©6-9-2011 by Donna Cunningham, MSW
This series of articles is meant for you if your chart or the chart of someone you’re close to has a stellium. That’s a cluster of 4 or more planets within 30° of the zodiac. With one sign or house so highly emphasized, there’s a laser-like focus on a single area of life that can bring great accomplishments if rightly directed.
The more complicated the stellium—and, believe me, they can get complicated—the steeper the learning curve. Figuring out how to juggle the wants, needs, and issues of so many planets at once can be like earning an advanced degree…in night school…a few credits at a time…periodically interrupted by pressing personal concerns.
Relax, though, you have plenty of time to finish this particular degree—the rest of your life. If you’re lucky and your specialty isn’t Olympic speed skating, you’ll do much better as you grow into the stellium. Maturity, which generally comes with Saturn cycles, brings depth and experience to the gifts that combination conveys.
Astrology is a great guidebook for studying combinations like these and understanding what The Cosmos has in mind for you this time around. I’m a pretty decent tour guide because I’ve been doing people’s charts for over 40 years. And, oh yes, I’ve been working on a stellium of my own for the past 69 years–4 planets in Gemini in the 11th.
What I’d like to do here is to share secrets about this crucial chart feature and a tip on how to integrate the factors it contains.
1) Why some people don’t identify with their stellium sign: When people find out they have several planets in one sign, it’s fairly common for them to protest that they’re not like that sign at all. More than a few of them sputter that they HATE that sign! ( Can you spell projection?) A cluster in the 12th, in particular, can result in denial or suppression of that sign’s qualities, as they’re often disowned or unconscious.
There are a couple of other reasons. One is that the house of a stellium outweighs the sign because all those energies are single-mindedly focused on the areas of life that house depicts.
Since each house is loosely associated with a particular sign of the zodiac, a concentration of planets in one house may convey some of the qualities of that sign.
For instance, in my years as a social worker, I often had jobs in health care settings and did my coworkers’ charts. You’d think there’d be lots of Virgo, but that’s not the case. What really stood out were major concentrations in the 6th, which is naturally associated with Virgo.
So think about the sign naturally associated with the stellium’s house and consider whether there are qualities that resemble it—the 3rd for Gemini, for instance, or the 4th for Cancer.
Finally, most people who don’t relate to their stellium sign have one or more outer planets as part of the mix. What I’ve always seen with outer planet aspects is that the planet outweighs the sign. A person with Neptune strongly integrated into the combination can be more Piscean than any Pisces, regardless of the sign placement. Someone with Uranus in the stellium has strong Aquarian traits. Someone with a cluster where Pluto is conjunct other planets will come across as a Scorpio.
2) What the empty houses in a stellium chart mean: If you have four or more planets in one house, you’re bound to have more vacant houses than occupied ones. 
It helps to understand that the singular concentration of energy in one house shows where you’re most invested and therefore where you can make a fine contribution to the world.
The price, however, is that you may not achieve a great deal in other areas of life—perhaps areas our society considers crucial and can make you feel wrong for not fulflling.
If your 5th house is empty, for example, it doesn’t necessarily mean you won’t have children, though you may choose not to. You’re likely to be a distracted parent because so much time and energy is invested elsewhere. If you have tons of planets in your 7th but the 11th is empty, you’re all about your partnership, so you probably won’t make much time for friendships or groups.
The placement of an empty house’s ruler shows where that energy is diverted, and so the stellium’s house would contain rulers of at least four other houses. My 4 Gemini planets in the 11th include Mercury, Venus, Saturn, and Uranus. Those are the rulers of my 3rd, 4th, 6th, 7th, 8th, and 11th houses. I’ve got a lot riding on my friendships, and as a result, other areas of life aren’t so major in the scheme of things.
3) How to understand the pieces of the stellium: The birth chart is the owner’s manual for your stellium. For a start in understanding how it works, get a computer printout that describes house positions, signs, and aspects. No computerized analysis can synthesize the complexities of a stellium, but it’s a way to begin to understand the pieces of the puzzle. The ideal, of course, would be a session with a seasoned professional zeroing in on that part of your chart.
One good way to get a working knowledge of how the various parts of a stellium operate is to observe yourself for a few months as the Moon crosses, squares, trines, or opposes that sign and house. It might help to keep a journal. Also watch closely what happens in the month or two each year that the Sun, Mercury, and Venus transit that area.
You’ll notice issues and emotions that arise time after time, typical rough spots that occur, and the usual players in your dramas. You’ll soon recognize patterns, making it easier to work through any counter-productive behaviors and pull yourself up short when you feel yourself heading into them. You’ll also start to recognize peak productive periods and create windows for capitalizing on the excellent talents that grouping represents.
4) How to find the Alpha Dog planet in a stellium: In learning how to micromanage a stellium, the key is to discover which is the dominant planet in the group. Like the Alpha Dog in a pack, that planet is going to run the show, and if Alphie isn’t happy, nobody’s happy. If you want something out of one of the other planets in the pack, you need to give Alphie a chew toy to keep him contented.
What on earth do I mean? Well, suppose Uranus turns out to be the dominant planet in a stellium, and yet you struggle to suppress your wild, inventive, maverick side in that area of life. Uranus is NOT going to play nice—it’s going to come out snarling at just the wrong time or pee on the boss’s leg.
You need to find entertaining but essentially harmless diversions for Uranus…a big old chew toy. That way, you can loosen up the energies of the other factors in the mix and start using them for your goals.
How do you know which is the Alpha Dog? You may already have an intuitive hit, just from pondering it. For confirmation, you could take the tests here on Skywriter to measure the strength of each planet in the stellium. (If two of the scores are nearly identical, you’d better stock up on chew toys!) For links to the tests for the planets, elements, and modes, see Planetary Tests.
There are other clues as to the top dog. If the ruler of the Ascendant or Midheaven is part of the stellium, that may be the one you’re looking for. Or, if the ruler of the sign or house involved is part of the stellium, that might give it an edge. My Mercury in Gemini rules the sign and—in some systems—the house of my 4-planet Gemini stellium. It bores easily and insists on lots of variety in its chew toys.
Other than that, you may come to sense the dominant planet as you follow the Moon through the cluster month after month and observe each of the planets in turn as the Moon crosses it.
As you track transits over the long run, you might notice that one planet in the stellium is often under siege when a major event happens. That one MAY be Alphie. (Here’s a handy downloadable summary of transits over the past few years: Transit Tracking Table for 1990-2012.)
One final clue: which planet in the stellium is the most brilliant AND the most trouble?
Readers, if you have a stellium or have a loved one who does, share it with us. Do you identify with your stellium sign—and if not, why don’t you? What happens with the empty houses? And which planet is the Alpha Dog?
More Articles about Stelliums on Skywriter:
- Readers Ask: Question and Answer Session on Stelliums by House
- Skywriter’s Impact Test for Stelliums and Multiple Conjunctions–Version 2.0
- The Incredible Vulnerability a Stellium Creates
- Readers’ Insights into their own Stelliums
- A Few Last Insights into Stelliums from Readers
Gemini Heaven: More Things You May Not Know:
- 10 Things You May not Know about Uranus
- 6 Things You May Not Know about Pluto
- 10 Things You May Not Know about Solar Returns
- Things You May Not Know about the 3rd and 12th Houses
- Things You May Not Know about The 5th House and Children
- Everything You Ever Wondered about the 8th House…
- 7 Secrets You May not Know about the 12th House
- Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about the 12th House—but Were Afraid to Ask
- Cosmic Piñata #4: Astrological Oddities—or Not?
- Cosmic Piñata #7: Astro*Carto*Graphy Stories
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It’s hard to tell for me as far as what my stellium alpha dog planet is, even with your tests, ugh. Though I tested really high for my sun.
I was wondering though, could a stellium in scorpio in the 5th house act like Pluto in the 5th house?
Pluto isn’t really strong in my chart according to your tests,plus it’s a singleton,but I’ve read the descriptions of Pluto in 5th and I can relate to much of the description or could it be that it’s just the odd combination of planets that I have?
My stellium consists of Uranus,Sun,Mars,Mercury(sun,mars,mercury are conjunct) in Scorpio in that order in my 5th house which is ruled by Libra.
By: joyrjw on June 9, 2011
at 11:22 am
Hi, Joyrjw, yes, Scorpio planets in the 5th would be like having Pluto in the 5th. Although with Uranus in the mix, it would have an Aquarian tinge as well. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on June 9, 2011
at 12:51 pm
Ok. Thank You very much.
That makes sense now and yes, I can feel the aquarian tinge as well.
Could this apply to other stelliums as well? Like a Libra stellium in the 2nd house being like Venus in the 2nd or Leo stellium in the 12th being like Sun in the 12th ,as just two examples.
I imagine it could or would,but I thought I’d ask so that other people who might be learning could see it as a visual.
By: joyrjw on June 9, 2011
at 1:12 pm
Yes to all the examples. It’s part of that helpful but not infallible system where the sign, house, and planet are all seen as connected. They don’t all ring true to me–for instance the 1st house, to me, isn’t much like Mars or Aries–but some are very similar. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on June 9, 2011
at 5:03 pm
hello from berlin
i dont have a stellium myself, but with my uranus/pluto in 12th opposing saturn/chiron in 6th im surrounded by wonderful(ly) challenged friends and relatives.
my sweet and serious little brother has an immense 12th house beginning in aquarius, with a stellium including an exact aquarius sun/moon conjunction mercury & venus in pisces, chiron & saturn on each side of the ascendant, opposing uranus/pluto in 6th.
he claims to remember nothing of what happened in our childhood, no interest in what cant be proven, thank you very much, and he has found happiness working as an airforce pilot.
our intense and forever childlike mother has an exact sun/moon/mercury conjunction in scorpio in 3rd opposing uranus and squaring pluto (and for the stellium a libra venus in 2nd). no wonder, the two of them dont really get along.. since im currently in germany i of course guess its a saturn thing:))
my poetic father has saturn & sun in aries in 8th and mercury, venus, uranus, mars in taurus in 9th, you can count a stellium from saturn to uranus and another from mercury to mars.. sun squaring pluto in 11th and mars uranus squaring neptune moon in 1st
both my father and my mother have neptune on the ascendant and sort of forget stuff, they forgot telling us that they had divorced and other minor details, to make up for it both of them forgot to leave the house and stayed there for 11 years with various partners..
being stelliumless but having sun moon and mercury in 11th the last squaring neptune, i seem to be the only one who knows what actually has been going on in the family, pluto in 12 helps too of course..
By: Mads on June 9, 2011
at 12:48 pm
PS my sister also sort of knows, but as stuff got too colourful she left home when she was 16. her stellium includes uranus, mercury, mars in leo in 9th and pluto and venus on MC.. squaring moon and jupiter in 1st in scorpio
By: Mads on June 9, 2011
at 1:17 pm
I’m one of those children of the late 60s who have a lot of planets piled up in Virgo. Six, to be exact, all in my seventh house: the sun, Jupiter, Pluto, Mercury, Venus, and Uranus. According to your tests, Pluto and Venus are the strongest.
I’d say I’m very much a Virgo, but a lot of Libra traits come out too.
I haven’t spent a lot of time thinking about how the stellium works for me, but I have to say that relationships are a challenge. Even though I go into them with reckless abandon, with Jupiter and Uranus in the mix, I’m never sure I want to be there. Yet they tend to last a while — and when they end, it takes a really long time to let go (thank you, Pluto).
The empty houses? I’m just not as interested as most other people are, it seems.
What I’d like to know is what happens when the stellium (or part of it) makes up part of a yod? Does it change how the yod feels or operates? I have Pluto-Mercury-Venus on one side of a sextile with Neptune, both in quinqux to Saturn. My moon opposes Saturn. Someday before I die, I hope to figure out how that whole thing works.
Thanks for a great blog!
By: CKitty on June 9, 2011
at 1:46 pm
Virgo planets in the 7th can’t be satisfied with a poor choice of mate, and once committed take those vows of “til death do us part” quite literally.
Yods are really complex. The widest orb for a quincunx is 3 degrees–beyond that, it may be a biquintile. To analyze a Yod, you need to really take apart each of the quincunxes involved, plus the houses they’re placed in, then the sextile that holds it all together. It would take at least a book chapter to analyze even one of them, so to try to do it on a blog is futile. A really good book about it is The Yod Book, by Karen Hammaker-Zondag. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on June 9, 2011
at 5:09 pm
i suppose i cant really count to 30. i have mercury 17 leo moon 25 leo sun 2 virgo all in 11th house, uranus 14 virgo and pluto 15 virgo, so i guess that makes me a full-rate member of the stellium family? uranus of course rules.
By: Mads on June 10, 2011
at 12:27 am
Hmm. Unless all those planets are in the 11th (it sounded like Pluto and Uranus might not be), then you just miss a stellium both ways…3 planets in the 11th, 3 planets in Virgo. But still quite a concentration. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on June 10, 2011
at 6:23 am
This explains to me why I relate so well to the Scorpios in my family. I have a stellium in the 8th house in Leo composed of the Sun, Mars, Venus, Pluto, Jupiter and Mercury.
I have always felt that I was an atypical Leo in some ways, and knew that I had an innate understanding of Scorpios that seemed instinctual.
I’m very 8th house and Plutonian. I’m an analyzer to the core of my being. I love to dig into things and find out what’s under the surface. My father was in the military so I was born in a different place than the rest of my family – Missouri – the “show me state.” My mother has always said that this fits me perfectly, that I don’t accept anything just because someone said it’s so, that it has to be proven to me. She is so right!
I adore astrology!
By: Marsha Massino on June 9, 2011
at 2:00 pm
I have the Sun, Saturn, and Pluto in Scorpio in my 8th house. My Mercury is also in Scorpio, but it’s in the 9th house. For me, the hard part has been balancing so much Scorp energy with the other two major features of my chart: My moon is exact on my Ascendant in Pisces, and my Jupiter is exact on my Midheaven in Saggitarius. My emotions/reactions and the way I come across in public is often at odds with my true personality, and that’s caused some stress. I’m working on accepting all aspects of my personality (and especially trying to tap into the Scorp strength without viewing my more emotional Piscean side as a weakness.)
By: Miya on June 9, 2011
at 2:06 pm
Forgot to add–about empty houses, my 2nd, 5th, 6th, 11th, and 12th houses are all empty, unless I add a ton of asteroids. Chiron’s in my 3rd, and my North Node is in my 4th, but otherwise, everything is in houses 7-10 (except my moon in 1, as I mentioned). Thanks for the info about this; I’ve always wondered about it and it seems like there hasn’t been much written about it.
By: Miya on June 9, 2011
at 2:09 pm
Welcome to Skywriter, Miya and other newscomers. It seems like today is 8th house day. There are quite a number of articles about the 8th on this blog. Start here: http://skywriter.wordpress.com/2010/12/04/readers-ask-qa-about-the-8th-house/ Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on June 9, 2011
at 5:13 pm
My husband has Saturn on the cusp of the 5th, then Mercury, Venus, Moon, Neptune, and Sun all within 17 degrees in his 5th House. Libra is is 5th House.
He has Jupiter smack on his MC. His profession is as a Judge.
Would Venus be the Ruler because it’s in Libra?
By: Terri on June 9, 2011
at 2:12 pm
I wish I was more Virgo – it would be so nice to be organized. Unfortunatly I’m more like that kid on Peanuts, the one with the dust clouds, except my cloud is debris, I leave a trail of clutter wherever I am. I have a 4 planet stellium in Virgo, and don’t really fit the profile. I’m not sure which planet is the Alpha dog, but Uranus is the one that stands out in my mind – on the planetary tests, Sun got 27, Pluto 48, Uranus 45 and Moon 49. Most people who meet me thinks I’m a bit odd. My 7th and 5th house are very smalland empty, and I don’t have a husband or children, don’t want to be tied down. The stellium is in the 9th and I can totally relate to the Sag – I love to travel and never want to go home. My work keeps me glued to the computer and that means I don’t live a very exciting life. I focus very strongly when I write and I am ambitious (Pluto), I write about emotions since I am a romance writer (Moon) and the Sun likes organizing the materal, doing research, collecting information, doing spell checks etc. Uranus gets bored. So when I write, I have a DVD running in the upper right corner of my computer screen – the chewing toy …
By: Natalie on June 9, 2011
at 2:24 pm
Hi, Natalie, That crop of stelliums in the late 60s that included the Pluto-Uranus conjunction in Virgo is very complex–and often very gifted. Its primary characteristics are seldom Virgoan, yet still retain Virgo overtones. I wrote a whole chapter about it in my ebook, The Outer Planets and Inner Life, v.3: The Outer Planets in Combination.
You can get a sense of the combination where it applies to work here: http://skywriter.wordpress.com/2009/09/09/vocational-angst-for-the-pluto-uranus-in-virgo-generation/ . Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on June 9, 2011
at 5:33 pm
Great blog! I am currently now pondering what my alpha dog planet must be as a Pisces!
By: ZodiBlogger on June 9, 2011
at 3:13 pm
Well, naturally the ruler of Pisces is Neptune, but it’s not the Alpha Dog of the stellium unless the stellium is also in Pisces. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on June 9, 2011
at 5:15 pm
Really enjoyed this post, look forward to the series.
I have a stellium (12th-1st in Leo) and so do both my kids (one on the MC, on in the 6th). Recently I had been trying to persuade the 6th house boy to pursue his interest in becoming a counselor for troubled youth. Your description of your social work co-worker’s and their 6th house raised my eyebrows!!
My stellium has always felt non-Leo. A 12th house sun and Pluto in the mix i think translate to less of the classic Leo-ego thing and more like….”unwanted attention.”…Also…I am a big secret keeper…really a compartmentalizer….meaning whole segments of my life i keep separate from others…professional/personal, extended family/nuclear family….i confess…i build barriers.
However…in the midst of the second saturn return…i just brought out Bach Willow…and am committed to utilizing the ambient TRANSFORMATIVE ENERGIES
I also have Pluto currently trining my MC by transit to assist in effecting the transformation! 
By: D on June 9, 2011
at 3:41 pm
My stellium is in Libra in the 6th house. I am SOOOO tired of health issues, REALLY really really. So I’m an expert on my own physical issues. That doesn’t make easier when more show up (like dandelions in a garden) each with its own little charms.
I don’t really identify with LIbra, but have known some wonderful handsome graceful people who were Librans. so i don’t dislike the sign at all. I hope that this sign does color me “Libra” just a little bit. When I take tests I always come out Capricorn; and I have no planets in Capricorn, but it IS on my MH and then there’s that #$@$ Saturn again.
My big dog I am fairly certain is Saturn. as I type this, Transit saturn is right on top of mine and I am tired of being tired.
wah wah wah.
Yes, it could be much much worse.
By: mimitabby on June 9, 2011
at 4:34 pm
“You may be weary–women do get weary, wearing the same shabby dress,
but when you’re weary, try a little tenderness.”
You’re entitled to wah, Mimi. A flower remedy that might give you a good deal of comfort is the Bach remedy, Oak. I see it as a great solace for Saturn/Capriciorn types. It’s for the stalwart type that works very hard all their lives and rarely complain, but they come to a point of finally being very tired of the struggle. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on June 9, 2011
at 5:19 pm
Oak! I love oak trees. I’ll have to see if my health food store has that. Thank you. But I really am going to retire. April… 299 days to go.
I realize however, that retirement is only going to solve some of the issues. thank you again for your kind words
By: mimi on June 10, 2011
at 6:10 am
My daugther has 4 planets in the 8th Pluto at zero Libra, Uranus 14 Libra, Sun 20 Libra and Mercury 25 Libra. Since I don’t really have a good understanding of the 8th house it’s difficult to understand. She also has Venus in Scorpio at 3 degrees in the 9th not sure if you would consider that close enough to be part of the stellium.
By: Adrienne on June 9, 2011
at 5:21 pm
Probably not part of the stellium since it’s a different house and sign, although it’s 8 degree out of sign conjunction to Mercury. On the other hand, it IS Venus, the ruler of Libra and dispositor of the four 8th house Libra planets.
We seem to be having an 8th house day–you’re one of several asking about it–so again, look at the series of articles about the 8th that starts here: http://skywriter.wordpress.com/2010/12/04/readers-ask-qa-about-the-8th-house/ Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on June 9, 2011
at 5:38 pm
Hi Donna,
I have 5 planets in Aquarius- Sun/ Moon/ Jupiter conjunction and Mercury/ Venus conjunction, all in the 4th house. Uranus, the ruler of all of the Aquarian planets is in Cancer in the 9th and connects by major or minor aspects to all of the 4th house planets. I had a score of 80 for the Moon (Alpha dog) and 54 for Uranus. I know that I am very sensitive and have felt alienated most of my life. I finally moved from the place where I was born and have relocated to the West Coast. I feel like I have found the tribe/ family of choice that I have been seeking. I continue to struggle with oversensitivity but have much more awareness around it now. Thanks for the article, it was very helpful.
Sibyl
.
By: sibyl star on June 9, 2011
at 7:25 pm
I think I understand my stellium less the more I learn(!).. but perhaps this owes to the interception that occurs through the stellium.
I mentioned on the multi-conj/stell test page I have six planets in 26deg of arc, in following order Lib: Mercury, Saturn, Pluto // Scorp: Venus, Sun, Jupiter. That “//” is the 5th house cusp which sits in late Libra, and the house intercepts Scorpio.
According to the strength tests my Sun is the alpha dog and I do notice, heavily through lunar aspects, that its my Sun that keeps trying to get out. I have never really owned my Scorpio Sun, in fact I feel extremely Piscean in solitude and Leonine when out and about. I have been known to tell white lies to perfect strangers in bars that I am in fact a Pisces! I felt I owed that Piscean nature to my strongest planet, a Pisces moon on the midheaven, but I never really thought to consider the Leo fiery facade might be reflected from the 4/5th stellium with an Alpha Dog sun. Hmmmm.
As for empty houses, I notice with my friends that those dearest to me are the ones who have planets and placements that typically fall within my empty houses.
By: Samala on June 9, 2011
at 7:40 pm
“as for empty houses, I notice with my friends that those dearest to me are the ones who have planets and placements that typically fall within my empty houses”
VERY cool. I will check that out, thanks Samala!
By: mimi on June 13, 2011
at 10:17 am
Hi Donna! I am learning so much from this site, thank you! Ok. I have a very busy pisces 12th house. My moon, sun and jupiter conjunct my ascendant, and also mercury is a bit further down. I really do identify with this house, as I usually feel as though I’m living life underwater and things are somewhat blurry. I’m not sure which is my dominant planet, but probably it would be my moon, though to be honest my emotions are a bit of an enigma to me. It could also be jupiter, because I’ve always lead a very lucky, somewhat charmed life. My empty houses do ring true to me. My 2nd I can see, as I am really not a materialistic person. My 3rd, I have a lot of siblings, but we don’t have much to do with each other, except on facebook. Interestingly, my 5th is empty, but I have 4 children that I cherish more than anything, but I’m a bit of a bore. Then my 6th, which is funny, because I think a lot about my health, but don’t put much action into taking care of it on a consistent level. I love astrology, thanks so so much for helping me to understand it better! Harmony
By: harmony on June 9, 2011
at 8:36 pm
Hi, Harmony, your Neptune score would probably be off the map. and all the more so because it’s Pisces planets inthe Pisces-related 12th house. There’s an entire series of articles about the 12th that you’d probably relate to.
I’m trying to create a link to it, but getting nowhere. Try the search engine on the right hand side, and type in 12th house Sun. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on June 10, 2011
at 6:37 am
My stellium is in Libra- Saturn/Jupiter/Mercury/Pluto/Sun. My sun is 8th and the rest are late 7th, though I’m still waiting for some of these to kick in (jup in 7th/libra, hello 1,000s of partners and “big”, or “drama” relationships?? where are ya? lol). At 29 still I have never had a boyfriend and hardly any dates (all of which I asked), men just don’t seem to see me as a potential partner.
My Sun has the highest score of these but I have yet to figure out how this all plays out. I know my Cancer moon/N Node in 5th, which squares all these and is my highest chart score is definitely in the mix. I guess learning how my sun and moon can live together…heh heh. I like your input about finding the big dog, it’s often hard for me to see “who’s on first”. For me, Saturn seems to play a big role, maybe partly since it is the first I encounter in the stellium, and maybe because my S Node is Cap too? (past behavior patterns/memories?). It doesn’t have as high a score as some other planets.
By: Dizzy on June 9, 2011
at 8:54 pm
My Stellium consists of 4 planets in Cancer in the 8th house; Sun and Uranus both 23 degrees, Mercury 9 degrees conjunct to Jupiter 11 degrees. I immediately identified with this stellium. I appear to be Cancerian, not everyone gets my Scorpio Ascending/8th house intensity right away or my Uranian streak. Sun/Uranus are in an exact square to Neptun. Moon widely opposes my Sun/Uranus from Aquarius. 8th house matters as regards the exploration of the unconscious, feeling feelings and finding insights and meanings have been important to my life since I am a teen, for 4 decades. By profession I am a bodyworker. I specialized in Aquatic Bodywork (Watsu) which suited me to perfection. Astrology has fascinated me for the last 4 decades, but of late I have been feeling rebellious, so I am happy to have found this site where maybe I can get my groove back. om
By: suenosdeuomi on June 9, 2011
at 10:09 pm
Your profession as a bodyworker/healer is a great expression of that 8th house stellium, all the more since Cancer is a water sign. As a fellow Cancerian, watsu is intriguing. To me, the greatest thing I do with my body is swimming–it feels so good after. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on June 10, 2011
at 6:40 am
Ooh, yay. I have 8th house sun (my other planets of stellium are end of 7th and nearly in 8th; Pluto closest to Sun in conjunction) and was thinking that my recent career change to acupuncture sort of “satisfies” my 8th house-ness of healing. Saturn likey too since it’s a 12 semester, really intense program (going through Saturn return now).
I’d say for you, if I may, as well as myself, that this 8th house thing probably goes beyond profession. It’s a way of being, and a vocation as well. Welcome to the site!
By: Dizzy on June 10, 2011
at 1:08 pm
Donna, swimming is good, being floated in warm water by a skilled bodyworker is better and can be truly awe inspiring. I hope you will get a chance to experience this if you have not yet. This is a great forum you created, I miss it. Happy almost full moon and wishing you a healthy new year, may your wrists have healed.
By: suenosdeuomi on January 7, 2012
at 6:33 pm
My co-worker has Sun, Moon, Venus, SN and Mars in Aqua, 6th house. She acts like an Aqua but she also has the critical eye of a Virgo and works in the social system. She inisists that she hates Virgos, although our boss and her husband (both people that she admires and that she has been in long term relationships with) have Virgo in them – one has a stellium in Virgo, the other has NN cnj Mars in Virgo. I told her once that she might have some Virgo traits herself …she looked shocked and she refuses to believe it.
I just thought this is a perfect example of what you said in point 1.
By: elisei13 on June 10, 2011
at 12:06 am
Absolutely, Elisei, and all the more prone to denying the Virgo-like characteristics because Aquarius is quincunx–and antithetical–to Virgo. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on June 10, 2011
at 6:21 am
Hello Donna,
thank you for your posts. Very enlightening! This one in particular was very helpful!
Although I don’t have a stellium, I have a multiple conjunction in Virgo: Pluto, Jupiter and Uranus (as well as the NN) in the 1st house conjucting the Ascendant. As all these planets trine also my Taurus Moon and square my Gemini Sun and MC, it is a bit difficult to understand what is happing.
I do have some traits of Virgo (super organized at work for example – a big mess at home though). Pluto is the leader of the pact, (followed in strength by Mercury in Gemini, not a member of the conjuction) and followed by Jupiter and Uranus as they are all close by and form the same aspects (all <10 degrees).
I feel a great urge to constantly improve myself and make some sort of a ”Journey into the Light” (from the dark Adolescence to the almost-bright-getting-brighter late 30s early 40s). Some tips on how to keep that Pluto busy would be welcome, should you have the time and wish to do so!!!
Some comments on the experience of the multiple conjunction being transited by Saturn: its effect as it was crossing the Ascendant in 2009 was dramatic. For a brief period, I almost fell ill. I could feel it in my body!!! Finally, I did the right thing with my life, made some drastic changes and I calmed down.
Thank you for the tip about watching the effect of the moon and Sun, Venus, Mercury. I will do that!
Evi
By: Evi on June 10, 2011
at 1:38 am
Thank you, Evi. Multiple conjunctions are much like stelliums, in a condensed version, and often form the core of a really gifted stellium. How to keep Pluto busy? Well, it sounds like you’re already doing so, with that intense journey for self-transformation and emerging from the darkness into the light. And those journeys involving natal Pluto are of long duration, so you may feel at times like you’ll never get there. (Take it from one with a similar multiple conjunction including Pluto conjunct the Ascendant, it does get better.) Stop at the occasional oasis and pamper yourself to restore the energy for the long haul.
Thanks for the input on the transit to your multiple conjunction. I’ll have much more to say about it as the series unfolds. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on June 10, 2011
at 6:18 am
Hello, I’ve Pluto, Uranus, Mercury, Mars, Venus and Sun in the 9th house (Libra/Scorp). All conjunct between 28º30′ Libra and 3º50′ Scorp, except Pluto at 7º43′ Libra. Uranus is the puppy (I’m Aqua rising as well).
I don’t feel I am doing anything usefull out of my stellium, and from the little I’ve read, it’s suppossed to be a “good” one?. At the same time Pluto is in transit through my 11th, feels like my Uranian sector is being “attacked” by some freezing ray!
By: josefina on June 10, 2011
at 2:18 am
Excellent blog post Donna ~ Thank you! I have to dig up the tests again to see which one is my Alpha Dog between Mars, Sun, Mercury and Jupiter (within 18 degrees). Think it’s Mars or the Sun. Signing in as a guest these days … still in the job hunt & don’t need anyone who doesn’t understand astrology to judge me because I do
Thanks again, Karen
By: Karen on June 10, 2011
at 8:09 am
P.S. Just went back through my 30+ astro charts using the 30 degree rule: sister right before me has 6 planets in Leo between 0 – 29 degrees, with Leo rising. Um, do you think she’s a Leo much? I’ve heard her roar a few times!
She leads my charts w/ 6 planets w/in 30 degrees. Have a few others with 5 planets within 30 degrees. Intense to say the least.
By: Karen on June 10, 2011
at 8:34 am
My oldest son has a Virgo stellium . Venus 11 , Vesta 15, Pluto 18, Uranus 20, Sun 25 all in Virgo in the 11th house. The ruler Mercury is just into the 12th house cusp at 2 Libra so Venus and Mercury would be in mutual reception. A double ruler or alpha dog?
This stellium is opposition, 26 Saturn conjunct 23 Chiron in Pisces in the 5th house. He has a Grand water trine from Jupiter 28 conjunct/ Parallel the MC 29 in Cancer Trine the Scorpio Moon 17, South node 18, and Neptune 20 Scorpio near the 2
21 Scorpio 2nd house cusp.
He has never married or had children but is a prolific artist ( painter) and very successful at selling his work.. He teaches kids Art on the side of a full time job as the computer graphics artist for a T-shirt shop. He has been in Plays, does all the posters for local music groups and plays the drums in a band. He was with First Responders and a member of the local volunteer fire brigade and has a large following of well wishers and patrons of his Art.
He has never given me grief like his little brother( 13 years apart in age) and I could always count on him to make the right decisions.
By: Barehand on June 10, 2011
at 8:35 am
Just for the heck of it I will share that my younger son has a Pisces stellium in the 2nd house. New moon, Sun, Venus and Mars. Now, according to what you say, the rulers of his 8th, 4th and 5th houses are all in there in that 2nd house
This guy also has Neptune in the last minutes of Sagittarius, a bare 10 minutes before the ascendant in the 12th house. His mom is an astrologer so i was dead accurate about his birth time.
He’s brilliant, hard working, both physically and in intellectual pursuits. With that strategic Neptune, you’d think he was very spiritual, but no, instead he’s a master cynic, and working on a phd in Math! When he was a baby, he started creeping around on hands and knees before he was 5 months old. SPOOKY! that kid was (and still is) driven.
He also has mercury in the 2nd house but lucky for him, it’s in Aquarius, which I think tempers the flaky Pisces affect. He married a controlling Leo and I can see why it works so well, he’s hopeless in a lot of social situations, he can’t make up his mind. Before that wife found him, he was totally clueless about women. He’d say things to me (about the whole female sex) that I found to be incredible. But YOUR MOTHER is not like that! I’d cry.. and he would just shake his head. Watching this guy unfold, mature has been VERY interesting. he’s gone the spectrum from the complete slacker to Mr PhD
By: mimi on June 10, 2011
at 9:02 am
oh goodness, his wife has a stellium in LEO with 3 planets (Sun, Jupiter and Venus ) in the 7th house and mercury in the 6th. hehehehehe. Well, I’ll say one thing, she is DEFINITELY a typical Leo.
By: mimi on June 10, 2011
at 9:32 am
Hi, Donna,
Thanks for another intriguing discussion! I don’t have stellium but do have a triple conj in the 8th (another 8th house person) with Sun in last degree of Sag and Merc and Jup in the first 8 degrees in Cappy. Those three planets are also my strongest (scored in the 50s on the tests) after Saturn which scored 69.
I’ve always looked at that 8th house conj through the lens of the natal Uranus opposition from Gemini – my “inner rebel” has shot me down more than once! Also, transiting Pluto has been no so gently massaging the whole conj-oppostion set-up for the last few years. At the moment I don’t have really clear picture of the energies within the conj, but those other cosmic energies are showing me a numbers of challenges (lost job, health, sold condo, move to elderly housing, etc). But I also know somehow that it’s all for the best in end.
Thanks again, Amy
By: Amy on June 10, 2011
at 9:08 am
Interesting!!
My son has a sixth house stellium: VE in Virgo, JU, SA and PL in Libra, and SU in Scorpio (close to the descendant). Libra in intercepted and Virgo is on the cusp. VE, JU and SA square his Cancer Moon on the third house cusp.
I just started getting into astrology when I looked at his chart and thought, “This kid would be GREAT at using art in some way to psychologically help people.” He has always been gifted musically.
In college he announced he would be majoring in advertising and minoring in business. I thought to myself, “That isn’t going to work.” And I told him so. He disagreed and went on to win three Addy awards and graduate on the Dean’s List.
Six months into his career, I get a call. “I hate advertising. I don’t want to do this.”
A short while later, out of the blue, he’s offered a job with a non-profit mentoring at-risk youth and teaching them music.
Needless to say, it was his dream job. And yes, he does have to delve into their heads to get them to understand the benefits of getting an education. To date, two of his students (former gang members) are on scholarships to a prestigious music college on the East Coast.
True story.
By: bohemianopus on June 10, 2011
at 1:22 pm
True story and a fitting ending. Thanks for sharing. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on June 10, 2011
at 4:08 pm
I use Placidus house, and my stellium is in 8th house, mercury, mars, sun, moon, pluto all together. Everything is in Virgo, except Pluto in Libra. The planetary tests show that I score high in pluto, moon, and mercury. I can’t tell which is the alpha dog, although I feel that mercury is always fully in control, especially it rules over most directly except Pluto.
I spend an exorbitant amount of time in “joint finance” or stock market, investing, trading, researching, etc. However, my day job is not finance-related at all. The amount of time I spent in 8th house rivals easily to the 40 hours that I spent on my day job.
I just noticed that my Pluto is also at a more critical degree in my natal chart which can resonate through transit combination with Venus, Jupiter, Neptune, and Part-of-Fortune.
I guess that’s more studies for financial astrology tonight.
By: Nathan on June 10, 2011
at 3:03 pm
It’s really strange how many 8th house stelliums gathered here (and not much else). Interesting roll of the dice, but that’s what blogging is all about. Interesting, too, about how many facets of the 8th showed up. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on June 10, 2011
at 4:11 pm
Hi Donna, Hope u r gud.
http://i52.tinypic.com/21cux06.jpg
How about this? Real good party going on in 3 neighbor houses 12th , 1st n 2nd? Difficult chart, is it?
As of now, Female native is facing issues with marriage (finding a appropriate person, even in so called arranged marriage). You got any advise or time frame for it happening?
By: FxGuy on June 10, 2011
at 7:08 pm
FxGuy, good to hear from you, but you know I don’t comment on individual charts as I’m retired. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on June 10, 2011
at 8:57 pm
May be you can shed some general info on stelliums in 12th and 1st house ?
And is it true that people, who have a concentrated mass (a lot of stelliums) like in the chart posted above, have their life as….regular alternating patterns of calm periods and volatile ones?
By: FxGuy on June 10, 2011
at 11:21 pm
Yes, transits are the reason a person with a stellium may experience long periods where nothing much is happening and then periods where everything seems to happen at once. That’s especially true when part of the stellium is a triple conjunction.
For house postions of stelliums read the comments to my Q&A on that topic here: http://skywriter.wordpress.com/2011/05/14/readers-ask-question-and-answer-session-on-stelliums-by-house/ . For the 12th house stellium, read the series of articles on the 12th house starting here: http://skywriter.wordpress.com/2009/09/30/12-famous-people-with-12th-house-suns/ . Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on June 11, 2011
at 4:33 am
FxGuy…yeah I would say that’s right. I have one stellium in the 12 but near ascendant and a conglomerate across the MC and its definitely Peaceful , Spiritual introspection in Nature versus intense volatile, dangerous goings on! Wouldn’t trade it for anything because I thrive in both circumstances.
By: Barehand on June 11, 2011
at 12:30 am
I’m thinking the person who invented the phrase “when it rains, it pours” had a stellium!!
By: mimitabby on June 11, 2011
at 5:33 am
LOL! Yeah, in a water sign and house. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on June 11, 2011
at 6:01 am
Had a chart done and told that I have three: 1) 4 planets in Sagittarius (Pallas, Lilith, the Moon and the North Node) all in the 2nd house
2) 3 planets in Gemini (Mercury, Venus and the South Node) all in the 8th house
3) You have 3 planets in Cancer (the Sun, Mars and Uranus)…would LOVE to understand this better!
By: bethiesea on June 11, 2011
at 8:37 am
Well, stick around and read all the materials about stelliums and about the houses involved. You’ll piece it together bit by bit, and there are more stellium articles down the pipe. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on June 11, 2011
at 9:26 am
Stellium in leo, 3rd house: jupiter 14, venus 23, mars 25, sun and pluto 26.
Gemini at 23 on ascendent. IC at 0 virgo.
Neptune 25 Libra; Saturn 15 Scorpio in 5th.
Mercury 10 and Moon 27 Virgo in 4th
I’m psychically exhausted from recent Uranus and Neptune oppositions, and another year of Neptune conjuncting my midheaven. Sigh…..
Donna, your observations above really resonated. Ive always felt more Gemini/Scorpio than Leo. I find when I “act like a leo” , I am not happy or proud of myself. Much more secure and happy as a scorpio hidden in 3rd house pursuits! Lifetime journey of trying to integrate Leo traits in a manner that feels “me”.
By: Theresa on June 11, 2011
at 9:14 am
A third house stellium like that–you have the power to go very deep with your communication–could communicate/write about healing topics too. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on June 11, 2011
at 9:24 am
I have a five-planet stellium in the 9th house in Cancer. Four of those planets (Venus, Sun, Moon, Mars) are a multiple conjunction within a 3 degree orb which includes the midheaven @ 6 Cancer. Mercury is within 10 degrees, but in Gemini.
A fab astrologer told me that there is such great potential in this “tiara” of gems at the top of my chart, but alas I don’t feel I’ve lived up to that potential. My career has not been stellar or the focus of my life; I put the ex-hubby’s career first for a decade and focused intently on domestic life–homemaking and child rearing–and loved it. I divorced and got a Masters degree, and now in my 40s, I’m working on getting hours to become a licensed therapist. My contemporaries are in their mid-late 20s and sometime I feel like I’m 15 years behind on the career path. I’m waiting for the 9th house/MC secrets to reveal themselves to me!
With the multi-conjunctions/stellium, transits hit one after the other, like multiple speed bumps. I know to read up and strategize/radically accept what is coming and deal with it.
By: jane on June 12, 2011
at 6:08 am
Look at it this way, Jane. You fulfilled one of the curriculum tracks for Cancer–successfully raising a family. And that is, indeed one part of your curriculum–no life experience is ever wasted, there are no detours–and getting the Master’s and lisense is the second major one. Each astrologer/therapist/healer has a background we bring to our field that is a combination of all our experiences and skills. Your seasoning and experience in family life, I suspect, is a big part of what you’ll bring to your clients. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on June 12, 2011
at 7:10 am
My wife has MC in Cancer in an empty 10th house. Based on the facts and my knowledge, her “career” is Home-maker without any single doubt. Home-maker IS a career too, and a difficult one too (just paying my due respects to all the wives with/without children out there).
By: Nathan on June 17, 2011
at 4:12 pm
So three planets is not a stellium? I started studying astrology almost 30 years ago because I was stumped by all the descriptions of Capricorn – they didn’t sound like me. I have the Sun, Mercury, and Venus in late Cap. Very interesting to read that many people don’t identify with their stellium. I’ve tried everything over the years to explain it – oh it’s the late degree of the Sun, or it’s my Scorp asc, or my Neptune in the 1st. More recently I’ve discovered more esoteric readings of Cap, and also of Taur/2nd house, that make so much more sense with the way I express my “earthiness.” I’ve also learned to admit that there’s some traditional Cap stuff that applies to me. :-}
By: earth angel on June 13, 2011
at 9:49 am
Welcome, earth angel. No, as you’ll see in an earlier article in this series, three planets do not make a stellium, especially if they are the Sun, Mercury, and Venus. Those three are always so close together in the zodiac that they are very often in the same sign. According to the accepted definition, a stellium is four planets or more, of which only two can include the Sun, Mercury, or Venus plus at least two other planets.
I think where the confusion comes in is that a triple conjunction (e.g. if the Sun, Mercury and Venus are within about a 10 degree range of one another), that’s a high impact grouping of planets that can act nearly as strongly as a stellium. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on June 13, 2011
at 10:05 am
Hello Donna! well I don’t have stelliums but few dear ones do, so it’s quite intriguin for me. I just loved what you said about finding the alpha dog of the stellium, and giving him something to chew on, so the other energies can also participate. It reminded me a phrase my dad used a lot, about giving the ego a bone to grind, so consciousness can arise. (stellium in scorpio in 12th).
I’ve just being able to take a peek of some of your posts lately, but miss you and the skywriter community and all these juicy topics! Hope to find more time in the near future… I’m in the middle of moving to another state, with today’s eclipse falling in my IC, NN opp natal saturn…Iuhuuu!
By: sabrina on June 15, 2011
at 6:39 pm
Hi Donna, I have a question about the Alpha dog in a stellium. What if the chart ruler, the MC ruler, the IC ruler, and the ruler of the Sun are all in the stellium?
By: kb on June 17, 2011
at 4:40 am
Each of those separate factors makes the stellium–and the house it is in–more important in the scheme of things. There’s a lot riding on the matters of that house–it matters so deeply and is probably why you are here. Focus on finding out all you can about how to do the things that house is about constructively and learn how to use those planets superbly well, and over the decades of your life you will accomplish a great deal to be proud of. But that doesn’t tell me–or you–which is the Alpha Dog. That you have to find out by trial and error and by watching what happens to each of the stellium planets during transits. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on June 17, 2011
at 7:17 am
Thanks Donna. It’s the 8th house for me that’s involved. :\ Heavy subject matter as it is learning to work with the different energies would do me well. I’ve seen each planet rise up to different occasions. Some are more successful than others but they are each strong when they need to be. I’ll keep my eye on it more carefully now. Thanks again.
By: kb on June 19, 2011
at 5:26 pm
It seems like you’re not alone in seeking to use an 8th house stellium well. Look at the comment section of other articles in the stellium series, including one in the Q&A about transits. And also a series of articles on the 8th house starting here: http://skywriter.wordpress.com/2011/02/01/everything-you-ever-wondered-about-the-8th-house%e2%80%a6/ . Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on June 19, 2011
at 5:34 pm
Hmm. A bit suprised to realize that my alpha-planet is mercury, but yes I would say my mind is brilliant (and in leo, as you might’ve guessed from that statement) but it’s also what gives me most grief. Mentally, I just NEVER SHUT UP! And also, with a Virgo ASC and Gemini MC, I suppose it makes perfect sense; but I do have mars tightly conjunct my ascendant. Donna, if you read this – even with mars so close to my ascendant, is my chart still considered to be ruled by mercury?
My stellium is in the 11th house: venus/jupiter/mercury in late leo, conjunct my early virgo sun. It’s a lot of happy-go-lucky energy, but the stellium is opposed to my moon in pisces so that definitely dampens the enthusiasm, to say the least…
Thanks for a great blog, Donna; I learn something new with each post!
By: Ivannia on June 19, 2011
at 5:35 pm
The “chart ruler” is the ruler of the first house, no matter what’s conjunct the Ascendant, so that would be the ruler of Virgo. There’s still a controversy over the ruler of Virgo, traditionally Mercury, but many like Chiron for it. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on June 20, 2011
at 8:57 am
I have 5 planets all in Libra, all in the 11th house. Scorpio Sun and Asc. Pluto
Venus
Moon
Uranus
Mars
and even Part of fortune all reside there. This mean the chart ruler, the house ruler, and the sign ruler are all involved in my stellium. So which is the top dog? Not so sure. I have a hard time understanding my 11th house stellium. My priorities and interests are not friends, groups, community. I do feel very Plutonian and Venusian! Venus and Pluto are a degree apart. Huge interests in sex, death, other deep dark subjects, and transformation. Huge interest in Love, romance, beauty, style, fashion, self improvement, antiques, decorating, artistic creations. I do feel Uranian in my love of oddities, antiques, odd music, unusual upbringing, and my nature of going against what’s popular or what’s mainstream. But I have always felt sort of disconnected with the 11th house. Except when the 11th house is associated with hopes and wishes, cause I’m full of that!!! Any thoughts on what the 11th house is really all about?
Gretchen
By: Gretchen on June 28, 2011
at 3:03 am
The Alpha dog is something you get to know only by following the Moon and other planets around the chart and seeing what happens when they form aspects to one after another of the stellium parts. My suspects for you would be either Venus or Pluto.
The article about the incredible vulnerability of a stellium is based on my own 11th house stellium, so do read that. There are several articles on the 11th and friendship here. Check this one out and then follow the links to articles about the 11th at the end of the article: http://skywriter.wordpress.com/2011/05/25/boundaries-and-friendship-are-you-and-your-friend-codependent/ Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on June 28, 2011
at 5:31 am
Donna your site and your articles kept me up until the wee hours of the morning last night! Thanks for these links, I will be reading them shortly.
Gretchen
By: Gretchen on June 28, 2011
at 7:45 pm
LOL! Gretchen, thanks, I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on June 28, 2011
at 10:10 pm
This is interesting reading. I am beginning to think that Pluto is the Alpha in my Pluto-Uranus-Sun-Venus stellium in the 7th house and VIrgo. I am always looking deeper, which might seem good, but can become a hindrance if you can’t trust people. I have trouble completely letting go of the past also. It’s good to be aware of where these issues are coming from, because that isn’t the person I want to me. I wonder if deeper study or focus on something could satisfy Pluto and allow me to let up in the rest of my life?
By: Caroline Meszaros on October 8, 2011
at 12:06 pm
Hi Caroline, I’m working on a tool to help distinguish the alpha planet and to become more aware of when you’re using it constructively and when you are misusing it, but I would suspect Pluto as well in your group. Read the various books on Pluto (by Green and Greene, as well as my book, Healing Pluto Problems) to gain a perspective on its uses. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on October 9, 2011
at 8:06 am
Thank you for the positive bent towards your views on stelliums. I have read some articles that lean towards stelliums as downfalls versus a concentration of powerful energy that once channeled can be used for great purposes.
I have a Sun Conjunct Uranus with Mercury (all in Scorpio) and Jupiter (Libra) in my 7th house. Also, Jupiter overlaps into my sixth and conjuncts Saturn and Pluto (both in Libra, too) there (as well as the 7th house Mercury). Because Jupiter touches most of the planets, is it safe to assume it could be the ‘Alpha’?
I have always been curious about Uranus’ influence as a top dog. I yearn for a deep romantic partnership yet have never had one. I love doing charts for others and delving into any subject (namely spirituality, philosophy, and psychology) and sharing these insights with others for their own growth. However, its my goal to become more self aware and to enable ‘like attracting like’ principles into my life versus 7th house projecting less desirable traits in my relationships.
Any insight or links to discover my own in the subject of stelliums would be so beneficial. Many thanks in advance!
By: NovLady on November 6, 2011
at 1:42 pm
thanks for this article on Stellium Donna! I´m a 5 planets stellium on the 7th house cuspid on Scorpio and all the planets on Sagittarius! They are in order: Mercury, Saturn, Venus, Uranus and Sun! As my Ascendant is Taurus, my Alpha planet should be Venus, right?
By: Caio on January 7, 2012
at 8:52 am
Big time stellium there, Caio! I have several young astrology friends with that sort of stellium in Sag, and they are quality people! I also had a young woman with that Sag stellium as a private editor when I reissued An Astrological Guide to Self-Awareness–absolutely superb! But, no, Venus is the “chart ruler,” meaning the ruler of the Ascendant, but that doesn’t make it the Alpha Dog. The Alpha Dog for a stellium is the one of the stellium planets that is the strongest and most dominant of that bunch. Finding out which one is a process of observing and eliminating all but that one. Start by taking the planetary tests for the four in the stelliuk, then watchng what happens as the Moon passes over the stellium each months and the faster moving planets each year plus any slow-moving planets by transit. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on January 7, 2012
at 3:36 pm
thanks Donna, i will make the planetary tests and the observations you pointed. The Moon passes over the stellium when she is transiting the 7th house?
I got to ask you a question: all my planets are concentrated on this 7th house stellium, a 8th house Neptune in Capricorn, a 9th house Moon (0º) and Jupiter in Aquarius (vertex beetween them) and a Mars at 5th house´s last degree (some astrologers said it can be cosidered a 6th house Mars) and a 6th house Pluto, both Pluto and Mars in Scorpio forming a conjunction. Midheaven in Pisces.
I´m 26. It took so long for me to be open to love, 23 yeas (finally I´m over the moon with my girl, we have a deep respecful love and caring) but now my huge question is how will I make a living, gain money, I´m at the moment trying to quit a career path (in tv and movie photograph) that´s not giving me any hope or pleasure, and trying to establish another path related to law, or maybe an scholar path but I´m uncertain about it… What I most love to do is writing poetry and ficction, and dream alot about getting a book published someday that will be a mark and a healing one on a collective unconcious level, but I know I´m not ready yet.
I convinced myself that the law or scholar path is decisive element to mature my writing process and I´m believin it can help…
am I totally nuts?
By: Caio on January 8, 2012
at 10:17 am
Oh, in order to comment on a career choice, I’d have to see the whole chart, especially the 3 career houses (2, 6, 10 and the Midheaven and its aspects), and I can’t cover that in the depth it deserves on a blog. You could copy what you wrote below and send it plus your complete birth information (date, year, time, and place plus where you live now) to my Dell Horoscope column for consideration. The email is ehockaday@dellmagazines.net . Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on January 11, 2012
at 9:20 am
Later in life than I wish I had, I am only now really taking astrology seriously. My Leo stellium of Pluto/Saturn/Mars in the 10th, Mars is in 11th in some house systems…was clearly a source of a lot of energy and career focus. Pisces Sun, Aquarian moon, Libra ASC, I am more introvert and yet I had the audacity to create a very innovative career in healthcare and had tremendous confidence, earned for sure, was an unflappable public speaker, but always a puzzle to me and my mother as it didn’t seem predictable when I was growing up too shy to speak up. I have Mercury and Moon in Aquarius opposition to that stellium and know that I struggled always with self doubt which I compensated for by earning more degrees and credentials than anyone though necessary, If that is a reasonable interpretation of the dynamics I probably could have made more of my career if I had known astrology and managed those energies better. Thanks Donna I have only just found your site and am really enjoying and learning a lot..
By: Elly on January 29, 2012
at 12:37 pm
Hi, Elly, glad you found this. What you have is a triple conjunction rather than a stellium, but it’s a powerhouse combination! Both Hillary Clinton and Al Gore have the same one, and they’ve done very well with it. And with Saturn in the mix, it becomes easier to feel confident about your abilities because you’ve accumulated a track record. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on January 30, 2012
at 7:54 am