Chart patterns.
Mark Edward Jones was a noted astrological researcher and author in the early years of the 1900's. When I read his books in the 1970's he had already passed from the active astrological scene. One of his books was about these patterns that you have asked about. I no longer have the book as I had cleaned out my library and tossed out over 300 astrological hard-cover books. I keep only about 50 or so now, adding one a year on average.
The patterns are quite simple in nature:
** A BUNDLE where in all planets are grouped within a narrow area of the chart, perhaps 90 degrees or less. (I'm drawing on memory of reading this from over 30 years ago) This both signifys a strong focus in ones lifes and a focus on the meaning of the houses (2 or 3 in a quadrant) in which the planets reside.
** A SEE-SAW where the planets are in two opposed (more or less) groups, each group contained within a 60 or 90 degree span of degrees. This, logically, signifies a person of polarity, often torn or seeking to reconcile and integrate two distinct portions of his personality and life.
** The LOCOMOTIVE pattern is where all planets are contained within 2/3s of the chart or less, leaving 1/3 or more of the chart empty. The leading planet at the clock-wise front of this pattern is what "drives" or directs these planets activities. How will this pattern compensate for the large empty zone of the chart and the houses it contains?
** The BUCKET pattern has the BUNDLE at one place in the chart with a single planet (or a close conjunction of two planets) opposite the Bundle. This puts all of the bundle-planets under the control of the opposite singleton and causes the isolated planet to take on the responsibility of providing meaning and direction for all of the other planets.
Remember, having a lot of planets in one tight zone of the chart means that they generally don't have squares and trines to help open up the energy into useful areas of expression.
** Jones also mentioned the SPLAY pattern where the several planets are grouped into two or three or four tight areas which may or may not provide aspects to each/all of the other groupings. Since these often involve tight or loose conjunctions within each group, the group will often have squares or trines or some other shared aspect to another group. This tends to yield a very erratic and unique personality and life style.
** Many of us have a SCATTERED pattern in which no specific tight groupings are evident. This tends to give a somewhat more balanced approach to life and living the chart's potential.
Now, keep in mind that these are general guidelines. These, in themselves, are not interpretations -- they merely clue us into what we should expect to find when we look at the individual aspects and synthesize the overall set of aspects within the chart. Good luck. Dave.
