Astrological Aspects - The Septile Series and Destiny, or Fate

by Robert Wilkinson

As I've mentioned in this article about the Basics of Astrology, there are really only four factors involved in the craft. There are planets, signs, houses, and aspects. The planets are our "lights" symbolizing the different parts of our personality makeup, and each planet has a duality of function. The planets all occupy a sign. The 12 signs are the filters through which the lights shine, whether in healthy or dysfunctional ways. Thus a Sun in Aries is illuminated by Aries experiences and people, whereas a Sun in Virgo is illuminated through Virgo experiences and people. Venus is what we like, both in art, people, and life. Venus in Taurus likes Taurus types of art and people, whereas a Venus in Sagittarius likes Sag types of art and people. Saturn is what we fear, and our bottom line regarding boundaries and responsibility. Saturn in Virgo finds its limit through Virgo experiences, Saturn in Aquarius finds its limit through Aquarian experiences.

The houses represent the various areas of life. The first house, or Ascendant, indicates our self image, the second house is our values and wealth, our seventh house our partnerships, the eleventh house our friends and ambitions, and so on. Each house has a sign quality, sometimes two. This is determined by the time of birth, and shows our bias in that department of life. Then there are the aspects, the angular relationships between the planets and various points in the chart. These show us the relationship between the departments of our inner self as well as our outer life, and indicate when the timing on critical choices will occur. Through the aspects we can find out when we will be challenged, when things will proceed harmoniously, when things will specialize or hit a fork in the road or finally come to fruition.

Each aspect series results from division of the circle by the numbers 1 through 12. 1 results in the conjunction, 2 in the opposition, 3 the trine, 4 the square, 5 the quintile, 6 the sextile, 7 the septile, 8 the semisquare, 9 the novile, 10 the decile (or semi-quintile), 11 the elftile, and 12 the semi-sextile. There are harmonics of these, of course. For example, in the specializing series represented by the Decile and Quintile, there is also the Tredecile (108 degrees) and the Biquintile (144 degrees). All four of the aspects in this series show unique specializations, whether partly developed uniquenesses (decile), fully developed uniquenesses (quintile), interactive complementary uniquenesses (tredecile), or interactive fully developed uniquenesses (biquintile).

I know that some books credit the quintiles with qualities other than what I've just offered. Though there is general acceptance of the better known angles (dating from Ptolemy), there is some confusion about the more obscure aspects, such as the quintile, septile, and novile series aspects. I've just given you what I believe are some qualities of the quintiles, since 5 represents specialization, expansion, and "quintessence."

I originally outlined the basics of the septile and novile series aspects in my 1978 book "Astrology and the Spiritual Path," out of print for many years. (There is another by that name, but it was published years later by another author.) Today I will offer you some insights about the septile series aspects, so that you can apply some of your observations about these "forks in the road of destiny." Hopefully, this can help you understand why things can be so weird at times, why there seems to be no reason for some things to happen, and why often all of our thinking and reasoning and explaining still doesn't help us choose when confronted by critical decisions.

In the septile series there are the septile (51+ degrees), biseptile (102+ degrees), and triseptile (154+ degrees). Due to the non-rationality of the numbers produced when the circle is divided by 7, it is assumed that these aspects represent the non-rational points in the cycle. Thus on a personality level they show as obsessive or compulsive behavior, irrationality or strange inexplicable points in the process. And of course, as you know if you've been reading this column for any length of time, when operating as a transit they represent critical "forks in the road of destiny," where we must choose which way we will define our personality and therefore our future.

7 is Saturn's number, so that's why it is assumed these points deal with "destiny." Since "character is destiny," as you make your character by your choices you forge your destiny our of the mass of potentials you could choose into the concrete choices that reveal your ability to respond to your karma. This is the true "response-ability" that we accept as a result of Saturn's lessons. Any planet septiling, biseptiling, or triseptiling any other planet has hit a fork in the road of that process, a point where reason and rationality may not serve your ability to choose.

The septile, falling 51 degrees 25 minutes from any given point, shows the first or last fork in the road relative to the conjunction. The waxing septile comes after the first internal crisis of growth at the waxing semisquare and precedes the productive period shown by the waxing sextile. The waning septile comes after the final productivity of the waning sextile phase of the process and the choice at the waning septile precipitates the internal crisis at the waning semisquare. It is a point of emergent choice showing which way the process will develop, or final choice before the disintegration of the old form, forming the seed that will grow anew at the rebeginning of the next conjunction.

The biseptile, falling 102 degrees 50 minutes from any point, is said to be a point of "exteriorization of destiny." While sounding very dramatic, in fact it is simply the next fork in the road of the process that starts at any conjunction, or the next point where the irrational elements of being will show up. It is the natural decision point after the crisis of the waxing square before the productive period of the waxing trine, and usually involves some deep stuff, since it falls in the fourth house relative to any point. The waning biseptile has the same irrational "exteriorization of destiny" qualities, but since it falls in the ninth house relative to any point, it is the culminating fork in the road to seeing the truth of a thing, and it precedes the culmination point of the waxing square.

The triseptile comes in at 154 degrees 16 minutes, and indicates more of a non-rational, cooperative-collective point in the process, since it always falls in the sixth or seventh house relative to a point. It is like the other points in quality, except that it usually involves other people who are also at a critical fork in their own cooperative road. These are points of adjustment, refinement, shifts in how and who you related to, and show you how others are or are not a part of your larger "destiny."

A final important note: if you have two or more planets in a septile, biseptile, or triseptile to each other, they will naturally create resonant "void points" where other septile series aspects fall. These are trigger points for irrational conditions or personality "destiny" elements to come forth in the life. Though these periods can seem very weird indeed, they are points of choice, decision, and movement where reason may fail even though major things are in motion.

For example, you know that because of the Neptune septile Pluto we're in the midst of The Grand Irrationality. Over the past few months it has stimulated points at 7-11 Virgo, 29 Libra-3 Scorpio, 19-23 Sagittarius, 12-16 Aquarius, 3-7 Aries, 25-29 Taurus, and 15-19 Cancer. If any of these points are strong in your chart, you have all the other points also active. These have been progressing forward about 1 to 3 degrees a year due to the movement of Neptune and Pluto.

Since I have a planet in mid-Aquarius, it shows that planet will be influenced by any transitting planet occupying these points. Thus Pluto is in a long term waning septile to my planet, and Jupiter will be waning biseptile my planet in late October and early November when it occupies the Scorpio points, and so forth. The septile qualities will be more in evidence every time the transitting Moon occupies any of these points, and will obviously affect the areas of my chart where the planets occupy and what sectors they rule.

It works that way for all of us. The link to the Grand Irrationality can help you find out if your generation is one being influenced by this long term pressure. And if you know how to calculate aspects, take a look at your chart to see where your different planetary irrationality zones are, as it may help you the next time they activate.

Comments

[Karen M]

Ai yai yaiii... I should have been paying more attention to this aspect. I was for awhile, but apparently, I got sidetracked. I have a stellium in Cancer and two of the three planets are in that range, and the third is just past 18.

"Thus on a personality level they show as obsessive or compulsive behavior, irrationality or strange inexplicable points in the process."

Perhaps that would explain some odd food cravings I've had the past few years?

I need to go back and look now to see if I have any quintiles or septiles.

[Robert]

Hi Karen - This will certainly work on your Cancer energies and move them in significant directions. Sometimes we do get to cut loose from the control of the rational mind, and move into our greater destiny without necessarily being aware that we're doing it.

A quick reference for everyone with Cancer planets: Early Cancer septiles points in mid-Taurus and late Leo, quintiles points in mid and late Aries and mid-Virgo. Mid Cancer septiles points in late Taurus and early Virgo, quintiles points in late Aries, early Taurus, and late Virgo. Late Cancer septiles points in early Gemini and mid-Virgo, quintiles points in early and mid-Taurus and early Libra.

[Jennifer]

Hi Robert,

I love the way you've thought of and described the 5 series... my chart is full of quintiles and bi-quints... (Venus/ Merc/Galactic Center quintile Pluto on the ASC, Mars biquint the Sun, and others I have found, been surprised at, and forgotten...I think Saturn and my Vesta are quintile also...yes).

I still haven't figured exactly how these relate to my quintessence--very hard to do that for oneself, though I am a writer and Venus, Mrc, GC do fall in my 3rd.

I'm currently undergoing Pluto conjunct my Venus at 26 Sag, and am thoroughly enjoying all the discussion about the galactic center. . . It just occured to me while reading, that Pluto is also currently quintile my Asc at 14 Libra, and most things in my life seem business as usual, though my writing has amped up and have published a fair deal this year. I am very sensitive to the intense vibes of the times, if nothing else. . . .in concert with this, my fascination with astrology has reignited and I have been reading and writing and thinking about it all again, as I haven't in about 3 years.

Am looking forward to continuing to read-- what a treasure this site is!!!

[Robert]

Hi Jennifer - Thanks for your praise of the site. Hang in there with the rising tide in you re: publishing. You are gifted in many ways, so from one writer to another, enjoy the journey of discovery.

[Connie]

Is there a free calcaulation software for these aspects:
quad-novile
tri-septile
tri-octile
tri-decile
bi-septile
ni-novile
septile
novile
dectile

Is there a paid software?

[Robert]

Hi Connie - No free software that I know of, but yes to paid software, though you must program the orbs. I would suggest you learn the angular values and teach yourself how to spot them by eye. Very good for the brain. Decile is 36, Novile is 40, Septile is 51+, Binovile is 80, Biseptile is 102+, Tredecile is 108, Sesquisquare is 135, Triseptile is 154+, Quadranovile is 160. Not to sound too crusty, but I have specialized in minor aspect analysis for over 35 years, and in my opinion most astrologers don't use these aspects as they know little to nothing about how they work. Much of what is written is hectic speculation not based in any sound reasoning, and many interpretations are just plain wrong. My first book in 1978 (now out of print) had a chapter on the meanings of the septile and novile series aspects along with the appropriate glyphs, and even Rudhyar personally asked me for a copy. As far as I know, you'll get more possible interpretations from this site than anywhere else I've found, and that includes the decile, tredecile, and biquintile, whose glyphs are in "The A to Z Horoscope Maker and Delineator" by Llewellyn George.

[Matt]

Hi Robert -

I would love to read - as I think many of your readers - your similar analysis of the novile aspects on this site since your book on the subject is out of print. The astrological software package I use, while quite good, unfortunately does not include noviles, biseptiles and triseptiles (it will recognize the septile though). To add further insult to injury, the programers designed the quincunx aspect with a very high orb that encapsulates the triseptile range.

Thanks,
Matt

[Robert]

Hi Matt - Will try to make a project of republishing what I wrote on the noviles. It may take awhile. Yes, unfortunately many give the quincunx too wide an orb. I give it 2 degrees max.

[Mark E Clark]

Robert,

I've been recently quite intrigued with the 7th Harmonic series, also the 5th H. I, too, would be interested in reading your info on the 9th H. series of aspects.

This is all sooo interesting. I have several septiles, biquits, and am OCD about this study.

Thanks for your site,

Mark E Clark

[Robert]

Hi Mark - Well, my first book where I wrote about these is not so long out of print I doubt there is one to be found anywhere. But I will try to make a rewritten version available through this site in 2009.