The septile, biseptile, and triseptile are three of the most important aspects that can happen in a chart, whether natal, progressed, or by transits to these or other transits. Today we take a new look at the aspect series based in the septile, the aspect of fate.
As I told you in pt. 1, 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. (I promise to put out a second edition right after I finish the next edition of “A New Look at Mercury Retrograde.”) Today we’ll explore some of the basics about the septile series aspects, so that you can apply some of your observations about these "forks in the road of destiny."
By noting the various septile-series aspects in play in your charts and in the transits, 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. These are “forks in the road of destiny” when they happen, since they mark times when we confront crucial character decisions, which shape our destiny as time goes on.
The septile series is found in the angles that result when we divide the circle by 7, the number of Saturn. When we divide the circle of 360 degrees by 7, we are given 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.
So on a personality level they can show as obsessive or compulsive behavior, irrationality, or weirdly inexplicable points in the process. Here I’ll note that there are harmless compulsions and harmful compulsions, and even irrationality can be turned to genius.
Those of your who have been reading this column for any length of time know it is my opinion that when operating as transiting aspects to our natal or progressed positions, they represent critical "forks in the road of destiny," where we must choose which way we will define our personality and therefore our future.
As noted earlier, in numerology 7 is Saturn's number. Since Saturn is associated with our Dharma, “Ring Pass Not,” and all the other symbols of spiritual maturity, that’s why it is assumed these points deal with “destiny.” We have been taught that "character is destiny," and so we can infer that as we make our character by our choices we create our future destiny.
Our lives are a mish-mash of potentials, As we make our way through our various life cycles, we confront certain points where we must choose to precipitate change or keep on track leading to more of the same. Through the septile series aspects we learn to confront potentials that lead to choices that reveal our ability to respond to our 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, or where you confront a decision that will change your life in the future.
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. The waxing septile is a point of emergent choice showing which way the process will develop, while the waning septile is the 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 foundational material, 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've been in the midst of The Grand Irrationality. When I first gave you this septile series material in 2005, the “hot zones” were 7-11 Virgo, 29 Libra-3 Scorpio, 19-23 Sagittarius, 12-16 Aquarius, 3-7 Aries, 25-29 Taurus, and 15-19 Cancer. At the current time, the zones are approximately 28 Virgo-3 Libra, 19-24 Scorpio, 10-15 Capricorn, 2-7 Pisces, 23-28 Aries, 15-20 Gemini, and 6-11 Leo. So you can see that everyone on Earth has been affected at some point since this configuration began to manifest in 1992-1994.
Back in 2005, I noted that since I have a planet in mid-Aquarius, that planet was influenced by any transiting planet occupying any of these points. Now that configuration has come to visit planets I have at 24 Aries and 28 Virgo, so now there are 4 points of a seven pointed Star pattern lit up in my chart. And of course, the septile qualities will be more in evidence every time the transiting 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.
© Copyright 2014 Robert Wilkinson
Dear Robert, very interesting and while I get the gist of what you say, at times I can clearly see where it is going over my head! Shows the difference between those that understand and have a knowledge of the craft and those like me, that value the message but can not fully understand how it is encoded.
Similar to driving a car and being able to describe and assemble the engine or suspension from scratch.
Thanks for helping the lot like myself in getting a better grasp of this kind of knowledge.
Posted by: Nic | May 25, 2014 at 01:28 PM
I agree Nic, it takes a lot of courage for anyone to stand and offer from their place of authority in anything, yet when it is the occult, it requires strong faith and clear compassion also because reaching that place of authority also brings with it the huge karmic weight as it is addressing the unseen layers of the mind where spirit enters matter, thus at the seed level and may influence the lives of many, which many do not understand who run with the "occult service ball" without gaining wisdom of what they have knowledge of which to me is quite relevant to this particular topic in astrology.
You have my respect Robert, Namaste!
Posted by: debbie | May 25, 2014 at 03:32 PM
Robert, is there any way you may perhaps give a chart, perhaps someone in history who has the septile series aspects as a bit of a visual to the explanation?
Posted by: debbie | May 25, 2014 at 05:22 PM
I can't wait till you have time to do my reading. There is no rush but really looking forward to our session!!!
Posted by: Micheline | May 26, 2014 at 04:18 PM
fascinating, Robert, thank you. i have known for many years that i have 4 septiles. most interesting is Leo Pluto septile Libra Sun septile Sagittarius moon. this article really helped me understand a bit better..
Posted by: kit | October 08, 2014 at 07:28 AM