Welcome to my Astro Advice Column! If you subscribe to my Astro-Kats or Star Kids Club groups you are able to ask me questions about astrology for this advice column.


Hi! I have a t-square between Mars (in Cancer), Jupiter (in Capricorn), Saturn (in Aries) that is squared and opposed by my North Node (in Libra). I consider myself to be fairly ambitious and determined, but I also feel like I'm stuck in a cycle of slow progress, I need to put in disproportionate amounts of effort to see even the barest of results. I was wondering how you would interpret this formation and if you have any advice to share on working with these energies.

—Rain


Rain!! I’m so glad you asked me this question. Your question is a bit technical so I want to get into that. First, however, I want to tell you that you are not alone in having these placements. You have never been alone in having them and, in fact, you probably grew up around folks who know a thing or two more than me about having them.

Because yes—I have seen many people with the placements you are talking about. I’m guessing that you were born sometime in 1996. Most people born in 1996 have Jupiter in Capricorn and Saturn in Aries. Many of you also have Mars in Cancer and the nodes in Aries and Libra.

Let’s get into the technical stuff. Mars is in fall in Cancer. Jupiter falls in Capricorn. Saturn falls in Aries. When a planet is in its fall, it despises honor and glory. Planets in fall have this really cool way of satirizing the most visible aspects of that planet. They are funny! They are also doubtful and that makes them a weird genius in their own way.

But Mars in Cancer, Jupiter in Capricorn, and Saturn in Aries isn’t just a collection of three planets all in fall. Mars falls in Cancer but exalts in Capricorn and rules Aries. Jupiter falls in Capricorn but is exalts in Cancer and has affinity with Aries. Saturn is in fall in Aries and Cancer but it rules Capricorn. All three planets are in connection with each other which means that they exchange amongst themselves.

Mars receives from Jupiter in this t-square. Mars receives honor from Jupiter.

Jupiter receives from Mars and Saturn in your chart. Jupiter receives honor from Mars and resourcing from Saturn.

Saturn receives from both Mars and Jupiter in your chart. Saturn receives resourcing from Mars and friendship from Jupiter.

How do these planets do this? They do it through relationship building. Planets in fall don’t do things on their own because they are more reluctant to hold power on their own. They build collectives because they like to give and share power. This is true especially of Mars in Cancer but also Saturn in Aries. Less so with Jupiter in Capricorn.

Much of the time, planets that are debilitated will actually dignify other debilitated planets. Not all of the time but much of the time. This happens in your chart.

The aspect formation that all three planets are involved in is called a t-square. A t-square uses the energy of Mars and Saturn. Mars is about rupture and Saturn is about commitment. This particular t-square utilizes both rupture and commitment to bring in newness and change because it is in the cardinal signs.

Let’s reinterpret each planet according to this principle now:

Mars who seeks intimate alliances amplifies every narrative that challenges power. Jupiter which deconstructs power constructs intimacy as worldbuilding, growing its dreams through commitment. Saturn, which believes that more is possible now, finds relevance through intimacy and networks with groups of misfits.

The t-square works very well. Now, I want to address some of the feelings of frustration you named in your question.

Saturn in Aries wants things to change now. It’s good at reminding us that a lot more is possible faster than we usually believe. Mars in Cancer is sticky and slow. Mars in Cancer believes in waiting for the last person in a group, in keeping the group together in that way. For most of us, knowing how to move both fast and slow is quite important to survival. Some things take more time while some things take less. But there is a bit of a clash between what Mars in Cancer wants to do and what Saturn in Aries wants to see.

If you only had Mars in Cancer and Saturn in Aries, you would lean on just those planets working between themselves. But your also have Jupiter in Capricorn. Jupiter in Capricorn is a planet of organized action. It believes in an ideology when that ideology has practical utility. Jupiter in Capricorn is a dreamer who cares about what is realistic.

You’re sensing some friction between your drive and your pace. Cardinal t-squares use conflict to bring about change. I wonder what this conflict between drive and pace tells you about when dreams are believable and when they are not. Do you ever underestimate your own growing capabilities and believe some dreams to be unrealistic as a result? Do you ever overestimate how much time something will take and forget that your dreams can become realistic through effort?

That’s all I have to share about the t-square between Mars in Cancer, Jupiter in Capricorn, and Saturn in Aries. Your nodes are also in Aries and Libra. I’m guessing that this year is your nodal reversal. The eclipses happening this year are your eclipses in a way. This is a good time to feel into drive and ambition, into pace, and to never forget that dreaming is also a responsibility.