A Brief History of the Oldest Science Known to Humankind

Sometimes they're uncanny in their accuracy; other times they hit a bit off the mark. Nearly always, horoscopes are good entertainment. But Astrology is far more complex than a daily horoscope-and it's not just for fun. Contrary to its popular but erroneous reputation as a New Age subject, Astrology is actually an ancient science that predates both astronomy and psychology. Studied and used throughout the world for thousands of years, Astrology is the study of the interactions among the Stars and the Planets, based on intricate mathematical cycles.

The earliest known astrological records date back to Babylon, 1645 BC, and the earliest horoscope to 410 BC. Astrology's origins can also be traced to several other locations and cultures, including Egypt, which developed sophisticated timekeeping and calendar science; Greece, where Ptolemy authored influential astrological and astronomical texts; and Rome, where many of the most learned men-including two emperors-were astrologers who wrote laws and counseled citizens based on the Stars.

During the Renaissance, when literacy became more widespread, almanacs began publishing astrological information for public consumption. Several notable figures of the era, including Galileo and Copernicus, were both practicing astrologers and founders of the modern scientific movement. Despite the seemingly easy relationship between Astrology and science, however, Astrology began to lose popular credibility when myriad predictions about the great conjunction of 1524 failed to "come true."

As the Scientific Revolution surged and astronomy gained respect, Astrology and various other arts fell by the wayside. Many individuals still practiced the art, however, and Astrology enjoyed small revivals in England in the 17- and 1800s. But it wasn't until the birth of Princess Margaret in 1930 that Astrology once again found widespread popularity. That year, the London Sunday Express ran an astrological profile of the princess to celebrate her birth-and so began the modern newspaper horoscope column.

In the 1950s, French astrologers Michel and Françoise Gauquelin used sophisticated statistical studies to link the positions of the Planets to human nature. Others, such as Dane Rudhyar, have expanded the study of Humanistic Astrology. To learn more about Astrology, select one of the topics on the left side of this page.

Semisquare (waxing) -- Overcoming Resistance

Overcoming Resistance

Here, some token resistance to forward motion must be negotiated. It could be residue from the past, whatever might rise up and block the passage to progress. It is to be expected, and since this is the waxing or outgoing phase, it is appropriate to push firmly forward at this point and wade through whatever it is that is resisting. This is not a place to back off or to take no for an answer. Gentle, but persistent, forward motion is recommended. This is a waxing phase or upswing, moving outward.

Semisextile (waxing) -- Planning Astrology

Planning

Here’s a gentle push as the new idea or vibration grows and begins to spread out, making clear a sense of direction or flow from inward, outward. This is the planning stage, as the idea turns into a plan of action, and the wish to make this plan manifest.

Conjunction -- New Idea Astrology

New Idea

In a word, the seed impulse, pure potential.

This is the most encapsulated moment, the most indrawn point, and the source of the vibration that starts a new cycle, that sends out a pulse, a new beginning, a beginning built upon results of the previous cycle. It is an idea in its purest or most direct form—pure thought.

It is clarity, but very pure, and seminal. Above all, it is a new signal that is strong enough to overcome and rise above the past and assert itself. It cannot be denied. It will have its day. This is a vision point.

Full-Phase Aspects Astrology

Full-Phase Aspects

Learning to use and keep the concept of full-phase aspects in mind can be made easy by going through the sixteen different phases one at a time, and understanding the interpretations. The following interpretations would work for looking at the phases of the Moon (Sun-Moon angle), or the phases of any two bodies, such as Mars-Saturn, Venus-Jupiter, etc. Most important will be to understand how each phases changes into the next and that the entire set of phases is just one continual cycle with distinct points along the way.

Where in the Cycle? Astrology

Where in the Cycle?

If you only want to know when two planets are within orb of an aspect, you are missing a lot. Of course it is more important to know when an aspect is exact or nearly so. But it is also important to know even roughly about the relationship of any two planets. Where are they in the cycle of their relationship? This is what you should be asking.

The point here is that the activity of any two planets or bodies does not just manifest at the exact aspect points. It is a process that is ongoing, and we can take a snapshot of that process at any time, not only when an exact aspect is reached. While orbs are very helpful in spotting the high points, we also need a general idea of where we are at in the entire cycle. For example, as aspect may be short of being called a square (90-degree aspect), but it is more a square than it is anything else and you or your clients need to know this.

For most of my work, which is with large-scale patterns, I don’t look at orbs; only at the patterns. A misshapen (out-of-orb) grand trine is still a grand trine and nowhere near being any other pattern. If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it’s a duck. The same with aspects. Don’t get hung up on exactness; grasp the whole picture.

The Main Point Here Astrology

The Main Point Here

While exact aspects are important, of equal importance (or perhaps even more important) is to know about the angular relationship between any two planets. In other words, exact aspects are snapshots or moments in the larger cycle of whichever two bodies you are looking at. They are not the only thing to keep track of here.

For example, f I tell you that you have Venus square Saturn in your chart, that is something worth noting. But if Venus and Saturn are slightly out-of-orb—just beyond whatever orb you have set—they may not come up on your radar screen, so you might not consider them.

The point is, regardless of whether Venus and Saturn are at the exact point of being square to one another, or even within orb, they are right near that point and are nowhere else. Any two planets are in aspect at all times, regardless of whether they are currently at one of the designated aspects (square, trine, etc.) or not. They are either before or after whatever the nearest aspect we are using. That aspect is about to happen (soon) or has just happened (and is over). This information is essential to know—where in the cycle any two planets are, regardless of exact aspects. The diagram here shows all of the major aspects, and you can see that no matter where you are in the cycle, the next aspect is never that far away.