC PATTERNS IN
A CHART COMPARISON:

How Do I Know if These Symmetric Patterns Occur in a Chart Comparison?
In September, 2006 we added a feature to Kepler 7 to show all 3 symmetric patterns in a synastry listing. Simply select this listing to see which 3 symmetric patterns are occurring between two charts.

The Proof is in the Pudding
Many astrologers use composite charts and have noticed that conjunctions and oppositions in the composite chart are powerful. Few people have noticed Midpt-to-Midpt alignments and Mixed Midpoint alignments. I have worked with these ideas for decades and I am convinced that they are very powerful. However, as noted above, this is merely anecdotal evidence, and anecdotal evidence is not very convincing. I believe that current astrological theory, despite its great breadth and the many great thinkers in the field of astrology, misses very key astrological influences while often emphasizing others of relatively minor significance. Eventually, those influences that are of major importance will be identified and astrology will be much more reliable and consistent in producing useful results than is possible now.

This article as another astrologer's anecdotal evidence and ideas built from the works of other astrologers and studies in other related disciplines. I have found that very often an idea that might be intuitively appealing may not actually be useful in actual practice. The proof is in the pudding. Without evidence from controlled studies, our best evidence currently is typically anecdotal evidence, and I encourage astrologers and students of astrology to apply the ideas in this paper.

Regardless of what you may intuitively expect, I believe that you will find these ideas work extremely well when applied to actual charts. Eventually I believe that the ideas in this article will be validated in controlled studies; the anecdotal evidence in my opinion is that strong.

CONCLUSION:

This article explains some of the most powerful and fundamental astrological influences that can occur between charts using cosmic tapestry astrology. There are many other more subtle and important influences, and some of these are described in my book, Astrology for the 21st Century and other articles on this website.

AUTHOR: David Cochrane