Love Compatibility Reports for Gay Men and Women -- What You Should Know

Love compatibility reports are one method that people have for trying to decode their partner's sometimes odd-seeming actions, predict how they'll react to their own thoughts and needs, and figure out if the challenges that a particular relationship represents will all just be too hard. Astrology in the past has made some assumptions about the nature of relationships that do impact on love compatibility reports. Today we are looking at the impact on your report of being gay or straight, and some pointers for getting the best out of your report no matter what your partner's gender.

Are we all the same?

One of the first things you'll notice about astrology is that it doesn't consist of a hard and fast set of rules. Interpretations and predictions change according to a variety of factors. So, while it is tempting to assume that the gender of your partner makes no difference in your love compatibility reading, it would be completely incorrect :-).

No matter what our sexual orientation, that 23rd chromosome does have quite an effect on how our personalities turn out, with differing hormone profiles and social programming for each sex. We definitely need to know if two people we are preparing a love compatibility report for are the same sex or not.

But why?

If you've read much about astrology, one of the first things the may have struck you is the range of different ways that astrological events can express themselves in people and their actions. One event does not lead to the same response in all people. For example, we recently wrote about retrogrades in a natal chart. If you have Pluto in retrograde on your natal chart, extreme power and corruption tend to feature as themes in your life, according to astrological belief. However, this may be on the delivering or receiving end. So you may constantly feel you are the victim of power inequalities, or may tend to exert your power over others unfairly. Opposite sides of the same coin.

Physical factors that impact astrological readings

Whether you are a heterosexual or homosexual couple will affect the positioning we take with the reading -- which side of that coin we look at. So will other physical factors, like:

· Age

· Education level

· Existing family

· Religion

· Cultural background

· Physical attractiveness

The more information you can give your love compatibility reader, the better and more accurate picture you should receive of your current and future lives together.

Retrogrades: A Rundown

Retrogrades are an important phenomenon that is poorly understood by many people, although the name is recognized by many. We recently gave you an introduction to retrogrades in the natal chart and in everyday life, looking at what a retrograde means in general. You might have found the planetary rundown a little unsatisfying; today we are correcting that! If any of the following retrogrades have been identified in your personal astrology reading, or are coming up as general events, read on for a closer look at what it all means.

Mercury in retrograde

When Mercury is in retrograde, what we know about communication goes backwards! If Mercury was in retrograde at the time of your birth, in your natal chart, it does not necessarily mean that you will be a terrible communicator, doomed to a life of being misunderstood. You may find, though, that you must choose your words carefully and be prepared to explain yourself. You will often find that non-verbal means of communication work best for you -- make use of touch as a method of conveying what you are feeling, and ensure your actions gel with your words. During Mercury's retrograde periods, everybody should be doing this, according to astrological principles.

Venus in retrograde

Venus is the planet of love and relationships, and if it is retrograde in your natal chart, you may find it difficult to get what you really want out of a relationship. You may feel withdrawn from other people, and side issues, like finances and aesthetics, may become a factor in your relationships. Remember though, that a retrograde planet in your astrology reading doesn’t condemn you to a life of relationship misery. Often people work so hard on these challenges they become strengths.

Mars in retrograde

Mars is the planet of anger, conflict and discord, and when it is in retrograde in a natal chart it means that these feelings turn inwards rather than outwards. You might delay conflict in your life rather than immediately facing it, or may find that you are constantly angry at yourself. Timidity and lack of assertiveness are often issues. When Mars is in retrograde for everybody on the planet, watch out for misdirected anger and internalized feelings.

Jupiter in retrograde

Jupiter is a social planet, and one concerned with issues of justice, truth and spirituality. When it is in retrograde in an astrology reading, the person will often be concerned with issues of the ultimate truth, spirituality and what is right in the world. They maybe highly dissatisfied with the current system, and may see issues in a completely different light to other people. During Jupiter's regular retrograde period, we reassess what we think and feel about various issues -- it seems that things come to a head.

Astrological Readings for Twins -- Same Look, Different Life

One of the main challenges to astrology is the question of identical twins. If these people came into the world at pretty much the same time (and if they were born by Caesarian, exactly the same time), why is it that their personalities can be so different? Everybody has their own opinion on this, but for those that believe in the forces of astrology, the answer is simple. We look at how two people can have the sameastrological reading, but such different lives.

Understand the astrological reading's limits

A personal astrological reading explains how the forces of the universe imprinted a particular person's personality at their time of birth, and this can have an effect on their future lives. However, environmental factors at the level of the family, society, and on the Earth generally are also at play, and twins will respond differently to environmental factors. There can also be quite a bit of push and pull in the charts between different aspects, and one twin might tend to express the push part of their astrological readings, while the other twin expresses the pull part.

The Four P variables and twins

Every zodiacal energy manifests itself according to the four Ps, which form a basis for individual expression of traits in astrological readings. These are Potential, Probability, Predisposition and Propensity. Tensions between these forces make a particular trait manifest itself in different and individual ways.

The twin paradox

In fact, one paradoxical element of twinship is that in the search for uniqueness and individuality, one or both twins might try to deliberately distinguish themselves from the other one. This can be in ways relating to world view and lifestyle choices, as well as external factors like dress, mannerisms and hair color.

Understanding the archetype of twins through the paradigm of Gemini

The sign of Gemini is the astrological representation of Pollux and Castor, a Greek myth. The two were the sons of a mortal woman, Leda, and the chief Olympian God, Zeus. Pollux was immortal, and Castor was mortal. They loved each other intensely, and when Castor was about to die on the battlefield, Pollux asked Zeus if he might die alongside his brother, so they could share in death. Zeus said that instead, they could share immortality -- but the price of this was forever alternating between Hades and Olympus, the realms of the Gods, and the underworld.

The paradigm of alternating personalities and expressions is often found in real twins, also, where there is a conscious decision to own the Moon's aspects rather than the Sun's in the astrological reading.

Celebrity Natal Charts: Marilyn Monroe

Marilyn Monroe was considered by many to be an enigma, wrapped in a riddle -- beautiful but troubled. Today we are looking at what herpersonal astrological reading reveals about her personality and destiny, in terms of the ascendant and the positions of the planets in her natal chart.

Marilyn Monroe was born on Jun 1, 1926, at 9:30 a.m. local time, in Los Angeles, California.

Sun in Gemini

Marilyn Monroe's sun sign was Gemini, hence the feeling that she is two completely different people ... sometimes at the same time. The Gemini made her sociable, mercurial, and with a logical rational mind. It indicates a love of talking on the phone, a magnetic personality, and a fear of being alone and being bored.

Sun in the eleventh house

Marilyn Monroe's sun is in the eleventh house, which is marked by a strong sense of teamwork. The tendency towards having many friends and a very active social life that the sun in Gemini creates is confirmed in this positioning -- those with the sun in the eleventh house typically have plenty of social contacts, and looks for group leadership. Sometimes that is expressed in a dominating way, but on the whole, Ms Monroe's personal astrological chart indicates warmth, friendliness and generosity.

Leo Ascendant, Aquarius descendant

According to the guidelines of astrology charts, Marilyn's outward personality would have been gregarious, bold, and dramatic ... and very needing of love. Leo ascendants need an audience in order to release their creativity into the world, and they usually find an appreciative one for their confidence and showiness.

The Aquarius descendant indicates that Marilyn Monroe's inner self longed to serve others, and fit into the larger group. The boldness and passion of the outer Leo was tempered by the logical detachment of that Aquarius inside.

Moon Square Saturn

This aspect tends to produce people that can never be fully satisfied, and have a tendency towards depression and pessimism. Sometimes difficulties with the mother are indicated by this conjunction. The positive side to this aspect of Marilyn Monroe's personal astrological readingis that is brings perfectionism and hard work into the chart.