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A BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO THE HARMONIC ASPECTS METHOD
by Michael Freedman
Throughout the 20th century, astrologers have tended to increase the range of the
different kinds of aspects which they use. However, outside of Harmonic
Astrology, initiated in around 1950 by John Addey, the use of anything other
than Major and Minor Aspects has been sporadic, not organized and largely a
matter of personal preference.
The situation generally has been that some astrologers take notice of quintiles,
while others look at septiles and so on. This is possibly due to the fact that many
astrologers have difficulty even finding quincunxes or sesquisquares in an
astrological chart, let alone quintiles or septiles.
There is also another, more important reason, to be discussed shortly, why most
astrological attention has been largely confined to the Major and Minor Aspects.
The concept called the Harmonic Aspects Method provides techniques for
handling any aspects of whatever kind.
The word “Harmonic” has been used because the principles of the Harmonic
Aspect Method are similar to some of those used in Harmonic Astrology,
although its techniques are different.
1. Both the Harmonic Aspect Method and Harmonic Astrology regard every
planet in a horoscope as in aspect to every other planet. Every link between
every pair of planets in a horoscope has some significance.
2. Both the Harmonic Aspect Method and Harmonic Astrology regard aspects as
the result of the division of the horoscope circle by whole numbers.
3. Both the Harmonic Aspect Method and Harmonic Astrology use the finding
of John Addey that traditional esoteric teachings on the significance of
numbers provide clues to the meanings of the various series of aspects.
However, apart from these points, the techniques of horoscope analysis and
interpretation associated with the
Harmonic Aspects Method are otherwise much closer to traditional astrological
methods than to those of Harmonic Astrology.
The Harmonic Aspect Method does not add any more factors to a horoscope.
What it does is look systematically at all those aspects which are already there.
Angular Separation
The commonest kind of astrological chart is a map of the heavens at the time for
which it is drawn up, viewed from a specific place on earth. It is possible to cast
a chart for a current time at night, take it outside and use it to locate any planets
that happen to be above the horizon. Use the chart to find two planets, then hold
up your arms and point one hand at each planet. The angle made by your
outstretched arms is a rough indication of the angular separation between the two
planets.
When angular separation between a pair of Planets is close enough to one of
those angles which divide the circle by a whole number, it is called an Aspect. A
typical example of an Aspect is a Trine, when two Planets are about 120 degrees
apart. Three planets each about 120 degrees from the others divide the circle into
three approximately equal parts. Squares divide the circle by four; Sextiles by
six; Quintiles by five; Undeciles by eleven; and so on.
Harmonic Aspect Series
All the members of an Aspect Series are made by dividing the circle by the same
Harmonic Number. In theory, but not in practice, there are the same number of
aspects in an aspect series as its Harmonic Number. For example, in theory there
are three aspects based on the number Three: 1/3; 2/3; 3/3. However, the Third
Harmonic Series in practice has only one member, the 1/3 aspect of 120 deg.,
called a Trine. This is for the following reasons.
1. When the angular separation is measured between two planets lying on the
zodiac circle, we can measure either the shorter distance between them or the
longer. It is astrological practice to measure only the shorter distance. Two
planets 240 degrees apart measured the longer way, are 120 degrees apart
measured the shorter way, so that angular separations of 120 degrees and 240
degrees are both described by astrologers as 1/3 or a Trine.
2. Although the 3/3 aspect is part of the Third harmonic aspect series, it is
actually a Conjunction or 1/1 aspect. It is usual practice among astrologers to
describe an aspect by the smallest Harmonic Number which describes it. For
example, 180 degrees is both 1/2 of circle and 2/4. But we always refer to it
as a 1/2 aspect (Opposition) never as a 2/4 aspect.
These principles are shown in operation very clearly in Table 1, where the 8th
Harmonic Aspect Series is set out in detail, dividing the whole circle into eight
parts. It can be seen that, in actual astrological practice, the 8th Series has only
two members, the Semisquare and Sesquisquare, and not eight members, because
two of the others are just these two going the other way round the circle. The
other four belong to more fundamental aspect series than the Eighth.
Table 1: The Eighth Harmonic Aspect Series
1st member (1/8) 45 deg. Semisquare 1/8
2nd member (2/8) 90 deg. Square 1/4
3rd member (3/8) 135 deg. Sesquisquare 3/8
4th member (4/8) 180 deg. Opposition 1/2
5th member (5/8) 225 deg. Sesquisquare 3/8
6th member (6/8) 270 deg. Square 1/4
7th member (7/8) 315 deg. Semi-Square 1/8
8th member (8/8) 360 deg. Conjunction 1/1
Major And Minor Aspects
Astrologers have used the aspects formed by dividing the circle by 2
[Opposition], 3 [Trine], 4 [Square] and 6 [Sextile] for at least 2000 years. These
four, plus Conjunctions, when two planets are within a few degrees, are called
Major Aspects. Since the 17th century, astrologers have also used aspects formed
by dividing the circle by 8 and 12. The latter are called Minor Aspects.
Table 2 lists all the aspects in common use during the past 400 years.
Table 2: The Major & Minor Aspects
Conjunction 1/1 360 degrees (12/12) (8/8) Major
Opposition ½ 180 degrees (6/12) (4/8) Major
Trine 1/3 120 degrees (4/12) Major
Square ¼ 90 degrees (3/12) (2/8) Major
Sextile 1/6 60 degrees (2/12) Major
Semisquare 1/8 45 degrees (1/8) Minor
Sesquisquare 3/8 135 degrees (3/8) Minor
Semisextile 1/12 30 degrees (1/12) Minor
Quincunx 5/12 150 degrees (5/12) Minor
Notes To Table 2
1. All Major and Minor Aspects belong to either or both the 8th and the 12th
Series of Aspects.
2. When two planets are 0 degrees apart, they are also 360 degrees apart, which
is why Conjunctions belong to the First Series.
The Propositions Of Harmonic Aspect Theory
These propositions are an attempt to provide a working structure to handle a
theoretically infinite number of harmonic aspects. They are offered as working
propositions which are supported by nearly twenty years’ personal investigation
into aspect theory and practice.
Proposition 1
Every planet is in aspect to every other planet. What this means is that every
Angular Separation between two planets potentially has significance for the
person or event for whom the horoscope has been cast.
For example, let Venus be separated from Mars by 137 degrees 30 minutes 28
seconds. Only a few astrologers in the late 20th century would be comfortable
treating this as a Sesquisquare (135 degrees), as it is beyond the 1 or 2 degrees
orb most would allow. Therefore, most astrologers would ignore it, while even
harmonic astrologers would be lucky to pick it up unless they happened to cast a
21st or 34th Harmonic Chart; or a 1597th Harmonic Chart, in which it would it is
within 0.18 seconds of exact, that is, exact.
The Harmonic Aspect Method restricts itself, for good reasons discussed
elsewhere to the first 36 Harmonic Aspect Series. It would regard the following
as a full definition of this aspect:
Planets: Venus/Mars Angular Separation: 137d 30m 28s Primary Aspect: 13/34
37% strength Secondary Aspect: 8/21 13% strength: 0.04
What this description shows is that 137d 30m 28s is within orb of a 13/34 aspect,
close enough to exact to have 37% of its potential strength. It is also within orb
of an 8/21 aspect, but at only 13% of the potential strength it would have if exact.
13/34 is called the primary aspect, because it is the strongest aspect between
Venus and Mars; 8/21 is the secondary aspect, because it is the weaker.
Proposition 2
A harmonic aspect is any division of the 360-degree circle which can be defined
by a fraction in which both the numerator and the denominator are integers.
This proposition sounds more complex than it actually is. It merely states that
you can redefine the angular separation between two planets, which is usually
expressed in terms of degrees, minutes and seconds, in terms of a simple fraction,
such as 1/2, 1/4, 5/12, 4/9 or 13/34. It has long been an implicit assumption of
astrology that the denominator, not the numerator of such fractions reveals the
nature and effects of the aspect on the planets linked by it. In the examples given,
the denominator is 2, 4, 12, 9, or 34, and these numbers determine the principal
characteristics of the aspect. Here, the numerator are 1, 1, 5, 4, or 13.
Over the centuries, astrologers have learned to distinguish between a 1/8 and a
3/8 aspect; or a 1/12 and a 5/12 aspect. But I doubt if there is yet any clear
understanding of the difference between a 1/2 and 2/5; or a 1/10 and a 3/10, for
example. As more people use aspects other than the Majors and Minors, so
understanding will develop and differences noticed between, for example, the
1/11, 2/11, 3/11, 4/11 and 5/11 aspects. aspect on the two planets linked by it.
Proposition 3
Aspects become stronger as they approach exact; and their strength varies
inversely as the square of the distance from exact.
The Method of Harmonic Aspects produces many more aspects than the
traditional methods of astrology. You must be able to assess how much notice
should be taken of any aspect in comparison with other aspects. Calculating the
comparative strength of each aspect enables the astrologer to view them in
perspective, taking more notice of stronger aspects and less of weaker aspects.
Because this paper was originally no more than the first chapter of my book on
Harmonic Aspects, a point has not yet been made.
When using Harmonic orbs, the orb of every aspect is derived from the
Conjunction orb, according to the following rule:
The orb of any aspect is the conjunction divided by the Harmonic of the Aspect.
If you set the Conjunction orb at 12 degrees, as I do, then the following table can
be generated:
Conjunction 1H 12/1 = 12 degrees
Opposition 2H 12/2 = 6 degrees
Trine 3H 12/3 = 4 degrees
Square 4H 12/4 = 3 degrees and so on.
If anyone is alarmed by the enormity of a 12 degree orb for a conjunction,
consider that in this system the strength of an aspect is a vital consideration. If
you are not taking much notice of any aspect below 10% strength, then the Orb
of a conjunction is effectively 8 degrees.
Example: If an Opposition has an orb of 6 degrees and an Angular Separation is
175 degrees, then it is 5 degrees from exact. [6-5] divided by 6 = 1/6]= 0.1667.
Square of 0.1667 = .0278 which is 0.03 to two decimal places.
Expressed as a percentage, this aspect has 3% of its potential strength
The following Table sets out an indication of how to assess the comparative
strength of any aspect from its Strength No.
100% Partile [exact] aspects are dominant factors in a chart
90% to 99% Powerful aspects; pay close attention to them.
70% to 89% Very strong aspects.
50% to 69% Strong aspects.
30% to 49% Fairly strong aspects.
10% to 29% Not strong; only occasionally have much effect
01% to 09% Weak; rarely have much effect, unless they are part of a larger
structure.
Proposition 4
There are fundamental differences between the effects of the Major & Minor
Aspects and those of all other
Aspects.
An infinite number of Aspect Series can be formed by dividing the circle by a
whole number of whatever magnitude, e.g. 5, 7, 9, 10, 11, 13, 37, 144, 180, 380,
1597 or any other number. Before the 20th century, aspects other than Majors
and Minors were virtually ignored entirely,
It is a principal hypothesis of this article that the reason why the lesser known
aspects have been virtually ignored is that there are basic differences between the
psychological effects of major & minor aspects and all other aspects.
Proposition 5
There are four levels of aspects, to one or more of which every angular
separation belongs:
OVERT or Conscious level of experience 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 6th, 8th, 12th
Harmonic Aspect series.
Commonly called the Major & Minor Aspects, the Overt Aspects in a natal chart
are pointers to the obvious tendencies of the individual. Unless they are very
weak indeed, it is quite likely that people’s thinking and behavior will reflect the
characteristic thought and behavior patterns signified by them in ways that are
quite noticeable, if not by the individuals themselves then certainly by their
acquaintances. It seems appropriate therefore to refer to the Major & Minor
Aspects as the Overt Aspects.
POTENTIAL or Pre-conscious level of experience 5th, 7th, 9th, 10th, 11th
Harmonic Aspect Series. These are the most accessible of the other aspects. They
seem to refer to potentials that are reasonably easy to develop into overt behavior
patterns or personality characteristics. The effects of any Potential Aspects in a
natal chart are not obvious in the personality traits and behavior patterns of the
individual. However, if there are one or more Potential Aspects in a chart that are
stronger than any or most of its Overt Aspects, overt effects from them are more
likely to take place. They might not be obvious, but they will certainly affect the
individual’s behavior, even though there might not always be any conscious
awareness of their influence.
No matter how strong any Potential Aspect is, its effects are never as obvious as
those of any but the weakest Overt Aspects. Even the strongest of Potential
Aspects seem to function largely at the pre-conscious level. It was not until the
latter half of the 20th century that human personality and behavior patterns were
understood deeply enough for us to appreciate the differences between the
obvious effects of the Overt Major and Minor Aspects and the covert effects of
Potential Aspects. Aspects of the 5th Harmonic are the most overt of the potential
aspect series.
LATENT or Subconscious level of experience 13th to 36th or 37th Harmonic
Aspect Series. The Latent Aspects can have an overt effect on the lives of people
in whose horoscope they appear when they are exact or almost exact, and thus
extremely strong, but those concerned usually need to undertake depth analysis
or use esoteric consciousness expansion techniques to unfold any conscious
awareness of them.
It is relevant to note here that there are “no more gaps” beyond the 29th
Harmonic. This means that it is possible to define any Angular Separation
between any pair of planets in a horoscope chart in terms of one of the aspects
within the first 29 Harmonic Aspect Series. I have contemplated using only the
first 29 or 30 aspect series, but I had built up a useful store of information about
the first 36 series by the time I became aware of the precise point at which there
were no more gaps.
INSTINCTUAL or Unconscious level of experience. Beyond the 36th or 37th
Harmonic Aspect Series. Theoretically, it is possible to analyze every horoscope
in terms of any of an infinite number of Harmonic Aspect Series but, beyond
about the 36th or 37th aspect series, they seem to have less and less relevance to
the cognitive levels of human experience. It has been suggested, half in jest, that
they might relate to instinctual, psychophysiological levels of being. Much more
research needs to be done in this area.
The phrase “Level of Effect” is not meant to be a precisely defined scientific
term, but merely to give an indication of the way in which each group of aspects
seem to correlate with levels of experience in the human psyche.
In practice, I rarely analyze a chart beyond the 12th Harmonic, except in the
special case of Midpoint Structures.
Unless the individual is engaged in some kind of depth analysis, to be told that
they have this or that latent trait can only serve to confuse them. Unless they are
willing and in a position to undertake guided expert exploration of their
significance, this knowledge is of little use to them. On the other hand, mere
knowledge of the potential aspects in a chart.. i.e. 5H quintiles, 7H septiles, 9H
noviles, 10H deciles and 11H undeciles, is often enough to bring them into overt
play.
Of the Potential Aspects, experience shows that the quintiles are by far the most
Overt, indicating talents that a person is almost certain to develop.
Handling the Information Overkill
The major task for every astrologer is how to handle the vast amount of
information generated by an astrological chart. Even using only the Sun, Moon
and Planets, North Node, Ascendant & Midheaven, normally do, a full Harmonic
Aspect analysis of any chart will yield 78 primary aspects, plus some
secondaries. If Chiron and the four asteroids were added, there would be 153
primary aspects to interpret.
If you also use Midpoints and I find them very useful, especially when
considering events rather than traits, the amount of information poured at the
hapless astrologer is beyond handling.
The way I handle this problem is:
1. I do not use any but the solar system planets and points, except in unusual
circumstances, when the particular light thrown by Chiron or the asteroids is
warranted. This would only happen if I knew enough about the individual
already for me to consider it warranted.
2. I use only the first 12 harmonics, i.e., the Overt and Potential aspects, unless
the native is also undergoing depth analysis of some kind.
3. I pay regard only to those midpoints where all three of the aspects involved
are on the same harmonic, using all 36 harmonic aspect series. This means
that the midpoint has to be very close to exact for it to be considered.
Summary of the Principles Of Harmonics Aspects Method
Proposition 1: Every planet is in aspect to every other planet.
Proposition 2: A harmonic aspect is any division of the 360-degree circle which
can be defined by a fraction in which both the numerator and the denominator are
integers, e.g., 1/2; 3/8; 4/9; 9/23; 55/144.
Proposition 3: Aspects become stronger as they approach exact. Their strength
varies inversely as the square of the percentage of the distance of the planet from
exactitude.
Proposition 4: There are fundamental differences between the effects of the
Major & Minor Aspects and those of all other Aspects.
Proposition 5: There are four levels of aspects, to one or more of which every
angular separation belongs: (1) Overt; (2) Potential; (3) Latent; (4) Instinctual.
Further papers are written or in preparation on Behavior Chains; and on the
suggested interpretation of all Harmonic Aspect Series to the 37th Harmonic.
Copyright © Michael Freedman, S.G. 1996, freedman@ihug.co.nz Re-posted
here by permission of the author. This material may not be copied or passed on
without permission having been given and due acknowledgment of its source.
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