The Witch's Heart

by Christopher Penczak

  Astrologers interpret the various combinations of a planet in a sign, in a house, and with any aspects to give you a description of the forces at work within your chart and within your life. One analogy my astrology teacher gave me to help understand these various parts and combinations is to look at the planets as if they were actors. Each of us has an array of actors within us. Some of these actors deal with romance, others not as much. The signs they occupy are like the roles the actors play. Each role will color a specific actor’s movement, but you can still tell the actors apart. Each actor is unique and has a special area of expertise, no matter the role taken on. The houses are like the scenes where the action takes place. These scenes, however, are in your own life, and the aspects describe the relationships between the actors in their given roles.

  A good astrologer can compare the charts of two different people and determine the areas of ease or difficulty between the two. They compare the various “actors” between the charts to see how well they would get along and look for aspects between them. In terms of romantic astrology for compatibility with another, here are some basic points to keep in mind when determining astrological compatibility:

  Sun Sign—The Sun represents our basic self. Some astrologers say it is who we are, our ego self, while others say it is who we are learning to be in this lifetime. As the Sun is the largest body in the solar system, it represents the largest amount of energy in our astrological chart. It often is the sign of our most dominant characteristics and traits, particularly if we were born during the day. If we were born during the night, the sign on the horizon, the Ascendant, will appear to be the dominant sign to those observing us. Because the Sun is such a large influence, astrology based solely on the Sun sign can have some merit, but ultimately it’s incomplete.

  Moon Sign—The sign the Moon is in influences your emotional self and inner nature. Though not specifically romantic, your overall emotions do play an important part in all relationships, and understanding the way you process your emotions, and how your partner does, can be very helpful to the overall relationship.

  Venus Sign—Venus is the planet of relationship. It rules over how we express ourselves socially and romantically, as well as how we express our affection for others. Venus is said to be the magnetic quality that attracts people to us, and the sign that Venus occupies determines the style of that attraction.

  Fifth-House Ruler—The fifth house is the house of children and lovers. Today it is generally seen as the house where we are most sensitive in terms of our ego development, and the two forces that are mostly likely to build up or tear down our ego development are those that are closest to us emotionally—children and lovers. In terms of lovers, this is the place of romantic and casual lovers, or those that are discreet. This is the house of the romantic and sensual affair. When a deeper commitment occurs, the seventh house becomes dominant.

  Seventh-House Ruler—The seventh house is the house of partnership. Though technically it rules all partnerships, including business, most think of it as the house of marriage. It is for publicly declared relationships and public commitments to another. The sign ruling this house determines your view of partnership and your style in approaching and working with a potential partner.

  Eighth-House Ruler—The eighth house is the house of sex, death, and transformation, for they all are ultimately things beyond the control of our personality. Some call the eighth house the house of desires, which relates to sex on a physical level. The lens through which we approach our sexuality and sexual experiences is the ruler of the eighth house.

  Compatibility is much more than these six points, but they provide a good start for the Witch interested in astrology, and relationship astrology in particular. Generally, it is said that air and fire signs get along well together, and earth and water signs get along well together. This is the basic wisdom of coffee-table astrology, with a few additional notes. Since Venus rules both Taurus and Libra, they are considered compatible, and Mercury rules Gemini and Virgo, so they are also considered compatible. Though each sign’s opposite sign will be of the complementary element, and while we are attracted to our opposite signs, particularly our opposite Sun signs, we usually have difficulty understanding and working with our opposite signs. You will also find that the other five points can show the flaws at looking solely at Sun sign astrology. Your Sun signs can be very compatible, but if your Moon and seventh house are less complementary, you can have a very difficult relationship.

  Sometimes the biggest obstacle is simply understanding how your partner approaches romance and sex and how they express love and affection. If we know how they view partnership, sex, and relationship, we can better understand their words and actions and how they are different from ours. We can better express what we need and then be able to speak to them in a romantic language they understand.

  Here are basic descriptions of the signs, and in particular how they apply to romance and relationship. These ideas can then be applied to definitions of the Sun, Moon, Venus, fifth, seventh, and eighth houses, as needed.

  Aries/Cardinal Fire—Those with strong Aries energy like to take the lead in love, romance, and sex. They are natural adventurers, but rather than the adventure of exploration that is typical with the fire sign Sagittarius, they seek the thrill of the adventure, the intensity and excitement in action. Aries archetypes are warriors, and they can bring that energy to the relationship. They can have difficulty in expressing love and caring in terms of everyday expressions and prefer the grand sweeping gestures. Aries is also the sign of learning about the self, so their love nature can appear to be very self-oriented and not outwardly expressed, sometimes appearing a bit selfish, unless other signs are mediating their Aries energy in terms of romance. They can be adventuresome in the bedroom and tend to either be very excitement oriented or a bit rough-and-tumble.

  Taurus/Fixed Earth—Taurus is both practical and sensual, looking to both receive and give the creature comforts of life. Taureans will give gifts to show affection, particularly gifts with a strong sensual aspect—things with rich smells such as perfumes and colognes; fine textures; expensive and shiny objects like jewelry; good food and fine sweets. Spending money is a way that Taureans show their love and a way they expect love to be shown to them. Little gifts are the language of love for Taurus—the amount spent is not as important as the actual act of getting and giving. Though the gift giving is a lifelong process, Taureans also desire to give security, usually in the home and financially, to their lovers. Taurus is very sexual and likes to both give and receive pleasure over a longer period time, extending foreplay. Sex is seen as playful and recreational, as well as a sign of love and affection. Taurus is fiercely loyal to lovers, present and past, and easily form bonds of commitment through sex and romance.

  Gemini/Mutable Air—Geminis express love through words. They tell you they love you and expect to be told the same. Physical signs of love might go unnoticed if they do not come with verbal expressions of love. Geminis will speak and write about love with poems, stories, and short little notes. They love to tell stories of their wonderful times with a lover to others, to show how important their lover is. Sexually, Geminis are very much into the idea of sex and approach it from an intellectual level. They must be intellectually stimulated by sex and can easily get bored without new and different situations and experiences. They bring creativity to the bedroom and usually are open to new ideas.

  Cancer/Cardinal Water—The nature of Cancer is to nourish and care for another. Considered the mother sign of the zodiac, lovers with strong Cancer energy will tend to mother their partner, being great homemakers and cooks, seeking to create domestic bliss. Harmony in the home is important to them, and while they prefer to be the nurturer, actions to nurture them or the home will be particularly noticed by them. Food is a sign of love to Cancer. Some do not nurture in a physical way and are purely emotional and seek to shelter and protect th
eir lover, but they are often emotionally sensitive and protective of themselves, sometimes creating the classic “shell” of the crab and reserving their emotions so as not to be hurt. Mature Cancers will support you but not take care of your every need. Sexually, Cancers are emotionally driven and seek emotional intimacy as much as, if not more than, physical intimacy. To be at ease sexually, they must feel secure emotionally.

  Leo/Fixed Fire—Leo’s archetype is varied, as it’s described as the entertainer, the person who likes to show off and be the center of attention. It is also described as royalty—a king or queen who by their very nature is the center of attention. Those with a Leonine energy like to be the center of attention, particularly when it comes to love, romance, and sex. Attention is tied into their self-identity, and they are learning about themselves through how others respond to them, so they need that constant attention and feedback. They are generally romantic and attentive lovers, doing whatever is necessary to keep the attention of the lover, and they are funny, artistic, and entertaining. Showing attention to Leos in big and small ways can build the relationship, and making them feel that your romance together is of extreme importance to you is vital. In astrology, Leo naturally rules the house of children and lovers, the two relationships in which we are most sensitive. Hurtful comments from lovers can devastate Leo’s healthy sense of ego, but usually they will not admit it, not wanting their quest for approval to be known.

  Virgo/Mutable Earth—Virgo is the sign of service, and those with strong Virgo energy in their chart show their love and affection through service. They do things for their lovers. Virgos operate best when they are needed—or at least feel like they are needed. They might not often express love verbally or through material gifts. Being an earth sign, their material gift is themselves and what they can do. Though Virgos tend to focus on the doing, they recognize love through actions of service, and doing something for someone with strong Virgo energy goes much further than simply saying you love them. Virgos truly believe actions speak louder than words. Virgos can tend to be self-critical as well as critical of a partner, and they express both of these tendencies verbally. Their analytical skills must be put to good positive use in the relationship and generally in their life so it doesn’t turn to attacking their partner with unnecessary criticism.

  Libra/Cardinal Air—Libra expresses its natural love tendencies through sharing similar pursuits with a lover, often aesthetically pleasing pursuits like art, music, dance, and decorating. Libra is the sign of the scales, and being cardinal air, a great symbol for Libra is the balanced breath, one in and one out. They are seeking balance in relationship, where both their needs and their partner’s needs get met. They can go out of balance and either err by doing all the caretaking or doing none of it and expecting to be taken care of. They need to find the harmony between the two extremes. Clear communication is a lesson to be learned by Libras, who need to balance both speaking and listening. Until a decision has been made about anything, Libras can be very indecisive and indifferent to plans. Once a plan has been set and a direction chosen, they can be very stubborn in changing or modifying it.

  Scorpio/Fixed Water—A keyword for Scorpio on just about any level is intensity. Considering many astrologers think Scorpio is the most sexual of the twelve signs, intensity applies to all romantic and sexual relationships for those with strong Scorpio energy. Scorpios love intensely but can have difficulty expressing their feelings, feeling the need to be private or secretive about their love. They can put up walls and, as a friend has told me, “play their cards too close to their chest,” never revealing what they really feel. Those with strong Scorpio energy might also be attracted to the unusual or taboo in the bedroom, exploring different roles and fetishes. Issues of power and control, both sexually and in the relationship, can also come up. Whatever the Scorpio endeavors to do, it is done with passion and psychic intensity.

  Sagittarius/Mutable Fire—The love nature of Sagittarius thrives on doing new things and sharing the adventure with a partner. Those with strong Sagittarian energy want to travel, explore, and experience with a lover. While for many it will take the role of a physical adventure—going places, doing things—for others it will be a philosophical bond, wanting a partner with whom they can discuss art, culture, and the world. There is a physical component to Sagittarius, as they can seek out enjoyment through sports and athletics, seeking new experiences and keeping active. Sometimes those with a Sagittarian love nature will take on the role of tutor to a lover, teaching them about the world, or find a worldly lover and act as student, soaking in all the experience.

  Capricorn/Cardinal Earth—One of the key lessons for Capricorn is responsibility. Those with a strong Capricorn energy will take their responsibilities seriously, including the responsibilities of relationship. Their expression of love can be formal and old-fashioned but can also have the aesthetic of Old World politeness and charm. Capricorns typically seek to be the financial provider for the family, being the opposite of Cancer, the domestic nourisher. Most Capricorns will seek out honorable relationships and will always consider their standing in society, be it mainstream society or standing in a subculture. While Capricorns have a reputation for being stoic and formal, the totem of the sign is the goat and the image of Pan, and the exterior can hide a more passionate, fun, and sexually intense streak.

  Aquarius/Fixed Air—It’s hard to predict exactly how an Aquarian will express their love. Aquarians are innovative, unusual, and unorthodox. They are very modern and forward-thinking in their relationships and tend to have unconventional romances. They are open to trying new things, both in lifestyle and in the bedroom. Being a fixed air sign, they are sometimes perceived as being detached from their emotions and distant. This is not necessarily so, for they simply take an intellectual approach in expressing themselves rather than a passionate one. Aquarians are passionate about social causes, equality, and freedom, and partners who share their same values and goals will do well with them. Partners who are stuck in their ways will have a hard time keeping up with the Aquarian lover.

  Pisces/Mutable Water—The nature of Pisces is very dreamy, ethereal, and, in its highest forms, very spiritual. The classic image of Pisces is of two fish tied together. One fish swims towards the heavens. The other fish swims toward the earth, illustrating the conflict in Pisces between the idealized spirit world and the imperfect physical world. Those with strong Pisces energy can be creative, imaginative, and magickal, though they idealize aspects of life. When expressed as a love nature, they have an idealized image of lovers and even of the concept of love, and become easily disenchanted and disillusioned if people and circumstances in the physical world don’t conform to their ideas. This can result in martyrdom and self-sacrifice or escapism. The spiritually mature Pisces is very knowing of the ways of spirit and how to serve the divine purpose. In romance, Pisces relates through empathy—by having empathy for you but also seeking empathy from you. Pisces people are very emotionally sensitive, picking up on other people’s emotions quite easily. Sometimes such empathic people cannot discern if an emotion originates inside or outside of themselves. They also often don’t realize that not everybody is as empathic and use empathy as a substitute for clear communication, assuming that others simply know how they feel. Empathy is not a substitute for communication. Sexually, Pisces can be very sensual and creative, but they are also seeking a spiritual connection or at least a deep empathic connection with a lover, yet they are not focused on a domestic commitment in the way that Cancer is. Though both water signs have similar attributes in terms of empathy, Pisces does not share Cancer’s same set of boundaries, and their worldview and goals can easily flow into and then away from the worldview and goals of their lovers.

  A very simplistic form of relationship astrology works by looking at the elements of the Sun signs involved. While it can be generally helpful in understanding the signs and their relationships, it’s not foolproof. You can ha
ve “incompatible” Sun signs but also have many other supportive factors that would make a relationship a success. If you only go by Sun signs and not by the person as a whole, you could miss out on some great relationships. The basic Sun sign relationship astrology is as follows:

  •Those Sun signs of the same element generally are compatible. Fire signs understand fire signs, air signs understand air signs, etc. The area in which those signs are focused are the same, so they work well together.

  •Signs with the element of the same gender are generally compatible. Fire and air are both considered masculine elements, so they are compatible. Earth and water are both considered feminine elements, so they are compatible.

  •Signs that are your direct opposite on the zodiac wheel, even though they are of a compatible element, present challenges and intensity. There will often be a simultaneous attraction and repulsion between these signs, as each represents the shadow of the other:

  Aries—Libra

  Taurus—Scorpio

  Gemini—Sagittarius

  Cancer—Capricorn

  Leo—Aquarius

  Virgo—Pisces

  •There will be an attraction to the sign that is adjacent to yours on the zodiac wheel, as it represents the sign that holds the next stage of development, but traditionally it is considered incompatible.

  •Signs that were ruled by the same planet in classical forms of astrology will have common elements and have greater compatibility than first believed. These combinations will still have challenges but will also have common points: