Composite Charts And Midpoints
“I’ll start walking your way, you start walking mine; we’ll meet in the middle ‘neath that old Georgia pine. We gain a lot of ground ’cause we both give a little; ain’t no road too long when we meet in the middle.”
–Diamond Rio
There are two types of charts of the relationship itself, the composite and the Davison relationship chart. The Davison chart is the chart of an actual point in time and place that is the midpoint or average between the birth places and birth times of the two individuals. That is to say that it is a real chart that exists in real time. The composite is not. The composite is calculated by taking the planets and angles and calculating the midpoints between them.
The composite shows each planet in a position exactly between your individual planets, Sun to Sun, Moon to Moon, etc. You meet in the middle. That sounds a lot like compromise to me, neutral ground. When you look at the composite on its own you see the qualities of that neutral meeting place. You can compare the composite to each natal chart to see how well you resonate to the meeting place. To use metaphor, the midpoint between L.A. and Hawaii is in the middle of the ocean. How well does each of you swim?
On a goofy note I’ve always had an odd thought about the Davison chart. Out there are people who have the same chart as the relationship. Would I like them?
Do you like the energy you see in the composite chart of your relationship (past or present)? How well does it work with the energy of your own chart (synastry)?
10 Responses to “Composite Charts And Midpoints”
Aaaahh! ::I want to be at the ocean, nowwww:: 
The only Composite chart I checked – for a romantic relationship – did reflect the tangible-intangibles of what happened when we were together. Jupiter on the Ascendant: conversation was the most fun I’d had in a long, long time. And, others who interacted with us walked away happy. One told my sweetheart about a long ago love affair, with someone… like me.
I have a song running in my thoughts, “I would walk 500 miles… to be with you…”
Thank you, Satori! For an informative, and inspiring post – again.
Poppy
We had moon conjunct the Galactic Center opposite Jupiter
I tend to run into this person when the Vertex is being transited.
I’m loving the country music references. I saw you referenced Krisofferson recently.
I don’t know about the composite chart thing yet. I’m really glad you’re going through the basics because I had a lot of confusion and wanted to know more.
Daisy, here’s what astro.com has to say about it:
“The Medium Coeli (MC) computed for the time midpoint, which is the basis of the Davison chart, deviates very slightly (usually by less than 1 degree) from the composite MC (computed as the midpoint between the two personal MCs). The time correction applied to the standard Davison chart brings its MC into perfect alignment with the meridian axis of the composite chart. Most astrologers read the composite chart and the Davison chart together.”
I don’t work with the Davison chart currently, although I could see looking into it, so it’s a moot point for me personally, but interesting.
thanks, Poppy, I know a few similar songs and am thinking of them all now!
autumn, I’ve been thinking about country music a lot lately (I’m very particular about what I like and very vehement about what I don’t). I’m not sure why! We discussed Kristofferson at great length wednesday night.
Thanks Satori
Our composite chart is eerily compatible…a stellium in Libra in the 7th house. The vertex precisely, within minutes, opposes the ascendant.
Not sure how to interpret the Moon conjunct the IC.
I like the Davison chart much better than the composite, because it’s a chart of reality, where the planets keep their original order and mutual correspondence, that’s important. On composites you can find weird things like Mercury or Venus opposing the Sun, which can never happen within the coordinates of our reality. If planets stand for our archetypes, the Davison chart might be a more appropriate approach. Since I discovered it for myself, I don’t use composites anymore.
Liz Greene (http://www.astro.com/astrology/in_composit_e.htm) writes that you don’t read the signs in a composite reading, just the houses and angles. What do you think?
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