11th Nov 2007
What is Astrology?
Astrology is the study of how the position of the stars, planets, sun and related celestial objects impacts events of people, places and things. Astrology is used to learn about or answer questions about a person’s love life, whether it’s a good time to start a new business, or whether a certain year will be a good economic year, or not.
Astrologers have been studying astrology since ancient times, dating back to the days of ancient Babylonians and Egyptians. Forms of astrology are practiced in Asia, Indian and Western countries. Kings, queens and even Presidents of the United States of America have used astrology and horoscopes to help them make decisions or determine the best time to start a new endeavor.
Believers in astrology hold the opinion that the movement of stars, planets and other celestial objects may have an impact on our lives and that the universe is not yet fully understood by science. Critics of astrology maintain that there is no conclusive evidence supporting the claims of astrologers, and that proven means of consistently repeating results of the practice of astrology has not occurred.
Astrology and Horoscopes
When most people think of Astrology, they think of horoscopes and the impact of the position of celestial objects on their lives. Horoscope astrology uses carefully plotted positions of the planets (including the sun and moon) and their significance relative to zodiac signs and conditions to determine their impact on specific questions, or questions about general worldly issues like economics, or overall aspects of a person’s life. An important aspect of astrology is determining the House, or ascendant demarcation, based on where the Eastern horizon is in relation to the ecliptic. “Horoscopos” was the Greek name for the ascendant and that’s where we get the name horoscope today. But today many people, especially in Western countries, associate the name Horoscope with the predictions in newspapers, magazines and other sources.
Types of Astrology
There are many unique aspects of astrology, and recently there’s been a great growth in specific types and uses of horoscopes and astrology. In general however there are four major types of astrology. These four types are:
- Electional or Event astrology - Electional astrology is helpful when trying to determine the best time to begin something and event is closely related but is usually used to understand aspects or details about an event since the time that the event took place.
- Horary astrology - This type of astrology is used when asking a specific question, such as about a persons life, loves or work.
- Mundane astrology - Mundane astrology is used to understand large-scale, world events such as economics, politics, weather or related issues.
- Natal astrology - This astrology is associated with general advice about a persons life. This is also known as Sun-sign astrology and is commonly seen in newspapers, magazines and other sources.
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11th Nov 2007
Horoscope
A horoscope can be defined as the predictions made about a persons life, loves or future based on the position, angles and influences of planets, stars, our sun and related astronomical objects on a person’s life.
By studying the position of the planets, stars and other astronomical objects at the time of a person’s birth, astrologers can evaluate and predict the factors that influence a person’s life and so predict their future.
Horoscopes and Zodiac Signs
Horoscopes that most people in the west usually think of are published in newspapers and magazines and on web sites every day. Yet this type of horoscope, called the sun-sign or natal horoscope, is considered the most basic of horoscopes by most expert astrologers. This is because the sun-sign horoscope is based only on where the sun was in relation to the 12 zodiac signs when a person was born.
For a more detailed horoscope reading, astrologers will carefully determine where each of the planets and other astronomical objects (such as the sun and moon) were when a person was born. The positions and angles of each planet in relation to each other and the sun, moon and other objects are also significant for a true reading of a horoscope, and must be carefully plotted. Only after this precise and careful evaluation can astrologers determine the influences that can impact a person’s life, and give that person a reading based on their horoscope. In order to determine this the astrologer will usually need to know the date and time of a person’s birth, along with their birthplace. This helps the astrologer fix an exact time and thus determine exactly where the various planets, sun, moon and other important stars were at that time.
Horoscopes and Astrology
Some people like to define types of astrology by the type of reading it produces. For example, reading the general events of the world and how they may impact a person’s life is called “Mundane” Astrology. Mundane astrology is anything but mundane because it has to do with overall global impacting issues like economics, wars and other large-scale events that can impact a person’s life.
Natal astrology, also known as sun-sign astrology, is what most people in western countries generally think of when they think of horoscopes. Natal astrology is based on the the position of the sun in the zodiac when a person is born. Natal astrology is rather general in nature but this does not stop it’s popularity.
Electional astrology is generally used when trying to determine the best time to start something. Perhaps a business owner wants to know the best time to start a new business, or perhaps a family wants to know exactly when to move to a new city to start a new job. These types of questions can be answered with Electional astrology.
Horary astrology is associated with finding answers to specific questions. Many people who use Horary astrology are looking for specific answers to questions about their love life, their work, family relationships or other specific questions they have.
Horoscopes and the Zodiac
Astrologers have divided the sky up into 12 zodiac regions that each correspond to a constellation. Or at least the 12 zodiac signs used to line up to the constellations. That’s because in the last 2,000 years since the western world has been using the zodiac and constellations the movement of the earth around the sun has caused the position to change. When using the original position of the zodiac signs with the constellation as they were 2,000 years ago an astrologer is using the Sidereal Zodiac.
Some astrologers will use the Tropical Zodiac. The Tropical Zodiac is the alignment of the zodiac signs based on the seasons. As with the Sidereal Zodiac, the Tropical Zodiac also does not exactly line up with today’s constellation positions.
Horoscopes and Houses
Another important aspect of a detailed horoscope reading is determining what houses the various planets are in. Just like the Zodiac, there are 12 houses, but unlike the Zodiac the houses map to various life stages. Just like the Zodiac there are many systems that define the Houses, and so astrologers may or may not be using the same analysis when evaluating the influence of the house on the planets, and thus on a person’s horoscope reading.
How Horoscopes are Read
To read a horoscope, in this case a Natal Horoscope, the exact day and time of birth of the person receiving the reading must be recorded. The date and time of birth are important because they are used to determine the position of each of the planets, moon, sun and other celestial objects at the date and time of birth. Often, astrologers will refer to the sun and moon as “planets,” even though they are more significant than the other planets, and even though the astrologers are perfectly aware that they are not actual planets. The position of the planets at the date and time of birth are important because each planet is mapped to the zodiac sign they are in at that date and time.
Astrologers associate each planet with unique characteristics, such as love, chaos, patience, and the like. Zodiacal signs have their own characteristics too. Because the zodiac signs have their own unique characteristics, the interaction between the planet and the sign it is in is what astrologers must analyze and read. But it doesn’t stop there. Other planets that may also be present can have additional influences, and even the position and angle of the various planets relative to each other have further characteristic-changing influences. Finally, the houses that the planets are in can be evaluated and analyzed by the astrologer. Whew! No wonder it’s a rather extensive job to have a detailed horoscope reading. And no wonder no two astrologers will provide the exact same reading.
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