Planets-Between-Partners Series: Moon and Mercury

dadsnook2000

Moon connecting to Mercury: just the basis for TV talk shows. Lets take a look at what we are dealing with here. Moon represents emotions, habits, needs, reactions, fears, rememberances, etc. Mercury represents thoughts, concepts and ideas, perceptions, memory organization and recall, perhaps curiousity. Now, remember, one of this in you, the other is in your partner. Now that we have that established, how do they interact?

One works thru the emotional content and feelings of how something was said, the other works with the intellectual content and perceptions of how something was expressed. Body language versus the spoken word. Are we communicating here or are we bypassing each other? Hit or miss, that is the question.

MOON conjunct MERCURY:
Having these two at the same sign/degree position is a plus. The cookbooks say that this pairing brings good communications -- I don't believe that is always so, as other aspects in each chart may shape how we think, how we feel. That being said, the Moon and Mercury (conjuncting between the two charts), should allow both the feeling and thinking sides to blend together, especially when a couple communicates with others. Moon will communicate with passion and tend to be sensitive to nuances in what Mercury says. Mercury will say whatever it thinks, sometimes spontaneiously saying something without first considering the choice of words or context for the conversation. This, of course, contributes to a commuications problem. Both of these bodies can be easily influenced by other aspects within their own charts -- an perhaps from the chart of their partner as well -- making it difficult in some cases to agree on what was said, how it was said.

MOON sextile or trine MERCURY
I believe that these aspects are actually easier for partners to work with than is the conjunction. The signs being different, the quality of what was said and how it was meant should be clearer to grasp -- more so for the sextile than the trine. It should be easier to communicate from either the emotional or the perceptual side and to appreciate what the other means.

MOON opposite MERCURY
How one feels, how one expresses oneself -- these are quite distinct in this aspectual partnership. Notice that I said "distinct" and not "clear." Lets take an example -- Moon in Virgo, Mercury in Pisces. It's initially hard to grasp how this would express itself, isn't it? Mercury in Virgo and Moon in Pisces would immediately bring to mind a sharp minded, precisely spoken person dealing with a one who reflects a sensitive and sometimes idealistic life-view of the world. A challenge, but stimulating as a partnership. But, that Moon in Virgo and Mercury in Pisces -- easily irked emotions, wanting to "re-do" what was said and how it was said so that it could be carefully considered versus the person who was very casual in what they said or meant. This aspect would require two people to really work at how they communicated, perhaps invoking a body-language style or note-swapping style or some other way of effectively communicating.

MOON square MERCURY
Sensitivity from the Moon-partner will be higher here than in the opposition, leading to frequent periods of dis-quiet. Will the Mercury-partner has to say things twice? There can be more of a dis-connect here than in any of the other aspects. Blended energies from other planets, if involved, could make this all work easier.

This is one combination where I'm sure there are many conflicting stories to tell. Dave
 

GoddessArtemis

Can someone help me understand what I'm looking at in comparing charts? I really want to learn, but I need some hand-holding...and reading on my own has only served to confuse me further.

I have Moon in Sag/11 degrees/2nd house, and Mercury in Aries/3 degrees/3rd house.

My ex-partner's Moon is in Taurus/19 degrees/4th house, and Mercury is in Capricorn/2 degrees/12th house.

Is my Moon (Sag) sextile or semi-sextile to her Mercury (Capricorn)? How do I figure out the degrees factor--I get completely lost with the numbers. Is her Moon (Taurus) semi-sextile to my Mercury (Aries)?

Sextile happens when planets are 60 degrees from each other, so I've read. But what about the fact that, say in this instance, Sag is right next to Capricorn? Does that matter?

Do I count from my Mercury in Aries/3 degrees to her Taurus Moon/19 degrees...and get what number? :confused: Sorry if my questions are simplistic...but I get so confused with so many numbers going...

GA
 

dadsnook2000

When is a sextile a sextile?

Lets look at the planetary positions that you cited by putting them in zodiac order:

SAG: Your Moon @ 11d.
CAP: Partner's Mercury @ 2d.
AQU:
PIS:
ARI: Your Mercury @ 3d.
TAU: Partner's Moon @ 19d.

Aspects are based on circular divisions or angles based on zodiac position -- such as Capricorn 2 degrees and Aries 3 degrees. In this case, there is a 91 degree seperation. This is a "square" aspect, a square being 90 degrees of seperation with an plus or minus tolerance or orb of (generally) 5 degrees. So we can say your Partner's Mercury squares your Mercury.

A trine is based on dividing the zodiac circle by three, giving 120 degrees of seperation. An orb (tolerance) of some 5 or 6 degrees might be common. With your Moon at 11 degrees SAG and your Mercury at 3 degrees Aries, we have a seperation of 112 degrees -- a little wide (by 8 degrees) for most astrologers to use or consider as being a "trine" aspect.

A semi-sextile is 30 degrees, a division of the zodiac circle by 12. This aspect is often given an orb/tolerance of 1 degree. Your SAG Moon is not sextile or semi-sextile her Mercury -- the seperation being 21 degrees.

The seperation between your Mercury at 3 Aries and her Moon at 19 Taurus is 46 degrees -- within 1 degree of the 45 degree aspect called a semi-square. You can apply the basic meaning of the Moon-Square-Mercury deliniation given in this thread for the semi-square.

Lets look at this in some more detail. Mercury in Aries tends to be quick and short on introspection, grabs perceptions while missing some details, speaks without giving time to considering associateve thoughts that may help balance a quick reply. Your partner's Moon in Taurus is more balanced and sensual in its expression. Your Mercury is in the communicative, talkative, touching 3rd house, her Moon is in the family-nest-basic values 4th house. The attraction therefore would seem to involve your happy, optimistic, chatty and busy personality balanced by her quieter, more orderly and balanced personality. Each apparently appreciates the nature of the other's personality.

This is how you deal with aspects between two charts:
1) Take into account the nature of the aspect as well as the two planets.
2) Consider the sign's influence on each planet in terms of the qualities it might take on.
3) Consider the areas of life (the houses) that give expressional outlet to the planets.
4) Try to condense all of this into a simple sentance or two. Remember, that you may need to consider and blend four or five, even ten or twelve aspectual relationships to get the core essence of a relationship. This is the start of understanding some of what astrology is all about. If you have further questions, just ask. Dave
 

isthmus nekoi

[edit]lol, looks like we were posting at the same time dadsnook!

GA, you don't have any classic synastric moon-Mercury connections. You have 46 degrees b/w the Aries/Taurus planets. A semi-square if you allow for a 1 degree orb. Do you have the actual picture of the charts for you to look at? It's a lot easier to see aspects that way.

I have a very wide Merc-moon sextile w/my current. 5 degree orb. We think and cognate very differently but it is easy to understand each other. We easily appreciate the other's sense of humour.
 

dadsnook2000

An easy way to find aspects -- make an Aspect Dial.

For all who are "challenged" by the process of finding aspects between planets in their chart or between their chart and another's chart -- there is a relatively simple, mechanical way to find the aspects!

FIRST: Use a chart form that has the 360 degrees marked on the outer circle. Do not use a "wheel" type chart which merely has twelve house divisions and a space to mark the sign-and-degree of the house cusp.

SECOND: You need access to a printer-scanner for this step. Copy the chart form with the 360 degree circle and save it to a file on your computer. (See the alternative step below if you do not have a printer/scanner to use)

THIRD: Using any photo or paint/draw software, open the file. Shrink the size of the drawing. This may be done by clicking on the drawing, then selecting one of the corner "handles" or boundary markers at a corner of the drawing and then pulling it inward a small amount. This may also be done in photo software by clicking on the Image menu and selecting "resizing" -- putting in a value like 90% or something. However you shrink the file by some small amount, "Save" the file and then print it.

FOURTH: Take the printed chart form or 360 degree circle and cut it out with scissors. Using a dark, fine/medium point marker, mark the Aries 0 point or any point with a tick mark and a "0". At the point opposite on this chart circle, make another tick mark and identify that point as "180". From the "0" point, and on both the left and right sides, find the the 90 degree or square degree point, tick-mark it and write "90". Do the same thing on both sides of the "0" point for the 30 degree points (semi-sextile or 30 degrees), for the 60 degree points for the sextile, for the 120 degree points for the trine, and the 135 degree points for the sesquiquadrate (square and a half).

To use this homemade dial, make sure you have strong tick-marks on your chart's 360 degree circle, then place this aspect-finder circle or dial in the center. In turn, rotate the "0" point to each of the charts planetary positions (the tick marks) and visually scan the chart to see if any of your marked points on the aspect circle/dial align with any natal planet points. If so, note on a piece of paper which planets are in aspect and which aspect they have.

ORBS or TOLERANCES of aspect influence:
I would suggest the following aspect orbs/tolerances by used. The fewer times the zodiac circle is divided, the larger the aspect orb or tolerance.

0 or Conjunction: 8 degrees for planets, 12 degrees for the Sun or Moon to a planet.
180 or Opposition: 6 degrees for planets, 8 degrees for the Sun or Moon to a planet.
120 or Trine: 5 degrees for planets, 6 degrees for the Sun or Moon to a planet.
90 or Square: 4 degrees for planets, 5 degrees for the Sun or Moon to a planet.
60 or Sextile: 3 degrees for all astrological bodies.
45 or 135 -- the semi-square and sequiquadrate: 2 degrees for all bodies.
30 or 150 -- the semi-sextile and inconjunct: 1 degree for all bodies.

SECOND STEP ALTERNATIVE: Use a protracter and a cup or glass for this solution. Draw a vertical line on a piece of paper. Place a mark at the center of the line, and from this point (both upwards and downwards) use a ruler to make small marks at 1/4 inch intervals. Pick a cup, glass or other round-rim object (jar, etc.) to make a circle on a piece of paper, aligning this cup or bowl or jar centrally over the vertical line, using the 1/4 inch tick marks for vertical alignment and using your eye for balancing the cup-bowl-jar on either side of the line. Draw a circle. Next, using a protracter or angular device such as school children use, lay out the angles you want to use.

If even this mechanical task seems daunting, then you need to find someone with a printer/scanner to do the Second step or this Second step alternative for you -- or you need to find another chart form that is smaller than the one you are using now so that you can cut it out to make an aspect dial.

Good luck, Dave
 

GoddessArtemis

dadsnook2000 said:
If you have further questions, just ask. Dave
Bless you, Dave. I love how detail-oriented you are, and I'm going to read your post again and again until I get it. Some kind of disconnect happens when I see numbers...my brain shuts down.

You did an excellent job of describing the two planets. How sad for me--I thought I was looking at a semi-sextile, and it was a semi-square! You see what a sad understanding of the degrees I have?

You nailed the part about appreciating each other's personality (Aries/Taurus)...we do. But we also have serious communication problems, per your info on Moon-square-Mercury. Her, being the Moon partner--so sensitive to anything I say, it's really amazing to me. Half the time, I have to say, "But I didn't say that" or "I didn't mean it the way you're taking it". It's also evident in what we say; you'd really think we speak different languages, the amount of times we don't get each other's style of speaking. As the Mercury partner, I have to keep repeating myself..and repeating myself...and then she gets sensitive and says, "I'm not stupid, I get it!" But she doesn't, because in repeating it back to me, she really heard a whole other conversation, it seems. How is that possible? Darned, afflicted planetary pairing. Dead-on about the Moon-square-Mercury...but frustrating.

I will look over the details (degrees) of what you've written when I'm less tired/more awake tomorrow...and will have more questions, I'm sure.

Thanks again, Dave.

GA :)
 

GoddessArtemis

isthmus nekoi said:
GA, you don't have any classic synastric moon-Mercury connections. You have 46 degrees b/w the Aries/Taurus planets. A semi-square if you allow for a 1 degree orb. Do you have the actual picture of the charts for you to look at? It's a lot easier to see aspects that way.
I have the pictures of the charts, but they mean so little to me right now. I'm still learning...slow process, involving numbers.

Thanks, isthmus.

GA