Relationship Astrology: Compatibility

One of the questions I am most often asked about astrology is
“My star sign is ………  Am I compatible with ………?

This question may seem simple but the answer is quite complex.

Your star sign, or Sun sign, is only one component of your horoscope. Yes it’s important but there are other planets and points to consider, such as the Moon, your rising sign, Venus, Mars, Mercury and others. They all combine to form your unique personality, with its qualities, quirks and foibles. So when you pair up with someone there’s a stellar chemistry that happens, sometimes good, sometimes great, sometimes grating! To isolate the Sun sign on its own doesn’t take all the variables into account, and the variables matter. It can make the difference between bliss, mediocrity and disaster. This is why traditionally in India, to avoid choosing the ‘wrong’ person, an astrologer is consulted before embarking on a relationship. Love is blind and although people can initially be very attracted to each other the spell eventually wears off. Then the painful realisation of a mismatch may become apparent. It’s never too late to move on but avoiding an incompatible match is more ideal and saves a lot of heartache. Consider having an astrological synastry consultation to clarify relationship issues and avoid negative outcomes. Click here for more information.

But the question still remains “My star sign is ……… Am I compatible with ………?
If I’m going to answer this question off the top of my head, without looking at the two horoscopes, I have to assume a few things first –
1) the Sun in the chart is free to express itself purely as that sign,
2) there are other planets, eg. Mercury and Venus, in the same sign as the Sun,
3) each person was born at sunrise making their Sun sign and rising sign the same.

This gives the star sign strength in the horoscope. However, the likelihood of all the above being true is very slim but we need to assume this in order to generalise with star sign compatibility. To add to this, there are two people and twelve signs so that’s 78 combinations. I’m not going to explore them all but as a ready reckoner, you can use this table. Better still, consult an astrologer to explore the charts of both people.

Let’s look at some more difficult combinations, why they clash and what, if any, common ground they share.

Aries and Capricorn: This where the intrepid adventurer meets the industrious planner. Capricorn organises and assembles the team and Aries leads that team into the field, whether they follow or not. Both are leaders but one is measured and careful and the other is gung-ho and fearless. In this relationship both want to be the boss and neither will give way to the other. Aries’ fiery naivete will aggitate Capricorn and Capricorn’s serious, formal approach will leave Aries cold.

Gemini and Scorpio: Both signs have excellent minds but they work in different ways. Gemini investigates, connects information and writes a great story but may play with the facts. While Scorpio researches thoroughly, following their intuition and digging deep to reveal the facts and uncover the hidden truth. Gemini finds Scorpio too intense and not much fun, whereas Scorpio is bored by Gemini’s fascination with trivia and silliness.

Leo and Leo: Leos are warm, expressive, generous, playful and exuberant. They love to celebrate and entertain and look for attention and appreciation in the spotlight. But they can be drama queens if they feel their pride has been injured, especially if someone steals the show. Hence two Leos are leading actors without an audience and they will throw tantrums to get attention. Too much throwing and not enough applause makes this relationship a potential “War of the Roses”.

Libra and Cancer: The Diplomat and the Caretaker share a desire to attend to the needs of others. Cancer does this through its emotions, sensing what’s required to obtain security and safety. Libra creates beauty and harmonious connections through insight and negotiation. Cancer can be caring but also needy in an effort to feel secure, and Libra is congenial but often indecisive trying to please and avoid conflict. This relationship will dissolve into sickly sweet niceness, where nothing happens for fear of upsetting the other.

Virgo and Aquarius: The fusspot and the reformer share a desire to create the ideal BUT Virgo is practical and will do something about it while Aquarius wants to endlessly discuss ideas and concepts. One sign is practical and the other is more visionary. Earthy Virgo is an efficient problem-solver and somewhat fussy. Airy Aquarius is the detached inventor who lives in their head. These two signs do not exist on the same plane.

So remember, star sign compatibility is a broad generalisation. To really understand your relating style, or get to the bottom of relationship synastry, you need to consult an astrologer. Click here for more information.