Applying Aspect
Applying Aspect (Approaching Aspect)
(religion, spiritualism, and occult)When a transiting planet begins to form an aspect vis-à-vis another planet or a house cusp, it is said to be applying. After the aspect has passed the point of being exact and the faster-moving planet is pulling away, the aspect is said to be separating. This may sound confusing, but is really quite simple. To illustrate, suppose Pluto is located at 25° in the sign Capricorn. As transiting Mars gets within about 4° of Pluto (i.e., reaches 21°, 22°, 23°, or 24° Capricorn), we say that Mars is applying to (or approaching) a conjunction with Pluto. The conjunction becomes exact when Mars reaches 25° and is separating as soon as Mars transits past 25° Capricorn.
A doubly applying (or doubly approaching) aspect occurs when both planets are moving toward an aspect. In other words, if in the preceding example Pluto had been moving retrograde (backward through the zodiac) as Mars moved direct (forward through the zodiac), the aspect would have been doubly applying. For the purpose of interpretation, applying aspects are regarded as being stronger than separating aspects. In horary astrology, separating aspects are regarded as influences that have already passed. As a consequence, the only aspects considered when judging a horary chart are applying aspects.