I’ve been feeling celebratory over here at Astrology: Questions and Answers in recent days. It has dawned on me that I’ve kept this blog going for four whole years!
It’s time to say a few “Thank you” – s: firstly of course to you, my lovely readers, who keep me going with your lively comments both on my actual posts and on my Astrology: Questions and Answers Facebook page.
Next, to Mary Plumb of the Mountain Astrologer blog who kindly invited me to be Guest blogger there on 18th February 2013. I decided to write about some of the most memorable questions I’ve been asked as an astrologer over the years, and was so pleased with the lively responses to that post that a seed was planted in my mind, from which has sprouted this now well-established blog! Thanks, Mary!
And to Louise Vergette-Lynn of the Exeter Astrology Group here in the UK, who was so encouraging a couple of years ago when my first rather faltering attempts to set up a Facebook Page promoting the blog made me feel like giving up. I didn’t – thanks to her….
So – to mark the occasion I thought I’d re-publish the very first post – on that topic of perennial interest, Twins. My writing on this topic has come very near the top of my stats list every single year. Here, I am talking not about blood twins, but astrological twins, and how via astrological symbolism we can see how we unconsciously ‘twin’ with those people who complement our own energies.
Twins
Linda’s Question: Submitted on 2013/06/27 at 5:43 pm
I’ve always found twins fascinating. What’s even more fascinating is the kind of relationship that develops between people who aren’t blood relatives of any sort, yet seem to be “cut from the same cloth”. We talk about being “simpatico” – has anyone ever done any studies on such people to see if there are similarities in their charts?
My Answer:
Well, most regular practitioners of astrology do this kind of research at least informally as part of both their work and their own lives.
For example, I used to wonder why most of my close friends and associates, work colleagues and bosses were Sun Virgos, Pisceans and Aquarians. Then I had my horoscope drawn up.
I found that a key axis in the horoscope, ie the Ascendant/Descendant which describes how you meet the world, the persona you present to that world, and key relationships you draw to you – was in the signs of Virgo and Pisces. Thus quite unconsciously I was drawing to me relationships with people whose solar energies symbolically complemented my own….
Furthermore, the sign opposite to Leo in the zodiac wheel is Aquarius, and you know the old saw about opposites attracting!
Anne W’s Horoscope
(click on image to enlarge)
Time and again I have known marriage/relationship partnerships where one person is Sun Leo and the other Aquarius, or vice versa. Or Sun Taurus and Sun Scorpio. Or Sun Capricorn and Sun Cancer. And so on, all round the opposite pairs in the Zodiac circle. I am married to an Aquarian, and his Aquarian brother also has a Sun Leo wife – so we are one small illustration of this!
Also, when I got around to drawing family horoscopes, I discovered my father and mother both had Virgo as their Ascending signs. My brother and sister both have the sign of Virgo strongly emphasised in their horoscopes. My husband has a Virgo Ascendant, as does my (Sun in Pisces) stepson, and my stepson’s stepfather, who used to be married to my sister (work that one out….)
Any set of family horoscopes has similar variations on key themes, where the planetary placements and the zodiac signs in which they fall symbolically tell a vivid story of interweaving energy patterns, both clashing, compulsive and harmonious – as in life lived out.
Furthermore, in nearly twenty years of teaching astrology classes to a very wide range of students ranging in occupation from bus drivers to consultant psychiatrists (who both turned up in the same class one year) I found over and over again that the planetary pattern of the horoscope which I always drew up for the date, time and place of the start of the class was reflected in striking ways in the horoscopes of the students who turned up.
One year stands out in my memory. I began the class when there was a line-up of several planets in the dark, intense and powerful sign of Scorpio. The class composition that year was like no other before or since: all ten of the students had a preponderance of planets in Scorpio and/or strong emphases on the planet Pluto, ruler of the sign Scorpio.
I enjoyed teaching the class , an intense and powerful bunch of people who absorbed every word I said ( I think….!) but said very little. It was exhausting though. Like teaching a black hole!
On a totally contrasting note, there was another year where the dominant energies of the horoscope for that class were much, much lighter and “buzzier”.
The sun and other planets (as I recall) were concentrated in the signs of Virgo and Libra, with the planet Mercury dominant. This symbolism was expressed in a hardworking, charming and co-operative, and highly communicative group of students who were very easy to work with.
Two students from that group, Doreen and Sheilagh ( just in case they happen to read this – I know they will not mind being mentioned! ) had such similar horoscopes that I asked them to sit beside each other, commenting that they would find a great deal in common. Nearly a quarter of a century later, they are still very good friends…..astrological twins in spirit…..
I hope this gives you a flavour of what it is like observing, through the lens of astrological symbolism, the shifting dance of interconnected energy comprising our small earthly world. AND –
Do, please, share your stories!
800 words copyright Anne Whitaker 201(
Licensed under Creative Commons – for conditions see Home Page of Writing from the Twelfth House
Astrology: Questions and Answers 
Congratulations on your four years, Anne. It’s been fun watching things develop and change here, and it’s good to know that it’s still giving you pleasure. I’m looking forward to following along in the future: Excelsior!
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Well, Linda, it will not have escaped your notice that yours was the first question! We have been commenting on each other’s work for a long time now. May the pleasure continue!And many thanks for your congrats. Much appreciated…
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Congratulations, Anne! I enjoy your posts so very much and each one sends me looking more deeply into my chart as I seek to learn more. Thank you! Looking forward to more!
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Thanks so much for your affirming comments, Carrie. It’s great to know that what I do is valued and useful.
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Via Facebook:
7.7.17:
Jennifer Rhind:
Good post! I used to teach too (but not astrology) and I always had a quick look at Sun signs in classes when I got the students register. Oh boy, Scorpio – yes, the black hole indeed. Virgo and Libra dominance marked the ‘easier’ groups. Also, my husband is Sun Aries with Libra rising, and I have Sun in Libra, Libra rising and my Moon is in Aries. Despite the polarity, we are kindred spirits. Believe it or not, his father passed away on my birthday, and his father’s birthday was the date my father passed away. Gosh that sounded convoluted. Enjoying your posts here on Facebook, thank you.
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What wonderfully illustrative feedback, Jennifer. Thanks so much for taking the trouble to share it! Family interweavings are truly amazing, often… I have seen a great deal of that myself in other people’s families as well as my own. So glad you are enjoying my posts. Do keep dropping by!
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Congrats Anne! Very glad you’re still posting even if I don’t comment often. This post has me thinking and I’ll be checking mine again
What about non blood twins too….. those who share similar aspects both physical and personality? I’ve had cases of mistaken identity numerous times across two States and this despite not being of “typical build” ? Can there be an astrological reason for this?
Or have I simply put the cat among the pigeons!
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Hi eremophila
thanks for your interesting question. Here is the post I wrote which puts forward my theory for what accounts for ‘blood twin’ similarities and differences. This analysis would also be pertinent for non blood twins, who have eg very similar horoscopes, being born on the same day and perhaps even the same time. Hope you enjoy it, and that it helps to answer your questions:
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Thank you so much Anne! I’m so very glad – your blog is brilliant and I am frequently inspired to go off on little tangent research projects with bits and pieces that you post! Thank you for sharing all your valuable knowledge so generously. Big hugs 🙂 xxx
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Hi Louise
many thanks for your generous comments. My aim at this stage in my post-career life, is to offer out some inspiration and share some of what I know – the bits I can still remember, that is! So it’s great to hear it’s having that effect for you. Blessings on your own good work for our community!
Anne Xx
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Via Facebook:
7.7.17:
Rena Hdesign:
Congratulations on your 4 years!
True confession time – and I’m sorry, but can’t stop laughing. Your articles always provoke thought and send me skittering to look for patterns! And this one caused me to look into the charts of my women friends, nearest and dearest over the years. In the collection of half dozen that have been the closest I’ve found Mars in Cancer in every one, with the exception of one Mars in Pisces. (It’s true that the one Mars in Pisces understands me like no one else. When I’m going to ask her advice, I tell her to put her little pink helmet on and make sure it’s not too tight!). Martial twinning, however, seems to be the one funny thread that weaves me with them. They all come from different places geographically and psychologically, but each of these women is extraordinary in her own right – beautiful and courageous – true friends I would trust with my life. And yet often we don’t need to complete sentences – much as I’ve heard about the closeness of twins – and we often sense each other even at a distance.
With both Venus and Mars in Cancer in the 12th house, true kindred spirits are not falling in droves onto my path. It took a long time on earth so far to find these ones! When I first learned astrology and discovered my poor little Mars’ placement, all I could imagine was this tiny determined warrior doing the backstroke in a bucket of water somewhere with his tarnished diminutive helmet on backwards. It’s even funnier imagining the group of us, my women friends and I, on a beach somewhere – helmets askew – battling bravely with our sand shovels. And you also have Mars in Cancer, Anne – so you’re welcome to join us anytime😊
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What brilliant feedback, Rena! By the time I got to the end of your entertaining, informative and poetic musings, I felt like one of your tribe without having to be asked in! Thanks for the invite, though. Consider yourselves joined. We Mars in Cancer folk have to stick together! 😜.ps I have three nephews, and we ALL have Mars in Cancer! What a touchy lot we are… Just as well we have a mad sense of humour to balance it out…
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Via Facebook:
7.7.17:
Carol Patton:
I have an astrological twin. They are nothing like me and their life is nothing like mine. The stars impel, they do not compel.
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You may have noticed that this post comprises ‘Some thoughts…’ and offers some anecdotal evidence regarding similarities. It is not in any way prescriptive; indeed, none of my work is, since that venerable statement you quoted is one with which most modern astrologers would agree including me. To read a post in which I explore twin differences and offer some possible reasons for this, do read this post:
And – the above post also contains links to the work of Dr Liz Greene who offers her views on the topic – and there is a link to that late, great master astrologer Donna Cunningham’s excellent article on the topic of twins at the bottom of my post. Thanks for dropping by, Carol, and I hope the above information helps to give you a broad perspective on twins, astrological or otherwise.
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It’s fascinating to see how people tie into each other. Virgo and Mercury/Mars being a family one and my own wee group all have Venus in Scorpio … we do like getting to the bottom of things 😎
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Thanks, Carole. Yes, those correspondences are always at work behind the comings and goings of our everyday lives…as above, so below indeed!
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It’s always a treat to read your posts – there is always something of interest.
“………. powerful bunch of people who absorbed every word …. was exhausting though. Like teaching a black hole!” – That made me laugh, as I would probably fit in that type of class… I absorb, ponder, grasp, then absorb it a second or third time, and then I am able to articulate my own response…
That’s why oftentimes I might ‘like’ a post, but I need to process it all before tossing out a comment!
Again, your posts are always refreshing and interesting. Thanks Anne!
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Much appreciated, Lisa. You’d be welcome in my class of fellow intense-ees, any time !
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It would be a joy to fall out of the sky and into one of your classes!
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I’ll prepare myself and my students for this exciting possibility!
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It would give me great pleasure to fall out of the sky and see the shock in your eyes!!!! Ha, you might say, ‘I did not see that coming….”
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