From societies dating back thousands of years to those of today, in every corner of the world, the belief in astrology has guided personal decision-making, spiritual beliefs, knowledge systems and even government decisions. Some individuals may see astrology as a way to foretell the future but for many cultures, astrological practice is much more than divination – it serves as the foundation for every aspect of their lives.
What is astrology? How is it used around the world? Can it be used to predict events in your future – like winning a big prize using your Jackpot casino login? How can you harness the power of astrology based on your birth history? Join us to explore this fascinating subject.
What is Astrology?
Astrology encompasses the belief that astronomical phenomena influence our personality traits and the daily events of our lives. Astrology regards the celestial bodies, including the planets, the stars, the sun and the moon, as basic life forces. They are, according to astrology, the basis of our substance and the tools by which we live. The zodiacal position of these celestial bodies gives them different forms so they relate to one another, and to us, differently, depending on their positions.
The relationships are described based on the aspects formed between the planets. How the planets are positioned in relation to the place of birth allows us to understand their expression in the spheres of life which are depicted by astrological houses.
Astrologists aim to interpret the roles of the planets and their qualities – houses, signs and elements – in order to create a synthesis. Astrology then presents a comprehensive overview of the person based on his natal horoscope together with that person’s potential.
Differences
There are many different traditions, systems, methods, types, branches and applications of astrology. Astrology was practiced in ancient times in the Middle East and Persia, Babylonians, Egyptians, Celts, Mayans and Greeks. It is still a central focus among a significant portion of the populations of China, Burma, Sri Lanka and Tibet. Astrology is also an integral component of numerology, phrenology, I Ching, Tarot divination, Kabbalah, and other esoteric thought systems.
All in all there are more than 80 branches of astrology including different schools of practice and subsets of techniques within the different schools.
The two largest schools of astrology today are the schools of Chinese astrology and Western astrology. Both systems center on how one’s date and time of birth correlate to 12 symbols or signs which communicate across meaning. Both systems have the 12 signs
- Chinese signs are: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig
- The Western signs are: Ram, Bull, Twins, Crab, Lion, Virgin, Scales, Scorpion, Centaur, Sea-Goat, Water Bearer, and Fish.
In the Western astrological framework, signs are divided by the month. In Chinese astrology, signs are divided by years – Year of the Dog, Year of the Dragon, etc. Under Chinese astrological beliefs, people who were born under a specific sign (Year of the Rat, for instance), have similar traits. In Western astrology, the people with similar traits are those who are born under a sign determined by the month that they were born.
In addition, Western astrology assigns basic motivations to the human psyche based on the position of the planets at a person’s birth. The Chinese astrological system adds an additional 3 pillars that determine a person’s fate – birth year birth month, birth day and birth hour. In comparing the two, Western astrology focuses on how constellations align with planets, the moon and stars while in Chinese astrology, the four pillars are based on the Chinese calendar’s alignment of blocks of time.
Astrology Today
If you want to explore your future based on astrology today you can explore one of several different types of astrology. They include:
Natal Astrology
Natal astrology is the type of astrology with which more people are familiar. It’s based off a chart that shows the placements of major celestial bodies at the place and time of your birth. There are services that will calculate your natal chart for you but you can do it yourself with an Internet Natal Chart. Astrologers believe that a person’s natal chart is a blueprint of their life where the person’s strengths and weaknesses are, their personality and how all these elements combine to show the person’s life path.
Horary Astrology
Horary astrology traces its origins back to ancient times. It’s a divination tool that is used when someone is looking for an answer to a specific question. It involves creating a chart based on the exact minute that the question was asked. Using the chart the astrology will give a yes or no answer.
Electional Astrology
This type of astrology involves picking the ideal time to hold an event based on what the astrologer sees in the sky. People use Electional astrology when deciding when to get married, when to travel, when to go on a job interview, etc.
Mundane Astrology
Mundane Astrology predicts world affairs and events. This is the type of astrology that people used thousands of years ago because, at that time, rulers of nations consulted the astrologers when they wanted answers on how to rule, when to go to war, etc. Few, if any, people thought about using astrology for individual needs. Mundane astrology focuses on cycles and patterns – when was the last time that a specific celestial pattern was seen? What happened then? That can then tell us what to expect when that pattern appears again.
Medical Astrology
Medical astrology is also an ancient branch of astrology. It involves the association of diseases and body parts with the zodiac sign and the planets. According to medical astrology, certain planets affect specific organs and each zodiac sign rules a body part.
Relationship Astrology
Relationship Astrology is similar to natal astrology. It examines compatibility between people.