Bad Love By Sign

You know the drill… the couple in your social circle who fight all the time but can’t seem to stay away from each other. They break up and you breathe a sigh of relief, only to hear they’ve gotten back together – again. Whether you’re willing to stomach that much stress in your relationship is up to you.

However, using this handy astology guide to know what you may be getting into may save you a lot of torture in love later on. It’s always a good idea to look at which signs you might want to absolutely, positively avoid pairing up with. While sustained effort to make things work can glue two people together, such pairings demand an extraordinary amount of work.

Squared pairs
Here’s the deal. Signs that form a 90 degree angle to each other (or three signs apart) are in a challenging “square” aspect, or influence. For instance, Aries and Cancer are “squared” signs. If a couple have a square between their Suns (individuality), Moons (emotions) or Venuses (relationship needs), their needs and temperaments will clash. Which isn’t to say their relationship is doomed – determining compatibility is a complex art, and other elements between two charts can smooth over some of the rough edges in a union. And many of these squared pairs make fine friendships. Still, it probably won’t be an easy intimate relationship. So get out your chart and check your Sun, Moon and Venus signs. Then look at the squared pairs below to see which signs spell trouble for your love life.

Fixed signs: Taurus, Leo, Aquarius, Scorpio
Stubbornness and a clash of wills can derail fixed-sign pairs. Compromise is difficult because egos usually get in the way of cooperation. Shared creativity and dividing up responsibilities (so one person doesn’t infringe on the other) can improve their chances for success.

Taurus-Leo: Leo’s fiery temperament can overwhelm Taurus’s slower, practical nature. Leo sees Taurus as stagnant and boring, while Taurus views Leo as extravagant and egocentric.

Taurus-Aquarius: Taurus is instinctual and grounded, while Aquarius is intellectually oriented and forward-thinking. Taurus sees Aquarius as irresponsible and unrealistic, while Aquarius sees Taurus as pedantic and unimaginative.

Leo-Scorpio: Whether in love or at work, this is the power-pair of the zodiac (think Bill and Hillary Clinton, Melinda and Bill Gates, and Barack Obama and Joe Biden). Emotional ties are difficult, however, because Leo views Scorpio as secretive and withholding, while Scorpio sees Leo as demanding and childish.

Aquarius-Scorpio: Aquarius is super-friendly and emotionally objective, while Scorpio is passionate, possessive and needs plenty of time alone. Aquarius sees Scorpio as jealous, irrational and reclusive, while Scorpio views Aquarius as superficial, unpredictable and uncaring.

Cardinal signs: Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn
Cardinal signs are ambitious, but in different ways. A clash of goals and how they go about achieving them make this pairing difficult. Mutual respect and good communication can improve their chances for success.

Aries-Cancer: Aries’s headstrong temperament and need for excitement can clash with Cancer’s sensitive, home-loving nature. Aries sees Cancer as timid and clingy, while Cancer views Aries as selfish and rash.

Aries-Capricorn: Aries’s penchant for risk-taking can rattle Capricorn’s need for security. Aries sees Capricorn as dull and materialistic, while Capricorn sees Aries as immature and foolhardy.

Cancer-Libra: Being emotionally oriented, Cancer can clash with Libra’s intellectual nature. Cancer views Libra as a social butterfly with little emotional depth, while Libra sees Cancer as moody and closed-minded.

Capricorn-Libra: Capricorn can seem overly serious and duty-bound to Libra’s idealistic, social nature. Capricorn views Libra as a lazy romantic, while Libra views Capricorn as an aloof workaholic.

Mutable signs: Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, Pisces
Mutable signs usually have a lot going on, so these pairings can lack the focus and commitment it takes to make their relationships work. Placing a higher value on emotional closeness and creating time for each other can improve their chances for success.

Gemini-Virgo: Ruled by intellectual Mercury, this pairing can lack emotional depth. And Virgo’s pragmatic nature can clash with Gemini’s flightiness. Gemini sees Virgo as overly dutiful and security-oriented, while Virgo sees Gemini as flaky and two-faced.

Gemini-Pisces: There’s a clash between head and soul with this pairing. Pisces is spiritually oriented, while Gemini is logical. Gemini sees Pisces as deluded and irrational, while Pisces views Gemini as spiritually shallow.

Virgo-Sagittarius: For Virgo, it’s all about the details, while Sagittarius sees the wider horizon. Virgo views Sagittarius as a commitment-phobic rolling stone, while Sagittarius sees Virgo as judgmental and cautious.

Pisces-Sagittarius: Pisces is sensitive and imaginative, while Sagittarius is adventurous and straightforward. Pisces sees Sagittarius as caustic and fiery, while Sagittarius sees Pisces as passive and fearful.

If you discover some incompatible elements in your relationship, don’t despair. No relationship is perfect. And yes, it can be a long-lasting love. Only your souls know for sure if you’re meant to be together, forever.