Astrology builds on the principle that everything is interconnected. Maybe you’ve heard the saying, “As above, so below.”
Many people testify that astrology can accurately describe what happens on Earth, whether in nature or political events. For example, astrologers, who chart the position of stars in the sky to better understand personalities and future events, predicted that 2020 would be unusually chaotic.
But how it works is somewhat of a mystery. According to gravity, a planet millions of miles away wouldn’t have a huge effect on Earth.
One could imagine that the planetary movements affect nature and human behavior by some kind of subtle force. Some people believe in “meaningful synchronicities” – that cosmic and earthly events are synchronistic, and by observing the complex yet predictable celestial movements, we can also predict life on Earth.
Astrology: A brief historical overview
Did you know that thousands of years ago, astrology and astronomy were not separate sciences, but one?
The interest in astrology, or how the movements of celestial bodies affect life on Earth, wasn’t to see whether a person born under the sign of Scorpio would be compatible with a Libra. It had far more practical applications: astrology originated as a method for farmers to predict weather conditions.
Astrology was studied and used by the ancient Egyptians, Babylonians, Greeks, and Romans. It soon made its way from farmers to kings: every renowned ruler had an astrological advisor by their side.
Many great philosophers and scientists, like Ptolemay, Plato, Copernicus, Aristotle, and Newton, helped add to the body of work uniting astronomy and astrology. The Greek physician Hippocrates was quoted saying, “A physician without a knowledge of astrology has no right to call himself a physician.” That says something about the status of the discipline.
Astrology has since branched into different interpretations. Two of the most well-known are Western or tropical astrology, and Vedic astrology.
Why learn astrology?
Practitioners suggest that astrology can be used in a variety of ways to support and enhance daily life. For example, they say astrology can be used to predict the ideal dates for different activities, e.g., when the energies are the most favorable for having surgery, launching a business, or signing a contract for a house.
People also say it can be used to better understand the human psyche. By looking at the planets, zodiac signs, and houses, an astrologer can paint an accurate picture of the inner workings of your mind, and that when we know how we are innately designed to work, we can stop comparing ourselves to others and start honoring our true nature. We can focus on developing what comes naturally to us instead of trying to do what’s considered important or indicates status.
In addition, many use predictive astrology for anticipating world events in general but also for significant life events for the individual. Some say, depending on the constellation the moment you were born, the movement of the planets activate different energetic qualities during different periods of your life. Knowing these transits can help you leverage their potential instead of getting stuck in the shadow aspect.
For example, many people believe that individuals goes through their Saturn return around age 28. The Saturn return is a period where huge shifts often occur. Without awareness, it’s easy to fight against these shifts and stay in fear of the unknown. But if we know it’s a natural part of our path, we can trust and allow the events to unfold and life to carry us wherever we need to go next.
Wrapping it Up
Just like IONS, astrology builds on the idea that everything is interconnected. Instead of questioning exactly how astrology works, we could focus on how it can benefit us as individuals at different stages of life. Just like we do with cell phones: few people get stuck on how they work – we’re more interested in how they can facilitate our everyday lives.
Once the systems and phenomena of the unseen world are given as much relevance as those of the material world, we can truly heal as one humanity.
