A quintile is a 72 degree aspect. It's based on '5.' If you divide 360 by 5 you get 72. '5' resonates with Mercury more than any planet; it's creative and magical. Any time you have a quintile, those two planets combine to form some very powerful magic and gifts. They are more interesting and unique than trines and sextiles, though also somewhat more subtle. If  you want to find someone's gifts in a chart, don't forget the quintiles. They are very special!

Let's hear it for quintiles!

Aloha,
Moses

Late addition 5/23/01

I now use an orb more like 5 degrees for quintiles after doing some research on this, and finding it to be true. As usual, though, the closer the aspect the more significant it is. A quintile around 5 degrees wide is still real to me, but not as powerful as a quintile within 1-2 degrees of orb.

Another addition 6/5/01

> Also, could you elaborate a bit on the article you wrote re: special 72 degree aspect (quintile?)

I find quintiles to be extraordinarily important, and to work very well up to about 5 degrees of orb. I think if you don't look for quintiles, you're leaving out one of the most positive indicators in a chart for someone's greatest gifts or blessings, and, of course, we need all the blessings that we can get. So, for the sake of being a positive-minded astrology-student or practitioner, I think it's imperative to spot the quintiles. I'd say treat quintiles like a trine, only more unique and special to the person. Quintile people, in general, are very creative and/or very mentally brilliant, whereas trine people, in general, are more laid-back and able to play and enjoy R & R. The negative of the quintile is being overly mental or active, while the negative of the trine is in being lazy or undisciplined or ungrounded. Since the quintile is based on '5' it makes sense to me that it should be given a wide orb. It's the most primary numerological aspect after the conjunction (1), opposition (2), trine (3), and square (4).

Aloha,
Moses