I’ve already looked at Brad and Angelina’s individual horoscopes. Now it’s time to view them in combination. So let’s examine some Brad and Angelina relationship astrology.
And perhaps get insight into Jolie’s annoucement last month, her filing for divorce (around September 20th, 2016).
A decision Brad is not taking well. You’ll soon see why.
A technique astrologers use to understand personal relationships is ‘synastry.’
Synastry simply means looking at the inter-relationships of the horoscopes involved.
For instance, how various planets and points in one horoscope connect with the same in the other.
For example, Person A’s horoscope has Saturn at 15° Sagittarius. Their partner Person B has Moon at 15° Sagittarius.
This could manifest negatively. Person B feels emotionally (Moon) squashed, controlled or inhibited (Saturn) by Person A.
More positively, Person A provides emotional discipline for Person B. Person B welcomes Person A, who helps them to ‘reign in’ erratic emotions.
Or it might manifest somewhere in between — a mixture of positive and negative. A mixture that also varies with time and context.
That’s an overview of synastry. Now let’s use it to look at Brad and Angelina relationship astrology.
Angelina’s horoscope is the inner circle below. Brad’s is the outer.
The arrows show key synastry connections (aspects) from Brad to Angelina (I’ll look at it the other way around shortly).
I’m using a certain logic here. Which is to focus on two things. First, any immediate and obvious connections between them.
Second, Brad’s slower-moving outer planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune and Pluto), and their aspects to Jolie’s inner planets (Sun, Mercury, Moon, Venus, Mars).
This shows Brad’s influence on Angelina. What he brings into her life.
Because in astrology, outer planets influence inner ones. Not the other way around.
So here’s four ways that planets in Brad’s horoscope influence Angelina.
1. Brad’s Mars squares Angelina’s Mars and Moon (red arrows)
Attraction! Kapow! They physically activate and motivate each other. Relationships with a strong desire element always have Venus and Mars synastry like this.
In other words, Venus and/or Mars in one horoscope aspecting Venus and/or Mars in the other. Venus and Mars hard aspects (conjunction, square, opposition) show ‘instant attraction’, ‘sexual chemistry’, etc.
Brad’s Mars also energises (Mars) Angelina’s Moon (emotions).
Brad’s Venus is also (kind of) opposite Angelina’s Venus. But I think the ‘orb’ of this aspect is a bit wide to be taken as a strong synastry feature. Others will disagree.
2. Brad’s Jupiter conjunct Angelina’s Mars and Moon (blue arrows)
More, more, more. More (Jupiter) of the above! Jupiter enlarges, amplifies. This can lead to ‘too good to be true’ situations. But it can be a great ride.
Jolie’s Midheaven (career) gets a nice boost from this aspect too. Because Mars rules her Midheaven sign of Aries.
Brad’s Jupiter here also amplifies Angelina’s feelings (Moon) in this relationship. Generally optimistic Jupiter elevates Jolie’s assertive emotional nature (Moon in Aries).
3. Brad’s Uranus-Pluto square Angelina’s Sun (orange arrows)
This is powerful. Pluto tranforms Jolie’s identity, her sense of self (Sun). At worst, this could degenerate to controlling and manipulating, ‘abuse’.
Uranus is involved here too. So this powerful transformational influence can be erratic, changeable and inconsistent.
4. Brad’s Neptune trine Angelina’s Saturn (green arrows)
Saturn is ruler of Jolie’s 7th house of relationships. She’s attracted to Saturnian partners. And Pitt has four planets in Saturn-ruled Capricorn.
His Neptune aspecting her Saturn throws in occasional idealism, mystery. Occasional because a trine is a soft aspect.
Negatively, Jolie might ask, ‘What is this relationship (7th house) really about?’ A lack of clarity (Neptune) about relationships (Saturn 7th house ruler).
And now let’s see the reverse. How Angelina’s outer planets connect to Brad’s inner ones.
Here’s four aspects of interest.
1. Angelina’s Saturn opposite Brad’s Mercury (green arrow)
Angelina sense of structure and discipline (Saturn) impacts on Brad’s thinking and communicating (Mercury). Like all these aspects, this could express positively or negatively.
In Brad’s horoscope, Mercury is in his 2nd house of money and self-esteem. And Mercury governs his career (ruler of his 10th house) and relationships (ruler of his 7th house).
This aspect brings a structural influence (Saturn) to his Mercury-related areas.
2. Angelina’s Jupiter square Brad’s Mercury (blue arrows)
Pretty much opposite of the above.
Whereas Saturn disciplines, structures and limits; Jupiter expands. Together, this Saturn and Jupiter thing could be tricky.
One minute Angelina might be urging Brad to ‘speak up! (Jupiter as expander). Then ‘be quiet’ (Saturn as limiter). Challenging. This also activates his Mercury-stuff, mentioned above.
3. Angelina’s Pluto opposite Brad’s Jupiter (red arrows)
Not entirely sure how this would operate. Pluto’s power and force influencing Brad’s Jupiter. Maybe on a good day, she can push him to be even more Jupiter-ish.
And if his Jupiter is motivated and upbeat, her Mars and Moon get the benefit.
4. Angelina’s Pluto square Brad’s Mars (purple arrows)
Applying Pluto force and power to Brad’s Mars might make him enthusiastic (he has Mars square Jupiter) and motivated. Or not.
It could also do the opposite, push him into being structured and disciplined (Mars in Capricorn, Mars conjunct South Node).
Events of September 20th 2016
What was going on for each of them around this time?
The best way to show this is to use a graphic ephemeris. This shows ongoing planetary movements (transits) in relation to a horoscope.
I choose to look at transits which are aspecting a horoscope by multiples of 45°. These are the ‘hard aspects’, and are more likely to relate to real-life events than ‘soft aspects’.
I’ve written previously about aspects.
For Angelina
Here’s Angelina’s graphic ephemeris from April 2016.
The wavy lines originate from the left. They show moving planets, transits. Straight lines are the fixed positions of horoscope (natal) planets shown on the right.
We’re most interested in times where the wavy lines cross (or are very near) the straight lines.
Two things are happening for Angelina in September, shown by the red arrow.
Transiting Neptune square to natal (i.e. horoscope) Neptune
This is a mid-life transit everyone goes through. It’s effect lingers for several months, because Neptune moves slowly.
But there are times when its effect is strongest. And that is when transiting Neptune is exactly square (exactly 90°) natal Neptune.
One of those exact squares occurred for Angelina around September 10th.
Transiting Saturn conjuncts (is close to) natal Neptune.
And the conjunction is also exact around September 10th.
If you look at the point of the red arrow, you’ll see both planets paths crossing the straight line of natal Neptune at this time. This is when both these aspects are exact.
But what does all this mean?
Transiting Neptune to natal Neptune indicates a time of life reflection. It raises questions. Like, ‘What’s real for me?’ and ‘What do I really value?’
And how is my life now compared to what I once thought it would be like, my vision?
Have I been living a fantasy, living to someone else’s ideals rather than my own?
These are typical mid-life Neptune square Neptune experiences.
And why a ‘mid-life crisis’ often involves significant change. Becase some people find they have been living falsely, living a lie.
Now add transiting Saturn transit to the mix. Saturn is the wake-up call. Saturn is pragmatic everyday reality.
Saturn is about getting real, seeing things as they really are.
Combined, Neptune and Saturn means this is a period in Angelina’s life when she’ll be comparing actual (Saturn) versus ideal (Neptune).
Is there a gap? And if there is, how big is it?
And maybe it’s time to do something tangible, practical and real (Saturn) to sort things out.
For Brad
Brad has a wider array of transits during September and preceeding months. His situation is more complex.
Just look at all the coloured arrows!
Let’s go through them one at a time.
Transiting Neptune conjunct Brad’s Ascendant (blue arrow)
This is a precursor to the events September. It’s strongest effect is during all of May and June. And most of July.
Neptune can make things confusing, diffuse and sensitive. To Brad’s Ascendant, it might bring uncertainty. He won’t be as sharply defined as usual.
He will lack focus in how he ‘comes across’ (Ascendant) to others. It might be hard for others to ‘read’ him.
Since Neptune is conjunct his Ascendant, it is therefore also opposite his 7th house cusp. This also brings Neptunian sensitivity to relationships (7th house) at this time.
Transiting Uranus exactly squares his Venus (purple arrow)
This transit is critical, given what happened.
Uranus to Venus is disruption and sudden change (Uranus) to his love life, and what he loves (Venus).
Transiting Neptune and Saturn square natal Uranus (green arrow)
This is a potent mix of imagination and ideals (Neptune), disruption (Uranus) and harsh reality (Saturn).
Wait, there’s more …
Transiting Pluto in a long-term conjunction to Brad’s Mercury (red arrow)
This makes whatever he says (Mercury) more powerful (Pluto). Perhaps more powerful in effect than he intends.
As I mentioned earlier, in his horoscope Mercury is in his 2nd house of self-esteem, money and resources. And it rules his 7th house of relationships. And 10th house of career.
All these areas of his life are impacted here. Impacted in a Pluto-ish way: force, tranformation, power.
Brad and Angelina relationship astrology: summary
Their synastry has plenty of connections.
Brad’s horoscope considerably enlivens Angelina’s. But Angelina’s is not such a powerful influence on his horoscope.
In terms of transits, there is much more going on for Brad than Angelina during September. The whole situation is complex and challenging for him.
Angelina’s decision is triggered by transits that prompt her take a real-world (Saturn) look at her situation and how it compares to the wish (Neptune) of a good life together.
In September there was a few days when this evaluation became acute. And so she made a choice.
Brad’s multiple transits would be experienced as a confusing cocktail of emotion and lack of clarity.
He is the one likely to be under the most pressure and stress.
Divorce and relationship break-ups are tough for all concerned. Even high profile celebrities.
As well as transits, I checked out their Solar Arc Directions (SAD). Almost nothing going on for Angelina.
Brad has SAD Mercury square his Uranus, again bringing disruption and renewal in Mercury-related areas.
This has been a long post, but it’s hopefully a good illustration of some of the dynamics between Angelina and Brad. And what was going on in September, astrologically.
Synastry and transits do not explain everything. But they can provide useful insights about what each person brings to a relationship. And the ways one person can ‘activate’ another.
Used wisely and constructively, synastry (and transits) can be used as an impartial tool to analyse and improve relationships.
Fantastic, but for a novice difficult to grasp in all of its aspects. What would your advice be if this couple had come to you for clarity? I would think that Jolie’s Moon and Mars in Aries would make her rather a fighter in a difficult situation rather than give in.
Thanks so much for your feedback and comment, Karin. :-)
My advice to the couple would firstly be based on finding out more about what’s going on – what I’ve written is perhaps missing some of the context behind the more public events. So my views are a bit generic – but they do identify key astrological signatures going on.
But I’d certainly say to leave any key decisions until some of these difficult transits have passed. Angelina in terms of transiting Neptune and Saturn to her natal Neptune.
And Brad in terms of the jumbled cocktail of stuff going on for him.
It’s not to say the issues shouldn’t be addressed – it’s more that ‘now is not really a good time’ – because there is a distinct lack of clarity on both sides, with Neptune the common element.
And when there’s a lack of clarity, there’s a higher risk of poorer decisions being made.
But since I’m not privy to the inner workings of this couple, I can only speculate about how some of the planetary connections between them might actually manifest on a daily basis.
Yes, Jolie’s Mars in Aries (conjunct Moon) makes decisions quickly. But this characteristic is not on prominent display, because the Moon and Mars are in the cadent (quiet) 9th house.
Compare this to Pitt’s Mars in Capricorn – much slower in action, more deliberate, conservative, perhaps ‘measured.’
His Jupiter right on Angelina’s Moon-Mars might be wonderful when things are good. But amplifies (Jupiter) impulsive assertiveness (Moon-Mars) when he seems just ‘too much’ (Jupiter).