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Deep > Oh
My Yod!
Page 1, 2, 3, 4
(Or Yods, Kites, Grand Cross, and other Planetary Configurations)
 It's
a Family Affair
According
to astrologer Liz Greene, planetary configurations for purposes of illustration
can be likened to small families of planets residing within the birth
chart - and
the birth chart may contain more than one of these little families. (It
gets even more fun when one planet belongs to two or more of the small
families....)
Furthermore, like our families, all
planetary configurations are at least a wee bit neurotic and dysfunctional
in nature. Granted, some tend to be more dysfunctional than others.
Closed/Open
Systems
Closed
Family
Borrowing from "Family Systems Theory," some dysfunctional families
are totally clueless about any of the problems and/or issues going on
in their family. Everyone goes about playing their designated, agreed
upon, and expected role in the family; and so life in the family goes
on unimpeded.
These are
called Closed Systems or Families. Closed Families don't appreciate other
people horning in and messing with the harmony of their perfect little
family. Closed Families tend to have a basic core "dynamic"
with predictable patterns of behavior. Famiily therapist Nathan Ackerman's
concept of "homeodynamic principle" holds that following an
interruption (such as family therapy) of these patterns of behavior, the
previous family patterns tend to re-emerge.
In the birth
chart, some planetary configurations are like this clueless family. These
are the Closed configurations.
How
to Recognize a Closed configuration? Closed configurations will
have all equal sides and equal angles. Symbolically this means that
Closed configurations don't appreciate other planets horning in and
messing with their perfect little family. And the three most common
Closed planetary configurations are: the Stellium (See "Thick
As A Brick" for info on Stelliums), the Grand Trine, and the
Grand Cross.
In a closed
family there are no obvious visual "focus" points that can give any
clues as to the behavior of the configuration and/or which planet (or
planets) will act as the central character(s) or focal point.
Closed Configuration examples
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If
the Grand Trine in your chart could speak – it
would tell you something like: "Life is easy. Life is nice. Life
is simple."
In a "classic" Grand Trine pattern, all of the planets
are happy companions. The planets involved are located in the same
element but are in different modes. This means they're all basically
in agreement and work easily together. A Grand
Trine is a lot like the family members that make up the "Brady Bunch." |
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If
the Grand Cross in your chart could speak – it
would tell you something like: "Life is difficult. Life is hard.
Life is conflict." In a "classic" Grand Cross, all of the planets
are located in different elements but are in the same mode. They're
all equal participants in the family unit. A Grand Cross a lot like
"All In the Family." |
So is a Grand Trine qualitatively better than a Grand Cross? You'll have to answer that question for yourself. Would you rather be the "Brady Bunch" or "All In the Family?"
Open Family
Other family systems are aware of that fact that they're dysfunctional.
This family is only too cognizant of the fact that something's "not quite
right." The
Open Family is experiencing tension and stress among family members -
and this family recognizes they've got some very serious communication
problems and/or issues going on. And since this
family wisely recognizes the tension and stress among family members,
the open family is more "open" to possible change and intervention.
Therefore, they often make the wise decision to go together
for family therapy.
According
to Liz Greene, in the astrological chart, some planetary configurations
are like this family who decides to go in for therapy.
These are the Open configurations. The
Open planetary configurations consist of the T-square,
Kite, Yod and (almost) everything else not included in the Closed configurations.
These Open planetary configuration families are
conscious enough to recognize that they are experiencing pain, distress,
and tension within the family unit. They recognize their need for outside
intervention and (most importantly) change.
Open Configurations Examples
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Kites are often considered to be a welcome addition to a Grand Trine, because they add in the tension (and energy) of an opposition (the red line) and thus bring a focus point to this family of planets. |
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T-squares also have a focus point. In this case the focus point is generally the planet which is squared the two other planets in opposition. |
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And finally we have the Yod… the Yod also has a focus point. See if you can guess which planet in this chart is the focus planet... |
Yep! The focus planet is the planet on the far right hand side of the chart.
Oh My Yod!
The Yod is sometimes called the Neurotic planetary configuration.
Why?
Let's take a closer look at the Yod...
Final Page> Oh My Yod Finale > Page 1, 2, 3, 4
Alright...alright... remain calm... it's now time to focus briefly on the Yod...
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