The Opposition

The opposition is a dissociative, very tense angle of about 180°, give or take 10°.

Oppositions are 180 degrees apart and are therefore opposite each other. Oppositions are generally considered to be rather challenging, although in relationship Synastry charts this can be a sometimes be a case of polar opposites attracting to each other. Again, the degree of influence of the orb needs to be taken into account, but generally the oppositions fall into the signs below.

Aries – Libra
Taurus – Scorpio
Gemini – Sagittarius
Cancer – Capricorn
Leo – Aquarius
Virgo – Pisces
Libra – Aries
Scorpio – Taurus
Sagittarius – Gemini
Capricorn – Cancer
Aquarius – Leo
Pisces – Virgo

Imagine if you will a board room with a long table. At either end of the table are two parties, each there to negotiate. Each wants his or her own way, but they know a compromise will be necessary in order to come to some sort of balanced agreement. In astrology, when two planets are in opposite parts of the sky we call this an “opposition.” Much like a real life negotiation the two planets in the sky can either come together somehow, one may overpower the other, or they might be left in a stalemate.

In a previous article I wrote about the conjunction– when two (or more) planets join forces. Their energy blends because they’re close to one another. With the opposition the planets are 180 degrees apart. The energies are coming from two different directions, two different points-of-view. The intial feeling is one of imbalance; a common ground needs to be found.

An opposition in the natal chart describes two energies, or needs, that we have. When we’re unconscious of this imbalance we tend to express only one side of the opposition and often meet the other side externally. For example, with the Sun (inner self, authority) making an opposition to Mars (anger, aggression, willpower) in a birth chart one may feel that he or she (Sun) often meets people (the opposition) who get angry easily (Mars), or work (Mars) to oppose the person. Because Mars can also represent motivation the person may feel he or she needs to be externally (opposition) motivated (Mars).

The truth is that the Martian energy needs to be better integrated and a balance struck between the person’s Sun and Mars. The person needs to understand that the part of the chart that contains Mars is the part of his or her life where the empahsis and focus should be on action, courage, and will. When consciousness is brought to the opposition, instead of two disparate energies, the person can integrate them into a continuum and find balance.

It reflects influences which are deeply rooted in the psychology, but are naturally disowned by the native, even though they are quite prominent in him. This produces an unwholeness, an immaturity and a need for affirmation, an unresolved insecurity even though these energies are strong in him.

It establishes great strain and frustration which must find some form of expression, and it is usually twisted and exaggerated. These intense, repressed energies are bound to create warps in perception, and so often lead to excessive occupation with, and even projection of qualities and intentions upon others.

Sometimes the native seeks or attaches himself to persons which reflect these energies for him, and as such act as a sanction for the expression of his own. It seems they seek validation for these energies by other people.

There is also an interplay of fear, especially fear of rejection in expression of these energies, or fear of these being used back against them. Therefore, these influences tend to act out in a concealed or indirect way in many circumstances. The native must feel sanctioned from their surroundings for the expression of these energies, or else they repress them in fear of disapproval.

It introduces an element of deep frustration, which may find inappropriate venues for its expression. These energies are too strong, too extreme and in cases they get endorsement by their surroundings, may find it offshoot in quite a negative way. So in the end, the choice is more between some repression and unhealthy expression.

The inclinations of the opposition are usually more apparent to those nearer to the native, however there are usually still some internal patterns that are not shared even in these circumstances. The strongly repressive aspect of the opposition acts as a deep reservoir of rotting, mostly unexpressed energies and desires. It is a difficult influence to unearth as it is deeply rooted in the subconscious.

Another issue is that this energy is not well-focussed by nature, can have an off-again on-again expression. It is usually more repressed in early years, which makes it hard to establish oneself properly in appropriate fields.

The opposition has two sides which are deeply polarized, but know each other’s game and take qualities from each other so that the other side cannot win over them. It’s like a mini “cold war”, where the sides are of similar strengths and cannot completely get over each other.

Causation

Early life is usually ripe with the tensions having to do with the planets involved, and there is an early opposition to the expression of these energies by the native, although others have demonstrated these very energies.

Last updated on December 3, 2017 at 11:20 pm. Word Count: 888