The Composite Chart by Liz Greene

Relationships and how to survive them:

One plus one equals three
The concept behind the composite chart - or, as rin !ullivan sometimes calls it, the
compost chart - is that it represents the relationship itsel" as a third "actor# Two people
create a third thin$ between them# The composite chart is li%e an ener$y "ield, which
a""ects both people and draws certain thin$s out o" each individual as well as imposin$
its own dynamics on both# The composite doesn&t seem to describe what either person
"eels about the other# 'n this way it is very di""erent "rom synastry, which describes the
chemistry between two people in terms o" how they a""ect each other# (hen we are
e)plorin$ the synastry in a relationship, we say, *+our ,enus is on my -ars# +ou are
activatin$ my -ars and brin$in$ a -ars response out o" me, and ' am activatin$ your
,enus and invo%in$ a ,enus response in you# Consequently we "eel a certain way
about each other#* (hen we are loo%in$ at a composite chart, we are not e)plorin$
what two people activate in each other or "eel about each other# (e are interpretin$ the
ener$y "ield they $enerate between them# The composite chart is li%e a child, a third
entity which carries the $enetic imprints o" both parents but combines these imprints in
an entirely new way and e)ists independently o" either o" them#
.ecause the composite has all the same "eatures as a birth chart, we need to approach
its interpretation in more or less the same way# The composite chart has a core identity
which si$ni"ies its *purpose* /the !un0 and a characteristic set o" emotional responses
and needs /the -oon0# 't has a mode o" communication /-ercury0 and a distinctive set
o" values and ideals /,enus0# 't has a mode o" e)pressin$ ener$y and will /-ars0# 't has
its own way o" $rowin$ and e)pandin$ /1upiter0 and it has innate limitations and de"ence
mechanisms /!aturn0# 't has a speci"ic vulnerability to the collective due to patterns "rom
the collective bac%$round o" the relationship /Chiron0# 't re"lects certain collective ideals
which strive "or chan$e and pro$ress /2ranus0# 't has innate aspirations which re"lect
certain collective "antasies /3eptune0# 't has a bottom-line survival instinct which can
prove supportive to the relationship&s continuity but can also be destructive i" the
relationship is under threat /4luto0# 't has an ima$e or role to play in the eyes o" society
/-C0, and it has a *personality* which will e)press itsel" in certain characteristic ways to
the world outside /5scendant0# The si$ns in a composite chart describe the basic stu""
or *temperament* o" which the relationship is made6 the planets describe the motivatin$
ener$ies6 and the houses describe the spheres o" li"e throu$h which the planets e)press
themselves# 5ll this is basic astrolo$y, and it is no less applicable to the composite than
it is to the individual birth chart#
Relationship as an entity
(e do not usually thin% o" our relationships as independent entities# -ore o"ten, we
thin% in terms o" our own "eelin$s and attitudes, or the "eelin$s and attitudes o" the other
person# +et every relationship creates its own ambience# 3one o" us behaves in the
same way when we are hal" o" a couple as we do when we are operatin$ solo# (e
mi$ht have characteristic behaviour patterns when we are alone, but the moment we
are with our partner, a certain %ind o" ener$y dynamic is set in motion and we behave in
particular ways which are sometimes very noticeable in the company o" other people#
Two people in relationship create an atmosphere around them, not by conscious choice,
but because that is simply what happens# Other people will o"ten re"lect this bac% to us#
*The two o" you seem such a lively, attractive couple,* a "riend mi$ht say, or, *(hat an
e)citin$ li"e the two o" you must have7* -eanwhile, one is thin%in$ to onesel", *(hat on
earth are they tal%in$ about8 That isn&t how ' "eel#* (e mi$ht see somethin$ li%e
composite 1upiter risin$ in !a$ittarius and Libra at the composite -C, and other people
perceive the relationship as an e)citin$ and $lamorous 1upiter-,enus entity# .ut one&s
partner&s !aturn mi$ht be con9unct one&s -oon and opposition one&s !un, and the
synastry between the birth charts mi$ht ma%e one "eel more li%e !isyphus and his roc%
than -ic% 1a$$er and 1erri :all# The opposite can also occur# The composite may have
!aturn risin$ and Chiron culminatin$, and the world sees somethin$ quite heavy when
one is with one&s partner# .ut the synastry may involve lots o" ,enus-1upiter-2ranus
contacts, re"lectin$ an e)citement within the relationship which both people personally
"eel but which does not e)press itsel" to others#
(e can learn a lot about the an$les o" the composite chart "or an important relationship
by as%in$ other people how they see the relationship# O"ten we mi$ht be in "or quite a
shoc%, because the answer may not re"lect how we actually "eel about the other person#
The composite, li%e a natal chart, presents itsel" to the world accordin$ to its 5scendant
and -C# 't has a rulin$ planet which will "ocus the e)pression o" the relationship in a
certain house or sphere o" li"e# The houses o" the composite wor% in the same way they
do in a birth chart, re"lectin$ spheres o" emphasis throu$h which the dynamics o" the
relationship are mani"ested# (hen composite planets hi$hli$ht a composite house, that
area o" li"e will be e)tremely important to the relationship, and both people will be
impelled to "ocus on it, even i" the same house is empty in both birth charts# 5
relationship can push us into havin$ to con"ront certain areas o" li"e, even i" natally we
are neither predisposed nor well equipped to cope in that area#
Composites have their own laws and ener$ies, and these have nothin$ to do with
whether we are *well matched* with someone# 5 composite in itsel" will not tell us about
compatibility# That is what synastry is "or# The composite won&t reveal whether the
relationship is *$ood* or *bad* in terms o" the chemistry between two people# The
composite says to us, *'" you choose to enter this relationship, here is its meanin$ and
pattern o" destiny# This is what it is made o" and what it is "or#* '" we want to $et a sense
o" whether or not that meanin$ and destiny are $oin$ to ma%e us "eel $ood, we have to
compare the composite with our own chart#
'" we e)amine the synastry between the composite and the chart o" each individual in
the relationship, we can learn a lot about how the relationship ma%es each person "eel#
(e can also ta%e a third party and compare that person&s chart to the composite# This is
a "ascinatin$ e)ercise# Let&s say that ' am in a lon$-term relationship, but also have a
lover# ' can ta%e that third party&s chart and loo% at how it a""ects the composite chart
between me and my partner, and ' can $et a very clear picture o" how my lover a""ects
the relationship# (e can also loo% at the chart o" a child in relation to the composite
between the parents# This is very use"ul in terms o" understandin$ "amily dynamics#
!ome children have a way o" really disruptin$ the parental relationship, while others
help to $lue it to$ether# (e can see this by loo%in$ at the child&s chart in relation to the
parents& composite# (e mi$ht not see this dynamic by merely e)plorin$ the synastry
between the child and each individual parent#
;reedom and "ate within relationship
(or%in$ with composites ma%es us thin% in terms o" somethin$ lar$er than ourselves as
individuals# (herever we $o, we create inter"aces with other people, and we may not
have the same amount o" choice in dealin$ with those inter"aces as we mi$ht when we
deal with our own personal issues# '" one has a !un-!aturn square in the birth chart,
one can actively do somethin$ with it# One doesn&t have to be its victim, or live solely
"rom the dar%er side o" it# 't may be a di""icult aspect in early li"e, and it may re"lect deep
"eelin$s o" insecurity or inadequacy# .ut one can say, *' %now that a lot o" my sel"-doubt
is connected with my "ather and my childhood# ' sabota$e mysel" because ' am
sometimes a"raid to aim hi$h# ' am o"ten too hard on mysel", and e)pect too much# .ut
'&m $oin$ to try to wor% on these issues# '&ll ma%e an e""ort to understand what they are
about# ' may need some psychotherapy to help me to learn to trust mysel" more# 5nd '&ll
try to develop my !aturn si$n so that ' have more con"idence#* Gradually one can shape
that !un-!aturn square into somethin$ very stron$ and creative, i" one is willin$ to put
the necessary e""ort into it
.ut when a !un-!aturn square appears in the composite chart, the relationship cannot
$o into psychotherapy# The relationship cannot say, o" its own volition, *'&m $oin$ to
wor% on these "eelin$s o" limitation and sel"-doubt#* The relationship does not *"eel* sel"-
doubt# .oth individuals can wor% on their own !aturns# .ut neither may have a !un-
!aturn square, and neither may really understand why, when they are to$ether,
somethin$ in the relationship thwarts and "rustrates their 9oint $oals# The e)ternal
limitations which o"ten accompany a composite !un-!aturn may seem stran$ely
impersonal and beyond one&s control#
The impersonal "eelin$ o" the composite may be very uncom"ortable "or us i" we are
psycholo$ically inclined, because psycholo$ical astrolo$y implies individual
responsibility and a belie" that we can chan$e many thin$s in our lives i" we are
prepared to do the inner wor%# .ecause we view the birth chart as an inner picture, we
can ta%e responsibility "or how we e)press it, and consciousness can ma%e a hu$e
di""erence# 5 psycholo$ical approach to astrolo$y allows us to trans"orm many thin$s i"
we ma%e su""icient e""ort# .ut one can be deluded by the "antasy that one can chan$e
anythin$, and some thin$s lie beyond the individual&s scope o" in"luence# ' am not
su$$estin$ that composites are not psycholo$ical, or that we should abandon this
approach when interpretin$ them# .ut *psycholo$ical* does not always mean "ree, and
chan$e may mean a chan$e in the attitudes o" both people toward the relationship,
rather than a chan$e in the endemic pattern o" the relationship itsel"#
(e can do nothin$ to chan$e the "undamental patterns in the composite chart# O"
course the same may be said o" an individual chart# .ut we seem to have more room to
a""ect the levels on which we e)press our natal patterns# This $ives us the inner sense -
valid or not - that we have the power to participate actively in, or even create, our own
"uture# -aybe we do, at least in some areas o" li"e# .ut a composite presents us with a
di""erent e)perience, i" not a di""erent reality at core# (e can chan$e how we react to the
patterns in the composite, and we can ma%e the e""ort to provide creative outlets "or its
ener$ies# .ut even with the ma)imum cooperation with a partner, the patterns o" a
composite still "eel *outside* our sphere o" personal in"luence# 5 composite will not say,
*This is a bad relationship - $et out o" it#* .ut it may say, *This relationship has $ot an
inherent restriction which neither person is $oin$ to be able to alter# '" you want this
relationship, accept this issue#* '" the composite chart has a !un-!aturn square or a
!un-Chiron con9unction, it contains built-in limits, o"ten o" a very concrete %ind# These
limits may prove to be creative and positive "or either or both individuals# .ut they "eel
as thou$h they have been imposed on us# 5 !un-!aturn square or a !un-Chiron
con9unction in the natal chart also contains built-in limits, but we e)perience them
di""erently#
Let&s ta%e composite !un-Chiron aspects# ' have seen these many times when a
relationship involves the unavoidable inclusion o" limits "rom the past# The past may be
an e)-partner who wants bi$ maintenance payments, or it may be children "rom a
"ormer marria$e# These situations can cause a lot o" pain, especially where children are
involved, because no matter how mature and conscious the two people are, there will
be con"licts, divided loyalties, hurt "eelin$s, and perhaps also "inancial restrictions# 't is
not a question o" alterin$ attitudes6 a priori "amilies, "or any couple, are a built-in "act
which will always impose limits# '" a couple do not e)perience limits in such
circumstances, then we probably won&t see !un-Chiron in the composite chart#
(e %now that Chiron is connected with e)periences o" woundin$, particularly those
which seem un"air and unmerited, and which are a product o" the state o" the collective
at the time rather than some particular person&s "ault or act o" malice# !un-Chiron
contacts in a composite su$$est that the relationship itsel" carries an unhealable wound,
usually "rom the past o" both parties, or "rom the nature o" the world in which the two
people are livin$# 5t the same time, the relationship may provide deep healin$ "or both
people, or "or others who come in contact with the couple, because the inherent limits
invo%e su""erin$ and consequent understandin$ and compassion#
' have sometimes seen !un-Chiron in a composite when two people want very badly to
have children but are unable to do so# This is a wound which can ma%e people thin%
much more deeply about who they are and what purpose their lives serve, because they
do not have the collectively sanctioned *purpose* o" a "amily to $ive them a direction in
li"e# 5nother e)ample mi$ht be a partnership where there is a $reat a$e di""erence, and
the youn$er partner must watch the other $row old and "rail# 3o amount o" love and
commitment can turn the cloc% bac%# Or there mi$ht be a physical handicap in one
partner which may be $enuinely and deeply accepted, but which limits the mobility o"
both people# +et another e)ample mi$ht be a racially mi)ed marria$e, or a homose)ual
relationship, both o" which may provo%e animosity amon$ nei$hbours who are
)enophobic or too ri$id in their de"initions o" normality# <enophobia and ri$id opinions
are characteristic o" many, many people, and no amount o" a$onisin$ or ra$in$ will alter
this un"ortunate "law in human nature# .oth people may be hurt throu$h the relationship,
not because it is *bad*, but because there is somethin$ about the way the relationship
*sits* in the collective which limits its possibilities#
' am not sayin$ that it is a static picture# 5s "ar as healin$ is concerned, it depends on
what you mean by the word# Chiron&s wounds do not heal in the sense o" $oin$ away#
!omethin$ has been permanently twisted out o" shape, even i" the poison has been
released and cleansed# One cannot re$ain innocence once it has been destroyed by the
%ind o" woundin$ this planet re"lects# .ut one&s attitude toward the wound can chan$e,
and $reater tolerance, compassion, and wisdom can result# That is a %ind o" healin$6 but
it cannot undo the past# One cannot, "or e)ample, ma%e one&s children by a "ormer
partner vanish in a pu"" o" smo%e# One can try to numb the wound by cuttin$ o"" "rom the
children emotionally, and never seein$ them a$ain6 and then there is another sort o"
wound that must be dealt with# Or one can wor% very hard to "ace all the emotional
complications, and eventually establish rewardin$ relationships with everyone
concerned# .ut there will always be compromise and sadness and a sense o" loss#
!uch aspects in the composite chart do not mean that the e""ects o" the di""iculty remain
static and unchan$in$# .oth people may be deeply and permanently trans"ormed# .ut
the past cannot be remade#
The composite chart pro$resses li%e a birth chart, and this re"lects chan$es within the
relationship 9ust as it does within the individual# .ut the composite chart as an entity
doesn&t have the same capacity as an individual "or decidin$ o" its own volition to
chan$e or "i$ht a$ainst somethin$# 't is not a conscious individual# .oth people may
wor% to become more conscious, and the ways in which they e)perience the
relationship may chan$e accordin$ly# .ut the basic patterns o" the relationship un"old
li%e a seed $rowin$ into a plant, with a natural inevitability that may "eel alien to our e$o-
centred consciousness#
Ta%en "rom
Liz Greene: