Delays or Issues in Marriage?
A question from Quora
Quora sends me questions to answer from time to time. Mostly I ignore them, but today something made me pause and reflect on the question.
The question was: “Why might certain planetary positions, like a combust Mars and Venus, cause delays or issues in marriage according to astrology?”
Almost all of my writing starts out as a voice dictation which I then refine into a finished article, or if for a video a script my YouTube channel.
If you are interested in or prefer to listen to the audio, you can do so here:
And, below is a more flushed out written version for here on Find Your Nova.
In astrology, the condition of a planet being "combust" is a key factor that can signify challenges. Here’s a breakdown of why a combust Mars or Venus might point to delays or issues in marriage, explained from a whole sign house perspective.
What is a "Combust" Planet? 🔥
First, let's define the term. A planet's energy is considered weakened or obscured when it is too close to the Sun in the zodiac. The Sun's overwhelming light "burns up" the planet's ability to express itself clearly. You can see this for yourself by watching the dawn sky over the days prior to a morning star planet coming under the beams. Before the sun has risen, the planet will be visible, but as the days continue it moves closer and closer to the sun and eventually “disappears” from sky as the light of the sun in the dawn sky washes out the light of the planet. The similar and mirrored experience can be seen in the evening sky after sunset when a planet is in the evening star phase. Three phases to consider are:
Under the Beams: A planet is considered "under the beams" when it's within about 15 degrees of the Sun. Its influence begins to weaken here.
Combustion: The effect intensifies as the planet gets even closer (traditionally within about 8.5 degrees). This is a state of significant debilitation.
Cazimi: There is a special exception. When a planet is in exact conjunction with the Sun (within the same degree), it's called "cazimi" and is considered a point of great strength and clarity. This is interpreted very differently from combustion.
How Does This Relate to Marriage? 💍
In astrology, marriage and partnerships are primarily associated with the 7th House.
For this explanation, I'm using the whole sign house system. This means if your 7th house begins in Libra, the entire sign of Libra constitutes your 7th house.
(A quick note for those who use other systems: If you use a quadrant-based system like Placidus, you would track the 7th house cusp. In that case, a planet could be in the 7th house by position even if it's in a different zodiac sign than the cusp itself.)
When combustion affects these specific planets or this house, it can signify challenges. There are two main ways this can appear in a birth chart:
A Combust Planet is in the 7th House: If either Mars or Venus is located anywhere within the zodiac sign of your 7th house while also being combust, its ability to function smoothly in the area of partnerships is hindered. This can signify delays or obstacles.
The Ruler of the 7th House is Combust: Every zodiac sign has a ruling planet. If the planet that rules the sign of your 7th house is combust (even if it's located elsewhere in your chart), the themes of that house are weakened.
If your 7th house is the sign Aries or Scorpio, its ruler is Mars.
If your 7th house is the sign Taurus or Libra, its ruler is Venus.
So, if the ruler of your 7th house sign is a combust Mars or Venus, it can signify that the path to marriage, business partnerships, or other long-term relationships may have inherent difficulties to be worked through.
A Note on Interpretation
It's important to clarify how this information is viewed. I don't subscribe to a causal view of astrology (i.e., the planets cause events). Instead, I align with a co-emergent philosophy, where astrological conditions are a symbolic language that reflects the patterns and themes of a person's life. From this perspective, a combust planet doesn't cause marriage delays, but rather signifies a life path where this theme may be part of the individual's experience.