We've talked about the aspects, the kinds of aspects, orbs, and how the energy works with different kinds of aspects in this lesson.  Yet, there are other things to talk about with aspects.  What happens when there is a planet with no aspects with anything else at all?

Planets without aspects of any kind need special attention when doing an interpretation.  These are solitary or orphan planets, unaspected planets.  As we go through each of the planets, we will talk about what this means specifically to each planet.  

From "The Yod Book," by Karen Hamaker-Zondag, 1998 (English edition), she writes:

"They stand apart, and are therefore unintegrated.  They have no direct influence on other planets (or psychic dynamics) and are themselves also not influenced, so they can exhibit extremes in their effects.  We notice this particularly in an all-or-nothing attitude: quick to exaggerate, or precisely the opposite: not responsive in the least.  In any case, whether a planet is unaspected depends particularly on the question of how large an orb we use. ... So, if we want to involve unaspected planets in our interpretation, we will first need to think about the question of orbs.  And with this issue, unaspected planets can be of service to us."

The author goes on a little about how wide an orb is used.  (We covered this in the lesson section on ORBS).  The wider the orb, the less likely it is that there will be any unaspected planets.  Alternatively, the smaller the orb, the more likely that one or more unaspected planets will be seen in the chart.

In the class, we will need to look at any "unaspected" planets in your charts to be sure that the planet is really unaspected.  I have talked about the so-called "major" aspects, but have not discussed the "minor aspects."  However, if the planet is aspected with a "minor aspect" then it isn't unaspected.  Some of the minor aspects that we have not discussed are the semi-sextile (30-degree) and semi-square (45-degrees).  Some astrologers believe the inconjunct (150-degrees) is also a minor aspect.  However, I believe it causes a greater influence on a chart than what some may recognize, so I classify the inconjunct as a "major aspect."

With a VOID COURSE OF MOON it is a similar situation.  This is when the MOON does not form an aspect with any planet or energy point BEFORE IT CHANGES SIGN.  For example: if there is a moon in Leo at 28 degrees, and it makes no aspects with anything else until it changes sign at 2 degrees Virgo, then this is a Void Course of Moon.  Again, the question involves how wide or narrow the orb that you are using.  If the orb is wider, there may not be a Void Course of Moon.  

A Void Course of Moon can have the same interpretations as mentioned in the Karen Hamaker-Zondag's quote above.  Since the moon rules the realms of emotions and home, mother and father, this can have some varied effects in a natal chart.  The House and Sun Sign where the moon is located will also need to be considered.

A Void Course of Moon needs careful interpretation.  As I mentioned, its effects can be varied.  This can be someone who is very emotional, or somewhat lacking in warmth and emotional response.  The native can also find him/herself involved in repeated situations where he/she cannot do anything to help or change the situations...sorta bounced around by "fate" and circumstances.  Information and things that would help the native get out of unpleasant situations are often unknown to him/her.

There is another situation involving the moon that needs careful interpretation in a natal chart.  This is when the moon is in the Via Combusta position.  Via Combusta is located approximately from 15 degrees Libra to 15 degrees Scorpio except 23/24 degrees Libra.  

If you are interested, you can read about Via Combusta and Void Course of Moon on the internet.  If you find interesting information, please post it for others.

We have now concluded Lesson 3, and will move on to interpretations in the Class Discussion and Questions forum.



.

Okay so Void Moon and orphan planet would be areas where there could be erratic/unexplained behaviors. In a natal chart these would be areas when certain personality traits could emerge. In horary situation, these are the times ( though temp) when no actions are initiated because Void Moon would/could make it stressful for the individual.

About Via-combusta I found something on the net.

Furthermore, Libra is the sign where the Sun is in fall, while the Moon is in fall in Scorpio. This is an area of the zodiac where luminaries are in fall while both malefics are in exaltation.

Moon travels though all the zodiac signs in 28 days approx. So in a month there could be time periods when activities started would cause emotional stress.
Is it related to just the Sun and Moon, but what about other planets that are placed in the 15 Libra to 15 Scorpio.

Void course of Moon and orphan planets can cause erratic behavior, yes.   But, the two situations do not cause similar kinds of behavior.

With Orphans, whatever you see, it will be one extreme to the other, or one extreme or the other.  The person can spend an enormous amount of energy dealing with the things  associated with that House/Sign wherever the moon is located in the chart (with the added "emotional" reaction).  Or, the things associated with that placement can be totally lacking and ignored.  Transiting planets that aspect the orphan can produce sudden overwhelming situations for the native, but once the transit is over, the native may not have "learned" anything so similar situations are repeated with the next transit.  Or, transiting planets can pass by with nothing happening.  Again, extremes.

The Moon may be heavily aspected...just not before it changes Sign with a Void Course of Moon.  So, anything in the chart concerning the moon, including Nodes, House/Sign will need to be looked at...but anything there will have the added "meanings" of Void Courses.  Horary charts are specialized charts, and I haven't listed all the things that a Void Course of Moon can mean in a horary.  I'd like to leave that subject for awhile, until we get the basics done.  But, there's more to it than what you've posted about the V.C of M.  Horary chart questions are kinda fun...so we can do a special lesson on horary readings before we end the class.



Again, "emotional stress" is only one of the possible effects of a via combusta.  If you consider my example of how "energy" works from one of the previous sections of this class, a via combusta automatically puts a "negative" charge to the energy with this placement.  What House is involved is going to be very important to predict the field of activity.  For example, if this all happened in the 8th House, it would have an entirely different effect than if it happened in the 5th, for example.  A via combusta in a natal chart is going to have entirely different effects than when doing a horary, also.  In horary, a via combusta (unless overwhelmingly positive otherwise) renders a "no" answer to a horary chart question.  In a natal chart, you will see an influence of Scorpio or Saturn that strongly affects the House where the via combusta occurs, no matter what planet is involved.  If the sun, for example, it will have the effect of a double-scorpio, or a sense of seriousness (saturn) to a Libran sun.

The start of new things is "electional" astrology.  And, yes, in any month there are inauspicious times when new things shouldn't be started.  Again, I'd like to postpone questions about electional astrology for now, until we get through the basics.

You shouldnt even be discussing Void of course moon in beginners, just ludicrous....