Astrology has fascinated mankind for thousands of years, shaping and influencing cultures, forming beliefs and providing insight into the mysteries of the universe. From ancient times to modern interpretations, astrology still does a fascinating story that attracts enthusiasts and skeptics alike. In this comprehensive survey, we examine the intricate fabric of astrology, discovering its historical roots, structures, divine influences, interpretive methods, practical applications, criticism, modernizations underway, and a possible future.

Introduction

Derived from the Greek words astron (“star”) and logos (“study” “Reason” or “word”), astrology is the ancient practice of understanding the relationship between celestial events and earthly events. Its origins date back to ancient civilizations such as India, Mesopotamia, Egypt and Greece. The basic principles revolve around the notion that the position and motion of celestial bodies is indicate of patterns and trends in human behavior and natural phenomena.

Mundane belief today often interprets this correspondence as one of influence, but ancient knowledge understood the zodiac as a macro divine tablet to be read in order to enhance man’s understanding of the cosmos and the self, all according to the Hermetic principle “as above, so below”. Considering the universe to be of One Verse, the ancients recorded their observations and experience in the first book to ever be written, before papyrus or paper was ever dreamed of, in the celestial constellations – up there in the sky. Primary among the constellations was (and is) the belt of the ecliptic that marks the path of the luminaries (Sun and Moon) as also of the planets.

In the last 30 years, what we inherited from astrology’s ancient roots has been further augmented through the advent of computerization. Astrology today is at everyone’s fingertips and the band of observation that contributes to its greatness is being constantly recorded and further enriched. This ancient art has significant cultural significance in the modern world, shaping beliefs, guiding decisions and generating curiosity

History

The history of astrology is rich and varied, spanning continents and cultures. We can trace its ancient origins back to India, where astrology was used for sacred purposes, Mesopotamian civilizations, where early astronomers followed celestial events to assist them in agriculture and divination. In ancient Egypt, astrology was linked to, and shaped by, religion and mythology beliefs about the afterlife and fate. The Greeks further refined astronomical observation to assist in naval navigation. In the 2^nd century of our Common Era, astronomer Claudius Ptolemaeus, in his Tetrabiblos  , introduced the concepts label as Hellenistic astrology.

Eastern Astrology

Eastern astrology includes a variety of traditions, including the Chinese and Vedic astrology.

Chinese astrology designates a different sign for each year. Defined along a twelve-year cycle, each sign reflects specific behavior or personality traits and luck. These years are assigned to a set of animals that differs from western zodiac depictions. The twelve-year cycle correlates to our Western system by the position of Jupiter, who spends a year in each sign. So, for example, Jupiter in Taurus in our Western system corresponds to the year of the Dragon in Chinese astrology.

Vedic astrology is based on ancient Indian scriptures and, similar to western astrology, examines the planets at the time of birth in order to determine one’s fate and destiny. Other eastern systems, such as Tibetan astrology and Mayan astrology, provide additional insight into celestial influences.

Western Astrology

Ptolemy’s Tetravivlos gave birth to Western Astrology.  The most common method in the Western world divides the celestial sphere into twelve zodiacal signs, each playing an important role contributing its specific coloring or personality traits to the planetary influences.

The twelve signs lining up the ecliptic are Ares, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces. Two thousand years ago these twelve coincided with the constellations bearing those names. Today, the two systems (that of the constellations and that of the signs) have drifted apart by 27 degrees.

What was set down by Ptolemy became known as Tropical Astrology, one tied to the turns (trope in Greek) of our earth’s seasons. This Astrology observes a zodiac that is tied by its 0-degree Aries to the position of the sun upon the vernal equinox. While that was indeed the case at the time of Ptolemy, due to the phenomenon of Precession, today’s constellations have moved 27 degrees away from the position of the Sun upon Spring equinox. Thirty such degrees would indicate the span of the age of Pisces, us being today 3 degrees away from the start of the age of Aquarius.

Precession

This phenomenon of precession occurs due to the tilt of the earth’s axis which moves the position of our seasons backwards on the ecliptic by one degree every 72 years. Exactly when these ages begin, and end is largely disputed as is also the length of each sign of the zodiac.

The Astrological Ages indicated below are based on a measurement that equally divides the ecliptic belt in twelve 30-degree segments. These twelve segments comprise what we know as the zodiac, or animal belt. Based on esoteric study, the Age of Leo (10680 – 8640 BCE) marks the last age of the Atlantean Period. In our Post Atlantean era we observe the ages of:

• Cancer                         8640 – 6430 BCE          Indian
• Gemini                        6430 – 4320 BCE          Persian
• Taurus                        4320 – 2160 BCE            Egyptian/Mesopotamian
• Aries                           2160 – 1 BCE               Greco-Roman
• Pisces                          1 – 2160 CE                 our era
• Aquarius                    2160 – 4320 CE            the upcoming future

Today, each constellation has moved back by almost one zodiac sign since the age of Claudius Ptolemy (c. 100 to c. 170 CE) the founder of Hellenistic Astrology. So, what we consider the sign of Virgo today is actually projected on the astronomic constellation of the Lion, and our Spring Equinox actually occurs at 27 Pisces.

Thus, precession resulted in the emergence of two separate branches in astrology. The more ancient types of astrology, as also astronomy, consider the actual constellations to also be the signs of the zodiac; we refer to that system as Sidereal Astrology, for it reflects the constellation positions on the actual sidereal sky. It is only since the time following Ptolemy that, in an effort to literally preserve his recorded wisdom, the Tropical system emerged.

Sidereal astrology is star-centric, while tropical astrology is earth-centric. To distinguish the sidereal system from the tropical, most students refer to the sidereal constellations by their descriptive name rather than the symbolic name given to the zodiacal sign. Thus, instead of Ares, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces, especially in esoteric practice, you hear mention of the Ram, the Bull, the Twins, the Crab, the Lion, the Virgin, the Scales, the Eagle/Scorpion, the Archer, the Goat, the Water bearer, the Fishes.

Heavenly Bodies And Their Influence

While the tropical zodiac provides the palette of traits and influences, each planet is viewed as the agent who activates these traits and influences as it passes through, and builds aspects to, both the zodiacal sign and the other planets.

Astrology is primarily composed of celestial bodies, whose movements and positions are believed to be indicative of earthly affairs. These bodies span the gamut of constellations, fixed stars, planets, luminaries (the Sun and Moon) and calculated points. The sun, which represents soul energy and ego, and the moon, which symbolizes the persona, its emotions and feelings, and the Ascendant (point of the horizon rising at the time of birth) which indicates one’s focus and purpose in this life, form the basis of astrological interpretation. Each of the planets activates different aspects of life. From fast communicating Mercury to expansive and optimistic Jupiter, personality traits, passions, and challenges are shaped by planetary influences.

When we say someone is a Leo, we mean that this person was born with the Sun in the sign of Leo. Yet there is more planets and luminaries to consider beyond the Sun. Major among these are: the Sun (defines the self), the Moon (defines the persona we put forth), Mercury (defines how we think), Venus (defines what we like), Mars (defines our passions), Jupiter (defines the adventurer in us), and Saturn (defines the discipliner in us). These make up the ancient set of visible planets.

With the aid of the telescope, in the last couple of centuries, astronomers have added three more planets to this set, namely Uranus (the rebel in us), Neptune (the dreamer in us) and Pluto (the transformer in us).

Planets visible to the naked eye bear influence on the person, while the longer orbits of distant Uranus, Neptune and Pluto, are considered to bear influence on generations. In recent years, minor planets and fixed stars are also brought to interpretation, each contributing to a vast and complex astrological language.

The Birth Chart

Today, the most practiced application of astrology seeks to examine a person’s character, tendencies and life events. Astrologers build elaborate birth charts defined by the exact time and place of birth. These represent a unique timestamp of planetary positions in the celestial sky that is used as a starting point for character interpretation.

Birth charts may then be compared to other point-in-time planetary positions whereby the influence of ongoing and ever-changing planetary transits is evaluated against one’s birth stamp (captured in the birth chart).

Abstract progression systems are also used to “predict” or explain major events in one’s life. Two are major among these; the first progresses each point in the birth chart by one degree a year, the second uses each day after birth to represent a year in one’s life.

As they orbit through the zodiac. Planets form relationships between them. Astrologers refer to these as Angles. A conjunction (0 degrees) indicates emphasis, an opposition (180 degrees) indicates, exactly that, an opposition. A square (90 degrees) indicates a burden, as also a strengthening opportunity. A sextile (60 degrees) as also a trine (120 degrees) indicate harmony and cooperation, and so on.

Chart Interpretations

Astrological charts are maps of personal character, which ironically seems to also amount to personal destiny. Such maps mark the positions of the heavenly bodies in the zodiac at the time of birth (or the time of the occurrence of a significant event) against a circular palette which may be divided into four quadrants as also into twelve houses.

A calculated chart of birth (based on the date, time, and place of birth) gives us personality insight into characteristics, strengths, and challenges. Transit charts monitor celestial movements along the birth chart, highlighting moments of opportunity or challenge. Synastry charts compare the astrological zones of two individuals, providing insight into alignment and relationship dynamics. Discipline techniques vary, yet they all seek to accurately reflect one’s astrological profile.

The Twelve Houses

Most important in western astrology interpretation is the system of the twelve houses, each marking a specific area of influence in a person’s life. The houses are determined by the point of the sky that rests on the eastern horizon at the time of birth. This is named the ascendant and is indicative of one’s purpose in this incarnation. House systems vary from a simple one that defines equal 30-degree houses to a variety of systems that take longitude and latitude into consideration. This results in unequal houses and is more difficult to calculate. But computers do this work these days!

While astrologers prefer different types of house delineation, they all agree on the basic meaning of houses. Starting with the house marked by the ascendant (AC) and moving anticlockwise on the chart, the first house is about the self, across it the seventh is about partnerships. The second is about possessions, across it the eighth is about inheritance. The third is about blood brothers, short journeys and basic education, across it the ninth is about spiritual teachers, long journeys and higher education. The fourth is about home and the mother, across it the tenth is about career and the father, and so on.

Abstract Points

The ascendant (east horizon position), the descendant (west horizon position), the zenith (directly over the native position) and the nadir (directly under the native position) are the major abstract points observed and evaluated in astrology. But that is only the beginning…

The orbit of every celestial object is marked by two abstract points, the Nodes, that indicate where the planet’s orbit crosses the orbit of the sun, namely the ecliptic. The point it crosses in rising is called the North Node (or the Dragon’s Head), where it crosses in setting is called the South Node (or the Dragon’s Tail). The two nodes are always 180 degrees from one another. The Moon’s nodes are the ones mostly interpreted by astrologers today, but some venture deeper, for example to predict world upheavals based on the Nodes of Pluto. In the case of the Moon, traversing over the nodes indicates a perfect alignment to the Sun and helps astronomers calculate the time of Lunar and Solar eclipses.

To assist astrologers beyond the reaches of planet interpretation, the Arabic system of astrology defines various calculated points, such as the point of fortune, or pars Fortuna. Arabic Parts (or Lots) are calculated using specific formulas to assist the astrologer in deeper interpretation. Usually, these build a correspondence between planets and the ascendant, whereby two planets or points are added together, and a third planet or point is subtracted from that result. For example, Pars Fortuna emphasizes the difference between day and night charts adjusting the formula to be (Ascendant + Moon – Sun) for day charts, and (Ascendant + Sun – Moon) for night charts.

Practice of Astrology

Astrology finds value in various areas of life, providing guidance and insight into personal development, relationships, career choices, and the future. Many people turn to astrology as a way to understand themselves and to explore their natural talents, strengths, and potential challenges. Relational alignment charts help individuals navigate interpersonal dynamics and develop meaningful relationships. Career guidance based on astrological principles helps individuals align their strengths and interests with professional objectives. Predictive analytics allows us to identify future trends and opportunities, and aids in decision-making and planning.

As you can see, astrology includes a variety of systems, each offering a unique perspective on celestial influences. Like variations in psychoanalysis theory and systems, each venue was developed pursuing a particular focus of interest ranging from mundane to deeply esoteric interpretations. So, for example, Tropical, or earth centric astrology deals with our mundane personality, while Sidereal, or star-centric astrology pertains more to our upper or awakened self. There is even Draconian astrology that anchors its calculations on the Nodes of the Moon; this then is aimed to define the psyche of a person.

Criticism and Controversy

Despite its vast popularity, astrology is criticized by skeptics and scientists who question its validity and effectiveness. Scientific skepticism challenges the empirical basis of astrologers’ conclusions, citing the absence and reproducibility of empirical evidence. Ethical concerns arise about the possibility of exploitation or abuse of vulnerable individuals. Misinterpretation and misuse of astrological principles fuel the debate about its reliability and ethical implications.

Contemporary Trends And Practices

In the modern era, astrology continues to thrive in popular culture, media and online platforms. Astrology, astrology readings and alignment research are widely available in magazines, websites and social media platforms to cater to a variety of audiences. Professional astrologers offer personal consultations, workshops and classes for individuals seeking deeper insights into their astrological profiles. Online platforms, mobile apps also offer the convenience of accessing astrological data, making divination easier than ever to explore.

A View Of The Future

As society evolves and technology advances, the astrological landscape constantly changes. New advances in astrophysical research, engineering, and interdisciplinary studies promise to enhance our understanding of celestial influences. Combining artificial intelligence with big data analytics opens up new possibilities for predictive analytics and personalized recommendations. Despite ongoing controversy and uncertainty, the enduring value of astrology in society means that its influence will shape beliefs, guide decisions and inspire the curiosity of future generations

In Conclusion

Astrology remains a fascinating subject, bridging the realms of science, spirituality, and human experience. Whether viewed as a profound tool of self-discovery or as pseudo-scientific research, astrology continues to inspire wonder, thought and discussion across cultures and generations.

As you can see Astrology is a complex and ever-evolving language, fraught with grammar and syntax! Those who master it are a joy to encounter, yet there is also a lot of semi-educated astrologers out there, so be careful who you partner with to learn about yourself.

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