Synthesizing House Systems to Unfold Deeper Astrological Story
I am in crisis. It’s a very Scorpionic-Plutonian thing. And I am a Sun-Pluto in Scorpio, so it’s very natural and authentic for me.
Several months back, as I analyzed my chart for the millionth time, I considered and “owned” that my T-square by sign is manifest, despite the wide orb between my Sun-Pluto and Saturn.
As it stands by much-agreed-upon technique, there exists a square aspect between the Moon and Saturn as well as between the Moon and Sun-Pluto. Suffice to say the Moon brings it all in (and let’s not forget my moon’s conjunction to Chiron).
Now, in a T-square aspect, you look at the apex (or right-angle) of the right triangle this aspect creates (should you color inside the aspect lines). The apex would be Sun-Pluto, which feels right when considering the meanings for each aspect separately.
The “crisis” at the apex, which aligns with my life’s mission given the Sun’s involvement, triggers my Moon-Chiron and Saturn, individually and in their combined opposition aspect. I am often fighting for my life, which is uncomfortable (wounded Moon-Chiron opposite Saturn) to say the least. There are pressures pressed against my will (Sun) by Saturn, and against my comfortability. When in crisis, there is quite a lot of “need.” And my emotional needs are not getting met. Why? Well, relationally, there are familial wounds. Any hard luminary-Saturn aspect could spell those troubles, and I have both the Moon and Sun in hard aspect to Saturn — plus Chiron into the mix conjoined with the Moon, but also in a stronger square aspect to Sun-Pluto.
Now, the family wounding piece can be taken a step further. And this is where my newest interpretation comes in. If we look at my chart via Whole Sign or Equal Sign, my Moon-Chiron moves from the fourth house of family foundation to the third house of siblings. And, when left in a Placidus house system, my Moon-Chiron rules the third house anyway (with Cancer being on the third house cusp). Because Moon-Chiron seems to be involved in the third house whichever way you slice it, it’s appropriate to interpet and find new meaning in that area of my life. Now, it doesn’t just have to be siblings … the third house also represents early childhood education (up until high school), as well as our greater community, and our communication style (or learning / speech deficits). But because there’s this bridge or connection between the fourth and the third, I want to focus on family as opposed to environment (though there’s something to be said there, too).
Obviously, some of that aforementioned story of the T-square between Moon-Chiron, Sun-Pluto, and Saturn changes houses with a different house system (e.g., Saturn moves from the 10th house to the 9th). But, I just want to parse out the third house involvement for sake of this Chironic wound lesson.
I’d like to think that children of abuse and neglect never give up hope on their parents or other family members coming to the rescue some day. Personally, I believe in redemption and I have seen my dad apologize and improve over the years. I’ve also seen him falter on bad behaviors and my wounds reopen. Our Saturn returns (around age 29) are often a time when we break away from our parents for one reason or another to truly take on adult responsibility of our own. My Saturn return triggers the T-square, so I’m being reminded that I don’t have anyone else — even in crisis — and it’s easier to shut down emotionally than feel.
But lately, I’ve leaned into resentment again. Especially because my crisis is health-related, and it seems I had signs since childhood of a chronic and progressive illness that could have been caught and treated sooner had I not experienced the neglect and abuse. And, because I experienced the neglect and abuse, I repeated the cycle by not taking care of myself in my teens and early twenties — worsening my health scenario. You see how the wounds (Chiron) are related to my body, with the luminaries (Sun and Moon) very much so connected to our physicality and vitality as much as emotional health, willpower, and determination.
Obviously, the blame falls on my parents (representative of the Sun, Moon, and sometimes Saturn) than on other family members. But as an adult still in crisis, I should surely be able to lean on my siblings, right?
Enter: Third house. In February, I stayed with a half-sister that I did not grow up with. I’d been working on building a relationship with her for years, but she’s distant (and she hasn’t the reason to be compared to my upbringing!). When I visited, I was in poor health but thankfully having some good days. She knew I was struggling because I’d let her know via text in the past. (Not that she’d asked.) And, when there, she didn’t ask about me once. She showed no hospitality either. It was traumatic to me. It was a denial of who I am as a blood relative. It was as if I was a stranger, and I do not suffer superficial relationships — especially with “family.”
And so, time went on without her checking on me, and I ghosted her. I’d already said my peace that I wanted more from the sibling relationship ahead of time, and it hurt to be talking to a brick wall. Similarly, a newer half-brother on the scene (whom I learned about in 2021) also had next to no responses to my crises. I know that people often don’t know what to say to people in crisis, and that’s truly the shattered “mother” in all of us, but it’s not an excuse and we all need to do better.
I’m to this point in my crisis that I can’t carry the weight of the world anymore. I need someone to rescue me. I need a miracle. I need a village more than anyone’s needed a village. And that is where, broadening the third house scope, the “community” has failed me as well. (Though, to be fair, I’ve moved a lot and my newest location was achieved during COVID while a new mom to two little babies. It was hard to connect, but still harder to connect because everyone’s living in a false reality on the screens.)
If anything, I hope this little piece on Chiron manifesting for me sheds light on how the same celestial body of a certain degree in a sign can be interpreted through various house systems. It’s never one thing that bothers us to our core, and in knowing our wounds, we know what ought to be healed (but not necessarily “how”). For me, I’m trying to build an authentic village of people to support me and my family. But this is often through transactional relationships to begin with until we get more comfortable and familiar with each other.
Baby steps, as they say.
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IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: Astrology is both an art and an inexact science and should always be subject to interpretation due to its human influence. In this way, astrology is best utilized for entertainment purposes only. Take what you want and leave the rest, but never replace sound advice from a variety of skilled professionals — including and especially of the medical and financial trades — with astrology and its astrologers. In case of a medical or psychiatric emergency, please contact your local authorities.
