Mel,Yes, synsastry and composite charts are two different things. Synastry is the energy flow BETWEEN two people, while composite is the energy flow of two people COMBINED. In understanding the way the relationship works, it is useful to use synastry. If a person wants to see of what, ideally, a particular relationship is capable of doing together, then a composite chart is useful. In general, couples will learn more about the relationship from their synastry than their composite.
So much for the definitions...on to the interpretation!
In doing relationship comparisons, the first step is to understand how each person approaches relationships. This can be seen by looking for Libra, Venus, and the 7th house (all are about relationships) in each chart. In your chart, you have Libra modifying Pluto (transformation, also power), so you may get power in your relationships or be overpowered in your relationships.
Aries (being, also action) modifies Venus, so you may tend to focus on what YOU want in a relationship, or might be a "relationship conqueror": getting into relationships aggressively and then moving on after you have gotten what you wanted out of the relationship. Venus is also conjunct your South node (easy goals, the past), indicating this type of approach to a relationship may hold you back in life.
You also have Libra modifying North node (future goals), so you have a life goal of being in relationships. You have Moon focused in the 7th house: wherever the Moon in a person's chart there is change, so your attitude toward your relationship may be continually changing. You also have Jupiter (expansion) focused in the 7th house, which might lead to an over-expansion of your expectations for relationships.
Your friend also has Libra modifying Pluto and North node. In addition, he has Libra modifying Moon (home, also emotions), indicating he may be emotional about relationships. He has Venus focused in the 7th house, indicating that he is VERY focused on relationships and on the other person in relationships. He also has Jupiter in the 7th house, same as you.
The next thing to look at is the relationship chart (your chart is in the middle and his is on the outside). The first thing to look for in relationship charts is any connections between the Sun and Moon by themselves. There is a connection between the Sun and Moon so you do feel "connected" to each other. The next thing to look for are the aspects made between Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, and Mars (also called "personal" planets). Here is where the challenges come in, since most of the personal planets are challenged, indicating the couple will have issues to work through if they both decide to be in a relationship together. You also both have planets conjunct each of your North nodes, indicating that you can each help the other achieve their life goals.
Relationships take work, particularly challenging relationships. In addition to the issues I mentioned, your friend might not be willing to work through these challenges because he has an "easy" chart with not that many challenges in it. People with easy charts tend to expect life to be easy. When the challenges of life come along, they tend to run away until either things get better or until they find something that is easier to do. This might be the case here: you are willing to work on the challenges, while for your friend, things are becoming too "tough" to bother about any more.
Of course, this can all be worked out if you both work at it together. But it might help to have a LONG talk with him about the issues in the relationship and what it will take to get it working again. If he is unwilling to work on the relationship issues, then perhaps it is time to find a new relationship to be in.
Relating,
Tim
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For information on basic astrological chart interpretation see:
http://www.geocities.com/wilsontctc