The History of Astrology

The history of astrology is actually quite interesting. Astrology has been a major part of many cultures going back to pre-historic times. Some of the history of astrology is masked in controversy and mystery, because astrology was used before tools were developed to see planets that cannot be seen without the naked eye.

Astrology made its first appearance in pre-historic times. Maps of the heavens were found on cave walls, much the same as other cave drawings. These are the most controversial and mysterious of all evidences of the history of astrology. These cave dwellers could not possibly have had the tools necessary to see the planets. How did they know where they were?

The next appearance of astrology was in ancient Mesopotamia and other ancient cultures. These cultures also had extensive astrology charts that cannot be explained. However, the study of astrology was likely passed to Greece through trade with these ancient civilizations.

Astrology in Greece expanded to the form that we recognize in the western world today. Astrology was a daily part of life in Greece, and the Roman Empire to follow. The names of the planets, the constellations, and the sun and moon signs are all named for Roman deities and other names.

Greek and Roman scholars were often guaranteed positions in the court of the current king or emperor. Their knowledge of the stars was regarded as a necessary part of royal decisions, battle planning, and other aspects of royal life. However, astrology experts of these times often found their lives ending abruptly when the current government did not like what they had to say.

For these and other reasons the art of astrology was lost. However, it made a nice come back in Western Europe during the time of the Renaissance.  Astrology was once more a revered art form, and those who studied astrology were thought to be some of the greatest minds of the period. However, when the age of enlightenment ended, astrology once more became an obscure and little discussed topic.

In the late eighteen hundreds astrology once more came to light. A few brave souls formed a foundation for the study of astrology. The interest in the study of the stars became wide spread throughout Western Europe, and spread to America in the early nineteen hundreds.

In the 1930's, the art of astrology became very common place. In the middle of that decade, Gerald Gardner formed the religion now known as Gardnerian Wicca. Wicca, like pagan religions before it, focused on astrology for the use of divination. Astrology was also brought to popularity in America through the publication of American Astrology, a magazine credited for the first horoscopes.

Astrology became a form of entertainment for many in America as horoscopes became commonly found in major newspapers and other popular print media. However, astrology as an art has once again begun to fade in the Western world. Christian groups still rile against the study of the stars, and many "reasonable" people refuse to see any truth in the astrological predictions. Still, astrology remains a popular study in many cultures today.

The Basics of Astrology

To be put quite simply, astrology is the study of the stars. The stars as referred to in astrology refer to the planets, the sun, and the moon. Astrology has been used throughout history as a form of entertainment, a part of religion, and a part of daily life.

Astrology begins with the mapping of the planets, including the sun and the moon. This map is called an astrological chart. Most often an astrological chart is designed for someone at birth. To determine the position of the planets, sun, and moon for an astrological chart the astrologist needs to know the exact location of the birth, the exact time, and the date of the birth.

The planets found on the astrological chart are the Sun, the moon, Saturn, Venus, Jupiter, Mars, Neptune, Uranus, Mercury, and Pluto. The earth is not considered because it is the point in the universe from which we view the other planets. The sun and moon are considered planets in astrology, which is hard for some people to remember.

In the astrological chart consists of twelve houses. Each house represents an aspect of life, such as romance, career, family, etc. Since there are only ten planets, each astrological chart will have two vacant houses. Vacant houses represent aspects of life which, for whatever reason, the cosmos do not feel you need to work on. In other words, you may have mastered this aspect of life in another life or realm.

The position of the sun also determines your sun sign. This is the first aspect of astrology studied on the astrological chart. Next, the positions of the planets are studied in relation to their influence on the sun sign. Finally, the moon sign and position is studied in relation to the rest of the astrological chart.

The interpretation of an astrological birth chart as a whole will paint the picture of the original personality of the individual. The birth chart found through astrology later in life may not appear accurate. This is due to the fact that other astrological phenomena in conjunction with life events alter the personality over time.

Astrology is the study of this astrological chart, as well as the prediction of the future based on how other astrological phenomena might influence the original readings. The interpretation of the astrological chart is also a large part of the art of astrology, and is necessary for accurate predictions.

The use of astrology in predictions is considered an art for a reason. Not only must the astrology expert interpret the birth chart and the current astrological phenomena, but the astrology expert must also interpret any astrological phenomena that may have altered the personality of the individual over time. Amazingly, life changing events can often be seen using astrology readings from the time of the event.

Many major events in history can also be marked by astrology readings. For example, the fall of the Roman Empire was marked by astrological phenomena. The horror of 9/11 and the destruction of the twin towers were also awaited by those who study astrology. Even the birth of Christ was marked by astrological phenomena.