| To define and understand what Astrology is a person | | | | The first person to really study the connection |
| needs to take a look at its long history. The definition | | | | between the stars and the events on Earth was Sir |
| of astrology is two Greek words, Astron meaning | | | | Isaac Newton when he developed his Universal |
| "constellation or star" and "Logia" meaning "the study | | | | Theory of Gravitation. So what Astrology means is |
| of." So the very word is Greek in origin. To the ancient | | | | that a person who makes it their life work to study |
| Greeks of about the third millennium BC, it was the | | | | and interpret the heavenly bodies and to divine what |
| science or study of the stars and the meaning and | | | | the positions of the celestial bodies in a chart drawn |
| impact that the stars have on a person's life. This | | | | for a specific person means. That person is called an |
| study consists of the study of traditions, systems, and | | | | Astrologer. The chart consists of the tropical zodiac of |
| the beliefs of celestial bodies' positions and any related | | | | the twelve signs, and the local horizon, which gives the |
| details that can give useful information on a person's | | | | "ascendant and descendant axis" and the |
| personal life and the personality of the person. This | | | | "mid-heaven-imum coeli axis." This is then further |
| study of the stars has had a major role throughout the | | | | divided by into twelve astrological houses. This gives |
| ages in shaping world affairs. | | | | the person their horoscope. |
| The modern definition of Astrology is that of a | | | | There are two types of Astrologers...The Vedic |
| language that is symbolic or art form and even a tool | | | | Astrologer who focuses on the planetary periods to |
| for divination. But no matter the age or era that | | | | interpret trends while transits are utilized in the timing of |
| astrology was used, it is still how celestial bodies (stars, | | | | significant events. This means that they attempt to |
| comets, asteroids and planets) can be of use in past, | | | | predict future events. |
| present interpretation of events, and can be of use in | | | | But most Western Astrologers don't bother with that |
| predicting the future. | | | | anymore. Instead, they focus on the general |
| Many cultures throughout the world, present as well as | | | | developments and trends. This draws a great deal of |
| past, use this ancient art form. Among these cultures | | | | criticism because that practice allows the practitioner |
| are the Babylonian (ancient), Persian (Medieval), | | | | to avoid making predictions that need to be verified. |
| Chinese, Egyptian, Indian, Islamic, Western, Hellenistic | | | | The Western and Vedic Astrology branches share |
| (considered the classic astrology), Mayan and Sidereal. | | | | common ancestry in the Horoscope system. The |
| There are many forms of Astrology like the | | | | Vedic astrology makes use of the Sidereal Zodiac |
| Horoscope, Natal charts, Electional, Horary and | | | | whereas Western prefers the Tropical Zodiac. |
| Mundane. Throughout history, especially Western | | | | No matter the time period, there was a form of |
| cultures, it has been debated among practitioners | | | | Astrology that over the ages evolved into what we |
| known as Astrologers as to the very nature of | | | | now have. But in the end, it is essentially the same. |
| Astrology. This debate has covered the topic of the | | | | Astrology will always be the study of the heavenly |
| celestial bodies being merely signs of events or the | | | | bodies and how they affect us here on Earth. |
| actual events themselves. | | | | |