Chart Reading: Step #6, Martha Stewart -- The Social Achievement planets

Moongold

My software identifies Martha as having a Grand Trine between Sun, Moon and Mars, all of which are in fire signs. Apparently a Grand Trine occurs when three planets, each trine to the other two, form a giant "good luck triangle".

How would this play out in Martha's life? Does this also enable the Moon which we have seen to be somewhat weakly placed in Marth's chart? Does this Grand Trine give a softer,more reflective dimension to Martha's thinking?
 

dadsnook2000

A Grand Trine ?

Martha's SUN is at 11 Leo (approximately).
Martha's MOON is at 25 Sag.
Martha's MARS is at 16 Aries.

Sun is TRINE Mars within 5 degrees. Sun is at a square-and-a-half (135 degrees) within 2 degrees to Moon. Moon and Mars have a wide TRINE within 9 degrees. I'd say its a little stretch to view this as a Grand Trine aspectually, but it is a Grand Trine by Signs.

The trick is how you want to use it in an interpretation.

ASPECTS:

Sun trine Mars suggests a can-do attitude, an ease about taking charge or directly dealy with a problem. This is not touchy-feely but touchy-changey in nature.

Sun square-1/2 to Moon suggests a "trying-till-you-succeed" approach to life, finding a way to make relationships and bargins work to advantage.

Moon widely trine Mars lends an emotional response to efforts, infusing them with feeling and passion for creative results.

Synthesizing just these statements, I'd say that Martha is a go-getter, she tackles problems with a passion and zeal. Difficulties are dealt with in a practical way, bargains are made to meet the need-of-the-day. Results count in her world.

TRINES BY SIGN:

Leo Sun; pride, leadership, praise is well received. Sag Moon; her sense of freedom to feel and express herself is highly prized. A blending of ideas and concepts is appealling. Mars in Aries; she puts herself on a pedestal and conducts the battle from there. A vision leads to action. Synthesizing these concepts, I'd say that Martha has vision, she wants style and flair for herself and others (plus the credit for leading others to her sense of "rightness) and she both cajoles and pushes others to reach her goals.

I guess how you deal with these is just a matter of prefference. The great thing about astrology is that you can get there from here via a variety of paths. Dave.
 

Moongold

Thanks Dave. Again, this is a very useful learning experience.

The software I have is Winstar Express. Whilst it identifies Grand Trines it doesn't define them. I got the definition from Choice Centred Astrology and Astrology for Dummies
 

dadsnook2000

Chat

I currently use Halloran's Astrodelux. I was one of Matrix's early software users around 1979 and 1980. The software ran on a Commodor PET, a machine that came out prior to the first Radio Shack and first Apple. My system had two 5 1/2 inch floppies that each held 170 kb of memory. The programs cost a few hundred dollars and presented a character-based square chart wheel that was 40 characters across and down.

Later I used other Matix software that was more Windows-like but didn't like the default settings that kept overriding my preferences. I did like their mid-point charts and listings. Their Astro-Chart and Friends & Lovers programs were great and the included interpretations were interesting.

Although my software has a report writer I don't use it. They spew out too much information and cloud the core meanings of the chart.

Dave.
 

Minderwiz

I also use Astroldeluxe and I go along with Dave's comments - especially the one about how far you want to stretch things. From a very ancient perspective, as all three are in Fire signs one may argue that they form a grand trine. The ancients didn't have much accuracy in terms of degree measurements. I'd take the Mars / Moon 'trine' as being too wide but if you are going to use it then treat it as being quite weak.

On Saturn and Jupiter, I'll be quick. Saturn's conjunction with Uranus is a notable feature combined with the trine to Neptune. The first could be seen in two ways, either fear of change or alternatively the rebel in control. Saturn is only dignified by Face in Martha's chart so it is only just holding its own. Perhaps the 'fear' side of Saturn might have the edge here. The trine with Neptune could signal a fear of losing control but it opens up the possibility of transcending boundaries. Again it can be looked at in both a positive and a negative way. As Uranus and Neptune do not have essential dignity, its a bit difficult to come to a conclusion on that basis alone.

Saturn in the seventh may well represent marriage to an older (but possibly unusual) man or a partner that is seen as being a father figure. Saturn and Uranus both in the seventh do not suggest that partnerships will run smoothly - there will be ups and downs, possibly rapid changes and perhaps some fear of things going wrong.

Saturn rules the third House suggesting controlled and limited communications, If she has siblings they are likely to be serious types. Saturn also rules the fourth House of home and the father. She may therefore see her father as an unsual man who she idolises and may indeed project him onto possible partners (with Saturn in the seventh).

Jupiter is weakly placed in the eighth - a poor placement for any planet. In Gemini he is also in Detriment and Peregrine. This is likely to be seen as inconsistency in dealing with eighth house affairs - periods when things expand rapidly but then begin to fall back or even fall apart. Jupiter rules the second house of material resources, money and finance. The link between own and other people's money is clear and a weak Jupiter may make it difficult to differentiate the two. The growth may be there but whether there is a sound underlying basis is more the issue. Jupiter here may also represent 'easy come', 'easy go' as a financial characteristic - though I don't know much of her financial affairs, other than the obvious success.

Jupiter also rules the fifth House of children and fun. Jupiter's rulership would normally suggest perhaps many children and quite a bit of fun. I understand she has only one child - but that may be a symbol of Jupiter's underlying weakness. Pisces is a 'feminine' sign so that should indicate female rather than male children.

Jupiter has no serious afflictions from aspects so it is the weak placement that is the main issue.

Saturn and Jupiter are not strong in this chart, and will to a large extent be oveshadowed by the Sun /Mars pairing and the support from Venus. Saturn may just about hold its role - though the Saturn / Uranus conjunction does not bode particularly well for partnerships. Jupiter is weak but its weakness may well be covered up - possibly for her life time - however if there is anything up to now that offers a serious threat to the success it comes strangely enough from Jupiter - it might just let her down.

Sorry this ended up being not all that quick :) :)
 

dadsnook2000

Welcome back

Hope your Holiday was all you wished for. Any break from normal routine is beneficial. We've been moving along through the process of looking at Martha's chart. I'm most interested in what the list will do with the next section with the outer planets. They play a reasonably strong role in her chart and can offer some nice insights.

As for Saturn, that old stiff of the zodiac could also represent the Board of Directors for her enterprises, it being in the 10th house of the 10th house -- goals of the corporation. As such, the BoD could assume a conservative approach any time Martha screws up -- as in the SEC investigation in stock trading using inside information.

Dave.
 

Minderwiz

Thanks Dave, The holiday went well - apart from the journey back, which was delayed by several roadworks and an accident which closed the Motorway (Freeway) for two hours! However Cornwall is a very 'magical' area full of standing stones, stone circles and other neolithic and bronze age monuments. Spiritually very refreshing.

Your point on Saturn as the Board of Directors is a good one - just as one could also look at the eighth as representing the material resources and finances of the marriage (second from the seventh) - the promise of expansion but perhaps at a price and with little reliance on gaining resources actually strengthening the marriage.