Soft Astrological Aspects: Trine and Sextile Planetary Aspects in an Astrological Birth Chart

Last Updated on January 22, 2022 by Avia

When reading the astrological birth chart, understanding how soft astrological aspects work in astrology is essential to making an in-depth evaluation. Do astrological aspects illustrate the interaction between the energies of each planet? For instance, how does Saturn affect Venus? Which planets in the chart affect Mercury? The soft aspects represent soft relationships when two planets are working together. Hard aspects, on the other hand, represent when astrological planets oppose or challenge one another. Understanding the nature of each of the soft planetary aspects will show a more detailed picture of the unified forces involved in one’s life.

Reading Soft Planetary Aspects in Astrology

Once the meanings and connections between zodiac signs, astrological houses, and planets are grasped, the role of the planetary aspects can be integrated. Now it is time to delve deeper into what an astrological birth chart can mean for someone. Soft aspects answer questions such as, what are natural talents and good potential careers? How does the energy of one planet color the energy of another? They were at one point considered to have a positive connotation, being good, or ‘benific’ relationships, although the term ‘soft’ more clearly describes their nature.

Soft aspects are found by dividing the natal chart by multiples of three. A circle, consisting of 360 degrees, can be divided by three, making a trine, when two planets are 120 degrees apart. Dividing the chart by six results in a sextile, when two astrological planets are 60 degrees apart. The circle can be further divided, creating a spread of 30 degrees — the semi-sextile — although this aspect is considered to be only of small importance.

Trine Aspects in an Astrological Birth Chart

A trine aspect is formed when two planets are approximately 120 degrees apart. They are also four zodiac signs apart (each zodiac is 30 degrees). As the zodiac consists of twelve signs, three of each of four different elements (earth, air, fire, and water), a trine planetary aspect involves by nature two signs of the same element. For example, if the energy of the planet Neptune, was in the earth zodiac sign Virgo, then it may have a trine-style relationship with a planet in another earth sign, Capricorn, which is four signs and 120 degrees away. This gives the relationship a sense of harmony and unity.

A trine represents the energies of two planets working to reinforce, strengthen, and encourage one another. This astrological aspect describes natural talents, enjoyable activities, what one may see as beautiful, and what one is attracted to spiritually. Whatever a trine describes may be what an individual is motivated and drawn to do because of how easy and natural it is.

For example, when Venus is in a trine with Neptune, there is a likelihood that natural artistic talents (Venus) will work well with a vivid, visual imagination (Neptune). This person may be extremely creative and find great beauty in spirituality. This is only one basic example, as the true nature of a trine planetary aspect depends on what houses and signs the planets are located in, and all of the other aspects affecting the trine.

Although this type of relationship appears to have only a positive, beneficial nature, the role of a trine is not so simple. As it is an area of ease and natural tendencies, this aspect does not stimulate questioning of oneself or life. It encourages the opposite — acceptance of whatever the planetary aspect represents, which can lead to laziness. In this way, a trine does have the potential to stunt growth, as well as provide refuge from the more challenging hard aspects of life.

Sextile Aspect in an Astrological Birth Chart

The sextile aspects in astrology are very similar to trine relationships. In this case, the astrological birth chart is divided by six, a multiple of three. Two planets in this type of planetary aspect are 60 degrees apart, and incompatible signs by element. One planet could be in Aries, a fire sign, and sextile a planet in the air sign, Aquarius, which is two zodiac signs away. Fire signs are compatible with air signs; earth signs are compatible with water signs. This means that there is still a comfortable flow between the planets in a sextile aspect, but not as much ease as with those in a trine relationship.

A sextile does represent the energy of one planet having a positive influence on another, although there is some degree of tension. As a trine may denote a natural talent, ease, and acceptance, a sextile is more a subtle encouragement of potential. As in – having a penchant for something, but with some challenges in achieving it. In this way, a sextile may be more valuable for an individual, as effort is needed for it to be attained.

For example, if the Sun, which represents the self and the ego, is in a sextile relationship with Mars, which represents courage and the will to begin things, then perhaps the individual is proud of their daring outlook on life. They feel strongly about the leadership role they are confident they will take in it, although there are obstacles to this confidence, but obstacles that can be overcome.

Both the sextile and trine aspects do define what an individual is drawn to, feels positive about, and wants out of life. They are the joys, the passions, and the comforts. Having a deeper knowledge of the meanings of planetary aspects in an astrological birth chart can help one have a deeper understanding of themselves and the world in which they live.

About the author: Jared Watney is a professional writer on kingessays.com. Besides, he is a passionate stories writer. In this case, he dreams of self-publishing his book. Moreover, Jared started drawing images for it by himself.