10 Interesting Facts About Astrology
Introduction
Astrology is an assortment of beliefs and traditions, which states that the position of the constellations or planets of the solar system at times have an influence on our lives. This article provides you with 10 interested facts about astrology.
Astrology is the correlation between celestial bodies and nature / human affairs on Earth. It is a phenomena that has been studied for thousands of years by many ancient and modern societies. Astrology is very popular, but also extremely controversial. The word “astrology” comes from the Greek word Astrologia, which means star study or ‘reason’ of the stars.
Astrology focuses on the sun, moon and planets within our solar system. The purpose of astrology is usually to forecast the destiny of a person, or gain insight into a person or event. Predictions are based on the positions of the sun, moon, and planets at the time of birth. Interpreting the location of celestial objects and using a map called a “horoscope”, astrologers claim to predict and explain the course of life, help people, companies, and nations in their most important decisions.
The popular use of the term astrology almost always refers to western astrology. The term astrology can have different meaning to people, depending what culture they are from. This is because different cultures are formed their own astrology systems, which differ slightly. In fact, some astrologers consider their practice only able to describe the personality traits of an individual, others ensuring that it is possible to describe the different paths their lives, even their distant future. Below are 10 interesting facts about astrology!
1. Famous people have been interested in astrology.
One of the most interesting facts about astrology is its popularity with famous people throughout history. During the middle ages, many Catholic popes were interested in astrology. Sixtus IV was the first pope to interpret the horoscope. Similarly, Julius II decided the date of his coronation by studying the position of the stars. Finally, Pope Paul III and Leo X were accustomed to relying on the predictions and advice of astrologers to make important decisions.
The Last Judgment, painting in Byzantine Orthodox style on the walls of Voronet monasteries built in 1488 in Romania. On the left is there heaven with the saints and the tree of life, and the right side has hell with demons and fire that descends into the abyss and on the top lies the contemplative image of Christ Almighty. To the right and left of Christ, we see the signs of the zodiac. During the Christian period, astrology experiences an ambiguous situation. Outlawed society by the Church, like all divination, at the Council of Toledo in the year 447, it was practiced in royal courts and continued to be studied by scholars, even by the religious ones (Albertus Grand master of Thomas Aquinas, is the author of astrology Treaty).
Charles V was dealing with astrology and founded in Paris a college for astrologers. Louis XI consulted this person in all circumstances. Catherine de Medici had erected in his hotel (Hotel de Soissons) a column from the top of which she consulted the stars with Nostradamus. Louis XIII was called the just because he was born under the sign of Libra. Astrology was also in favor under the emperors Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor, and Charles V, who had prescribed the teaching of this science, which also advocated by many eminent men of the time.
During the Renaissance, the discovery of the heliocentric theory of the solar system (which paradoxically was conceived and championed by astronomers / astrologers of the time) undermines the anthropocentric foundation of astrology which finds no place in the new description the world through science. Pico Della Mirandola has been widely condemned. It may be noted that this is not the case of astronomers like Galileo and Kepler who practiced astrology, as Tycho Brahe, or Cassini, the first director of the Paris Observatory. In the preface to his Rudolphine Tables, Kepler observed that astrology is the daughter of a wise mother and that crazy girl is vital to sustain and support her mother. It was still true in the time of Kepler, who was forced to make horoscopes for a living. In fact, the first lunar tables then calculated according to the theory of Newton were originally intended as the observations of astrologers.
Adolf Hitler would regularly consult an astrologer throughout the Second World War!
2. Scientists are revealing that some of our personality traits are predetermined.
Astrology seems scientific to many people because the horoscope is based on a persons or events exact date, time and location of birth. When astrology was born a long time ago (in the Chaldean time), the time of birth was considered the magic point of the beginning of life. But nowadays we know that the birth is only the culmination of a process of nine months, uterine development. Indeed, scientists now know that some aspect of the personality of a child may have been decided before birth.
The main reason astrologers still stick to these conceptions of another age obviously, have to do with the astrological theory itself. Almost everyone knows when a person was born, but it is difficult (or embarrassing) to identify the moment of conception. To make their most personal possible predictions, astrologers take into account the most readily determinable date by everyone. Birth time is particularly important when interpreting a chart. The birth time of a person makes an astrology chart more unique to that individual, thus improving the reading.
Hippocrates himself asserted in his time “a physician without knowledge of astrology has no right to be called a doctor.” If this practice of astrological medicine has disappeared with time, the claim that our birth month influences our health are being credited by scientists who have studied the issue. Recent research help provides concrete and rational explanations to phenomena that we were able to explain by mythology, so far.
Astrology is often seen as a mix of art and science. It claims a scientific status, insofar as it requires knowledge of mathematics and astronomy. In addition, it is an art, because an interpretation is required to collect the information provided and make an idea of the character traits and personality of the individual.
Scientists often disagree with astrologers, as they consider genetic characteristics develop from the design and not after birth. Also, according to scientists, astrologers do not take into account other essential items, such as the force of gravity, comets, and asteroids, the oscillation of the axis of rotation of the planet Earth, the position of the sun relative to other stars, etc.
Although not proven, astrology does seem to imply our personalities are pre-determined in some way. Meaning that we are a cog in our clockwork like universe, and everything in the universe has a cause and effect, including us. Scientists are discovering more and more personality traits that appear to be pre-determined. Click here to read about free astrology downloadable readings, offered by JKS Astrology.
3. Kepler College was the first to grant degrees in astrology.
The Institute of astrological studies (The Kepler College of Astrological Sciences and Arts) in Seattle in the United States is the first university in the Western Hemisphere to grant degrees in astrology. The first courses of astrology at this began in July 2000.
The institute was named after Johannes Kepler, who is an astronomer, astrologer, and mathematician of German origin. Kepler is famous for his laws of planetary motion, he lived in a time when there was no clear distinction between astrology and astronomy.
You can also learn interesting facts about astrology in many other colleges around the world. This can be done in the class room or online. Students can learn all the fundamentals of astrology. For example they will learn what the ascendant is. In astrology, the ascendant (or rising sign) is the sign that was ascending over the eastern horizon at the precise time of a person’s birth or event
The ascendant describes the character and behaviour of a person. Of course, there are many other astrological chart factors one can learn which can provide details about a person’s education, home life, childhood, etc. Such factors involve analysing chart house position, angles between planets and the sign each planet is in.
People who become qualified astrologers are able to write personal astrology reports for people or events. Although one can have a qualification in astrology, it is the experience of interpreting charts that make a good astrologer. This is because astrology is an art, and involves the use of intuition. Many astrologers start of by reading books on the subject, here are the top 10 astrology books.
4. The Zodiac was originally used as a natural agricultural calendar.
The Zodiac first allowed others to know the planting dates to plant crops, based on the position of stars in the sky. Especially Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky within the constellation Canis Major.
The twelve zodiac signs are classified into 4 groups being water, air, fire, and earth. The element that owns your astrological sign can thus influence your personality. The water signs are Pisces, Scorpio, and Cancer. The fire signs are Leo, Aries, and Sagittarius. The earth signs are Virgo, Capricorn, and Taurus. Finally, the air signs are Aquarius, Libra, and Gemini.
To summarize the zodiac is the cutting of the sky or cosmos into 12 signs of 30 degrees each, these 12 signs are formed by the combination of the four elements: fire, earth, air, water and 3 states: cardinal, fixed, mutable (this is very esoteric). The first degree of Aries is always determined by the vernal equinox to the spring equinox, the summer solstice is the first degree of Cancer, and the autumn equinox is the first degree of Libra and the winter solstice the first degree of Capricorn!
In astrology, the ascendant refers to the behavior and character of a person, while the zodiac sign provides information on the characteristics of the individual. Click here if you are interested to know what your zodiac sign is.
5. The most famous fortune-teller in history is Nostradamus. And he used astrology!
Nostradamus was considered during his lifetime as the greatest of the prophets. Oracle to universal reputation, Nostradamus is even to some prophet of the Apocalypse. This French chemist born in 1503 allegedly predicted the Second World War, the assassination of US President John F. Kennedy, the September 11 attacks on the twin towers of World Trade Center, as well as Obama’s victory in the 2008 elections. The French Revolution, Napoleon’s seizure of power and to that of Hitler, all kinds of unexpected events to the most recent, the mage would predict everything in a series of obscure and enigmatic texts, drafted night under the stars of its Provence which is called prophecy. Almost 500 years after their releases, Nostradamus’s writings remain in the countless research centers. And still analysed and debated. You’re now halfway through this 10 interesting facts about astrology article. There are plenty more interesting facts to come, please read on.
6. Astrology is incredibly popular
Astrology has been studied for thousands of years and is still popular to this day, probably due to the fact that astrology has evolved over the years. There are over 10,000 professional astrologers in the United States alone. About 1/3 of Americans believe in astrology. According to a survey, about 75% of those who trust in astrology are women. You only have to type the word “astrology” into Google search to find out how popular it is. It will lead you to more than 13 million web pages!
The popularity of astrology is most likely due to the fascination humans have with the night sky. Civilisations past and present have always gazed at the stars in wonder. Astrology is also unique from other forms of occult or divination (such as tarot and psychics), as it’s the closest to be accepted by science. Although not proven, astrology is scientific in many ways as its method is based on the exact positions of celestial bodies, that are calculated using scientific equations. It is just the link between celestial bodies and human behaviour that is not proven by science.
It is difficult for science to disprove astrology. Maybe because life on earth is forced to live by natures rules, we live in synchronization with events outside our planet. For example we are forced to make decisions based on the seasons, whether, naturally disastrous and time of day. At this level you can argue that celestial bodies do effect our decisions.
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7. Interpretations of the sun and moon have changed other the years
Astrologers claim that the moon has an effect on humans as it does on the oceans. They argue that if the moon affects the tides, it is possible that it also affects the human body, which consists about 75% water. The interpretation of astrologers has evolved through the ages. The ancient Egyptians believed that the sun was a star and a royal blessing. They saw the moon as an evil star. In the Tarot, the map of the moon also reveals a dark side. Nevertheless, contemporary astrologers make a more positive meaning to the moon. The moon is also associated with changes in mood and emotions in humans.
Even to this day there is speculation the moon affects our emotions. It is a fact that many medical nurses believe there is more incidents during a full moon, this also applies to policing too.
A popular way of viewing astrology is going by the famous astrological saying ‘as above, so below’. This saying implies that the wider macrocosmic universe (outside Earth) is reflected in the smaller microcosmic world (being life on Earth). Basically this theory assumes a clockwork universe, that everything is linked together. Any changes in the universe (such as the positions of celestial bodies) can influence life on Earth.
8. Astrology is the relationship of celestial configurations and life on earth
China, India, and Greece were the first countries in the world to give much importance to astrologers. Dating back to ancient times and perhaps even beyond, astrology was born from the realization of a relationship between the seasons and the apparent movement of the stars, leading man to deify them. These considerations then are primarily an astronomical practice (which correlates to that between chart and seasons). They lead to the hypothesis that the stars movements are the cause of these phenomena.
The idea of a symbolic correspondence between the celestial configuration and world affairs have gradually led to the construction of an astrological symbolism. The different levels of interpretation (physical guesses and human conjectures) coexist for some time, and then gradually go by dissociating. This development will create practical astronomy (which sticks to the observation, description and calendar predictions), leaving astrology aspects esoteric speculation about the links between heavens and driving human activities. Its support being the stars, astrology is one of divination particularly prevalent in the history of cultures. It may well include the specific existence of Mayan astrology, Arabic, Egyptian, Chinese, and Western course.
9. The Sumerian civilization laid the foundations of astrology
Among all the great civilizations, the Sumerians are those who laid the foundation of astrological studies. They were the first to consider Mars as the planet of force and war and to associate with humans. They were also the first to consider Venus as the planet symbolizing femininity and fertility. These features are still used in our time.
Even, the astrologer Mark Antony was a gift from Cleopatra. When the couple was away from each other, Cleopatra was using to spy astrologer Marc Anthony and his sister Octavia. Cleopatra and Mark Antony were both under the sign of Capricorn.
10. Astrology has been around for thousands of years!
One of the most important facts about astrology is its age. The first known writings about the stars date back 5,000 years, in the form of clay tablets on which were recorded all records of planetary motion observed by Mesopotamian scholars priests. These observations were made in a religious context. The movement of the stars is seen as God’s will; priests and astrologers for translators. This can also be considered as the origin of astronomy. Chaldeans, removed for astronomy and astrology spread it to Greece after the conquests of Alexander the Great. From there it was spread throughout the Greek empire, India, Egypt and then to ancient Rome while becoming more structured, less religious and thus more popular.
The division of the sky into twelve zodiacal signs and the first known horoscope dated fifth century BC. Greece, Hippocrates and Galen (for example probably Egyptian priests) made astrology a cornerstone of medicine, combined with the theory of the four elements. Alongside this astrology, different systems are forming in China, pre-Columbian America and probably in other civilizations. But Chinese astrology and Chaldean astrology are the only systems that have lasted until today. All currently known astrological systems derived from one of these two systems (or both, if the Tibetan astrology). The Chaldean Astrology is, however, one that has experienced the largest circulation and most influential. The first masterful synthesis of astrology, Tetrabiblos, was written by the Alexandrian Ptolemy in 140 AD, laying the foundations and principles of what would become Western astrology.
Conclusion
Astrology exists in several forms such as Chinese, vedic and werstern. They all differ in their symbolic nature and techniques. For example, Western astrology is based on the solar calendar. And Chinese astrology is based on the Chinese calendar.
Astrology has constantly evolved throughout history. This has created differences between astrologers. It relates to different methods for calculating house positions. In the twentieth century, astrology experienced new interest due to a more modern approach. Engineers, statisticians, and psychologists approach this discipline with a scientific approach and research resources. Today, we can divide Western astrology into three branches such as individual, horoscopic and event astrology. Individual astrology is based on a person’s date of birth, location of birth and time of birth. It focuses on the psychology of the individual and events that may have shaped their personality. An astrology horoscope is directly inherited from the Middle Ages. Horoscopes in the local paper are based on a person’s zodiac sign, which is where the sun was at the time of a person’s birth. This results in a general forecast of events that may happen. Accuracy is increased when the horoscope becomes more personal, taking into account a person’s date of birth, location of birth and time of birth also. Event astrology forecasts major events, for example stock market astrology.
Astrology is here to stay, and will likely keep evolving. We are now in an age where statistical data is on the rise. This statistical data could play a major role in the next evolution of astrology. I hope your have enjoyed this 10 interesting facts about astrology article. If you have any interesting facts about astrology, please email them to us.
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