Astrology

Astrology

Astrology is a sort of divination that involves observing and interpreting the fixed stars, the Sun, the Moon, and the planets to predict earthly and human events. Devotees think that knowing how the planets and stars affect earthly matters permits them to forecast and alter the fates of individuals, groups, and countries. Despite being recognized as a science throughout its history, astrology is largely regarded today as being diametrically opposed to modern Western sciences findings and views.

Astrology is a method of predicting mundane occurrences based on the notion that celestial bodies particularly planets and stars in their random combinations or configurations (called constellations) determine or signify changes in the sub-lunar realm in some way. This notion has its theoretical foundation in Hellenistic philosophy, which distinguishes astrology from the heavenly omina ("omens") that were originally classified and catalogued in ancient Mesopotamia. Astrologers originally assumed a geocentric world in which the "planets" (including the Sun and Moon) move in orbits with centers at or near the Earths center, and the stars are fixed upon a sphere with a finite radius whose center is likewise the Earths center. Later the principles of Aristotelian physics were adopted, according to which there is an absolute division between the eternal, circular motions of the heavenly element and the limited, linear motions of the four sub-lunar elements: fire, air, water, earth.

Purposes of Astrology

The original objective of astrology, on the other hand, was to predict the course of a persons life based on the positions of the planets and zodiacal signs (the 12 astrological constellations) at the time of conception or birth. The essential procedures of astrology were created from this science, known as genethlialogy (casting nativities). General, catarchic, and interrogatory astrology are the three primary subcategories of astrology that emerged following genethlialogy. The relationship of key celestial moments (e.g., the periods of vernal equinoxes, eclipses, or planetary conjunctions) to social groups, nations, or all of mankind is studied in general astrology. It provides astrological solutions to questions previously put to the baru in Mesopotamia.