Horoscope for two

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I. Introduction

"... Yet everything that touches us, you and me,
takes us together as a bow's stroke does,
that out of two strings draws a single voice.
Upon what instrument are we two spanned?
And what player has us in his hand? ... "

Rainer Maria Rilke, Love-Song

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II. Role Casting

The forces which excite us and awaken our enthusiasm for truth, beauty and the good in life come alive in this relationship. At a symbolic level, perhaps Meghan longs to be freed from a kind of ivory tower. During your first encounter she sat there, attractive and furnished with all the necessary pleasantries, but somehow bored. Her life forces had lost their liveliness, something threatened to fade away, but she was not able to stop this process alone.

In the course of her relationship with Harry, Meghan will come into contact with her active and sometimes aggressive sides. It is important for her to show initiative and to put her plans into effect as well. In this partnership, Meghan would like to learn self-assertiveness and achievement in life. This will function best if Harry allows himself to be enthused by and involved in Meghan's constantly new plans, instead of feeling left out and ignored.

The strength of your relationship arises from the contrasts between you. There will always be an active and a passive side, and it can always come to fights and disagreements. Harry's headstrong manner of expressing his wish to dominate and his ability to take the initiative will develop more easily if Meghan takes a passive role. Due to his often demanding behavior, however, Harry will frequently have to deal with rejection and frustration. Though he may approach other friendships in a rather gentle and reserved manner, this relationship awaits him with a special challenge: He would like the certainty that he possesses sufficient energy and self-assertiveness to champion the things which matter to him.

In this relationship, however, Harry will best attain his goals with a subtle and indirect approach to things. The realm of imagination, music and spirituality offer him a home and a retreat away from the challenges of reality. Harry requires the possibility to withdraw, as well as a private sphere where he can pursue activities which may be difficult to understand for the outside world.

There are forces at work which bind the two of you together at a subconscious level. As a result, your encounter will bring about a form of bonding which can certainly be termed "fateful". Even if your relationship does not inevitably develop into a symbiotic one, each of you is sure to exert great influence on the later life of your partner. You probably noticed from the beginning that a common task unites both of you - what this exactly is might remain unconscious for a time. Often, it is a project connected with your work or private lives which both of you take up together, or a person receiving your joint care. Each of your contributions is extremely important in this connection, which is why you will form an inseparable unity to make them.

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III. Main Theme

During your first encounter both of you had the deep, subconscious wish for a secure lifestyle. You wanted to be sure about where you belonged, and you wanted to be involved with another person you could rely on. For this reason, stability and reliability are important factors in your partnership.

The ties which develop between you so quickly are very similar to the natural cohesion between family members. Therefore, it is not unlikely that both of you feel part of a "clan", in a general sense - a group of peers or a larger family which might tend to isolate itself from others. Within these boundaries everything may seem pleasant and familiar, which explains a possible reluctance on your part to open up to new developments and unknown situations. Sooner or later, however, you will have to prove yourselves beyond these protective boundaries and cope with matters such as property, assets, income and values. Not only acquiring, but also maintaining and increasing both material and immaterial goods has great significance in your relationship. A reconsideration of your own self-value automatically entails from this. It is worthwhile dealing with this challenge, especially if you come to realize that both of you are going through life with entirely different value conceptions. You unconsciously sought and found each other so that each of you could develop a clearer picture of what really counts in life.

The Most Important Sphere of Life

In your common activities the internal realm of the psyche has a special significance. In the course of this relationship, each of you will come into contact with facets of your personalities which were hidden up until now, because they were only able to appear in a vague and sketchy manner. This realm of shadowy forms prevented secret fears and anxieties, but also dreams and desires from entering your conscious minds. This relationship gives you the opportunity to make use of previously unconscious, creative potentialities, and to cope with latent, irrational and unexplainable sides of life without fear.
It is likely you will often feel the desire to withdraw from the mainstream of life, together or separately. Therefore, it is extremely helpful to have a quiet place where you can be entirely undisturbed. There, it will also be possible to experience visions of the cosmic scheme of things.

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IV. The Fundamental Nature of Your Relationship

Even if you do things alone on occasion, your main interest lies in being together with friends, like-minded companions or family members - they also play a great role in your relationship. The two of you have very different personalities, and it could very well have been the case that you might never have met, due to your different life circumstances. Similar interests or common acquaintances could have brought you together, nevertheless. Your common potentialities and abilities are best unfolded in concourse with others and in group activities. Individuals who possess progressive spirit in their views will always serve to inspire you. With like-minded companions you also gain the confidence to tread new paths and to accept unconventionality between yourselves. In the end, each of you would like to maintain your individuality and - despite your solidarity with one another - to have enough free space for pursuing your personal interests.

For Meghan it is especially important to be able to go her own way, independent of Harry. Otherwise, she will quickly feel constricted and limited in her sphere of activities. Meghan's solitary phases, however, will enable Harry to become acquainted with his creative and imaginative sides.

The character of your relationship is extremely sensitive and even mediumistic - it has a fleeting, not easily definable quality to it, and even a partnership of many years will not make it any easier for you to put a clear label on it. Either you often alter the kind of relationship you have by slipping into diverse roles, or you feel bound to a form of partnership which does not correspond to your deepest inner truths. This could cause disturbances in yourselves or other persons, or it could establish the foundation for mutual idealizations. Then, neither of you will be in a position to see your partner the way he really is. It is possible that a clear view of things is not even desirable for you. You have found each other because one of you wishes to help the other come closer to his inner truth. This can be successful, providing both of you are in agreement - consciously or unconsciously - not to force your partnership into a typical, worldly category.

Freedom and independence are very important to both of you. Nothing will be more difficult in this relationship than too much intimacy and togetherness as a pair. The binding factor in your partnership is its noncommittal nature. Any attempt at defying this law will evoke rebellion and revolt. This does not imply that your relationship is futile from the very start, or that it will necessarily prove to be strenuous and nerve-wracking. It is merely essential that both of you recognize the untypical and sometimes eccentric nature of your common character early enough. Unrest and unexpected events are only then likely if you attempt to force your partnership into a strict, outdated corset out of fashion for the last two hundred years. Traditional forms of relationship may be a real alternative for other partnerships, but they will have little chance in yours. Daily routine with its unavoidable moments of boredom is your greatest enemy. You can prevent these negative developments by allowing enough distance to exist between yourselves, and, if possible, by allowing each of you to pursue your daily duties freely and independent of your partner. Your alliance lives from the thrill of the moment, the joy of reunion after a longer or shorter period of separation, and from a common love of the unique. You are able to inspire each other wonderfully, provided the explosive mixture of humor, resourcefulness and originality is not sacrifice on the altar of daily ordeals.

Both of you possess very idealized conceptions about how your partnership should be. Considered realistically, you will come to see that your relationship has yet to reach these standards - something always seems to be lacking. This could be sufficient time for one another, sufficient financial resources, trust in future developments, or an adequate sphere to further develop intellectually. Identifying and understanding these deficiencies will incite both of you to seek change, and each of you will attempt to profit from this process in an individual way. The great danger lies in an unrealistic estimation of your status quo. It is possible you expend too much energy concerning yourselves with what could be and what you will be able to experience together one day, instead of concentrating on the chances you have now, and making use of them. You can shield yourselves from the dangers of overestimation, exaggeration and impatience by training your eye for the essentials in a situation, and by paying attention to the correct proportions. in this way, the contentment you desire beyond your present situation could come of its own will.

Both of you possess the ability to master the highs and lows of a partnership without letting its stability suffer as a result. The bonds between the two of you are extremely resistant and have no danger of breaking should one of you go your own way. It is possible that you are bound together by other persons or by a common project, so that more than your own personal interest are involved in the relationship. A clear distribution of tasks and responsibilities will not be difficult for you, especially since each of you values order and manageable circumstances in your common activities.

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V. The Emotional Sphere

You feel best between your own four walls. Others might consider you "homebodies", but in a private atmosphere you are able to regenerate internally and give each other everything you need to feel emotionally content. You also feel cared for and protected with your loved ones, especially when they are doing well.

Domestic and family matters are important to both of you - they allow your caring and emotionally dependent sides to express themselves. For this reason, it is necessary to establish a special, protected location - a private retreat - where you are able to feel safe and well, and where you can let your feelings out. This refuge is also an important factor in your attempts at asserting yourselves in the outside world. Without a protected home or refuge, it will be much more difficult for each of you to identify your true aims in life and to devote the necessary attention to them.

In this relationship, not many words are needed for either of you to know how your partner is doing. A glance or gesture is enough to let you intuitively grasp what is going on in your partner emotionally - and both of you have the ability to react accordingly. Meghan's current mood probably influences your emotional contact to a significant degree. It is often difficult for her to express her needs clearly and uncomplicatedly. For this reason, Meghan is more dependent on intuitive understanding of her inner life on the part of her partner than Harry.

In this relationship Harry will have to cope with instabilities in his life plan. As long as he does not feel truly fulfilled by his career direction or social status, he will not be in a position to maintain a consistent course.

In this relationship intensive and lasting experiences await both of you. These could prove to be painful, because you will come into contact with feelings which were previously buried in the deeper levels of your subconscious minds. In the course of your time together, formerly suppressed feelings and anxieties could rise to the surface - old sorrows, anger or hate, but also jealousy, fears of loss and helplessness first make their way into consciousness when the possibility exists in each of you to heal them. Even if neither of you is immune against involving your partner in extremely subtle power struggles at times, it is useful to understand that your relationship is actually not about who the victim and who the victimizer is. Your emotional life can be subjected to great extremes which could force Harry especially into painful experiences of having to "let go". This will mainly be the case if he clings to old, outdated and childish modes of behavior. In such cases, Meghan is often the one to bring the situation to a climax in order to force a deep-reaching change. However, both of you must learn to become less tense and more relaxed internally. This will succeed best if each of you strives to become conscious of suppressed wounds in your psyches, and thus, to treat other people in a more honest and anxiety-free manner.

There are most probably times when tensions and aggressions arise between the two of you. A fight can have the effect of a cleansing thunderstorm, but you will certainly discover other more creative possibilities for expressing your instinctive need for activity. Both of you feel best in a domestic and private environment where you can remain active, and take up the completion of new tasks on a regular basis. Collaboration is most satisfying if you can involve your emotions while treating each other with care and consideration.

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VI. The Mental Sphere

You are intrigued by the unusual. For this reason, the themes which interest you and which you discuss can often be highly untypical. It might, however, prove to be difficult to follow a thought to its conclusion or to stick to one subject without digressing. Both of you have a rather electrified style of thinking where one flash follows another. It could be the case that other listeners have difficulties following your conversation, because you tend to talk about things which nobody else understands or because your style of communication is somewhat eccentric and original - nonetheless, both of you feel comfortable in this unique role and each of you values the intellectual stimulation you receive from your partner. You will have to cope with frequent interruptions in your communicative exchange, however. Each of you will repeatedly need pauses - time - when you can be alone, because each of you has an individual rhythm and personal interests which cannot easily be reconciled with those of your partner.

You expend a good amount of intellectual energy with the question of what significance your relationship has in society and publicly. Therefore, your thoughts and conversations will often concern themes connected with your work or your current objectives in life. Your communicative exchanges can help both of you find a place in the world which truly corresponds to your natures.

This relationship will motivate both of you to ponder the meaning of things you do in a more intensive manner. Your conversations should also increasingly center on essential matters, whereby everyday banalities recede more and more in the background. Your common activities and the mutual inspiration you obtain from them allow both of you to transcend the horizons you have known up until now, and to seek knowledge beyond the limits of what your current understanding could allow for. It could be the case that your interest in foreign cultures, philosophy or spirituality will be awakened by this relationship. This could create a new world view for both of you.

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VII. Meghan's Role in the Relationship

In the relationship with Harry, Meghan would like to express her consistency, reliability but also her sensuous and pleasure-seeking sides. Stress, pressure and constant change are not meant to be part of the daily regimen. In this partnership, Meghan prefers to put trust in things which have already proven themselves and would like to have sufficient time and calm to enjoy the beautiful things in life. However, she can only truly relax and lean back when her general life circumstances are secure - this has great significance in this relationship. As long as worries and troubles in the material sector are plaguing Meghan and preventing her from affording the pleasantries which life has to offer, she will not shy away from hardships which promise to improve her existential foundation.

Meghan will definitely contribute to a well-functioning daily or work routine, although she will quickly withdraw from the rush of day to day life whenever possible. Physical presence as well as the open and direct defense of her interests are not among Meghan's strengths. In this relationship she often requires the possibility to retreat in order to regenerate internally on the one hand, and to deal more intensively with her desires, dreams and imagination on the other. These are the sources of her pronounced idealism. Meghan's high sensitivity makes her extremely receptive to the needs of other people, but their troubles and worries could too easily become her own if she does not manage to remain distinct from them internally. Then, it could happen that she will help anybody who requires it, without perceiving that she is not doing much better herself. It is generally Harry's task to establish clear structures to accommodate a functioning daily routine, and to make sure Meghan does not lose track of the actual necessities.

In this relationship Meghan will repeatedly require periods when she can withdraw and - if possible - not be reached. These phases of "submersion" are extremely important to her so that she can turn to her inner realm of dreams, imagination and desires more intensively. The interaction with Harry probably brings Meghan into contact with romantic and devoted sides of her character which make her appear sensitive and susceptible, but also irritable and uncertain on occasion. She is able to sense the deeper significance behind situations to a high degree and, as a result, probably responds readily to tensions and disharmonies in her environment. Her pronounced need for harmony and great capacity to empathize with the psyches of other persons allows her to intuitively grasp their thoughts, wishes and anxieties. This also allows her to better help others by virtue of her insights into their deeper-lying problems.

Although Meghan will value harmony, comfort and ease quite highly in this relationship, she will be able to generate a considerable amount of energy from time to time, and take on her objectives in an extremely passionate, dynamic and goal-oriented manner. Her drive for activity will often be irrepressible, and whoever gets in her way will probably become the target of her aggressive and belligerent sides. Meghan seeks challenges and thrills in this partnership - she would like to test her own capacities and get to know her limits. By offering her opportunities to do so, Harry also helps her to demonstrate her abilities. The attention and recognition which Meghan receives in the process will strengthen her self-confidence to a significant degree and inspire her to further develop her potentials. Since Meghan is seldom able to truly relax and be carefree in Harry's presence, it will be to the advantage of both if their energies are pooled for a common project or for various activities together.

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VIII. Harry's Role in the Relationship

A description now follows of the role which Harry plays in your relationship. Here, too, those themes will be emphasized which he will be concerned with during the course of the relationship.

In the relationship with Meghan, Harry would like to express his strength of will, determination and perseverance. The relentless manner with which he pursues his goals, and completes what he has started, arises from his enormous psychic energy. He rejects anything half-baked and cannot accept weak compromises. Instead, he adopts an "either-or" attitude, openly or subtly, and demands the same from other people. However, in this relationship Harry has crises to withstand which go well beyond daily worries and problems in their depth. In this way, he can learn to become more self-possessed, and to have confidence that nothing which could happen to him will ever be too much to handle. In this relationship his life will be subjected to a deep transformation, which implies that nothing will remain as it once was at the beginning of the partnership.

If Harry comes into contact with previously hidden and suppressed anxieties in the course of this relationship, he now has the opportunity to get at the bottom of the true causes. A more intensive involvement with the subconscious areas of his psyche will presumably reactivate traumas from "way back when". Nevertheless, only the confrontation with everything Harry yet fears and everything which makes him lose apparent control can bring him closer to inner healing.

Harry's career life will be an important sphere of activities in this relationship. Coping with daily tasks and duties might place great demands on his time and energy, and from time to time he will be obliged to deal with unexpected disturbances, mishaps and chaos. Some of this will come from without, but some of it will also be due to Harry's own inattentiveness or neglect. At least in this relationship Harry has perfectionist standards - while likewise being unable to accord every detail the selfsame concentration - so he will not always be able to do justice to these high expectations. In addition, he quickly feels responsible for anything and everyone, placing his own interests in the background. For this reason, Harry will not always find it easy to relax internally and find true rest. Meghan would probably like to escape the rush of day to day life with Harry on occasion, and get him away from his daily routine, but Meghan's influence on his plans is rather subtle. If this is nevertheless successful, it will prove to be extremely relaxing and regenerative for both.

In this relationship Harry will repeatedly require periods when he can withdraw and - if possible - not be reached. These phases of "submersion" are extremely important to him so that he can turn to his inner realm of dreams, imagination and desires more intensively. The interaction with Meghan probably brings Harry into contact with sides of his character which make him appear sensitive and susceptible, but also irritable and uncertain on occasion. If he is then unable to find support and orientation in the external world, he might withdraw with the feeling of not being a match for the daily challenges facing him. Harry probably prefers to pursue his goals in a subtle and indirect manner, and he approaches his objectives less frequently in a direct and open way. His powers of assertion might appear weakened on occasion, but this is deceptive - Harry simply prefers other less typical means of achieving his aims. His great capacity to empathize with the troubles and concerns of other people also makes it difficult for him to remain apart. He will always try to help persons in trouble and distress, but he must take care not to overtax himself physically and mentally.

In the relationship with Meghan, Harry's lovable and helpful sides can be expressed in a significant way. Although he is basically concerned with demonstrating his ability to act and achieve, Meghan's influence can prevent him from proceeding too uncontrollably, planlessly or even ruthlessly. Despite great differences in their respective characters, the power of attraction between the two partners allows both to put themselves in their partner's place quite well. It is possible that they do indeed switch roles on occasion - this helps Meghan, who is used to a certain standard of comfort and ease, to increase her readiness to take the initiative and to take risks, whereas Harry's desire for quiet and harmony may come to the forefront more clearly. This role switching can prove to be very exciting, and Harry will probably learn a great amount about himself as a consequence. In this partnership and through relationships and contact with other people, he is also concerned with improving his awareness of what he needs himself in order to feel loved and accepted. This will allow him to express his desires in a decisive manner.

The relationship with Meghan brings Harry into contact with his sensitive, caring and receptive sides. It is essential that he has a protected and private environment where he and others can feel well and secure. Together with Meghan and in common activities with her, Harry will want to express his feelings as well as discuss intimate or domestic themes.

It is extremely important to Harry to preserve a private sphere in this relationship and to be able to go his own way, independent of Meghan. Should Meghan demand more intimacy and commitment, she will more likely drive Harry away than hold onto him. Harry's independent and freedom-loving side can only tolerate a long-term relationship if distance is also possible within it.

Whatever Harry takes up will succeed, provided he does not overestimate his energies and does not aim too high. It might often be difficult for Harry to show modesty and moderation, especially since he is able to enthuse and carry Meghan away with his prospects of success. Meghan has unlimited confidence in Harry and will hardly want to tame his expansive drives for the very same reason.

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Appendix

Astrological Techniques

There are a number of astrological methods which enable us to view a partnership more effectively. The oldest method is that of horoscope comparison, called synastry. Here, two birth horoscopes are investigated and interpreted on the basis of shared aspects. Composite and Combined Horoscopes, on the other hand, are relatively new. Robert Hand is considered to be one of the pioneers of composite horoscope research. His comprehensive interpretative work, Planets in Composite, appeared in 1975. We owe the Combined Horoscope to the work of the Viennese astrologer Philip Schiffmann, and independently of him, the Englishman Ronald Davison - the "Horoscope for Two" is based on their research. In the English speaking world the Combined Horoscope is often called the 'Davison Relationship Chart'. Whereas the composite horoscope does not reflect an actual astronomical constellation, the Combined Horoscope unites the birth horoscopes of the partners in space and time, in a new and real constellation. That point in time is determined which lies exactly between the birth dates of the persons involved, while the geographical longitude and latitude are established in the same way. Mona Riegger has been investigating both interpretative possibilities since 1980 and published her findings for the first time in her book, Handbook of Combined and Composite Horoscope Interpretation. With the help of the Combined Horoscope, she is able to identify which role each partner occupies within the relationship and which opportunities for development present themselves during its further course.

For the interpretation of the "Horoscope for Two", however, Mona Riegger presupposes a high degree of commitment between the partners in question. The more casual the character of the partnership is, the more the interactive aspects and personality features described here recede in the background - the more intensive the relationship is, the more the partners will have to come to terms with the themes reflected in their common horoscope. The type of relationship is not the decisive factor. Even when a "Horoscope for Two" involving close friends, co-workers or even business rivals reveals a strong emphasis on emotional or domestic themes, or when professional themes are especially emphasized in an intimate relationship, it is worthwhile to come to an understanding of the matter at this deeper level. A professional rival can confront us with feelings of being threatened quite effectively, causing us to react emotionally in an extremely injured manner. Excessive rivalry and faulty decision-making are all too often a result of this process. In the interpretative passages, however, the author assumes a relationship which is positively affirmed ; for this reason, competitive relationships often "get away with too much".

Recurring Themes in Different Horoscopes

It becomes obvious when reading various "Horoscopes for Two" that certain themes recur and are interpreted in text blocks with a similar content. This is a necessary consequence of the computer text method utilized for casting the horoscope. The same factors (ascendant, house positions for planets ruling a sign, etc.) occur repeatedly in different horoscopes. First the synthesis of these various factors - in respect to the entire horoscope - allows every relationship to reveal its individuality and uniqueness.

Related Literature

The "Horoscope for Two" is an independent partnership horoscope which is cast on the basis of each partner's date of birth, but which makes no reference to individual themes in their respective birth horoscopes. Perhaps after reading this horoscope analysis you will be interested in a more comprehensive analysis of your own personality, not only from the perspective of "relationships". In such a case, we recommend the Psychological Horoscope Analysis by Liz Greens (available from the same place where this report was ordered).

Literature recommended for partnership themes :

Mona Riegger, Handbook of Combined and Composite Horoscope Interpretation. A comprehensive guide for casting and interpreting partnership horoscopes with clear and accessible interpretative statements, plus a multitude of fascinating case studies (currently available only in German).

Liz Greene, Astrology for Lovers. An amusing but insightful look at zodiac signs and their role in personal relationships.