“I don’t believe in astrology; I’m a Sagittarius, and we’re skeptical.”
- Arthur C. Clarke

WHAT IS ASTROLOGY?

When it comes to astrology in the 21st century, it appears that the spectrum breaks down into two distinct groups, with very little grey in the middle: On the one hand, those who have studied astrology, apply it, live it and respect it for its unquestionable value, and, on the other, those who have very few notions of what it truly consists of. Though almost everyone, right down to the loudest naysayer, knows the sun sign he or she was born into, few are aware of the tremendous scope that exists beyond Sun sign knowledge and how powerful a tool astrology really is.

Astrology – the study of the stars - has been around for ages, and although it has transformed itself many times over to become the art/science we are familiar with today, its roots and foundations still form the basis for it in modern times. From its beginnings among the ancient Babylonians in the 2nd millennium BCE, it spread most notably to Greece in the 4th century BCE, and it wasn’t until the middle of the 11th century that the first distinctions were even being made between astrology and its scientific sister, astronomy.

There are many misconceptions when it comes to astrology, so it is important to first dispel the myths and describe what it is not.
It is not a science with black and white results you would expect, well, from an exact science. No astrologer has ever claimed that, and therefore the argument that it is not 100% accurate is without value.
It is also not a purely divinatory art, such as clairvoyance, although a good astrologer can usually rely tremendously on certain intuitive abilities developed over time.
And finally it is also very different from numerology (the study of the meaning of numbers) and tarot (interpreting cards).

Astrology, instead, is an interpretative tool. A translation, if you will, of the planets, their symbolism, their relationship to one another and, by extension, to each individual on the planet. It is the single greatest universal tool to help us understand the lives we were born into and the issues that will accompany us throughout this journey on earth.

Moreover, it helps us understand others. Knowing the dynamics of a family member, friend or coworker enables us to become more open and less critical. You come to realize that every single one of us carries around some type of luggage, and understanding that can go a long way toward a more peaceful overall existence.


WHAT IS A HOROSCOPE?

A horoscope, also known as a birth chart or a zodiac chart, is nothing more complicated than a picture of the sky at the very moment you were born. It would take thousands of years for the planets to realign themselves in exactly the same configuration, which is why every chart is so very unique.  Click here to order a custom baby birth chart.

The story that unfolds in a horoscope is based on the positions of the Sun, the Moon and the 8 other planets (yes, including Pluto, which has not been demoted in the astrological community) in particular signs (Aries thru Pisces), particular houses (each one represents an area of your life) and in a particular relationship to one another (called aspects). Since the Moon zips through the entire zodiac in a mere 28-29 days, and Pluto takes 248 years to accomplish the same feat, one can see how individual a chart becomes by its very nature. Moreover, the Ascendant, which is based on the birth time, moves by a degree approximately every four minutes, so the likelihood of two charts being identical is very slim.
There are many additional factors which complete the picture – asteroids, nodes, parts, just to name a few – but even without them, one can get a quite accurate picture of what a horoscope is trying to convey.


WHY THE SUN SIGN DOESN’T ALWAYS FIT

The fact that most people only know their sun signs – the Moon and Ascendant if they’re lucky – has not helped astrology’s credibility, and the daily simplified horoscope columns have only added fuel to the fire. It seems obvious that the world cannot be divided into 12 different kinds of people, hence the importance of looking at the entire chart. You may have been born under the Sun sign Libra but, unbeknownst to you, have 5 planets in Scorpio, which would considerably alter your Libran disposition.
Your Sun may be weakly positioned, or your Moon might be much stronger or simply take more space. Your Ascendant – your mask, the face you show the world, the way you approach others – might be radically different from your Sun sign as well, thereby giving others a “What you see is NOT what you get” impression. And on and on it goes…
It should also be mentioned that the one thing a chart does not show is a person’s level of consciousness, so there are obviously varying degrees of expression of any planet in any sign, from the basic and primitive to the complex and enlightened.
There is, however, no argument that the Sun remains the single most important part of anyone’s horoscope, and you’d be hard-pressed to find a person who does not identify with it at all. The Sun represents the core, the centre, the basis of who you are, and regardless of the other factors that may alter its expression, it is undeniably the cornerstone of the chart.
In a perfect world, the Moon would carry the same weight, buy many factors contribute to its perceived lesser status – a strongly patriarchal society and the speed at which it moves (thus making it more difficult to pin down) come to mind, among others.
The balance really comes from knowing and embracing them both. At the very least, it’s a start, and from there, the possibilities of self knowledge are endless…


ASTROLOGY AS A PREDICTIVE TOOL

Is anything written in stone?
Well, yes and no.
There is no question that we are born with a mission, a destiny meant to be fulfilled, but this destiny can take on many forms, and it can be reached through different paths.
So the good news is that we remain responsible for our lives, and no astrologer in his right mind would blame the stars for an unfortunate event.
However, there comes a time when changes are necessary – the destiny doesn’t always get reached along the path of least resistance - and most humans are admittedly not particularly fond of change. But knowing when that time has come, what needs to change, what areas will be affected – that’s where astrology steps in.

How it works…
The planets don’t stop moving after your birth (although the occasional Leo may be forgiven for thinking so!). The birth chart remains static, but the planets, as they travel in time, eventually “hit” a point in our chart where a natal planet is located, and that becomes a significant event. And depending on the planets involved, the aspect they make, the signs they are in and the house this occurs in, one can quite accurately narrow down what will happen when and in what area of life.

Essentially, it guides us, helps us understand the meaning of events, take action, adjust, surrender and open ourselves to all the possibilities.


A SPECIAL NOTE ABOUT AUTOMATED HOROSCOPES

There are many web sites and astrology programs that offer a detailed analysis of your horoscope, even for free.
It basically breaks down every element of the chart into single items, with no regard to and independently of the rest of the horoscope, which ultimately still gives a stitched-together, at times quite inaccurate account of the whole picture, so it is important to keep this in mind if you should test it out.
In the end, nothing replaces a qualified, experienced astrologer who is able not only to analyze, but to synthesize all the separate elements.


“There is no better boat than a horoscope to help man cross over the sea of life.”
- Varaha Mihira