Love. We all want it and seem to be on the endless quest to find it, keep it and have it last forever. But, what is love? Can the stars help us find true love? As an astrologer, I believe that we have within us the ability to make any relationship work and that true love is the shared trust and willingness to do that with another individual over time. As life has its ups and downs, so too does love, but are there sign posts that can help us determine how easily or difficult that road will be? Astrologically speaking, there are. To understand how likely you are to find a love that lasts with somebody, ask yourself the following questions.
Question 1: Are you a triangle or a square?
Remember that toy you had when you were little? The one that had blocks in the shape of a square, triangle or star where there were similar matching holes for each shape and as much as you'd try to fit the square into the triangle shaped hole, it wouldn't work?
Well, that's much the same way in which astrology works when it comes to finding love. Astrology is a lot like geometry. Picture the 365 days of the year like the 360 degrees of a circle, give or take a few. Birthdays that are approximately 90 days apart from one another form a square. And those that are approximately 120 days apart form a triangle. Squared relationships are said to be more difficult while those that are trine are said to flow more easily. Simple, no?
Astrologers use this simple guideline to determine the basic core of a match between two different sun signs. That's not to say that all squared relationships are doomed to failure, but rather that there is an underlying tension that is implicit in the relationship. Those signs that are trine come from a place of commonality, thus, they tend to be the easiest relationships to sustain.
The question you have to ask yourself then is: Is love meant to be a continuous challenge and quest for learning and knowledge? Does commonality breed boredom and then contempt? For that, I don't have the answers, but I do have another question.
Question 2: What element are you?
Each sign is made up of an element and that element is said to have a reflection on your personality. The four elements are Fire, Air, Earth and Water. Fire signs are exactly that, more fiery and emotionally projective. Air signs are more airy, cerebral, vocal and communicative. Earth signs are more earthbound, grounded and deliberate. And Water signs are more fluid, sensitive and emotionally receptive. As you can see above, signs that trine are also made up of the same element, thus their compatibility. Signs that are square are made up of elements that do not combine so easily. Take a look:
A ha! But, there's a catch! You'll notice that Aries and Taurus are right next to each other in the zodiac and aren't squared. Made up of Fire and Earth, they create Lava as well, so, does that mean that they are not a good match either? What about Aquarius and Pisces who are right next to each other, aren't squared and are composed of Air and Water. They make rain, so is that bad too? Yikes! It sounds like there are so few love matches! The truth is, the remaining relationships between signs fall into being semi-square (45 days apart), sextile (60 days apart), or in opposition (~180 days apart) and can go either way, to heaven or hell, depending upon other factors in your chart.
That's why you have to ask yourself this final question…
Question 3: What's my mode?
Are you somebody who likes to start things or would you prefer to take the ball once it's rolling and be the one to cross the finish line? Do neither of these things matter to you as long as there is a place for everything and everything is in their place?
Well, that's the difference between being Cardinal (a starter), Fixed (an organizer), and Mutable (a completer). People with like modes tend to have difficulties with one another as they are each filling a similar purpose in their relationship.
The mode of a sign accounts for why an Aries and Cancer, both Cardinal signs, will have a greater difficulty finding common ground than an Aries and Scorpio combination, Cardinal and Fixed, even though both are made up of Fire and Water and produce Steam. Between the Aries and Cancer, the steam becomes the kind of humidity where you can't wait to get out of the heat to use your air conditioner. Between an Aries and a Scorpio, that steam is hot and sticky and sweaty, and well… you get my drift.
So, that's my primer on love. Yes, there are many more questions to be answered, but this should give you a clue. And remember, astrology doesn't dictate free will, so, the choice is yours! Is true love a challenge, a choice or a chore? You decide!
Astrologer Greg Tufaro appears on What's Your Sign? Design for HGTV. Having appeared on Good Morning America with Diane Sawyer, Rachael Ray, Glenn Beck, IVillage Live, and Entertainment Tonight and written featured articles for numerous publications, Greg makes astrology accessible by explaining his scientific approach in simple terms. Greg is single and lives in Manhattan. For more information, visit gregtufaro.com
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