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Planets in Composite: Analyzing Human Relationships
Discover how to compare the charts of two individuals using the composite technique, as detailed by renowned astrologer Robert Hand!
Robert Hand has written an important reference book that is much needed in the astrological community. Until the appearance of Planets in Composite no astrologer had written a definitive work about human relationships. Why? Perhaps because the customary technique, called synastry, was just too complicated and unreliable.
Instead, Planets in Composite details Robert Hand's development of the composite technique, which combines two individual charts into a composite third chart-- a chart of the relationship itself. This gives the astrologer a single chart to interpret, rather than two as in the synastry method.
Planets in Composite contains an explanation of the composite technique, chapters on casting and reading the horoscope, five case studies illustrating the use and validity of composite charts, plus twelve chapters of delineations. These include delineations for all of the planets in each house and every major aspect (conjunction, sextile, square, trine and opposition), comprising 374 total interpretations, all thumb-indexed for easy reference. 41 delineations of the Moon's nodes are also included.
Planets in Composite was the first major textbook to use the composite technique, and is the most complete astrology book ever written about human relationships.
Robert Hand has written an important reference book that is much needed in the astrological community. Until the appearance of Planets in Composite no astrologer had written a definitive work about human relationships. Why? Perhaps because the customary technique, called synastry, was just too complicated and unreliable.
Instead, Planets in Composite details Robert Hand's development of the composite technique, which combines two individual charts into a composite third chart-- a chart of the relationship itself. This gives the astrologer a single chart to interpret, rather than two as in the synastry method.
Planets in Composite contains an explanation of the composite technique, chapters on casting and reading the horoscope, five case studies illustrating the use and validity of composite charts, plus twelve chapters of delineations. These include delineations for all of the planets in each house and every major aspect (conjunction, sextile, square, trine and opposition), comprising 374 total interpretations, all thumb-indexed for easy reference. 41 delineations of the Moon's nodes are also included.
Planets in Composite was the first major textbook to use the composite technique, and is the most complete astrology book ever written about human relationships.
382 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1975
About the author
Robert Hand
51 books103 followersRobert Sterling Hand (born December 5, 1942) is an American astrologer, author, translator, and lecturer, who received the Regulus Award for his life's work at the "United Astrology Conference" in Denver in 2008
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March 24, 2010Some examples of comparisons of charts (aka composites) include Carl Jung vs. SigmundFreud. Here is a glimpse, small, perhaps revealing:
(p. 67): 'The Taurus-Scorpio polarity of the composite opposition is especially revealing, because Freud thought Jung unconsciously wished him dead. Jung had had a dream in which he was in an old cellar & found several deeper cellars below that. In the lowest one were heaped bones & other relics. Jung interpreted the dream to mean that he was being shown the layers of the human subconscious. [Sigmund:]Freud, who was already feeling rather insecure about their relationship, felt that it was a sign that Jung subconsciously wished Freud's death.
'The collaboration between the two men came to an end in 1912. During that year URANUS WAS TRANSITING BACK & FORTH ACROSS Jung's ASCENDANT in early Aquarius, an obvious symbol of breaking away to follow his own course. And IN THE COMPOSITE CHART, NEPTUNE TRANSITING THE 8TH HOUSE indicated changes through dissolution or disappearance, in this case of the relationship itself. WITH NEPTUNE SQUARING COMPOSITE SATURN, the father-son relationship was dissolving. Jung's book, "Symbols of Trans-formation," is largely about the will, psychic energy & the symbolism of the hero, but an astrologer can se that it is also a out the symbol- ism of the Sun. Jung, the Leo, was making his break from the father, Freud (Saturn in the fourth)...'
Leave it to the Germans to find a better way...Mr. Hand's Composite has been dedicated to Frank Molinski & the book's forward was written by John Townley.
In his forward, Townley references the sample cases utilized & incorporated by Hand & describe Hand's "Composite," as "..a classic text for the student of astrology." My copy (new to me) is a 1975 copyright, but EXCEPT for Pluto no longer being considered a "true planet," per international conventions, how much has changed in the sky in that past 36 years?! [Don't overlook his prior works, Planets in Transit: LifeCycles for the Living & Horoscope Symbols, especially if you are rather new to the study of astrology. THIS work is not especially for the beginner novice astrologer but is written clearly without too many technical complexities.]
(p. 67): 'The Taurus-Scorpio polarity of the composite opposition is especially revealing, because Freud thought Jung unconsciously wished him dead. Jung had had a dream in which he was in an old cellar & found several deeper cellars below that. In the lowest one were heaped bones & other relics. Jung interpreted the dream to mean that he was being shown the layers of the human subconscious. [Sigmund:]Freud, who was already feeling rather insecure about their relationship, felt that it was a sign that Jung subconsciously wished Freud's death.
'The collaboration between the two men came to an end in 1912. During that year URANUS WAS TRANSITING BACK & FORTH ACROSS Jung's ASCENDANT in early Aquarius, an obvious symbol of breaking away to follow his own course. And IN THE COMPOSITE CHART, NEPTUNE TRANSITING THE 8TH HOUSE indicated changes through dissolution or disappearance, in this case of the relationship itself. WITH NEPTUNE SQUARING COMPOSITE SATURN, the father-son relationship was dissolving. Jung's book, "Symbols of Trans-formation," is largely about the will, psychic energy & the symbolism of the hero, but an astrologer can se that it is also a out the symbol- ism of the Sun. Jung, the Leo, was making his break from the father, Freud (Saturn in the fourth)...'
Leave it to the Germans to find a better way...Mr. Hand's Composite has been dedicated to Frank Molinski & the book's forward was written by John Townley.
In his forward, Townley references the sample cases utilized & incorporated by Hand & describe Hand's "Composite," as "..a classic text for the student of astrology." My copy (new to me) is a 1975 copyright, but EXCEPT for Pluto no longer being considered a "true planet," per international conventions, how much has changed in the sky in that past 36 years?! [Don't overlook his prior works, Planets in Transit: LifeCycles for the Living & Horoscope Symbols, especially if you are rather new to the study of astrology. THIS work is not especially for the beginner novice astrologer but is written clearly without too many technical complexities.]
April 17, 2008
Hands down the best book on composite chart analysis and synastry I've yet to find.
August 6, 2008
the best and one of 2 books on the subject in existence.
March 11, 2022
⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - I haven’t stopped thinking or talking about this book since I read it. It should be required reading. Lots of quotables and highlights.
January 21, 2016
This is another essential astrological reference point, Robert Hand's work is incredible! Accurate, helpful, & seeking to foster harmony amidst inevitable conflict in human relationships, this book is a beautiful work that I utilize often, maybe not as often as the Planets in Transit book by Hand but when needing another perspective on the energies of a relationship this is the best book I've found thus far & I suspect it'll remain that way :)
December 10, 2018
You cannot go wrong with a book written by Rob Hand.
August 9, 2026
the COOLEST way to look at relationships in astrology. synastry might be how two individuals interact but composites are the third entity between them
incredibly accurate as Hand tends to be
love the constant reminder that any relationship can work, the reinforcement that overall, it is a choice— regardless of how challenging the composite may be
though idk, those harsh mars-saturn contacts have me on my KNEES
incredibly accurate as Hand tends to be
love the constant reminder that any relationship can work, the reinforcement that overall, it is a choice— regardless of how challenging the composite may be
though idk, those harsh mars-saturn contacts have me on my KNEES
July 13, 2026
libro culiao bueno pero tan tan bueno que me hizo querer eliminar todo lo que aprendí leyendo de mi cerebro a veces es mejor no saber ciertas cosas pero es culpa mía jamás volveré a sacar compuestas con la gente que me gusta EL REGENTE DE LA 12 Y SU CONDICIÓN INDICAN LAS CIRCUNSTANCIAS DEL TÉRMINO DE LA RELACIÓN adiós nunca nadie verá esto
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 7, 2010
Excellent book, very clear and instructive to the astrology lover interested in relationship analysis.
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