While composite charts are more commonly used as the chart of “the relationship,” the Davison chart has a great following as well. Both charts take the birth information of two individuals and blend them to create one chart for the relationship itself. The composite takes the midpoints of each set of planets (Sun to Sun, Moon to Moon…) and these comprise the chart. The Davison chart is the chart of the midpoint of the birth information: it takes the two points in time and place and finds their average in real time to create a unique chart.
The composite chart is conceptual, never existed in real time and space. The Davison chart is a “real” chart in the fact that it is the chart of an actual moment in time and space. The composite chart doesn’t “exist” except as a concept. The Davison chart is shared by any number of people actually born at that place and time. The argument for using the Davison chart usually includes this fact… it’s “real.” However, I don’t see that as a strike against the composite. A relationship is not a person; I consider it more akin to a concept. A relationship is not something concrete tied to a time and place. The concept of what is real is debatable.
So what is the difference between the two in practice? I’ve read that the Davison chart is more tuned in to the feelings or affect of the relationship where the composite is more nuts and bolts. I’m not averse to using either but use the composite as my default position.
Do you have a preference for using one or the other? Do you look at both?
I swing towards the Davison. I’ve looked at the two as they apply to my relationships and I don’t see an appreciable difference between the two (besides the theoretical v. concrete argument).
Mainly I like Davison because, since it’s an actual place-time chart, you can accurately apply transits and progressions to it. 🙂
I think Davidson or composite when connecting to the natus of both charts. I think this is where it becomes interesting.
My daughters midpoint Jupiter conjoins sun moon midpoint and Venus.
My husband’s and I composite sun co join s my Venus. Sun moon midpoint as well.
I think this is where either Davidson or composite chart really plays out.
Say composite Saturn. Squares Venus in one of the natals or the moon. You have this great moon trine Venus synastry and begin to wonder what’s going on. Saturn always over takes Jupiter and personal
Comment went boom? 🙁
“not anymore” (Clousseau accent). that’s a great point about progressions!
Just ran the Davison on my ex and I . Had never heard about the Davison before your article here. Put moon in Aquarius conjunct Ascendent and the north node in Leo in the 7th house at 25 degrees. That north node conjuncts my Leo Ascendent in the relocated chart for this area. Very interesting……
Kathryn
I find the Davison concept to be weird. It doesn’t seem to me like it’s an actual combination of the two people together so much as it’s just data put together at a halfway mark. I don’t care about the transit aspect–as you say, the relationship is a concept, not an actual chart. And should be judged as such, IMO.
true, my main argument for the composite is that planetary midpoints are a tried and true point of influence.
Usually I’m all over synastry stuff but for some reason the Davison chart doesn’t do it for me. I use the midpoint Composite (calculated for place people met) all the time and have found it works very well.
It is true the longer the relationship has lasted the more accurate the composite chart is. Really, really need good, complete birth data for composites.
I use both. I feel that the composite is the outline and davidson, does some shading… it’s hard to describe… maybe more like looking through different lenses.
I use both, because they both work. I don’t know why one works over the other at different times, but they just do.
Composite all the way.
I have too much Scorpio for Davison. If I ever actually found that person IRL, the synchronicity of it all would explode my paranoid little mind and we would be found in a freezer with knives.
Composites are safer.
Elsa, I’ve actually been using Davison for a few years [which I did like because it is ‘real’ and can be treated like a person] and quite distressed about not knowing how to deal with the composite as well … I also thought I had to choose one rather than the other. But now I’ve come to the opposite conclusion to most people – that the composite reflects the ‘energy field’ between the couple – that is why it doesn’t need to be tied to a real time and space. For me it represents what the relationship is really about and its inner feelings in this lifetime. It only gets activated if you actually enter into a relationship with that person, and the depth of it appears over time. And the Davison seems very much to tell me the outer story … so it makes complete sense that it starts before the birth of one half of the couple, especially if you believe in reincarnation, as I do … because our destiny for meeting is there, whether we choose to act on it or not.
By which I also mean of course, that I agree with you!
I read somewhere that the composite chart is how the relationship appears to people outside it, while the Davison chart is more reflective of how the relationship feels to the two people in it, but I have very limited experience with either.
Though I am curious how similar the two charts are normally, because for the relationship I’m looking at the Sun/Mars/Venus all occupy the same sign/degree in the Davison chart while the composite chart has the Sun/Venus/Mercury all occupying that same sign/degree.
Is that normal when comparing the two charts?
The Composite tell you how the coUpleatham relates. The Davison tellike you about the relationship. Which is a subtle difference.
I have been using both for 10 years and I give them almost equal merit. Depends on what you want to know. Both methods can provide intimate details but the composite tends to sway to the more tangible public perception of the relationship, whereas the Davison focuses more on what is going on behind closed doors. Personally I use both, and in doing so I am able to obtain a richer and clearer view of the energies affecting the relationship at any given time. Having said that if I could only use one, I would pick the Davison. Ultimately what goes on between the two individuals is primary to me.
I do not take either that seriously because two people do not blend perfectly in a relationship. There is dynamic give and take. I mostly use synastry.
until i saw that you could a midpoint chart of a relationship,i thought there was just 1,now i know there are 2 types of composites,which confuses me since especially in large us humans and stuff born,or created around us can be put in a composite like in a earlier version of the mountain astrologer magazine,astrologer robin heath said you can create a composite between a person,and any event they encountered,and this would show you about that interaction,and robin even had examples like sally ride,and her shuttle explosion event,and how they interacted,but i feel most try to create indepth astrology charts that interact with everything,since as us,and everything have a seasonal date we,or the stuff were created here on earth,or even on a space station in space outside our earth,we can see how us,and stuff around us interact,and now that we indepth astrology software that create indepth into alot of these interactions,like bernadette brady’s jigsaw group research software,as long you have enough space in your computer you could create as many types as we feel we need to create to understand the energy field interaction,but some astrologers like john townley feel these charts of large groups creates mud,since if we used when bought a house,car,or got in a accident how would we know if large group composites were telling us the truth,since most of us who study,or practice real indepth astrology mostly use the moon to represent large groups but with stuff like spatial based astrology like astrocartoraphy,or its sibling spatial based system know as local space show us where our charts show where our energies,or other groups around us truly interact in spatial movement and by adjusting if a certain place doesn’t feel right we can adjust,and this system of spatial based astrology according to some indepth astrologers is seen as the true roots of what became indepth astrology,then other stuff was added that made indepth astrology the 1st type of probability analysis system of knowledge,we as groups of humans use to understand stuff born,or created around us,and why some astrologers feel stuff like spatial based indepth astrology is just about how energy between us,and stuff born,or created around us,and why i feel indepth astrology was created,and has evolved as a guidance knowledge system that can truly help,so i guess as some astrologers like micheal munkasey feel it how view indepth astrology,and hopefully use it as helpful guide,it just amazing how something that was created millenium ago is still able to help us if we need it,since indepth astrology had to have a true creation chart of its own seasonal phases,and spatial points,so indepth astrology is part of everything,and maybe this is why its still in such depth,in away indepth astrology seems like a symbiote that became a costume for eddie brock in spiderman to wear,in that its part of him,and he’s part of the symbiote,which means eddie brock must have a packed 8th seasonal house in his chart,since the symbiote could be represented by the seasonal 8th house in a chart,since the symbiote that became venom,then carnage has a very scorpionic seasonal vibe,or 8th house seasonal vibe,since when eddie brock,then kletus cassidy became venom,and carnage they went into very deep merging mode,and transformation,and became more than humans in the marvel series of books,and now movies,and now they are 2 lifeforms become one as in midpoint composite theory in indepth astrology,maybe this why groups of us humans with stuff born,or created around get either positive,negative,or nuetral energies,since these groups of midpoints create and amplify energy,and why when some groups reinteract that energy that created the midpoints is pushed up in waves,which i feel if groups that criticize indepth astrology viewed it this way i do,maybe they would appreciate indepth astrology more,so then serious scientists,and serious astrology could create groups of midpoints that truly help all of us,since don’t we have a saying 2 heads are better than one,and 2 knowledge system like science,and astrology as sibling system,imagine how this could help us,but i imagine some groups won’t like when were to come about,since i feel some of us feel we have to be top dog,and other stuff less,and if we could learn through stuff like indepth astrology to moderate these impulses,imagine how far we could go on these roads we call life,but then some of us might get bored having a constantly helpful guidance stuff like indepth astrology,since some of us feel life should have stuff that isn’t understood,but then why did science just launch the james webb space telescope if they don’t want to understand part of our orgins,not that feel most of us don’t enjoy knowing this stuff,but some stuff i feel should be kept under neptunes symbolic control,since it seems unless we put a external hard drive on our bodies,and can interact with our brains,bodies,and souls i feel its truly hard for to keep some stuff,since isn’t this also a point of this stuff we call life,maybe that why there are so many groups of us,and stuff born,or created around us to keep life moving,and interesting,sorry about this long pondered view of this stuff,just that i seem to want to know stuff around me ,so i keep reading,researching,and living,and i get carried away,probably has to do with having aspergers syndrome,and how it creates a ocd streak in me that needs to be sastisfied,which is why sometimes i’m unaware of how much time,and space i use up around me,but this also keeps me upbeat,and constantly kicking,even if stuff around me seems bad some days,and why i’ve learned to appreciate the seasonal phases,and spatial points i have been given,so maybe if i can appreciate stuff,maybe most of us should to,since i feel this viewpoint might help us.
Imo,
Composite acts as uncontrollable energy that is created when you are together and only when you are in each other’s physical presence. The aspects and house placements matter of course. If sun conjunct venus in the fourth, you both create a feeling of love and comfort especially when at home together. This can also go south if negatively aspected by Pluto for example.
The Davison, imo, is how the synastry plays out, and is related to true feelings and which parts of life (houses) those energies are more likely to manifest. I have a better Davison than composite with a coworker — Jupiter is positively aspecting all the personal planets — we laugh and have a lot of fun together at work and feel positive about each other.
Synastry is how you genuinely feel about each other independent of the composites. This is important because ultimately do you love this person (venus and moon), do you want to stay together (Saturn positive to personal planets), do you desire contact (mars soft or even hard to person planets), when you think about this person do you feel good and hopeful)? (Jupiter to personal)), or do you want to run away? (Uranus hard to personal planets), does this person piss you off (Pluto or mars hard to personal planets). The reason synastry is so critical is because we are not around our partner 24/7 so when we are at work or traveling or just on our own, do we feel loyal and loving about our partner or do we feel angry (Pluto/mars square sun, moon, venus, mars) or not so loyal (Uranus square sun, venus, mars)?
We might have a harmonious synastry and we really love and want to be with the other person (synastry), but then when we get together, we have Pluto squaring Sun, Moon, Mercury, or Mars in the composite and we have crazy fights and power struggles. This can create a vicious cycle. I have a friend with great sysnastry with her husband but in their composite, Uranus is squaring all the personal planets — they are still together but she is parenting two kids alone most of the time as he comes home for short periods of time then is stationed elsewhere most of the time (military).