Quintile, Tredecile, Decile, and Biquintile

by Robert Wilkinson

There has been a lot written about the Quintile series of aspects, much of it vague and very generalized. Since these angles occur with great frequency, there is relatively little written about them, and a very important one is occurring at the present time, I thought I should offer you some insights about this misunderstood but very powerful series of aspects.

The entire series is based on division of the circle by 5, yielding 72 degrees as the primary aspect in the group, also known as the Quintile. This aspect represents specialization, gifts, and unique conditions. It is an aspect of creativity. No matter how similar it may be to other quintiles in other charts and times, each quintile is a unique quality or condition, a "quintessential" circumstance that has been weaved out of the "biospheric" responses of the "4" into the human "5th."

It represents a high degree of specialized force or form, something unique brought forth, transformed out of the generic materials. Thus it shows a point of high individualization, a unique stage of development, or a talent or gift recognized and/or articulated. All the other aspects in the series to some degree show this energy of specialization, just in different phases than the Quintile. I touched on this series, as well as the Septile series, in this article. And in Astrology Class - The Quintile, Biquintile, 5-Pointed Star Patterns, Kite Configurations, and Void Points I explain some possible ways the Quintile configurations can manifest.

For example the Decile, or Semi-quintile, is a 36 degree aspect showing a partly developed creative uniqueness, a minor gift, or some other manifestation of specialized creativity. It either secures a unique tendency, or is the final flowering of a gift already realized. The Biquintile, as the name implies, is a 144 degree aspect showing a unique interactive situation, where one gift interacts with another gift, creatively and/or regeneratively. It is an interactive unique form of self-expression that often involves other people and their unique gifts, whether they align harmoniously with yours or not.

Last but not least, we now take a look at the least-understood aspect in the series, the Tredecile, which precipitated this article for reasons I'll make clear shortly. This is a highly specialized aspect of 108 degrees, which besides being a mythological "Sacred number" symbolizing Divine Mother Energy, is also the complementary angle to the Quintile. Thus the Tredecile indicates a very special type of unique energy that complements whatever uniqueness, gifts, or specialized quintessence are occurring at the moment in a situation.

I have seen this aspect operate in several fashions, and all seem to involve a circumstance presenting itself that perfectly fits a unique gift or need, or a gift or unique quality that fits the need of a pre-existing circumstance. The Tredecile is complementary, interactive, and specialized, the "quintessence" of a thing perfectly complementing the "quintessence" of a circumstance. When active, it seems to bring forth unique qualities in situations that involve interaction to bring forth awareness, completion, polarization, or re-polarization. The points opposite the planets in Tredecile are often associated with how the energies manifest, some need being fulfilled, some promise brought to expression, or some specialized gift or talent completed.

I have given it the keyword "SERENDIPITY." I believe this is the best descriptor for how the Tredecile works its magic. So exactly what does this word mean? We are told the definition of Serendipity involves "the faculty or phenomenon of finding valuable or agreeable things not sought for" and "an aptitude for making desirable discoveries by accident" and "good luck in making unexpected and fortunate discoveries."

It is a word of relatively recent origin, invented by the noted author Horace Walpole in one of the more than 3,000 letters he wrote. Specifically, we read from dictionary.com that

In a letter of January 28, 1754, Walpole says that "this discovery, indeed, is almost of that kind which I call Serendipity, a very expressive word." Walpole formed the word on an old name for Sri Lanka, Serendip. He explained that this name was part of the title of "a silly fairy tale, called The Three Princes of Serendip: as their highnesses traveled, they were always making discoveries, by accidents and sagacity, of things which they were not in quest of...."

Back to the present as prologue: The rapidly separating Jupiter biseptile Saturn has now briefly slipped into the first of several Tredeciles between these two heavyweight planetary forces in our world. They show major shifts and phases in the larger socio-cultural life we all live in, and give us a sense of the larger forces we feel compelled to respond to. When they are in trine, forces are stabilized, When they are in square, forces are in dynamic change. When they are in biseptile, the world's governments and people confront forks in the road of collective destiny. What about the Tredecile?

When Jupiter tredeciles Saturn, it's a unique interactivity between complementary forces represented by these planets. In the life of a nation it works out several ways. In the life of a corporation, it works out in a variety of other ways. And in an individual life, it works out in many ways on both inner and outer levels.

It shows that our Sag and Pisces within us are now in a unique interactive relationship with our Cap and Aquarius parts. Any of our planets either of these aspect is subject to specialization, and if either of these form a Quintile, Decile, Biquintile, or Tredecile to any other planet, it lights up the points of a 5-Pointed Star pattern in our lives, a very special thing indeed.

This is the first of the three Tredeciles, and will last till the end of the month. The next one comes after the trine and occurs with Jupiter RX in late June and early July, just before the next Jupiter biseptile Saturn on its station beginning late July 2007. That biseptile lasts through early November, after which the third and final Tredecile between Jupiter and Saturn will take place the end of November and first half of December 2007.

Each of these times is conducive to highly specialized, unique, complementary interactions on every level, so take note, express your gifts, and you may just see the "quintessence" of a thing come forth. It's probably great for artists, scientists, and philosophers of all stripes, so stay alert for opportunities to bring forth unique and gifted things.

The 5-Pointed Star should come into acute focus when the Moon conjuncts Jupiter and tredeciles Saturn on Jan 15, deciles Jupiter and biquintiles Saturn on Jan 17-18, quintiles Jupiter on Jan 20, tredeciles Jupiter while biquintiling Saturn Jan 22-23, and biquintiles Jupiter while tredeciling Saturn Jan 25-26.

© Copyright 2007 Robert Wilkinson

Comments

[Shaun]

Hi Robert,

Would you please explain, if you have time, the significance of what you called "a closing point of choice" in a very recent article. What does that mean exactly? Is it related to the star pattern or simply another thing occurring now. Things are so weird right now, but just on the edge of wonderful...yet people seem so edgy. And I feel edgy! Panicky almost. although you did mention on my tape that these few days mid January to slow down and not be impulsive. (Is that just me or everyone?)

I hope you had very relaxing yet stimulating travels and am always glad to read what you post.

Shaun

[Robert]

Hi Shaun - The quote was "... when the Sun conjuncted Pluto... it illuminated our specific gifts and originality of self expression, and started a year of expressing our unique individuality that will affect our personal world. This has been activated by the Mars conjunct Pluto... indicating a closing point of choice in our ideals and a fusion of the higher and lower ways of applying energy directly. See the truthes revealed by the Sun during this time of Mars conjunct Pluto as joining the best of the past and present to meet a future need..."

I was addressing the Mars septile Neptune when Mars conjuncts Pluto. The "closing point of choice" is the waning Septile to Neptune, since Neptune rules our larger ideals, and the fusion is the Mars-Pluto connect. What I told you specifically applies to you, though it would apply to anyone else with planets in late Mutable signs and early Cardinal signs.

Yes, I had great travels, thanks for your good wishes, may the tape I did continue to yield valuable insights, and of course I'll keep posting things that are useful in these weird and stressful times we're living in.

[Don]

Robert-
since saturn rules my ascendant, it rules my eigth, and is the natural ruler of the (tenth?) I am a person that has had to learn about "instant karma" this lifetime. I mean I really do not get away with much- which with my moon square and my mercury retrograde, and that Pisces south node, and saturn on my mars currently. I "picked my chart," and socially when I'm not allowing my imagination to form dialogue with others I just don't have much to say...I mean not everybody wants the dry truth all of the time.

I guess I'm just a little bummed. But the fact that I have a Sun-Uranus conjunction in Scorpio Quintile Jupiter Sextile Saturn lends me hope that when I've got my life as pure as I can get it than I will achieve great things. I just can't choose a career and I'm tired of obsessively thinking about it and never doing anything about it.

Any other clients or natives that have a eigth-tenth quintile like me?

Thank you for taking the time to right about these aspects- your work warms me up inside and brings me hope!

Don.

[Mary]

Hi Robert,
Speaking of non-ptolemic aspects...the other day I attempted to interpret a horary chart for myself. The question was about a specific relationship (of course!). My significator is the sun (Leo rising), his is saturn (old ruler of aquarius). Saturn was in the first house retrograde approaching a quincunx with the sun. So "we" are approaching each other again (3 degrees), but the aspect will be a quincunx. I read this is a rather "negative" indication in horary? Also, neptune is conjunct exactly the 7th house cusp (his confusion?my confusion?) and the moon (2nd significator of me) is approaching neptune by trine (6 degrees). Is this a "translation of light?" Anyway, I'm not sure how to understand the quincunx...is it the same in horary as in any other chart? I know it requires and adjustment of some kind... thanks so much for reading and for all the great stuff on your site!

Blessings,
Mary

[Wendy]

Hi Don,
I have a sun/saturn quintile. Since my sun conjuncts mars, I have a mars/saturn quintile as well. Sun/mars in the 10th, saturn less than 2 degrees of the 8th, so technically in the 7th but oh so close to the 8th. I have lots of other quintiles and harmonics thereof. My interpretation of all this? I choses to live as consciously as possibble, I give it all up to a higher power, I reaffirm daily by reciting some of my favorite mantras, and I have faith in the grand scheme of life. I know that one of my life lessons is not to question why, but to be thankful for all of my blessings. Some times are easier than other times, but I think that I have always been steered in the right direction when I've "let go and let God"! : )

[Don]

Wendy-
So the eigth is "death, regeneration, taxes" and the tenth is "profession and statis." I have a "unique specialized talent" the Sun-Uranus conjunction in Scorpio (tenth) Quintile to Jupiter-sextile-Saturn in Virgo (eigth). Am I meant to be a tax attorney or professional musician or a helicopter pilot or...?

This is my thinking of it at least once a day. So I do Yoga and just keep trying to center myself in the here and now.

Wendy how does that sun conjunct mars aspect work for you in your job? When I think of the sun conjunct mars I think of race car drivers, musicians, dancers, artists, health instructers, etc.

Don.

[Robert]

Hi Don - We do many jobs in our lives as we find our profession. And many things we do serve the ultimate aim of being multi-talented in ways the world will need in the future, whether we see it or not. You don't need to obsess on finding what you are seeking, since obsessing will not bring you any closer and even mess up the journey.

It seems that you're putting the cart before the horse when you say "when I've got my life as pure as I can get it than I will achieve great things." First, achieve. Then you will see the purity of your work and life. And you ARE doing something about your career, even when you don't think you are. You're sorting through many things. And no doubt you'll be much clearer AFTER your Saturn return. Until then, r-e-l-a-x! Do what you must, follow your highest sense of what drives your boat, and stop pushing when there's no need to. Many things are a function of time and experience, with each step building naturally from the previous one.

I have a Sun conjunct Mars in the 9th, with Moon in Aquarius in the 7th quintile Mercury-Mars on the MC, Mars quintile Uranus in the 11th, and Moon biquintile Uranus. I've done bigtime event promotion, security, and created and run a field hospital. I've published, spoken, and done various forms of media for a living. A Sun-Mars conjunction usually is a pace-setter in the world, and often a lightning rod for any variety of things. (As yes, when younger I thought about becoming a race car driver!)

Any planet has two potential gifts to cultivate. Just remember that gifts alone may not amount to much if you don't cultivate them through exploring how to apply them in different situations, and learn how and when to give them to your world.

Hi Mary - Quincunxes force adjustments, or bring a health issue on some level to focus. Quincunxes usually require a shift. Something will have to shift before you come to a "meeting of the minds," or something will have to shift after you come to a "meeting of the minds." It may have to do with power, control, boundaries, or it could have to do with profession or a sense of duty or responsibility in one or both of you, since Saturn is involved.

Neptune was on my 7th house cusp for several years, and it was a dream come true in my relationship. She is very intuitive, we were totally in synch with each other, and a sense that we were moving into the boundless. There was also some deception in her life related to others from her past, with weird things occurring which gradually cleared up. I also had to deal with deception and procrastination in a business partnership which ended once I took a global view.

A translation of light occurs when a planet makes a similar aspect to one that is already past, thus renewing the energy of that aspect. For ex: Mars at 28 Sag is separating from a conj to Pluto and trine to Saturn. However, when the Moon moves through Sag, on Jan 16 it will translate the light of the separating conj/trine involving Mars, Saturn, and Pluto back into a forming configuration for a short period, since at that time the Moon will trine Saturn, then conjunct Pluto and Mars. I hope this clarifies.

Hi Wendy - your life will certainly get better as you get older, more mature, and in line with your Dharma. You are a unique pace-setter, probably here to push through into a new or specialized way to do things in some profession. Saturn on the cusp shows you'll have to use those energies to understand how those two houses affect each other. Your life involves such specialized, unique forces and circumstances that it'll never be boring or conventional. And being consciously thankful for one's blessings is the only way to life, as gratitude usually brings forth more to be grateful for.

[cathy]

Hi Robert, i have been going through a emotional time since late november . I am a scoripo does this moon and the transitions have anything to do with feeling down . I am a psychic clairavoyant . And i have my own bussiness i just latly don't feel like dealing wth anyone . Could it be the plantatary aspects taking place ? sincerly Cathy .

[Robert]

Hi cathy - There are many reasons that a lot of people feel "down" during the holidays. I can't really offer much why it triggered during your sign month as I have nothing to work with, except perhaps it could be found in your Solar return chart. Usually planetary aspects trigger inner and outer points of confronting whatever, leading to life changes as a result of our choices.