posted October 17, 2003 09:50 AM              

What is astrology?

It all started a very long time ago in the dim recesses of history. You can imagine that in those archaic days before television, our earliest ancestors might have given top billing to the starry night sky as the greatest show on earth.

With regular viewing it wouldn't have taken them long to differentiate between planets, which move across the sky, and fixed stars, which do not.

Unrestricted by a mechanistic materialist world view, they identified stage settings, lead characters and storylines which have endured the test of time.

Sooner or later some astute ancestor of yours or mine would have tried to bring the sky down to earth - to look for the practical applications of the night-time observations.

For example, someone first noticed that when the sunset location began to fall back toward the south, then the long summer days would soon give way to long cold winter nights; time to migrate.

At some point someone first realised a successful harvest by having watched for prime-time planting indicators in the night sky. Those far distant ancestors were the parents of astrology.

They began to observe patterns of correlations between the positions of celestial bodies above and events and circumstances on earth below.

Astrology is the study of these correlations and the interpretation of their meaning.

Astrology through the centuries

During the intervening centuries the study has been formalised as we have matured both philosophically and technologically. The early nomadic or agrarian observers were joined by the philosophers and scholars.

The work by Pythagoras in ancient Babylon in the sixth century BC is still the basis of the philosophy of astrology. Plato (c428-348 BC) then built a great deal of astrological theory on the foundation supplied by Pythagoras. Surfing through the centuries, we find many other respected scholars who made their contribution. A notable example was Ptolemey (born 70 AD), who lived in Alexandria and had the vast resources of its famous library available to him. He produced texts which summarised all the astrological work of the Mesopotanians and Greeks and which were the authoritative references on the sky for the next 1500 years.

Today's astrologers have the legacy of empirical data collected by all major cultures of the world. This provides a foundation or a springboard for continuing research along modern lines. As we carry on studying the correlations between planetary positions above and events and circumstances on the earth below, we gravitate towards the kinds of events which most interest us.

Branches of Astrology

Since the last century BC astrology has been divided into branches depending on the kind of events, issues or questions being studied. All these are practised today by increasing numbers.

Mundane astrology
Mundane astrology explores cycles in areas of life such as politics, governments, countries, belief systems or the arts.

Natural or meteorological astrology
This is the study of planetary cycles as they relate to the world of nature; earthquakes, severe storms or forecasting weather.

Sun sign astrology
Sun sign columns, as appear in newspapers and magazines, are commercial astrological forecasts. These began in the 1930s and serve mainly as light entertainment or conversation pieces.

Natal or person-centred astrology
Begun about 400 BC, this is the most commonly practised branch of astrology today. It involves the preparation and interpretation of a natal chart or horoscope, a precise mapping of the position of sun, moon and planets centred around the location of birth at the time of birth.

For reasons that are not yet fully understood, the moment of birth contains the seed potential of maturity. Therefore everything that lives expresses for its entire life the cosmic energy patterns in place at the time of birth. We are able to chart, read and interpret those energies with the help of astrological methodology.

The natal chart is exceptionally specific for every individual, accurately detailing personal qualities such as talents and capabilities, fears, likes and dislikes, emotional and intellectual functions. Elements of the chart reveal indications for career, health, relationships and more.

Electional astrology
This branch of astrology applies knowledge of planetary position to well chosen start-up times for businesses, meetings, contracts, and any venture which could benefit from the most auspicious beginning. It is easier to launch your boat when the tide is in rather than dragging it over long stretches of deep sand to find the water's edge.

Electional astrology also has an astoundingly long history. Hesiod in his "Works and Days", written before 750 BC, lists best days to pursue various activities from harvesting the grapes to getting married.

Horary astrology
Horary astrology uses the imprint of energy from the exact moment at which a question is asked as a tool to answer that same question.

The uses of astrology outlined above are still valid today. Modern astrologers rarely advise on the likely outcome of a joust or battle but then our ancient counterparts were never consulted about stock trading trends.

Astrologers today can apply the extensive body of empirical knowledge to support any field in which the understanding of human qualities and make up is beneficial or necessary: human resource development, management training, education, psychology and counselling, health, personal growth and career guidance.