Astrology

From Horoscope
Jump to: navigation, search

تنجي - 占星术 - Astrologie - L‘astrologie - Αστρολογια - Astrologia - 占星術 - 점성술 - Astrologia - Астрология - Astrología

Get Your Free And Best Interactive Personal Horoscope Chart - Natal Chart Built With Java Technology

Colour enhanced version of the Flammarion woodcut. The original was published in Paris in 1888.
Colour enhanced version of the Flammarion woodcut. The original was published in Paris in 1888.

Astrology is a group of systems, traditions, and beliefs in which knowledge of the relative positions of celestial bodies and related information is held to be useful in understanding, interpreting, and organizing knowledge about personality, human affairs, and other terrestrial events. A practitioner of astrology is called an astrologer, or, less often, an astrologist. Historically, the term mathematicus was used to denote a person proficient in astrology, astronomy, and mathematics.

Although the two fields share a common origin, modern astronomy is entirely distinct from astrology. While astronomy is the scientific study of astronomical objects and phenomena, the practice of astrology is concerned with the correlation of heavenly bodies (and measurements of the celestial sphere) with earthly and human affairs. Astrology is variously considered by its proponents to be a symbolic language, a form of art, science,or divination. Critics, including the scientific community, generally consider astrology to be a pseudoscience or superstition[10] as it has failed empirical tests in controlled studies.

The word astrology is derived from the Greek αστρολογία, from άστρον (astron, "star") and λόγος (logos, "word"). The -λογία suffix is written in English as -logy, "study" or "discipline".

Get Your Free And Best Interactive Personal Horoscope Chart - Natal Chart Built With Java Technology

Contents

Basic Parts

The Sun in Astrology

The Sun
The Sun

The sun () is considered a very important part of astrology. It, as well as the Moon, are the most important of the astrological planets. In Roman mythology the sun was represented by Apollo, the god of light and Helios the god of the sun. The Sun is the star at the centre of our Solar System, around which the Earth and other planets revolve, and which provides us with heat and light.

Astrologically [1] the sun is usually thought to represent the conscious ego, the self and its expression, personal power, pride and authority; leadership qualities; and the principles of creativity, spontaneity, health and vitality; the life force. The sun also involves creative enterprises that are a projection of the person, from art and business to having children and parenthood (especially fatherhood). It also rules the fun side of life from sport and recreation to holidays and social events. In short, any occasion that 'allows us to shine'. The first-century poet Marcus Manilius in his epic, 8000-verse poem, Astronomica, described the Sun, or Sol, as benign and favorable. In medicine the sun is associated with the heart, circulatory system and the thymus. The sun is the ruler of the 5th house. The Sun is the planetary ruler of the zodiac sign Leo.

The Sun is associated with Sunday. Dante Alighieri associated the Sun with the liberal art of geometry.

Get Your Free And Best Interactive Personal Horoscope Chart - Natal Chart Built With Java Technology


THE SUN IN THE TWELVE HOUSES

The Sun in the Houses

Horoscope Chart
Horoscope Chart

The Sun in the Twelve Signs

The Sun in the Signs

THE SUN IN ASPECT WITH OTHER PLANETS

Sun in Aspect


The Moon in Astrology

The Moon
The Moon

Get Your Free And Best Interactive Personal Horoscope Chart - Natal Chart Built With Java Technology

The Moon is the earth's companion satellite, though some astronomers believe that it approaches being a planet in its own right. The Moon is large enough for its gravity to affect the Earth, stabilising its orbit and producing the regular ebb and flow of the tides. The Moon is also familiar to us for its different phases, waxing and waning in appearance in an unchanging cycle. For this reason, astrologers consider the moon to be at least secondary in importance to the sun in astrological terms, and it is widely considered to be just as important as the sun.


The Moon orbits the earth in 28 days, spending a fleeting 2.33 days in each of the signs of the zodiac. Recently, more accurate measurements of the Lunar orbital period have revealed two different numbers, depending on viewpoint. The synodic period is measured relative to the Sun and gives us a period of 29.5 days from new Moon to new Moon, the start of the Lunar month. When observed from the Earth and relative to a fixed point in space, the sidereal period is 27.3 days with minor variations. In order to give a figure in whole numbers for ease of astrological calculation the Lunar orbit can be approximated to 27.75 days which then returns a period of 54 hours or 2.25 days for the Lunar transit of each sign.


Also important in astrology are the moon's nodes. The nodes are where the moon's path crosses the ecliptic, the sun's path across the sky. This means that they are the only locations where solar eclipses can occur. 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). The nodes' motion is always retrograde, so that they appear to move backwards through the zodiac . This motion is the same as the precession of the equinoxes , but in the case of the moon it only takes 19 years to complete a cycle. The two nodes are always exactly 180 degrees apart from each other at opposite ends of the ecliptic (ie. if the north node is at 23 degrees Aries, the south node will be at 23 degrees Libra).


THE MOON IN THE TWELVE HOUSES

Moon in Houses

THE MOON IN THE TWELVE SIGNS

Moon in signs

ASPECTS OF THE MOON TO OTHER PLANETS

Moon Aspects


Mercury in Astrology

Mercury
Mercury

Get Your Free And Best Interactive Personal Horoscope Chart - Natal Chart Built With Java Technology

Mercury () is the ruling planet of Gemini and Virgo. In Roman mythology Mercury was the messenger of the gods, noted for his speed and swiftness . Echoing this, the scorching, airless world Mercury circles the sun on the fastest orbit of any planet. Mercury takes only 88 days to orbit the sun, spending about 7.33 days in each sign of the zodiac. Mercury is so close to the sun that only a brief period exists after the sun has set where it can be seen with the naked eye, before following the sun beyond the horizon.

Astrologically Mercury represents the principles of communication, mentality, thinking patterns, rationality and reasoning, and adaptability and variability. Mercury governs schooling and education; the immediate environment of neighbours, siblings and cousins; transport over short distances; messages and forms of communication such as post, email and telephone; newspapers, journalism and writing, information gathering skills, and physical dexterity. The first-century poet Manilius described Mercury as an inconstant, vivacious, and curious planet. In medicine Mercury is associated with the nervous system, the brain, the respiratory system, the thyroid and the sense organs. Traditionally, it was held to be essentially cold and dry, but variable in temperament according to its placement in the zodiac and any aspects to other planets. It was linked to the animal spirits, alongside the Moon. Today, Mercury is regarded as the ruler of the 3rd and 6th houses; traditionally, it ruled the 6th house, and had joy in the 1st house (the house of 'I' or 'we': Mercury facilitates self-expression here).

Mercury rules over Wednesday. In Romance languages the word for Wednesday is often similar to Mercury (mercredi in French and miercoles in Spanish). Dante Alighieri associated Mercury with the liberal art of dialectic.

MERCURY IN THE TWELFTH HOUSE

Mercury in Houses

MERCURY IN THE TWELVE SIGNS

Mercury in the Signs

MERCURY IN ASPECT WITH THE OTHER PLANETS

Mercury in Aspect


Venus in Astrology

Venus
Venus

Get Your Free And Best Interactive Personal Horoscope Chart - Natal Chart Built With Java Technology

Venus () is the ruling planet of Taurus and Libra. In Roman mythology Venus, was the goddess of love and beauty, famous for the passions she could stir among the gods. In the same way, the calm, beautiful surface of white clouds that the planet Venus presents hides its hot, dense atmosphere and intense volcanic activity![4] Venus orbits the sun in 225 days, spending about 18.75 days in each sign of the zodiac. Venus is the second brightest object in the night sky, the moon being the brightest.

Astrologically Venus is associated with the principles of harmony, beauty, balance; the feelings and affections, and the urge to sympathize and unite with others. It is involved with the desire for pleasure, sensuality, personal possessions, comfort and ease. It governs romantic relations, marriage and business partnerships, sex (the origin of the words 'venery' and 'venereal'), the arts, fashion and social life. The first-century poet Marcus Manilius,described Venus as generous and fecund, and the lesser benefic. In medicine Venus is associated with the lumbar region, the veins, parathyroids, throat and kidneys. Venus was thought to be moderately warm and moist, and was associated with the phlegmatic humour. Venus is the modern ruler of the 2nd and 7th houses, but traditionally ruled the 5th and 12th houses - the 5th house of play and the 12th house of self-undoing! Unsurprisingly, Venus was said to have 'joy' in the 5th.

Venus is the planet of Friday. In languages deriving from Latin, such as Spanish and French, the word for Friday often resembles the word Venus (viernes and vendredi respectively). Dante Alighieri associated Venus with the liberal art of rhetoric.

In Chinese astrology, Venus is associated with the element metal (or gold), which is unyielding, strong and persistent. In Indian astrology, Venus is known as Shukra and represents wealth, pleasure and reproduction.


VENUS IN THE TWELVE HOUSES

The Venus in the Houses

VENUS IN THE TWELVE SIGNS

The Venus in the Twelve Signs


VENUS IN ASPECT WITH OTHER PLANETS

Venus in Aspect


Mars in Astrology

Mars
Mars

From the Bible we learn that Jehovah was the Creator of mankind for we find His angels announcing the birth of various notable personages. Thus the conclusion is inevitable that He and they preside over the generative function and impart the quality of fertility which at that time was looked upon as a token of the favor of God while barrenness was indicated as a sign of His displeasure. This is in accordance with the Western Wisdom Teaching which tells us that tin the earliest days when mankind was still in the making Jehovah and His angels guided them to great temples at the times of year when planetary conditions were propitious to generation, and men born under those harmonious conditions lived for hundreds of years without sickness of disease. It is noticeable that wild animals which are still entirely under the guidance of their group-spirits and mate only at certain seasons are also immune from sickness. Jehovah still retains control over the fertilization of the animals which are attuned to His lunar vibrations through their twenty-eight pairs of spinal nerves that correspond to the twenty-eight days of the lunar revolution and His vehicle the Moon still measures the period of gestation for men and beasts.

But the Bible also tells us of Lucifer and his Fallen angels who taught humanity to take the prerogative of creation into their own hands and instilled into them the passion that has caused sorrow, sin and death, because the holy function of generation which was intended only for temporary purposes of propagation and which works so well under propitious planetary conditions has been desecrated and made subservient to the lusts of humanity at all times regardless of the stellar rays. Yet it is a mistake to think of the Lucifer spirits as evil, for under the sway of the angels humanity neither good nor evil and having no choice or prerogative, but since though the martial Lucifer spirits we have learned to know good and evil we are also able to exercise of will power to shun the evil and choose the good, to flee from vice and cultivate virtue, thereby placing ourselves in harmonious co-worker-ship with God and nature and unfolding our divine possibilities so that we may become like our Father in Heaven.

While Jehovah and His angels are thus working upon humanity from the Moon the Lucifer spirits who rebelled against His regime are located on the planet Mars and from them also we have received and are receiving many valuable gifts, chief among them FIRE and IRON. It is well known that every LIVING body is warm, for the Ego cannot manifest in the physical world save through heat, or perhaps it should be said that heat is generated in the manifestation of the Ego. But without iron, which exists in the blood in the form of haemoglobin, there could be no oxidation and consequently no heat.

That was the condition previous to the fall, so-called, when man-in-the-making was mindless. But then the Lucifer spirits came and infused iron into the blood, which made it possible for the Ego to draw into its vehicles and from that time the Ego became an INDWELLING spirit capable of evolving individuality. Thus had it not been for the Lucifer spirits man could not have become man. It is their fire and their iron that has made the world what it is today, good and bad according to the use man has made of it. The solar force focused through the Moon imparts vitality and the faculty of growth but the rays of the Sun focused upon us by the martial Lucifer spirits give us dynamic power and are the source of all activity in the world.

Power may be latent for milleniums, as exemplified in coalbeds, which are reservoirs of solar force; a furnace and engine are required to transmute and make it available as dynamic energy, but, once the sleeping giant has been roused from latency to potency it knows no rest or peace till it has expended the last ounce of its prodigious strength. Under strict control, and carefully guided into channel of useful activity, this Martian force is the most valuable servant of mankind; the most powerful agent in the world's work, an incomparable boon to humanity. But if it escapes control the ser- vant quickly takes mastery, its inimical power of destruction and devastation is then as terrible as scourge as its beneficent use under guidance is an inestimable blessing. It is as precious as it is dangerous, eternal vigilance is the price of safety from its ravages, but without it the world would be wilderness.

Mars, as a focus for the latent solar life, transmutes it into desire, passion and what we may call animal spirits. It is a consuming fire, more dangerous than all the nitroglycerine every manufactured, but also more precious than any other blessing we can have or enjoy.

The Hindoo preacher, nurtured in a land governed by Saturn, the planet of obstruction, says: "Kill out desire." He dreams away his days in destitution, but as "temper" conserves the edge of the steel that carves its way through all obstruction, so the well-directed energetic desires of the martial Anglo-Saxson have wrought a marvelous transformation in the earth; they have reared a civilization beyond all which preceded it, and through perhaps brutal in many respects, there is promise in that also, according to the proverb: "The greater the sinner, the greater the saint." Parents should take a lesson from a book of nationals and refrain from applying the Satur- nine wet blanket to the fiery Mars spirit of children. Saturn always says "don't, don't;" his aim is to repress and obstruct. A clear fire under proper control is useful, but death lurks in the smoke and noxious gases of a smothered fire; too many "don'ts" smother legitimate ambition and frustrate accomplishment; they may drive hapless victims into ways of evil, for the dynamic energy of Mars must and will have an outlet, so beware. The worst faults of Mars are impulsiveness and lack of persistence, but he breeds no hypocrites as does an afflicted Saturn.

From Mars we receive a number of our highly-prized virtues as well as some of our worst faults. When well-aspected he gives a strong constitution and physical endurance, a positive, independent and self-reliant nature, determined and proud, generous and energetic, resourceful and quick to learn, especially when in Aries, Leo, Scorpio or Capricorn, but when he is weak by sign as in Taurus, Cancer, Libra or aspected by squares or oppositions he makes the person quick-tempered, obstinate and spiteful, inclined to drunkenness and criminal acts, cruel and hard, a bully and braggart.

People who have Mars prominent in their horoscopes are eminently practical and play an important part in the world's work. They are especially proficient in occupations where iron and fire are used for constructive purposes or where sharp instruments are handled. Soldiers, surgeons and butchers, machine workers and iron founders, engineers and man in kindred occupations are of the martial nature. They also excel in other positions where courage and intrepidity are necessary qualities.

MARS IN THE TWELVE HOUSES

Mars Jupiter in Houses

MARS IN THE TWELVE SIGNS

MARS IN ASPECT WITH OTHER PLANETS

Mars in Aspect


Jupiter in Astrology

Jupiter
Jupiter

From each of the divine Hierarchies which have ministered at birth and evolution of humanity we have received certain qualities and faculties upon which we are being nursed from nescience to omniscience and from impotence to omnipotence in life's great school.

From the Lords of Venus we received the priceless gift of love which links humanity in the tenderest affection of varying degrees and makes life beautiful. From the Lords of Mercury we received the no less valuable gift of mind which enables us to conquer the material world and provide ourselves with the comforts of life, but something more is needed.

The divine spark within us is every seeking an outlet and the greater the two qualities of love and intellect grow, the stronger the upward urge, but this cannot be fully satisfied either if the Spirit seeks to raise itself to its divine source only through the love nature expressed by Venus and culminating in its higher octave Uranus. The religious fervor then expresses itself as devotion of the most sublime nature but there is still a lack.

Feeling without knowledge is incomplete. Nor can the inner urge be satisfied if through the mercurial channel of intellect it attempts to raise itself to the spiritual perception of Neptune, the higher octave of Mercury, for though the intellect be sharp as a razor it is of no account when it is devoid of love. It therefore follows that ONLY BY THE WEDDING OF LOVE AND INTELLECT CAN WISDOM BE BORN.

The mercurial knowledge in itself, through neither good nor evil, may be used for one purpose or the other. Even genius shows only the bent of this knowledge. We speak of a military genius, one who has a wonderful knowledge of the tactics of war, but a man of war, whether he be a Napoleon or a common soldier, is not be be classed as wise because he deliberately crushes the finer feelings of which we take the heart as symbol.

Only when the mercurial faculty of mind is tempered, blended and balanced by the heart-born faculty of love generated by the Venus ray, is wisdom born of the union. And this is the quality which the planetary spirit of Jupiter is seeking to infuse into mankind to aid them in their spiritual evolution that they may rise above the material plane and soar to higher spheres.

Therefore the Jupiterian ray makes people human, honorable, courteous, refined and generous, law-abiding and religious, cheerful and optimistic. The true Jupiterian is aptly described as a jovial fellow, and he is usually large but his heart is almost too big to find room even within his capacious chest.

The corners of his mouth are always turned upward with a broad smile that can only be described as radiant and in his hearty good-feeling he is so demonstrative that when he shakes your hand the ligaments of your arm are almost sprained. He is "hail fellow well met" with everybody, always ready to give anything or anybody a boost.

He seems actually grateful to you when you ask him to do you a favor and is never so happy as when working hard to help others. He would not harm a child and never gets angry on his own account but when moved to righteous indignation on account of the wrongs of others then he may be terrible in his wrath, yet he will never be cruel to the aggressor or the oppressor, but show mercy and kindness even to them as soon as they have been vanquished. Such is the pure Jupiterian, but of course he is very seldom found at the present time. Nevertheless, an increasing number of people are beginning to walk the way of wisdom and show the Jupiterian traits.

It is said that "Opportunity knocks at every man's door," yet we often hear people bewail their fate because they "never had a chance." Saturn is blamed for our misfortunes when we have learned to study Astrology; we are so intently on the lookout for evil that we usually forget to look for the good, and thus miss our opportunity. It takes Saturn thirty years to go around the horoscope, by transit, and form aspects to all planets, but Jupiter, the most beneficent influence in the solar system, goes around once in eleven years and thus the good fortunes which he may brings are at least three times as numerous as the misfortunes brought by Saturn's evil aspects.

As a matter of fact, we get from others just what we give, each is surrounded by a subtle auric atmosphere which colors our views of others, and the thoughts, ideas and actions of others towards us. If we harbor meanness in our hearts, that colors this atmosphere so that we see meanness in others and in their actions towards us, we awaken this trait in them, as vibrations from a tuning-fork start another of the same pitch to sing. On the other had, if we cultivate the Jupiterian qualities of benevolence, his expansive smile, his cordial attitude of mind, etc., we shall soon feel the response in our circle of acquaintances and the beneficent aspect of Jupiter will them have greater effect in making our life and work pleasant.

Jupiter is essentially dignified when found in Pisces, or in Sagittarius, the sign of aspiration. He is exalted in Cancer, the house of the Moon, for the seed-atom which furnishes the body of the incoming Ego is protected by the Moon into the sphere of Cancer but in Jupiter represents the spiritual part and therefore he presides at the ingress of the Ego itself into the body. He also rules the blood in which the indwelling spirit finds expres- sion, though his activities are confined principally to the arterial circulation. He furthers assimilation and growth, and therefore he also rules the liver. (Saturn rules the gall bladder.) Jupiterians are very fond of show and display. In their religious observances they love ceremonial and they are rather partial to the established church but often dislike any "ism" not sanctioned by society or correct form.

When Jupiter is afflicted his influence makes the person lawless, sensuous, self-indulgent, gluttonous, extravagant and careless in the payment of his obligations, hence liable to loss of health, trouble with the law and consequent social disgrace. An afflicted Jupiter makes people sporty, fond of horse-racing and gambling.


JUPITER IN THE TWELVE HOUSES

Jupiter in Houses

JUPITER IN THE TWELVE SIGNS

Jupiter in the Signs


THE ASPECTS OF JUPITER

Jupiter in Aspect


Saturn in Astrology

Saturn
Saturn

A fruitful method of acquiring knowledge is by comparison of similars and contrasts of opposites; thus lights and sidelights are brought out, which otherwise may escape attention. Applying this method to the Sun and Saturn, we remember that the keyword of the Sun is "Life," and at the vernal equinox when THE SUN IN ARIES, the sign of its exaltation, we may readily note the powerful effect of the crestwave of vital fluid then poured over the earth. Nature is vibrant with life, which races through the forms of all kingdoms and endues them with such abundance of vitality that they are compelled to generate in order to take care of the overflow.

Life manifests as motion; but the keynote of Saturn is Obstruction, therefore that is the planet of decrepitude and decay, and consequently when THE SUN IN LIBRA, the sign of Saturn's exaltation, at the fall equinox, Nature is tired and ready for its wintry sleep. The human frame also is energized by the solar life contained in our food, which enters our system through the head and throat, governed by the exaltation signs of the Builders, the Sun and Moon, and is eliminated by the Sun and Moon, and is eliminated by the activity of the liver and kidneys ruled by Saturn and his exaltation sign, Libra.

In youth, when the Sun forces surge through the frame, assimilation and excretion balance, but as time goes on, "Chronos" or Saturn accumulates obstructions in the organs of excretion, and elimination is gradually restricted, the avenues of life are dammed up, and decrepitude and decay turn the scales of life (Libra) towards the realm of death.

Similarly in other departments of life; where the Sun makes the social favorite, by imbuing him with optimism and a bright sunny smile, Saturn makes recluses and sours existence with frowns and pessimism; where the Sun furthers our worldly affairs and makes things run smoothly, Saturn causes provoking delays of the most inexplicable nature; all the world seems to conspire to frustrate our plans.

In the Kingdom of God all things are balanced to produce the highest ultimate good to all, and so the influence of Saturn is used to offset the exuberant life of Mars. The intrinsic nature of Saturn is OBSTRUCTION; he is slow and persistent as Mars is impulsive and quick to change; he takes no chances, but looks before he leaps, and his cold, calculating reason misses no flaws in any scheme.

In the horoscope of a young soul Mars is dominant and the man grows along physical lines much as animals do under the law of the survival of the fittest, but gradually the thumbscrews of Saturn are put on, squares and oppositions bring sorrow and suffering; Saturn is placed above Mars in the horoscope, to frustrate and check him, till it seems as if every effort were futile because of the Saturnian obstruction.

Elijah could not hear the voice of guidance in the fire, the storm nor the earthquake, but when the tumult was over he heard "the still small voice" to cheer him; and likewise with us, while we yield to the unchecked Mars impulses our lives are too turbulent to admit of communion with the Higher Self, but when the sorrows of Saturn have chastened the unruly Mars spirit, when the night seems darkest, as in Elijah's cave, then we also hear the voice that shall speak peace after the storm.

The leash of Saturn is not pleasant; we sometimes chafe, fret and fume while being thus held in leash, but meanwhile we ripen and are more fitted, when the obstruction is removed, to have or use that which Saturn delayed, for as we develop physical muscle by overcoming physical obstacles, so we cultivate soul power by the resistance spiritually engendered by Saturn. The teaching which he gives may be summed up in the motto: "Patient persistence in well doing."

Most of us when considering Saturn in the horoscope are inclined to look upon him as evil on account of the affliction be brings, but that is only a one-sided view, for there is nothing evil in God's Kingdom. What appears so is merely good in the making. When we remember that the destiny shown by our horoscope is of our own making in past existences then we shall understand that Saturn only marks the weak spots in our horoscope, where we are vulnerable and liable to go wrong.

When the weak points have been brought out through temptation, AND WE HAVE YIELDED, the punishment follows automatically as a natural and logical sequence, for every wrong acts carries in itself the seed of punishment which brings home to our consciousness the mistakes we have made.

We must hold clearly before our mind's eye that through the planets incline to a certain life of action we, as evolving Egos, are supposed to discriminate between good and evil and choose only that which is good. If we fail in this respect and YIELD to the temptation the transgression merits a just recompense under the laws of nature and these are the things signified by Saturn.

WE ARE NOT PUNISHED BECAUSE WE ARE TEMPTED BUT WE ARE PUNISHED BECAUSE WE YIELDED.

Supposing for instance that Saturn is in Cancer, then it is plain that in the past we have yielded to an inordinate desire for food, that in consequence our digestive organs have become impaired and that if we do not learn frugality and discrimination in the choice of our good we shall be punished by digestive disorders. We will then be tempted to indulge in dainties and perhaps we will have an aversion for the simple foods which are best for us.

The temptation, however, will cause no trouble to the stomach unless we yield and satisfy our appetite. Then the food, and not an avenging Deity, automatically punishes us until we learn to curb our appetite. Similarly in other departments of life, if Saturn is on the Ascendant or in the Third of Ninth Houses and adversely aspected to Mercury or the Moon it causes us to brood over our troubles and fills our lives with gloom. It gives an obstruction there to warn us that we should be more sociable and not turn our faces away from the sunshine of life.

God is at the helm of the universe, His ministers are continually working with us for good, there is really no reason for blues and if we cannot see it today Saturn is going to tighten his grip tomorrow and crush harder and harder until with the sheer courage of desperation we burst his bonds and jump out into the joy and sunshine of life.

If it were not for the chastening, subduing influence of Saturn we should be liable to run amuck and burn out the lamp of life quickly in the exuberance of spirits. Saturn is well symbolized as Father Time with his hour-glass and scythe. He does not permit us to leave the school of life until the time has been run and the course is finished.

Furthermore he gives to humanity many of its noblest qualities. When he lays a restraining hand upon the flighty Moon or Mercury, the swift "messenger of the gods," he deepens the mind and makes it more serious and better able to concentrate upon the problems of life.

He makes the mind resourceful and better able to cope with the difficulties of our existence. Tact and diplomacy, method and system, patience and perseverance, honor and chastity, industry and mechanical ability, justice and fair-mindedness all come from Saturn when he is well-aspected and it is only when we transgress the principles for which he stands that under the influences generated by his adverse aspects he punishes us until he has brought us to our knees to pray to our Father in Heaven for forgiveness and strength to overcome our lower nature.


SATURN IN THE TWELVE HOUSES

Saturn in Houses

SATURN IN THE TWELVE SIGNS

Saturn in the Signs

ASPECTS OF THE SATURN TO OTHER PLANETS

Saturn in Aspect


Uranus in Astrology

Uranus
Uranus

Before considering the effect of Uranus and Neptune in the various signs and houses it may be expedient and illuminating to study their relations to Venus and Mercury which are their lower octaves.

That such a relationship exists has been sensed by various astrological authors who by speculation and observation have learned a great deal about these two planets. What they have brought out does great credit to their sagacity, but not having had the benefit of esoteric training it is not to be wondered at that they have become confused on certain points which we shall now explain so that students of the esoteric philosophy may see how these explanations dovetail into the general philosophy of the Western Wisdom School, and thus bear out the statement that Uranus is the higher octave of Venus and Neptune the higher octave of Mercury.

The Western Wisdom teaching of the Rosicrucian states that man-in-the-making was plant-like and bi-sexual during the Hyperborean Epoch and thus able to create from himself without the necessity of co-operation with anyone else. But at that time he was without a brain and unable to think, therefore in the Lemurian Epoch the angels directed one-half of the sex force upward to the part which is now the head and used it for the formation of the brain and larynx.

The process is plainly traceable in the antenatal development of the foetus which accounts for the intimate relation between the sex organs, the larynx and the brain, observable in the change of voice which takes place when the boy reaches puberty and the mental disability which follows the unrestrained abuse of the generative function.

Thus it may be said that the sex function whereby new bodies are created in the physical world, and become our physical children, is closely connected with the brain and larynx which man uses to conceive the children of his brain and mind and give them vocal expression by the larynx. It is a matter of common knowledge to astrologers that man is incited to perform the generative function of the begetting of physical children by the love-ray of Venus; likewise that the ray of reason emanating from Mercury is responsible for the begetting of the children of mind and their vocal expression by the larynx, so that both Mercury and Venus are creative in their functions, one upon the physical plane, the other upon the mental plane.

Mercury is usually associated with reason and intelligence; to him is as- cribed rule over the cerebrospinal nervous system, which is the medium of transmission between the embodied spirit and the world without. Thus as Neptune signifies the suband superhuman intelligence who live and move in the spiritual realms of the universe, but who work with and upon us, so Mercury indicates the human intelligence focused upon the terrestrial, physical world wherein we live from birth to death. Therefore it may be said that Neptune is the octave of Mercury, but there is a deeper sense.

Reference to a textbook of anatomy of physiology will show that lengthwise fissures in the spinal cord divide it into three parts which enclose a hollow tube. Each of these columns is ruled by one of the Hierarchies in closest touch with us; the lunar, martial and mercurial; one of the other predominating, according to the stage of evolution of the individual. In the spinal canal the rays of Neptune kindle the spinal spirit fire whereby the human spirit is enabled to pierce the veil of flesh and contact the worlds beyond; this vision is colored according to the column of the cord most actively excited. In the childhood days of mankind the creative force which is now turned outwards to build ships, houses, and railways, telephones, etc., was used inwardly to build the organs of our body, and as the surrounding physical world is photographed upon the table of a camera obscura, so the spiritual world was reflected in the spinal canal.

There man behold the first lunar God Jehovah, whose Angels were his first tutors. Later a part of Angels, who under the leadership of LUCIFER had rebelled against Jehovah and who are now exiled on the planet Mars forced entrance to the spinal cord of man and incited him to abuse of the generative function. The spiritual inner vision of mankind faded when "their eyes were opened and they saw they were naked;" then they lost touch with the higher self, they saw only the person, and the docile creature of Jehovah was soon transformed to a savage and a brute under the impulses of the Lucifer Spirits, the hierarchy of Mars but by their promptings man has also learned to conquer mate- rial obstacles, build outwardly and become architect of the world.

To counteract the unmitigated selfishness bred by the Martian Angels, and to make mankind humane our Elder Brothers from Mercury, human like ourselves, whose high state of evolution required the high vibration generated and prevailing in close proximity to the Sun, were required to invest the spinal cord of man also, and through their labors civilization has taken on a different form, mankind is again beginning to look inwards.

At the present time the right cerebral hemisphere is governed by Mercury, and the pineal gland, its higher octave, is ruled by Neptune who also has dominion over the spinal canal which is the avenue whereby one pole of the creative energy was originally turned upward for the building of the brain.

The ray of Neptune carries what occultist know as the Father fire, the light and life of the Divine Spirit, which expresses itself as will. This it focuses in the voluntary nervous system of the physical body governed by by its lower octave Mercury which acting through the right brain galvanizes the body into speech and action, expressing the will of the indwelling spirit.

By this diversion of the creative energy the human being ceased, as already said, to be a physical hermaphrodite, a complete creative unit, and was them compelled to seek a mate in order to propagate the species, Therefore the Son, the Cosmic Christ, focused the love-ray of the Life Spirit upon Uranus, (ruling the pituitary body), who transmits it to the vi- tal body where Venus, the lower octave of Uranus gives it expression in propagation and growth.

Between the Divine Spirit and Life Spirit on the one hand and their counterparts, the physical and vital bodies, on the other hand, is the Human Spirit ruled by the Sun, and its counterpart, the desire body, ruled by the lesser light, the Moon. But this is debatable ground contested by Jupiter and Mercury on the one side, Saturn and Mars being on the other.

The ray of Uranus is gradually forging a SECOND SPINAL CORD by drawing the lower love-ray of Venus upward and transmuting it to altruism, conquering for it the dominion over the sympathetic segment of the present spinal cord and THE LEFT CEREBRAL HEMISPHERE now ruled by the passionate hierarchy of Mars, the Lucifer Spirits. This work has been completely accomplished by the Adepts, therefore they have no need to marry for each is now a complete creative unit on both the spiritual and physical planes, having turned the bi-polar creative force, masculine and feminine, upward through the double spinal cord, illuminated and raised in potential energy by the spinal spirit fires of Neptune (Will) and Uranus (Love and Imagination). This creative energy conceives in the twin hemispheres of the cerebrum, ruled by Mars and Mercury, a vehicle fit for the expression of the spirit, which is then sent out and objectified in the world BY THE SPOKEN CREATIVE WORD.

This is the secret of how the Adepts form a new body without going through the womb, and some day all humanity will attain to this standard of perfection as SPIRITUAL HERMAPHRODITES; then we shall no longer be "a little lower than the angels" who create by similar methods but we shall be higher than they are now for we shall have the reason and intellect which they lack, in addition to the complete creative power.

The love ray of Venus goes out to the mate and blood relations but by a good aspect of Uranus it is raised beyond the realm of sex love to cosmic proportions, to love such as that which christ must have felt when he wept over Jerusalem and said that, as a hen fathers it brood under its wing, so would he have loved to father them to his bosom. The people who have this Uranian love therefore become builders of society; associated with every good and uplifting movement. An adverse aspect of Uranus to Venus on the other hand, has the most degrading effect on the Venus function, for it leads to disregard of the laws and conventions of society and to perversion of the sacred creative function.

Love is a much abused word, and the emotion thus miscalled is usually so tainted with desire that it is Martian passion rather than Venusian love. Coalition, the keyword of Venus, suggests a most intimate union, a blending of the very souls of two or more people who compose a family. But ALTRUISM, the keyword of Uranus, hints at such an all-embracing love as our Saviour felt. Thus Uranus is the octave of Venus and anyone ready to enter the path of preparation which leads to initiation must gradually learn to outgrow the Venus love which makes the immediate family all in all and begin to cultivate the all-embracing Uranian altruism.

This goal is high and those who aim so high often fall very low. When we essay to transcend the Venus love and cultivate the Uranian altruism we are thus in great danger, and the most promising live are sometimes wrecked by the pernicious theory of soul-mates, which leads to clandestine love affairs and perversion of the creative function.

But remember this--altruism does not require return of the love bestowed upon others, it has absolutely no concern with sex; it will not lessen the love for our family, but they being nearest to us will feel the increase of our love to a greater degree than those further away, and unless our love brings forth such fruit it is not Uranian and will not further us upon the path of attainment.

Seeing this is so, we may readily understand that the great majority of humanity cannot yet respond to the higher side of Uranus, and its effect upon the morals is therefore principally perversion of sex, clandestine love affairs, free love, and disregard of conventionality; that is, of course, when aspected by squares and oppositions.

Under such conditions it makes people unconventional and erratic, rebellious at the least restraint, very independent and brusque in manner, fond of pioneer work, and investigation of unusual things. They take to the higher mechanics, electricity, aviation, and the like, as a duck to water, and are rather proud of their attainments. They find prominence in literature, science, philosophy, and especially in the occult arts.

Uranus also gives a high grade of musical genius when configurated with Venus, and if Uranus is well fortified in by position and aspects it qualifies the person for leadership in an unusual way. It may also be said that the effects of the Uranian ray are very sudden and unexpected, whether for good or ill, it comes like a bolt out of the blue, and as we respond most easily to its evil side, these effects are generally disastrous in nature. When Uranus is on the Ascendant it adds length to the body, so that the true Uranian are usually very tall.

URANUS IN THE TWELVE HOUSES

Uranus in Houses

URANUS IN THE TWELVE SIGNS

Uranus in the Signs


ASPECTS OF URANUS TO THE OTHER PLANETS

Uranus in Aspect


Neptune in Astrology

Neptune
Neptune

As URANUS is the octave of Venus and acts principally upon the love nature, aiming to elevate mankind in matters personal and social, so Neptune is the octave of Mercury, and altogether spiritual in its aims. As Mercury is Lightbearer of the physical Sun, so Neptune is Lightbearer for the spiritual Sun, (called Vulcan by the Western Mystics). Intellectuality, ruled by Mercury lifted us above the animal and made man, man; the Spirituality ruled by Neptune will in time raise us beyond the state of the human and make us divine.

NEPTUNE THE PLANET OF DIVINITY

Neptune really signifies what we may call "the gods" commencing with the supernormal beings we know as Elder Brothers, and compassing the innumerable hosts of spiritual entities, good, bad, and indifferent, which influence our evolution. Its position and aspects denote our relation to them; malefic aspects attract agencies of a nature inimical to our welfare, benefic configurations draw upon the good forces.

Thus, if Neptune is placed in the Tenth House, trine to the ascendant, the person involved will have the opportunity to become a leader or prominent in a movement along mystical lines as denoted by the exalted position of Neptune. His body will be capable of receiving the finer vibrations, and of coming in touch with the spiritual world, as denoted by the trine of the ascendant. On the other hand, when Neptune is placed in the Twelfth House, whose nature is passive and productive of suffering, that position indicates that at some time, perhaps under a square form the midheaven, the evil forces, among whom are spirit-controls, will be drawn to that person and endeavor to obtain possession of the body. the conjunction of Neptune with the ascendant will make the body sensitive and usable for spiritual purposes, as well as the trine. Given the opportunity afforded by the first aspect mentioned, the man may become a pupil of a mystery school and a factor for great good in the uplift of mankind; placed under the affliction of the second aspect, he may become a helpless tool of spirit-controls: an irresponsible medium.

But there is one factor which is never shown in the horoscope, and that is the will of man. He is bound at some time in life to meet with the experiences denoted by his horoscope, and the opportunities there indicated will be placed before him one by one in orderly succession, as the clock of destiny marks the appropriate time; but how he, the free and independent spirit, meets that fated experience, no one can determine beforehand, and the man in whose horoscope the first mentioned benefic configuration occurs may not be sufficiently awake to the great opportunity before him to catch it on the wing, it may have flown before he realizes it was there. Yes, he may never become aware of the fact. On the other hand, the person in whose life the square indicates the assault by spiritual forces mentioned, may develop his spiritual muscle by resisting the onslaught and become a victor instead of being vanquished. Forewarned is forearmed.

Neptune was not discovered until 1846, but we should err greatly if we supposed the influence ascribed to it fictitious on that account, for as the person born blind lacks the organs to see the sunlight and colors, so most of humanity is still lacking the sensibility which makes them amenable to the vibrations of Neptune. But we are gradually developing finer feelings and becoming more able to respond to his influence.

At first this influence is mostly felt by sensitives who become occultists when of a positive nature and mediums when negative, others gain from it the cunning common alike to the criminal and the detective, or it impels the weakling to take drugs which in another manner produce dreams and visions similar to those obtained by the mediumistic process.

Neptune strong in the figure gives a very vivid imagination and an artistic nature, poetic, musical or literary, a fondness of ease, comfort and beautiful surroundings. The person is easily swayed by the emotions, and when Neptune is afflicted may become subject to trances, fainting, hysteria, or psychic storms. There is a love of travel, preferably by water.

When Neptune is weak by sign or afflicted it also inclines to drink or drugs, it robs the person of ambition and makes him an indolent loafer or cheat, thoroughly dishonest, or if the horoscope is otherwise good he may become the prey of other people who will rob or defraud him. People with an afflicted Neptune should particularly avoid dealings with large corporations or they may be subjected to swindles of the most fantastic nature.

NEPTUNE IN THE TWELVE HOUSES

Neptune in Houses

NEPTUNE IN THE TWELVE SIGNS

Neptune in the Signs

NEPTUNE IN ASPECT WITH OTHER PLANETS

Neptune in Aspect


Get Your Free And Best Interactive Personal Horoscope Chart - Natal Chart Built With Java Technology

Core beliefs

The core beliefs of astrology were prevalent in most of the ancient world and are epitomized in the Hermetic maxim "as above, so below". Tycho Brahe used a similar phrase to justify his studies in astrology: suspiciendo despicio, "by looking up I see downward". Although the principle that events in the heavens are mirrored by those on Earth was once generally held in most traditions of astrology around the world, in the West there has historically been a debate among astrologers over the nature of the mechanism behind astrology. The debate also covers whether or not celestial bodies are only signs or portents of events, or if they are actual causes of events through some sort of force or mechanism.[citation needed]

Although the connection between celestial mechanics and terrestrial dynamics was explored first by Isaac Newton with his development of a universal theory of gravitation, claims that the gravitational effects of the celestial bodies are what accounts for astrological generalizations are not substantiated by scientific research, nor are they advocated by most astrologers.

A common belief held by astrologers is that the positions of certain celestial bodies either influence or correlate with human affairs. A modern explanation is that the cosmos (and especially the solar system) acts as a single unit, so that any happening in any part of it inevitably is reflected in every other part, somewhat representing chaos theory. Skeptics dispute these claims, pointing to a lack of concrete evidence of significant influence of this sort.[citation needed]

Most astrological traditions are based on the relative positions and movements of various real or construed celestial bodies and on the construction of celestial patterns as seen at the time and place of the event being studied. These are chiefly the Sun, Moon, the planets, the stars and the lunar nodes. The frame of reference for such apparent positions is defined by the tropical or sidereal zodiacal signs on one hand, and by the local horizon (ascendant) and midheaven on the other. This latter (local) frame is typically further divided into the twelve astrological houses. Furthermore, the astrological aspects are used to determine the geometric/angular relationship(s) between the various celestial bodies and angles in the horoscope.

In the past, astrologers often relied on close observation of celestial objects and the charting of their movements. Modern astrologers use data provided by astronomers which are transformed to a set of astrological tables called ephemerides, showing the changing zodiacal positions of the heavenly bodies through time.

Traditions

There are many traditions of astrology, some of which share similar features due to the transmission of astrological doctrines between cultures. Other traditions developed in isolation and hold completely different doctrines, although they too share some similar features due to the fact that they are drawing on similar astronomical sources.

Current traditions

The main traditions used by modern astrologers are:

  • Chinese astrology
  • Jyotisha, Indian or Vedic astrology
  • Western astrology

Western and Indian astrology share a common ancestry as horoscopic systems of astrology and are essentially similar in content. Both traditions focus on the casting of an astrological chart or horoscope, a representation of celestial entities, for an event based on the position of the Sun, Moon, and planets at the moment of the event. The main difference between the two traditions is that Indian astrology continues to use the sidereal zodiac, linking the signs of the zodiac to their original constellations, while Western astrology uses the tropical zodiac (see section below). Because of the phenomenon of the precession of the equinoxes, over the centuries the twelve zodiacal signs in Western astrology no longer correspond to the same part of the sky as their original constellations (and so to their Indian counterparts). In effect, in Western astrology the link between sign and constellation has been broken, whereas in Indian astrology it remains of paramount importance.

In Chinese astrology a quite different tradition has evolved. By contrast to Western and Indian astrology, the twelve signs of the zodiac do not divide the sky, but rather the celestial equator. The Chinese evolved a system where each sign corresponds to one of twelve 'double-hours' that govern the day, and to one of the twelve months. Also most notably and uniquely, each sign of the zodiac governs a different year, and combines with a system based on the five elements of Chinese cosmology to give a 60 (12 x 5) year cycle. The term Chinese astrology is used here for convenience, but it must be recognised that versions of the same tradition exist in Japan, Vietnam, Thailand and other Asian countries.

In modern times, the three traditions have come into greater contact with each other. Chinese and Indian astrology have spread to the West, and awareness of Western astrology has increased in India and East Asia.

Historical traditions

Throughout its long history, astrology has come to prominence in many regions and undergone developments and change. There are many astrological traditions that are historically important, but which have largely fallen out of use today. Astrologers still retain an interest in them and regard them as an important resource. Historically significant traditions of astrology include:

The history of Western, Chinese, and Indian astrology is discussed in the main article history of astrology.

Esoteric traditions

Many mystic or esoteric traditions have links to astrology. In some cases, like Kabbalah, this involves participants incorporating elements of astrology into their own traditions. In other cases, like divinatory tarot, many astrologers themselves have incorporated the tradition into their own practice of astrology. Esoteric traditions include, but are not limited to:

Historically, alchemy in the Western World was particularly allied and intertwined with traditional Babylonian-Greek style astrology; in numerous ways they were built to complement each other in the search for occult or hidden knowledge.[citation needed] Astrology has used the concept of the four classical elements of alchemy from antiquity up until the present day. Traditionally, each of the seven planets in the solar system known to the ancients was associated with, held dominion over, and "ruled" a certain metal.[citation needed]

Recent Western developments

Astrology in the Western world has diversified greatly in modern times. New movements have appeared, which have jettisoned much of traditional astrology to concentrate on different approaches, such as a greater emphasis on midpoints, or a more psychological approach. Some of its subsets include:

  • Modern tropical and sidereal horoscopic astrology
  • Cosmobiology
  • Psychological astrology or astropsychology
  • Financial astrology
  • Sun sign astrology
  • Hamburg School of Astrology
    • Uranian astrology, subset of the Hamburg School

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. The Western and Indian zodiac signs have a common origin in the tradition of horoscopic astrology, and so are very similar in meaning. In China on the other hand, the development of the zodiac was different. Although the Chinese too have a system of twelve signs (named after animals), the Chinese zodiac refers to a pure calendrical cycle, as there are no equivalent constellations linked to it like the Western or Indian zodiacs. The common choice of twelve zodiac signs is understandable when it is considered that the interaction of the Sun and Moon was central to all forms of astrology. Thus, twelve cycles of the Moon — the months — coincided with one solar year, making twelve a natural choice.

The majority of Western astrologers base their work on the tropical zodiac which divides the sky into twelve equal segments of 30 degrees each, beginning with the first point of Aries, the point where the line of the earth's celestial equator and the ecliptic (the Sun's path through the sky) meet at the northern hemisphere spring equinox. Due to the precession of the equinoxes, the slow changing of the way Earth rotates in space, the zodiacal signs in this system bear no relation to the constellations of the same name but stay aligned to the months and seasons. Because of its connection to old locations of constellations, the tropical zodiac is used as a historical coordinate system in astronomy.

Practitioners of the Indian astrological tradition and a minority of Western astrologers use the sidereal zodiac. This zodiac uses the same evenly divided ecliptic but approximately stays aligned to the positions of the observable constellations with the same name as the zodiacal signs. The sidereal zodiac differs from from the tropical zodiac by an offset called the ayanamsa which steadily increases as the equinoxes drift further.

Horoscopic astrology

Astrology Horoscope Chart
Astrology Horoscope Chart

Horoscopic astrology is a very specific and complex system that was developed in the Mediterranean region and specifically Hellenistic Egypt around the late 2nd or early 1st century BCE.[14] The tradition deals with two-dimensional diagrams of the heavens, or 'horoscopes', created for specific moments in time. The diagram is then used to interpret the inherent meaning underlying the alignment of celestial bodies at that moment based on a specific set of rules and guidelines. This is normally done for the moment of birth of an individual, or at the beginning of an enterprise or event, because the alignments of the heavens at that moment are thought to determine the nature of the subject in question. One of the defining characteristics of this form of astrology that makes it distinct from other traditions is the computation of the degree of the Eastern horizon rising against the backdrop of the ecliptic at the specific moment under examination, otherwise known as the ascendant. Horoscopic astrology has been the most influential and widespread form of astrology across the world, especially in Africa, India, Europe, and the Middle East, and there are several major traditions of horoscopic astrology including Indian, Hellenistic, Medieval, and most other modern Western traditions of astrology.

The horoscope

Central to horoscopic astrology and its branches is the calculation of the horoscope or astrological chart. This two-dimensional diagrammatic representation shows the celestial bodies' apparent positions in the heavens from the vantage of a location on Earth at a given time and place. The horoscope is also divided into twelve different celestial houses which govern different areas of life. Calculations performed in casting a horoscope involve arithmetic and simple geometry which serve to locate the apparent position of heavenly bodies on desired dates and times based on astronomical tables. In ancient Hellenistic astrology the ascendant demarcated the first celestial house of a horoscope. The word for the ascendant in Greek was horoskopos from which "horoscope" derives. In modern times, the word has come to refer to the astrological chart as a whole.

Branches of horoscopic astrology

Traditions of horoscopic astrology can be divided into four branches which are directed towards specific subjects or purposes. Often these branches use a unique set of techniques or a different application of the core principles of the system to a different area. Many other subsets and applications of astrology are derived from these four fundamental branches.

  • Natal astrology, the study of a person's natal chart to gain information about the individual and his/her life experience.
  • Katarchic astrology, which includes both electional and event astrology. The former uses astrology to determine the most auspicious moment to begin an enterprise or undertaking, and the latter to understand everything about an event from the time at which it took place.
  • Horary astrology, used to answer a specific question by studying the chart of the moment the question is posed to an astrologer.
  • Mundane or world astrology, the application of astrology to world events, including weather, earthquakes, and the rise and fall of empires or religions.

History of astrology

Origins

The origins of much of the astrological doctrine and method that would later develop in Asia, Europe, and the Middle East are found among the ancient Babylonians and their system of celestial omens that began to be compiled around the middle of the 2nd millennium BCE. This system of celestial omens later spread either directly or indirectly through the Babylonians to other areas such as India, China, and Greece where it merged with pre-existing indigenous forms of astrology. This Babylonian astrology came to Greece initially as early as the middle of the 4th century BCE, and then around the late 2nd or early 1st century BCE after the Alexandrian conquests, this Babylonian astrology was mixed with the Egyptian tradition of decanic astrology to create horoscopic astrology. This new form of astrology, which appears to have originated in Alexandrian Egypt, quickly spread across the ancient world into Europe, the Middle East and India.

Before the scientific revolution

From the classical period through the scientific revolution, astrological training played a critical role in advancing astronomical, mathematical, medical and psychological knowledge. Astrological influences included the observation and long-term tracking of celestial objects. It was astrologers who provided the first systematic documentation of the movements of the Sun, the Moon, the planets, and the stars. The differentiation between astronomy and astrology varied from place to place; they were indistinguishable in ancient Babylonia and for most of the Middle Ages, but separated to a greater degree in ancient Greece (see astrology and astronomy). Astrology was not always uncritically accepted before the modern era; it was often challenged by Hellenistic skeptics, church authorities, and medieval thinkers.

The pattern of astronomical knowledge gained from astrological endeavours has been historically repeated across numerous cultures, from ancient India through the classical Maya civilization to medieval Europe. Given this historical contribution, astrology has been called a protoscience along with pseudosciences such as alchemy (see "Western astrology and alchemy" below).

Many prominent scientists, such as Nicholas Copernicus, Galileo Galilei, Tycho Brahe, Johannes Kepler, Carl Jung and others, practiced or significantly contributed to astrology.[15]

Effects on world culture

Astrology has had a profound influence over the past few thousand years on Western and Eastern cultures. In the middle ages, when even the educated of the time believed in astrology, the system of heavenly spheres and bodies was believed to reflect on the system of knowledge and the world itself below.

Astrology has had an impact on both language and literature. For example, influenza, from medieval Latin influentia meaning influence, was so named because doctors once believed epidemics to be caused by unfavorable planetary and stellar influences. The word "disaster" comes from the Latin dis-aster meaning "bad star". Adjectives "lunatic" (Luna/Moon), "mercurial" (Mercury), "venereal" (Venus), "martial" (Mars), "jovial" (Jupiter/Jove), and "saturnine" (Saturn) are all old words used to describe personal qualities said to resemble or be highly influenced by the astrological characteristics of the planet, some of which are derived from the attributes of the ancient Roman gods they are named after. In literature, many writers, notably Geoffrey Chaucer[16][17][18] and William Shakespeare,[19][20] used astrological symbolism to add subtlety and nuance to the description of their characters' motivation(s). Often, an understanding of astrological symbolism is needed to fully appreciate such literature.

Some modern thinkers, notably Carl Jung,[21] believe in astrology's descriptive powers regarding the mind without necessarily subscribing to its predictive claims. In education astrology is reflected in the university education of medieval Europe, which was divided into seven distinct areas, each represented by a particular planet and known as the seven liberal arts. Dante Alighieri speculated that these arts, which grew into the sciences we know today, fitted the same structure as the planets. In music the best known example of astrology's influence is in the orchestral suite called "The Planets" by the British composer Gustav Holst, the framework of which is based upon the astrological symbolism of the planets.

Astrology and science

By the time of Francis Bacon and the scientific revolution, newly emerging scientific disciplines acquired a method of systematic empirical induction validated by experimental observations, which led to the scientific revolution.[22] At this point, astrology and astronomy began to diverge; astronomy became one of the central sciences while astrology was increasingly viewed as an occult science or superstition by natural scientists. This separation accelerated through the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.[23]

Astrology has been criticized as being unscientific both by scientific bodies and by individual scientists.[24][25] and has been labeled as a pseudoscience.[26] In 1975, the American Humanist Association published one of the most widely known modern criticisms of astrology, characterizing those who continue to have faith in the subject as doing so "in spite of the fact that there is no verified scientific basis for their beliefs, and indeed that there is strong evidence to the contrary".[10] Astronomer Carl Sagan did not sign the statement, noting that, while he felt astrology lacked validity, he found the statement's tone authoritarian. He suggested that the lack of a causal mechanism for astrology was relevant but not in itself convincing.[27][28]

Although astrology has had no accepted scientific standing for some time, it has been the subject of much research among astrologers since the beginning of the twentieth century. In his landmark study of twentieth-century research into natal astrology, vocal astrology critic Geoffrey Dean noted and documented the burgeoning research activity, primarily within the astrological community.[29]

Claims about obstacles to research

Astrologers have argued that there are significant obstacles in carrying out scientific research into astrology today, including funding,[30][31] lack of background in science and statistics by astrologers,[32] and insufficient expertise in astrology by research scientists.[33][30][31] There are only a handful of journals dealing with scientific research into astrology (i.e. astrological journals directed towards scientific research or scientific journals publishing astrological research). Some astrologers have argued that few practitioners today pursue scientific testing of astrology because they feel that working with clients on a daily basis provides a personal validation for them.[31][34]

Another argument made by astrologers is that most studies of astrology do not reflect the nature of astrological practice and that existing experimental methods and research tools are not adequate for studying this complex discipline.[35][36] Some astrology proponents claim that the prevailing attitudes and motives of many opponents of astrology introduce conscious or unconscious bias in the formulation of hypotheses to be tested, the conduct of the tests, and the reporting of results.[33]

Mechanism

An editorial published by the Astronomical Society of the Pacific reports that they can find no evidence for a scientifically defined mechanism by which celestial objects can supposedly influence terrestrial affairs. Though physical mechanisms are still among the proposed theories of astrology,[37][38] few modern astrologers believe in a direct causal relationship between heavenly bodies and earthly events.[31] Some have posited acausal, purely correlative, relationships between astrological observations and events, such as the theory of synchronicity[39] proposed by Jung. Others have posited a basis in divination.[40] Still others have argued that empirical correlations can stand on their own epistemologically, and do not need the support of any theory or mechanism.[33] To some observers, these non-mechanistic concepts raise serious questions about the feasibility of validating astrology through scientific testing, and some have gone so far as to reject the applicability of the scientific method to astrology almost entirely.[33] Some astrologers, on the other hand, believe that astrology is amenable to the scientific method, given sufficiently sophisticated analytical methods, and they cite pilot studies they claim support this view.[41] Consequently, several astrologers have called for or advocated continuing studies of astrology based on statistical validation.[42]

Research claims and counter-claims

Several individuals, most notably French psychologist and statistician Michel Gauquelin, claimed to have found correlations between some planetary positions and certain human traits such as vocations. Gauquelin's most widely known claim is known as the Mars effect, which is said to demonstrate a correlation between the planet Mars occupying certain positions in the sky more often at the birth of eminent sports champions than at the birth of ordinary people. Since its original publication in 1955, the Mars effect has been the subject of studies claiming to refute it,[43][44] and studies claiming to support and/or expand the original claims,[45][46][47] but neither the claims nor the counterclaims have received mainstream scientific notice.

Besides the claims of the Mars effect, astrological researchers claim to have found statistical correlations for physical attributes,[48] accidents,[49][50] personal and mundane events,[51][52] social trends such as economics[53][54] and large geophysical patterns.[55] None of these claims have been published in a mainstream scientific journal.

The scientific community,[12] where it has commented, claims that astrology has repeatedly failed to demonstrate its effectiveness in numerous controlled studies. Effect size studies in astrology conclude that the mean accuracy of astrological predictions is no greater than what is expected by chance, and astrology's perceived performance has disappeared on critical inspection.[56] When tested against personality tests, astrologers have shown a consistent lack of agreement with these tests. One such double-blind study in which astrologers attempted to match birth charts with results of a personality test, which was published in the reputable peer-reviewed scientific journal Nature, claimed to refute astrologers' assertions that they can solve clients' personal problems by reading individuals' natal charts. The study concluded that astrologers had no special ability to interpret personality from astrological readings.[57] Another study that used a personality test and a questionnaire contended that some astrologers failed to predict objective facts about people or agree with each other's interpretations.[58] When testing for cognitive, behavioral, physical and other variables, one study of astrological "time twins" claimed that human characteristics are not molded by the influence of the Sun, Moon and planets at the time of birth.[56][59] Skeptics of astrology also suggest that the perceived accuracy of astrological interpretations and descriptions of one's personality can be accounted for by the fact that people tend to exaggerate positive 'hits' and overlook whatever does not fit, especially when vague language is used.[56] They also claim that statistical research is often wrongly seen as evidence for astrology due to uncontrolled artifacts.[60]

Get Your Free And Best Interactive Personal Horoscope Chart - Natal Chart Built With Java Technology

See this page

تنجي - 占星术 - Astrologie - L‘astrologie - Αστρολογια - Astrologia - 占星術 - 점성술 - Astrologia - Астрология - Astrología


See also

Retrieved from "http://astrology.astrozoom.com/index.php?title=Astrology"
Personal tools