We've talking a little bit about aspects in other lessons.  Mostly, we've just talked about what they are called, and how energy behaves with different kinds of aspects.  Now, we are going to talk about what they mean.  I will continue to add to this section as I have time, so be sure to check back for updates and additions, and new posts.  Feel free to add your own "meaning" and interpretations, and information about each of the aspects as I get information posted.  Often, I direct students to someone else's website or information.  However, I haven't seen anyone's descriptions of these aspects that give a good description of the aspects, so I'm writing my own.  This section will cover quite a bit of information, so please continue to watch this thread for updates since I can't get it all done, all at once!  

Conjunction
Keyword:  Integration

Two planets are in conjunction, or conjunct, when they occupy the same degree and sign.  This gives a good clue to how these two different planets should be read.  These two planets are literally "together" and so their energy is "together" and combined.  

Whenever you see a conjunction, the two planets are at the beginning of a new cycle.  The rest of the cycle will be played out through the sextile, square, trine, inconjunct, opposition; then in the return side of the cycle, the inconjunct, trine, square and sextile until the two planets are conjunct again.  Whenever there is a difficulty in the person's life, look back to when the conjunction occurred to find the "roots" of the problem and possible remedies and how to resolve the difficulty.  If the conjunction between the two planets occurred pre-birth of the native, then this is a cycle that was begun in a previous lifetime that needs to be resolved in this one.

Suppose that you have the color blue and the color red.  You pour them both into the same bowl.  Instead of the two colors fighting or separating, they mix together to form purple.  Now, they are integrated, together, and they no longer have a distinct "color" of their own.  This is how the energy is going to work with a conjunction.  However, the colors don't just mix together to form a new color, they each multiply and enforce each other so the combined "color" is more intense.  This is the kind of "energy" that is generated with any conjunction.  When this intensity is achieved, both planets involved "lose" a bit of what they were, so that the combined strength is magnified and intensified.  A conjunction produces a great deal of intensity, but this doesn't mean that there is a great deal of energy.  "Energy" is generated with "hard" aspects.  So, an abundance of conjunctions in the chart will cause the native to lack the energy to really apply the intensity generated with a conjunction, unless squares and oppositions are elsewhere in the chart.  Too many conjunctions in the chart will cause the native to "be all dressed up, and no where to go," as the expression goes.

This is energy that is united.  They act together.  The closer in orb, the less distinct the energies of one or the other will be found.  This, truly, creates an entirely "different" energy from whatever the planets and Signs are usually found individually, depending on the planets, Houses, and Signs involved.

Later, we will talk about how to determine different "weights" or strengths in the charts.  For now, just remember that a conjunction is the strongest, or has the most weight, or any of the aspects.

Whether this is a negative or positive combination will depend upon the planets that are combined.  If their individual energies are generally in harmony with each other, then the conjunction will be positive in quality.  If the two planet's energies are opposed, then the energy will be negative.  If one of each, the stronger planet, the planet with the most "weight" will determine which, negative or positive.  

The rulership of the Sun signs and the Houses can be used to determine how each are likely to behave when combined.  Yet, this isn't entirely a reliable way to determine how the mix is likely to affect the individual.  For example, the 1st House, Aries, is ruled by Mars.  Directly opposite in the Zodiac is Libra in the 7th House, which is ruled by Venus.  These two planets and signs are opposed to each other.  But, instead of these two planets being either positive or negative when combined with a conjunction, in this situation the planets in conjunction produce a balance of yin/yang energy, not a "positive" or "negative."  So, it is important to consider all factors related to a conjunction to determine whether or  not it is likely to be a negative or positive conjunction.   Factors to consider are the triplicities, yin/yang, House position, Sun Sign, cardinal, mutables, suceedants, mutables, angulars, rulership, fall, etc.

When interpreting a conjunction, also consider if any other planets make a "stress" or hard aspect to the conjunction, or whether or not another planet makes soft aspects to the conjunction.  This situation would require that the secondary "aspect" be "blended" with the conjunction in interpretation.  We will talk about special configurations a little later.

When more than two planets are involved, this creates as "stellium."  Everything that has been said about a conjunction is multiplied even more with a stellium.  There will be little doubt about the energy, weight, and force of this kind of a configuration in the chart.  When determining if a stellium exists, consider the question of orb.  The closer the orb of the planets involved, the greater the intensity of the stellium.  However, unless the planets are all within 1-3 degrees of each other, they usually would not be considered a stellium, but only wide orb conjunctions.  If the planets form a string of planets that are technically conjunct, but the two outer planets would not be within orb if the center planets were not there, then you have the energy pulled along from one planet to the other, kinda like skipping a stone across the water.  Again, how this group behaves is dependent upon the orb.

As I mentioned, there will be little doubt of the force and weight of a conjunction.  But, this kind of force is usually only seen by other people in the native's life.  The native is often oblivious to this kind of energy.  For example, a conjunction can cause the native to lose objectivity about him/herself and his/her activities and interests represented by the House, Sign, and planets involved.  For example:  a conjunction of Sun and Mars in Sagittarius may produce a great athlete.  But, the athlete has no interests beyond his sport and he cannot separate the game from his own identity and ego...his identity is the game.  If for some reason he could no longer play the game, he would be in a serious turmoil because he would lose his identity and focus in life.  The conjunction won't always create a difficulty for the native, as in this example, but when doing an interpretation, remember that this kind of inability to separate the energies is very much a part of a conjunction.

Sextile
Keyword: Harmony

A sextile is when two planets are approximately 60 degrees apart from one another.  I say "approximately" because it is rare for "exact" aspects to be found very often in any chart.  So, an "orb" is used to determine how much variance there is separating the two planets.  We discussed this during the section about Aspects and Orbs.

A sextile is considered a "soft" aspect.  This means that there is not a lot of energy created by the sextile.  If there are squares and oppositions in the chart to get this energy moving, it will generally produce a great degree of success for the native.  The native will have feelings of peacefully and harmony about him/herself in the areas represented with the sextile.  However, like all things in a chart, the individual planets, signs, and houses, and aspects with other planets must all be considered.

A sextile is an aspect that is more likely to produce an opportunity or positive situation or circumstance in the native's life, but requires that an effort be applied before any benefit can be had from the sextile.  In other words, a sextile creates a potential, and talents for the native, but does not guarantee any success until the native makes the effort to bring these opportunities, potential, and talents into his/her life in a definite way.  For example: the native may have a great talent for painting and art with a sun sextile neptune...but if the native never takes an art class, and never picks up a paint brush, then the talent will go to waste, unused.

Many astrologers like to read the sextile similar to a trine.  But, this is a mistake, in my opinion.  We will talk about Trines soon, but a sextile will not give the native whatever is promised by the sextile unless the native works for it and gives it some effort.  (A Trine will cause the talent to already exist without any effort required).

When two planets are in sextile whose Sun Sign rulerships are usually opposed or squared to each other, the sextile's harmonious energies insure that there will remain ease and compatibility between anything that is usually not in harmony with other aspects, planets, Signs or Houses.

A sextile is not a "hidden" energy from the native.  The native is usually very much aware that they have a great interest in, and ease in achieving, whatever sphere of life is represented by the sextile (the sign, planets, and houses involved).  It is an inner appreciation of themselves.  This is an aspect that can give the native a great sense of "self-esteem" and value because they know that they have the innate talents within them, so without too much effort or work, they are aware that they can excel in this area.  

What I am trying to convey in the previous paragraph is what I started with, at the beginning of this discussion about sextiles.  A sextile is a sense of harmony, within the self, within the environment represented by the sextile placement, and within the sphere of activity.  With just a little effort, the sextile will bring peace, success and harmony for the native.

Trine
Keyword:  Acceptance

A trine is when two planets are at 120 degree angles to each other.  A trine causes internal optimism and good-will for the native in the areas of life indicated by the planetary placement.  As a result of the native feeling generally optimistic, "good luck" seems to happen to them without any effort on their part.  The trine is  considered a "soft" aspect.  Although the energies work easily together and with harmony, it does not generate a lot of energy.

The energy of the two planets work in harmony, and reinforces each other.  Because this energy flows so effortlessly, the native can have a tendency to take his/her "good luck" and easiness for granted, so does not use the gifts he/she has.  This is different from the sextile that requires a little effort.  The trine makes things happen regardless of the native's effort or despite the native's lack of effort in the area represented by the placement.

Without squares or oppositions in the chart, the native can recklessly waste the talents and good luck that is given by the trine.  He/she can be prone to take unnecessary and dangerous risks, believing that everything will always turn out OK for him/her...and he/she is usually right.  The native seems to cheat fate or get more than his/her due in this lifetime.  The native can coast through life, taking the route of least resistance, without some squares or oppositions in the chart.  Others in the person's life can resent his/her apparent good luck, and that life always hands them abundance without any effort or work on the native's part, even when they richly deserve a little dressing down, it never comes without squares/oppositions in the chart.  If without adequate squares/oppositions, for example, the native could get fired from their job for misbehavior, but find another job very quickly that pays the native more money and with better benefits.  Things just don't go "wrong" for the native.  If, by progressions, the trine is lost to other more difficult placements, the native will be unable to cope with new squares or oppositions forming in the chart.  In other words, the trine can be a blessing, or it can be a curse without sufficient obstacles and challenges in the native's life to create a personality with more character.  To overcome the fatality of many trines, or a grand trine, or a chart without adequate squares/oppositions, the native must learn gratitude for what they've been given, humility, and compassion for others who are less fortunate.  The native must learn to "give" and not just accept.

With adequate obstacles and challenges from squares and/or oppositions in the chart, the native will always have an inner reserve of strength and good luck that helps to uplift the native in hard times, and always provides a way to succeed despite anything else happening with transits or other less fortunate placements in the chart.

Both planets in a trine will always be of the same element: earth, water, fire, or air.  

A trine is accepting of different kinds of energy, situations, people that are represented by the placement.  If an Air element in a social House is involved, for example, the native might have numerous friends from differing backgrounds, ethnicities, and walks of life.  This can sometimes cause parents or friends to "raise an eyebrow" because the native will accept anyone with equal goodwill, even those people who most people would consider inappropriate friends.  Continuing the example: the native would never understand or see why their more outrageous friends are controversial, because the native would get along equally with everyone.

If the native has difficult squares and/or oppositions elsewhere in the chart, the trine will assist in overcoming the difficulties, so that the native is never entirely without a means to succeed in life.  A trine can "uplift" the native and prevent feelings of despair or depression with an inner reserve of talent and "good luck" that will arrive when needed by the native.

Because of this accepting quality, a trine can combine many apparently disparate situations, personalities, and opposing traits within him/herself with equality, even if no one else can see or understand this.  As a result, good luck and beneficial situations, people, and events will always surround the native in the area of life represented by the placement.

If trines are strong in the chart, the native's most beneficial result of it will be an acceptance of him/herself just the way he/she is.  This is a goal for every person that is natural and easy with the trine.

This was pretty exhaustive and informative.

So Squares and Oppositions place challenges in the persons chart and hence makes him more prone to struggles and thus hardwork. While the Trine can help the individual to be an optimistic and make life easy but on the extreme end could make him/her' take things for granted'.

Yes, "more prone to struggles and hard work."  But, again, it depends on the two planets and the placement.  Saturn could definitely cause this.  But, squares and oppositions with Jupiter usually just make "energy" which can insure some kind of pleasant activity...such as a nice night out on the town with friends...or winning an election.  In a personality, it can cause someone who loves to be with their friends, depending on the House.  A square/opposition with Venus would do about the same things, depending on the House.  I'm saying this so you won't fall into the habit of thinking that every square and opposition is going to create "struggles and hardwork."

If you had a trine with saturn and Jupiter, for example, could mean that you have a sense of discipline but balance it easily with steady, careful growth that insures success in anything attempted, depending on the House placement.  So this wouldn't produce a lot of "struggles" but would guarantee success with the "hard work"  of the saturn influence.  Saturn would tone down the trine's usual "easiness" and demand hardwork, but Jupiter would guarantee success from it so there wouldn't be much "struggling."  I'm saying this so you won't fall into the habit of thinking that all trines are easy times.

Remember when I suggested index cards or sheets of paper for every "thing" we study?  This is why.  Because when you start to interpret something, it's easier to get the right "mix" if you can lay all the relevant cards in front of you, to focus the mind.  For example a card for "saturn + square + Jupiter + 3rd House + Sixth House + Gemini + Virgo."  When you have all those keywords and information in front of you, then you can start to get a blending of all those factors.  

So, it is accurate what you said, but only in certain combinations (placements).  I know this gets confusing.  But, this is why I suggest the index cards.  Using them will help someone doing an interpretation from inaccuracies.  In most of my examples during the posts about specific aspects, I include the influence of another planet, so I have not talked about them "purely" on their own.  This was to give some direction in interpretation.  So, the examples are not the interpretation with those aspects.

I had wanted to do more interpretations earlier in the class.  But, I learned from the first lesson that this was impossible to do until we had a better grasp of the Houses, planets, Sun Signs, and aspects.  So, some of the information that you haven't had yet, in the class, is the squares/opposition descriptions and the planetary descriptions.