What is astrology?
The root of the word astrology mean wisdom of the stars: aster – star, logos – words/wisdom.
Astrology can be seen as a symbolic language, its alphabet formed by the planets, the signs and the houses. The energies symbolised by the planets says what, the signs add description, in the manner of adjectives and the houses describe the sphere of experience or area of life where the what will be experienced. Bringing in aspects helps describe how the energies relate to each other, as do rulerships and receptions.
The planets are the most important part of any horoscope or astrological analysis.
Planets tell you what, signs describe the what, and houses tell you where.
The advent of newspaper astrology has increased public knowledge of the meaning of the signs and the emphasised position of the Sun by an enormous degree. Prior to the middle of the twentieth century signs were the least important of the three principal factors, adding description to the planet in question and giving dynamic information through rulerships and receptions.
The Horoscope or Birth Chart
The chart is a diagram of the sky as seen from a point in time at a particular location of Earth. It is completely personal to that moment and place. “Your” birthchart shows the arrangement of energies at the time and place of your birth; it will describe what is going on at that moment. It is also incorrect to refer to “your birthchart”; it may be the chart for the moment you were born but many other things were also born at the same moment sharing the chart with you.
Click on the section you wish to investigate and off you go…
Planets: The most important component of astrology, planets are the principal factors you should look to when beginning an interpretation. They show the what.
Signs: The most familiar astrological concept thanks to modern newspapers. Signs describe how the planets express their energy and give us information about how the planets and houses fit together.
Houses: They give the planetary energies an arena in which to express themselves. They show where an energy will manifest itself; in which area of life.
Aspects: The relationships between the planets, indicating how the various energies will blend together.
Astrological Concepts: Other techniques and ideas explained and expanded upon. An excellent glossary can be found on the Skyscript site.
Further Reading
The Practical Astrologer, Nicholas Campion
An Astrological Guide to Self-Awareness, Donna Cunningham
Knot of Time, Lyndsay River and Sally Gillespie
Aspects in Astrology, Sue Tompkins
Contemporary Astrologer’s Handbook, Sue Tompkins
Horoscope Symbols, Rob Hand
Mundane Astrology, M. Baigent, N. Campion & C. Harvey
Anything by Liz Greene
Anything by Howard Sasportas
Anything by Stephen Arroyo
Anything by Richard Idemon
Book of Word Horoscopes, Nicholas Campion
Cosmic Loom, Dennis Elwell
Useful Addresses – Astrological Organisations
APAE
www.apae.org.uk
Astrological Lodge of London
www.astrolodge.co.uk
lodgepresident@astrolodge.co.uk
Astrological Association of Great Britain
www.astrologicalassociation.com
info@astrologicalassociation.com
020 8880 4848
Useful Addresses – Schools
Mayo School of Astrology
www.mayoastrology.com
enquiries@mayoastrology.com
+44 (0) 208 9977297
(I am a tutor for the Mayo School of Astrology)
London School of Astrology
www.londonschoolofastrology.co.uk
admin@londonschoolofastrology.co.uk
07002 33 44 55
AstrologyCollege.com
www.astrologycollege.com
Faculty of Astrological Studies
www.astrology.org.uk
info@astrology.org.uk
0700 790 143
(I am a tutor for the Faculty of Astrological Studies)
