Real
Astrology
I
get many calls asking me what astrology is and even
some from prospective clients who believe they have
had an astrology consultation (years ago) with someone
else. Sometimes we have weird conversation for a time
until I figure they think I am a tarot reader or clairvoyant.
I am actually but I chose astrology as my profession
because personally it gives me more scope to answer
people's questions. I will attempt to dispel any myths
about astrology and will also try to explain what
your chosen astrologer is actually looking at when
they read your chart.
Those of you who have had a live consultation may
have thought the astrologer stared at a bunch of lines
and squiggles and came up with a pretty accurate statement
and so the whole thing must be magic.
Astrology is the influence of the Sun, Moon and planets
and how they act through us and the earth in general.
The astrologer casts a chart, either on computer or
by hand. This is to say, mathematical calculations
are made in order to set the sign of the zodiac which
was on the eastern horizon (or rising) at the exact
time and place of your birth. Because it is mathematical
it is important to give an accurate time of birth,
otherwise the ascendant may be out (1 degree for every
4 minutes of birth time innacuracy) and this can change
the house placement of the planets and cause variations
in the prediction of events. Once the ascendant is
cast then the planets fit into certain houses and
make certain aspects to each other and this is how
the astrological story is read.
I should mention that there are people who say they
are using astrology who may not necessarily cast a
chart. Instead they may look up a book called an Ephemeris
which gives planetary positions and they may give
you some information based on this. Although this
is still astrology and can give some useful insights
there is no substitute for an accurately cast chart.
Usually these insights from an ephemeris are given
in conjunction with a clairvoyant or tarot reading
and this information may be sufficient for your needs.
Another method of gaining access to information is
through a computer generated report. These cost anywhere
from $10.00 to $70.00, some are more expensive. These
reports are not personally interpreted by an astrologer
and you will find many contradictions in them. I mention
this because some people believe this is what astrology
is, this is all it has to offer. They are often disappointed
with the results, especially if they have spent $70.00
or more. Please note that a computer cast chart is
not the same as a computer generated report. Many
astrologers use computers to do the mathematical calculations
and then interpret the chart personally while other
people simply sell you a report essentially created
by a computer.
Once the astrologer has cast the chart there are certain
patterns to be looked at, trends that give clues to
how a person responds to life. There are the elements
of fire, earth, air and water or initiative, practicality,
intellect and feeling. There are the modes of cardinal,
fixed and mutable which show whether a person has
a tendency towards being too flexible or too rigid.
The quadrant, hemisphere or planet placement also
tells a story. Most planets on the left side or east
of a chart indicates a person who likes control while
most planets on the western or right side indicate
someone who allows others to influence their lives.
Each quarter of the chart has a different meaning
too.
Armed with this information as an overview an astrologer
may then look at the Sun, Moon and Ascendant in a
chart to see if there are any obvious compatibilities
or frictions that cause conflict within. The Sun rules
your inner self or ego, who you think you are and
whether or not you feel important. The Moon rules
your emotions and family patterns, the ascendant is
the mask you wear to hide all the bits of yourself
that you don't want others to see. More importantly
it rules your life and will s how the general way
you experience your terrestrial existence as a human
being. Aspects to planets will give clues as to the
source of such things and possible solutions. This
is just a small example of some of the things astrologers
will consider when reading your chart and these things
cannot be adequately synthesised by a computer in
a computer generated report.
The Ascendant is interesting because it is the impression
we want others to have of us. It is the reason why
we wail that others don't understand us because we
have not shown them what we are really like inside.
Of course if your Sun, Moon and Ascendant are the
same then what you see is what you get. The ruler
of the ascendant, by its house placement, will show
what is important to us in life. If the planet which
rules the ascendant is placed in the 5th house then
we might be most interested in children or perhaps
pursuing leisure and fun. If the planet which rules
the ascendant is in the second house of wealth then
we might be intested in making money. Whether we do
make this money or not will depend entirely on the
condition of the planet and aspects made to it by
other planets.
Each house has a specific meaning, each sign, planet
and aspect too. What makes the computer generated
reports so confusing is that they cannot pick what
the overriding influence is or what the resulting
human behaviour will be. For instance if you have
the Sun in Sagittarius it could bring you a great
deal of optimism. However, you might also have the
Moon in Capricorn square to Saturn which make you
depressed or pessimistic. Real live astrologers can
tell you what you do, why you become downhearted and
what makes you bounce back. We are not all the same
day in and day out after all. Our behaviour and moods
vary and this can often be seen by the influence of
transiting planets to our natal tendencies. The art
in real live astrology is having the knowledge, expertise
and talent to be able to read the signs and tell the
story of you. Who you are, why you are like you are
and what is likely to happen and how you can live
the best life possible.
There are many levels of astrology, techniques and
types too. In most cases we encounter Western astrology
or sometimes Chinese. There is vedic (hindu, jyotish)
esoteric, classical, medieval, hororary, geodetic
and mundane to name a few. Within these there are
techniques which astrologers use to answer questions
about your daily life. Some of the more common ones
in Western astrology are natal charts, solar returns,
transits, progressions and primary directions. Some
astrologers are more interested in medical or psychological
astrology. The former may use a technique called decumbiture
or the exact time at which the illness became apparent,
the latter may be interested in Jungian theory and
how astrology can be applied to it.
You will never know what your astrologer is looking
at. It may be your alcocoden, hyleg or almuten but
there is no need to be alarmed, these are just part
of medieval or classical interpretation. From simple
daily horoscopes through to complex and precise techniques
there are many levels of astrology and each has its
purpose. The important thing to remember is that astrology
in its purest form is not related to the psychic sciences,
it is simply maths combined with an ability to read
the signs and apply them to human conditions, behaviour
and events. For excellence in astrology this is when
"knowing" is applied, after the facts and
figures have been weighed further insights into astrological
meaning can become a feature for some astrologers
and this enhances their ability to deliver a quality
report.
Hazel
