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Astrology
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Western astrology is the system of astrology most popular in Western countries. Astrology (from Greek grc ἄστρον astron, "constellation star" and grc -λογία -logia) is a group of Systems The history of Astrology encompasses a great span of human history and many cultures Astronomy is the oldest of the Natural sciences dating back to antiquity, with its origins in the religious, Mythological, and Astrological Astrology and astronomy are historically one and the same discipline ( Latin: astrologia) and were only gradually recognized as separate in western In Babylonia as well as in Assyria as a direct offshoot of Babylonian culture (or as we might also term it "Euphratean" culture Astrology takes its Persian Astrology has its roots in the Zend-Avesta parts of which are very similar to the Rig Veda The Chinese Zodiac is a 12 year cycle Each year of the 12 year cycle is named after one of the original 12 animals Hellenistic astrology is a tradition of Horoscopic astrology that was developed and practiced in Hellenistic Egypt and the Mediterranean, whose Jyotiṣa ( Sanskrit jyotiṣa, from jyótis- "light heavenly body" also spelled Jyotish and Jyotisha in English Sidereal astrology is the system of Astrology used by some Western and all Jyotish astrologers who base their interpretation around the use of the This is an incomplete list of the different traditions types systems methods applications and branches of Astrology. Horoscopic astrology is a form of Astrology which uses a Horoscope, a visual representation of the heavens for a specific moment in time in order to interpret the Natal astrology, also known as genethliacal astrology, is the system of Astrology based upon the concept that each individual's personality or path in life can Electional astrology is a branch found in most systems of astrology Horary astrology is an ancient branch of Horoscopic astrology by which an astrologer attempts to answer a question by constructing a Horoscope for the exact time Mundane astrology is the application of Astrology to world affairs and world events taking its name from the Latin word Mundus, meaning "the This is an incomplete list of the different traditions types systems methods applications and branches of Astrology. Astrology (from Greek grc ἄστρον astron, "constellation star" and grc -λογία -logia) is a group of Systems Western astrology originated in Mesopotamia during the 2nd millennium BC, from where it spread to much of the world. In Babylonia as well as in Assyria as a direct offshoot of Babylonian culture (or as we might also term it "Euphratean" culture Astrology takes its The 2nd millennium BC marks the transition from the Middle to the Late Bronze Age. After spreading to Egypt, where further developments occurred, it then arrived into Greek or Hellenistic culture, where the Greek astronomer and astrologer Ptolemy in his work Tetrabiblos laid the foundations of the Western tradition. Classical astrology in Egypt only developed after it was conquered by Alexander the Great. Hellenistic astrology is a tradition of Horoscopic astrology that was developed and practiced in Hellenistic Egypt and the Mediterranean, whose Claudius Ptolemaeus ( Greek: Klaúdios Ptolemaîos; after 83 &ndash ca Western astrology is largely horoscopic, that is, it is largely based on the construction of a horoscope for an exact moment in time, such as a person's birth, in which various cosmic bodies are said to have an influence. Horoscopic astrology is a form of Astrology which uses a Horoscope, a visual representation of the heavens for a specific moment in time in order to interpret the In Astrology, a horoscope is a chart or diagram representing the positions of the Sun Moon planets the Astrological aspects, and sensitive angles In modern Western sun sign astrology, only the location of the Sun is considered. Sun-sign astrology (also known as newspaper astrology) is the form of astrology most commonly found in many Newspaper and magazine columns The Sun (Sol is the Star at the center of the Solar System.

During the Dark Ages in Europe knowledge of astrology was lost along with much other learning. It was revived and extended by Arab and Persian scholars and reimported into Europe in the Middle Ages. Persian Astrology has its roots in the Zend-Avesta parts of which are very similar to the Rig Veda In medieval Europe, important political and military decisions were often made in consultation with astrologers. Nowadays, believers in astrology use it primarily for making personal decisions or attaining information about an individual through natal astrology. Natal astrology, also known as genethliacal astrology, is the system of Astrology based upon the concept that each individual's personality or path in life can Today, astrology has become distinct from astronomy and mainstream scientists in general dismiss astrology as a form of pseudoscience. Astronomy (from the Greek words astron (ἄστρον "star" and nomos (νόμος "law" is the scientific study Pseudoscience is defined as a body of knowledge methodology belief or practice that is claimed to be Scientific or made to appear scientific but does not adhere to the

Contents

The Zodiac

The zodiac is the belt or band of constellations through which the Sun, Moon, and planets move on their journey across the sky. Astrologers noted these constellations and so attached a particular significance to them. Over time they developed the system of twelve signs of the zodiac, based on twelve of the constellations they considered to be particularly important. Astrological signs represent twelve equal segments or divisions of the Zodiac. Most western astrologers use the tropical zodiac beginning with the sign of Aries at the Northern hemisphere Vernal Equinox always on or around March 21 of each year. Zodiac denotes an annual cycle of twelve stations along the Ecliptic, the apparent path of the sun across the heavens through the Constellations that divide the ecliptic Aries, the ram, is the first Astrological sign in the Zodiac. Northern Hemisphere is the half of a Planet that is North of the Equator —the word hemisphere literally means 'half ball' An equinox is the event of the Sun passing over the Earth's equator in its annual cycle Events 630 - Byzantine emperor Heraclius restores the True Cross to Jerusalem. Due to a phenomenon called precession of the equinoxes , (whereby the map of the night sky has changed over time), the portion of sky occupied by each of the zodiac signs no longer corresponds to that of the constellations. In Astronomy, Precession refers to the movement of the rotational axis of a body such as a planet with respect to Inertial space. For this reason some Western astrologers use the Sidereal zodiac which still uses the actual star positions. Sidereal astrology is the system of Astrology used by some Western and all Jyotish astrologers who base their interpretation around the use of the

The twelve signs

Main article: Astrological signs

In modern Western astrology the signs of the zodiac are believed to represent twelve basic personality types or characteristic modes of expression. Astrological signs represent twelve equal segments or divisions of the Zodiac. Zodiac denotes an annual cycle of twelve stations along the Ecliptic, the apparent path of the sun across the heavens through the Constellations that divide the ecliptic The twelve signs are divided into four elements fire, earth, air and water. Fire has been an important part of many cultures and religions from pre-history to modern day and was vital to the development of civilization Earth, home and origin of humanity has often been worshipped in its own right with its own unique spiritual tradition In traditional cultures air is often seen as a universal power or pure substance Water has been important to all peoples of the earth and it is rich in spiritual tradition They are also divided into three qualities, cardinal, mutable and fixed. In Astrology, a cardinal sign (also called by older astrologers a moveable sign is a sign of the Zodiac that initiates a change of temperate zone season In Astrology, the mutable signs (also called common signs or bicorporal or double-bodied signs are a subgroup of the Zodiac In Astrology, there are four fixed signs. Fixed Signs are at the height of the four seasons The personality traits of the twelve signs are as follows: [1]


How important a zodiac sign is for an individual depends on the placement of planets and the ascendant in that sign. If a person has nothing placed in a particular sign, that sign will play no active role in their personality. On the other hand a person with, for example, both the sun and moon in Cancer, will strongly display the characteristics of that sign in their make up.

Sun-sign astrology

Main article: Sun sign astrology

Newspapers often print astrology columns which purport to provide guidance on what might occur in a day in relation to the sign of the zodiac that included the sun when the person was born. Sun-sign astrology (also known as newspaper astrology) is the form of astrology most commonly found in many Newspaper and magazine columns Astrological signs represent twelve equal segments or divisions of the Zodiac. Astrologers refer to this as the "sun sign", but it is often commonly called the "star sign". These predictions are vague or general; so much so that even practising astrologers consider them of little to no value. Experiments have shown that when people are shown a newspaper horoscope for their own sign along with a newspaper horoscope for a different sign, they judge them to be equally accurate on the average. Professional astrologers claim that a more complete, personalized horoscope is more effective, but critics claim that this is not the case (see external link to "The AstroTest" below).

Western sidereal astrology

There are two camps of thought among western astrologers about the "starting point", 0 degrees Aries, in the zodiac. Sidereal astrology believes that the starting point is at a particular fixed position in the background of stars, while tropical astrology (which is adopted by the majority of Western astrologers) believes that the starting point is when the position of the Sun against the background of stars coincides with the Northern hemisphere vernal equinox (i. Sidereal astrology is the system of Astrology used by some Western and all Jyotish astrologers who base their interpretation around the use of the Tropical astrology is a type of Astrology based on a Zodiac whose points of reference are the Tropics. e. when the Sun position against the heavens crosses over from the southern hemisphere to the northern hemisphere) each year. In effect, in most Western astrology the link between the zodiac sign and the sky constellation from which it takes its name has been broken, whereas in Sidereal astrology it remains of paramount importance.

As the Earth spins on its axis, it "wobbles" like a top, causing the vernal equinox to move gradually backwards against the star background, (a phenomenon known as the Precession of the equinoxes) at a rate of about 30 degrees (one Zodiacal sign length) every 2,160 years. In Astronomy, Precession refers to the movement of the rotational axis of a body such as a planet with respect to Inertial space. Thus the two zodiacs would be aligned only once every 26,000 years and were aligned about 2,000 years ago when the zodiac was originally established.

This phenomenon gives us the conceptual basis for the Age of Aquarius, whose "dawning" coincides with the movement of the vernal equinox across the cusp from Pisces to Aquarius in the star background. For the song see Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In. For the album see The Age of Aquarius (album.

The planets

Main article: Planets in astrology

In modern Western astrology the planets represent basic drives or impulses in the human psyche. Planets in astrology have a meaning different from the modern astronomical understanding of what a planet is. These planets differ from the definition of a planet in astronomy in that the sun, moon, and recently, Pluto and Ceres, are all considered to be planets for the purposes of astrology. Astronomy (from the Greek words astron (ἄστρον "star" and nomos (νόμος "law" is the scientific study Ceres (ˈsɪəriːz Each planet is also said to be the ruler of one or two zodiac signs, on the basis of a similarity or sympathy between planet and sign. In Astrology, a planet's domicile (or less commonly house, not to be confused with the astrological house system) is the zodiac sign over which it The three modern planets have each been assigned rulership of a zodiac sign by astrologers. The ten planets used in astrology are as follows: [2]

Classical planets

These are the seven heavenly bodies known to the ancients and are believed to represent the seven basic drives in every individual (the sun and moon, also known as 'the lights', are included in this assessment alongside the planets). Astrologers call Mercury, Venus and Mars the 'personal planets', as they represent the most immediate drives. The 'lights' symbolise respectively the existential and sensitive fundamentals of the individuality. Jupiter and Saturn, until very recently the two furthest planets, represent aspects of the individual functioning as part of society.

Modern planets

These are the planets discovered in modern times, which have since been assigned meanings by Western astrologers. They are considered to be 'impersonal' planets, representing broad trends and impulses in society rather than in the individual.

The moon's nodes

Also important in astrology are the moon's nodes. The Moon is the earth's companion satellite though some astronomers believe that it approaches being a planet in its own right [3] The nodes are where the moon's path crosses the ecliptic. The North node marks the place where the moon crosses from South to North (or ascends), while the South node marks where the moon crosses from North to South (or descends). While they are not considered by Western astrologers to be as important a factor as each of the planets, they are thought to mark sensitive areas that are worth taking into account.

The horoscope

Main article: Horoscope

Western astrology is based mainly upon the construction of a horoscope , which is a map or chart of the heavens at a particular moment in time. In Astrology, a horoscope is a chart or diagram representing the positions of the Sun Moon planets the Astrological aspects, and sensitive angles In Astrology, a horoscope is a chart or diagram representing the positions of the Sun Moon planets the Astrological aspects, and sensitive angles The moment chosen is the beginning of the existence of the subject of the horoscope, as it is believed that the subject will carry with it the pattern of the heavens from that moment throughout its life. The most common form of horoscope is the natal chart based on the moment of a person's birth; though in theory a horoscope can be drawn up for the beginning of anything, from a business enterprise to the foundation of a nation state. In Natal astrology, a natal chart is a Horoscope /astrological chart drawn for the exact time of an individual's birth at a particular place on Earth

The Thema Mundi
The Thema Mundi

Interpretation

In Western horoscopic astrology the interpretation of a horoscope is governed by:

Some astrologers also use the position of various mathematical points such as the Arabic parts. In Astrology, the Arabian/Arabic parts or lots are constructed points based on mathematical calculations of three horoscopic entities such as

The primary angles

There are four primary angles in the horoscope (though the cusps of the houses are often included as important angles by some astrologers). The angle s are the four Cardinal points of an astrological chart: the Ascendant, the Midheaven, the Descendant and the Imum Most horoscopic traditions of astrology systems divide the Horoscope into a number (usually twelve of houses whose positions depend on time and location rather

The ascendant is generally considered the most important and personalized angle in the horoscope by the vast majority of astrologers. It signifies a person's awakening consciousness, in the same way that the Sun's appearance on the eastern horizon signifies the dawn of a new day. [4] Due to the fact that the ascendant is specific to a particular time and place, it signifies the individual environment and conditioning that a person receives during their upbringing, and also the circumstances of their childhood. For this reason, the ascendant is also concerned with how a person has learned to present him or herself to the world, especially in public and in impersonal situations. [5]

The opposite point to the ascendant in the west is the descendant , which denotes how a person reacts in their relationships with others. In Astrology, the descendant is the point directly opposite or 180 degrees away from the Ascendant. It also show the kind of person we are likely to be attracted to, and our ability to form romantic attachments. In most house systems the descendant lies on the cusp of the 7th house of the horoscope.

The opposite point to the midheaven is known as the imum coeli. In Astrology, the Imum Coeli (Latin for "bottom of the sky" IC, is the point in space where the Ecliptic crosses the meridian in the north For astrologers the nadir or IC traditionally indicates the circumstances at the beginning and end of a person's life, their parents and the parental home, and their own domestic life. In quadrant house systems it lies on the cusp of the 4th house of the horoscope.

The houses

Main article: House (astrology)

The horoscope is divided by astrologers into twelve portions called the houses. Most horoscopic traditions of astrology systems divide the Horoscope into a number (usually twelve of houses whose positions depend on time and location rather The houses of the horoscope are interpreted as being twelve different spheres of life or activity. There are various ways of calculating the houses in the horoscope or birth chart. However, there is no dispute about their meanings, and the twelve houses are usually interpreted as follows:[6]

1st House: The self, one's appearance, the body, physical characteristic etc. The Ego. The start of anything.

2nd House: Money and Possessions, values and priorities. Growth of anything.

3rd House: Communications, siblings, neighbors and neighborhood matters, local travel and transport, education, everyday matters.

4th House: The home and family, the mother or mother figure, caring for someone or something. Conservation. The beginning and end of life.

5th House: Pleasures and leisure, holidays, games and gambling. Children. Creativity. Love affairs and sex for fun rather than a deep relationship.

6th House: Work, duties and chores. Employers, employees and one's job. Health and well-being.

7th House: Relationships, marriage and business partnerships. Agreements and treaties. Also open enemies and war.

8th House: Birth, death, beginnings and endings. Sexual relationships and deeply committed relationships of all kinds. Joint monies, taxes, legacies, and corporate finances. The occult and psychic matters.

9th House: Foreign travel and foreign countries and cultures. Religion, the law and higher education. All things which seek to expand one's experience. Freedom.

10th House: Aims and ambitions, direction in life. Your status in society, your career. The house of celebrity.

11th House: Detached relationships such as friends and acquaintances. Groups, clubs and societies, especially with a charitable or humane aim.

12th House: Mysticism, the occult, psychic matters. Places of seclusion such as hospitals, prisons and institutions. Retreat and reflection and self-sacrifice.

Many modern astrologers assume that the houses relate to their corresponding signs, i. e. that the first house has a natural affinity with the first sign, Aries, and so on.

Aspects

Main article: Astrological aspects

The aspects are the angles the planets make to each other in the horoscope, and also to the ascendant, midheaven, descendant and nadir. In Astrology, an aspect is an Angle the planets make to each other in the horoscope and also to the ascendant midheaven descendant and nadir The aspects are measured by the angular distance along the ecliptic in degrees and minutes of celestial longitude between two points, as viewed from the earth. The ecliptic is the apparent path that the Sun traces out in the sky during the year [7] They indicate focal points in the horoscope where the energies involved are given extra emphasis. The more exact the angle, the more powerful the aspect, although an allowance of a few degrees each side of the aspect called an orb is allowed for interpretation. The following are the aspects in order of importance [8]

References

  1. ^ Robert Pelletier & Leonard Cataldo, Be Your Own Astrologer, pp. 24–33, Pan Books Ltd, London 1984; Maritha Pottenger, Astro Essentials, pp. 31–36, ACS Publications San Diego, 1991.
  2. ^ Sasha Fenton, Understanding Astrology, pp. 106–15, Aquarian Press, London, 1991; Maritha Pottinger, Ibid, pp. 11–17, 1991.
  3. ^ Derek and Julia Parker, The New Compleat Astrologer p. 149, Crescent Books, New York, 1990.
  4. ^ Jeff Mayo, Teach Yourself Astrology p. 71, Hodder & Stoughton, London, 1991.
  5. ^ Sasha Fenton, Rising Signs, pp. 13–14, The Aquarian Press, London, 1989.
  6. ^ Sasha Fenton, Ibid, pp. 117–8, 1991.
  7. ^ Jeff Mayo, Ibid p. 97, 1991.
  8. ^ Robert Pelletier and Leonard Cataldo, Ibid, pp. 57–60, 1984; Sasha Fenton, Ibid, pp. 137-9, 1991.

See also

External links

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