All together now: awwwwwww.
Last Saturday, Pisces Chris Martin threw his ex-wife Gwyneth Paltrow a 42nd birthday bash. The Los Angeles soiree had a star-studded guest list that included luminaries like Aries Kate Hudson, Virgo Nicole Richie, and Aquarius Jennifer Aniston.
Oh, and maybe an elephant in the room?
Or not! It seems these two mature souls and co-parents might actually, well, like each other, even if they’re no longer married.
It can happen, you know.
Loving Exes or Conflict Avoidance? The Stars Weigh In.
But is it all love…or a smidge of conflict avoidance? Well, Gwyneth is a Libra, the sign of peace and harmony. This graceful sign never wants to lose her cool, especially not in public. This may be one of the few things Libras have in common with Pisces—the uber-sensitive Fish hates negative attention and never wants to be cast as the bad guy. Some Pisces men will go that extra mile (or 10,000 miles) to avoid looking like stereotypical jerks. Put these two signs together, and you’ve got goop-y euphemisms like “conscious uncoupling” for days.
(Read more about Pisces men, and the men of every sign, in our Manstrology: His Sign in Love section! Or, dive into our 450-page book, Love Zodiac, an astro-encyclopedia on the men of every sign.)
Beyond that, Pisces and Libra can be genuinely nice people who are in love with love, and like everything to be pretty, congenial and harmonious on the surface. Commitment can feel suffocating to them. As much as they adore romance, both are “dual” signs (Libra is the scales, Pisces is symbolized by two fish swimming in opposite directions). They are often of two minds, wishy-washy and uncertain about commitment. So while sentimental Libras and Pisces can make wonderful and empathic parents, neither sign is always happiest in a binding relationship. But oh, how they both love the courtship phase (which Chris Martin is currently enjoying with 24-year-old girlfriend Jennifer Lawrence).
Is it all sweet resolution and lifelong BFF-status for the Martin-Paltrow camp? If they’ve got snark to dish about each other, you won’t hear it in the press. Both signs like to fancy themselves “above” the pettiness of mere mortals. In fact, Gwyneth even had a “friendly lunch” with J-Law, and gave her stamp of approval. Seems this is a squeaky-clean uncoupling indeed—so abandon hope, haters.
So, why might they have uncoupled anyway?
Libra and Pisces are five signs apart, a tricky astrological angle called a “quincunx.” This is a karmic match that often has more to do with past life connections than common values and interests. In real-time, quincunxes can be astrological odd couples. The two signs have no qualities in common, and they often think, act and respond in radically different ways. This cosmic combo can be eye-opening and exciting, but also exhausting and alienating.
Often, quincunx couples come together for a joint third purpose: to be parents, usually, or to create something that needs their unique, dynamic energies, such as a business or a charitable endeavor. Quincunx signs are like spiritual teachers for each other. In best-case scenarios, they introduce each other to new experiences and perspectives. Surely, Chris Martin knows the ins and outs of a macrobiotic diet, and Gwyneth has experienced the iconic rocker lifestyle. So, they’ve left each other healthier and hipper than they were before meeting.
Each of the 12 zodiac signs is quincunx to two others. Interestingly, Chris Martin has moved on to his other quincunx match: Leo Jennifer Lawrence. But we’ve seen a few amazing examples of fierce, leadership-driven Leos enjoying the worshipful attention of Pisces men, who love to feel a tiny bit inferior to their mates (it’s part weird insecurity complex, partly the escapist Pisces’ need to turn mates into untouchable or idealized fantasy figures).
Are you five signs apart from a current or past partner? Think back on some of your most difficult relationships—one where you felt weirdly in and out of sync, yet inexplicably drawn to each other. Chances are, your signs were quincunx.
You can learn all about this fascinating astro-compatibility trick, and how the distance between two signs affects dynamics, in our ebook How To Get Along With Anyone (Yes, Even That Person).
What’s your quincunx?
Aries: Virgo, Scorpio
Taurus: Libra, Sagittarius
Gemini: Scorpio, Capricorn
Cancer: Sagittarius, Aquarius
Leo: Capricorn, Pisces
Virgo: Aquarius, Aries
Libra: Pisces, Taurus
Scorpio: Aries, Gemini
Sagittarius: Taurus, Cancer
Capricorn: Gemini, Leo
Aquarius: Cancer, Virgo
Pisces, Leo, Libra
What about Apple & Moses?
Apple is a Taurus (the sign quincunx to Libra Gwyneth’s, interestingly) and Moses is an Aries. These are two resilient signs, luckily. Tauruses hate change, though, and Aries boys can be super-emotional. So their parents are likely also addressing a need to keep their kids’ world consistent, even though their parents are no longer married.
What do you think? Are Gwyneth and Chris legitimate BFFs or putting on a show? Tell us your thoughts on Facebook or Twitter.
