Beginner Questions: What Is An Opposition? by Satori
Questions from the Workshop
In the first beginners workshop post people are asking some good questions about basic astrology: “When you say opposition – do you mean opposite – if so, how opposite?”
Opposition is the name of the “aspect” (a term for a specific relation, governed by degrees). The aspect the opposition is 180 degrees, give or take a few, how few or how many varies from astrologer to astrologer. Literally each planet is opposite the other. Figuratively, if the planets are in opposition across signs that oppose each other (you could have examples where this is not true, given planets at the beginning or ending of signs) opposing signs are characterized by qualities which are the flip side of the other. For example, Aries focuses on the self while Libra focuses on the other: opposite, yet related in their opposition.
Are you well-versed in the complimentary differences between the signs in opposition? Do you have oppositions in your own chart?
20 Responses to “Beginner Questions: What Is An Opposition? by Satori”
I’ve got a lot of oppositions. I don’t really get it so much. It’s like the two headed llama picture Elsa posted 
I guess either side shows at one time, sometimes I even hate the other side, like I sometimes hate certain kinds of radicals (Sun opposition Uranus, guess that’s how it works) and strongly separate my sexual self from my romantic self (Venus opposition Mars). I don’t get how to integrate them.
Oppositions are so difficult to understand. I get that they don’t communicate at all , but can they reach each other thrugh a squaring planet?
I have moon 2nd house opposite jupiter 8th.
Crossing that one I have mars 11th- pluto 5th, and
Chiron 12th -saturn 6th.
Uranus opposite asc..
I think I understand the op between mars and pluto , I recognize it all the time.
But moon-jupiter scares me ,does it mean I will only expand ,grow when I am emotionally detached? Does it make it impossible for me to be emotionally happy? This is an aspect I struggle with understanding.
And with jen’s chart ,with the sun moon opposition, will you allways give of a vibe ,personality that attracts the op of what you need?
Ha ha, I am all oppositions – 2 planets in Aries, 3 in Libra; 2 in Taurus plus Chiron, 2 in Scorpio plus Asc. And a lonely Sag Neptune that has nothing to oppose to.
I’ve been coming to terms with understanding aspects and from recently observing how aspects play in my chart, I’ve concluded that the opposition is what you reject Or have trouble accepting in yourself, whatever you are projecting at the time. It’s difficult to blend or accept the energies in yourself, and the signs give it what flavor. It makes it easier for me to regard an opposition in this way than thinking of it in terms of signs because opposing planets aren’t always in opposing signs.
In my case, my opposition are in sign and in a natural pair, but I see the planet play more easily. I.e. I have a Jupiter Saturn opposition so I’ll be all expansive and happy (Jupiter) then maybe I’ll start worrying (Saturn) about what people think because they might be close-minded or rejecting (projecting Saturn) and then when I’m feeling grounded and bound (Saturn) again I want to be all adventurous (Jupiter) and think everyone is open-minded, accepting, open-minded, and awesome (Jupiter).
Pluto/Mars
Pluto/Venus
Uranus/Sun
Uranus/Mercury
Uranus/Chiron
Jupiter/Neptune
I’m tired now. Nighty night.
Iathina, This is only my take but I’d interpret moon jupiter opposition as the moon having trouble accepting jupiter and vice versa. So the energies have trouble blending harmoniously because they’re rejecting each other a lot. So maybe your emotional needs (moon) aren’t in tune with your need for freedom (jupiter) so when you go with Jupiter you neglect your emotional needs and when you go with the moon, you feel the need (moon) to be free (Jupiter). I wouldn’t worry about having to be emotionally detached to expand because both energies play and switch off. It’s when they try to blend In the middle harmoniously that usually cause problems so acknowledgement/acceptance of each planet when one or the other is in play helps lower the strife.
My favorite thing about oppositions are that the planets involved can never be disconnected from one another – the energy of both are always attached. Reminds me of a conjunction except there is a huge natural dissonance. It’s like conjoined twins that don’t like each other. Say you have Moon opposition Mars like I do – You can play with your Moon, but you’ve got to always keep in mind that anything you do with your Moon will affect that Mars!
I’ve also read that the two signs do usually have a certain affinity which reduces the inharmony of the aspect, and should one figure out how to use that energy, it can be an aspect of great power. There usually needs to be a compromise of the energies involved for that to happen – opposing forces reconciled.
I have 5 oppositions in my chart.
Also wanted to mention ‘compromise’ is not always a middle ground, a blending – it can sometimes be that you know when to use each planetary energy at different times to the peak of it’s potential.
Wow thanx Teresina:::)))…
My brain is low functioning now( I have a cold) , so I def need to come back and read it over some times. But thank you so much..what you wrote about conflicting emotional needs and need for freedom..that is really something I struggle with..that is so well analysed.Brilliant
Thank you so much.. It helps alot!!:)
ThankYou Satori !!!
This is Going to the Point Great !!!
Blessings !!!
@eccentricvirgo: ive read that too about two opposition planets finding and “outlet” to settle their dissonant energies. for me, i have my sun opposition moon—-and sun trine neptune, moon sextile neptune. so ive been trying to understand how im using my neptune to mediate my sun/moon opposition.
Teresina–thank you. I too have the moon-jupiter opposition, and I’ve been struggling to figure it out. Thank you for a different way of looking at it. I also have retrograde mars in pisces, opp mercury. A little easier to understand
Now I’ve settled on Virgo for working purposes (!!) as my Asc, amd fiddled with the various possibles to get the most accurate planet/house timing, I have three Oppositions:
Sun Opp Mars: Competitive and confrontational, attracts people who are in conflict, tends to have emotional stand-offs, Tendency to waste energy in unproductive activities
Sun Opp Saturn: Very challenging aspect which makes the subject very self-critical and often defeatist. He/she brings himself down, beats herself up
Venus Opp Saturn: self-explanatory really! Endless problems in my love life…
All of which I’ve been pretty aware of over my lifetime, without being quite aware of where the problems were coming from!
Most of my oppositions are between the outter planets and chiron/MC which I don’t know much about so am perplexed (for now) by. I do have Mars(Taurus)/Pluto(Scorpio) as well, but I definitely get this one. Although I have Venus in Aquarius and I can’t stand to be tied down, I have noticed (since I started interpreting my chart) that I am very manipulative and possessive of other people which doesn’t fit my Venus at all.
Cap Moon 1st/Cancer Venus 7th
Gem Sun & Mars 6th/Sag Uranus & Pluto 12th
plus Neptune in 1st i think i can adapt a lil TOO well at times…
Dear Sir/Madam,
This is Rajiv. My DOB is December 6th, 1979. Time of Birth is 02:48 am. Place of Birth is Bangalore, Karnataka, India.
Here are my questions,
1)Problem in my job no matter where i work.Frequently changes the job. why this will happen?
2)Delay in marriage, Some asrtologers says that there will be divorce after marriage.Is this true? When i will get married?
3)How will be my financial position in future.
4)plans to start a businness. Will this work out to me?
I am very dipressed in life. Please provide me some answers for my above questions.
Thank you,
Rajiv
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