Chart Synthesis ✦ Dawn Bodrogi ✦ The Inner Wheel
A lot of words have been dedicated in astrological circles to the grand cardinal cross. When four different energies are opposed and squared, they fight for expression. It’s no wonder so many people fear a Cardinal Grand Cross when it appears in their charts or transits — this complex configuration can feel like an explosion waiting to happen, with the more volatile planets acting as a trigger for a build-up of tension.
How we cope with these challenging transits has everything to do with the condition of the planet or planets they touch in our charts. Transits do not happen in a vacuum. We have to analyse both our natal and progressed charts before we can really understand what a transit will mean. There may be global repercussions from a cardinal cross, but they will affect us all in different ways.
A grand cross doesn’t have to be a negative experience. It simply demands change and action. The cardinal mode is about forward motion — initiation, implementation, making something real out of a new creative impulse.
— Dawn Bodrogi
The planetary energy indicates a tearing down of the old and outdated — and a new perspective on how we relate. Aries initiates; Cancer joins it to matter; Libra refines and balances; Capricorn builds. This configuration would be more concerning if it occurred in fixed signs, where the energy is about stability and resistance to change. The cardinal mode, however, is about moving forward.
Cardinal Grand Cross in the Natal Chart
Natally, a Cardinal Grand Cross is a bit like an explosion waiting to happen. The challenge is to find a way to work with all four energies simultaneously. The solution is often to break the tension by using the energy in a productive way — a person with this aspect may feel a constant internal battle, but can learn to channel that creative tension into a powerful drive for accomplishment.
By understanding the natal chart, we can see when we are most under the thumb of developmental stress — and use progressions and transits to work with the energy, not against it.
Working With the Energy
The best strategy when approaching a challenging transit involving a grand cross is to avoid fear-mongering and focus on proactive change. Change is certainly afoot, and there will be activity — that’s what the cardinal planets are all about.
The one thing I am doing is backing up my hard drive on something solid, not virtual. But that’s always good advice — a grand cardinal cross or not.
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Aries initiates. Cancer joins it to matter. Libra refines and balances. Capricorn builds.
Goodness, that chart looks like my natal chart. I haven’t had the leisure of investigating this impending grand cross save to be aware that it is coming. Thanks for addressing it, keeping it light and sending us elsewhere to learn more. I enjoy your blog. Peace. Love. Light.
Hi Dawn
just logged in – currently away again in the wild and beautiful North West of Scotland, doing some walking in beautiful woods and hill country by the sea, forgetting all about whether the sky will fall in or not early in June!
Thanks for this measured piece, and for the heads-up. If I see any alien lovers who seem keen on doing a spot of abducting, I’ll send them your way!
Mind you, Jupiter/Uranus squares my Mars come June…….might find one for myself too….
If no one hears from us in a couple of months they’ll know why.
Hi Dawn,
Thanks for addressing this! I’m very excited for this cross. My NN is at 0 Aries and my ASC at 1 Aries. I also have a lot of other natal placements that are being exactly aspected by the cardinal cross. Anyway, lots of changes already seem to be in motion for me but get this! June 8, the day you mentioned, I am scheduled to have surgery to finally correct the effects of an bad accident I was in when I was younger. Considering Mars and Chiron’s placements that day (as well as my own natal Mars at 0 Scorpio and the NN and axes positions I mentioned), I’m amazed! I didn’t even know about those placements when I was scheduled for that day.
Sorry, but where is this big cardinal cross? I don’t see anything in Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn which is on opposition or square? Yes, we have Mars opp. Chiron, but it’s in mutable Virgo-Pisces signs, and again nothing in Gemini-Saggitarius? Could you, please, explain which big cardinal cross on June 8th do you mentioned about?
// Sorry for my – probably – terrible English :)
Vladimir,
First of all, your English is wonderful. Secondly, I have to blame a late night and sloppy writing for not saying quite what I intended to say. Thirdly, you’ve hit on something I wanted to discuss, but didn’t have the energy to write about at the time, so thank you for pointing it out. In fact, contrary to popular belief, there IS NO big cardinal cross. That’s why I think this is all a lot of hooey (English slang for garbage). These planets never cross in cardinal signs. What we have here, this summer, is the first Jupiter/Uranus conjunction in Aries squaring Pluto in Cap, with Saturn squaring, but still in Virgo. June 8th is the day that astrologers are considering the beginning of the time these conflicting energies fall into place, due to the Jupiter/Uranus conjunction at 0 Aries–they’re thinking about the big T-square as a major pattern, and then anything moving into early Cancer to complete the square can trigger it (Moon, Sun, asteroids, stardust). But honestly, as I said, I think this is all nonsense, and I’m more concerned about the transiting Nodes hitting a Pluto/Mars conjunction later in the year.
Pluto in Capricorn is set out to destroy outdated structures, Jupiter/Uranus will urge it on and Saturn will fight it. And yes, anything that opposes Pluto from Cancer will trigger a fight. (On June 21st, the Sun moves there, and this is the closest we get to a real cardinal cross.) We’re in for change, and those who refuse change will have it thrust upon them. But there has been too much talk about this non-existent so-called “cardinal” cross in the field, particularly from those who are hinting at apocalyptic scenarios without offering any reasonable advice.
The truth is that Saturn enters zero Libra on July 21st. We spend a tense couple of months with this volatile T-square, but by early September Jupiter and Uranus retro and dip back into Pisces. I think, if we do have any trouble, it will be in late September when the Sun joins Saturn in squaring the Nodes; Pluto will be conjunct the transiting NN and the Sun will still be in orb of opposing Jupiter and Uranus. But anything is possible during this time, (certainly with Jupiter/Uranus involved) and its just as likely that someone will find a cure for a major disease.
Hi again!
Your note is more than informative, I understand now what do you mean. Thank you for this answers.
I’m a subscriber to the blog’s RSS and when I have enough time I’m reading your articles with interest, thank you!