Updated April 26, 2020
Originally posted June 1, 2011
By Corinne Lane 38 Comments
As above, so below
Astrology is not a secret, psychic, magical, or even spiritual thing. It is down to Earth. It is the science, or observation, of how the sun, moon, and planets interact, and how those interactions affect us here on Earth. Like physical science, astrology analyzes the interaction between matter and energy. Astrology does not necessarily seal your fate. Astrology and astrologers should not be confused with Tarot, psychics, or any type of spiritual medium. Astrology is not a religion or belief system, although many people have tried to turn it into such a superstition. Astrology is neutral information about the world we live in. Such neutral information should not be seen as “good” or “evil.” For example, when you see gray clouds, you can tell it’s about to rain. It’s not by magic or psychic ability that you “predict” rain. Astrology is the same. The arrangement of the planets at the moment of your birth gives insight into all parts of your character and potential. Thousands of years of observation have given us the extensive wealth of information that we call Astrology.
It’s not farfetched to think that the configuration of the planets, sun, and moon “affect” us here on Earth. We know that the moon’s orbit coincides with the ocean’s tides. Humans are about 70% water; naturally the moon would affect us, as well. However, do not be mistaken – the planets, sun, and moon do not cause things to happen to us. Rather, it is all happening in sync. Rather than “cause & effect,” what goes on in the heavens is descriptive of what is going on down here. It’s as if the heavens are a cosmic mirror of what we experience down here in time. Astrology is not concerned with why it’s all so organized and flows like clockwork (that’s a task for the religions and philosophers). We, as astrologers, simply observe and take full advantage of the information revealed, using it to reach our full potential. It’s all happening simultaneously. That is the beauty that has been observed over thousands of years. As above, so below.
The Truth About Horoscopes
Astrologers study planetary positions and their corollaries. They chart the planetary positions on what is called a horoscope. A horoscope is actually a diagram of the planetary positions from a geocentric (Earth-centered) point-of-view. A horoscope is drawn for a single moment in time. The planets continue orbiting so that their configuration today is considerably different than it was on today’s date any other year. The configuration at the moment of your birth is as unique as your fingerprint. An astrology chart drawn for the exact time, day, year and location of your birth is your horoscope. Your horoscope is unique! You do not share it with every other person born with your Sun sign!
In ancient times, horoscopes were drawn up for the times of events, like feasts, wars, crowning of kings, journeys, and business transactions. Usually, only kings were fortunate enough to have a horoscope cast for their birth time. Nowadays, anyone can get their horoscope chart calculated for free on many websites. Today, astrology that focuses on events is called mundane astrology, whereas focusing on people’s birth charts is called natal astrology.
As is the case with most things, “horoscopes” have been exploited and thus robbed of any real significance. The popular daily Sun Sign “horoscopes” found in newspapers and websites are not based on your birth time; thus, they are as useful as taking medicine from a doctor who has not examined you. The word “horoscope” in English comes from “hora scopus” meaning either “hour pointer” or “hour view.” Hence, there is no true horoscope without the time! Those so-called “daily horoscopes” amount to nothing more than a meaningless quote for the day.
As stated above, a horoscope is actually a diagram of the heavens for one moment in time. But since the majority of people confuse the word “horoscope” with fortune-telling, we will use the term “birth chart” or “chart” instead of “horoscope.”
That being said, though, there is value in using the information revealed by astrology in order to plan ahead. But this is done by analyzing current transits of the planets and how the daily transits interact with your own birth chart. These types of reports are often called Forecasts. Predictions based on these transits have nothing in common with those popular “daily sun-sign horoscopes.” A prediction based on transits requires extensive analyzing of your birth chart along with the current transits. Only a competent astrologer or student of astrology can do this effectively.
There is no way to get an accurate Forecast without your day and year of birth. The day of birth is not enough. Your time and place of birth make the forecast even more accurate. Think about this the next time you’re tempted to give credence to a “daily horoscope” based on your sun sign alone.
Natal astrology takes into account your entire birth chart. It is a powerful tool for understanding human behavior, and for discerning our strengths and weaknesses. It reveals personality insights that empower us with more leverage to direct our own fate. There is a psychological tone to everything revealed in an astrological birth chart. In other words, it shows what’s going on in your psyche, not necessarily what must take place physically. This is why we say that astrology does not seal your fate. Instead of showing what will happen, astrology shows what one will experience.
Real astrology takes into account the ebb & flow of energy across the universe, as regulated by each of the planets, sun, and moon (and anything else floating in space that causes a ripple in energy flow). Real astrology, like physical science, studies the interaction between matter and energy. The symbols used in astrology make up a unique language of energy. Real astrology is an empirical science in that the data has been obtained empirically over some thousands of years, and that data has repeatedly yielded similar results.
You are not a stereotype of one of the 12 zodiac signs. You are a blend of all the factors at play at the moment that you took your first breath as a conscious being.
Dr. Carl Jung said it beautifully:
“We are born at a given moment, in a given place, and like vintage years of wine, we have the qualities of the year and of the season in which we are born. Astrology does not lay claim to anything else.”
Real Astrology merges science with mathematics. It has been said that astrology is God’s geometry…
By the same common sense that makes you check the weather forecast before planning a beach getaway, begin to use astrology to reach your full potential. Don’t take our word for it…try it for yourself. Check and see how well the planetary configurations in your own birth chart describe your personality. You can give it a try in the Chart Interpretations section. If you’re interested in learning more about this most ancient science, check out the Free Astrology Lessons.
