Compatibility Astrology

The Astrology of Unrequited Love

Unrequited love is a result of many situations, but they usually occur when 1) one person does not feel as strongly for their partner, or 2) something keeps the couple from being together.

These types of relationships are never easy, as at least one or both partner yearn for the other. It can be hard to accept the relationship is over, and you may see that partner as the “one that got away”.

In this article, we go over some major indicators that a relationship may end up in an ‘unrequited love’ scenario.

Saturn in Synastry and Unrequited Love

Aspects to watch out for:

  • One person’s Venus in hard aspect to another person’s Saturn
  • One person’s 7th house ruler in hard aspect to another person’s Saturn

Most of you may have guessed I’d mention Saturn in this article. Saturn is the planet of restriction and realism, as well as maturity and commitment.

When Saturn is well-aspected in a Synastry chart, the couple is likely quite committed and settled with each other. There is a feeling that they can depend on each other, and they feel responsible to one another. Positive Saturn aspects are commonly found in the synastry charts of married couples and long-term relationships, for they act as the ‘glue’ that keep a couple together.

When Saturn is not well-aspected in a Synastry chart, unrequited love can be the result. This is especially true in the case of hard Venus-Saturn synastry aspects, or if either person’s Saturn makes a hard aspect to the other person’s 7th house ruler.

If one person’s Saturn makes a hard aspect to another person’s Venus, barriers to commitment and partnership are indicated. In these relationships, the Saturn person might have some sort of restrictions or obstacles that keep them from being with the Venus person.

For example, perhaps the Saturn person is already in a relationship. If this is the case, the Saturn person is not likely to leave their current partner for the Venus person, as the Saturn person likely feels very responsible to their current relationship.

Another example could be religious or cultural barriers. Perhaps the Saturn persons’ family would not approve of the Venus person due to cultural or religious differences, and that is what keeps the couple from entering a real partnership.

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Of course, the Saturn person may simply have inner fears regarding vulnerability and rejection, which keeps them from opening up fully to the Venus person.

I’ve found that couples with Venus-Saturn aspects find it hard to open up and talk to each other about their feelings.  It can feel awkward to be vulnerable with each other, so the couple might avoid those kinds of conversations completely.

Whatever the reason, unrequited love is definitely a possibility when Saturn makes a harsh aspect to Venus in a Synastry chart.

The ruler of the 7th house in hard aspect to another person’s Saturn works similarly to the Venus-Saturn aspect I just mentioned. The 7th house is naturally ruled by Venus, so it also indicates barriers and obstacles to the couple being together.

What is your 7th house ruler?

  • If your 1st house is in Aries, the 7th house ruler is Venus
  • If your 1st house is in Taurus, the 7th house ruler is Pluto
  • If your 1st house is in Gemini, the 7th house ruler is Jupiter
  • If your 1st house is in Cancer, the 7th house ruler is Saturn
  • If your 1st house is in Leo, the 7th house ruler is Uranus
  • If your 1st house is in Virgo, the 7th house ruler is Neptune
  • If your 1st house is in Libra, the 7th house ruler is Mars
  • If your 1st house is in Scorpio, the 7th house ruler is Venus
  • If your 1st house is in Sagittarius, the 7th house ruler is Mercury
  • If your 1st house is in Capricorn, the 7th house ruler is the Moon
  • If your 1st house is in Aquarius, the 7th house ruler is the Sun
  • If your 1st house is in Pisces, the 7th house ruler is Mercury

If someone’s Saturn makes a hard aspect to your 7th house ruler, an unrequited love may be indicated.  In this case, the Saturn person might have internal or external barriers which prevent them from committing fully to you.

Uranus in Synastry and Unrequited Love

Aspects to watch out for:

  • One person’s Venus in hard aspect to another person’s Uranus
  • One person’s 7th house ruler in hard aspect to another person’s Uranus

Uranus can be tricky in synastry, especially when it is aspecting another person’s Venus or 7th house ruler. It indicates the couple likely fell in love quite quickly and suddenly, but the relationship will likely end as suddenly. Uranus is unstable and unpredictable, and tends to prevent a formal commitment from forming.

In many cases, Uranus relationships are downright bizarre, as the Uranus person is too impractical and unstable for the relationship to continue. However, there are instances in which sudden, unexpected external factors prevent the couple from settling down together.

Perhaps the relationship is long distance, so the couple cannot find time to spend extended periods together. Or, perhaps the Uranus person is not fond of commitment, and would rather keep the relationship open in some way.

This might be very hard for the planet person, especially if a formal commitment is what they want. No matter how hard the planet person tries, they cannot ‘tame’ the Uranus person. If the planet person is very in love with the Uranus person, the relationship can be extremely frustrating and may eventually break up.

Unrequited Love in the Composite Chart

Aspects to watch out for:

  • Composite Venus (or 7th house ruler) in hard aspect to Composite Saturn
  • Composite Venus (or 7th house ruler) in hard aspect to Composite Uranus

These aspects in a Composite Chart are major indicators of a relationship that the relationship may not last.

In the case of Venus-Saturn hard aspects in Composite, barriers and obstacles exist in the relationship which prevent the couple from formalizing a commitment. Saturn in hard aspect to the 7th house ruler of the Composite chart works very similarly. External barriers may prevent them from being together, or one person simply may not feel the same way as the other partner.

With Venus-Uranus in the Composite chart, the relationship may be unpredictable or untraditional in some way, and settling down into a formal, traditional partnership might not be in the cards. If one of the partners wants a formal commitment, they may face difficulties due to the unpredictable and erratic nature of Uranus.

Unrequited Love in the Natal Chart

There are some natal aspects which point to someone who experiences unrequited love in their lifetime.

As with Synastry, Saturn aspects to love planets in the natal chart can indicate pain and loss when it comes to love. My ex boyfriend has Venus square Saturn in his natal chart, and he has unfortunately had a lot of pain in his relationship life (though, he does bring a lot of it on himself!).

People with harsh Venus-Saturn aspects in their natal charts may suffer from low self-esteem. They may feel they are unlovable or unworthy of true love, and often marry out of duty and end up in a loveless marriage. Or, it can prevent partnership and commitment completely.

Venus-Saturn folks usually have a strong fear of rejection and do not like appearing vulnerable to others. There may also be external factors that always get in the way of true love.

As a result, they may experience unrequited love. They might tend to fall in love with the ‘wrong’ people, or may even subconsciously choose ‘unavailable’ people because they know the relationship will end eventually.

 

All in all, unrequited love scenarios are very difficult to deal with, particularly when you really want the relationship to work. If you see strong Saturn or Uranus aspects in your synastry or Composite, especially if they make hard aspects to Venus or the ruler of the 7th house, you may end up in an unrequited love situation.

If you find yourself in a relationship like this, please remember that the universe has someone better in store for you.

 

Click here to read The Astrology of Toxic Relationships

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Saturn aspects in Synastry

Saturn-Sun Aspects

Click here to read Sun-Saturn Aspects in Synastry

 

Saturn-Moon Aspects

Click here to read Moon-Saturn Aspects in Synastry

 

Saturn-Mercury Aspects

Click here to read Mercury-Saturn Aspects in Synastry

 

Saturn-Venus Aspects

Click here to read Venus-Saturn Aspects in Synastry

 

Saturn-Mars Aspects

Click here to read Mars-Saturn Aspects in Synastry

 

Saturn-Jupiter Aspects

Click here to read Jupiter-Saturn Aspects in Synastry

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Saturn-Saturn Aspects

Saturn in conjunction to another person’s Saturn indicates the two of you are similar in your attitudes towards hard work, responsibility, and duty. The house placement of each person’s Saturn (and its house rulership) will tell you where your partner reaffirms your Saturnian qualities.

On the downside, Saturn can be quite resistant to change and likes to maintain the status quo, and also represents the area where we feel we ‘lack’ something.

For example, my Saturn is in my 11th house, which indicates I am not fond of large groups and keep my social circle tight. Someone with Saturn conjunct my Saturn would reaffirm my attitudes towards groups and friends, and perhaps I would become even more anti-social as a result of my relationship with this person.

Or, perhaps they will be an absent or distant friend, which would reaffirm my desire to keep my social circle very small. Interestingly enough, the friendships I made during my school years never lasted, and I tended to befriend people who were younger or older than me (i.e. those who didn’t have Saturn in my 11th house).

Another example: my Saturn is in my 3rd house, which means I have self-conscious about communicating and I am insecure about sharing my ideas. If someone’s Saturn is in my 3rd house, they might interrupt me or talk over me a lot, which makes me shut up even more.

Saturn sextile or trine another person’s Saturn acts similarly to the conjunction, but there is less of a ‘stuck’ or repressed energy. This is because in the case of the sextile or trine, they have their Saturn in a sign that is compatible with their partner’s Saturn. In this case, each partner is dependable and responsible to the other, and support each other’s goals and aspirations.

Saturn square or opposite another person’s Saturn can bring difficulties. Saturn moves relatively slowly, so there would be an age difference of about 7 years for the square aspect, and 14 years for the opposition aspect (approximately). These two might be in very different stages in life, and are going in different directions. Their goals might not line up well, and there may be a tendency to always get in each other’s way.

Saturn already represents duty, responsibility, maturity, as well as pessimism. It shows the areas in our life where we ‘lack’ something, or what we see as a burden. Someone’s Saturn in harsh aspect to your Saturn increases each person’s negative feelings about their own Saturn. For example, if my Saturn is in my 3rd house, I am very self-conscious about communicating with others, and tend to not speak up due to this insecurity. Someone with Saturn square my Saturn would make me more self-conscious, and may talk over me and interrupt me often.

 

Saturn-Uranus Aspects

Saturn in conjunction to another person’s Uranus is an explosive aspect to share in synastry. Uranus represents rebellion, Saturn represents Authority. Uranus represents freedom, Saturn represents duty and responsibility. They are completely opposite energies in some ways, so when combined in synastry, it produces a tense energy between the couple.

In this case, the Uranus person might feel stifled and repressed by pessimistic and cynical Saturn, while Saturn feels Uranus is unstable, unreliable and impractical. Saturn likes maintaining the status quo, and Uranus loves change, so there may be a constant battle between these two.

Saturn in sextile or trine to another person’s Uranus is much more positive than the conjunction. In this case, Saturn’s practical and realistic nature gels well with Uranus’ uniqueness and individuality. They feel mutually supported and appreciated in this relationship.

Saturn in square or opposition to another person’s Uranus acts similarly to the conjunction, but with more friction. The feeling of being ‘blocked’ by one another is strong with this aspect. In this case, Uranus feels their individuality and uniqueness are not appreciated by the Saturn person, while the Saturn person feels the Uranus person is very unreliable and unpredictable. The Saturn person feels they cannot rely on the Uranus person, and the Uranus person feels they cannot be themselves around the Saturn person.

Check the houses and house rulership of Saturn and Uranus in their charts. Say Uranus rules your 7th house, and your partner’s Saturn makes a square aspect to your Uranus. This could spell big trouble for your relationship, and might even prevent a relationship from forming in the first place.

 

Saturn-Neptune Aspects

Saturn in conjunction to another person’s Neptune is an interesting combination of conflicting energies. Saturn is the planet of realism and duty, while Neptune rules spirituality, dreams, and ones inner world. This aspect indicates the Saturn person may find the Neptune person a bit unrealistic and impractical, while Neptune may find the Saturn person to be overly pessimistic or cynical.

On the good side, the Saturn person might help the Neptune person make their dreams into a reality, while Neptune may help Saturn become less rigid and more idealistic.

Saturn in sextile or trine to another person’s Neptune is a good thing to see in a synastry chart. Here, the Saturn person helps the Neptune person ‘come down to earth’, while the Neptune person encourages Saturn to dream bigger.

Saturn in square or opposition to another person’s Saturn indicates a battle between fantasy and reality. The Saturn person may feel the Neptune person has their head in the clouds, and may discourage them from expressing their spiritual ideas or fantasies.

The Neptune person may feel the Saturn person is a ‘stick in the mud’, and may resent Saturn’s need to always be so rigid and practical. Neptune wants Saturn to dream a little, while Saturn wants Neptune to be more realistic.

Check the houses and house rulership of Saturn and Neptune in their charts. Say Saturn rules your 7th house, and your partner’s Neptune makes a square aspect to your Saturn. This could spell big trouble for your relationship, as the Neptune person might bring a confusion or deception to the relationship.

 

Saturn-Pluto Aspects

Saturn in conjunction to another person’s Pluto blends realism and practicality with transformation and intensity. Both Saturn and Pluto are quite controlling in their own way: Saturn is practical and wants to maintain the status quo, while Pluto wants to have complete control and desires transformation. The Pluto person may feel restricted by the Saturn person, while the Saturn person may feel the Pluto person is overly controlling and may resist Pluto’s desire to control them.

Saturn in sextile or trine to another person’s Pluto is a good thing to see in a synastry chart. This would work so well in a business relationship, as it blends power and intensity with practicality and perseverance. In this relationship, the two work together instead of getting in each other’s way.

Saturn in square or opposition to another person’s Pluto is a problematic aspect. It reminds me of the saying, “an unstoppable force meets an immovable object”. Pluto wants intensity, control, and transformation, but feels Saturn blocks them. At the same time, Saturn may be afraid of change and wants to maintain the status quo. There is a constant battle between them, and each feels they are blocked by the other. Themes of control and power struggles are present in this relationship.

Check the houses and house rulership of Saturn and Pluto in their charts. Say Pluto rules your 7th house, and your partner’s Saturn makes a square aspect to your Pluto. This could spell big trouble for the relationship, and may even prevent them from getting together in the first place.

 

Saturn conjunct North Node in Synastry

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Saturn conjunct South Node in Synastry

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Saturn in Synastry

 

 

Saturn aspects in synastry are notoriously difficult to handle. Saturn represents depression, restriction, fear of rejection, distancing, as well as commitment. Saturn aspects are certainly binding, but come with many problems.

 

 

Sun-Saturn in Synastry

 

My first ex boyfriend and I had strong Saturn aspects in our synastry chart. It made total sense, given the fact that Saturn was transiting my 7th house at the time. More specifically, my Saturn was conjunct his Sun in Scorpio.

My most recent ex had his Sun in Aquarius square my Saturn in Scorpio. Incidentally, he had Saturn transiting his 7th house when we were together.

 

Sun-Saturn aspects in synastry are apparently very common aspects to find in the synastry charts of married couples and long-term partners. Indeed, my relationships with those two lasted quite a few years, but it wasn’t without difficulty.

 

As the Saturn person, I felt both insecure and committed to each of them. Each one of them brought out many of my insecurities. Just by being themselves and expressing their individuality, my fears of rejection and getting hurt surfaced. In response, I criticized them and judged them harshly.

I wanted to dominate them, control them, and stomp on their fun. I didn’t want them to “grow”, because I was too afraid they would grow apart from me.

 

Another reason I was so critical of these two guys was because I genuinely thought their ideas, feelings, and beliefs were incredibly stupid. Sounds harsh, I know, but some of their opinions and beliefs simply pissed me off. Instead of calmly voicing my own opinions, I insulted theirs.

This, in turn, discouraged them greatly, but I felt I was doing them a favor. When I look back, I know I was a bit too harsh with them, but I felt (and STILL feel) they were childish and needed a good reality check.

 

The Sun-Saturn energy in synastry is much like the energy between a parent and child. In those two relationships, I felt that I was scolding my misbehaving children.

 

I was already into astrology when I met the Aquarius guy, so I knew this energy would manifest in our relationship somehow. I tried my best to keep my Saturnian energy in check, but when it came down to it, I simply couldn’t help but criticize him. Trust me- I tried.

On the other hand, the sextile and trine aspects work quite well. It increases the duty and responsibility you feel for each other, without it feeling like a huge burden.

Moon-Saturn aspects in Synastry

 

I recently came out of a relationship that had a Moon-Saturn opposition double-whammy. By “double-whammy”, I mean his Moon opposed my Saturn and his Saturn opposed my Moon.

How does this aspect play out between two people, you may ask? Let me tell you.

 

The way it manifested in my relationship was through major emotional distancing. Him and I would do anything to avoid talking about our feelings. Even when problems arose which made either one of us feel angry, annoyed, jealous, or frustrated, we would not, and COULD not, voice our feelings to one another.

I felt that if I told him how I felt, he would reject me, and he had the same fear. Even though I knew he had true feelings for me, self-doubt and fear of rejection would take over, and I’d end up keeping my feelings to myself. The same went for affection; affection did not flow easily between us due to deep-seated fears of rejection, which was ultimately frustrating for both parties.

Also, neither of us ever felt we could express our playful, romantic sides around one another; I felt he would not approve of any kind of childishness from me, so I kept my mouth shut.

 

On the positive side, this relationship is particular was my longest. I think one of the things that made us last so long was the desire to find out what the other person felt. The emotional distancing both frustrated and intrigued me.

I wanted to know what was in his heart, and he was dying to know how I felt. We both hung in there, hoping that one day, one of us would say how we truly felt about one another.

After a while, we learned to express our feelings to one another, but only in small segments. We were both careful to never uncover “too much” about the way we felt.

 

The sextile and trine are much easier to handle. It helps you both communicate your feelings and frustrations like grown adults. It definitely increases the likelihood you will stay together, as long as other aspects agree.

Mercury-Saturn in Synastry

Hard aspects (conjunction, square, opposition) from one person’s Mercury to another person’s Saturn indicates a deep respect for each other’s thinking processes and communication. However, it may feel as though there is a communication barrier between the two of you.

Saturn has a way of making Mercury feel as though she is not as intelligent or bright as the Saturn person. Saturn might “shut down” the ideas and opinions of the Mercury person through criticism and belittling, which can have a negative effect on the Mercury person’s self-confidence.

Indeed, Mercury might feel self-conscious and awkward when expressing herself to the Saturn person. Saturn may tend to ignore, interrupt, or criticize Mercury when Mercury is speaking. Saturn might be silent often. Conversations are serious, and words do not flow easily.

In one of my previous relationships, my Mercury squared his Saturn. Mercury rules my 7th house, so communication is very important to me when it comes to relationships.

I felt he belittled my opinions and ideas to the point of condescension. He was also much older than me, so he seemed even more patronizing. I definitely felt self-conscious when expressing my ideas to him; I was afraid he would think I was “stupid.”

The harmonious aspects (sextile, trine) between Mercury and Saturn are much easier to handle. The Saturn person gives structure to the Mercury person’s ideas. Saturn also gives practical advice to Mercury, and listens and guides the Mercury person.

Mercury looks up to Saturn, and Saturn enjoys helping the Mercury person. Through Saturn, Mercury learns how to communicate in a more mature and level-headed way.

Venus-Saturn in synastry

 

My longest relationship featured a tight Saturn square Venus aspect in synastry, wherein I was the Venus person.

 

This is often known as the “unrequited love” aspect. Why? Saturn represents blockages and restrictions, which can manifest in many forms.

Sometimes, the blockages come from external forces. Saturn rules tradition, so couples with this synastry aspect sometimes face opposition from either person’s family.

In my case, I was of a different cultural background than my partner. His parents were very traditional and strict, and would have never have approved of our union.

Other external restrictions can include a mismatch in terms of age, social status, cultural background, or distance. Either way, there’s usually something in the way of you being together.

 

Another way in which this manifested was through a withdrawal of affection. I never felt quite comfortable cuddling him, telling him I loved him, or making baby talk with him due to my fear that he would reject that kind of behavior.

I censored my feelings of affection for him, and he did the same. He acted somewhat “fatherly” towards me, and I didn’t want to risk his disapproval. Though he never explicitly told me he didn’t want me to go out and have fun with my friends, he would often try to interfere with my plans if he knew I was going out.

The soft aspects, such as trine and sextile, between Venus and Saturn are ideal in a relationship. Saturn represents commitment and responsibility, while Venus represents love. It is not surprising that so many good relationships have positive Venus- Saturn aspects.

Mars-Saturn in Synastry

 

This is a very negative aspect to share with someone in synastry, if the aspect is harsh (conjunction, square, opposition).

 

With this aspect, it seems that no matter what the Mars person does, the Saturn person is bothered. Nothing is ever “good enough” for Saturn. The Saturn person usually sees the Mars person as childish and irresponsible.  

The Mars person’s energy is the sort that makes the Saturn person very uncomfortable. More specifically, the Mars person’s self-confidence and assertiveness brings out Saturn’s insecurities, and in response, the Saturn person attempts to restrict and limit the Mars person’s actions by telling Mars what to do.

Saturn may resort to constantly tearing the Mars person down through criticism and psychological abuse.

 

It is common for Mars to feel Saturn is condescending and treats Mars like a child. Mars may become angry with this and lash out at the Saturn person. The cycle of criticism and conflict can soon become a vicious cycle.

This aspect lends itself to verbally abusive relationships, and can even escalate into physical aggression.

 

Since Mars is the planet of sex and physical energy, this aspect can also manifest into sexual problems for the couple. Saturn may find the sex disappointed, and Mars may sense this, and lose their sexual confidence.

This is an aspect often found in the synastry charts of sexless marriages.

 

In the case of the trine or sextile, a good physical compatibility is indicated. The two of you do not feel blocked by each other, but you become more cautious as a result of this relationship (particularly on the part of the Mars person).

Click here to read How to know if They are the One

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Venus- Saturn aspect in Synastry

 

Venus is the planet of love, romance, relationships, and finances. Saturn is the planet of restriction, discipline, and commitment.

 

The harmonious aspects (trine, sextile) between Venus and Saturn are ideal for any relationship. The Saturn person stabilizes the Venus person, and the Venus person softens Saturn’s hard edges.

This aspect indicates a great deal of mutual devotion and commitment, which is key to any long-lasting relationship. It is easy to commit to one another when this aspect is present in synastry.

You truly feel as though you can rely on one another, and you both take the relationship seriously. The Saturn person is the Venus person’s “rock.” You have a tremendous amount of respect for one another, and cooperate with each other easily.

 

The hard aspects (square, opposition) between Venus and Saturn are notoriously difficult to handle. My longest relationship featured a tight Saturn square Venus aspect in synastry, wherein I was the Venus person.

 

This is often known as the “unrequited love” aspect. Why? Saturn represents blockages and restrictions, which can manifest in many forms. Sometimes, the blockages come from external forces.

Saturn rules tradition, so couples with this synastry aspect sometimes face opposition from either person’s family. In my case, I was of a different cultural background than my partner.

His parents were very traditional and strict, and would have never have approved of our union. Other external restrictions can include a mismatch in terms of age, social status, cultural background, or distance.

Either way, there’s usually something in the way of you being together.

 

Another way in which this manifested was through a withdrawal of affection. I never felt quite comfortable cuddling him, telling him I loved him, or making baby talk with him due to my fear that he would reject that kind of behavior.

I censored my feelings of affection for him, and he did the same. He acted somewhat “fatherly” towards me, and I didn’t want to risk his disapproval. Though he never explicitly told me he didn’t want me to go out and have fun with my friends, he would often try to interfere with my plans if he knew I was going out.

 

The conjunction between Venus and Saturn in synastry can go either way.