Astrology

Most of us in today's Western society can probably answer the question "What's your sign?" Many read their daily "horoscope" even if they tell you that they don't believe it. Yet few really know much about this ancient blend of art, science and philosophy.

What Is Astrology?

Astrology can be used in many ways, from personality analysis to prediction, from the individual to the fate of nations.

The term astrology applies far more widely than Sun signs. It can refer to any system of obtaining information by analysis of the heavenly bodies. There are various systems of astrology around the world - Chinese, Vedic, Tibetan, etc. However when the term is used in the West it usually refers to a particular form using ten heavenly bodies (the eight other planets, the Sun and our moon) and the twelve signs of the Zodiac.

The eight planets together with Sun and Earth's moon are often just all called "planets" even though this is technically incorrect.

Analyse and Synthesise

Once the birth chart has been drawn up and the positions of the planets and their aspects calculated, it is necessary to synthesise the many individual pieces of information into an overall whole. This is where the true skill - and art - of the astrologer comes in.

There are many computer programs you can buy to help in drawing up a birth chart, replacing the old manual ephemeris. These can be extremely useful. However programs which try to interpret the birth chart can be less successful because of this need to synthesise a huge number of small clues, many of which are contradictory. The result is that some computer programs produce a reading that is either inconsistent or extremely vague. An experienced astrologer can often simply look at a chart and get an immediate feel for it.

If you want to learn astrology then it requires practice - not just a piece of software.

How Does Astrology Work?

Nobody knows how astrology works. Skeptics would argue that it doesn't - in fact, that it can't work. What is so special about the time of birth instead of, say, time of conception? Why only the ten bodies and no others? Why the arbritary house and sign division? Which Zodiac or House system should be used? What possible physical mechanism can there be for astrology?

These are questions to which I have no answers. To be honest, I have a lot of sympathy with the skeptics. Looked at rationally, astrology is clearly nonsense.

All I can say is that I've tried it and, for me, it worked.