When I’m reading a chart and see a stellium, I may go there after the Sun and Moon instead of the chart ruler because this party of planets has a story to tell.

These concentrations of planetary energy are very capable of achieving "battlefield status."

​For instance, one of my children has a stellium in the 12th House that includes their Sun, Mercury, and Pluto.

(Their Sun is so close to being in the 12th House that I consider it to be part of the mix).

Some common names for the 12th House are The House of Self-Undoing, The House of Hidden Enemies, and The House of Secrets.

It’s the most misty and mysterious house, in my eyes, and they’ve got a whole lot going on in there.

​This very energetic 12th House will be a battlefield in their life as the 12th House isn’t an easy one.

Luckily, meditation, quiet solace, and spiritual connection are things they are already drawn to.

And they are also great ways to express this heap of 12th House energy in a healthy way.

There are also lots of opportunities for soul growth here.

For them, and all of us, one byproduct of navigating these battlefields of life can be wisdom.

​So check your chart and see if you have any gatherings of planets eager to have your attention.

Sometimes there is a planet hanging out in a chart all alone.

On the surface, it looks like it wouldn’t cause much of a stir.

But then you notice it's tied to other influential planets in the chart.

Maybe it's in a relationship with the Sun or Moon.

Or, it could be in relationships with nearly everybody - casually pulling the strings from behind the scenes where no one would suspect it!

The relationships I'm talking about here are planetary aspects.

​A birth chart is a circle, so technically speaking, everything in the chart is making some kind of angle with everything else.

These special angles are called aspects and you can think of them as ways planets connect and have relationships.

And just like with us, there are all different kinds of relationships planets have depending on their aspect (the angle they make).

​They can be friendly, tense, giddy or even hostile.

Some planets may like it.

Other planets may not.

Regardless, for the person with the aspect, part of their growth is tied up with finding a way to satisfy the needs of both of these planets.

These planets in aspect need to collaborate.

​If a planet is in aspect with the Sun or Moon, this up-levels its importance.

In the example chart above, Saturn may not look incredibly influential, but because it is in aspect with both the Sun AND the Moon it could turn out to be a major player.

​Another possibility is that you could find a planet that seems to be in aspect with darn near every other planet in your chart - it could also be in need of your attention.

Aspects are often thought of in 2 camps. 

→ There are soft aspects, meaning they are more friendly or harmonious relationships.

These planets are happy to support each other’s efforts.

But there is also a different, less eager camp - the hard aspects.

→ Hard aspect relationships can feel more tense or even be loaded with conflict.

One mistake people make with aspects, however, is they automatically get excited if they see soft aspects in their charts.

And, they go into panic mode when they find hard ones.

But soft aspect can be deceptive.

Something that feels easy in our lives can fly under the radar.

Without conflict we may not put energy into it and our potential in that area suffers because of it.

And hard aspects, even though they can feel more challenging, can be incredible catalysts for action and growth.

Because there may be tension or challenge there, we may put more energy into it.

​So how do you know if you have any planets in aspect to other important planets in your chart?

See who your Sun, Moon, or chart ruler is in aspect with.

Also, notice if any planets seem to be super-social in your chart - in aspect with anybody and everybody.

A planet like this could be one of those sneaky ones that we never suspect hold much power when they actually do.

If you aren’t sure how to read an aspect table, I made a video that walks you through the basics (click here to watch).

These definitely aren’t the only possibilities when it comes to finding important, lifelong themes in your chart.

​But it gives you a great starting point.

We may see a hotbed of activity in our chart and think, I’ve got nothing super important or life-altering going on in those areas in my life!

And it isn’t until later, down the road, that it surfaces or you recognize it.

Sometimes our battlefields are obvious and sometimes you only recognize them in hindsight.

But if we can get clues from our chart as to where they may show up in our lives, we can go forward with more self-awareness and uncover more wisdom.​

Until next time, have a great week.

​Much love,