How the Cosmos Inspires Growth Through Tension and Friction
Sacred geometry in nature
I’m currently taking a course through Kepler College taught by astrologer Rick Levine, titled “Introduction to Harmonic Aspects.” I’m learning that all aspects in astrology are essentially harmonics—“hums” from the cosmos that are either resonant or dissonant, depending on the mathematical relationship between planetary positions. It’s heady stuff… and I’m loving it! As I reflect on what I’m learning, I’ve been contemplating how this theory applies to the challenges we face in life and how those challenges often appear in my consultations with clients.
Astrology reveals that life’s challenges often serve as catalysts for personal growth. The planetary aspects—mathematical relationships between planets in a chart—create a dynamic interplay of energies. Some aspects flow with ease, like a gentle conversation, while others spark tension and friction, pulling the individual in conflicting directions. This friction is where growth happens, as we wrestle with opposing motivations within ourselves. What has become increasingly clear to me, after two decades of working with clients, is that discrete aspects or patterns must be viewed as part of a greater whole—a holon within the birth chart.
Rick Levine describes aspects as part of a "harmonic spectrum," where the geometry of planetary relationships reveals deeper truths about our inner workings. The 8th harmonic series of aspects—including oppositions, squares, semisquares, and sesquisquares—highlights the stress points in a chart. These aspects may feel like obstacles, but they are powerful opportunities for self-discovery and transformation.
Take a Sun-Uranus opposition as an example. The Sun represents the core of who we are—our identity, purpose, and ego. Uranus, by contrast, is the disruptor, urging us to break free from societal norms and embrace individuality. When these two planets oppose each other, it’s like a cosmic tug of war: the Sun craves stability, while Uranus demands freedom–often achieved through instability. This tension can feel undermining to the Sun’s core intentions, but it also forces us to confront our assumptions about who we are and how we want to live. The result? Greater self-awareness and the courage to carve out a unique path.
Where Horoscopic Interpretation Falls Short
In my twenties, I studied with an astrologer in Wheaton, Illinois who described the birth chart as the DNA of consciousness. She spoke of the individual as “the universe creating a story,” which I understood to mean that a person’s story is “knowable” only to the extent that they choose to share and express it—through their actions, choices, and interactions with the world around them.
While astrology can provide insight into an individual’s potential through planetary points, connections, and triggers, it ultimately only gives us fragments of the full picture. Until we interact with the conscious individual, all we have is a conceptual framework—not the lived reality of who they are or what they choose to do. The birth chart maps possibilities, but the choices made along the way determine the actual path.
The shortcoming of horoscopic interpretation lies in creating rigid definitions of identity. People are not static, and the chart is not destiny. We sometimes forget that the individual is the director of their experience, with the freedom to engage with the challenges and potentials described by their “conscious DNA” in unique ways. If we lose curiosity, we risk closing ourselves off to the ever-changing nature of both the individual and the universe.
Astrological aspects like oppositions, squares, and harmonic stress points suggest areas of tension that can lead to growth—but only if the individual consciously engages with them. The unknown factor is how they will respond. The “unknowable” element of astrology is precisely what makes it so powerful: the mystery of how each person will write their own story. Their actions, decisions, and growth are not predetermined. The chart is the map, but the journey is theirs to take.
The Push and Pull of Evolution
Astrological aspects remind us that growth is rarely linear. Friction creates heat, and heat transforms. While the challenges described in the birth chart may feel like obstacles, they are also gifts—pushing us beyond our comfort zones and into alignment with our true selves. Like the planets in motion, we’re always evolving, shaped by the tension that ultimately makes us stronger.
