21
Demystifying Astrology: How Do Oppositions Work?
Astrology for beginners
Because I am so oriented towards relationships, oppositions are by far the most interesting component of astrology. If you get me started I can go on ad infinitum but I will try to be concise:
If a person has an opposition in their chart is is impossible for them to act both sides of it simultaneously. Reason is the energies are opposite each other so this would be akin to being generous and cheap at the same time. It can’t be done!
You can be generous and then cheap and then generous, though and this is exactly what people with oppositions do. That is they act one side of the opposition (projecting the other) and then they flip positions.
Years ago I attended a workshop with astrologer, Tracy Marks who explained that if you acted one end of a person’s opposition, they would have little choice (it would force them) to act the other end.
For example, if a person has a Virgo/Pisces opposition and you start nit-picking, they will go all universal on you.
On the other hand, if you are all fogged out, they’ll start picking out the details.
I realize this is disturbing, however it is factual.
Do you have an opposition in your chart? Tell us about it.
Like these beginner posts?
Know anyone who wants to learn astrology? Send them here: See all beginner posts
46 Responses to “Demystifying Astrology: How Do Oppositions Work?”
Jupiter in 6th opposing Neptune in the 12th.
Trying to nail down a routine/put a cap on anything is like trying to herd cats…pretty hard all around.
ha ha tan, i’ve got that one too. your interpretation is priceless!
Sun in Sagittarius and Jupiter in Gemini. I have no clue what that means!
Big personality and a healthy self-esteem..? That would be one manifestation in my unprofessional brain.
Wait–what is “all universal”? Help! Cause I have that I think.
Out of sign Gemini Sun/Scorpio Moon.
Libra Mars/Aries Saturn.
I’ve always been aware of a lot of flip-floppiness in myself but chalked it up to Gemini. What do y’all think the Mars/Saturn opposition is supposed to feel like?
Moon in Pisces opposition Mercury in Virgo. This means that I’m lying whenever I jokingly brag about how having a bigger corpus callosum means I can more readily communicate about feelings while actually having them?
Ok, so it’s probably what Elsa said - nitpicking (or as I like to think of it: accuracy) vs. universal (abstract). Sounds like a forest vs. the trees situation.
My other oppositions are to Chiron or the ascendant, but I don’t know what to make of those. Any ideas?
P.S. Thank you so much for posting this, Elsa! I’ve been hoping for some more zooming in on how to look at the major aspects.
*waves* Virgo/Pisces opp here, and by God, nitpicking will make me open up a can of whup ass on ya!
Virgo Pluto and Uranus opp. Pisces Saturn. After seeing the effect of the Saturn/Uranus opposition on the planet, it helped me understand why I had such conflicting beliefs and thoughts all my life.
I also have Libra Mars opp. Aries Moon. A can’t decide what side I land on, and my moon is like “get off your ass and ACT!”
Virgo Pluto and Uranus opp Pisces Saturn too, and Virgo Mars opp Pisces moon.
Anyway I can rev up the Virgo sometimes? I hate being lazy and unproductive, but umm…it does happen. 
What about a chart without oppositions? Or a chart that has only one, for example — compare that with a chart that has many…
I have five oppositions in my natal chart, but the ones that I am most aware of are:
the opposition formed between Mercury and Saturn and the opposition formed between Neptune and the Ascendant.
I am overly and to my detriment sometimes cautious to express myself. Mercury in Pisces, Saturn in Virgo.
And I usually go about life feeling like I have no personality because I am so focused on learning you (too much inquisitiveness), that I can’t just relax and let my personality shine. Neptune in Sagittarius, Ascendant in Gemini.
Thanks for another nice beginners post Elsa!
Moon opposing Mars - I am agressive and like to get my way
Venus opposing Jupiter - I’m undisciplined and don’t like to make waves
Moon opposing Saturn - I was borm old and stodgy
Jupiter opposing Uranus - I’m a rebel
No wonder I’m confused - even my oppositions are opposites!! GAH!!
Taurus Mars-Scorpio Neptune opp. Industrious or flakey. Angry or mellow. Practical or dreamy. With Neptune conjunct ASC I find myself occupying the latter position more often, unless confronted by some uber flake, of which there are many in my neck of the woods.
Thanks Elsa, that’s awesome
I have saturn opp neptune..and that’s it. Unless one includes asteroids.
I would wonder if this made me an island or egocentric or unable to understand others
moonpluto, there is a tag “saturn neptune”. I have written 50-100 posts on the topic and matter of fact, I am fixing to post another. 
Gemini/Jupiter opp. Venus/ Sag. 11th house-5th house. I, too, have no clue what it means.
so if you have, in synastry, an opposition do you do a tag team switcheroo on the 2 planets?
I just have the generational chiron/Uranus opp and also NN opp Sun.
PixieDust! A kindred spirit!
I too would like to rev up the Virgo, please…
These posts are always such a learning activity! This is very interesting… makes me want to look at the charts of people I am close to see if/what part of their opposition I play part in.
Moon (Gemini) opposite Neptune (Sag) - I go back and forth from being restless/skimming the surface/not comfortable with emotions to wanting to get to the depth of things.
Venus (Aqua) opposite NN (Leo)- detachment, intellectualization of emotions to being cheery/playful/warm….like a ray of sunshine lol.
Pluto (Libra) opposite Asc. (Taurus) - going from the desire to transform relationships to being possessive/stubborn/not comfortable with change.
*waving to Kris*
I cannot read “kindred spirits” without thinking of Anne of Green Gables!
totally. i flip flop on the aries/libra axis a lot. still trying to do that libra stuff well (it is, after all, pluto there)
and then the scorpio/taurus bit where i bounce back and forth between practical and abstract…
and, yeah, i can see the drive for balancing… it’s like a need to balance out extremes around you by flipping the coin…
I have heard that a person with a chart without any oppositions will have a hard time seeing other people’s perspectives, has anyone observed this to be true?
Moon Scorpio opposed Mars Taurus and Mercury Cancer opposed Saturn Capricorn. Not sure what it means, but I know the moon opposed mars thing is supposed to be difficult.
Gemini Venus opp Sag Neptune.
Sometimes I imagine strong love feelings that aren’t truly there. And sometimes I’ll ignore negative things so that my projected version of a person or situation will come true, which is unrealistic. And then I am disappointed, in myself especially, for doing that again! I’m glad I’m aware of it, but it can be a pain since it’s so easy to fall into these unreal places in my mind.
This is making me think….my mars is in cancer in the 11th house and my saturn in capricorn in 5th house. I can listen to a friend’s woes and offer comfort and advice and coo at them, but if one of my children have a problem, I immediately take command and tell them how to fix it. I am afraid of showing my softer side (or used to be, because they are older now) to my children because I know what a pushover I am and if I let them see that, they would get control over me and learn which buttons to push to sway me. I remember feeling like this when they were little, especially because I felt like I was an only parent and had to be the model of one at all times……hmmmm……
I have 7 oppositions (all personal planets) but the one I was thinking about is my Pisces Sun opposition my Virgo rising. For me, this plays out very subtly. Astro.com says: “You attract powerful individuals with strong egos who always try to gain dominance over you” and it’s very true, though I rarely realize it until I’ve jumped in head first. Little things, like if I do a favor or go out of my way to help someone they’ll do something like not pay me for services rendered or assume I will always do it for them (and I do) or find more and more ways to establish their alpha-dog nature in the relationship. I let them because I know no other way to be. Now that I think about this, this is true of ALL significant relationships in my life. I’m the Robin to your Batman.
Having that Sun right up against my descendant in the 6th, I bleed my energy all over other people and they soak it up but sometimes I hate it and try to stop. That’s me I’m either bleeding or clotting and coagulating, I can’t strike the balance.
“I have heard that a person with a chart without any oppositions will have a hard time seeing other people’s perspectives, has anyone observed this to be true?”
I don’t think it’s true. That’s way too broad.
This is interesting! Now I have to go google all of my oppositions
What about out of sign oppositions? i have a pretty tight opposition - 0 degrees Gemini Sun 10th house, 29 degrees Scorpio Neptune in the fourth house. Does the fact that is out of sign make it an easier aspect?
Thanks
fun thread!
Taurus Mercury opposing Scorpio Neptune:
From … WYSIWYG -what you see is what you get, and all there is
To… What ultimately counts is What you imagine, intuit, dream or feel.
Jupiter - Pluto. All is well in the best of the world, it will all work out no matter what vs. uh. my Jupiter always win cuz of my Sag Moon. What would Pluto say? You Need to Know this: Some big opinion or truth without which you wont be able to survive…
I have Mercury and Venus in Aquarius opposing Saturn in Cancer. and Mars in Gemini oppose Neptune in Sag. Sometimes I’m all chatty and lively but many times I can be too serious, silent and reserved. Don’t know if that’s my merc/venus op. saturn, or my scorpio rising and moon. maybe both. Feel like mass of contradictions. there is a constant battle between inner child and a grown-up. between my harsh side and compassionate, mellow me.
Saturn in the 10th, Aquarius opposite Leo moon, 4th.
I can be all business during the day, then at night the cat comes out to Play…meow.
Somehow I relate 10/4th house opp as day and night split
Pisces Sun Virgo Moon Pisces Mercury Aquarius Venus Leo Uranus, Capricorn Mars, Cancer Rising
I think my opposites blend together very well.
My husband is a Taurus Sun, Scorpio Moon He does seem to go to extreme more than me, but I think that is just his scorpio moon
I’ve got Pisces Sun opposing Saturn in Virgo, LOL! I feel like there has to be a balance between the details and the universal. Too much nit picking does drive me crazy.
aren’t oppositions indicators of some sort of polarity of energies/forces? i geneally experience mine as inner tension between contradictory drives. i feel as if the parts of the personality that i could correlate to the planets involved need to manifest simultaneously. ballance at best, tension at worst.
I’ve got both Mars opposite Moon, and Pluto opposite Moon in my chart. Mars and Pluto in Scorpio (conjunct as well) Mars at the end of the 10th house, and Pluto in the 11th house. Moon is in Taurus in the 5th house.
How I deal with these, I have no idea. My temper has calmed down a lot, but when I’m mad… Well, you’d better hope it’s not directed towards you.
Get A Consultation
I'm available for consultations! You can schedule a consultation by phone or a consultation by email. You can also read what clients have to say about my consultations. Thanks, I look forward to working with you. :) - Elsa P
More
Recent Blog Comments
- Mari: Sheer class and poise She was the only and best thing about ...
- Mari: Thank you for that! I also looking forward to the continued ...
- Mokihana: I've loved this song for as long as it has been around. Now...
- Elsa: On the reanimation theme, it makes me think of the soldier's...
- Lucy: Out a window?! The Pisces part of me is like EW THAT'S GROSS...
- Lupa: SaDiablo, I think either way you have to walk away but the o...
- Ro: Ehhh, I wasn't pissed off when I first read this last night....
Recent Board Posts
Venus(Aries)opposition Pluto(Libra). Vacillatate between loving passionately and wanting to smother my love with a pillow and then give him cpr to bring him back to life.