Do you wonder if you and your mate had a past life together? Would you like to know the spiritual purpose of your relationship? Or perhaps you are curious about your relationship’s innate challenges?
Astrology is one of the most illuminating tools for understanding relationship karma. There are many approaches to studying relationships in astrology, but the composite chart is my favorite for grasping the karmic purpose of the relationship itself and delineating core challenges.
What is a Composite Chart?
This is a chart that represents the relationship itself. A composite is the creation of two separate birth charts and the literal energy field that two different people create. Many of my clients want to know the evolutionary or karmic purpose of their relationships: what they are creating or hoping to attain from the relationship on a higher level. The composite chart is perfect for this task.
A composite chart is less personal than your own birth chart. Your birth, or natal chart, will contain aspects that may be challenging but that you can work to change. You will feel able to act with and upon your birth chart. But a composite chart is a chart of a relationship. The relationship itself does not act independently to change itself; it is more or less a static thing. You can react to it and work within the energies the composite presents, but neither party will be able to work with the chart in a personal, active way. Quite literally, it is what it is.
Composite charts, and the information within them, are neither good nor bad. I tell my clients that it is important to recognize that their composite chart will not tell them whether or not they should be in the relationship. It will just describe what is.
How Can You Use a Composite Chart in Relationships?
Because a composite chart represents a specific entity—the relationship—you read it like a birth chart. Planets, signs, and aspects as they interact through the houses all speak about the attributes of this co-created relationship.
Let’s look at one chart as an example. Max and Ellen have a composite Sun in Scorpio. Thus, we can read the essence of the relationship through the lens of Scorpio. Fundamentally, the relationship is a complex one—sexually charged, emotionally deep, and demanding full participation from both Max and Ellen in these ways. They will be required to look at their deep psychological issues, address childhood wounds (Sun in 4th House), and share all their discoveries with each other. The relationship will also challenge them to become emotionally self-reliant or else fall into a shadowy Scorpio codependency.
They also have their composite Saturn in the 7th House, in Aquarius. The relationship can go two ways, depending on how they participate. Either they can achieve exciting levels of autonomy and freedom within the relationship (Aquarius supported by Saturn), or they may find the relationship is restrictive and creates insecurity and fear. If they do the emotional work signified by their Sun, they will be able to achieve the highest that their Saturn can bring. It’s a tough balance, and the relationship will require work. But if they do work at it, the relationship will likely endure.
Max and Ellen’s composite Venus is in Libra in the 3rd House. Conscious communication will be key for them—regardless of how they individually express Venus. Their love will flourish if they create harmony and balance in their everyday life and strive to communicate often and well. This Libra Venus, along with the Aquarius Saturn, creates a more objective place to stand when the Scorpio Sun gets a little intense.
But remember, the composite planets don’t speak to how Max and Ellen feel about each other or how they individually give and receive love, deal with fear, or any other quality. Max has the Sun in Leo and Ellen the Sun in Capricorn. They will react differently to their composite Sun in Scorpio, but that doesn’t change the fact that they will both experience the relationship as intense and Scorpionic.
Max and Ellen’s chart has the potential to evolve the couple emotionally. The relationship functions as a place for both of them to “grow up” and heal childhood wounds. In fact, a past life where they were in a parent/child relationship is likely, and it’s possible they’ve experienced restriction in other romantic relationships they’ve had in past lives as well. The present relationship can offer incredible stability and longevity if they are willing to work with the challenges.
For this couple, understanding the purpose of their union made the required effort worth it. They both had a deep desire to grow, and they love each other enough to do the hard stuff. Though of course there is more to their relationship than I’ve described, even knowing this much helps them make choices for the well-being of the relationship.
If you are ready to jump in and discover all a composite relationship chart has to tell you, contact an advisor on Keen today.
