Besieged

Besieged describes a planet caught between two other planets, hemmed in on both sides with no escape before it contacts each of them. In traditional astrology the term usually refers to a planet trapped between the two malefics, Mars and Saturn, so that it is pressed by difficulty from both directions. The besieged planet is under pressure and finds it hard to act freely. A planet besieged by Mars and Saturn is considered weakened and strained, squeezed between aggression on one side and restriction on the other. The matters it governs can feel blocked, embattled, or caught in a difficult situation with little room to maneuver. It is one of the conditions that marks a planet as struggling. The idea can also work in reverse. A planet placed between the two benefics, Venus and Jupiter, is sometimes said to be protected and supported rather than besieged. Whether the surrounding planets are harsh or helpful changes the meaning entirely. The work of a besieged planet is to find a way through constraint, recognizing where a person feels boxed in and seeking the small openings that remain.