The old debate: composite vs Davison

[Deleted]

Hey, this is my first thread.  

So lately I have been in awe with Davisons. It's not that I ignored them before, well - maybe I did. I definitely thought they were inferior to composites, until it hit me just how accurately they paint the picture of the relationship! Much more than the composite, in my experience. The *feel* of the relationship, it's in the Davison. It also stems from my problem with oppositions in composites, which do not seem accurate to me. To give you an example, in the composite of me and someone there's a Sun-Mercury opposite Saturn, while in the Davison these are all conjunct. We've been friends for 15 years and we've supported each other through hard times. There's no impediment to our communication, which is free-flowing and has always been open. There are no secrets between us. I'd like to think none of us felt stifled by the other. There is some rigidity, yeah, but heh, it outlived most of my other connections. Also, when both TOBs are known, I find the house positions in the Davison much more fitting than the ones in the composite. 

So, what do you think? Is it just a matter of preference, or is one better than the other?  

[Deleted]

Yeah, I know that oppositions are not really oppositions, maybe that is why I think the composite is a bit misleading, to me at least. I found that I relate much better with the Davisons and can just grasp the idea of a relationship almost immediately, whereas in composite it seems kind of hidden. I guess I also like the fact that the Davison is a real chart, and not a mathematical construct. No doubt, I am leaning towards Davison. I am not really trying to convince anyone here, other than myself lol - I have always seen composites as having more weight than the Davison. I remember I had a very concentrated Davison with a man I thought was my TF at the time, and an Isis-Osiris conjunction, exact, but somehow didn't think it was valid because it wasn't in the composite. :/ 


I will do some more research on this, though, and maybe return with other examples.

[Deleted]

I didn't get the chance to look through my database, but I have noticed something else - transits to both composite and the Davison of a relationship that has recently got to a new level, it is very significant. Transits to composite were few and not exactly fitting, while transits to the Davison were spot on and some of them at 0 orb. Sure, it is just an example, and truth is *something* is happening to both charts, BUT imo the Davison is more accurate this time.

One of the transits Davison was having that the composite did not was T-NN conjunct Davison DC exact. I believe it is extremely significant, especially because the two people were also experiencing Nodal transits the moment the shift happened. He had T-Moon on N-NN and she had T-Saturn on N-SN. Both orb 1 degree at the hour it happened. Other transits to Davison, <1 degree orb, were: T-Saturn conjunct Davison chart ruler and T-Pluto trine Davison Venus. T-Venus, just turned Rx, trined Davison MC ruler by 2 degrees, applying. 

Composite had the Pisces stellium Sun-Mercury-Neptune on Asc and nothing else. While I would say that it would be significant, IMO it does not describe what happened. Especially not with Neptune on Asc... I would say it's quite the opposite, the confusion ended! But of course time will tell. Both charts will have t-neptune transiting the 1st so there will be some of that to follow. 

I'll keep on researching and return with updates, if I will have any.

[Deleted]

Wow, thank you, @ceri ! I did not ever think to check the SR for the Davison! I will look soon!

I understand what you are saying about composites and I agree with that!! I have noticed that, too, the interplay between the natal and the composite definitely portrays the way each partner feels the relationship. I am reluctant to give the composite value as a stand alone chart - especially because of the oppositions, but also because usually midpoints aspecting midpoints is insignificant! Midpoints need to be touched by a planet or angle in order to come alive, midpoints aspecting each other, such as what happens with aspects in the composite is bollocks lol. However, because they are often repeated in the Davison - which I believe is the true "fate" of the relationship, in the here and now - they make sense. But midpoints aspects can only form with a planet or angle, be that a natal or transiting planet/point, not with other midpoints.

I agree that transits do tend to be significant, I remember t-Saturn squaring the composite Ac-Dc axis in one of my relationships and how hard it was even to meet during that period, whenever we made plans something came up with either of us. And even in the example I gave the composite did have transits to it, it's just that I believe the ones to the Davison describe much better what happened. 

[Deleted]

Just checked the SR for their Davison. The Asc-DC are the same! Same degree. Which was touched by the transiting Nodes. Mhmmm.

[voix]

I can't really add much to this discussion TBH, but for some reason that I have yet to determine, I find Davison more accessible than Composite. This tells me that they must be covering different aspects of a relationship. And the reason I can access Davison more easily, is because it describes a relationship in a way I am more accustomed to thinking of/or experiencing one in. If that makes sense.

[voix]

And HI @dancingmaenad, it's great to see you here

[Deleted]

It's great to see you too, voix! <3

[Deleted]

Hey @ceri! That is an interesting discovery! The degree of the stationary is important - and you know the Sabian for it, A snake coiling between a man and a woman. I know it well because it's the Sabian for my Sun and I never know if I am the woman or the snake lol. Since it seems I am inevitably drawn in connections where there's another person interfering, sometimes it's me threatening a poor connection that breaks up as a consequence (even though I never actively interfere), sometimes it's a man that comes up threatening a poor connection of mine that ends. It is an interesting degree and something to ponder on. I also wonder why I keep perpetuating this scenario, especially lately. Sorry for side-stepping in the discussion, I haven't really done anything more on the topic, I had a brain freeze about it lol. I can never do it at a steady pace.

[Deleted]

Awww that is such a beautiful conjunction!! <3 You have an interesting take on the snake, wow! I never thought about it that way. To me, the snake was the interference, the meddler, the manipulator. I guess I don't really see snakes as good lol. But in a way I can see it like how you explained, because often times me and the man in question ally against the third person, so in a way it is an unifying influence, but imo also brings it's deal of challenges, especially trust issues.

[Doux]

Interesting thread!

I usually check Composites, because they're the "heart" of the relationship, so to speak... The "essence".
And very often they're quite... um, "problematic" *cough cough* Maybe that reflects my own "issues" and my tendency to attract relationships that are not really "easy"... 
But I also check the Davison charts and so far they've definitely been revealing and well, accurate.

Just checked me and my sister's and me and my mother's Davison charts... Holy sheet! They're so powerful *jawdrop*
I mean, the Composites are also really powerful but this is a whole new level... We have some intense configurations going on. Impressive. 

Illustration:

The COMPOSITE with sister:


The DAVISON with sister:


The COMPOSITE with mother:


The DAVISON with mother:


For instance, in both Davison charts, there's a Sun/Pluto opposition... that's not present in the composites... And there definitely are a lot of power struggles in my family, but "hidden" or "covert" ones... We all love each other but there's a LOT of tension and fighting and just stress (although Mars is a biggie here, too) (in synastry as well). 

And the fact that there's no emphasis on the 12H in the Composites, also makes me wonder... Because there's a lot of unspoken resentment, and overall "issues" going on, at least from my side. And I think that's reflected in the Davison charts. Hmm.
I need to think more about the differences here, but it's really intriguing...