Sextile
The sextile is, in astrology, an aspect formed between two planets separated by 60 degrees. It belongs to the five major aspects and is classically considered harmonious, but requires conscious activation to unfold.
Origin and etymology
The word comes from the Latin sextilis, meaning sixth, because the sextile corresponds to one sixth of the zodiacal circle (360 / 6 = 60). The aspect was codified by Claudius Ptolemy in the Tetrabiblos in the 2nd century, alongside conjunction, square, trine and opposition. The medieval astrological tradition, notably Abu Ma'shar in the 9th century and then Guido Bonatti in the 13th, classifies the sextile among the minor benefic aspects, less powerful than the trine but of the same harmonic nature. Johannes Kepler in Harmonices Mundi (1619) confirmed the place of the sextile in the hierarchy of fundamental aspects.
Evolution and tradition
Traditional astrology considers the sextile an opportunity that only materializes if seized. Where the trine confers a gift acquired without effort, the sextile requires active engagement. The astrological psychology of the 20th century, with Dane Rudhyar and Stephen Arroyo, confirms this reading: the sextile describes a latent potential. The sextile links two signs of identical polarity (two masculine or two feminine signs), but of different and compatible elements (fire-air or earth-water). The orb of a sextile varies by school, generally from 3 to 6 degrees, tighter than that of the trine.
Practical use
A natal sextile between two planets signals fluid cooperation between two different psychic functions. A Mercury-Venus sextile, for example, facilitates aesthetic and diplomatic expression. In predictive astrology, transits forming a sextile to a natal planet open windows of opportunity in the area concerned, provided you activate them. On Tarotoui, sextiles are automatically identified in chart and transit calculations. Many astrologers recommend not relying on sextiles: they describe favorable ground, not a guaranteed result.
Going further
Considering the sextile a lucky aspect is a simplification. The difference with the trine lies in the need to act: a non-activated sextile remains a theoretical potential. Note also that the kite configuration combines a grand trine and several sextiles, forming a pattern considered particularly favorable. Conversely, the Yod articulates two sextiles around a quincunx.