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One of the most perplexing aspect structures for students of astrology is the Grand Cross. Much of the confusion and mystery surrounding this configuration is solved by realizing what it really is. A Grand Cross is a developmentally tense interaction, a cross of two opposition axes, as opposed to thinking of it as four squares.
In effect, the Grand Cross shows energies and needs focused strongly in two separate but often complementary directions, two areas of concern in life. These energy drives and life concerns are usually related somehow, since in most cases, by House tenancy, the four corners of the Angular, Succedent, or Cadent Cross of Houses will become activated. Since the oppositions cross each other in “square fashion,” the behaviors manifested are often in the form of indecision, because energies are usually at cross purposes to each other.
The key to analyzing a Grand Cross in a horoscope lies largely in which of the three Grand Crosses of Houses that it occurs in. The aspects and planets involved are a secondary consideration to the House placement of the Cross.
In Angular Houses, the Grand Cross suggests concerns about parental issues in the early homelife, about relationship concerns and personal projection to others; about in-laws, the parents of the spouse. Regardless of the planets that are involved, the presence of an Angular Grand Cross in a horoscope tells me simply that there has been some conditioning in the formative years of development that has not worked in a constructive way in terms of identity development. And, usually, because of it, relationship concerns become problematic in adult life. When I see a Grand Cross in a horoscope, regardless of whether it is Cardinal, Fixed, or Mutable, if it is in Angular Houses, I have learned to expect concerns about identity and relationships that were formulated as a result of or in reaction to a parental dimension learned within the formative years of development.
In Succedent Houses, love and worth issues are brought to the foreground: self-worth, giving love, the reaction to others’ values, our expectations of love, how we want others to react to us – all of these are given strong developmental tension. There are issues of establishing personal value, creativity, putting oneself forward speculatively, and earning rewards from the job. Regardless of the planets involved or the Signs they are in, the presence of a Succedent Grand Cross in a horoscope tells me simply that there are important concerns of self-worth and love to be discussed.
A Grand Cross located in the Cadent Houses focuses in the mindset, the point of view, one’s education, and the way we cooperate with others. The way we look at things affects our health. This is a very important dynamic of the Cadent Grand Cross. Regardless of the planets that are involved, the presence of a Cadent Grand Cross in a horoscope tells me that there needs to be a discussion about education, the point of view, and how these might conflict with that which society expects us to cooperate with.
Example:
The horoscope below shows a Grand Cross in the Succedent Houses. Neptune in II opposes the Moon in VIII. That opposition axis squares the opposition that Uranus makes with the Sun-Mercury-Venus conjunction. Beginning students will look at this involved horoscope and have a tendency to try and analyze it by looking at each aspect. That is where confusion begins. If the Cross is in these Houses, all you need to say to the person is, “There is a powerful suggestion in your horoscope that we need to discuss matters of worth and love in your life. That is, how you feel about yourself in terms of esteem, how you do business within the self-worth constructs of others, how you feel about yourself in terms of lovability and how all of this plays out in your intimate life, romantically and sexually.”
After the meaning of the Cross has been established, you, as the astrologer, then look at each opposition separately with the understanding that the meaning of each one runs at cross purposes to the other.
In this case, Neptune in II opposes the Moon in VIII. This is a clear-cut symbolism of an uncertainty of worth. What “she” feels about herself is vague, unclear, uncertain, usually because the identity development has been delayed.
Uranus in XI opposes the idealistic conjunction of the Sun-Mercury-Venus. This is a great intensification in terms of sexuality, the love she expects to receive, how she feels about herself in terms of lovability, etc.
Now, you can put two and two together. You have a person with an insecure sense of self-esteem who also has a very intense need to express herself sexually. What are the possibilities? Sex can be used to bolster the sense of worth. She may involve herself with sexual partners who are beneath her or who do her no good because they help her to feel superior, more worthy, etc. These are the kind of mental possibilities that must be raised in analysis. Let’s go further.
Significator dynamics will give you the routings that enable you to see which areas of life that these tensions will be played out in. Going back to the Neptune-Moon opposition, Neptune rules VII! Immediately, we have a connection between the self-worth insecurity and relationships. The Moon rules Cancer on XI, and, as expected, we see this sense of worth issue being routed into how she feels about herself in terms of lovability. Uranus’ position there suggests that the need is going to be intense. She will need and expect a lot of attention.
Let’s look at the routings of the other opposition. Uranus is intensifying the VI-XII axis by virtue of its opposition to the Sun. This is going to have a great deal to do with how this woman cooperates with others and how she does business with society in terms of the kind of cooperation that is expected by society.
Uranus opposes Mercury, which is very, very important because of Mercury’s rulership of X and the Ascendant. This introduces much nervous energy and intensity. The routing to the Ascendant tells us that there indeed was much anxiety about her identity. The rulership of X brings one of the parents into the picture as a part of it all.
Uranus’ opposition to Venus underscores the Capricorn stellium in V, suggesting much intensity when it comes to sexuality. Venus’ rulership of II adds to what we have already seen regarding self-worth and its rulership of IX suggests that there was an interruption in her educational process that is important.
We can even take this a step further: Saturn is quindecile the Moon, which, again, highlights the V-XI axis. The quindecile is obsessive and this obsessive intensity is a part of the love given/love received axis. What’s more, the Moon in VIII is a part of the sexual profile. Saturn’s contact with it suggests a control factor, that there is something strategic taking place within the sexual profile.
This woman was raped very early in life. When she returned home from the rape with clothes ripped, etc., her father blamed her and scolded her mercilessly! Her reaction to this was, “If he thinks that I am a tramp, I will just act like one.” And she did. She would eventually become a topless dancer in cheap bars. This exposed her to the world of drugs where she became hooked. She slept with so many men that she lost count. Experiences with men and women, with married couples, with multiple trysts….you name it, she did it. She would go on to have four children by four men and even became involved in crime.
The thing that underscores this woman’s life is her tendency to associate herself with men who are not on her level. In one case, she even assisted one of these men in a crime, for which she narrowly escaped prison time. To date, she estimates that she has slept with over 400 men in her lifetime. However, she is profoundly successful. She has been able to take all of her street experience and use it in the world of business to command an extremely comfortable six-figure salary in a business that she owns (Mercury=Uranus=Sun=Moon=Jupiter/Pluto!!!!). But her personal life has always been a wreck because, chiefly because she allows herself to keep the company of men who do not serve her best interests. It all comes back to issues of love and worth and this is what you must train yourself to see in a Succedent Grand Cross. The big picture is love and worth. The description of love and worth concerns are highlighted by the planets and their significator dynamic routings.
Dennis Rodman
Every fan of professional basketball has consummate respect for Dennis Rodman. He was the type of player that did all of the important, non-flashy things to help his team win. A rebounding machine, Rodman left his heart and soul on the basketball court every time he played. However, the colorful ex-NBA athlete also has a reputation that precedes him. Rodman is consistently linked with trouble – multiple arrests, alcoholism, failed marriages, and many other concerns, including his admission of having come very close to suicide back when he played for the Detroit Pistons. Despite the championships that he played major roles in, Dennis Rodman’s life has been a very troubled one.
Rodman’s horoscope shows a Grand Cross that is predominately in Angular Houses. Without any further analysis and without knowing what planets are involved, the presence of an Angular Grand Cross should make you think, “parental concerns, identity development delayed, all leading to relationship concerns.” Through significator dynamics, these Angular concerns will also spill over into the concerns of the other Crosses. Specifically, it is extremely infrequent to find a Grand Cross in a horoscope with the 2nd House uninvolved in tension. The self-worth profile almost has to suffer within the drama of what the Cross symbolizes.
Rodman’s Cross is formed of the two oppositions between Jupiter-Mars, and Neptune-Moon. The former opposition symbolizes overdoing things, excess, energy that sees nothing but an opportunity for expression. The foot is on the accelerator too much and too often.
The opposition between Neptune and the Moon suggests a major awareness of idealism within the personality’s need to express itself. However, this opposition is in Cadent Houses so there is an immediate spill-over effect into matters having to do with mindset, forming of opinions, education and the mindset.
I should add that of all the Crosses, the Fixed Grand Cross, tends to reflect a psychology that is potentially the most challenging and debilitating of all the Crosses when the energy is not being used productively.
Rodman’s core concern flashes like a neon sign in his horoscope. Saturn is retrograde and rules the Ascendant! This is an extremely powerful symbolism that relates a delayed identity formation with a problematic, undesirable father relationship. Being unable to have the proper role modeling that was needed from his biological father (Rodman has been quoted as saying that he would shoot his father if he ran into him). Instead, he created an identity of his own making, one that, to a great degree, was extremely successful for his career.
Neptune co-rules the 2nd House within the Grand Cross. This is extremely difficult for the self-worth profile in terms of uncertainty, especially when it comes to relationships (Moon rules VII). Uranus, ruler of II, is placed in VII (another link of self-worth to relationships), where it is quindecile Jupiter and squares the Sun. Jupiter rules XI (lovability). You can see how his self-worth perspective is linked to relationship concerns and how lovable he thinks he is.
Pluto’s square to Mercury suggests the potential of very difficult perspectives in the thought processes. That is, there is a need to think in a way that is not accepted by society. This perspective plays a major role in Rodman’s sexual profile and how he cooperates with others in the work environment.
Dennis Rodman has made a great deal of money in his life. He has been successful in many ways. But through it all, his personal life, then and now, has been enveloped by the private demons whose origins we see in his horoscope.
The people represented by the examples shown here have been very successful professionally and very challenged personally. A Grand Cross in a horoscope is not a death sentence (nothing in a horoscope is). It is simply a certain kind of challenge for an identity in order to learn lessons. The important factor here is that you, the astrological analyst sees forests instead of trees. As simplistic as it may seem, it is really quite enough to simply notice if the Cross is Angular, Succedent, or Cadent and stop. In and of itself, the placement of the Cross gives you a tremendous amount of information to use, providing you know at least as much about life as you know about astrology.
Copyright © 2005 Basil Fearrington
All Rights Reserved
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