The "Verbs" of Astrology...

The Aspects of astrology are the distances between Planets (in the cycle, or circle, of the chart)—the Relationship between Functions.

If you've never calculated an aspect in a chart, check out this page on the Information Site...

The remainder of this post is a reprint from our Information Site:

Before using the Aspect Phrases of the B.I.D.E. Interpretive System it's important to understand the concepts of a Full-Cycle approach.

Most astrology concerns itself with a partial set of aspects and includes the idea of an aspect's "orb"—how far from exact an aspect can be and still be "valid".

When one realizes that aspects are actually phases of a full cycle of relationship, the allowable orb of an aspect becomes much less important. For example, in a full-cycle approach, the Waxing Trine aspect begins at 120° and ends at 135° (where the Waxing TriOctile begins). If one were to incorporate orbs into their interpretation, and two planets were 115° apart, thinking of that relationship as an "applying Trine" could be considered as long as it was admitted that the Trine has yet to happen and the full-cycle approach sees the separation as a Waxing TriDecile soon-to-become-a-Trine...

Another very important consideration is the difference between Waxing and Waning aspects. Waxing aspects (from 0° to 180°) are all more personal in their operation, building individualized qualities and values. The Waning aspects (from 180° to 0°) are all oriented toward sharing the personal skills and talents built-up in the waxing phases—dedicated to group and collective goals and values.

Now for an example of using the B.I.D.E. Full Aspect Cycle phrases (If you haven't yet explored the Planet/Sign/House pages please backtrack to B.I.D.E. Interpretive System ~ Planets/Signs/Houses and Detailed Example of Using the System ~ Planets/Signs/Houses...).

I'll interpret my own Sun and Moon placements from the standpoint of the evolution of the Information Site and this blog:

Sun in Aries in the 9th House
Vitalizing Fresh Approaches in order to Bring the Situation to its Highest Expression.

Moon in Libra in the 3rd House
Nurturing Awareness of Others in order to Make Connections.

Now, to link those two Symbolic Sentences with an aspect phrase. My Sun and Moon are separated by 172.6° (what some would call an applying Opposition). This is the Waxing QuadNovile aspect. {You can find the Full-Aspect Cycle on this page of the Information Site}

So, after choosing one of those phrases, I have the full interpretation of Sun/Moon (in terms of my work to develop the Information Site and this blog) as:

Vitalizing Fresh Approaches in order to Bring the Situation to its Highest Expression
Helps Perfect the Cultivation of Plans by
Nurturing Awareness of Others in order to Make Connections.

{You might be interested in comparing the above interpretation of my Sun/Moon pair with the one I did in the post, Stories In Your Birthchart, to see how adaptable the B.I.D.E. System is...}

Once last note:

Since each Planet/Sign/House combination has 64 possible interpretations in this System, every planetary pair has 512 possible interpretations. And, since there are 45 possible planetary pairs, every chart, in the B.I.D.E. Interpretive System, has 23,040 possible interpretations {talk about finding Your Particular Interpretation!!!}. And, that's not even counting relationships of Planets to House cusps, Midpoints, and Parts...

Finding Practical Solutions

Since this blog's birth (about three months ago), a little over 1,000 visits have been made here. Because the Internet is what it is, about 20% of that number of visits have been made by people who've been here more than once. Using two different stats counters and my own judgement, it appears there are about 20 people who have some interest in the B.I.D.E. Interpretive System. Rather gratifying for only three months effort.

I've clearly admitted that the B.I.D.E. System takes a bit more effort than traditional approaches to astrology but I have 20 years' experience that shows me it has great value in letting people find their own interpretations and not settling for what others, possibly less informed about their circumstances, may say.

The System gives you Symbolic Sentences (if you're new, check out the red link, Information Site, in the right panel for how to use the System). Yet, those Sentences definitely need further interpretation to be useful in most practical situations.

I haven't given many examples of this personal interpretation of the System's Sentences yet. This post, and many more to come, will show this individual and most helpful aspect of using the B.I.D.E. System. I do hope some of you will share your adventures with the System, in the Comments, or in an email to me (amzolt@gmail.com) with more detailed experiences that I can consider as full-fledged posts!

While contemplating how to show more of the personal interpretation of the System's Symbolic Sentences, I felt the need to do an horary chart, to consider the best method of approaching the task.

That chart showed Saturn (a function of Clarifying and Defining) on the Ascendant (the position of the person asking the question {me}). So, good! I'm meant to help define and clarify how to do more personal interpretation of B.I.D.E.'s Sentences.

When I considered the actual house that would show the System itself, I saw the 9th as the clear philosophical arena that the B.I.D.E. System fulfills and the 1st House as the "showing how to use" or "display" it (the 1st being the 5th of the 9th).

So, I next considered the ruler of the 1st, Mercury, and lo and behold, the Moon was making a close applying aspect to it. This was important since the Moon in Horary can show direct actions to take.

So, I ended up with the Mercury Sextile Moon aspect of that chart being the best way to show how to engage in the personal, individual phase of using the B.I.D.E. System.

First I'll show you the Symbolic Sentence I created to show the Mercury/Moon aspect then I'll show you how I go about interpreting Sentences like these.

Mercury in Gemini in the 10th House
Increasing Awareness of Diversity of Ideas in order to Make the Situation as Objective as Possible.
waxing Sextile
Helps Define the Context of the Situation by
Moon in Leo entering the 12th House
Adapting Creative Response in order to Bring the Issue to Its Best Possible Conclusion.

So, displaying it as a full planet-aspect-planet Symbolic Sentence:

Increasing Awareness of Diversity of Ideas in order to Make the Situation as Objective as Possible Helps Define the Context of the Situation by Adapting Creative Response in order to Bring the Issue to Its Best Possible Conclusion.

"Increasing Awareness of Diversity of Ideas" means to me the many ways the Symbolic Sentences can be interpreted.

"Make the Situation as Objective as Possible" means to me that I need to continue to elicit Your ideas so this blog isn't just my subjective view of the System...

"Helps Define the Context of the Situation" means to me that increasing awareness of the many ways the Sentences can be interpreted and the need to make that awareness Your awareness will create a more defined context of interpretation we all can work within. And, that context will be built by:

"Adapting Creative Response" which means to me that I need to stay flexible in my approach to how I present the System.

"Bring the Issue to Its Best Possible Conclusion" means to me to make this blog a true Laboratory of Interpretation...

That's how I do it...

How would you do it?

Why is The B.I.D.E. Interpretive System Valuable?

Some folks don't see the value of the B.I.D.E. Interpretive System.

I tend to think they may be the people who haven't taken the effort to actually use it with their own chart.

It's one thing to have someone say, "You should drink this, it's very refreshing". It's quite another to take a drink and discover the refreshment...

There's a lot of information on the Information Site (red link in the right panel) that shows how to use the System and this blog will continue to have posts that apply the System to well-known people's charts (and, hopefully, display your interpretation of your own chart. [you can email them to me at amzolt@gmail.com so I can consider them as possible posts]).

Right now, I'd like to give you a rather stark example of the difference between the B.I.D.E. System and a certain other style of interpretation that one might call the "Limited Options" system.

Let's look at particular aspect and compare interpretive philosophies {in this example, we'll only use the Planet and Aspect meanings from the B.I.D.E. System}:

Saturn square Mars

First, some excerpts from the first four links provided by Google when the phrase, "mars square saturn" was used:

"With Mars square Saturn, you alternate between periods of aggression and periods of recession and apathy. You are constantly at war with yourself because you cannot resolve this problem..."

"You are a perfectionist. You can pick at yourself and others unmercifully, trying to get circumstances in your life to match some unspecified standard."

"You can be austere, callous and harsh and usually won't go out of your way to help others unless you gain by it."

"...repressed anger, and when the person releases the anger, it can turn into violence."

Admittedly, these are only four opinions but, if you were to look further, you'd be hard-put to find a positive interpretation...

Now, let's use the B.I.D.E. System to see what's possible with Saturn square Mars (there are Many alternative interpretations in the System for any given chart factor so I'm only choosing a few as examples).

The first consideration is that there are two square aspects, the waxing and the waning. I'll give a few examples of both. Also, aspects should be considered from the slower function (Saturn) to the faster function (Mars).

First the waxing square:

Organizing
Provides for a Break with Past Compulsions by
Externalizing

Structuring
Impels Decisive Future-Oriented Action by
Motivating

Clarifying
Creates the Conditions for Stability through the Efforts of
Asserting

Defining
Induces Courage to Face Crises by
Being Driven

Now, the same phrase choices from the System with the waning square between them:

Organizing
Increases Dedication to Social Transformation by
Externalizing

Structuring
Shifts the Attitudes of the Group by
Motivating

Clarifying
Reorients Inadequate Responses Toward Social Viability by
Asserting

Defining
Uproots Unnecessary Attitudes and Values by
Being Driven

Can you see how the B.I.D.E. System gives a person the opportunity to interpret a chart from an affirmative, positive perspective?

Can you see the limitations of a system that "pre-defines" what the behavior of the person will be?

Can you see the value of using an interpretive system that puts the final choice of what's possible in the mind of the person using the system?

Does the system you use to interpret charts give you the freedom to decide what you'll do and how you'll do it?

Hope to receive some Comments.........

More About Pluto...

I'm still moving forward, slowly, with this blog's posting since I want to let people catch up with where we're at. Right now, we're still in the second chapter of my astrology book (Astrological Repair Manual {it's a free download}), the book that I'm in the process of revising and expanding.

Hopefully, you'll just jump right in and respond to the first few posts (backing up can be fun in a blog) by adding Your thoughts and feelings to help an astrologer with 40 years experience learn something New!!

Here's part of what I wrote about Pluto in chapter two:

"...since we’re into space that's been paid attention to by humans since 1930, we can get down to some real work in the realm of astrological understanding. Understanding death, to be precise, and how it’s a river that wends its way through every part of our lives. There are many deaths in a life—many times when one phase of our existence gives way to another. Even orgasm as been called 'the little death' and sleep can be viewed as a nightly death of our conscious awareness. Pluto/Charon's orbital period is about 248 years and the symbolic significance of that length of time is perfect for gaining meaning about long-term social, political, and economic cycles. In fact, thinking back to what our society was like that long ago can be like looking back to a time that's certainly died, gone forever. Yet, there can be influences felt from those times, just like your parents' behavior on Earth has an influence long after they've left their physical bodies.

"In astrology, the period of 248 years is symbolic of completely new circumstances, a total regeneration of what's being considered, a thorough purging of the past. And, even though none of us can live that long, we can still gain meaning from the symbolism of this cycle. One reason we can use it personally is that the halves and quarters of cycles are very important in gaining meaning from a chart and, if we look at the quarter cycle here, we have 62 years—an amount of anyone's life that shows the qualities of death-of-the-past, or regeneration of basic life factors, or purging of one heck of a lot!"

Your Turn...
Add your thoughts and feelings in the comments...