I have embarked on the study of an area of Astrology which is generally regarded as being an advanced technique. What has enabled this is my recent creation of a spreadsheet in order to compute and sort the necessary calculations.

This is the study of midpoints. Midpoints have actually been known for a few hundred years and the principle of synthesis for several thousand, though the study of midpoints has been renewed and intensified in recent years.

The concept behind midpoints is indeed a simple one. Take any combination of two 'planets' or points in a chart and the precise degree and minute lying midway between the two points is what's called the 'direct' midpoint. This is the position at which the energies of the two forces are said to merge or be working together. A planet or point (Ascendant, MC or North Node) at this position would therefore be the outlet for the other two energies and also the way in which these energies are focused. This is all there is to understand about the idea of midpoints.

Experience has shown that there are, however, other 'midpoints', concerning the same pair of points, which also bring together their energies. The opposite point to the 'direct' midpoint is, naturally, also midway between the two planets but on the 'long arc' of the chart's circumference. Both positions 90 degrees either side of this axis are also midpoints to these energies, as are the positions 45 and 135 degrees either side of the direct midpoint. What this reveals is that there is the direct midpoint - effectively the conjunction, and 7 other 'indirect' midpoints at intervals of 45 degrees - the opposition to this, and the semi-square, square and sesquiquadrate aspects positions to the direct midpoint.

Again experience has shown that there is no difference in strength between these midpoints - each of the 8 midpoint positions equally draw upon the collective energies of the two 'planets' under study.

When all 8 midpoints have been calculated for each planetary / point pairing, there is naturally always one which has a celestial longitude (from 0 degrees of Aries) of less than 45 degrees - each 45 degree segment of the chart is identical. Therefore any 45 degree slice of the chart is representative of all the direct midpoints of each pairing in the whole chart. When all midpoints of a 45 segment have been arranged in ascending order, it is called the '45 degree sort'. This structure of midpoints breathtakingly reveals the process of an individual's life - even daily and even 8 times per day...read on!

When a 'planet' (to include Sun and Moon), the North Node or angle (Ascendant or MC) fall on or transit a midpoint, the combined energies are treated as a triple conjunction, where the central force is the point of release or focus of the others and 'causes an event'.

[I find it interesting to note from Cailedair's recent post on Triplicities that 'three' is the number of completion. Here we have a trinity of three energies being focused and directed by the central one, and causing an effect!]

The Ascendant and MC transit the entire zodiac with each diurnal cycle of the earth. This means that each transit the 45 degree sort 8 times every day. This further means that the 'process' revealed by the order of the midpoints in an individual's chart is repeated 8 times daily by the Ascendant and 8 times daily by the MC. The Ascendant and MC are vital in midpoint techniques where the precise time of birth is known. On a daily level though, the speed at which they move means that unless backed up by other transits, their influence may not be physically realised - but they are still having their effect! When, for instance, the Ascendant transits the Mars/Uranus midpoint (ASC=Mars/Uranus), we could have an accident or be suddenly startled or alerted to some external influence (Mars is energy and Uranus is sudden release or excitability). This would be more likely when Mars=Uranus/ASC because Mars takes 2-2.5 years to orbit the zodiac as opposed to one day - its period of transit to a midpoint therefore lasts longer (a few days) and is more powerful and influencial.

The transits of the ASC and MC, however, are still vitally important in organising our daily routine and they have their influence whether we are conscious of them or not. We all sleep for several hours each day and the 45 degree sort is covered in 3 hours by the MC and of similar but fluctuating duration by the Ascendant - depending upon the location on the earth's surface. We do not 'skip' the midpoints when we sleep - we are simply not conscious of their effect. We all toss and turn in our beds, have dreams of all kinds, get awakened in the night and maybe even get up during the night. The point is that we are all governed by the order in which the midpoints fall in our charts and this dictates the way we organise our lives and react to external events.

This subject will be continued in a future post. I hope that this has given you an insight into the fascinating study of midpoints and I both thank and congratulate you on your interest / perseverence in reading this!

'Till next time!