5 Core Facts About Astrology You Should Know (Other Than Zodiac Signs & Horoscopes)
Delve into the history and complexities of your favorite hot topic.
Ethan Robertson on Unsplash Astrology is a hot topic today with millions of followers reading up on their daily horoscopes and searching their compatibility with other zodiac signs. When it comes to astrology, many people are skeptical.
It seems like a lot of zodiac descriptions are broad generalizations that could apply to anyone. However, astrology is much more multifaceted than many people realize; there is much more to the study of astrology than one birth sign, or zodiac, per person.
Although it is considered a pseudo-science combining astronomy, philosophy, psychology, metaphysics and other schools of thought, astrology has been used as a guiding compass for people’s lives for centuries.
Here are a few things you might not know about astrology, but definitely should, that will give you insight into your horoscope and zodiac sign.
1. It’s been dubbed “The Mother of All Sciences”
While astrology is by no means a science as we define the sciences today, it is the earliest recorded ordering of the universe by humans. Like religion, it was initially a way for people to find order and meaning in life, which humans are programmed to seek.
Since the beginning of time, ancient peoples have looked to the stars for answers about their existence. The Babylonians are credited as being the first to create astrological charts in order to predict the seasons and timing of events.
Essentially, astrological charts were used as primitive calendars. These charts were passed on to the Greeks, who expanded upon them and recognized astrology as a science (back then, astronomy and astrology were the same).
2. Each zodiac sign is associated with one of the four elements of nature (Earth, Air, Fire, Water).
The elemental designations are another layer to the complexity of astrology beyond the general zodiac stereotypes. Each element symbolizes some similarity between the signs that it is associated with.
The Earth signs (Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn) tend to be down-to-Earth, grounded personalities. Air signs (Gemini, Libra, Aquarius) are similar in that they imitate the wind; they gravitate toward new ideas and love adventure.
The Fire signs (Aries, Leo, Sagittarius) are characterized by their deep passion, but they can lose control of their emotions. Finally, the Water signs (Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces) are mysterious, deep and intuitive (often compared to the ocean). Sound familiar?
3. Each zodiac sign is associated with one or more ruling planets.
Additionally, each planet represents a Greek god (which you probably already knew). Since this belief system predates our understanding of celestial bodies, the sun and moon are also within the astrological solar system.
The planetary zodiac characteristics reflect those of the gods; for example, Jupiter rules Sagittarius and Pisces. Jupiter is the ruler of the gods, characterized by personability and optimism, which are expressed by both zodiac signs.
The planet Venus (associated with Venus, the goddess of love and harmony) represents Taurus and Libra, who are both affectionate and romantic.
The planets are also separated into two subcategories: inner planets and outer planets. The inner planets (the sun, the moon, Mercury, Mars and Venus) move more quickly, therefore affecting day-to-day life and emotions.
The outer planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Pluto) affect the big-picture components of life: generational trends and zeitgeists.
4. Western astronomers incorporated the mysticism of astrology for public interest and funding.
From the mid-1500s until as recently as the 1980s, legitimate academic astronomers relied on the popularity of astrology and mysticism to obtain funding from elites. Although the likes of groundbreaking astronomers Copernicus and Galileo only subscribed mildly if at all to the mystic component, others of their time and later combined both the mathematical and the magical parts.
In fact, Nancy Reagan commissioned astrologist Joan Quigley in 1981 to derive meaning and insight regarding the attempted assassination of her husband. While renowned astrologers and astronomers who subscribe to astrology are rarely in the spotlight with leaders today, the practice has retained its popularity with the public.
5. You can get a full astrological “selfie” via a birth chart.
Astrology states that an individual’s birthplace, year, day and time all come into play in the formation of the personality. This is because the sun, constellations and planets were each in a specific position in relation to you at your time of birth, and their continued positions from that time on affect your personality and future.
You can get a full visual representation of your zodiac sign and connection to astrology via a birth chart (also known as a natal chart) complete with the meanings of the position of the sun, moon and other celestial bodies.
Sometimes the descriptions seem conflicting, but so is your complexly human personality. It’s amazing how accurate several descriptions are, given that you’ve provided accurate data.
Clearly, astrology is much more complex than most people give it credit for. It has an incredibly extensive and rich history with elements of each culture that has embraced and adapted it, including current Western culture.
This list touches on several pieces, but it is just the beginning! Viewing your own birth chart can teach you about each component and the relations between them. It is truly a complex view of your personality and the possibilities of your future. Astrology may not be a concrete science, but it is fantastically compelling and often intimately personal!