When Astrology is not just a Horoscope
Most people use these terms interchangeably thinking they mean the same thing; it will surprise some people to know that a Horoscope is Astrology but Astrology is not only a Horoscope.
The word Horoscope comes from the word “hora” meaning of the hour. Horoscopic Astrology came to us from the Greeks when they developed the ability to calculate the ascendant and coincides with the first moves towards individual analysis and away from looking purely at the Mundane sphere. It indicates the use of an Ascendant, Midheaven and houses in addition to the planets.
Prior to this point individuals did not have charts cast for them; astrologers were concerned with the fate of nations and empires as so much of the focus was on Kings and Leaders and the condition of the skies as shown by great conjunctions, ingresses and eclipses. One should note that nobles were also the people in possession of the cheque book and the general public would have not been able to meet many astrologers’ fees.
With the advent of the horoscope – some older books refer to the Ascendant as the horoscope – you could differentiate and so the beginning of the road to individuality was found.
Horoscopy uses charts but astrology also can look at the movement of the heavens, of which individual charts can be seen as cross sections. See section on Cycles.
