What is Astrology?
Astrology is an ambiguous science that supposedly claims to divine important information regarding planetary movements and human affairs through the movements of celestial objects in the night sky. It claims to predict and control future events based on the movement of stars. The rising and setting of the sun, moon, and planets is supposed to have an effect on how humans behave and how their lives are organized. It is also believed that by examining the relationships among celestial bodies like the sun, moon, and planets, one can infer the secrets of divination. Astrology has many followers but it is not accepted by the scientific community as a valid science. There are even those who doubt the very idea of astrology and discount its ability to predict events and predict phenomena.
ASTROLOGY & Astronomy co-exist peacefully and often harmoniously. The practice of astrology dates back to ancient times when it was used to judge and predict the location of heavenly bodies like the planets Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus. This became a source of income for those astrologers who wrote their calculations and drew the charts. When the concept of astronomy was developed and the techniques of mapping and viewing the movement of the planets were better understood, astrology gradually disappeared from the stage.
Astrology is sometimes confused with astronomy because they share some commonalities like using fixed or movable objects to map out an aspect of the sky, but astrology has a more refined use of stars, planets, and comets for pinpointing personality traits. While astronomy relies mostly on visible objects to determine events, astrology mainly uses heavenly bodies such as the sun, moon, and planets to chart a person’s personality. By observing a person’s personality in relation to the presence and absence of certain celestial objects, astrologers are able to form conclusions about the future of a person, his past, and his role in the unfolding of events that will transpire in the future.
The most basic knowledge of astrology comes from knowing how to read a person’s natal chart. A natal chart, also called astrological birth chart, is basically a chart that charts the baby’s path through his or her life. The placement of planets and stars in the natal chart gives important clues about where the person will end up at some point in his or her life. The placement of the planets and stars in a natal chart is also affected by other factors like the person’s attitude, his values and beliefs, and his occupational choices and choice of residence. By taking the time to learn about the natal chart and the effects of the planets and stars upon it, a person can learn how to make use of astrology to further understand his or her personality.
Aside from studying astrology books and websites online, another good way to learn about astrology is to enroll in an astrology class or workshop. This is where aspiring astrologers can meet and learn more about the art of astrology through lectures, discussions, and demonstrations. In signing up for such classes, students will be taught how to interpret the positioning and movement of the planets and stars through various charts. The instructors of these courses teach the students how to make use of astrology to predict the personality traits of individuals based on the placement of the planets and stars in their natal horoscopes.
While astrology and astronomy are related, there is a difference between the two. Astrology deals with numbers, dates and positions while astronomy deals mostly with objects and spaces. For example, there are those who believe that the moon is a ball of dust, while others believe that it is a planet. Therefore, there are differences between the two.