What is Astrology
Anita burns
Astrology interprets how the relationships between the sun, planets, comets, asteroids, stars, and cosmic cycles in our galaxy affects our lives individually, and globally. No one really knows when astrology began; humans have been gazing at the sky in wonder ever since humans came into being. We do know there were astrologers as early as 3800 B.C.. And, we have writings about astrology from several ancient cultures, including the Chinese, Indian, Babylonian-Chaldean and Egyptian civilizations.
Today, there are three major schools of Astrology: Eastern (or Vedic), Asian (including Chinese and Japanese), and Western. Although Vedic Astrology is gaining popularity in the West, most astrologers in the "Western" world practice Western astrology. This school of astrology was largely developed from Hellenistic and ancient Greek philosophers, mathematicians and astronomers, including Aristotle, Hipparchus, Plato and Ptolemy.
These men embraced the concept of a universe that is well ordered. So much so that no part is independent of the other. Western Astrology has been further developed from the wisdom of modern psychologists and psychiatrists such as Carl Jung and Milton Erickson, and from recent astronomy discoveries.
Astrology gave birth to astronomy. The two sciences went hand-in-hand until about 1500, when religion and science split over the controversial theories of Copernicus (that the Sun, not Earth was the center of the solar system). The reigning religious powers of the western world (Catholic Church) held on to the earth-centered, or geocentric belief, while the scientific world adopted Copernicus' theories. Fortunately, the supernova in 1572 changed the Catholic Church's belief in an unchanging, earth-centered reality. But the damage was done and the scientific world became more and more materialistic and astrology declined into superstition and corruption. It wasn't until the end of the 19th century that "true" astrology reemerged, largely through the writings and teachings of Madame Blavatsky, founder ot Theosophy. Today, it is a growing, evolving, technology for understanding the world and our part in it.
The Dawn of Astrology
Anita Burns
In the ancient world, humans lived mostly under an open sky. They were filled with wonder at the workings of the heavens—thunder, lightening, meteors, Sun, Moon, and stars. The bright lights in the night sky, the Sun, and the Moon held a different meaning to humans than they do now. People, in those long ago cultures, sensed something beyond the physical lights in the sky. They sensed something magical, something esoteric. They began to incorporate the stars in their mythology, and their religious and spiritual rites. In ancient Sumeria, the symbol for divinity was a star.
Looking up into the sky, the planets, Sun, Moon, and stars all look like they are moving across the sky and circling the earth. It’s no wonder that humans, for so long, believed the earth to be the center of the universe. From our perspective, it is. Ancient civilizations called the planets that they saw moving in front of the backdrop of stars, “Goats.” But it wasn’t long before the great civilizations, like the Babylonia and Sumeria, began naming the planets after their gods and goddesses.
To modern science, the relationship between a god or goddess and a planet was random, without any real meaning. But astrologers believe it was done purposefully, through sensitive priests and priestesses who claimed to experience the subtle energies emanating from the planets. Each god and goddess had dominion over a particular area of human life, and the gods and goddesses were paired with planets that matched their particular characteristic s and influence.
This practice of naming the planets after the deities was borrowed by the Greeks, who renamed the planets after their versions of the same gods and goddesses that reigned in Babylonia. Each planet had the same influence as before, but with a new name. This was the birth of astrology.
Oddly, astrology seems to have started all over the known world at about the same time. The planets were all given basically the same influential characteristics in each civilization. Mercury, regardless of name, had the same influence in the Americas as it did in China or Babylonia.
The form of astrology we use today can be traced back to Egypt around 4200 BC. And, until about 300 years ago, anatomy, astronomy, and astrology were the same science. Events, as well as health were foretold or analyzed according to the planets.
The Chaldeans were the first to create an astrological chart. They devised mathematical calculations of the planets in relation to a specific plane (ecliptic) in the heavens, and devised the ephemerid—a chart showing the movements of the planets. The earliest known ephemerid dates from the mid 7th century during the reign of Assyrian King Assurbanipal.
The Chaldeans mapped the twelve constellations within the ecliptic. It is these twelve, that the planets seem to move across. They noted that every two hours, the constellations would shift in the sky about 30° (1/12th of a complete circle). The Chaldeans also divided the heavens into twelve other segments, called “Houses.” Houses represent areas of life and are influenced according to which planets are passing through them. The angle between the planets would determine the nature of their influence.
Most astrology of the ancient civilizations was concerned with large-scale events such as war, natural disaster, and the rise and fall of kings. Personal astrology came much later. Around 25 BC, the Babylonian astrologer Berosus opened an astrology school in Greece. Over the next 400 years, the Greeks succeeded creating a complex and formal system of astrology which calculated horoscopes for individuals based on their moment of birth. Ptolemy, astronomer, mathematician, and geographer wrote the first astrological textbook around AD 150. This book established the astrological principles we still use today. This form of astrology spread to Rome and became so popular that Juvenal reported, around AD 100, that some people wouldn’t appear in public, dine, or bath without first consulting the stars.
When Ptolomy died in AD 180, astrology in Europe began to decline because the system of calculation was lost with his death. When Imperial Rome crumbled, astrology slid into a corrupt superstition. Then Christians gained power in Europe. They knew astrology only from this decadent state and denounced it as evil. Astrology would have been lost entirely if it had not been for the Arabs of North Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean. In the 8th century, the Caliph al-Mansur of Baghdad founded an important observatory and library. Damascus also held a major center for learning which included astrology.
The Arabs devised a system of astrology that would predict auspicious times for things in everyday life, such as journeys, weddings, celebrations, and such. This method was later incorporated into Western astrology. Albumasur (805-85) wrote, “Only by observing the great diversity of planetary motions can we comprehend the unnumbered varieties of change in this world.” His was one of the first Eastern books to be translated into Spanish and read by Europeans. This book sparked a revival of scientific astronomy and astrology in Europe.
In the Middle Ages, the Christian leaders in Europe were faced with the dilemma of what to do with astrology. Should they rethink it and declare astrology a legitimate science, or keep it forbidden as sorcery? John of Salisbury (1115-80) believed that astrology usurped God’s power. God was, after all, the creator of the stars. Could they steal the power of prophecy from Him? However St. Albertus Magnus (1200-80) believed that the planets did influence both the body and free will. St Thomas Aquinas (1225-74) wrote that astrology was an acceptable subject, worthy of intellectual study—as long as necromancy was excluded. He believed that astrology was in harmony with church doctrine.
Because of the change in attitude about astrology, studies flourished throughout Europe. The universities now taught astrology as a part of their curriculum. Astrology was again a respected occupation. Even Pope Sixtus IV was an accomplished astrology, and Pope Julius II consulted an astrologer to help him select a good day for his coronation.
Soon came a new astrology. Risking the wrath of the Church, in 1543, Nicolaus Copernicus published a book supporting the theory that the sun, not the earth, stood at the center of the solar system. This heliocentric theory was already accepted by many scholars and mathematicians. But the Church upheld Ptolemy’s Earth-centered theory because they believed it to be more in line with Biblical teachings. Later, Tycho Brahe, an astrologer and astronomer, who was adamantly opposed to Copernicanism , became a famous astrologer by predicting the death of the Sultan of Turkey.
The Church stubbornly clung to its belief that the heaven’s were fixed and unchanging, with the earth in the center of the solar system. But that all changed in 1572. A supernova occurred which was large enough for all to see in the middle of the day. Everyone, including Church officials, were witness to a spectacular change. This opened the door for scientists like Tycho Brahe.
Brahe spent his life trying to prove Copernicus wrong but could not. After he died, Kepler, an astrologer and staunch supporter of Copernicus, used Brahe’s records to prove a heliocentric solar system and to correct Copernicus’ mistakes. Kepler had discovered that the planets revolved around the sun in elliptical orbits, and that their speed is not constant.
One would think that this new view of the solar system would have disastrous repercussions on astrology, but not so. Whether the Sun or the Earth was the center of the solar system, we experience the universe as if it were all revolving around us. The planets, Sun, and Moon still appear to cross our sky. The constellations still appear to circle the earth. The influences remain the same , but now we are able to predict the motions of the celestial bodies with more accuracy.
Toward the end of the 17th century, there was a growing trend toward separation of science and religion. The Church still supported astrology. The scientific community was growing more dependent on mathematics and more skeptical of anything intuitive. When Isaac Newton published the Principia Mathematica in 1687, the end of astrology as a recognized material science finally came. It, again, declined into superstition and corruption, becoming mired in trivia and mystical exploitation. Astrology didn’t revive until the end of the 19th century when Madame Blavatsky, founder of the Theosophical Society, taught the validity of astrology in her writings. Then Alan Leo began writing seriously about astrology. His works are still used by astrologers as a base for modern astrology.
Astrology cannot yet be explained by materialistic science, but neither can some aspects of weather. The laws governing astrology are those not yet uncovered by modern science. The future of astrology, as a respected science, rests in the hands of qualified astrologers. Astrology, like astronomy is only as good as its interpreter.
Although astronomers would have the public believe that all astronomy is based on proven fact, much of astronomy is still based on intuition and guesswork. Yet many astronomers , who cry out “blasphemy” against astrology, base much of their work on that same intuition and guesswork.
Fortunately, a new wave of science is sweeping the earth. Science is revealing mysteries that may one day bring materialistic science and spiritual science together. That there are “unseen” and unknown forces at work in the universe is being experienced by quantum physicists and others every day. Eventually, we hope, there will be a time when the best of both worlds of science and astrology will again work together.
The Cycle of Ages—Aquarius’ Arrival
Anita Burns
Seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, and years…all familiar cycles within cycles. But there is another cycle that we seldom think about. It is the cycle of ages within what is called the “Great Year” and it, through astrological influences, affects, dictates, and impacts nations, weather patterns, governments, and changes in national tastes, behaviors, tendencies, and fashions.
The Great Year has a cycle of about 25,868 years, during which time all the signs of the Zodiac take turns influencing the Earth and its inhabitants. The time the Earth spends under the influence of each sign is called a “Great Month.” The Earth moves through each sign slowly (about every 2,000 years) creating the opportunity for its influences to affect large numbers of people and geological occurrences.
This whole process is due to something called the “Procession of the Equinoxes. Because of a slight wobble in the Earth’s rotation, the constellation that the Earth appears to be passing in front of at the vernal equinox (around March 21), gradually changes, moving backward through the zodiac. We are now in the “age” of Pisces, going into the “age” of Aquarius.
The astrological sign for each great month is also influenced by its opposite (six signs away) sign. This is known as “polarity.” For example, the influences now are Pisces and Virgo. When we enter the Aquarian age, Leo will also be a prominent influence.
Although this has been going on as long as there has been a Zodiac and Earth, the earliest Great Month we have any real knowledge of is Leo, around 10,000-8000 BC.
LEO/AQUARIUS (10,000-8000 BC):
Leo, ruled by the Sun itself was important to this age of humans. In their primitive, coming-into-being stage of development, creativity was the highlight of this age. Basic inventions and discoveries such as fire, the wheel, stone arrowheads and tools, beautiful and bold carvings and cave paintings all reflect the influences of Leo and its opposite sign of Aquarius.
CANCER/CAPRICORN (c. 9000 BC):
Here, humans emerged from caves and began forming more complex societies. They were less and less nomadic and started farming. This was first seen in China, Egypt, India and Mesopotamia. Fertility cults and rites abounded and were characterized by round, female carvings with large breasts and stomachs. These “Venus fetishes” were used in many of the emerging cultures of the time, but especially from Turkey and Yugoslavia. This strongly showed the influence of Cancer, ruled by the Moon and representing fertility and motherhood, as well as the home. The spiritual practices shifted, during this period from worshipping the Sun, to worshipping the Moon.
GEMINI/SAGITTARIUS (6000-4000 BC):
Gemini is ruled by Mercury, god of the intellect, communication, and mobility. Sagittarius is ruled by Jupiter, god of gods, religion, large and dramatic changes, truth, and knowledge. Here is when writing developed. The written word is probably the first sweeping invention to change global society on a grand scale. Starting with rough symbolic icons on pottery, writing was quickly refined into the complex cuneiform and the pictogram Hieroglyphics of China and Egypt. Religion also became more formalized and the first groups of humans came together in a formal setting to learn and acquire knowledge. This is the beginning of the university system. It is also in this age that we see the first widespread use of the wheel, which enabled humans to communicate and commune with others at greater and greater distances.
TAURUS/SCORPIO (4000-2000 BC):
In this age, humans become grounded. Taurus, the Bull constellation is ruled by the planet Venus and is concerned with physical comfort, beauty, music, and solidarity. Scorpio, ruled by Pluto is fascinated by death, rebirth, secrets, and intensity. During this time, worship of the sacred Apis Bull was a widespread cult. The temples of the time were both massive and solid and light, graceful, and airy, an effect that is dizzying to the visitor even today. Scorpio came into play with the Egyptians (and other well-known cultures such as Crete and Mesopotamia) and their preoccupation with death. Their massive tombs and elaborate mummification rites reflect Scorpio’s influence. Even in the Judeo/Christian cults, the story of Moses coming down the mountain to see the followers worshiping a golden calf tells the story of a changing from the age of Taurus into the next age of Aries, symbolized by the Ram.
ARIES/LIBRA (2000 BC-100 AD):
As mentioned above, Moses symbolizes the change from the age of Taurus, into the age of Aries. Mars and Venus both rule this age. Mars whose Arian urge is for conquest and war, was oddly combined with Venus’ Libran need for peace and balance. During this time the architecture changed from the massive stone temples and mud brick palaces to the delicate elegance of Greek temples, homes and public buildings. Ram worship abounded and war was everywhere. Conquest after conquest, humans tested their ability to expand and rule. The wandering warlike tribes of Israel are a good example. They were as bloodthirsty as they were religious and their daily temple sacrifices of goats and sheep had a river of blood streaming down a gutter day and night. Violence was typically depicted in art, especially in Greek pottery. And yet, this was the time when balance and equilibrium was also sought after. Wars and conquests made way for more equality in government, human rights, and a voting senate. Architecture and literature had a symmetry and elegant beauty that can be found in every culture of the day.
PISCES/VIRGO (100 -2000 AD):
In religion, Jesus is the figure that most represents the moving from Aries into Pisces. The symbol of Christians was and is the fish, which also symbolizes Pisces. Jesus, referred to as the Lamb of God, is also associated with “fishers of men.” Fish were scratched as secret signs on the walls of the catacomb meeting places near Rome, Italy. The Pisces polarity of Virgo, the Virgin is aptly represented in the mythology of the Virgin Mary, and through the central theme of Christianity, which is peace, love, humility, and charity. Pisces is a sign of spirituality, inner exploration, and emotions. During this time the birth of psychiatry, psychology, non-traditional spiritual practices, and the joining of the Eastern and Western spiritual thought have taken place. Virgo dissects, questions, finds out how things work, makes things smaller and more efficient. The rise in technology speaks for itself here. A computer that would once have taken up acres of room to operate even at the most basic level, can now be put on a chip so small it cannot be seen without great magnification.
AQUARIUS/LEO (2000 - 4000 AD):
Although according to many, the Aquarian Age doesn’t really start until around 2300, the “New Age” is showing its influence in space travel, a greater concern for the human rights in the world, a desire to disarm and practice what we preach about global peace, and an increasing dependence on technology and science. The keyword for Aquarius is “humanity,” and hopefully, the age of Aquarius will bring more and more global unity and concern for the human race as a whole, aside from nationalistic greed and avarice. Leo can temper Aquarius’ tendency to leap before looking, and to keep creativity flowing. Aquarius cares about humanity but sometimes neglects those close at hand. Leo can bring concern and caring to those near and dear.
The Great Months of the Great Year are also influenced by many smaller planetary cycles. And the whole process forms a complex web of effects that form a symphony of trends, changes, and evolution. As we grow more and aware and spiritually mature, we use these cycles and influences for higher and higher purposes. I am hopeful that there will one day be a real Golden Age.
Love, Passion, and Astrology
Anita Burns
Sexuality is a complex subject. It is probably written about more than any other subject. When it comes to sexuality in astrology, much can be said that goes far beyond your sun sign at birth. I’m often asked questions like “I’m an Aries. Am I compatible with Virgos? This is something like saying, “I’m an American. Am I compatible with Italians?” Astrology can determine, in finite detail, your sexual nature; what kinds of mates are better for you than others; what types you will be attracted to or draw to you; what you expect from a mate; whether you are likely to have one committed relationship or many, and what they’ll be like.
Determining all this however, takes more than just looking at your “Sign.” A complete horoscope needs to be charted. The astrologer will then look at your Sun and Moon signs, the asteroid Juno, your fifth, seventh, eighth, and twelfth houses, what planets are there and what signs are on those houses and the planets that “rule” them. Pretty complex stuff, but worth the effort. You’ll know more about yourself, or another, than years of traditional analysis could ever reveal. I won’t go into technical detail here, but there are some important things you can found out from your Sun sign.
The day you are born, the Sun is said to be “in” a certain sign. This is what you known as your “sign.” Although your Sun sign is but a fraction of your lover personality, it is a significant one. The Sun represents your basic inner self, your overall inner direction. Keeping in mind that other things in your chart will adjust and alter the influences of the Sun, these energies will be with you and you will express them in many, if not all, ways.
ARIES: With your fire, you’ll be a driving force in any relationship. Your powerful libido energy can stir newly awakened feelings in your partner(s). Choose partners who aren’t likely to be singed by your heat.
TAURUS: Your romantic nature is down to earth, constant and enduring. You are a generous lover and delight in pleasing your partner. But you expect loyalty and steadfastness from your partner. Choose a partner who is emotionally flexible for you don’t often give in when you want your own way.
GEMINI: You like variety. Whether you have many partners or one, you need change. The same lovemaking routine will leave you cold and bored. Choose a partner who likes to experiment and is willing to try new ideas or act out your fantasies.
CANCER: You are self-protective where relationships are concerned and you may keep your intimate life secret. You tend to nurture lovers and can be very generous to them. Find a partner who will appreciate being cared for, wanted and needed.
LEO: Your romantic personality is generous and charming. You are tender, affectionate and free with your loving heart. But in return, you want to be appreciated. You need a partner who is as lavish as yourself with affection.
VIRGO: Although Virgo is often viewed as “virginal” and analytical, you are a caring and nurturing lover. You take the time to find out what your partner wants and to provide it. You also want a lover to know what pleases you. You set great importance on loyalty and faithfulness. You need a partner who is interested in the long-haul. Casual affairs are difficult for you.
SCORPIO: Scorpio is probably the sign most often associated with sensuality. Perhaps this is because you are passionate and feel your emotions with intensity. You have a charismatic magnetism and will attract many potential lovers. In love you know what you want and go after it with single-minded attention, no matter how long it takes. You tend to be secretive about your relationships and don’t commit lightly. You need a partner who will match your passion but not want to be in charge all the time, for you like running the show.
SAGITTARIUS: You find casual sex difficult and prefer to be intimately involved with your lovers. You are passionate and this energy is best when used as an expression of closeness and love. The closer you are with your partner, the stronger your sensual passion is. You also like your love life to be fun and playful. You need a partner who can have fun with love making and not take life to seriously.
CAPRICORN: You don’t commit to a relationship unless you’re sure. You are steady and reliable and want a relationship that is secure and likely to last. You also expect loyalty and faithfulness from your partner. You may be a sophisticated, aloof person in the boardroom, but in the bedroom you can be extremely earthy and sensual.
AQUARIUS: You are an understanding and sympathetic lover, but not necessarily one who takes commitment seriously. You like a variety of romantic experiences and need a lover who can be adventurous as well as affectionate. You don’t like to be limited—physically, emotionally, or intellectually, and need a partner who gives you the emotional space you require, and at the same time, can create intimacy and closeness.
PISCES: You can be passionate and sacrificing. Lovemaking, for you, is a spiritually elevating experience and you feel it body, mind, and soul. You tend to idealize your lovers and overlook their faults until it’s too late. You need a partner who is grounded and practical and won’t let you be too self-sacrificing. You require a lover who will also be able to use sexuality as a transcendent experience.
The Black Moon Lilith and Saturn
Anita Burns
In my never-to-be-humble opinion, only opposites and conjunctions carry a lot of weight in a natal chart when it comes to Lilith. However, an exact square can also be troublesome. Where Lilith is found shows the area of life where it is wise to take a meta-stance (depersonalize) and learn to lighten seriousness and adherence to rules.
Lilith brings a struggle for perfection that pairs with Saturn’s need for structure and boundaries. The two pair very well. But in stressful aspects with Saturn, she can bring conflicting emotions and a super drive for purity.
Whenever Saturn and Lilith are combined there is a drive for inner clarity but obstacles in the way of getting it. There is a struggle to bring into the light, our shadow self. When lifestyle or choices make this difficult, depression can be the result.
But even with all these difficulties, a combination of Saturn and Lilith bring depth, wisdom, and intense intelligence with sharp wit.
With aspects between Lilith and Saturn, nothing is believed or accepted without a touch of skepticism. On the positive side, you aren’t fooled very often, on the challenging side, you look for ways in which things aren’t true or how you are being fooled. This can distort facts and hinder progress through needlessly searching for “what is wrong here” when there is nothing to be found.
When Lilith is in a fire sign or fire sign ruled house, you can be a constant worrier with an ongoing pessimistic attitude. Fire and Lilith/Saturn creates a need to be involved in life’s trauma-drama and stay stuck in the shadow self. Lilith in the fire sign brings a stronger reaction than being in a fire ruled house.
In water signs or water ruled houses (sign is stronger than house), pessimism is rampant with a touch of defensiveness. If Saturn is in an earth sign, aggressive defensiveness rules. If Saturn is in a water sign, you may often think of suicide
In air signs or air ruled houses (sign is stronger than house), details and endless systems and organization are the challenges. There is often such clear perception that the spirit or soul of any creative project gets lost in a maze of sterility and detail.
Wherever Lilith lands, if it is in aspect with Saturn, there is an underlying brooding and seriousness in whatever matters the house and sign rule.
Lilith, in past life, karmic astrology is about detachment. Whatever we have formed strong attachments to in past lives that hold us back from spiritual progress, must be detached from and experienced in universal light. Lilith brings these things to a point of such discomfort that we can no longer ignore them. It is depersonalize or continue to experience Lilith’s intensity.
Look to house, sign, and hard aspects for the nature of Lilith’s tough love. Any tie in with the Moon’s nodes, 8th, and/or 12th houses are clear signposts for what Lilith is trying to tell us to let go of.
For example, Lilith in Leo in the 1st house conjunct Mars in Leo in the 12th could show a past life of fame that led to such ego involvement that you began to believe you were above the rest. It could indicate such an attachment to fame and recognition that nothing else mattered. In this life, you might year for fame but it brings you only misery or that fame is ever a breath away but never comes into reality. Detach and fame can come in a healthy, productive way.
Lilith, Adam’s first wife, has much to tell us about ourselves, our past, and how to construct a productive, spiritually evolving present and future. Look at it carefully and discover much about yourself.
You can order the Astrology Course in our secure online store here
|
