-
What is Astrology?
Astrology is a divination tool that has been used for thousands of years by different cultures all over the world. The Babylonians were among the first to use astrology as a way to predict future events. They began using it during their reign in Mesopotamia, around 4,000 BC. The ancient Egyptians are credited with inventing horoscope readings and they too used astrology as a means of divining the future. The ancient world was a time of great uncertainty, with wars and pestilence common occurrences. Most people had short lives and uncertain futures; therefore, the belief in astrology gave them hope because it promised that they could predict their future by studying the stars. In the past, people had no way to control their destiny. Wars and pestilence were common, and most people lived short lives. Ancient astrologers believed that studying the stars could help them predict the future and find guidance for everyday life.Astrologers believe that the position of celestial objects influences life on Earth. An astrological map called a horoscope can be used to predict personality traits or relationships between two people or groups of people involved in a particular matter. The basic premise behind modern astrology is that celestial objects exert forces that humans can feel on Earth. Earth’s atmosphere exerts a small amount of pressure on objects above it, which can be explained by classical mechanics. If you step off a cliff or jump onto a trampoline, for example, you fall downwards because you are pushing Earth away from yourself and falling with it.
What is a Birth Chart?
A birth chart is a map of the sky at the precise moment and location of your birth. It is a symbolic representation of the heavens, but seeing it can be overwhelming for most people. That’s because there is a language to any map, the symbols on it have meaning and, like any language or map, it takes time and energy to decode it. But we promise that it’s worth the effort. The sky never sleeps. It is, from our vantage point, always on the move. The sky looks different from minute to minute, if we’re paying attention. Your birth chart determines how the sky looked at the moment you entered this world, that’s why it’s such a crucial piece to this puzzle. It’s also why everyone and their dog has texted their family member to ask what time they were born.
The Ascendant
The point on the horoscope where the Eastern horizon and the Ascendant meet is called the Ascendant or rising sign. This means that when you look at your birth chart, the degree at which the rising sign is situated becomes your ascendant, which is an important astrological point that represents you.
The Midheaven
The Midheaven forms the southern hemisphere of your chart. This is where the Sun culminates, reaching its highest point in the sky, and where you tend to be most visible.
The Descendant
The descendant is a point in the Western hemisphere where the Sun sets. This point represents your close relationships and other people.
The Imum Coeli
The IC, or Imum Coeli, is located in the Northern hemisphere. It’s considered the midnight of the chart and is associated with your private life.
Planets
Planets are the central drives in a chart. They represent the things we want and need most, like identity and abundance or connections and boundaries. The traditional planets are the Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. Uranus, Neptune and Pluto were discovered later on.
The sun represents your identity and where you shine. The moon symbolizes your body and emotions. Mercury stands for how and where you communicate. Venus represents how and where you connect with others. Mars shows how and where you take action. Jupiter symbolizes how and where you create abundance in your life. Saturn represents how and where you establish boundaries.
Aspects
Aspects are the relationships between planets. A planet in one sign at one aspect to another planet in a different sign can be like the relationship between two people. Some people get along easily, while others might have a more challenging time getting along. Then there are those who you don’t know at all, even if you’ve heard of them. Planets and points that form a conjunction are energies that work together. They blend together; therefore, they act as one force. The closer they are to conjunction, the more subjective these combined energies are. They don’t stand alone, and they have a difficult time truly acknowledging each other as distinct or separate.Sextiles, like trines, point to some talent and ease. People with a sextile may need to be reminded of their own talents or tendencies, but they are not as strong as trines. Sextiles are more overt talents that people appreciate in themselves. They are often more inclined to notice and work on these talents.Squares are wonderful aspects that create tension between planets and points. This tension is necessary in order to stimulate action, but too much tension translates to stress. When the planets or points involved in a square are acting at cross purposes, we may overdo and run into countless obstacles before we “get it right”. However, squares force us out of complacency and get the ball rolling. Squares are often more difficult when we are young because these aspects force us to grow and learn our lessons.The Trine: Three planets in trine support each other. Planets in trine are accepting and supportive. They allow us to accept others, ourselves, and situations. The talents that trines offer a native are so natural that they are almost unconscious. Often enough, natives don’t truly appreciate the talents these trines offer them, and they may not try hard enough to develop them.The Opposition—“It takes two” is the expression, and the opposition is created by dividing the circle by 2. In astrology, this aspect signifies relationships. People with oppositions often seek out others as if to mirror their own internal struggles. They learn about themselves through interactions with others. Very often, oppositions cause us to swing from one side to the other and we feel torn.
Zodiac Signs Meaning
The zodiac is divided into 12 signs. Each sign covers roughly the equivalent of a month’s time, but unlike our calendar months, time for the zodiac signs is calculated differently. This is because Western astrologists calculate the first sign based off spring equinox in the Northern hemisphere (which happens around March 21st every year), and dates are set by the sun’s passage through each constellation during Ancient Greek times.
The word “zodiac” comes from the Greek phrase “zōidiakòs kýklos,” which means “cycle (or circle) of little animals.” Zodiac signs are made up of three key components:
The actual sign itself
Four elements
Three modalities
The zodiac is divided into four elements — fire signs, water signs, earth signs, and air signs.
The fire signs (Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius) are bold, daring, inventive, and can burn too brightly; the water signs (Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces) are emotional, intuitive, deeply connected with their subconscious; the air signs (Gemini, Libra, and Aquarius) are talkative, sharp thinkers who can also be easily enthralled by speculation and ideology; the earth signs (Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn) are solid-grounded and practical but also sensual and drawn to material goods.
In addition to the four elements, each sign of the zodiac is also associated with a modality. The modality is a sign’s basic operating mode or how it expresses itself. Every sign is assigned to one of three modalities: cardinal, fixed or mutable. The cardinal modality (or “cardinal expression”) represents the beginning season and initiation. All cardinal signs either mark the start of a new season or a solstice. The cardinal signs are: Aries (spring), Cancer (summer solstice), Capricorn (winter solstice) and Libra (fall). Those born under this modality are considered to be traditional, leaders, and rational. On the other hand, they can also be aggressive and overly cautious. The fixed modality represents the middle season and sustaining. The fixed signs of aries, taurus, gemini, leo and cancer all begin in the middle of a season. People born under this modality are considered to be stable, reliable and persistent. On the other hand, they can also be stubborn and unopen to change.The mutable modality is a part of the Zodiac, and it represents the end season and change. People born under a mutable sign (like this article’s author) are adaptable and flexible, but also restless and unpredictable.
What Are the 12 Zodiac Signs?
Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius and Pisces are the 12 zodiac signs. The symbols for each zodiac sign originate from Greek manuscripts from the Middle Ages. Let’s take a closer look at how each symbol came to be.
Aries, the first sign of the zodiac, is represented by the constellation of the ram. If born under this sign, you’re considered to be adventurous, dynamic, ambitious and competitive. Arians are known for their quickness and leadership qualities, as well as a tendency to be impulsive (blame the “fire” element) and blunt.
The Taurus zodiac sign is represented by the constellation Taurus. If you’re born under this sign, you’re known to be a reliable and loyal friend, as well as focused and creative. Tauruses are very intelligent and known for being trustworthy, but also stubborn (a bull is the sign’s mascot after all). Tauruses love to seek out pleasure and can be a bit rebellious at times.
Gemini is the third sign of the zodiac. It is represented by the constellation Gemini, which is made up of the twins, Castor and Pollux. If born under this sign, you’re considered to be energetic, expressive, intelligent and playful. Gemini are known for their outgoing nature and varied interests but also have a reputation for being two-faced.
Cancer is the fourth sign of the zodiac, represented by the crab. If born under this sign, you’re considered to be bold, compassionate, protective and intuitive. Thay are known for their care-giving nature, as well as a tendency to be distant and passive-aggressive.
People born under the sign of Leo are considered to be vivacious, outgoing and fiery. They are known for their warm nature and high self-esteem, but they can have a tendency to be proud or jealous.
Virgo is the sixth of the twelve zodiac signs, represented by the constellation, the maiden. If you’re born under this sign, you’re practical, analytical and sophisticated; you’re known for your kindness and attention to detail but can have a tendency to be shy and have unfairly high standards for yourself and others.
The seventh sign of the zodiac, Libra is represented by the scales. If born under this sign, you’re considered to be balanced, social and diplomatic. Librans are known for their selfless nature and companionship, but they can have a tendency to be too pragmatic and insecure.
Scorpio is the eighth sign of the zodiac, represented by the constellation of Scorpius. If you were born under this sign, you’re said to be loyal, resourceful and focused. Scorpios are known for their courage and trailblazing nature, but they can seem prickly and closed off to strangers.
Sagittarius is the ninth sign of the zodiac, represented by the constellation Sagittarius, the archer. People born under this sign are optimistic, independent and intellectual. They are magnetic and generous but can be arrogant and too direct.
Capricorn is the tenth astrological sign in the zodiac, represented by the constellation Capricornus. If born under this sign, you’re considered patient, hardworking, and disciplined. Capricorns have a tendency to be stubborn and overly focused on perfection.
Aquarius is an air sign, associated with the eleventh constellation in the zodiac system. If you are born under this sign, you are considered to be creative and original. Aquarius people can be rebellious and aloof at times, but they also have a tendency to be uncompromising with those close to them.
People born under the sign of Pisces are believed to be intuitive, creative, and empathetic. They have a strong tendency to be compassionate and artistic but can sometimes be too sensitive or prone to delusions. Pisces is represented by the constellation of two fishes, making it the final of the twelve zodiac signs.
What is Synastry?
Synastry is an essential part of astrology, helping to reveal the underlying dynamics in relationships. It involves creating charts for two people and looking at their planets, houses, and aspects to identify how they will interact. By looking at the birth charts of both parties, astrologers can gain a better understanding of how two people were created and how they might be compatible. With synastry, one can learn where they are more likely to find true love. Astrology gives us insight into our personalities and potential partners, which can ultimately lead us to finding our soulmate.
Horoscope 