The Cradle aspect pattern consists of two Small Talent Triangles (minor grand trines) connected by an opposition. It also included two Ambivalence Triangles (easy oppositions). There are five blue aspects (two trines and three sextiles) compared to only one red aspect (the opposition.) This gives an excess of the pleasure and harmony principles.
Like the Kite aspect pattern, the aspects are connected in a stable shape. The significant difference lies in the visibility of the opposition. In the Cradle, it lies along the border of the two horoscope halves, like an energy barrier. The other half remains unexplored, unknown territory.
The Cradle derives excellent stability from its symmetry. If something unpleasant approaches, you can switch over and suddenly be protected by an invisible wall from criticism or attack. It reflects others’ opinions or intentions like a mirror and appears untouched by them.
The Baby in the Cradle
A cradle reminds us of birth and babies. The baby in the cradle has entered our material world from the spiritual one and reflects perfect purity. The interface between life and death can be seen as a mirror, and life reflects what lies in the soul. This figure means that sooner or later, you take an interest in sleep, dreams and death, in order to learn about the transition from one dimension to another.
With a Cradle, you retain your childhood faith for a long time. You believe in good and are harmless. You would like the security and protection of a stable life situation and actively pursue this. In other words, you try to avoid falling out of the cradle. You cling to it and like to be clung to. But you have the development task of leaving the security of the Cradle and going out into the world, which can be likened to going into the empty space of the horoscope, in order to become independent.
Relation and Harmony
On the one hand, the Cradle gives the ability to imitate others or to reflect their mood. On the other hand, you can harmonize with and even heal others from the depths of your soul. You collect or soak up like a sponge the feelings, needs and pain of other people without being burdened by them. You make almost everything harmonious. If something is too harsh, you cut yourself off from it entirely, and it ceases to exist and effectively disappears.
Nevertheless, conflicts repeatedly occur because you provoke other people and allow them to push against your “glass wall.” After this energy discharge comes the opposite: relaxation and harmony. This simple way of resolving conflicts can have a healing effect and help others deal with their repressed feelings.
You actually seem talented and balanced, but you often repress your inner pain, which is activated by the other, unoccupied half of the horoscope from your environment. This leads to retreat, to an escape inwards in order to maintain harmony (5 X blue to 1 X red). You must passively reflect on the meaning of life, at which point you are very vulnerable. By learning to accept this withdrawal as a process of self-purification, you allow your harmony to radiate brighter and more intensely.
Shakira
Inner Harmony
The five-fold blue does not just mean harmonious energy but also the collection of much substance and experience. You process sympathy and an open heart as you view the world in a very positive light. There is inner harmony and the ability to live in harmony with the environment, thanks to the three sextiles. You can adapt yourself and deal with the demands of your environment. Because the motive of security dominates, you are mostly anxiously concerned about protecting what you have achieved against intruders. You have difficulty letting yourself go and prefer to remain in the familiar security of your cradle.
Other people can see the afflicted red side and, therefore, treat it with consideration. Your inner harmony means you see everyone as being basically good and are, thus, sometimes too gullible. The inevitable disappointment makes you strong and wise in understanding human feelings and idiosyncrasies. Although you can only participate superficially, you always strive for deeper contact.
In this quadrilateral, there are only two blue-influenced planets. They possess excellent receptiveness, devotion, the ability to enjoy and flair. You have great control over your personality, as experiences are thoroughly processed and integrated, so failure is almost no longer possible (perfectionist).
Two Minor Grand Trines form a semi-circular dish that oscillates in two directions between its polarities. Conversely, there are two possible middle paths or ways out of this conflict. So, there is a double talent that can transform the conflicts of your life and give them new meaning and new opportunities. You are invulnerable because you always keep an escape route open into your own personal creativity, where there are no more conflicts to deal with
Aspect Qualities
The aspect qualities of three Venus (sextiles), two Jupiter (trines) and one Saturn (opposition) show a dominance of the feminine-passive side, supported by Jupiter’s sensory awareness, which doesn’t want to miss an opportunity. With its Venus quality, this mirror quadrilateral processes good taste in all artistic matters. You could also be an artist; however, this area is not clearly recognizable.
The Saturn quality teaches you to limit yourself and concentrate on one thing. Otherwise, you would just live your life pursuing sensual pleasures. The Cradle aspect pattern is controlled in the middle by two trines, from which two minor grand trines project. The axis topic of the opposition aspect provides the basis for the pleasure-seeking inherent in the blue aspects.
Left, Bottom, Right, Top
The interpretation of the Cradle depends greatly on the area of the horoscope where it is situated. The positions are described separately below.
- The left part of the horoscope includes the Ascendant. This is the “I” side, where all experiences are related to your ego.
- The bottom part of the horoscope includes the Imun Coeli (Nadir). This is the “Collective” side, where you are mainly interested in belonging to the collective.
- The right part of the horoscope includes the Descendant. This is the “You” side, which indicates a tuning into others and the environment and a tendency to do what others expect.
- The top part of the horoscope includes the Midheaven. This is the “Individual” side, where you want to be free. Your interests are mainly professional, and you want to get ahead and fulfill yourself independently.
Left Cradle: I, Ascendant
A cradle on the I side of the horoscope is a sign of introversion. You are very self-sufficient and closed and avoid deep encounters with others. You protect yourself from the outside, are preoccupied with yourself and only let invited guests inside. The inner space, the intimate sphere, is kept shut and only opened to those who know the password, as it were.
You find it very unpleasant if someone enters without being invited or you are talked about or judged. You want to live undisturbed in the protection of your inner space and only open up when you are sure that those who are knocking to come in are true friends. If a stranger intrudes, the opposition immediately becomes an impenetrable barrier. You would prefer to remain alone and be happy in your own world. This can often lead to real problems in relating to others.
During significant transits and eclipses to the planets in this cradle, feelings of security are frequently shaken, thus making your consciousness aware of a change in internal or external conditions. You should not stay in your “cradle”; instead, one day, you should be “thrown out of the nest” in order to participate in the growth process of life.
Bottom Cradle: Collective, Imun Coeli
The classic Cradle feels most secure in the bottom half of the horoscope, where the fixed quadrangular quality is expressed most strongly. It feels less comfortable in other spaces because it tends to feel that it is falling out of the security of the cradle and being thrown out unprotected into the world.
In the case of the Cradle, many talents are gathered in one half of the horoscope. In this lower space, you are practical and find everything effortless and easy. You are happy with this and create a harmonious environment for yourself. You take life as it comes, work contentedly and need no theoretical background knowledge.
What lies above the barrier makes you anxious and threatens your harmony. You protect yourself from this space, attacking anyone who represents it either openly or cowardly. What you deny from the outset must not be looked at.
Right Cradle: You, Descendant
If the Cradle lies in the You-space, you are afraid of being alone and make every effort to maintain existing relationships. This can sometimes lead to a loss of identity. You want to feel cared for and seek a partner who is stronger than you and who will give you stability. You may need motivation and validation from outside, from the You. In such a case, your partner or the task to be mastered can bring the minor grand trines to life.
But in the case of conflict, you will likely react badly, i.e., ambivalently. There are two ambivalence triangles in the Cradle. They either allow themselves to be wrapped in cotton wool again and play the conforming child, or they refuse to continue the relationship. Due to the blue-red aspects, they can be forced into an either-or attitude, where they must go back on possible decisions again.
Top Cradle: Individual, Midheaven
Benito Mussolini
A Cradle in the Individual Space looks more like a parachute. It is not grounded, and there are no roots. This means you are ambitious, strive for unattainable goals and are constantly experiencing defeats and the thwarting of your plans. In reality, you are too security- and stability-minded to really come to terms with the Individual space, for the top of the horoscope demands moral courage, independence, acceptance of responsibility and self-awareness. A Cradle finds it very hard to display these qualities all the time; it prefers to be left in peace.
In the Cradle, a highly developed aptitude is also called on to overcome a fear of specific tasks. In the upper area, there is often a particular value system that you cling to. Whether it is valid or not is not as important if it can resist attacks and provide security.
From a positive point of view, a Cradle can also be productive; after all, it contains two talent triangles. Obvious creativity can give you the confidence required to confront the empty hemisphere. Producing something that can be presented to others increases the feeling of self-worth and inner security. In the case of the Cradle, too, drastic crises are needed to prepare you for the confrontation of anxieties and the implementation of your own abilities.
