The Relationship Chart








There is a separate horoscope for the two of you and it was discovered by Ronald C. Davison. This chart shows what happens to the relationship as a whole.

The Davison horoscope (sometimes called the Relationship horoscope) is set up for the midpoint between two birth dates, times, and places. The birth date midpoint is difficult to calculate by hand because a year isn’t even. It has 365 1/4 days. And then, of course, there is the matter of leap years. But don’t worry. There are several computer programs to do the math for you.

We can also calculate a Composite of the two individual horoscopes. Composite charts must always be referred to as charts because they are not true horoscopes. A composite is constructed by finding the midpoints between the two birth horoscopes.

For instance, the midpoints between the two Suns, the two Moons, the two Mercurys, etc. The house cusps are found by calculating the composite Mid-Heaven and then using that to find the rest for a particular latitude.

One thing I don’t like about composite charts is that the Ascendant you get by this method is usually different than the one you get by simply finding the midpoint of the Ascendants in the two birth charts.

So which one do you use? And which latitude do you use when figuring out the house cusps? These things have never been determined with any accuracy. Many astrologers use both the Davison and Composite charts when giving a relationship reading. I have found the Davison horoscope to be more accurate overall.

Important point! Both of these charts are for the two of you as a couple. They show things that will tend to happen in the relationship as well as how you act towards the outside world when you are together. They have no effect when you are apart. Let’s take a look at some examples.

The first couple is Phil and Bryn Hartman. For any couple that lives together, the 4th house (domestic environment) and the ruler of the sign on the cusp (beginning) of the 4th house are very important. It is also necessary to check the Moon, which is the natural ruler of the home. In the Davison chart, Pisces is the sign on the 4th, and Neptune, the ruler, is in the 11th house. Look at the aspects. Neptune is in close conjunction with Saturn, the planet of difficulties and depression. Both of these planets make a square aspect (90 degrees, an aspect of obstacles and challenges) to Uranus.

What effect  would we expect here? Neptune rules illusions and delusions. When Saturn is involved, the two people as a couple may find it difficult to face reality. It’s too depressing for them, so one or both may try to escape. One of Neptune’s negative ways of doing this is through drugs and alcohol. Of course with Saturn there, they can’t escape.

The Saturn/Uranus square always produces tension (Saturn says no, Uranus says yes, so they clash). The combination of all three planets together obviously leads to problems.

Neptune, in this horoscope, is what we call the accidental ruler of the 4th house, because it is just an accident of the birth times and places that Pisces happens to be on the cusp (beginning) of the 4th house. The Moon is called the natural ruler of domestic environment because it rules the sign of Cancer, sign of the home.

In this relationship chart, the Moon is in the sign of Aries, sign of action and aggression. That by itself isn’t bad. It simply means a lot of activity as a couple. But Mars, ruler of Aries, makes a square aspect (90 degrees, a stress factor) to the Moon, and that significantly increases the chances of arguments. The Sun and Moon are also square. In a relationship between a man and a woman, that shows them to be moving in different directions. This is a really basic incompatibility. Usually, Davison charts with this aspect indicate a brief fling. There would have to be some really strong favorable aspects to counterbalance this one if a marriage is to be beneficial and long lasting. This horoscope doesn’t have them.

The Rising sign is Scorpio, sign of extremes. All or nothing. Pluto, the ruler of Scorpio, squares the rising degree. This means that the relationship will tend to swing from one extreme to another (“I love you” to “I hate you”). This was more of an obsession than a marriage. Venus opposite the Ascendant is a strong and favorable influence and indicates affection. Venus is singleton since it is the only planet in an Earth sign. This means that the “energy” of the chart is drawn to the 7th house (marriage) and this is a powerful indicator that the two would get together.

But even here there are problems. Venus at 26 degrees of Taurus is near Algol, a fixed star that shows deep subconscious forces coming to the surface (Algol comes from the Arabic El Goul, the demon). On top of that, Pluto squares the Venus and that means power struggles. Love, with this aspect, tends to become manipulative if the two people involved are not careful. When there are stress aspects to Pluto, if the relationship ever breaks up the two people are not likely to be friends. Love turns to hate. But as long as there is a relationship, the sex is usually great. This is, of course, a Pluto specialty.

Great sex is also shown by the triple conjunction of the Sun, Mars (energy) and Uranus (electrifying) in the 8th house. Unfortunately, Mars also rules arguments, the Mars/Uranus combination rules guns, and the 8th house rules death. And that’s how the relationship ended.

Another type of relationship is shown by the Davison horoscope of Bill Clinton and  Monica Lewinski In any chart, the Angles, the Ascendant, Descendant, Mid-Heaven, and Nadir, are of vital importance. So are the planets that rule the signs on the cusps. The Ascendant ruler is of particular importance. Libra is the sign on the Ascendant and it is ruled by Venus. Venus is making a strong conjunction with Saturn, planet of difficulties, obstacles, delays, and just plain bad luck. Throw the chart away right here folks. This relationship sucks (pun intended).

Astrologers frequently get clients with Davison charts like this claiming that the other person is their “soul mate” and asking for a good wedding date. Sometimes these clients know a little about astrology and these are the worst one to read. “But doesn’t Saturn have a good side?” they say. “Isn’t it ‘the Lord of Karma’?. Can’t it teach us important lessons?” Well Bill and Monica certainly learned a lesson, didn’t they?

Venus, the Ascendant ruler, makes conjunction aspects with both Saturn (difficulties) and Mars (action). All three sit on the Nadir (the end of the matter) and square the Ascendant. Of course, anything that is at the bottom is opposite the top, the Mid-Heaven, the public image. Both Bill and Monica did have their public images go through changes. Oh yes. Venus rules two signs, so it usually rules two houses. The other Venus sign is Taurus and it is found on the cusp of the 8th house. That’s the house of sex. So far, we have the ruler of the Ascendant and the house of sex conjunct Saturn, planet of difficulties, and Mars, (action) and all three are stressfully configured with the Mid-Heaven so that everything comes before the public.

The Sun is the heart of the horoscope and is important in any interpretation. It sits in the 5th house (romance) and shows that the two people can have fun together ( at least until it’s time to pay the bill). Uranus is opposite the Sun. Another stress aspect and it won’t be the last. This one makes people tend to do crazy, impulsive things. By itself, Sun/Uranus stress aspects show a relationship that is exciting but unstable and short lived. Sometimes these relationships can go on for a long time, but only intermittently. The two people involved see each other at short intervals and then spend long periods apart.

The Moon shows the relationship’s emotions, the mutual emotions shared by the two people as well as their instinctive reactions. Should we be surprised to find it in the 8th house, the house that rules sex? And what are the Moon’s aspects? A square to Uranus, planet of unusual, sudden, and unexpected changes. That aspect usually means that an intimate relationship won’t last too long. The emotions flare up for a brief time and everything is exciting. Then, like a lighting flash, it’s gone. By the way, the Moon rules the Mid-Heaven (public image) and this makes it more likely that what these people do sexually will be noticed.

Surprise!

The Moon also has a square with Mercury, planet of reasoning, showing that both of them  weren’t exactly models of rationality.  Incidentally, Mercury rules the sign of Virgo, and Virgo is on the cusp of the 12th house. That’s the house of self-undoing, the house that shows how we can mess ourselves up. Mercury, ruler of self-undoing, sits in the 5th house, making a connection between self destructive actions and romance.

Let’s not forget the effect of chart shape. The Moon is isolated from the other planets so it acts like the spout on a funnel and focuses all of the chart’s “energy.” This means that the thrust of the horoscope is towards emotions (the Moon) and the house of sex.

I’ve included the planetoid Chiron here because it adds to the picture (like it really needs to be added to, right?). Chiron shows were we have problems that never seem to go away. It is located in the 5th house (romance) and squares the Moon. Remember, the Moon rules the Mid-Heaven (public image) and the square is a stress indicator showing the negative effect on public image to be permanent.

Ok, do we notice any trends here?  

It is important to remember to check everything before jumping to conclusions about a relationship. In this case though, you don’t have to jump. There are so many indicators, you are pushed.

There is still the question of the specific effect a relationship has on each of the participants. That will be covered in the next chapter, the “Marks Chart.”

Davison Charts for Events:

I gave a lecture on the astrology of relationships at the June 2000 NCGR conference in New York. While I was preparing the talk, I had an idea. Synastry, comparing the aspects between two charts, can show us a little of what goes on in a relationship. The Davison chart shows us even more. Now astrologers have, for centuries, used transits to make forecasts. This means looking at the planets for a particular time and checking the aspects they make to the planets in the birth chart. That reminded me of synastry.

If you took someone’s horoscope and the chart for the time and place of an event in their lives, you could make a Davison chart for the event. Would that Davison horoscope give us some more information about what went on? I thought of this while I was running off the Marks charts for Phil and Bryn Hartman. The horoscope for the murder was right next to theirs in my computer files. It only took a few clicks to make Davison charts for each of them with the murder time. The results were dramatic.

The chart for Phil Hartman and the Murder(the Davison chart made from Phil Hartman’s horoscope and the chart for the time of the murder) has the Ascendant in Aquarius. Uranus, the Ascendant ruler is in the 8th house (death) and it makes a close opposition to Mars (action, aggression, violence) in Aries. Stress aspects between Mars and Uranus are associated with sudden, violent accidents and gunshots. Mercury squares both planets forming a T-Cross in Cardinal signs (action). Mercury rules the signs of Gemini and Virgo. Gemini is on the cusp (beginning) of the 4th house (home). Virgo is intercepted in the chart’s 7th house (partners).

The Moon forms a close conjunction to Saturn (depression, “bad luck”) in the 4th house (the home). The Sun was forming a close square to Neptune. Aspects that are forming are increased in strength. Neptune rules illusions and dreams. It also rules the substances that can bring these about: drugs and alcohol. Phil Hartman was shot while he was sleeping by his wife who, according to the autopsy report, had alcohol, antidepressants, and cocaine in her blood. He never knew what hit him.

The Chart for Bryn Hartman and the Murder was equally chilling. This is the Davison chart made from Bryn’s horoscope and the chart for the time of the murder. Any planet in the 1st house has a strong effect on the whole chart. This one has Neptune there (dreams, illusions, drugs).

The Sun (the “heart” of any horoscope) is forming an opposition to Uranus. Any aspect within one degree from exact is considered to be powerful. This one is just 1/10 of a degree from exact! Mars (action, violence) squares both of  them forming a T-Cross. Guess where Mars is. The 8th house. The house of Death. Added to that is Mercury (the mind) opposite Pluto (obsession).

Ironically, Venus, the planet of love and affection, is opposite the Ascendant. She loved him even while she was killing him.

Two anecdotal cases, no matter how dramatic, don’t constitute conclusive evidence that this method works. They do, however, show that there may be something here worth investigating. Try it out with events from your own life. Make Davison charts from the horoscopes of those events with your own chart and see what you get.

One word of Warning though. Be sure to have the exact time of the event. If you don’t, the results could be thrown off.

If Davison event charts work, then when you make an Election Horoscope (a horoscope constructed in advance for something you want to do) you should also make a Davison event chart from the election horoscope and your own to see the effect that his event will have on you.

It goes without saying that if you see Saturn on one of the angles, pick a different time.