Free will is such a sticky subject. In this society, we are led to think we are surrounded by a glut of choices, though I think the influence of those choices can be superficial.

Mentally, emotionally, we have choices about how to face/perceive situations, though I can see where that might easily be colored by astrological characteristics. For instance, a Saturn-type might be more prone to looking at things from a pessimistic/cynical/realistic point of view.

But there’s also the aspects of a person that “legitimate” science is still trying to pin down. It’s accepted now that nature and nurture cannot be separated, and both are powerful, yet it is still a puzzle how much influence each has. It’s also accepted that babies are born with temperaments (which I suppose could be tracked astrologically), and then there are the case studies where twins separated at birth go on to have the same career, and marry spouses with the same first name, name their dogs the same thing.

Who would be comfortable with the thought that the name of your spouse is written in your DNA?

“Do transiting aspects light up a chart in a way that brings these stress aspects to the fore?”

If I understand you correctly, you’re asking, will a Saturn transit make a person so the right thing. Answer is, I don’t know. This is where a person’s free will comes in.

A person will feel pressure, yes. But how they respond to the pressure is determined by how they exercise their free will.

“Is it possible for a person to just not have the tools to take the high road?”

If they are mentally ill, then yes. But otherwise, I believe a person has this choice.

“You were unfair to to me so I get to hit you. No you don’t get to hit me, you can let it go, you can transcend, you can go chop firewood. Is it possible to not do any of those things, and be id driven and just hit the person anyway?”

It’s possible but I still believe this is free will. We all have impulses and we all have choices whether or not we act on them.

I always liked the quote of Carl Jung: ‘Free will is the ability to do gladly, that which I must do’

I agree that everyone is granted Free Will. Even when we are victimised, imprisoned and tortured I believe there is always a choice to make. It might be a choice between something bad and something worse, or life or death.

I used to be of the opinion that I didn’t need to hurt someone back, after they’d hurt me. That was the way I lived for a *long* time. When someone stabbed me in the back when I was nineteen, I didn’t say another word to them, I just totally ignored them – after my initial anger that was expressed without them being there, I didn’t do anything more.

For the past two years, my temper has been huge, and I have lashed out when hurt. I have nursed grudges, and spent a lot of time arguing – and I hate it, but I can’t seem to help it most of the time. During this time, I would class myself mentally ill, and I’ve had Pluto in my 3rd, and Saturn in my 12th. I’ve held on to some integrity, but you know what? my sister and I are both not dealing well with tempers or each other – although yesterday, I handled her and everything else just fine. Two day ago, the cops were called, because we were, and have been, arguing so much. that has never happened to either of us before, and out charts have been hit a lot by eclispes (especially me – right on my Moon/Venus/South node, square Mars in the 4th). the uranus/pluto square hits both of us, and pluto is creating a grand cross for me, with uranus adding to it. It’s frightful, and upsetting, and I don’t recognize my world anymore.

How are you supposed to deal with this, when you usually do the right thing, but you’re so stuck in it, and you feel like you’re sinking? I was supposed to try starting a free therapy thing last month, but I didn’t get back to them in time. I mostly feel fine when I know I’m not stuck, but hemmed in with someone who has a searing hatred of me (that wasn’t there before), who also isn’t dealing well with all of this? I’m *trying*. I can only replant the vegetable plants in the garden so many times, otherwise they won’t grow anything. We’re stuck together, and I fear what comes next. Two years ago – last year – I thought I would be dead by now. I’m having such trouble handling things. I’ve felt like a diamond turning into a lump of coal.

Free will -freedom of humans to make choices that are not determined by prior causes or by divine intervention – dictionary
Would this be another name for sovereignity of the soul? Or does it also describe independence from all outside and inside sources to be able to make a choice. To see clearly the horizon over the inner and outer turmoil.

I feel that Free Will comes from the Soul’s communication of where it “needs” to be and go.

I feel that Free Will is so strong, self directed that it just has to do it. ANd it’s very aware of its self as it operates, plans, progresses.

whether it moves in a right or wrong direction is another thing entirely – because it’s FREE and it sure Will.

“our fated” I’ve not had enough coffee..should be “are fated”

PS I truly believe the fact that so many people who do wrong and have little moral sense have had such poor guidance in childhood proves the point.

I don’t believe this correlation is fate – it’s the result of poor nurture or none. And that in turn is the choice or series of choices of someone – ie the parent or parents

That sounds rough, Angela. I really commiserate with you.
Can you tell me what you make out of the eclipse right on your moon? I wondering if there can’t be an alternative interpretation that would point to opening up the possiblity of substantial change.