The Composite Chart – The You of Two

One of the most interesting charts to cast in astrology is the composite chart, which is the chart two individual charts create when they come together and move in the world together.  This article will look at the “you” that you and another person create when your charts are merged into a single chart. Additionally, once you have cast the composite chart it is worth looking at the composite chart through synastry, a term used to describe comparing to charts, one on top of the other.

The Composite Chart Technique

The composite chart is cast by finding the midpoint of each point in two charts.  The shortest arc between the two points is used, as opposed to the longer arc.  In the case of my wife and myself, her Sun is in Cancer at 28 degrees and my Sun is in Aries at 23 degrees, so our composite Sun is 10 degrees of Gemini (the arc between Aries and Cancer is two signs – Taurus and Gemini; the arc between Cancer and Aries is 8 signs – Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces).

A computer program will conveniently produce a composite chart using all the points you want to select.

The Meaning of the Composite Chart

The composite chart is literally the entity you create and express when you are out in the world together.  It is the “you of two”.  Below is my chart, my wife’s chart, and our composite chart:

Philip

Magdalena

Philip/Magdalena Composite

Interpreting the Composite Chart

Let’s look at a couple of points in the composite chart, starting with the AS, which is the Ascendant.  In our composite chart, it is at 26 degrees and 36 minutes of Aquarius.  The Ascendant is the energy outfit that people see us wearing when we are out in the world together, and it is quite unique and different.

As it turns out we are both professional astrologers, who do spiritual advising for clients as our profession.  Also, we are a mixed culture couple; she is from South Africa and I am from the United States.  People readily see us as “different” when we are out together, whether we are working at an event or just out and about socially.

The Sabian Symbol for our Ascendant is 27 Aquarius, “an ancient pottery bowl filled with violets”.  The author, Marc Edmund Jones says, “This is a symbol of the permanence or changelessness of the real as an ultimate assurance to the human heart.  The keyword is TRADITION.  When positive, the degree is a high realization of values and a real gift for using them, and when negative, a loss of self in conventionality and its meaningless trappings” (p. 297).

Taking another point, let’s look at the one in the 6^th segment, Mars (the red round symbol with the arrow pointing up and to the right).  That point combines at 12 degrees and 29 minutes of Cancer.  Mars is the drive and passion of the composite chart and the Sabian Symbol is 13 Cancer, “one hand slightly flexed with a very prominent thumb” (p. 252).

Jones writes, “This is a symbol of that belief in the inherent supremacy over all other orders of nature by which a person is characterized most fundamentally, dramatized by the quite normal confidence in the ability to deal with every eventuality of day-by-day activity and relationship.  The keyword is DETERMINATION” (p. 252).

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The Composite Chart and the Two Individuals

After assessing the composite chart on its own, it is worthwhile to look at the composite chart in relation to the individual charts.  Mine is first and Magdalena’s is second.  As a couple, we will be “easily noticed” by others (Sun in the 5^th House and Aquarius Ascendant) and attract attention that we can use to increase our recognition in the world.  Our composite Moon is Libra and in a supportive elemental relationship with our composite Sun (both air signs).

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We each get certain distinct and clear advantages from the relationship most easily seen where points align by sign and degree.

Philip and Composite

Magdalena and Composite

The outer chart is the composite chart.  If you look for the symbol of the Sun, which is a red circle with a red dot, you will see that the composite Sun “shines” on my 8^th segment, the 8^th House of Intimacy, which rules shared resources.  The composite Sun “shines” on Magdalena’s 2^nd House of Personal Resources, which rules needs and security issues.  The Gemini placement encourages communication, problem-solving, and learning as a couple, to take care of our needs and shared responsibilities.

Since we both have our Moons (the crescent Moon symbol) in the sign of Libra, the composite Moon is Libra.  And as it turns out, we have complimentary charts, which means our Ascendants and Descendants are in opposite signs, so our charts are “flipped”.  All points in our composite chart will appear in the opposing sign of our individual charts, creating a powerful symmetry for each of us where the composite chart is concerned.

Judging the Composite Chart

Our composite chart is favorable for a number of reasons, but one of the most prominent is the placement of the Sun in the 5^th House, where it naturally rules. The symbol for Venus (blue circle with a cross below it) in the composite chart is directly on top of the Mars symbol in my chart, a wonderful alignment for stability and natural support.

The composite Mercury (orange symbol in the 1^st segment) aligns directly over Magdalena’s As (Ascendant), helping her identity find reliable expression through the communication point of the composite chart.  Due to the opposing nature of the composite points in the individual charts, there will always be a move towards equilibrium as a couple.

Clearly one of the best ways to get a tremendous insight from astrology is to get a composite chart done for any significant relationships in your life, especially ones where you will be seen “out in public” or your work closely in private.  The composite chart is a useful tool for understanding the relationship dynamic as its own entity and in relation to your individual story.