Astrology

Astrology is a pseudoscience based on the belief that human behavior and feelings are influenced by the planets and stars. It is completely different from astronomy, the study of the planets and stars, but the ancient peoples did not distinguish between the two. Astrologers believe that they can predict events and the success or failure of human endeavors by studying the positions of the heavenly bodies. These predictions are based upon charts, called horoscopes, which astrologers draw up to show the positions of the planets and stars in relation to the sun at any particular time. These charts show the forces that the heavenly bodies are supposed to exert on human beings.

Ancient peoples thought that the stars were supernatural beings and that the Earth was the center of the universe. In ancient astrology, the movements of the stars were seen as divine actions, which humans were supposed to interpret to find out what the gods wanted them to do and how they should behave. Early astrology began with the ancient Chaldeans of Mesopotamia who interpreted the movements in the skies as omens. They kept excellent records of their predictions, which developed into astrology.

The science of Astrology...

There are two main branches of modern astrology – physical and psychological. Physical astrology is based on the belief that there is a direct cause and effect relationship between the movement of the stars and the behavior of humans here on Earth. Psychological astrology is based on the beliefs that the stars reveal personality traits that we must work to overcome.

The horoscopes in astrology are based on the twelve signs of the Zodiac, an imaginary belt in the sky that includes the path of the sun, the moon and the planets. Each sign has its own constellation and its own ruling planet. Mars, Venus and Mercury rule over two signs each, while Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune each rule over one sign. The sun and the moon are regarded as planets as well and they each have a sign connected to them.