Musings on Magi Astrology #1

Declinations versus Longitude aspects in Geocentric Natal/Synastry Chart:

by Art Vandelay

Learning Magi astrology has been very insightful and I relish the findings very much, especially of Declinations, which is available on the astrodienst birth chart under the top title chart. The orb for Declinations is 1.2 degrees, and there is the contra-parallel aspect and parallel aspect, which is within orb. Contra is when the two planets are North and South, parallel is when it's both North or both South. According to Magi astrologers the declinations aspect is equally powerful as the natal longitude aspect, which they use a 3 degree orb for. Now, I don't deny the force of a declinations aspect, and I feel it is equally integrated into a personality, but the issue if any for me is that it seems very easy in lottery terms to derive aspects from declinations. Since it is always North or South and no signs are differentiated, always contra-parallel or parallel, it seems much easier than the more complicated longitude system. Not that it's less potent, I don't deny that. After all, declinations are the diagonal curve along the earth of where the planets are aligned, and there is no reason for these coordinates to become less valid. But again, it is how easier it is to have declination aspects, though that actually is good news for people who are often perplexed or bored by the seeming insignificance of their longitudinal aspects, alas maybe declinations are what we're truly missing after all. Now, if you compare a Venus parallel Pluto and Venus Conjunct Pluto, if they're both within Magi orb, I believe they are equally powerful, but like Travolta says in Pulp Ficiton, there's the little differences. For one thing, A declination aspect seems more internal, more built in so to speak. I think parallel and conjunct almost manifest themselves quite equally, but the parallel is more, or rather, less obvious. It's not elusive to see the energy working itself, but I suppose it is so integrated into a person that it seems like that's who the person is already, as if it's not even there. In any case, it very revelatory. It works kind of like the longitude aspects are your basic, most concrete facets, in other words your most reliable indicators, and the declinations are like gifts from god, something you know you have.