My software offers me a bewildering number of "patterns", configurations formed by the planets' positions in my natal chart. The same will apply to many natal charts, especially those where planets are scattered around the whole circumference of the zodiac circle, though not in every case. "Splash" charts, as these are called, are prone to being pattern-heavy. There's not as much chance of this when planets are bunched together within just a few signs.
I tend to ignore any patterns other than Grand Trines, Grand Crosses, T-Squares and Yods. Not because I reckon the rest don't mean anything, but because if there are a lot of patterns available, what's involved can become ridiculously complex, confusing and ultimately incomprehensible.
Grand Trine is a triangle with a planet at each point. 120 degrees between each planet (give or take a degree or two, the tighter the better - and more obvious in a personality). A Grand Trine indicates the easy flow through the native's personality of whatever element the planets are in. In my own chart there's Grand Trine in Earth signs, indicating unsurprisingly a down-to-earth attitude which, though not all-encompassing, is very likely to pop up in most situations most of the time. Grand Trines in Fire signs, Water signs or Air signs likewise emphasise a free-flow of the attributes of those elements in the personality. Planets involved offer further clues as to how the Grand Trine is likely to manifest. In my Grand Trine, Mercury, Uranus and Neptune are involved: communication (writing in my case), creativity, novelty, but with a practical, sensible edge (that's the theory!)
Grand Crosses are not as friendly as Grand Trines. Made up of linked square (90degree) aspects, and 180 degree oppositions, between signs of the same mode (Cardinal, Fixed, Mutable). These configurations indicate challenges, often constant, some minor, some major,some inner, some outer. Sometimes this formation can indicate a person with intellectual restlessness, always ready for conflict. I don't have one of these to use as an example, but I do have a couple of T-squares, made up of an opposition and two squares. 
Neither is very tightly formed though. Sun opposite Pluto both squared to Uranus is probably the tightest. As my Sun is Aquarius and Uranus is its ruler, I'm in conflict with my ruler, and Pluto, I guess. Well, it hasn't done me a lot of harm so far, but has probably made me even more obtuse than I might otherwise have been, if born a bit earlier or later.
Yods are intriguing. A sextile (60 degree aspect) between two planets which each make a quincunx (150 degree aspect) to an apex point at a third planet. The signs' and planets' attribtues, blended and funnelled through the apex planet/sign. I have one of these in my chart. Mars sextile Neptune, with apex of the Yod at Aries Moon. I dunno....an energetic, creative imagination which isn't consistent but comes and goes like the phases of the Moon?
In all, my software throws up 19 different chart patterns for me, far too many to make composite sense of.
Finding chart patterns without the aid of software isn't too difficult. Just look for planets which lie at the same degree of different signs (give or take around 5 degrees), then note the signs' elements and modes.
Air= Gemini, Libra, Aquarius.
Fire= Aries, Leo, Sagittarius.
Water= Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces.
Earth= Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn.
Cardinal= Aries, Cancer, Libra Capricorn.
Fixed= Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, Aquarius.
Mutable= Gemini, Virgo,Sagittarius, Pisces.
If three planets with similar degree numbers are in the same element, you have a Grand Trine. If 2 planets are opposite each other and also link to two others at a similar degree number 3 signs away, in the same mode - you've got a Grand Cross. The Yod needs a pair of planets at similar degree numbers in the next sign but one (60 degrees away) which both lie in similar degree number to a planet almost opposite but not quite - one sign away from opposite (=quincunx 150 degrees). It sounds confusing, but once you "get your eye in", it's straightforward.
Diagrams of configurations borrowed from Wizard's Castle
I tend to ignore any patterns other than Grand Trines, Grand Crosses, T-Squares and Yods. Not because I reckon the rest don't mean anything, but because if there are a lot of patterns available, what's involved can become ridiculously complex, confusing and ultimately incomprehensible.
Grand Trine is a triangle with a planet at each point. 120 degrees between each planet (give or take a degree or two, the tighter the better - and more obvious in a personality). A Grand Trine indicates the easy flow through the native's personality of whatever element the planets are in. In my own chart there's Grand Trine in Earth signs, indicating unsurprisingly a down-to-earth attitude which, though not all-encompassing, is very likely to pop up in most situations most of the time. Grand Trines in Fire signs, Water signs or Air signs likewise emphasise a free-flow of the attributes of those elements in the personality. Planets involved offer further clues as to how the Grand Trine is likely to manifest. In my Grand Trine, Mercury, Uranus and Neptune are involved: communication (writing in my case), creativity, novelty, but with a practical, sensible edge (that's the theory!)
Grand Crosses are not as friendly as Grand Trines. Made up of linked square (90degree) aspects, and 180 degree oppositions, between signs of the same mode (Cardinal, Fixed, Mutable). These configurations indicate challenges, often constant, some minor, some major,some inner, some outer. Sometimes this formation can indicate a person with intellectual restlessness, always ready for conflict. I don't have one of these to use as an example, but I do have a couple of T-squares, made up of an opposition and two squares. 
Neither is very tightly formed though. Sun opposite Pluto both squared to Uranus is probably the tightest. As my Sun is Aquarius and Uranus is its ruler, I'm in conflict with my ruler, and Pluto, I guess. Well, it hasn't done me a lot of harm so far, but has probably made me even more obtuse than I might otherwise have been, if born a bit earlier or later.
Yods are intriguing. A sextile (60 degree aspect) between two planets which each make a quincunx (150 degree aspect) to an apex point at a third planet. The signs' and planets' attribtues, blended and funnelled through the apex planet/sign. I have one of these in my chart. Mars sextile Neptune, with apex of the Yod at Aries Moon. I dunno....an energetic, creative imagination which isn't consistent but comes and goes like the phases of the Moon?In all, my software throws up 19 different chart patterns for me, far too many to make composite sense of.
Finding chart patterns without the aid of software isn't too difficult. Just look for planets which lie at the same degree of different signs (give or take around 5 degrees), then note the signs' elements and modes.
Air= Gemini, Libra, Aquarius.
Fire= Aries, Leo, Sagittarius.
Water= Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces.
Earth= Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn.
Cardinal= Aries, Cancer, Libra Capricorn.
Fixed= Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, Aquarius.
Mutable= Gemini, Virgo,Sagittarius, Pisces.
If three planets with similar degree numbers are in the same element, you have a Grand Trine. If 2 planets are opposite each other and also link to two others at a similar degree number 3 signs away, in the same mode - you've got a Grand Cross. The Yod needs a pair of planets at similar degree numbers in the next sign but one (60 degrees away) which both lie in similar degree number to a planet almost opposite but not quite - one sign away from opposite (=quincunx 150 degrees). It sounds confusing, but once you "get your eye in", it's straightforward.
Diagrams of configurations borrowed from Wizard's Castle
I just love how everything is mathematics, there is such an order to the stars and our little planet.
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WWW ~~~ Yes, but then we humans manage to be so very disorderly within it all. ;-)
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