The features of your chart, Carl, that I will draw on in this section, although not necessarily in this order, are:

1) Planets balanced among the four elements;

2) Sun trine Moon in Aquarius;

3) Grand trine in air;

4) Locomotive Planetary Pattern;

5) Fifth house cusp is open area of Locomotive;

6) Mutable T-square: Sun-Jupiter-Saturn;

7) Jupiter-Saturn opposition;

8) Sun closely square (½°) Saturn;

9) Saturn in the first house;

10) Moon-Pluto opposition.

There are just four things in any chart: the planets, symbolizing the distinct, archetypal energies comprising your psyche; the signs, symbolizing how those energies are modified and their needs for proper functioning; the houses or life-arenas in which those qualified planetary energies are expressed; and the aspects, describing relationships between the planets and how they interact.

The signs themselves can be grouped into four affinity groups known as the elements, or three groups each of whose members conflict one another known as the quadruplicities (see page 46 for more). What is significant about your chart, Carl, is that it your planets are balanced among the four elements: two in fire, four in earth, three in air, and two in water, symbolizing that you are likewise balanced among your ardor, practicality, thought and feeling.

Speaking of balance, you have a wonderful (5° from perfect) trine between the “lights” of your chart: the Sun and the Moon. This symbolizes a harmony between your true self and your personality, reflected in being born of parents also in harmony with each other. This is one of the most important aspects in your chart. Success, good health, independence, stability and self-reliance are indicated: a relatively smooth life without major difficulties if other aspects concur. Life usually provides you with what you need when you need it. This ease can be a contributing factor to laziness, however, if there are a lack of compensating challenges in your chart; in this regard, a strong Mars, Saturn, squares or oppositions will get you on your feet. Other people are supportive of you and your goals, whereas you in turn are helpful to them. You could even have a special gift for spanning the generation gap, bringing older (Sun) and younger (the Moon) spirits together.

Your Grand trine in air, Carl, is embedded in a larger Planetary Pattern, the Locomotive. I shall discuss both, starting with the grand trine.

The grand trine symbolizes earned, special advantages to be enjoyed in this life—in the element shared by the three planets. Your grand trine consists of the Sun and the Moon, the two most important “planets” in a chart—and Neptune, the planet of spirit, mysticism, surrender and sensitivity. In air, your grand trine symbolizes a natural richness with things of the mind and communication: a great facility with words, ideas, and how to use them. With Neptune involved, your thought and communication is poetic, visionary, and mystical, including much that is otherworldly or non-rational. This is indeed a beautiful grand trine, joining the primary Tao (the male and female, or active and passive principles) in harmony with the planet of mysticism and surrender, in the element of thought and communication. I honor you and the symbolism you embody.

Trines indicate a harmonious flow of energy, the potential for creative self-expression, or blessings, gifts and talents related to the planets and houses involved. Their downside is that if not offset by hard aspects (squares, oppositions, semisquares, or quincunxes), the grand trine can symbolize too much stability leading to inertia, passivity or inactivity owing to a lack of obstacles and the necessary effort in one’s life: spiritual exercise, as it were. This is not, however, true for you, Carl. You have squares and oppositions aplenty; in fact, you have an entire other Planetary Pattern—the T-square to be discussed later—comprised of these obstacles, giving your talents plenty of purchase and grit to work with.

Since if unchallenged they can lead to inertia, medieval and Renaissance astrologers considered the grand trine an unfortunate aspect, the native being doomed to a life of indolence, stagnation, and missed opportunities. Modern astrologers do not interpret them so severely—if negatively at all—perhaps due to the relatively greater ease with which one can get by in today’s world.

This sample astrology report-birthday gift is continued here