There has been a lot of debate over just the words used to describe the nature of certain aspects. When I first began, the aspects were called benefic or malefic, and then they were softened to harmonious and challenging. I must admit I could live with the later, but have too many times experienced and witnessed the former. I use, under most circumstances, malefic and benefic to describe planets and aspects simply because it is more accurate.
I say this because while the square is often times the messenger of lessons in life, they are in fact almost universally HARD LESSONS. How each of us accepts these lessons is another question, and answered usually by another part of the nativity. I have seen and heard discussion regarding the challenging aspect of the Square Aspect and the Opposition (not as much discussion regarding the quincunx) and that they can provide the impetus for a lot of activity. This is true, I have many clients who report the same thing and I can attest to the accuracy of this.
The fact that certain natives find answers to profound questions in life, is a testimony to the native and other parts of the chart, not a testimony of the planet/aspect itself. Why? Because not everyone responds to these aspects in the same manner. The one quality that remains a constant in these aspects is the harshness of reality. The absolute inflexibility of Real Life is what I believe perfectly describes these aspects. They are in fact inflexible by nature. A careful study of the energy and the angles reveals exactly why.
The energy (regardless of the planets involved) fights for expression. It is completely different with the easy expression of the trine and sextile. Aspects that easily flow allow easy exchange between planets. Which, leads me to the discussion of malefic planets in aspect. Does an easy aspect (Trine or Sextile) in fact allow the easy expression of the malefic properties OR does it allow for the expression of the planets better half (pun intended), and conversely does a malefic planet in hard aspect intensify the negative energy or does it in fact make it more difficult for the malefic to find expression. I can speak from personal experience that any and all of these things can be true and we should accept that the might all exist at the same moment in time.
I think of these aspects as the “Real Life” Aspects in that they deliver most of the “Severe Reality Checks” the native is bound to encounter in a life time. They can be modified or softened by easy aspects, and by that I mean a native can learn and survive these circumstances if there is support from other parts of the chart.
The one thing I wanted to open up a bit more discussion is the concept of Evil in connection with these aspects. Evil is something quite apart and separate from Hard. While I agree that Evil (defined as completely lacking in morality or conscience) can find easy expression in some of these Hard Aspects between Malefic planets, is it universally true? And what could modify this, because not all natives with harsh aspects between Malefic are Evil?
What do we mean when we say Evil??? And how can we determine when a set of circumstances will result in Evil expression (Like the Holocaust, the genocide of the Armenians by the Turks, the genocide of the cultures in the Americas by colonists and the Americans, etc.). While these were evil events, did evil aspects create the native who was responsible?? (And I make no distinction between the general in charge or the foot solider who pulled the trigger.) Evil is as Evil does and the “I was only following orders” (while necessary for a successful military) is no an excuse when it comes to Karmic law now is it?
