Synastry Astrology: Saturn to Saturn – Deal Makers and Deal Breakers

Astrology has many uses and techniques; one of the most popular uses is synastry, which is the term to describe how two charts interact with each other.  We all have the same points in our charts: the Sun in a sign, the Moon in a sign, Mercury in a sign, and so on.  When we get together with someone our energy designs (our charts) interact.

This article is one of a series to look at the interaction of points between two people and explain how to interpret the dynamics between the same point in different charts.  This article will look at Saturn, which rules the patterns and expectations of our lives.

• Astrology Explained

What is Synastry Astrology?

It is probably easier to show it visually rather than write a lengthy explanation.  Below you will see a single image of two charts, one on the inside and another going around the outside.  There are two images to show what the relationship looks like when person A is on the inside and person B is on the outside, then the reverse.

These were randomly generated charts. As you can see, all the same points appear in different signs throughout the two charts.  When we look at them together, we have the chance to see the kinds of energy dynamics that will take effect when they form a connection, whether as lovers, friends, or family members.

Reading the Synastry of Two People

A fair amount of my work as a professional astrologer involves relationship charts reading, and I always start with the Moons and work my way through the other points.  Often clients, or people I meet in public, who find out I am an astrologer, will say something like, “I am a Leo and read somewhere that I should never date a Scorpio” or “I am a Leo and should only date fire and air signs, like Aries or Gemini”.  Then they ask, “is that true?”

While it is true that some signs challenge one another and others flow, any sign can “get along” with another sign depending on the maturity of the individuals.  There are certainly plenty of examples of successful and happy Leo/Scorpio couples and failed Aries/Leo couples.  The signs do not guarantee success or failure, they just reveal how energy will generally interact in any relationship.

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Please keep in mind that flowing energy is not the same as positive energy.  Flow occurs when two points aspect or align with each other in certain ways and close to the same degree.  For example, if I have my Mercury in Leo at 12 degrees and you have your Mercury in Aries at 13 degrees, our Mercurys will trine and easily flow since they are both in fire signs. 

That is great if we communicate well and positively with our fiery approach, but not so great if one or both of us chooses to be argumentative all the time, picking verbal fights constantly.  And no matter how problematic the communication energy between us, the flow will keep us communicating and trying to “win” our points whether the relationship is healthy or not.

The Aspects to Consider

The most powerful aspects are the conjunction (in the same sign and near the same degree), the square (three signs apart, in conflicting elements, and near the same degree), and the opposition (in opposite signs, and balancing elements, and near the same degree).  Additionally, and worth discussing in a synastry reading are the trine (four signs apart, in the same element, and near the same degree), the sextile (two signs apart, in complementary elements, and near the same degree), and the inconjunct (five signs apart, in compromising elements, and near the same degree).

My Saturn to Your Saturn and Your Saturn to My Saturn

Below I have marked Saturn from the two charts:

The Saturn for Person A is in Scorpio and the Saturn for Person B is in Capricorn.  They sextile each other by sign, but not by degree. 

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Orbs of Influence

Let me break the “4^th Wall” for a moment and say that Astrology is not an exact science, or really a science in any rigorous, mechanistic Newtonian sense.  Some astrologers will give points a 6-degree orb to make an aspect connection.  I prefer to use more points in the charts I cast, so I use smaller orbs. 

Hellenistic (classical) astrology would disregard the orbs of influence and just say these points inconjunct because they are five signs apart.  I do think proximity by degree matters, but I also use quite a large number of points (23 in the examples here) in my charts, so I prefer to tighten the orb of influence for all the points.  For the sextile, I use 2 degrees or less.

Since A’s Saturn is sextile B’s Saturn, they have complimentary energy regarding the principles they live by and the boundaries of their actions.  The Scorpio Saturn person prefers for “power to derive from control of the basic forces of nature” while the Capricorn Saturn person prefers “perfection to be achieved through discipline and restraint”. Energetically these elements complement each other (Water and Earth) even though the points occupy differing modalities (Cardinal and Fixed).

• Synastry Astrology: Venus to Venus – Will We Get Along?

I like to describe the sextile by comparing it to a Venn diagram, which “is a diagram that shows all possible logical relations between a finite collection of different sets. These diagrams depict elements as points in the plane and sets as regions inside closed curves. A Venn diagram consists of multiple overlapping closed curves, usually circles, each representing a set.    

Sextiles in your own chart, or in the dynamic between two points with your chart and another person’s chart, represent energies that can find “common ground” from “different perspectives”.  This energy is supportive and flowing (like the energy of the conjunction and trine, but to a lesser degree).

The relating energy of a sextile allows couples to “do more with what they have individually” when they come together.  If they are unconscious souls, this aspect will be a source of supportive give and take.  If they are conscious souls, then they can use teamwork to achieve much more than they could do individually.  Scorpio/Capricorn energy can be a very intense and ridiculously productive energy.

The Capricorn Saturn individual is try going to “drive” this relationship regarding goals and responsibilities and the Scorpio Saturn individual will support these goals and responsibilities with intensity and forcefulness.  The Capricorn individual sets the agenda and the Scorpio individual enforces the agenda.

Finding your Saturn in your Chart

You can certainly contact me for a chart reading and I can give you a comprehensive reading of your entire chart and tell you where Saturn is in your chart.  But you can also find it by going to an online ephemeris (https://www.findyourfate.com/astrology/ephemeris/ephemeris.html) and looking up Saturn by sign on the date and time of your birth.