What You May Not Know About Astrology

Astrology is an ancient art and science like number mysticism (numerology). Although it wasn't fully developed and in its peak form until the Middle Ages, adherents in Classical Greece (5th-4th centuries BC), Hellenistic Greece (about 330 BC-145 BC), and Hellenistic Egypt (approximately 330 BC – 30 BC) successfully utilized it to interpret fate and gain spiritual understanding.

Over a thousand years earlier, astrology was practiced, albeit in more informal and straightforward forms, in Babylon, Egypt, China, and India. Wise practitioners throughout the ages have come to understand the cyclical and ordered nature of life.

Prediction of personal fate through astrological and numerological calculations and charts is a more than 2000 year-old tradition. Kings, queens, pharaohs, emperors, religious leaders, and other powerful, influential types wanted to capitalize on their fate and be prepared for challenging times.

Prophesy was a very serious business in ancient times, whether it was in Ancient Egypt, China, Greece, Persia or elsewhere; if the astrologer or numerologist was not consistently correct in his predictions, he risked ostracism, exile, or even execution.

It's correct to say that it is entirely possible to know what years and months in a person's life, through comprehensive astrological and numerological charting methods, that he or she is fated to meet their most pressing life dilemmas, and alternatively richest rewards. This awareness allows one to plan and prepare.

Although most astrological focus simply deals with "what" and "when," there exist various classifications of astrology.

Judicial astrology is a broad term used to describe the prediction of future circumstances and events through astrological calculation and charting. It encompasses most forms of astrology, aside from "natural astrology" which includes medical astrology.

Mundane astrology deals with interpreting and predicting worldly affairs including the following: geological phenomena like volcanic eruptions, hurricanes, earthquakes, and other natural disasters; political events; and other worldly affairs. Mundane astrology is believed to have originated in ancient Babylon and its development is largely credited to Ptolemy in Hellenistic Egypt, and later the Persians and Arabs in the Middle Ages.

Horoscopic astrology, which includes the basic astrology chart system in use today with its Ascendant (the degree of the rising Eastern horizon at the chart's inception), or "rising sign" and house divisions, is believed to have originated in Hellenistic Egypt. It's inappropriate that much of today's Sun sign astrology is referred to as horoscopes, since it has nothing to do with the Ascendant.

Horary astrology, a form of horoscopic astrology like most forms today, involves answering questions (often of the yes or no variety) based on horoscopes of the precise time and place the question is asked. Some give much more weight to the exact time and place of the origin of the idea or question, not when it is posed to the astrologer.

Electional astrology is associated with identifying the most favorable time to initiate something or involve oneself in a specific undertaking. It's highly regarded for those who want to make the most of their personal timing, and also for those who attempt to cheat fate. Universal cycles are considered in conjunction with personal cycles in the natal charts.

Natal astrology involves establishing horoscopic charts at the precise time and location of a person's birth to determine personality traits and fated life circumstances and events.

Age of Reason

Since the Age of Reason (1600s AD) astrology has been in a state of decline in part due to a prevailing condemnation under the guise of "logic," a distorted redefinition of the meaning of science, all but relegating the sacred science of astrology (and numerology) to myth and pseudo science.

From that time forward, the science authorities dictated that astrology wasn't a science because it didn't hold up under the scientific method, which involves logically compiling observable, measurable data.

That judgment is unfounded because astrology is a science by definition, since results are consistently and empirically drawn from the same sets of circumstances. Science is based on observation.

Psychology and Astrology

The ancient science of astrology has suffered further setback in modern times from an overly creative infusion of subjective oriented psychology.

Psychology was not part of astrology until about 100 years ago. Originally, astrology had nothing to do with psychology and almost everything to do with prediction. This may come as a shock to some practicing modern astrologers who have not looked beyond modern astrological methods.

While most would agree that psychology in itself is a valuable tool, and that some personality assessment using select forms psychological astrology can be beneficial, psychology's dominance of today's astrological methods and the rejection of the original forms and usages ultimately work against the science.

Psychological astrology, involving a time and again frivolous and distorted approach to the science, is the type of astrology most people are familiar with today since it's the basis of the vast majority of mainstream astrology books, web sites, magazine articles, and newspaper horoscopes. It is understandable why a skeptic would say they "...don't believe in astrology," if they have only been exposed to modern astrology.

Pertaining to astrology and personality analysis, modern, psychologically-based Western astrology is far less exact than other forms of personality analysis in accurately discerning differences between twins and people who were born within a few minutes of each other in the same area.

Although modern psychologically-based Western astrology can be a useful tool for generalized personality analysis, it is best used in conjunction with other systems to assure a reasonable level of precision.

It should be noted that a thorough handwriting analysis done by a well-trained professional provides a great deal of insight about subconscious character, much of which can't be found through modern, psychological astrology.

Astrology and Twins

There's a popular modern astrological theory that twins divide up their horoscope charts and that one chooses some of the energy and the other twin acts out the rest of the energy symbolized by the charts. It's an engaging theory, but as a twin and having studied twins, I feel it's erroneous.

While I find modern astrological methods useful to a point, the lack of significant astrological differences in the charts of those born within minutes of each other in the same general location represents a significant flaw of the science.

In contrast, ancient Egyptian, Hindu, Greek, and Arabic astrological methods offer far more accuracy than modern astrology in most ways, especially relating to prediction of personal life events and circumstances.

Notwithstanding, I fully acknowledge that it is possible for a practitioner who has strong psychic ability and a good, general understanding of basic modern astrology to successfully use its methods exclusively as psychic touchstones. But very few have this talent where they can get consistent, accurate reads without using other methods involving a comprehensive approach.

Fate and Astrology

19th century and later astrological methods mostly include distortions of ancient astrological tradition; that of objective, empirically-based prediction, in favor of New Age thought involving "progression of consciousness" and other vague psycho-spiritual concepts.

The natal charts are not outlines of the subject's awareness, for example. The modern movement away from distinct matters in the charts in favor of skewed impressions involving the psyche has only complicated the process of delineation and prediction.

The art and science of astrological (and numerological) prediction is actually criticized by many modern astrologers today, in favor of outlining "only potentials," which they mistakenly claim can be reversed to the advantage of the subject.

Some might say the real reason astrological prediction is out of favor today is because it demands a realistic consideration of the cold, hard realities of life and that it takes a good amount of time and discipline to achieve consistent levels of high accuracy; successfully outlining fate through astrology takes practice.

Perhaps much easier (and more profitable in many cases) is to deny ancient astrological tradition and instead take a creative, subjective, psychological approach.

Some popular modern astrologers even go so far as to offensively suggest escapism, wishful thinking, self-fulfilling prophesies, and a failure to take responsibility for one's actions and life in response to the idea that some astrologers and numerologists (like me) say it's possible to measure and outline personal fate (i.e., impart the general inclination of fate, and frequently, even precise future circumstances and events). Worse, they deny that fate exists, and also deny the reality that varying degrees of unavoidable adversity (which is also measurable) in people's lives serves a divine purpose.

It's ironic how fully embracing the concepts of personal karma and fate is directly related to taking responsibility for one's actions and that much of the modern astrology found today offers mainly an escape from the brutal realities of life.

In order to acknowledge predestination, or see fate in action through astrology, one must consistently, impartially scrutinize life circumstances and events in accordance with comprehensive charting methods. Yet many who deny the concept of fated life events and circumstances avoid this practice.

Claiming a belief in the fictitious ideal that the world is now a place where "consciousness is progressing more rapidly, therefore you can shape your fate any way you want" and that "anything is possible" isn't an excuse to deny the concept of personal fated life events and circumstances.

Asserting the astrology charts hold personal destiny and, at the same time, denying fate is a common modern error. Destiny doesn't mean that, for example, if your charts reflect excessive turmoil associated with multiple lovers, that you can simply identify it and then "integrate" the energy, the fated circumstances, so that you can then live happily ever after in a life-long monogamous relationship. That's not effective assimilation and it doesn't rid one's self of that which you can't change; it is self-deception.

Does the philosophy of predestination negate the concept of free will? Absolutely not; you apply your free will to manifest your destiny. Simply taking the right action at the right time, whatever feels most "right," while centered and connected to your higher-self (instead of purely your personality or ego-self), aligns you with your destiny. People frequently do what feels right (for better or worse), and what feels right is aligned with their fate as seen in the charts; they are mysteriously unified.

The charts show that there is no escape from what could be termed soul responsibilities: necessary personal experiences while incarnated on earth. The good news is that there is relief through acceptance, forgiveness, detachment, and unconditional love.

Once you see the constant repetition of astrological and numerological patterns entirely corresponding to circumstances in peoples' lives, it is easy to stop rejecting the concept of fate.

In doing so, you'll align your thinking with that of well-regarded ancient mystics and seers. They were convinced that fate cannot be cheated and that life is just one sentence in the text of earthly incarnations.

Qualities of a Good Astrologer

There exist many well-meaning, capable, respectable astrologers today, but many fail to acknowledge ancient principles regarding predestination and instead focus on modern constructs.

However, if you want to know the "what" and "when" of your fate, then in your search for a good astrologer, the following qualities are to your advantage:

*Astrologers who assert, "Yes, I believe in predestination and fate can be measured."

*Astrologers who readily declare that authentic, ancient astrology had much to do with outlining personal fate.

*Astrologers who avoid the modern trap of treating the natal figures exclusively as maps of the subject's subconscious and instead consider real issues such as love and money, and the timing of such, in the charts.

*Astrologers who consider infrequent cycles such as transits, secondary progressions, retrogrades, eclipses, solar returns, and solar arcs to be superficial indicators best used for fine-tuning.

*Astrologers who employ Ptolemaic aspects (conjunctions, squares, sextiles, etc.), but who don't use them exclusively as the only means of delineation.

*Astrologers who use extensive charting methods and refuse to delineate or predict with a limited number of considerations (unless they have remarkable, consistently strong psychic ability).

*Astrologers who avoid doing compatibility analyses (or any type of analysis) using only a few aspects and instead utilize a comprehensive approach viewing any one aspect in relation to the other indications and patterns throughout the charts.

*Astrologers who entirely support the concepts of karma (what goes around comes around), dharma (what you must do) reincarnation, fate, and the polarity of this universe, which means that it's impossible to have, for instance, permanent peace without conflict, and success without failure.

*Astrologers who recognize and are bold enough to declare that there exists a certain amount of unavoidable adversity in everyone's life and that it serves a divine purpose.

*Astrologers who recognize that you can't always get what you want just because you want it (no matter how much work you do on yourself or how inspired you get), especially when the desire contrasts with your fated plan, as outlined in the comprehensive charts.

*Astrologers who concede that you can't cheat fate and you can't bypass challenging karma without directly balancing it.

*Astrologers who practice with the philosophy that you can't "be anything" you want, unless that desire is aligned with your predestined path.

*Astrologers who place more importance on spiritual development and self-actualization rather than on today's commonly exclusive New Age "getting what you want" ideals, which frequently deny "what is" (such as immutable life circumstances).

*Astrologers who assert that spiritual development and self-actualization often result from getting what you need instead of only what you want; life isn't meant to be purely about ego-self gratification.

*Astrologers who refuse to allow self-proclaimed astrological ethics code enforcers (e.g., "thou shall not predict challenging life events;" "thou shall say fate is flexible;" "thou shall say 'anything is possible,'" etc.), such as those in professional astrological organizations, to dictate the focus of their work.