I recently accepted a project to assess the birth charts of 25 staff members from a corporate perspective, the results of which make for a fascinating study. As astrologers, it is only when we delineate charts on this scale, that we begin to see definite trends and to realise the true efficacy of astrology. What appears to be random at the outset slowly crystalises into a pattern that the astrologer can then assess and the subsequent information can be utilised by the client in a practical manner. Although the individual charts were interesting and my client was then able to make decisions based on this information for the betterment of the business, that is not the aspect of this task that fascinated me - it was these 25 charts in relation to my clients' natal chart that proved to be the study - one of these threads is discussed below.

An explanation of temperament

In the tradition of astrology there are specific steps that one follows when assessing a natal chart - one does not dive in head first only to surface not knowing where you are in the first place. The assessment of a natal chart commences with the assessment of the temperament of that individual. This is the cloth from which we are cut and everything else is filtered through that specific fabric. CS Lewis refers to it as "the ultimately sympathetic and antipathetic properties in matter - the Four Contraries". They are referred to in most classical and ancient literature, including the works of Dante, Chaucer and Milton, to name but three. These combine to form the four elements of fire, earth, air and water, and thus we have the four temperaments or humours of man. My client who commissioned this project has a choleric temperament, the properties of which are hot and dry. We know immediately that we are dealing with heat - resilience, possibly a quick temper and little patience, action orientated, impulsive, a love for dangerous activities or pursuits - these are a few examples of how to describe a choleric temperament.

The attraction of opposites

Common sense tells us that if there is too much heat (and in this case there was as my client had a choleric Moon as well as a choleric temperament) we need to do something to douse the flames or quench the thirst. For a choleric type person only a phlegmatic temperament can do this. Phlegmatic is cold and moist, thus water, and phlegmatic types represent the desire nature and are everything that the choleric type is not - both in a positive and negative way. Out of the 25 staff charts that I assessed the temperaments were equally divided amongst the four temperaments, but, the following applied:

• 11 Ascendants posited in water signs, with Pisces being predominant;
• 12 Suns posited in water signs, with Pisces being predominant;
• 11 Moons posited in water signs, with Pisces being predominant.

My client has the Ascendant, Sun and Moon posited in fire signs, so we have a definite leaning towards employing those with these three "factors" in water signs - in all three the number was almost half of the total amount of charts assessed.

Cook book astrology

The immediate assumption based on the plethora of books available on "cook book" astrology would be that this client sought (even subconsciously) to employ those who would not "fight back", that he could then impose his will (choler) on the door mat type who would never resist. As I do not subscribe to that way of thinking and knowing this client as well as I do, I know that nothing is more repulsive to them than subservience - so that would blow that theory out of the water. We have a typical example of filling the void - nature abhors vacuums and therefore rushes in to fill them. When presented with a native who has so much choler it is logical to deduce, based on knowledge of the temperaments, that water is the missing element and what is sorely needed. This person would endeavour to surround themselves with phlegmatic types or those whose main "personality" significators were in water signs - this is not done subconsciously either as this client is open and honest about wanting to be near Pisces type people.

Conclusion

The temperament of a person cannot change and we are all attracted to people who hold the missing links. Every person has all four temperaments present in different quantities, and there is normally one that is dominant which determines the overall temperament of the native - those that are less dominant will be the ones that we seek out either in people or in our activities. This psychological tool was used extensively by the ancient authorities of astrology long before the principle of (over) compensation was circulated by modern day psychologists such as Freud and Jung - once again proving the efficacy of astrology and the psychological depths that it can plumb.