T-Crosses and Grand Crosses (Carrying Life's Burdens)

Wikipedia Painting by Salvador Dali Persistence of Time

While I was out walking yesterday a message came through about people who have either T-Crosses or Grand Crosses in their Natal Charts. These crosses have a correlation to suffering as well as, learning through overcoming obstacles and life challenges. Many people who have crosses in their Natal Charts also have Grand Trines to ease the burden somewhat.

But here's another angle to look at. Crosses in a chart lead to soul mastership. We chose our birth ahead of time and we chose the lessons we wished to glean in this lifetime, including finding joy and pleasure or rewards. After all, if we're going to run a tight race, we want to enter the winning circle at the end. If we attend school for 12 years, we join the graduation ceremony and it is the same for those of us who have crosses in our Natal Charts.

The most challenging years begin during the first activation of the crosses. So if you have Saturn at 4 degrees like I do in my chart, then the first planetary transit to Saturn at 4 degrees, in my case Pisces, and when I was still an infant, obviously, this transit activated challenges I would face during my lifetime. My Saturn is in Pisces conjunct my Moon which represents home, mother and stability. I was only a few months old when my family relocated to another US State, from Washington to California and then we moved several times before I turned five. I have moved often in my adult life and suffer from restlessness that brings on anxiety. My T-Cross has Saturn/Moon in Pisces in the 2nd House, squaring Mars in Gemini in the 5th House, and opposing Pluto/Uranus in Virgo in the 8th House. Yeah, I know.

This is just an example. Let's say that someone has Pluto at 4 degrees Virgo and it's locked into a Mutable T-Cross or even a Mutable Grand Square. And then Mars transits into Gemini squaring Pluto when it reaches 4 degrees and say that it opposes Venus in Pisces and squares the Sagittarius Moon. And let's place Pluto in the First House giving this person a Virgo Rising Sign. Now what do you think will be this person's burden he or she carries in this lifetime?

And to make this person's life a bit easier, we bring in a Grand Earth Trine that includes Pluto at 4 degrees Virgo, Jupiter in Capricorn, and Saturn in Taurus. Now, if I saw a chart like this, the first thought that would come to mind is that this person abused power in another lifetime or had power used against him or her. So in this lifetime he or she chose he lesson of getting comfortable with personal and possibly political power. Pluto in Virgo would also have something to do with technology or healthcare so perhaps this person decides to forge a career as a medical doctor because he or she suffered health problems as a child and gave his or her power away to doctors, "My heroes."

The Gemini in Mars talks out both sides of its mouth and suffers from smug intellectualism. As a child, this individual suffers in school because his or her teachers don't want to deal with a know-it-all smarty pants. The Sagittarius Moon adds to this arrogance and even leading the child to become a young adult who refuses to respect authority, especially religious authority or college professors. And yet, this young maverick has decided to pursue a career in medicine. Can you see the tension building here? So at a juncture during the university years, he or she drops out of college to roam the world with a backpack. Maybe he or she joins the Peace Corps to bring safe water to a tribal community in Africa. The Sagittarius Moon loves that and this person even learns new languages and dialects with ease. And the Venus in Pisces wants to work with women and empower them.

The person with this Grand Cross in the Natal Chart feels deep compassion for humanity but sees most people as powerless which of course is a projection of not owning the personal power as attributed by Pluto at 4 degrees Virgo in the First House. So the challenge is to learn from elders but not give one's power away. This person could move a lot, use travel as escapism, and get too caught up in the underdog story or dualism such as the 99 percent verses the one percent scenario. But is that scenario going to lead this person to own his or her power? Power after all, seems like a dirty word and then this person fears that no one will like him or her if he or she expresses power. See the trap?

Now, since this person has a Grand Earth Trine, then the good news is that by acquiring money and business skills, as well as, admitting that earthly possessions and comfort are desired by this individual then this person can attract the monetary resources to do great work in the world. Philanthropy is the end result if the person meets the challenges of the Grand Cross head on. So the person returns to university and obtains the medical degree. The person plays the game, but their way to pay off college debts and then forge a successful career, financially-speaking. Then by midlife, the person remembers their true purpose on the planet--philanthropy and doing good in the world--thus the reward and a journey into the winner's circle.

So the burden of the Grand Cross in this case is dealing with arrogance in its many forms. Pluto in Virgo actually suggests humility and service to the greater good that brings transformation to the planet. However, when Pluto in Virgo falls in the First House, and possibly close to the Ascendant, this person focuses too much on self-identity and how others see him or her. Philanthropists who only help others as public image opportunities are really narcissists. I'm not saying that public relations does not play a part since philanthropists can only raise money and or awareness through public speaking and promotion of a cause. But anyone who only has the Noble Peace Prize in mind when doing his or her lifework has it all backwards. Life is not a pursuit of awards and rewards. It's about mastery of the soul.

So I'm going out on a limb when I say this, but everyone who has crosses in their charts carries burdens. Anyone with a cross in his or her chart came here to do deep healing on themselves which ripples out and heals others. I'm not talking navel-gazing here or spending too much time in front of mirrors proclaiming undying love for oneself. The person with a Grand Cross in a chart is already a highly-evolved being and I'm not saying that to stroke any egos. Just like a person with a big fat Yod in a chart has come to clear up the ancestral lineage so having an awareness of this destiny comes in handy. This is why astrologers are so helpful, especially the ones who work with transformation and evolution.

I know some spiritual teachers and channels say that we came here to experience joy and pleasure--well, maybe for people without crosses in their charts. Those of us with crosses in our charts came to do inner work especially in midlife around the Uranus opposite Uranus and Chiron Return transits. This doesn't mean that we don't experience pleasure and joy, but when we do experience it it's with a full heart and gratitude because we are very much aware of the contrast of suffering and joy.

One last item, a person with a cross in a chart has a tendency towards self-punishment or impulsive self-sabotage. If you find that's the case with you, there are many therapies you can work with to heal the impulsiveness caused by the tensions in the crosses. Since those tensions are on-going it's understandable that a person with a cross looks for escape routes--highways in the form of neuropathways in the limbic brain. Even volcanoes blow up to relieve tension and it's the same for all nature, and especially humans. Find safe ways to relieve tension such as athletics, yoga, hiking, brisk walks, and different types of release therapies. Try dancing or drumming.


If you have a cross or crosses in your Natal Chart and would like insights on developing your gifts and gleaning your life lessons, sign up for a personal reading. Since I have a wicked Mutable T-Cross in my Natal Chart, I have experiences taming the tension. Read the Services Page first then contact me. 

Due to the increase in life expenses, if you enjoy my blog posts, please make a monetary contribution or in the least, follow this blog. You can make contributions by joining my Patreon campaign or sending a money order for any amount to PO Box 2561, Bellingham WA  98227. Thank you for your generous support.