Text: In the Traditional Astrology magazine about Kepler written by David Plant. "The key to Kepler's proposed reform is his approach to the aspects. Traditional astrology recognises five significant relationships, based upon the twelvefold division of the zodiac signs. Ptolemy taught that their significance was derived by analogy with the ratios of the musical scale.11 The conjunction is equivalent to the same two notes played in unison. The opposition divides the circle in the ratio 1:2, which corresponds to the octave. The sextile (5:6) corresponds to a minor third, the square (3:4) to a perfect fourth and the trine (2:3) to a perfect fifth. By placing less emphasis upon the zodiac signs, however, Kepler was free to explore additional aspect relationships in his pursuit of the Pythagorean synthesis of music, geometry and astronomy. Kepler's new aspects were based upon harmonic theory and grounded in empirical observation of astrological effects. From his long-term study of weather conditions correlated with planetary angles and from detailed analysis of his collection of 800 birth charts, Kepler concluded that when planets formed angles equivalent to particular harmonic ratios a resonance was set up, both in the archetypal 'Earth-soul' and in the souls of individuals born under those configurations.12 He considered this 'celestial imprint' more important than the traditional emphasis on signs and houses: "in the vital power of the human being that is ignited at birth there glows that remembered image..." The geometric-harmonic imprint constitutes "the music that impels the listener to dance" as the movements of the planets, by transit and direction, echo and re-echo the natal theme. In addition to the Ptolemaic aspects, Kepler proposed the quintile (72?), bi-quintile (144?) and sesqui-quadrate (135?). Extending the analogy of the musical scale, the quintile is equivalent to an interval of a major third (4:5), the sesqui-quadrate to a minor sixth (5:8) and the bi-quintile to a major sixth (3:5). Kepler realised that many more aspect configurations are possible, but rejected them on aesthetic grounds. The Ptolemaic aspects and his three new ones gave a pleasing correspondence with the consonances of the musical scale, other aspect ratios produced only discord. The mathematical principles of musical harmony are directly related to geometry - which Goethe described as 'frozen music'. Kepler rejected aspects based upon geometric figures like the 7-sided septagon and 9-sided nonagon because they cannot be constructed with straight-edge and compasses - the only instruments permissible in classical geometry. He regarded such figures as 'unknowable' and declared that "God did not employ the septagon and other figures of this species to embellish the world."

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