Astrology Terms - Aspects of Astrology - Astrology And Its Influences

Astrology Terms

Astrology may or may not be "science," depending on who you ask. But, one similarity it does bear to science is a large collection of terms. Natal charts and horoscopes can be as simple as "your sun sign is Gemini." Or, they can be extremely complex, taking into account exactly where and when the individual was born, where each of the planets, sun, and moon were positioned at that moment, and then measuring how each of those bodies related to each other.
The starting point of any astrology work is the Sun Sign. This is one of the twelve signs of the Zodiac, and is the constellation the Sun was passing through when the person was born. 

A Horoscope, as far as the public is concerned, is that little nugget of advice printed with their sign in the newspaper. But the full Horoscope as designed by the astrologer is more than that. It's a complete map of the planets with regards to the constellations and each other.

Once the planets have been mapped, then their Aspects can be measured. The Aspect is the measure of the angle formed by drawing lines between the planets. The two most important Aspects are the Conjunction (which is a very small measure, less than ten degrees), and the Opposition (a very large measure, nearly 180 degrees).

The Houses are equivalent to the signs of the Zodiac, but they're also dedicated to certain aspects of the person's life. One House is devoted to finances, another to health, for example.

Each planet orbits the sun at a different speed. Mercury, right next to the sun, races around it in a matter of weeks, while Pluto plods along in an orbit that takes centuries. Occasionally, the Earth will pass a planet, and it will seem to be "moving backwards." Think of riding a fast train while passing a slow moving one--the slower train will appear to be backing up, even though it's moving forward. 

This optical illusion is called Retrograde, and these periods of backwards motion show up in horoscopes and action.

Read : Arthritic Insomnia - Arthritic Pain - Arthritic Pain

Aspects of Astrology

There are many aspects of astrology that are not often considered by those who do not actually study the subject. Most people think that astrology consists of sun signs. However, there are many other aspects of astrology that must be considered for the art to be truly accurate and useful.

The Planets

There are ten planets studied in astrology. The number ten is arrived by adding the sun and the moon. The earth is not counted, because our perspective is from the earth. Each planet influences both the sun sign and the house in which it resides in the astrological chart.

Each planet represents the influence that it holds over the sun sign and the house in which it rules. Saturn, for example, represents the limitations of man. Jupiter represents leadership and prosperity. The other planets have their own representations and influences.

Planetary movements and alignments are also very important in astrology. Various planetary alignments and movements can indicate extreme influences over all aspects of our lives. For example, when Mars is in retrograde, conflicts will be more dominant in our lives.

The Houses

There are twelve houses in the Zodiac, or astrological chart. Each house represents an aspect of our lives such as romance, career, or family. The houses are very important in the interpretation of astrology. The house in which a planet resides shows what influences will be held over that aspect of our life.

Because there are twelve houses but only ten planets, each astrological chart will have two vacant houses. These vacant houses represent areas of the life that are unimportant in this life. It is believed that either you have been successful in that aspect of your life in another life, or other aspects of life are in more immediate need of attention than those represented by the vacant houses.

The Signs

The Zodiac sun signs are the most common aspect of astrology. There are twelve sun signs, based, roughly, on the months of the year. Each sun sign rules for approximately twenty eight days.

The twelve signs of the Zodiac are well known to most people. They include Capricorn, Sagittarius, Aquarius, Scorpio, Gemini, Libra, Leo, and Ares, among others. The sun signs are most often used to create typical horoscopes.

The Moon Signs

The moon also has twelve signs that are used in the interpretation of astrology, as well as the phases of the moon that are commonly known. The twelve signs of the moon are named after the twelve signs of the sun. However, these signs do not meet often.

The twelve signs of the moon circulate monthly rather than yearly. Therefore, each sign of the Zodiac occurs within its own sign of the moon one time each month. This may occur for one to three days. It is when the sun sign and moon sign are the same that the individual's mental clarity is at its peak.

When the sign of the moon is the opposite of the sun sign of the individual in question, conflict will ensue. Some phases of the moon are detrimental to decision making regardless of the sun sign held by the individual. In any case, the moon's energies and emotions influence the overall readings of the rest of the aspects of astrology.

Astrology And Its Influences

Taking much of the country by surprise, and causing a great number of negative reactions, was when it became publicly-known that then-president Ronald Reagan and his wife Nancy not only frequently consulted an astrologer, but based numerous important decisions on astrology, such as Reagan's chances in the 1976 presidential election, and his eventual choice of George Bush as his vice-president. While governor of California, Ronald Reagan signed into law a new chapter and section of the government code, which granted astrologers the right to practice astrology for compensation. Even more surprising was learning that a number of previous presidents had also followed this practice as well as such famous world-leaders as Winston Churchill.

Celebrities are also known to believe in and follow the paths of astrology when deciding the course of their careers, often being quite outspoken about their beliefs. David Coverdale, of the popular group Whitesnake, has commented that he and his wife rigorously follow astrology; actor Robert Downey, Jr., and singer Britney Spears are also amongst those who consult astrologers on a regular basis. J.K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter books series, liberally sprinkles astrological symbolism in her material. "Astrologers to the stars" occasionally become as much in the spotlight of the public eye as the stars who consult them.

Read : 17 Century Architecture and Baroque Era - Adobes and ancient architecture

If world-renowned politicians and stars in the entertainment industry have been placing so much value on the subject of astrology, is it any wonder that many average Americans are doing likewise? A recent Harris Poll has concluded that at least thirty-one percent of Americans have some degree of belief in astrology nearly half of these being in the twenty-five to twenty-nine-year old age group, with the belief in this practice falling to fourteen percent for those over sixty-five years of age.

The highest percentages of American adults who believe in astrology as being a valid and significant influence in one's life are women, democrats, and those who have a high school or less education-- yet even Benjamin Franklin professed and wrote about his own personal belief in astrology, which illustrates that this subject is by no means limited to any certain categories of individuals, and that its popularity is most definitely not new, as it has long been embraced by well-known, respected people in all fields.

Astrology is described as studying the celestial bodies in relation to their influence on natural events and human experiences. It is called pseudoscience, proven science, superstition, anti-Christian, and a host of other descriptions based primarily on individual viewpoints on the subject. But for celebrities, politicians, world leaders, and a large segment of the population of average citizens alike, it is frequently a very strong influencing factor in people's lives.

Tweet