Astrology
is any of several traditions or systems in which knowledge
of the apparent positions of celestial bodies is held to
be useful in understanding, interpreting, and organizing
knowledge about reality and human existence on earth. Astrology
and astronomy were once the same discipline and many famous
astronomers practiced as astrologers. All traditions are
based on the relative positions and movements of various
real and construed celestial bodies as seen at the time
and place of the birth or other event being studied. These
are chiefly the Sun, Moon, planets, Ascendant & Midheaven
axes, and the lunar nodes. A practitioner of astrology is
called an astrologer, or sometimes an astrologist. Astromancy,
divination by the stars, is a slightly archaic synonym for
astrology.
Professional astrologers say the positions
of celestial bodies like the planets and stars relative
to the Earth either influence or correlate with people's
personality traits, important events in their lives, illnesses,
and relationships.
Astrologers maintain that the cosmos that
the Earth is a part, transits in cycles that have repeating
patterns which vary in time and space and influence the
earth. By observing and recording the operations and said
various influences of the planets and stars relative to
the earth for thousands of years; a very large body of
copious astrological observations through the centuries
of work by astrologers from nearly every culture on earth
has been built.
Detractors say there is no evidence for the
claims that astrologers can predict the future and maintain
that astrology is a "pseudo-science" at best.
Astrologers claim that the centuries of astrological history
proves otherwise. And the great debate on the validity
of astrology continues into the 21st century.
Astrology & 20th Century Expansion:-
Astrology can be defined as the serious observations and
studies of planetary and stellar cycles and their mathematical
patterns in time as they affect life on Earth. Professional
astrologers apply mathematical aspects such as the conjunction,
sextile, square, trine, and opposition to form complex
calculations of activity between celestial objects in
constant motion among the constellations relative to the
Earth's position using charts called horoscopes to examine
planetary transits at any given moment. Spans of time
and space where a person is born is charted through the
application of a horoscope to forecast potential future
events. Free will is a given in true astrological practice,
but destiny is within the principles of universal laws
- and not outside of it.
The earliest knowledge of astrology dates
back to antiquity and required constant renewing through
presentation because of the growth of the many branches
of astrological practice. This development can be compared
to that of the medical sciences, with the many special
branches over time. Some professional astrologers say
that one of the handicaps of astrology as practiced in
the late 20th century, is that much of the expansion has
been done by groups of isolated reseachers that has limited
the opportunities for building astrological work into
a more solid body of work and consensus.
As most students of astrology soon learn,
the position of the Sun at birth is only one of many planetary
positions. The work required for the highly technical
calculations means that a professional making personal
or global forecasts must have a wide knowledge of world
conditions before any astrological deductions are made.
The wide popularity of Sun-sign articles
in newspapers didn't hesitate to capture the uniqueness
of astrological terminology and language - using such
terms as "Astrology Predictions" and "Personal
Horoscope Readings" to entice readers to buy more
newspapers with astrology articles. The depth of over-simplication
of astrology had reached a new level by the start of the
Second World War and the average person who has not been
educated or read a decent serious astrology book formed
their own ideas from the over-simplified newspaper "Sun-sign
Astrology" accounts and ever since, astrology has
been discredited by those confusing serious astrological
practice with sun-sign astrology.
This simplified view of astrology has forced
serious professional astrologers to navigate through the
muddied waters of confusion in public opinion on astrology
while at the same time continuing to practice astrology
as a serious and complex applied science. Many experienced
astrologers fight the tendency of others to practice astrology
without a general education, which they believe allows
a student and a person to be critical.
Professional astrologers say that the average
educated adult or beginner should not be misled by false
astrological statements, or over-simplifying by the biased
opinions of those who have academic status in other fields
of learning while using their positions to direct others
to believe that their ideas on astrology are valid. Such
examples exist of some writers of books on astrology who
have admitted that that they did not know how to cast
an astrological horoscope or to interpret one. Astrologers
state that writers and detractors who possess no practical
knowledge of the workings of astrological principles,
its history, and techniques are not qualified to state
that astrology is a pseudo-science.
As with any profession, only true scholarship,
study and practical application can successfully attain
the proper professional status to become a true astrologer.
It takes years to learn the most basic principles and
apply them practically. And decades to master many astrological
techniques and branches. Many professional astrologers
are self-taught, or have taken correspondence courses
with professional tutors in the global astrological community.
Many new schools of astrology led by responsible leadership
have opened their doors in the latter half of the 20th
century, and teaching schools now offer diplomas after
rigorous examination courses are passed by students. As
in medicine, passing an examination cannot always mean
that the candidate is an expert in the subject. However,
it can show that a successful student has assimilated
what they have studied and is fit to produce practical
and accurate astrological work for clients that will give
them the experience where, in time, they may eventually
become expert.
