Yod

The Yod is a fairly common configuration, but it is frequently overlooked unless the astrologer is also using the quincunx (inconjunct) aspect in his reports/charts. The Yod involves three planets involving one planet at the apex of two quincunx (150°) aspects and a sextile aspect joining the two quincunx ends together. The Yod is also identified as the "Finger of God." It is the planet in the apex, which would be the focal point, or the "Finger of God" in defining the Yod. 

Some will suggest that the apex planet must be the faster moving planet of the three. The planets listed by fastest to slowest are: Moon, Mercury, Venus, Sun, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto. Some astrologers place the Sun before Mercury, immediately after the Moon since the rate or transit by Mercury and Venus is close to the Sun's rate of transit when the Retrograde Motion is included. The fact is that the Earth transits the Sun which adds confusion over the speed of the planets' transits. 

Since some astrologers do not bother using the Quincunx aspect in their reports,  many students are not familiar with the yod or the energy that the Quincunx aspect produces. The Quincunx is the "adjustment" aspect. It produces a sense of tension between the two planetary placements which, based on elements (fire, earth, air and water), modes (cardinal, fixed and mutable) and receptivity (masculine or feminine) would appear to have nothing in common. The Quincunx is similar to the Opposition aspect, except that the two planets in the Opposition do share the same receptivity, which is not the case with the Quincunx. The two energies have no common ground, making decisions or choices more difficult when a transit taps on either end of the Quincunx placements. However, on occasion, there is some common ground based on rulership when the quincunx is formed between Aries and Scorpio (ruled by Mars) or Taurus and Libra (ruled by Venus). Because the quincunx is a minor aspect, the orb must be tighter than the Ptolemy aspects. The orb for the quincunx must not be more than 2°.

The Yod typically is identified with timing and crisis or the need to act. The need will develop through the apex while the opportunity to the action will develop through the sextiled planets. The nature of the Yod is to produce disrupting thought patterns since there is little energy within the chart configuration to unify these planets. The two sextile planets tend to work together to the detriment of the apex planet. When the Yod is transited, the Yod individual tends to feel the urge to react immediately, then sensing that the decision to act was wrong, will wait too long to correct the first action. Individuals who can plan their actions to the timing of a transit to the first sextile planet and to end during the transit of the second sextile planet may begin to sense the "Finger of God" description given to the Yod. The annoying factor of the Yod is that the individual tends to feel that important information is missing when it is time to make a decision. When the individual learns to trust the timing and the Yod is integrated into their decisions, the individual then begins to grasp the "higher order" status of the configuration.



Boomerang

The Boomerang is one of the newer aspect patterns identified by Joan McEvers. The Boomerang looks very much like the Kite configuration except that the opposition is connected to the apex planet of the Yod. The Opposition in the Boomerang is similar also to the Opposition in the Kite as it adds an important piece of perspective to the configuration.

According to Joan, the fourth planet in the Boomerang typically added an important element that seemed missing in the Yod; a sense of understanding what the goal will be. The opposition provides an added focal point in regards to timing and actions which is missing with the Yod. The semi-sextiles connecting the opposition to the base of the Yod are also integral in blending the energies of the Yod into a unified force. The danger of this configuration is that it can become too self-contained, seeming to control the individual rather than the other way around.