Once you have been studying astrology long enough you discover that you possess all 12 zodiacal signs in some combination. And we are not just talking about the standard natal chart here. There is a myriad of various charts (i.e. harmonic, progressed, composite, solar arc, etc) that correspond to our energies. When all charts are considered, it is an extremely rare occurrence for someone not to have a planet placed in one of all 12 signs. The ripple effects of this are awesome to consider, but it also introduces unbelievable levels of complexity. Because if we possess multiple iterations of planetary placements, then how does one understand the holistic expression of combined manifestation from each of them? For example, how do we begin to wrap our head around a scenario where a person has a Sun in Libra in their natal chart, a Sun in Scorpio in their secondary progressed chart, and a Sun in Taurus in their 9th harmonic chart? What are the layers to that individual’s core ego? How do you think they express themself? Want a more complex example? What if a person has a Mars – Moon trine in their natal chart, a Mars – Pluto conjunction in their 9th harmonic chart, a Mars – Pluto trine in their solar arc chart, while Mars has just ingressed into Aquarius in their secondary progressed chart and conjoined their natal Sun? It can really bake your noodle trying to untangle all the subtle differences across these charts to understand how this individual’s assertiveness, anger, initiative, bravery, sexuality, and motivation are evolving and expressing itself. And there is no way to quantify the exact difference in feel across this dizzying array of levels, degrees, and intensities either. Yet each layer of our “onion” represents a legitimate component that must be observed intuitively to confirm its association with that layer (chart) of ourselves. With that said, let us add one more wildly complex and elusive wrinkle into this evaluation.

Have you ever heard of the draconic chart?

The draconic chart is a “subsidiary” natal chart that was introduced in the 1970’s by the astrologer, Dennis Elwell. It is a bit theoretical because this chart is seen to reflect our soul. As crazy as this may sound, the feel of the draconic chart’s energies has a specific resonance and the underlying rationale for its association makes sense as well. The chart is constructed by taking the distance between the North Node and the Aries Point and then moving the entire chart forward by that degree. While this construction is fairly simple, its rationale is not. Let us take a few moments to explore some of the theories underlying the symbolism.

The Nodal Axis and Aries Point

It starts with the Moon. The astrologer Kevin Burk observed, “The Moon is the container of our experience, providing form and location for the Sun’s expression. The Moon relates to our conditioning, habits, vices, and learned responses; in other words, the Moon is our soul’s memory, and the Moon is what our soul wants to remember from other lifetimes. The Moon is our unconscious and subconscious.”[i] Since the soul is believed to be an immortal component of a human being that survives physical death and continues into the next life (if we believe in reincarnation), then the Moon’s association with memories offers rationale as to why this body may be associated with the concept of a soul.

The Moon (along with the Sun) is also associated with the calculation of the nodal axis. As such, these soul theories surrounding the Moon are then applied to this axis as well.[ii] The North Node is seen to represent an evolutionary path for the soul in this lifetime using some of the experiences and lessons from a previous incarnation, the South Node. Essentially, it is an area of purpose for an individual in this lifetime which can be heavily based upon the suggestion that the individual has lived multiple lives.

The Aries Point at 0° Aries is a critical degree because planets at this degree have often been observed to manifest in extreme and visible fashion. For those who have planets at the Aries Point, there is often an urgent desire to express themself in an authentic manner. Some astrologers have thought that desire is so strong that the Aries Point can manifest publicly and coincide with fame. The combination of these concepts and points offers one massive potential: the visible expression of a soul’s path. By extrapolating that combination to the rest of the chart, we are essentially taking the soul and its needs and putting it under a microscope. 

I am sure there are many who find most (if not all) of this intellectually offensive. There are some astrologers who consider draconic astrology to be another example of the modern Theosophical, spiritual fantasies that cannot be tested for confirmation. While some of these objections may be legitimate, there does appear to be some ways to evaluate the resonance of draconic placements. In his book, “Chasing the Dragons: An Introduction to Draconic Astrology,” astrologer Victor Oliver offers a detailed delineation of the “synastry” between the tropical and draconic charts of Karl Marx. This delineation provides strong evidence for some of the underlying motivations that drove Marx to create the economic theories of socialism and communism. Draconic astrology can also be utilized to for the timing of events. A draconic ephemeris is now available and I anticipate that more research in this area will be completed in the future. But the area that I think has the most potential is relationships. Draconic expressions offer a deeper experience of the sign qualities than what it typically represented by its tropical equivalent. Because it is focused on the soul and soul is intimately intertwined with the existential “all,” these expressions are of a more pure, comprehensive nature. That is why connections across synastry have such a massive impact. One must wonder if the outer tropical energies that one person expresses to the other’s inner draconic needs puts that other in touch with something greater. As an extension of love, there are few astrological combinations more powerfully felt. While most approaches to evaluate synastry involve comparing tropical to tropical or draconic to draconic, we are going to evaluate this a little differently. The following evaluation will analyze 12 high profile and well documented relationships from recent history and compare the draconic chart of one to the tropical chart of the other. Essentially, we are evaluating the impact of one person’s energies on the soul of the other. 

Technical Notes

While this evaluation is based upon a two-way comparison with the draconic chart in the inner wheel for each example below there will be example that vary. In instances where one partner’s birth time is unknown then only one analysis will be performed: to the draconic chart of the partner with the timed birth. Also, this analysis will focus primarily on the major aspects (conjunction, square, opposition), but soft aspects may also be considered when significant.

The purpose of this analysis is not to provide a comprehensive delineation of each chart, but to instead focus on the major dynamics and characteristics as they apply to the relationship. As we journey through these examples it is important to maintain the proper perspective and orientation in regards to the draconic chart. All the aspects to this chart are felt at the deepest levels. 

Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez

Ben and Jen started dating back in 2002. He proposed, but they broke things off in 2004. Afterwards, they both went their separate ways and got married, had kids, and eventually divorced. Surprisingly, they found their way back to each other in 2021 and were married in 2022. The fact that this relationship was reborn is evidence of the strong attraction they have for each other as well as justification for a draconic analysis of their energies. Unfortunately, we do not have a birth time for Jennifer, so this analysis will be isolated to just Ben’s draconic chart. 

Aspects

The most immediate set of connections is the grand cross configuration involving Jennifer’s tropical Sun – Mercury in opposition to Ben’s draconic Neptune, and Jennifer’s tropical Saturn in opposition to Ben’s draconic Mars. With draconic Mars ruling Ben’s 8th house of sexuality and square to Ben’s draconic Neptune, Jennifer’s tropical alignments to these energies is a strong indicator that she is a Leo goddess to him. Her core sense of self excites his fantasies and his physical attraction to Jennifer is white hot. Considering that these impacts are being felt at a soul level for Ben, this level of attraction and intimacy can be categorized as some of the love he feels for her as well. Ben adores Jennifer and worships the ground she walks on. 

But it cannot be ignored that the grand cross is also a major configuration of stress and conflict so these hard aspects probably have some correlation to their initial break up that was partially due to the pressure they were feeling from the media and popular culture. This theme is reinforced by the powerful t-square involving Jennifer’s tropical nodal axis aligned to Pluto and Venus and Ben’s draconic Uranus and Chiron. This t-square is explosive and may also involve Jennifer’s desire to transform Ben in some manner with him pushing back against some of these efforts. Fortunately, Ben’s draconic Saturn and Mercury are forming soft aspects to this configuration so some responsible communication and realistic boundaries and expectations can help to mitigate some of this stress. 

Additionally, Ben’s draconic Jupiter rules his 7th house and is in square aspect to his Pluto and trine aspect to his Mars. This means that he tends to gravitate towards relationships that generate a huge amount of intensity and energy. Given that Jennifer’s tropical Mars aligns with this square symbolizes that she is this relationship for him and underscores the physical element of this relationship as well. These dynamics show that she pushes him to do great things. 

Overall, Jennifer’s tropical North Node placed in Ben’s 7th house is a big hit for both and may elicit feelings of destiny for this relationship. Hopefully, the pressures and stress from the major configurations will not be too much to bear with their recent marriage. 

Beyoncé and Jay-Z

Beyoncé and Jay-Z are one of the most enduring power couples in history. They started dating in 2001 and were married in 2008. They have three children together. Music has been a glue for them and they have collaborated on multiple songs over the years. Unfortunately, their relationship has been plagued with problems of infidelity from Jay-Z as well. Despite these problems, the fact that their relationship was able to survive makes it unique. 

Aspects

With draconic Venus ruling Beyoncé’s 5th house and in conjunction with draconic Pluto – Jupiter and Jay-Z’s tropical midheaven, it makes sense how their relationship began with a musical collaboration (“Crazy in Love”) and has been defined by many other projects as well. This is a very creative partnership and Jay-Z’s tropical Jupiter placed within her 5th house and offering support by a trine aspect that provides inspiration and benefits in this area. Soft aspects between Venus and Jupiter can be quite blissful and Jay-Z’s collaboration with her is one way that she feels love for him. His Mercury falling right on her Descendant is a major hit and confirms that his status as both an artistic partner (Mercury = rapping) and lover fulfills her relationship needs (draconic Jupiter also rules her 7th house). 

Intuitive innovation is also a part of this relationship. Both partners’ Moon – Uranus conjunction is in soft aspect to planets from the other. Beyoncé’s draconic Moon – Uranus is trine Jay-Z’s tropical Venus – Neptune and Jay-Z’s tropical Moon – Uranus is trine Beyoncé’s draconic Mercury – Saturn – Jupiter. Switching over to Jay-Z’s draconic chart, we find that his draconic Moon – Uranus is conjunct Beyonce’s tropical Venus – Pluto. The creative ingenuity that these two can manifest together is exceptional and a major strength. Their ability to bring out the best in their talents is a glue in the relationship. These contacts also point to a high degree of spontaneity in their lives. They have a blast together. 

In terms of romance and sexuality, Beyoncé’s draconic Venus and Neptune in trine and opposition aspects to Jay-Z’s tropical Mars is another significant contact. Mars represents the male archetype so Jay-Z’s symbolic relationship to Beyoncé’s draconic energies is evidence of her attraction and love for him. These aspects also contribute to a rectangle configuration with the previously mentioned tropical Mercury from Jay-Z. This configuration underscores the inherent creativity and balance needed in this relationship. 

Switching to Jay-Z’s draconic chart, we notice an interesting characteristic. His draconic chart structure aligns with the chart structure of Beyoncé’s tropical chart. This means that deep down he understands her. Because her tropical Libra stellium falls in his draconic 1st house, Jay-Z probably enjoys defining himself through her elegance and beauty. He lives vicariously through Beyoncé’s identity and general expression to the rest of the world. In this manner, he needs her. 

Unfortunately, Jay-Z’s draconic chart highlights some concerns as well. His draconic Mercury is the ruler of his 12th house, the area that represents his undoing and the things he is trying to hide. With his draconic Mercury in square aspect to draconic Pluto, he can get involved in situations that may not be good for him. With Beyoncé’s tropical Saturn in alignment with these draconic planets, she is going check him and hold him accountable for misbehavior. Additionally, Beyoncé’s tropical Sun is in his 12th house, in square aspect to Jay-Z’s draconic Venus – Neptune, and opposite his draconic Mars. In other words, he is not going to get away with anything with her. She can probably read him like a book and will call him out immediately on any shenanigans he is trying to hide. These themes are reinforced with Beyoncé’s draconic Saturn in opposition to Jay-Z’s tropical Sun. She may feel like she must keep him in line and may sometimes feel like a parent in the relationship. From Jay-Z’s perspective, he may feel like she is overly controlling and trying to micro manage everything he does. These challenges can and should be managed because the benefits greatly outweigh the problems. 

John Lennon and Yoko Ono

In one of the more interesting relationships, the rock star from the Beatles (John) fell in love with a quirky Japanese artist (Yoko). They initially met in 1966, married in 1969, and had a child in 1975. Like many other relationships amongst artistic souls, John and Yoko collaborated musically on many songs and albums. Their relationship also expressed a strong social conscience and rebellious, independent streak. In many ways and different expressions of protest, this relationship had a “them against the world” feel to it. Additionally, most of their relationship was marked by allegations that Yoko had somehow contributed to the breakup of the Beatles. Despite these controversies, it was clear that John and Yoko had a deep unbreakable bond which was only broken when John was eventually murdered. 

Aspects

This relationship contained a characteristic that is like what was found with Beyoncé and Jay-Z. Here, the chart structure of John’s draconic chart aligns with the chart structure of Yoko’s tropical chart. This means that John understood Yoko very well and identified through her expression and identity. 

John’s draconic t-square involving his Moon, Chiron, Pluto, and Mercury is joined by Yoko’s tropical Uranus and Pluto. With Yoko’s tropical Uranus aligning with the apex of this t-square in John’s 7th house, she is unleashing a more radical element to their relationship. The relationship thrived on pushing back against the establishment. For John, he felt like his relationship with Yoko could bring about deep change. Her presence in his life elicited a revolutionary feel that he needed to embrace and this was reciprocated by Yoko’s tropical Venus in Aquarius in square aspect to John’s draconic Uranus. But what John felt was not isolated. Yoko felt it too with her own draconic Uranus in conjunction to John’s tropical Saturn – Uranus in her 7th house. John provided the structure and vision to Yoko’s rebellious urges. In many ways, this was a Uranian relationship heavily dependent upon progressive displays, radical expressions, and alternative ways of being together. They amplified these things within each other. Unfortunately, with John’s 11th house draconic Moon connected to some of these dynamics, the group he belonged to (The Beatles) also became an outlet for these expressions and possibly contributed to some of the friction that broke them apart. 

There is a massive conglomeration of idealism connected to John’s draconic Mars – Neptune in opposition to Yoko’s Neptune – Mars – Jupiter. With the same sets of planets aspecting each other from each individual, there is an exacerbated expression of their archetypes. Here, it represents a wildly bohemian and artistic flair. Yoko’s expansive imagination was felt by John and was a source of inspiration for him. In turn, Yoko’s 5th house draconic Sun – Mercury is opposite John’s tropical Neptune, so his musical talents were also a source of inspiration for her creativity as well. 

John’s popularity and essence represented by his tropical Sun – North Node offered Yoko a chance to expand her soul and be more because of the alignment of her draconic Jupiter. John brought her joy and this alignment probably contributed to both feeling like their relationship was destiny. That is why it is difficult to also see Yoko’s draconic Saturn – Venus in opposition to John’s tropical Venus. Venus is the ruler of Yoko’s 8th house of death and 12th house of mourning. Oppositions can manifest as separations. Saturn brings loneliness and cold. We can pretty much do the math as to what this represents. The way that John left her was an event that activated this aspect permanently and hurt her in the deepest way possible. People imprint themselves on us in this way. John did for Yoko. His energies in her 12th house are the reminder of the joy her brought to her life that she will never forget (draconic Jupiter is retrograde).

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West

The reality TV star and world-famous rapper started dating in 2011 and were married in 2014. They have four children together. Kim filed for divorce in 2021 and it was finalized in 2022. The rumors indicated that Kim initiated the divorce because she was exhausted with Kanye’s Twitter rants, outbursts, feuds with other stars, and manic instability. The last couple years of their relationship appeared visibly taxing with much time spent in and out of therapy together. 

Aspects

Kim’s draconic Venus in conjunction with Kanye’s tropical Venus – Mars – Chiron is a major contact. It is the instant attraction between the two. Kim is naturally a hopeless romantic with her Venus – Neptune square and Kanye offers that romance to her. This alignment also hints at potential problems due to the involvement of Kanye’s Chiron in Taurus. Kim’s love may be a way to help heal his insecure sense of self-worth. On Kayne’s draconic chart, his Pluto is aligned with Kim’s tropical Venus – Neptune. Pluto – Venus contacts can become a bit obsessive in relationships so Kanye feels very intense about Kim. This contact is evidence of Kanye’s strong attraction to Kim, but also hints at a desperate need to maintain power over her. This theme of power and controlled are reinforced by Kanye’s draconic Saturn in square aspect to Kim’s tropical Sun – Pluto. This contact brings an unusual amount of heaviness to the relationship and can make everyday living almost impossible to bear. 

Fortunately, Kim’s draconic Sun is in conjunction with Kanye’s Sun – Jupiter in Gemini. She gets Kanye and his core expressions are something that she needs. She is probably fascinated with his artistic rap talents. Additionally, Kanye’s draconic Sun – Jupiter is conjunct Kim’s tropical Uranus – Mercury so her intelligence and innovation are a source of inspiration that helps him in expanding himself. He may feel that he can do more, be more with her innovation and intelligence. With Mercury ruling Kanye’s 7th house, Kim represents the type of relationship he needs. 

The sense of familiarity from their Suns extends to both of their draconic Ascendants as well. Kim’s draconic Ascendant and Mars are aligned with Kanye’s tropical Ascendant and Kanye’s draconic Ascendant is aligned with Kim’s tropical Ascendant. Between their Suns and Ascendants, there is a general sense of comfort that hits deep for both (more so for Kim). They can be themself around each other because the visible parts of their identities are what the other needs at a soul level. 

While she understands him, her draconic Sun and tropical Uranus – Mercury are also aligned with Kanye’s unstable t-square that involves his tropical Moon and Neptune. She may be one of few people who actually understands Kanye’s inner struggles and may even think she can manage this, but when this t-square starts acting out she feels the effects of this deeply. We also must consider that the dispositor of Kanye’s tropical Sun is Mercury and Mercury is in conjunction with the fixed star Algol. Algol’s reputation for going off the deep end is well documented (Kanye’s public Twitter feuds are probably a one manifestation of this) and this Mercury is also in conjunction with the midpoint of Kim’s draconic Pluto and Saturn. While I would usually avoid using midpoints in a draconic analysis, this alignment is too accurate to ignore. The stress of Kanye’s instability weighs heavily on Kim. I would imagine that trying to manage this daily is extremely depressing for Kim and beyond what she can handle.

This instability is accentuated even further with Kim’s draconic Moon in Scorpio connected to Kanye’s tropical Saturn – Uranus square. Given that Saturn rules Kim’s 7th house of relationships, it would make sense to see Kanye’s Saturn in Kim’s 1st house. Kanye’s instinct to break the rules and ignore structure and innovate can be exciting, but when these urges start impacting their relationship things can start to go downhill. Also, the dispositor tree connected to Kanye’s tropical Saturn eventually leads back to Mercury. So, this complex of energies is connected to both Kim’s draconic Sun and Moon, her core. Kanye’s outbursts, delusions of grandeur (Saturn is in Leo), unpredictability affect Kim. Over time, I suspect that he wears her down and makes it very difficult to feel safe. 

Overall, their combination of both tropical and draconic energies reflects a relationship that had great potential and love, but much stress mostly due to Kanye’s inner struggles. And with most powerful relationships, there was a feeling of destiny to it as well that both were feeling. Kayne’s tropical midheaven is conjunct Kim’s draconic North Node, Kim’s tropical North Node is conjunct Kanye’s draconic Moon, and Kim’s tropical Moon is conjunct Kanye’s draconic North Node. They felt that they were supposed to be together and that fate had brought them together. That is why their break up was brutal. They probably felt like they were losing a soul mate. 

Will Smith & Jada Pinkett Smith

This is one of longer relationships in Hollywood, which is surprising given the somewhat unique and turbulent nature of their relationship. They met in 1990, married in 1997, and welcome two children into the world shortly afterwards. Through numerous interviews in recent years, it was clear that the couple were experiencing marital problems. There have been rumors that they have an open marriage and both have admitted to having affairs as the marriage was devolving. Then in 2020, Jada confirmed that they have been separated since 2016, but are still working on reconciling their marriage. They have stated that they are working on not holding each other to impossible levels of perfection or trying to change each other. 

Aspects

The conjunctions across draconic to tropical charts tend to create a sense of familiarity or comfort in the draconic person in response to the energies expressed by the tropical person. Feeling “at home” with another can be a major source of attraction as well as a solid foundation for synastry. A powerful example of this is Will’s draconic stellium aligning with Jada’s tropical Virgo stellium, which includes a tight conjunction between his draconic Sun and her tropical Sun. The Virgo quality that Jada epitomizes is what Will needs deep down. The caution is that this overwhelming amount of Virgo energy can seek a level of perfection that can become unhealthy. When we consider the square from Jada’s tropical Saturn it starts become clear that this is not just conjecture. Its placement in Will’s 1st house is restrictive, enforces a level of control that probably feels, from Will’s perspective, like he cannot breathe. If we flip to Jada’s draconic chart, we see some of these themes echoed. Jada’s draconic Saturn is the chart ruler and tightly conjunct the cusp of the 7th house and square Will’s tropical Saturn, Mercury, and Venus. This means his energies are at the center of her needs to exert a certain control over her romantic relationships. This t-square configuration probably ground zero for many conflicts between them. 

With Scorpio on the cusp of Will’s 7th house, Mars becomes the ruler of his relationships. This makes his relationship with Jada even more difficult because his draconic Mars is in opposition to her tropical Mars. This is a tug of war and exacerbated by Jada’s draconic Mars in opposition to Will’s tropical Sun. If I had to guess, Jada’s tropical Mars in Aquarius that is conjunct her North Node probably craves independence and will fight against anything that infringes upon that. One must wonder this includes the traditional expectations of marriage. Given these alignments it is a fair question to ponder, especially with Jada’s tropical Uranus in opposition to Will’s draconic Saturn. How Jada’s assertive individuality is being received by Will is a mixed bag. Will’s draconic Moon – Neptune is square Jada’s tropical Mars, but his draconic Venus – Mercury is in trine aspect to it as well. So, he may find himself oddly attracted to this quality of her that also hurts him deeply. On the other hand, Jada’s draconic Pluto – Venus is conjunct Will’s tropical Moon – Neptune. So, she is deeply devoted to his depth of emotion and empathy, while also needing extreme space and freedom. This feels like a mess of contradictions, but also not unrealistic. Relationships can be like that. 

Obviously, these struggles are disappointing because Jada’s tropical Ascendant – Jupiter – Neptune is aligned with Will’s draconic Descendant, so she is a dream boat to him and the woman of his fantasies. 

Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds

Blake and Ryan began dating in 2011 and were married in 2012. They have four children together and are notorious for keeping the details of their marriage very private. Still, they are one of the favorite power couples in Hollywood and genuinely love each and seem comfortable together in public. 

Aspects

This relationship has an immediately visible similarity with that of Will & Jada in that Ryan’s tropical Saturn is prominent in Blake’s 1st house. But unlike that other relationship, here Ryan’s tropical Saturn is not making any hard aspects to Blake’s draconic planets. In fact, it is in trine aspect to her draconic Saturn – Uranus. In other words, some of the structure and order that he expresses is received well. And because Saturn is the ruler of Blake’s 7th house of relationships, she may view Ryan’s Saturnian demeanor as something that she needs. For Ryan, his draconic Saturn is in trine aspect to Blake’s tropical stellium that is placed in Ryan’s 7th house. Basically, this harmonious expression of Saturn across both charts is a strong contributor of the long-term stability in relationship. 

The most significant alignment is coming from Ryan’s tropical Sun – Moon – North Node – Uranus – Mars conjunction. Ryan was born on an eclipse, a powerful combination of energies. His eclipse is conjunct Blake’s draconic Pluto. With this alignment in Scorpio, he is overwhelming her with most of his energies in a manner that is providing extreme levels of depth. Given the nature of her draconic Pluto and its placement on her 4th house cusp, this hits her at her deepest. When we consider this level of bonding in addition to the strong stability from their Saturns, it is easy to conclude that this relationship has an extremely strong foundation.

This relationship also has a high degree of fun and laughter as well. There are multiple dynamics that represent this: Blake’s draconic Mars – Sun – Venus in square aspect to Ryan’s tropical Jupiter, Blake’s draconic Jupiter in opposition to Ryan’s tropical Mercury, Ryan’s draconic Venus conjunct Blake’s tropical Jupiter, and Blake’s draconic Mercury – Moon square Ryan’s tropical Venus – Neptune. These areas of connection highlight the simple fact that they have a blast being around each other. The conversation is lively, hilarious, imaginative, expansive, light hearted and fun. From these aspects I get a sense that Blake thinks Ryan is a bit of a goofball, but given all the other strong alignments elsewhere this collection only makes them stronger. 

For Ryan’s draconic chart, the most immediate alignment is between Blake’s tropical Ascendant – Descendant axis inverted across Ryan’s draconic Ascendant – Descendant axis. Blake’s identity, appearance, and energy that she projects forward is what Ryan needs in a relationship. As if that was not enough, Blake’s tropical Virgo stellium (involving her Sun) is placed in Ryan’s 7th house as well and forming trine and sextile aspects to Ryan’s draconic Venus – Jupiter opposition. She is everything he needs in a significant other. This alignment feels like love and joy. What a place she holds in his life…and he in hers. 

David and Victoria Beckham

This is another long-term power couple who met in 1997 and married in 1999. David was a famous professional soccer player and Victoria was a member of the musical group, The Spice Girls. Their enduring relationship has produced four children. Unlike many superstar relationships, David and Victoria have maintained a relatively controversy-free relationship for decades, remaining blissfully quiet and romantic instead. Quite the refreshing surprise. 

Aspects

The angular kite configuration involving David’s draconic Jupiter and Neptune and Victoria’s tropical Pluto, Mercury, and Neptune is a defining alignment. To understand the general feel of this configuration we need to start with its apex point, Victoria’s tropical Pluto in David’s 1st house. The 1st house deals with appearance and both David and Victoria are extremely good-looking people. Most would even say that their sultry sexiness is somewhat iconic. This is a good reflection of this Pluto. Also, David’s draconic Ascendant is in Virgo which makes Mercury the ruler of this chart. Victoria’s tropical Mercury is tightly conjunct his draconic Neptune in his 7th house and at the base of this configuration. This means that he loves being defined by the sexy image they project outwards as a couple. Because the kite is generally harmonious and productive, most of the world loves seeing them together as well. 

There is a rebellious and independent streak when they are together as well. This is powerfully symbolized by the uncommon occurrence from each individual’s draconic Uranus in conjunction with the tropical Moon of the other. This means that the freedom and independence each individual needs are felt, understood, and nurtured by the other. This is especially so for Victoria because her tropical Moon is in Aquarius, the zodiacal sign with the strongest innate expression of these concepts. For any relationship, being able to respect the individuality of each person and their boundaries and need for independence is a massive strength. Many relationships do not have this benefit and suffer greatly for it. I sense that this “double” alignment is a glue that has held them together. It should also be stated that this elicits a lot of spontaneity and excitement as well. 

David’s draconic Mars in Cancer rules his 8th house and is in tight conjunction with Victoria’s tropical Ascendant. This reflects his physical attraction to Victoria, but it also shows that he is fiercely protective of her as well. This is also a reflection of love and romance because his draconic Mars is in trine aspect to Victoria’s tropical Venus. This is reinforced by the fact that these same two planets are in aspect to each other in Victoria’s draconic a chart as well. In that chart, Victoria’s draconic Venus (her 8th house ruler) is conjunct David’s tropical Venus and square David’s tropical Mars (which also includes her draconic Neptune). Mars and Venus are the male female archetypes. David and Victoria are the male and female in the relationship. Quite literally, they are combining their archetypal roles in an alignment that could be seen as an example of sympathetic magic. And this magic produces more than just sexuality. This feels like love. And if there were any doubts about how gaga David is about Victoria, his draconic Sun in opposition to her tropical Venus as well as his draconic Venus in opposition to her tropical Sun puts all that to rest. He thinks she is the most gorgeous thing he has ever seen. 

With Victoria’s draconic Gemini Moon in trine aspect her draconic Libra Mars – Saturn, she needs a relationship (Mars is 7th ruler) that is not afraid to talk about their issues and confront things head on. Fortunately, David’s tropical Pluto aligns with these planets in way that will intensify these efforts. Also, with his tropical Sun in Victoria’s 8th house and in trine aspect to her draconic Pluto, there are few issues in their relationship that they are unable to confront and resolve. This is a relationship with a lot of depth and courage. They can help each other transform. They make each other better. That is pretty much ball game in a relationship. 

Tina Turner and Ike Turner

The abuse that Ike unleashed on Tina was horrific and has become infamous amongst general culture. They met in 1957, were married in 1962, and divorced in 1976. As musicians, they found much success, but Tina later disclosed publicly that Ike had been physically abusing her for years. After the divorce, Tina found success with a solo career. Ike was arrested numerous times for cocaine and eventually died of an overdose in 2007. They had one child together.

Aspects

Because Ike does not have a public time of birth, we will have to default to Tina’s draconic chart for some insights into the relationship. The most visible problem is Ike’s Saturn – Pluto opposition aligned with Tina’s draconic Ascendant – Descendant axis. Hard aspects between Saturn – Pluto have a reputation for being tortuously harsh and ruthless. Sometimes even sadistic. Ike had these potentials in him and he unleashed them on Tina in a manner that hurt her in the deepest way possible. With Ike’s tropical Uranus in square aspect to this polarity and in opposition to Tina’s draconic Uranus, this grand cross of energy became the chaotic relationship (Uranus in Libra) within her. But because her Uranus is also in her 10th house, this abuse was eventually going to be brought to the light of day when she told the rest of the world about what he did to her.

The second major problem is Tina’s draconic t-square involving her Full Moon and Mars at the apex in the 7th house. This has a strong potential for an aggressive and even violent romantic partner. Given the alignment of Ike’s tropical Sun to this configuration he would ignite these potentials. Ike’s tropical Sun also disposits his Jupiter that is placed in Tina’s 8th house and square Ike’s tropical Venus and Tina’s draconic Venus. While this t-square configuration reflects physical attraction, it also reflects something more sinister. Ike viewed himself like a king who could treat Tina in any way he desired. With Ike’s tropical Mars in square aspect to Tina’s draconic 8th house Jupiter, this picture starts to infer that this included sex. When Tina says that intimacy with Ike felt like rape, this alignment echoes that statement. In the end, she did not mourn his passing and it was probably because of these alignments to her draconic chart. 

Tommy Lee and Pamela Anderson 

In terms of a “love at first sight,” the relationship between Pam & Timmy is ground zero. Their whirlwind romance led to marriage just four days after their first date in 1995. A year later they were fighting in court to stop the distribution of their infamous sex tape that was stolen and leaked onto the internet. They had two children together and then were divorced in 1998 after Tommy was arrested for spousal and child abuse. Over the next decade Pam and Tammy repeatedly got back together and then broke up again. Tommy’s alcoholism was a major contributor to their problems. Their relationship was the definition of a rollercoaster. 

Aspects

Unfortunately, we do not have a birth time for Tommy so this evaluation will be anchored to Pamela’s draconic chart. 

WOW. The kite configuration involving Pamela’s draconic Mars (apex planet) and Moon and both of their Venuses and Mars is an overwhelming statement of love, romance, and sexuality. Each individual’s Venus is in aspect to the other’s Mars and Tommy’s tropical Venus – Neptune is tightly aligned to Pamela’s draconic Descendant. This kite is symbolic for “love at first sight.” For Pamela, Tommy was the dreamy man she has been waiting for (Mars and Venus rules Pamela’s draconic 1st and 7th houses), he was the “love of her life” (her words), and this alignment is the major reason why she kept going back to him even after his repeated problems with alcohol, even with the domestic abuse, even with all his shenanigans. The pull and attraction of the affection from this kite configuration can take priority over many other problematic areas of their relationship. It could be argued that the power of this kite was so exaggerated that it did her a disservice because she stayed with a partner longer than any other person would. 

Unfortunately, Tommy’s struggles with alcohol were the major reason for their break up. There are multiple dynamics in Tommy’s chart that correspond to this problem. His tropical Neptune – Saturn square as well as his t-square involving Jupiter – Chiron, Uranus, and the Moon (apex). While we do not have a birth time for Tommy, I feel very confident assigning his Moon to Sagittarius and putting it in orb of his t-square. Tommy has zero self-control and overdoes everything. The problem is that these dysfunctions and immaturity tend to manifest most prominently around alcoholism and drugs. His problems found their way into their relationship because his t-square is aligned with Pamela’s draconic Sun – Saturn square which became an even stronger configuration of friction, a grand cross. Sun – Saturn squares are known to cause depression within an individual because of the tremendous responsibilities, barriers, and burdens they place upon them. For Pamela, her draconic Saturn was in the sign of Pisces, a somewhat difficult placement for Saturn that does include problems with alcohol and drugs. But these problems did not manifest through her. Instead, she experienced them through Tommy and his energies. Her draconic Saturn and his tropical Jupiter – Chiron – Uranus became the friction for their multiple separations (Sun – Moon opposition).

These two major dynamics highlight this relationship as both “love at first sight,” but also “can’t live with them, can’t live without them.” It is a shame because the love is so strong between. I cannot imagine what it feels like to live knowing that they lost that. 

Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love

The self-destructive grunge rock couple from the 1990’s came to end when Kurt committed suicide in 1994. The met in 1990, got pregnant quickly, and were married in 1992. The couple were immersed in drugs for most of their relationship even to a point where Child Protective Services intervened and took away their baby. The drug use continued until the end as Kurt’s emotional issues and pain eventually led to him taking his life. 

Aspects

Starting with Kurt’s draconic chart, we notice many of the standard aspects that have been seen with other relationships. Both of their Mars and Venuses are in aspect to each. Kurt’s draconic Venus is trine Courtney’s tropical Mars and his draconic Mars was square Courtney’s tropical Venus. As we saw with Pam and Tommy Lee, this combination can manifest as the “love at first sight” phenomenon and probably the reason why their relationship progressed so quickly. This was their romance, their sexual energy, and their love. With Kurt’s draconic Neptune in soft aspect and contributing to a grand trine with these bodies, what he felt for Courtney was bliss. 

Unfortunately, that Neptune is also a segue into a slew of other uniquely challenging combinations across Kurt’s draconic chart starting with the placement of Courtney’s tropical Sun and Moon in Kurt’s 12th house of undoing. Historically, many rumors have swirled that inferred it was Courtney who introduced Kurt to heroin. Whether or not there is any truth to this, from this alignment it is highly probable that she was not helping. Even she admitted that they went on “binges” together. So, while Kurt’s draconic Sun may have felt some fascination with her energies that were opposing him, both ends were also in square aspect to Kurt’s draconic Neptune, the planet most associated with drugs. This t-square was the engine that drove their relationship. Later, as Kurt suspected the Courtney was cheating on him, this activated apex Neptune and Kurt tried to overdose. Courtney’s tropical Neptune is in opposition to her Jupiter so she had her own problems with overdoing things in this area as well. This is another reason why she may have been a bad influence on Kurt because her opposition was also in square aspect to Kurt’s draconic Uranus – Pluto and Chiron – Venus – Saturn opposition. Between both of their Neptune placements this was a relationship built upon drugs and music. 

Courtney’s tropical Saturn is placed in and rules Kurt’s 7th house so she was a controlling presence that Kurt needed in a relationship. But her Saturn placement in Pisces and square aspect to Kurt’s draconic Moon (his 12th house ruler) adds evidence of her problematic influence in this area. This is further exacerbated by Courtney’s tropical Chiron in Pisces in Kurt’s 8th house and in square aspect to his Jupiter, his 8th house ruler. Courtney’s band was called “Hole” which is ironic because it is possible that she had her holes that she was trying to fill as a long-time drug user and she amplified Kurt’s tendencies in this area as well. 

In switching over to Courtney’s chart we notice her draconic Venus – Mars aligned with Kurt’s tropical Descendant and trine Kurt’s tropical Moon, all a reflection of the love that she felt being his wife and his empathetic, caring demeanor. But the love represented here is different from Kurt’s draconic chart. In his draconic chart Courtney’s tropical Saturn is square his draconic Moon. In her draconic chart, her draconic Saturn is square his tropical Sun. This strongly infers that she called the shots in the relationship. 

Additionally, Courtney’s draconic Sun – Moon in Aries is square Kurt’s tropical Moon – Jupiter in Cancer. According to their biography, Courtney was a little aggressive in trying to meet Kurt and with these alignments one must wonder if that aggressiveness played out in the rest of their relationship. There is no doubt that she was attracted to him and his rock star persona. This was represented by her 8th house draconic Venus in opposition to his tropical Pluto – Uranus – Ascendant, but the rest of the dynamics paints a more detailed picture into the inner workings of their relationship and compels some uncomfortable questions. Did she control most of his actions? Was she constantly pushing and driving him? Did she exacerbate his wounds of feeling different and weird with drugs (Kurt’s draconic Chiron – Venus in Aquarius)? Does she have any responsibility for the outcome? We will probably never know and it is possible that Courtney has asked these questions to herself as well. For as much as her draconic Venus opposite Kurt’s tropical Pluto – Uranus – Ascendant reflected an intense attraction to his persona it also left her with confronting why he took it upon himself suddenly destroy who he was. And with her draconic Mercury ruling Kurt’s Ascendant and opposing his tropical Mars that is placed on the cusp of her 4th house (end of the matter), the questions of his ultimate demise will torture her the rest of her life.

Deep relationships can sometimes be both a blessing and a curse. 

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie

Brad and Angelina’s relationship started in controversial fashion. They met on a set of a movie and apparently became romantic while Brad was still married to Jennifer Aniston. The couple had three biological children together and adopted another three as well. The couple divorced in 2016 amid allegations of abuse and alcohol problems from Brad. The divorce has been extended for years and become quite nasty. 

Aspects

Again, as we have seen with many other couples in this evaluation, both Mars and Venuses are in aspect to each other. Here, Angelina’s tropical Venus is sextile Brad’s draconic Mars and her tropical Mars is opposite Brad’s draconic Venus. This double contact is the instant attraction between them, the sexuality, romance, and love. The opposition is particularly interesting for it also includes both of their Moons, Angelina’s tropical Pluto, Jupiter, and Brad’s draconic Mercury. Out of all the couples in this evaluation, this appears to be the one that is the strongest example of opposites attract. Angelina’s energies represent something that Brad needed and with her stellium placed in his 8th house, he was crazy about her. The significance of both Moons reflects the emotional component to these energies. Their connection was more than physical attraction. They cared for each other. This exchange is what intimacy looks like.[iii]

Unfortunately, when intimacy goes bad it can turn into animosity. Given that the 8th house deals with intimacy and divorce, this multi-planet opposition has devolved into exactly that. And with Angelina’s tropical Saturn in Cancer in square aspect to all of it, she initiated the divorce to protect the children (Saturn rules the 5th and 7th). The war that the divorce unleashed has shined a light on the confrontational square between Brad’s draconic Sun and Angelina’s tropical Sun as well as her tropical Mercury and his draconic Mars. It highlights the ego battles and arguments that led up to the split. Now that they are separated there is little doubt that Brad views Angelina as an enemy now. 

Brad’s struggles with alcohols can probably be traced back to his own Saturn – Neptune square, but where these struggles become problematic for the relationship is the nature with how this square interacts with Angelina’s draconic chart. Here, it aligns with her draconic Saturn square Jupiter – Moon – Mars, creating a t-square of stress that puts Brad’s tropical Neptune and Angelina’s draconic Saturn at the apex. Interestingly enough, when Angelina’s draconic chart is considered, this t-square is one of the few major connections between the two of them. Granted, her 5th house draconic Neptune is in conjunction with Brad’s tropical Jupiter, so if he was willing to expand her dreams of having kids she would as willing to maintain the relationship. Otherwise, there is not much else coming from Brad that could be considered as positive or romantic that she felt at this soul level. As strange as it may sound, it seems logical to wonder if she felt things as deeply as he did between them. While connections between the standard tropical – tropical chart synastry was holding them together, when Brad’s drinking went too far and started affecting the kids then it triggered her draconic connections. Because those connections involved conflict, things ended quickly and became ugly in its aftermath.

Given all these questions and the ultimate outcome of this relationship, I think we are compelled to also look back even further to evaluate Brad’s prior relationship, his marriage with Jennifer Aniston.

Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston

Brad and Jennifer started dating in the 1990’s and got married in 2000. They divorced in 2005 due to various rumors. Some indicated that Brad had cheated on her with Angelina Jolie on the set of a movie. This is highly probable given that he eventually married Angelina and had three kids with her. Another rumor stated that it was because Jennifer refused to have children. This rumor was dispelled in recent years when Jennifer gave an interview where she admitted that she was trying to have a child, but was unable. Surprisingly, they have maintained a friendly relationship post-divorce.

Aspects

Jennifer’s draconic chart is an interesting case because her tropical North Node is very close to the Aries Point. This means that there is very little variation (only a couple degrees) between her tropical and draconic chart. While we could spend ample time interpreting this unique draconic chart example, that would be outside the purpose of this evaluation. Instead, we will take her chart “as-is” in its comparison to Brad’s tropical chart. 

Jennifer’s draconic chart shows a strong degree of affection and love for Brad. Her draconic Moon is conjunct his tropical Sun, one of the top indicators of synastry in a relationship and this significance is heightened because the draconic chart is a chart of the Moon. Who Brad is, his core energies, and sense of self was something Jennifer had fully embraced and integrated into what she felt. This connection alone is strong enough to provide the rationale for their romance. 

Additionally, her draconic Venus is conjunct Brad’s tropical Jupiter, so she saw him as a good person and a force for good in her life. He made her happy. Also, because this Jupiter was the dispositor for his Sun this strengthens what she felt for him through their Moon – Sun connection. She loved everything about him. Finally, because her draconic Mars is the dispositor for her Venus and in sextile (along with her draconic Neptune) to Brad’s tropical Venus this highlights the sexual attraction she felt for him. 

With Brad’s draconic chart, Jennifer’s tropical Sun is aligned with the cusp of Brad’s draconic 7th house. This is a standard connection amongst relationships as it shows that her core energy is something that Brad needs in a relationship. Also, with Jennifer’s tropical Ascendant at the midpoint of both their Mars which are in sextile relationship and ruling Brad’s draconic 8th house, we can conclude that Brad had a strong physical attraction to Jennifer. This was further reinforced by her tropical Venus falling directly in his 8th house and in opposition to his Moon – Venus. He thought she was sexy and was very turned on by her. 

Additionally, there is a double conjunction between both Moons and Jupiters. Her tropical Jupiter – Uranus is conjunct his draconic Mercury – Moon – Venus and his draconic Jupiter is conjunct her tropical Moon. This is a strong degree of familiarity, harmony, and friendliness. They both felt comfortable together. These connections are why Brad and Jennifer have remained friendly through the years.

The problem was Jennifer’s draconic 5th house ruler. The 5th house represents the area of life that includes procreation and children. For Jennifer, her 5th is empty and ruled by Saturn in Aries. Aries is the sign of Saturn’s Fall, so the planet is debilitated here. As a result, its potential in acting in a manner that is not helpful is heightened. Saturn’s problematic manifestations involve acting as a barrier, preventing things from happening, locking down situations. This is not a positive testimony to Jennifer’s ability to conceive a child. Also, while it is not pictured in her draconic chart, the asteroid Ceres is positioned at 12 – 13 degrees Capricorn. This also places this asteroid in loose square aspect to her debilitated Saturn who is also the dispositor of that asteroid. Ceres represents the archetypal function of fertility. Because Saturn is conjunct the cusp of Jennifer’s draconic 7th house (relationships) from the 6th house side (health), there may have been some truth to recent interviews where Jennifer disclosed that she has problems with trying to get pregnant and this was a contributor to their break up. To confirm this suggestion, we look to Brad’s tropical Capricorn stellium (Mars – Mercury – Moon – Venus) that is also in square aspect to Jennifer’s draconic Saturn. He was fighting back against its restrictions as well. And because all this Capricorn energy was aligned with his tropical South Node, it is possible that it was an underlying motivation for leaving her behind. 

When looking for clues of this problem in Brad’s draconic chart, we notice that Jennifer’s tropical Saturn falls in Brad’s 8th house and is in opposition to the midpoint of his draconic Mercury and Saturn. With Saturn ruling Brad’s draconic 5th house, it may be concluded that the issue of children weighs heavily on him. This is exacerbated by Jennifer’s tropical Mercury placed in Brad’s draconic 5th house, in square aspect to his draconic Saturn, and in opposition to his draconic Neptune. This t- square configuration instills much disillusionment from Brad because of Jennifer’s independence. 

Based upon this tropical – draconic evaluation, it is my opinion that what Brad felt for Angelina may have been stronger than what he felt for Jennifer. But I also think that what Angelina felt for Brad was not as strong as what Jennifer felt for him. Also, the challenging factors between Brad and Angelina appear to be much greater than those between Brad and Jennifer. It makes one wonder if the promise of children was a deciding factor for Angelina. When the relationship started unraveling and the children were at the center of it, she ended things quickly, thereby erupting all the challenging aspects between them. This is a good example as to how messy relationships can be. 

It would be easy to judge Brad for making a horrible mistake, but this situation is more complicated that. Brad and Angelina brought three children into the world and adopted three more. Relationships and fate can be a thorny issue to tackle and when kids are involved it becomes more complicated because we must wonder if the couple was supposed to get together to bring those human beings into the world. And like many who are cursed to relive past relationship issues, I am sure Brad will spend the rest of his life reflecting on these two relationships…and if he made the right decision. 

Soul Magic

Do you remember that scene from the movie, “Sleepless in Seattle” when the main character Sam Baldwin recalled what was special about this late wife?

“It was a million tiny little things that, when you added them all up, they meant we were supposed to be together… and I knew it.

I knew it the very first time I touched her. It was like coming home… only to no home I’d ever known…

I was just taking her hand to help her out of a car and I knew. It was like… magic.”

At some time or another many of us have encountered our “Sleepless in Seattle” moment. It is that moment when we meet someone and feel their energies so powerfully that we are overwhelmed. That feeling is more than physical attraction, possibly bigger than love. It is something deeper. We instantly know that everything changes from that moment forward. That is the feel of the pull of fate in the form of a human being…and I believe that this feel is greater than what is represented by a comparison of just our tropical zodiacal charts. I believe the synastry with the draconic chart shows this pull. Why? Because the most striking component of this evaluation is not the correlation between the draconic synastry and the observed dynamics of each relationship. What is mind boggling is the fact that many of these tropical – draconic comparisons accurately reflect dynamics that their tropical – tropical equivalents do not. As a result, an argument could be made that the tropical – draconic comparison is a stronger and more resonant synastry evaluation. If this is true, then what does that infer about the proposed nature of the draconic chart? Is this chart truly a reflection of energies at a soul level? Considering the magic that people feel in their interactions with others, I think this brief evaluation can make a case for it. 

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[i] Kevin Burk, Astrology: Understanding the Birth Chart, Llewellyn Publications, 2006, p.240.

[ii] This is a very abbreviated description of the Moon’s connection to the soul in astrology. Philosophers (and some astrologers) have written much more extensively and comprehensively on this subject.

[iii] What is interesting about this opposition is that Brad and Angelina met on the set of the movie, “Mr. and Mrs. Smith.” Its plot involved two rival assassins who were married to each other, but unaware that the either was an assassin. They discovered their true identities when they were hired to kill the other. Eventually, this ordeal rekindled their love for each other and decided to team up against those who originally hired them. The astrological alignment in this opposition is a strong reflection of this movie that started their relationship.