360 Degrees of Meaning (The Fruiting Moon)

    The Zodiac as we know and love it is broken up into 360 degrees, as are all circles. A loose approximation of the 365 and a quarter spins the Earth makes as it orbits the Sun, but then again, all of the interlocking cycles of our cosmos are loosely correlated but not quite exact; so why not shave off 5 days and change for some mathematical nicety? Traditional Western astrology specifically accentuates the Ptolemaic aspects, the 1:1 ratio of the Conjunction, the 1:2 ratio of the Opposition, the 1:3 ratio of the Trine, the 1:4 ratio of the Square, and the 1:6 ratio of the Sextile. In addition to this the 1:8 ratio of the semi-square and sesquiqaudrate are frequently used as an aspect of lesser stress than the square, but still of a noticeable effect.  These are most commonly seen in dissecting the Lunar phases into 8. In reality, we have 360 degrees of meaning in the Zodiac. 

   Every relationship between any two planets begins as a conjunction, the New moon phase, where the seed of a new cycle is planted. 

 

  The new promise struggles to break through the testa and start to work its way through the soil, which we see in the crescent Moon phase of any cycle, as the cotyledons reach for the light. 

 

 At the Half Moon phase, the plant grows its roots to seek enough water and light to branch out fractally into a functional reproductive organism. 

 

   With enough effort and luck, it passes the challenge of the waxing square to gain enough energy to begin budding at the Gibbous Moon phase. 

 

  If the adolescent organism is successful enough at this stage, it comes to full flowering at the Full Moon (or opposition) of the cycle. The most bright, beautiful, and brilliant blossoming of the cycle, showing to the whole world the promise held within the conjunction. 

 

 If the Opposition has stored and expended enough energy to shine brightly enough to attract the pollinators, at the Waning Gibbous phase the flower turns into a fruit.

 

   If the plant can soak up enough nutrients before the frost hits, the fruit will ripen at the Waning Half Moon Phase. 

 

 Ideally, the fruit has become tempting enough to be eaten at the waning crescent Moon phase, before being defecated out into a pile of nutrient rich fertilizer far from the parent plant, to seed new soil in a whole new cycle.  If not, the mold will take the fruit and do its best to use the energy stored there to spawn a new plant next to its parent if the soil and sun will allow.

 

  All planetary pairs are carrying out this complex dance with each other at all times while also making the same cyclic growth pattern with every notable point in your natal chart.  It's a lot to watch! It's no wonder traditional systems pare down the major aspects to the Ptolemaic greatest hits package. The Eight fold cycle however cannot be ignored, nor should we not recognize that at every moment every planet is interacting with every other planet in varying degrees of intensity.   It is imperative to view the aspects as key turning points in an ongoing, never ending evolutionary cycle.  As such, there are some interesting points which come to mind as having significance even in the most rigid classical system. Take the Quincunx for example, sometimes called the Inconjunct. At 150 degrees, this aspect denotes a point 30 degrees away from the opposition. It is considered that planets in inconjunct signs have little in common with each other. Just try telling that to Libra and Taurus or Scorpio and Aries! Venus and Mars will be furious! Even within a rigid Ptolemaic framework, a very exact inconjunct aspect needs to be considered, for any time a transiting planet is making a difficult square to one member of this pair, the other is receiving a far more pleasant sextile or trine. In this way, the Quincunx can be seen as a distant relative you never talk to, but can come to the rescue in a difficult situation. 360 degrees of meaning, the cycles are never-ending.