When I do a consultation I emphasize the need for an accurate birth time because finer discriminations of the personality depends on the exact time of birth. Next I emphasize that the name Astrological Psychology has an emphasis on Psychology because we are assessing the personality based on finely tuned aspects, ego strengths and needs that promote or delay the integration of the personality.
I would emphasize two components of analysis:
1. The aspect patterns linking planets together into linear, quadrangular or triangular shapes needs identified. (Huber, Bruno and Louise, Aspect Pattern Astrology, Hopewell publishing, Knutsford, UK, 2005 ). Are they linear mainly which indicates a creative and achievement oriented personality? Are they forming a triangular pattern indicative of mutability, adaptability and love of change? Are they quadrangular indicating the need for balance, harmony and stability? This addresses unconscious motivation of the individual depending on the preponderance of one shape or a combination of shapes in the horoscope.
2. I would consider the three “ego planets” as Huber identified them Saturn, Moon and the Sun. Their placements in the chart, the aspect patterns they are in and how they interact with the environment (Houses) which could determine the potential for integration of the personality.
I use Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs as a guide to assess motivation of the client to identify which one of three primary ego planets: Saturn ( the body where we address physiological balance and safety); the Moon (emotions/feelings which relate to needs for love, belonging and self esteem) or the Sun ( the will, the ability to think and make decisions for self-actualization) is strongest. (Grove, J. Life Passages: When Age Points and Dreams Coincide, Hopewell publishing, Knutsford, UK, 2017)
4. Once the strongest ego planet is identified, depending on the developmental needs of the client based on her age and maturity level, I then will decide if the client needs to adjust to the developmental demands from the environment by using the technique of dis-identification by decreasing emphasis on the ego planet or accelerate the ego strengths of the 3 ego planets to bring about a synthesis of the personality. This is a process of firming up areas of immaturity (Assagioli, Roberto, Psychosynthesis: Individual and Society, Psychosynthesis Research Foundation, Issue no. 16,) by addition or subtraction of emphasis on the body, the emotions or the mind. Subpersonalities are ego states and identities in which there may be an overidentification of one of them: body (Saturn), emotion (Moon) or thinking (Sun). And these ego states may need to be adapted to balance out and integrate these states to the benefit of the personality as a whole. The technique of dis-identification is used to bring about a personal synthesis of these overly developed ego identifications symbolized the Saturn, Moon and Sun aspects. I assess the aspects between the three ego planets with Uranus, Neptune and Pluto which are called transformational planets. Aspects of these planets to the ego planets may challenge the pseudo ego forms by transforming them and causing through suffering a need to transcend a negative experience and develop a spiritual perspective.
See below the figure which defines Maslow’s hierarchy of needs causing desires to satisfy drives.
Where there are obstacles to change attitudes toward the body (Saturn difficult aspects), the emotions (Moon difficult aspects) , the mind (Sun difficult aspects), the imagination, the will, or the environment, then there may have been too much emphasis by the parents, one’s teachers, and the other influences of a more subtle nature. There may be resistance to change due to false loyalties and fear of the unknown that prevents overcoming conflicts between the conscious and unconscious. This can be addressed by using the good will to accept the stalemate and be self-compassionate, self-loving knowing these traits are there for a good reason; and appealing to the transpersonal will for guidance and support to assist the personal will in achieving personal synthesis of the personality. (Assagioli, Roberto, Transpersonal Development,Smiling Wisdom, Scotland, 2007)
I use Age Point Progression (Huber, Bruno and Louise, Life Clock, Hopewell Publishing, Knutsford, UK, 2005) to identify developmental tasks that challenge the client based on their age and what environmental issues need attention at a given time in their lives: Leaving home, developing intimate relations, occupational identity formation, partnerships, mid-life crises, and aging are addressed in terms of developmental tasks that are called for at the given time of the consultation. See below the figure of Age Point Transits through the 12 houses of the horoscope and the developmental tasks required at each stage. Transits of the Age Point are evaluated in the light of how individuation is helped or hindered by aspects to the ego planets in the horoscope.
In the process of making fine delineations of Age Point Progressions through the horoscope, I ask clients of dreams that they have had at the time of the consultation that may shed more light on the conflict and task encountered by Age Point transiting sensitive areas of the chart. In this way the dreams can reveal helpful images that resolve conflict happening on an unconscious level. (Grove, John. Life Passages: When Age Point Aspects And Dreams Coincide, Hopewell, Knutsford, UK, 2017.)