6. Combining Pt.

Before proceeding you will want to make a few lists. Make a list of the Signs along with
their keywords. Make a list of the Planets and their keywords. Make a list of the houses and
their keywords and make a list of the angles and the information I gave you on them like 120d -
harmonious, favorable etc. Perhaps an even better way is to use note cards, as suggested by a
previous reader.
At this point I want to share this with you. What is covered in lessons 6 through 10 you
will not find in any single Astrology book! No one, whether just beginning, or a seasoned
Astrologer will be able to say “ya, I knew all that”. This statement is not made lightly. Once
these lessons are completed you will have reached a certain level of Astrology. You will want to
do your own chart as well as others. You will begin to understand why you are the way you
are. You will also understand why things happened to you when they did. You will be able to
make accurate predictions in your life as well as others. By making it through lesson 10 I am
confident you will view life differently then when you began the lessons. Lets proceed on this
journey together!
A PLANET IN THE SIGNS: A planet in one sign is different than when it is in another
sign. For example the planet Mercury (the mind) found in Capricorn has a different nature to it
then when it is found in Sagittarius. We are going to form a sentence here. With Mercury (the
mind) in Capricorn the mind NEEDS to think a certain way. To identify which way the mind
needs to think in Capricorn we use the keywords for the SIGN. When Mercury is found in
Capricorn the mind needs to think in terms of STRATEGY. Another one; Mercury in Sag. The
mind needs to think in PHILOSOPHICAL ways.
Notice what I am doing here. With Mercury in Aries the mind needs to think in terms of force,
energy. While one could say that this does not make sense I have found that with this position
the mind becomes quick-witted, talk is usually spontaneous and forceful. With this position the
mind thinks quickly often blurting out everything. Mercury in Taurus the mind thinks in terms
of building, whether it be a relationship, a house etc. With this position the mind is used to
STRENGTHEN ones position. All that is being done here is the combining of keywords for the
planets and the signs. Putting the sentence together and thinking about how the combination
works. Mercury in Gemini the mind thinks in terms of communication (the chatter-bug
position). Mercury in Cancer the mind thinks in terms of security. Mercury in Leo, the mind
thinks in terms of ego, honor and pride (indeed, the nobility of thoughts). Mercury is “at home”
in Virgo, it will be strong, the mind works to discriminate (assimilate), to refine, to become
precise.
Mercury in Libra the mind seeks what is fair (in this position the mind is given a GRACE
‘keyword’ in the mental processes). Since Libra is a sociable sign the mind communicates
gracefully. Mercury in Scorpio the mind works in terms of control. This is the need to know
things in order to be in control. The mind is “deep”. Mercury in Aquarius the mind becomes
eccentric and leans towards spontaneous change. Mercury in Pisces the mind works in terms of
dealing with illusions, the mind is dreamy and there is the need to work with the intangible, the
ideal.
 The sentence with the Sun is; The Sun gives its energy to (SIGN KEYWORD). The
Sun in Aries gives its energy to exert force, to lead. Taurus energy to build and maintain.
Following in order around; to diversify and communicate; to create and maintain security; to be
recognized; to discriminate and refine; to gain recognition and please; to control by
knowing...depths to the heights; Sagittarius is energy for self assertion, to affect thoughts for
what is right; to organize through strategy, deploying resources; Energy to innovate to
intellectualize with others; to feel and sacrifice, understand.
Your Moon is your “reigning need” or chief need. The sentence for the Moon is; With the
Moon in Aries the chief need of the individual is to be forceful, (this is the numero uno
position...the need is to be number one). Again starting with Taurus and going around we get;
need to preserve, to keep things as they are or strengthen them; need to be clever,bright and
informed; need to be emotionally secure and secure within the family; need to be honored and
respected; need to be correct and exact. Need to be fair, appreciated and popular. Need to be in
control, to be seen as deep and self-sufficient. Sagittarius is the need to have the opinion
respected; need to administrate and to make things happen; need to be sociable in significant
ways and unusual (eccentric); need to be in touch with the ideal, working with the intangible,
understanding impressions. Now note I am putting it together, backing away and THINKING
how, or what it means, how the individual would transpose or act out the keywords in life.
Mars is energy. With Mars the energy works through the sign holding Mars. Lets Say
Mars is at 27 degrees Leo. This is known as being on “the cusp”. As it progresses towards
Virgo it takes on more Virgo qualities. At 0 degrees of Virgo it is said to be in Virgo BUT it
will still have Leo qualities all the way to 3 degrees of Virgo. The way I explain this is at 27
degrees Leo it is 95% Leo and 5% Virgo. At 28d (d=degrees) Leo it is 80% Leo and 20%
Virgo. At 29d Leo it is 60% Leo and 40% Virgo. These numbers are of course an estimate as
there is no real way of measuring this but this is a valid example. Back to Mars. Mars is strong
in Aries as it is at home, the sentence is; Mars in Aries the energies work to exert force, to have
impact. Mars in Taurus the energies work to build and maintain, to strengthen. Mars in Gemini
the energies work to communicate. In Cancer the energies work for security and the
home( women with this position need to rule the roost) Energies work to bolster ego. Energies
work to refine (to master method and technique, to become perfect and unassailable, much of the
time as a defense mechanism). Mars in Libra the energies work in sociable ways. Mars in
Scorpio the energies work to achieve control, (there are deep energies here often a reserve).
Mars in Sag. Works in terms of intense opinionation. Mars in Capricorn the energies work for
structure in strategic ways. Mars in Aquarius the energies work in eccentric ways (off the wall
people) here also in sociable ways, these people are constantly on the go in order to visit others.
Mars in Pisces. Mars in the clouds. The Mars energy here is channeled into the emotions.
There is an inversion from the force of Mars being turned inward to deal with the intangible, the
ideal.
Venus is an emotional or aesthetic need. Venus in Aries is the emotional need to exert
force (this is the flirtatious position. I call it the Marylyn Monroe position as her Venus was in
Aries). With Venus in Taurus there is the emotional need to build, strengthen and maintain.
Continue to do the rest of Venus on your own! This will help you build confidence!
Jupiter is a particular kind of reward need. Jupiter in Aries the reward needs are in terms
of exerting force, exerting energy (with this position one has the need to be ahead of others, to
be a leader). My Jupiter is in Libra so I have reward needs in sociable terms i.e. Recognition.
Continue to do Jupiter through the signs.
 After mastering your own chart move on to others that you are in contact with. This will
facilitate understanding. Think of how you and the people you know “work out” their charts.
The goal is to see how the planets “express themselves” in everyday life. An example; I have
worked with an individual whose Mars is in Aquarius. This person is highly sociable, loves to
talk on the phone, PUTS TOGETHER FAMILY REUNIONS and is always on the go!
Try to make connections on your own. Take for example the “Air Trine” constituted by the
signs Gemini, Libra and Aquarius. These are sociable signs. Individuals with many planets in
these signs are highly sociable. Individuals who lack any planets in these signs often struggle
when around others incurring such things as “social anxiety disorder” and now you know why,
as their social skills can, at times, prove highly lacking. With Astrology they can begin to work
with this. Creating patterns that substitute their lack of sociableness.
The Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus and Mars are known as the personal planets. The rest are
the outer “generational” planets. I have counseled an individual who has Mars,Venus, Sun and
Moon all in Aquarius (a sociable sign). No one is a stranger to this individual. He can “talk up
a storm” to anyone about anything. It flows here. It is natural to him. I know of another
individual with no planets in the Air Trine and he repeatedly struggles in conversations!
PLANETS IN ASPECT: Mars, Saturn, Uranus, Pluto and Neptune (Neptune to a degree)
are known as “hard planets”. What this means is they can create a lot of tension when in aspect
to themselves or other planets. Astrologers a few decades ago used the term “affliction” when
there was an aspect made by one of the hard planets. In order to create this tension they must be
180, 90 or 0d apart. The 45 and 135 also cause tension but are less imposing thus we will set
them aside here.
By this time you should be able to run the aspects wheel in the software as the software
automatically calculates the aspects for you. In the bottom left hand corner of the aspects wheel
where it states 0 to 200% set it to 80%. On the right at the bottom UNCHECK both minor
aspects. Lets run a chart for 8-21-69, 10:34:09 P.M. Springfield Illinois, Central Daylight Time.
This should give you an Ascendant of 9 degrees Taurus.
Note the Sun is squared by Neptune, this is tension. Also the Moon is conjunct Mars---
again tension. Can you find any more? Search. You will find Mercury is conjuncted by Pluto
and both oppose (180d) the North Node. Lets work with this one. Here Mercury is strong in
Virgo (home), the mind thinks in terms of mental assimilation, to refine. Due to the
conjunction here all of Plutos’ power pumps directly through the mind. This creates an
inspector or investigator type of mentality. This mentality is in opposition to the North Node
(associations) of this individual. Surely we can visualize this. You are sitting in a coffee shop
and in comes the inspector and sits down across from you. He does the natural thing and begins
to interrogate. You quickly leave. The opposition is a “standoff” the 2 do not get along. Surely
in the above we can see the mind causing problems in associations as no one likes to be
interrogated. There is the tension. Note the lack of planets in social signs! We begin to see
some interpersonal communication problems this individual will have. Question. Is this person
doomed to live the life of a hermit? Absolutely not! With an understanding of Astrology the
individual can become aware and work with these areas. Going back to the chart we see the Leo
Sun being squared by Neptune. The Leo ego is somehow being “brought down” by the illusions
of this Neptune. Actually how this is occurring is through the illusions of self-worth anxiety this
individual has. How did I arrive at this point? There are other indications in this chart that
warrant this deduction and will be talked about later. Note also the Trine (120d) between this
Venus and Neptune. Trines are harmonious. These 2 planets work together to compliment the
individual. There is no tension in the Trines.
When a planet makes no major aspect in a chart, (180,120,90,60,0d) it stands alone. It sits
there screaming me me me. It can literally take over a chart becoming that persons defining
characteristic, leading the personality in terms of that planet/sign symbolism. I have observed
many examples of this.
Speaking of tension, this is how the planets create the tension. Pluto magnifies, Uranus
intensifies, Neptune fogs up, Saturn restricts and Mars over invigorates. An example would be
Venus (emotions)squared by Pluto (magnifies). This person would internally magnify their
emotions. This individual will struggle to get a handle on the emotions (get them under control-
shielding them from others). There will be wasting of emotions here. Another: The Moon in
Leo is a proud Moon, under a tension aspect from Saturn (restriction) we get overtones that
something is taking away from the Moon. Later in the next lesson you will discover how to find
out what is restricting this Moon. At this point you can request Supplement A which lists some
of the meanings for the major planetary aspects.
Remember that the tension aspects create a cross, 180, 0, and 90 degrees on both sides of the
circle.
A planetary build up in one sign of the zodiac will make that signs characteristics pervade the
personality. Like 3 planets in Scorpio there will be an “air” of control to the personality. Add a
couple more planets in Scorpio and we get “control freak”, of course other dynamics will be
involved.
The above is easier to verify when the planets in question are the “personal planets”.
Review: In Astrology the Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus and Mars are the personal planets
while the others that are slower moving are the “generational planets” as they can remain in the
same sign for an entire generation.
We take the keywords for the planet and the sign it is in and combine them into a
sentence, then think about how that would show itself in the individual.
We use 0, 90 and 180 degrees to find planets that are “under tension” from each
other while the Trine class represents the 2 planets working and cooperating with each other.
Again, if you have any questions PLEASE feel free to ask as I am here to help.
The above may seem complicated (as does any new subject) but after a little practice it will
become second
Nature to you as it has others.

When you feel you are ready to proceed request Lesson 7. Combining Pt.2

Brian James Sklenka Sr.