Astrology is found in all the most advanced higher civilizations throughout history. It has historical depth and has survived despite rigorous persecution and was sought after by both royalty and the church. Until the 18th century it was taught in all the major European universities. Some of the most intelligent men in history have studied and practiced astrology, including Ben Franklin (who selected Washington’s inauguration date), Sir Francis Bacon, Shakespeare, Kepler, Carl Jung, Sir Issac Newton, Sir Walter Scott, Dante , Goethe , Milton, Nostradamus, Ptolemy, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and DH Lawrence, and Ronald Reagan, Calvin Coolidge, Teddy, and Franklin Roosevelt, all of whom also consulted astrologers before making major policy decisions. With the invention of the computer, we are about to enter the golden age of astrology. A consultant no longer has to spend tedious hours doing calculations, but can instead focus on better interpretations for the client’s benefit.
Today we observe natural laws in action whether they are in the heavens or through the microscope. The first astronomers were astrologers. Early man learned to observe the sky to determine the seasons, and he was able to do this by observing the rotation of the Big Dipper. The first calendar that was made was a simple stick in the ground and when the shadow of the sun was traced in 365 ΒΌ days, the circle/cycle was repeated. The movement of all planetary bodies is essentially a great clock. Easter is determined each year after the Sun has entered Aries and is the first Sunday after the vernal equinox.
Astrologers will tell you that planets do not cause things to happen, but planetary aspects are signs of probable events, times, or occurrences. For example, when the clock reads 12:00 noon, that is the same time the sun is at its highest point in the sky and also the hottest time of day with the most solar energy. Our clock tells us this exact point of time each day. Likewise, astrological rhythms from the sky have also been observed to predict wars and riots, new kings and important births, as well as the weather and possible natural disasters. The wise men who found baby Jesus were astrologers (“magi” is an ancient Greek word meaning astrologer). yourself through self-awareness.
Let’s look first at the closest celestial body, the Sun. Our bodies and circadian rhythms are in harmony with its rising and setting. Sunlight awakens us to a mindful life of work and achievement, and sunset signals our body to slow down and rest. Our bodies need several hours of low light to convert serotonin to melatonin so we can sleep. So it’s pretty obvious how the Sun makes us active. In a zodiacal chart it represents our conscious mind and ego and the will to achieve in the material world.
Then there’s the Moon, the changing night light that governs the tides and water systems on our planet, which includes our bodies since we’re about 75% water. The Moon represents our emotional nature and feelings that change from day to day. We know that the Moon affects the ocean tides in a regular 28-day rhythm, and this coincides with a woman’s menstruation. Statistics also show that there is more post-operative bleeding during a full moon, more bar fights, crime and problems in nursing homes. The term “lunatic” comes from the observation that unbalanced individuals would worsen during certain lunar cycles. Traditional farmers planted by the Moon and bought Farmers’ Almanacs as Bibles with chartered Moon cycles for each month. If a farmer used the New Moon cycle, they found that it was the most auspicious time to plant new seedlings, since the combined gravitational pull of the Sun and the Moon (being on one side of the earth) would raise the water table on the surface. from the earth. This effect would mean that there was more moisture available to the young seedlings in the soil and less crop losses (and therefore more money). So the farmer who used astrology could increase the profit from him. So just by looking at the two closest planetary bodies, we see many examples of how their energy and gravity affect our lives.
So let’s take a look at Mars, the red planet. The ancient man noticed that whenever the red planet got very close to the earth, conflicts often broke out. Thus it gained the reputation of being the planet of war. French psychologist Michel Gauquelin scientifically recorded the zodiacal positions of athletes and found that a large percentage had Mars in the ninth or twelfth house position. (This is Mars just past ascendant or zenith/noon in the sky) and he published these results. Many tried to refute his claims, but most acknowledged the findings of his extensive research. Traditionally, Mars is often seen as a prominent planet in the charts of military leaders, soldiers, crusaders, surgeons, and politicians.
Then there’s Venus, who makes a beautiful pattern of five-pointed flowers every eight years around the earth; incorporating the golden ratio, which is the mathematical proportion of how we see beauty. Venus has always been associated with love and beauty and mathematically we can now see the golden ratio in its orbit. Astrologer Paul Westran has done a very thorough study of the Sun and Venus aspects of love relationships with an explanation of why romances can have ups and downs. He especially noted that relationships flourished with the degree of trine or conjunction in a natal chart (synastry) or with a progressed Venus or Sun. Venus traditionally ranks very high on the lists of poets, artists, musicians, writers, models, beautiful women, and many celebrities.
The twenty-year conjunctions of Jupiter and Saturn are used to calculate important events, monitor the stock market, and Feng Shui cycles. We receive radio signals from Jupiter all the time, and depending on your position, the strength of these electromagnetic waves will change and affect the behavior of our Sun. Each twenty-year period heralds a different pattern for the stock market, either bullish or bass guitarist. WD Gann became famous as a stock market trader because he was able to figure out how and when the trade of certain commodities would peak and tunnel. He became a millionaire based on his astrological observations and trades; and he accurately predicted the stock market crash of October 1929, Black Tuesday, to the day, and some say to the hour.
The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator is the most popular personality inventory used in the world today. It is based on Carl Jung’s research on personality and astrology. They describe four basic types and each person has a dominant function: thinking, feeling, sensation or intuition. These polar qualities must be balanced in the individual to achieve the highest performance, and this is the type of analysis we commonly do in astrology.
This is just the beginning of a vast ocean of information that is ours to understand and use to our advantage. Astronomy (measuring the stars) grew out of astrology (knowledge of the stars) and science separated physical observations from psychological ones, with how cosmic bodies can affect our emotional and mental states. A birth chart can show the natural talents, personality traits, challenges and trends that a person’s life is most likely to take. Isn’t it better to be aware of these trends so that you can minimize potential undermining behaviors? Astrology is the map of your life, and you can reach your destination faster if you know all the paths available to you. Which path you ultimately choose is up to you.