Relationships in Astrology: Synastry Compatibility and Composite Charts

There are two ways to look at relationships in astrology. There is what is called a synastry chart, which takes two people and puts their planetary placements side by side and shows all of the connections (aspects) between them. It basically shows how two individuals react to one another. There is also a composite chart, which takes all of the planetary information of two people and combines them. It takes the midpoint between the two suns, two moons, Saturns, etc. It shows how the two people function as a couple (whether it be a romantic relationship or a business partnership).

Let's take a look at how an astrologer uses these two charts.

Relationships in Astrology: Synastry Chart

A synastry chart is commonly known as a comparison chart. Some astrologers will look at the two individuals' charts side by side (on separate pieces of paper), and some will use what is called a bi-wheel chart, which basically takes the chart and creates a second circle inside of it and places one person's planets over the other person's chart.

In astrology, usually a birthday, birth time and the city and state/country of birth are required. Let's say the client knows her partner's birthday and birth city, but she does not know the time he was born. With a bi-wheel synastry chart, this does not matter as much because one person's chart is in the center and the other person's planets are placed around that chart. So it has the client as the focal point and shows how the relationship affects her and how the other person's moods and behavior affect different areas of her life.

If the client knows her partner's birth time, the astrologer can switch this and put the boyfriend's information in the center and show how the client's moods and behaviors affect him. Or, as mentioned above, the astrologer may look at the two charts side by side rather than placing one person's planets within the partner's chart.

The synastry chart shows overall relationship compatibility, what kinds of issues trigger each person and ways in which their personalities blend or clash. It can reveal things about the background of each person and the attitudes each has toward close relationships.

Let's take a look at the composite chart.

Relationships in Astrology: Composite Chart

In this kind of chart, compatibility is not the focus. The focus is on the purpose of the relationship and how two people will grow together over the long-term. It is ideally suited for looking at engaged/married couples or business partners. It shows how the two people come together and what their energy is like as a united pair.

A composite chart shows what the strengths and weaknesses are of the relationship, what areas of life will be smooth and what areas will require patience and development. It basically shows how well two people work together, what their goals are as a couple and how they go about achieving those goals.

One great thing about a composite astrology chart is being able to look at upcoming transits and seeing how these affect the couple. An astrologer can look at where the planets are now (or where they will be six months from now) and see how this will likely influence the relationship. It's great to see how planets affect you both as a unit, rather than only looking at how the transits affect you individually. An astrologer might look at a composite chart to see when the best time is for a couple to buy a new house, have a baby or start a new business, for example.

A composite chart works with the understanding that when you are in a relationship with someone else, your needs change. You take the other person into consideration when making decisions and issues that affect that person affect you as well. When two people are together, they draw strength from one another and are able to do things they could not easily accomplish as individuals.

Summary

Essentially, a synastry chart looks at the "I" and the "you" in a relationship, and a composite chart looks at the "we" and the "us." Both are valid ways of understanding a relationship. Composite charts work better for long-term partnerships and synastry charts can be used for short-term or long-term connections.