Welcome to Psychological Astrology with me

 Welcome to Psychological Astrology (PA) Concepts 

with Mitchell D. Lopate

I’m an “astrologist,” as some people prefer to say: someone who actively studies and participates in the study of the dynamics of astrology. I have a B.A. in psychology from Rutgers University, and a masters in education from a private university—but I’m passionate about PA and how it works in our lives. I’ve studied it since 1976, and I’ve written a book about it as well as the blog itself.

What is PA? In western world terms, it’s a language of human actions and choices that can be discerned with the symbols that represent those actions and choices. It’s a blend of the myths from Greece and Rome that describe the stories of humans and their views of the gods and goddesses—the alleged beings of powerful energies of nature. Those gods and goddesses mirrored the choices and decisions of humans that are so vital to our awareness of life: love, war, intellect, enjoyment, surprise, emotions, self-identity, spirituality, discipline in building character, and ultimately, how we face death—and rebirth.

The participants in PA are like actors and actresses who partake of their roles in those choices and decisions. They take on nine (9) major themes (the major planets), with secondary back-ups, and present themselves with twelve (12) styles of appearances (the signs). Each actor/actress, in their exchange “on stage in life,” either cooperates or challenges each other, or several others, according to the life lessons to be achieved or mastered (the aspects). Or not—there are no guarantees!

Within those roles and challenges-cooperation, there may be one or more key areas of 12 Life Experiences—or “stages”—to facilitate this. Each “stage” (or ‘house’) has its own setting. A "stage" (house) may or may not feature any primary focus of action to be learned or resolved. (It depends on your life choices that were made before you were born. Yes, astrology does consider reincarnation as a key component of your soul's growth opportunities.)

The diagram of the birth chart (or current event chart, or even relationship-compatibility chart, if desired), shows who is in which role, how they are “costumed” for it, and in which areas of Life Experience they are “on stage” for the challenges or cooperation dynamics. There are also factors for passive or aggressive responses and “acting out in character,” and introversion/extroversion options. The results are ultimately up to each individual to learn through the “script(s)” that have been crafted for each actor/actress in the Life Performance. There are surely failures and also achievements, which all are up to the person who knows their Life Blueprint by way of PA.

As a hint: yes, the symbols are easy to learn in astrology. If you know your alphabet in any language, it’s just like that. Each symbol has its own ‘sound’ or role of action or energy to deliver. If you know your language by symbols (e.g., Hebrew, Sanskrit, Arabic), you know this already. If you know your language by complex symbols (Chinese or Japanese), you know it already.

There can be a lifetime of study within PA because psychology is the study of human behavior and the decisions that impact those behaviors. You may also learn how to identify which Life Lessons are appearing in your current life cycles or age. These are options that I can also teach—but I emphasize that it is much easier and rewarding to know the basics. To know yourself is to know your strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities. It may also reward you to know these qualities within those who are your key associates, family, and social network. Again, welcome!!

(Note: we won't use Pallas, Juno, Vesta, Ceres in this initial level because they are advanced material for later: the Feminine Asteroids and the 21st Century)

The Nine Intelligences with astrological Sun/Moon/Mercury natal placement options

                                   

 So how do these relate to Sun (I Am Who I Am) /Moon (I Am What I feel emotionally) /Mercury (I Am how I Learn and Think)? 

I’d try it this way—and yes, there are options. So in this regard, I would see possibilities IN GENERAL TERMS in the chart with those three natal planetary placements.

Naturalist – Taurus, Cancer, Sagittarius (All three especially in animal husbandry or veterinarian work)

Musical – Taurus (singing), Gemini (multi-instrumental), Cancer, Leo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Pisces (Yes, I could see Aquarius in some form of  rebellious/alternative formats)

Logical-mathematical – Virgo (of course!), Taurus, Gemini, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn

Existential (life-smart) – Libra, Scorpio (although suspicious by way of safety needs), Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius

Interpersonal – Gemini (GIVE me conversation!), Leo, Libra (the best at emotional intelligence), Aquarius (but more for socializing). Note: the LEAST-conscious emotional intelligent sign in Moon placement: Aries. WAY too possible to be self-centered.

Bodily-kinesthetic –Aries (competitive sports), Taurus, Gemini (arm-hand movements), Libra, Pisces (especially in dance)

Linguistic – Gemini, Sagittarius, Aquarius

Intrapersonal – Cancer, Libra, Scorpio (but they won’t say everything they know), Aquarius 

Spatial – Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Libra, Sagittarius, Capricorn

(Thanks to Richard Gallahad for the idea!)

 

 

 

Astrological principles, purpose, and potential

A few words about astrological principles and their purpose and potential from C.A., an associate in the field of counseling.

The birth chart, the natal chart is the blueprint of the agreement that the soul makes for its purpose of incarnation. Thus, when one understands astrology, one always has at their fingertips the means by which to understand the purpose and reason of one's character and one's being, as to why one may react and act in certain ways, why one may feel that certain events and circumstances are preordained. It is not that astrology is an ironclad contract, it is more simply a flexible blueprint that can help to understand oneself as they journey through life. The contract that is made in spirit is indeed a flexible contract, and spirit never holds that one must fulfill that which was contracted, and it is for this reason that free will applies.

One can go against what may have been part of the contract. One can for example decide not to go to an event one felt one should go to. By not going they might not meet an individual who was meant to play a prominent role in their life. If this individual was truly meant to play a significant role, they may meet up again later, or they may not. All of these events are due to the free will of the individual and their choices. If one has a blueprint and one is able to overview the blueprint to understand the energies that are available due to the various alignments of the stars, and of the energies available, one has a more enlightened way of living one's life. Again, one cannot say that their astrological chart will force them to act a certain way, for there is always the free will, but one always has the blueprint to consult. It is in this way that the astrological information that is captured at the moment of birth can prove to be of great significance during the individual's lifetime.

The Evolution of the Nature of the Stars - The new energies entering the planet will affect the signs, the portent of the stars and the planets that astrology is based on. But at the same time it is seen as an evolutionary type process. The Chaldeans many eons ago who developed what is now modern astrology would not be seen to be entirely relevant now, because the nature of the stars and the properties assigned to the stars and the planets were much different in those times. Yet astrology has been a constant factor since these earliest of times and it has always evolved and taken on relevancy for the times it is used and in the times it is found.

Thus, astrology in the 1930s was of a nature of a planet set to engage in international world conflict. Much of the energy of those times that was seen in the astrological information obtained from the stars and the planets that was available would be interpreted in the consciousness of the masses of that time, and would influence those astrologers and how they would see things. Later there was a shift in the '60s and '70s; there were those who saw the signs in terms of love. Linda Goodman was one who brought a different influence into the energies of astrology at that time. Again, this was part of the evolutionary adaptive program of astrology to the mass consciousness, and how many could tie it in so more could understand. With the new energies it is seen that there will be a radical leap forward as astrology again evolves to suit the needs, and those who have awareness will be able to bring astrology to a new level, higher than ever before, and those who have raised their consciousness will receive much more benefit from the new ways of interpreting the signs and the stars.

Alice O. Howell discusses psychological astrology and Jung

Chiron: healing one's psychological-family emotional wound to learn to heal others

Gene Roddenberry meets a Vulcan (revisited): farewell, Leonard Nimoy (1931-2015)

Astrology breaks ground in the study of the psyche by taking us figuratively beyond where no man has gone before, to add as an introduction with tongue-in-cheek.  It’s also due in part to the advances in technology (i.e., movies and television) that this is possible for us to see the role of “life beyond Earth” through the eyes of astrological analyses and chart interpretation. 

The modern era came during the mid-'60s when astrology was championed during the rise of television and movies starting with Gene Roddenberry’s gift of Star Trek.  At last:  humans and other beings living together and working too.  Mr. Spock, as portrayed by the calm aloofness of Leonard Nimoy’s Vulcan-human first officer, really opened so many people to honor their natural awareness of astrological identifications within the framework of one single character.  Not only was he cool because he knew nerve pinches that disarmed and disabled potential enemies, he possessed a mind that was lightning fast and always with the most effective answer.  He appealed to something special:  the need to be of and in service to a higher authority in command as well as a singular focus on the most direct way to gauge the odds for success or failure—and why.  I believe that we will indeed see and identify a trans-Mercurian planet close to the sun which will be named for the Roman god of the forge and Spock’s paternal home planet.  

Interestingly enough, astrology has spoken about Vulcan for some time, going back to the late 1800s.  Isabel Hickey also mentioned it in her book Astrology: A Cosmic Science, but it's my view that Roddenberry took the identity of an Advanced Virgo ascendant and made it into the logical, analytical image of the pointed-ear alien—a “Vulcan-Virgo” or "2V."  The qualities are obvious (or "logical"):  an over-fascination with accuracy and fact, and a detached insistence on maintaining a poker face because emotions show a lack of control—and reason. In an evolved storyline that may have been unintentional, the “next generation” series brought Mr. Data as an android with the same rigid structure of facts-as-law.

  

What is interesting here is that both men in their roles clearly represent the mental acuity and skillful cause-and-response capacities of a very adept Mercurian.  The Vulcan-Virgo is also very proud of the capacity to perform a role as a waking data base (hence Data’s name).  “Human Library” is a term I assign both personally and astrologically to the 2V.  (This does not necessarily have any impact on rulership by Mercury; that’s another topic.)

 This is of personal interest to me as well:  at my first-ever astrological reading by my future teacher, I was told that I was a 2V with the chart indicating a Virgo ascendant—and it’s been a family joke that I have pointed ears.  

(This was pushed to the test when I stretched a 1-hour astrological consultation meeting into eight hours, and then departed with two textbooks to study after being told a flat “no”—by a Scorpio!--to my insistence that I borrow them.)

(c) MDLOP8 2010

Psychological Astrology in the 21st Century

(From the back cover):

The 21^st Century is the Time 

for Psychology and Astrology

The doors astrology can open are based in a psychological frame:  that we possess a natural system of looking within and seeing ourselves in an organized structure of behaviors, responses, growth, and sequential outcomes.

We have available a 12-way mirror of the soul with multiple levels of potential views and choices to make to take us further on the pathway that we call Life.  We can become the artist who creates the living painting of our decisions and their results.  These are ideas to help the working, thinking, considerate practical healer of body, mind, and soul, whether or not the person is a professional physician, holistic healer, or just someone interested in understanding the vast range of experiences that come with a lifetime (especially those who are blessed as parents). 

It is also the 21^st century. The collective awareness of our global brethren and the huge array of networking that the Internet has ignited is one way that we can integrate psychology with astrology because it is an internationally recognized concept in psychological fields. The response since the 1950s and the definitive statistical research by the Gauquelins from Switzerland is that astrology has a proven and significantly accurate rate of clarity in identifying psychological potential behaviors and actions.

Astrology is also being applied in the work field; it is a human resources tool. It’s just not openly admitted! It offers a direct no-nonsense approach to defining the parameters of behavior, and has little tolerance for the human trait of denial. It does not need a one-on-one encounter either; astrological analyses can be done without a direct meeting.

Key points are clearly visible, among them, work habits, ability to handle authority figures, day-to-day schedules, motivation, fears and avoidance/acceptance of responsibility, routines, entrepreneurship, and management potential.

$11.00 PDF download via mitchLOP8@yahoo.com

Psychological astrology and psychiatry unite

Astrology and psychology--and psychiatry*--are bonded together from the centuries of observing human behavior, whether or not it has been clinical or otherwise.  

I believe the 21st century will see the inception of astrological principles in the field of counseling support.  However, I foresee this more in the light of supportive counseling rather than "there is something wrong with you."

Astrology can strengthen and encourage; it can provide guidance and uplifting goals; it can give structure and motivation.

The "scientific community" still needs to be convinced. Dr. Mitchell Gibson is here to present his perspective for anyone in the following fields:

M.S.W.
Ph.D.
CDAC
Ed.D.
M.A.T.
Psy.D.
M.D.

This is from Amazon.com's synopsis.  The book is available at Barnes & Noble as well as Llewellyn Publications.

"Designed for psychologists, psychiatrists, astrologers, and lay people alike, Signs of Mental Illness by Dr. Mitchell E. Gibson, M.D., is a breakthrough in the sciences of psychiatry and astrology that will help people with their mental health for this new millennium.

"The author is one of the most well known and highly respected medical doctors in the state of Arizona, where he maintains a successful private practice in psychiatry. Dr. Gibson is a Diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry & Neurology, the American Board of Forensic Medicine, and the American College of Forensic Examiners. Formerly, he was chief of staff at East Valley Camelback Hospital, as well as chief resident in psychiatry at the Albert Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia."

With such an illustrious career, why has he written a book that uses astrology, a science that some people severely question? Because it can help people—and because it's the truth.

Numerous cases of famous people are highlighted in this book. All of the patients were diagnosed according to the DSM-IV, the gold standard of psychiatric diagnostic criteria. The diagnostic groups represented include major depression, anxiety, addictive disorder, schizophrenia, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

More credentials: the following roster of mental health practitioners, physicians, and clinical counselors, and their respective schools:

Michael Mclay, M.A. (University of Iowa)
Bradley Kochunas, Ph.D., Ohio Department of Mental Health

Donna Cunningham, M.S.W., Columbia University

Maritha Pottenger, M.A., California School of Professional Psychology (Clinical)

Stephen Arroyo, M.A., California State University

Zipporah Dobyns, Ph.D., University of Chicago (Clinical)

Bernard Rosenblum, M.D. (Psychiatry), New York City

Gisele Terry, M.A., (Clinical), New York City/Los Angeles

Laurie A. Baum, M.S.W., C.S.W, Yeshiva University

Glenn Perry, Ph.D., Saybrook Institute (Clinical) and his accredited masters degree course:
https://aaperry.com

*(Carl Jung, father of modern psychiatry)

Psychological astrology is both holistic and clinical:  within it can be found opportunities for identifying needs by traditional schools:  Erickson, Piaget, Jung, and Maslow, by using intuition and gut feelings & analysis, and inter/intrapersonal skills & counseling as the foundation.

(c) MDLOP8 2010

Love, Money, Power, or Fear: Personal Motivators of signs

 This should give a great deal of insight not only for the signs, but for how we relate to others, to our own Needs (our Moon), our Self-identity (Sun), and also our Fears and Worries (Saturn). 

Ever figure what motivates people?  It's easy--and it works with everyone you know (including loved ones):

Love, Money, Power, or Fear.  

Two of them are constants in our life (Primary), and two are not important (Secondary). The trick is to know which two are yours, and see how you  match each other (in relationships), or just being aware of your personal "hot  buttons."

They each have a positive and negative reinforcement as motivators in our lives, depending on which ones are Primaries. Again, the rule is that two of four are Primaries: these are the two factors which motivate and inspire each of us, and the remaining two (Secondaries) are not of consideration nor consequence when it comes to decision-making processes. Our relationships that succeed or fail, whether personal or professional, can depend heavily on how well matched we are with a Significant Other who mirrors back a similar Primary.

Love as a Positive Primary brings someone a warm feeling of appreciation for living things, human or otherwise; they are very attuned to the flow of energy that sustains all that exists.  Some of these people are healers or work with support systems that enhance or encourage people, animals, plants, or other creatures to be maintained or thrive. Love as a Positive Primary can be very spiritual; it is a natural part of this type to be affectionate and seek out others who enjoy receiving and giving this energy.

As a Negative Primary, these people can be overcome by jealousy and possessiveness. They may be envious of others who receive or give affection or displays of love. Some people who use Love as a Negative Primary force do not let other people find fulfillment in romantic situations:  a parent or partner who deliberately uses control of Love is such a person.

Money as a Positive Primary can be seen through people who are resourceful, inventive, generous, and philanthropic; they are willing to share with others who are in need. Possessions and property are not theirs exclusively; they are aware of being supportive and encouraging in motivating others to reach their goals or just keep trying and not quit. Professor Muhammad Yunus and his efforts to provide micro-loans to women who needed financial assistance to break the cycle of poverty is one example. This is more than just giving to charities too: this is realizing that Manifestation is a gift that everyone can create and use.  

Something  as simple as the "pay it forward" method of giving to someone who needs assistance and then letting them extend the same opportunity to someone else in need would be such a method. The Native American tradition of potlatch is an example: The potlatch is a festival or ceremony  practiced among Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast. At these gatherings a family or hereditary leader hosts guests in their  family's house and holds a feast for their guests. The main purpose of the potlatch is the re-distribution and reciprocity of wealth.

Different events take place during a potlatch, like either singing and dances, sometimes with masks or regalia, such as Chilkat blankets, the barter of wealth through gifts, such as dried foods, sugar, flour, or other material things, and sometimes money. For many potlatches, spiritual ceremonies take place for different occasions. This is either through material wealth such as foods and goods or non-material things such as songs and dances. 

As a Negative Primary, Money can be a crippling need for wealth at the cost of others' lives:  slavery is one example.  Greed, miserliness, and the abuse of others at any price is another. The monetary system in general (not barter) has many examples of how financial means can become an abusive method of controlling people.

Power as a Positive Primary brings out the best in creative visualization and faith in one's values if they are used to help and assist others and life in general.  This is the realm of believing in one's goals, as well as helping others to reach theirs.  It is more than physical strength; this is spiritual strength and empowerment, and the purpose of having a dream to pursue.  Some people go into various methods of Life Coaching, including sports, in order to help others fulfill their destinies.  The late college basketball coach, John Wooden of UCLA, is a great example.  Jaime Escalante, the high school math teacher who encouraged his students to break free of the poverty mentality of their East Los Angeles upbringing and go on to college, is another.  

As a Negative Primary, Power can certainly be seen as a control factor.  The use and abuse of Love, Money, and Fear to frighten and weaken others can be seen throughout the history of Mankind through the works of literature and other means of expressing and recording the stories of people and their efforts.  Domination, tyranny, and competitiveness that overwhelms others at the price of their freedom (again, slavery and conquest being two examples) finds justification in the eyes and minds of people who believe that "Might Makes Right."

Fear as a Positive Primary is often misunderstood as a weakness, but it has a proper place.  Caution, security, and deliberate, proper planning are excellent ways of being sure and confident of one's plans or position in life.  Such people are often slow to respond, but are determined and successful.  I would place investor Warren Buffet here because of the rules he follows regarding his strategies about money:  don't lose it, and don't take unnecessary risks.

As a Negative Primary, Fear is used by people who are afraid; the word "afraid" itself often appears in their language.  They can be intimidated easily and reduced to positions of self-doubt and worry.  (Author's note: I consider such people to "drive with one foot on the gas and one foot on the brake"; they often are hesitant to take control of opportunities for themselves, and can be overwhelmed by emotional factors and insecurities.)  Death as a topic and the fear of the unknown after death is another part of a Fear-based Negative Primary; it has been used for centuries as a means of controlling people's values and resources.

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As I see it, Aries, Gemini, Leo, Scorpio, Sagittarius and Capricorn are the ones I would say have more potential for influence by Power. Certainly, Aries activates it in self and others; Gemini acquires satisfaction of information from it; Leo wants to receive it from presence of existence; Scorpio controls and contains it; Sagittarius exults in receiving and distributing it; and Capricorn wants it for consolidation and formation of an idea.

I'd say that Taurus, Cancer, Virgo, Scorpio, Aquarius, and Pisces are more Fear-motivated. Taurus wants security of existence in tangible form; Cancer wants safety of existence; Virgo wants boundaries and structure of existence for self and others; Scorpio wants privacy and safety at any cost; Aquarius fears losing freedom of self and social encounters to outdated standards; and Pisces needs to hide from the aggression of others in a world that seems bizarre and unfriendly. 

And I'd think that Taurus, Cancer, Leo, Scorpio, and Capricorn are also Money-oriented too. Leo, Libra, and Pisces are the ones I'd say are definitely "Love"-motivated too. Yes, I do think some people who are in these Sun signs could have other types of motivation other than what I've indicated--but this is a generalization on my part to categorize them.

Aries is all about conquest: Power. Gemini wants Power of Information. Leo wants Power for Appreciation of Personality. Scorpio wants it to control and dominate; also for self-protection. Sagittarius wants it for the ability to do more. And Capricorn wants it to create a legacy.

Taurus wants security--without it, there's no safety: either Money or Fear (the lack of money). Cancer is the same way--especially for a Cancer Moon or ascendant. Virgo wants to protect personal boundaries and quirks: the fear of "not having routines." Scorpio doesn't want to lose personal privacy, so in fear of this, it lashes out fiercely at anyone or anything who would take it. Aquarius doesn't want to lose Personal Freedom of choice. And Pisces is afraid of never Going Back Home.

As noted, Taurus wants money to acquire belongings. Cancer wants it to provide for others--and to maintain security. Leos may want money to show themselves in more dramatic ways. Scorpio likes the power of money and what it can do. Capricorn knows that money makes for business deals.

Regarding Love, Leo is more likely to want everyone to love them for Being there. Libra may be Co-Dependent for Love. And Pisces feels such Universal Love for others from the Flow of Life force from the Creator.

Venus in Pisces: the Exaltation of Love as a Force of Attraction and Creation

(From The Astrologer's Handbook by Sakoian and Acker) - Venus in Pisces. 

(Author's note: I have this position opposite my ascendant in Virgo. The Feminine Principle totally inspires me, and totally overwhelms me. At the same time.)

Venus in the sign Pisces is in its exaltation.  Here the love principle reaches its highest evolutionary development; the natives marry for love, no other considerations being of any consequence. Venus in this sign manifests deep compassion and sympathy converging on spirituality—the understanding of and unity with all life. 
The universality of Venus in Aquarius, combined with the empathy and emotional depth of Pisces—which is ruled by Neptune—produces an emotional rapport with the life of all creatures in the universe.  The individual sees the Eternal Life principle flowing through all manifestation, uniting the soul with all life.  
These people have a high capacity to understand the feelings of others; they know what it is like to be in another person’s shoes. The experience of having been through all the signs of the Zodiac gives the soul the ability to identify with all types of humanity.

       People with this position of Venus are romantic and sensitive. Unless they receive clear demonstrations of love and affection from others, they feel lonely and disappointed.
     Sometimes the disappointment leads to a feeling of martyrdom, which may be sublimated into religious expressions. Or it may lead to neurotic tendencies or mental illness.  The Neptunian rulership of Pisces gives intuitive inspiration to Venus, making these people capable of drawing on higher dimensions for resources in artistic, poetic, and musical creation; many great composers, artists, and poets have Venus in Pisces. This Venus position probably has more innate ability for inspired artistic creativity than any other placements.

          Because the natives are highly sensitive to the suffering of others, people may take advantage of their sympathies unless their discrimination is well developed. Their extreme emotional sensitivity means they are often afraid of being hurt through rejection; thus they hesitate to express their feelings, suffering the pangs of love in silence.  Sometimes they miss romantic opportunities. They are inclined to become emotionally dependent on others or have others become emotionally dependent on them.

          If Venus is afflicted in Pisces, there can be excessive sentimentality, lack of discrimination in choosing love objects, laziness, hypersensitivity, and over-dependence on others.  Strong emotions can stand in the way of objective perception of reality.

Venus is Exalted in Pisces

     To mature to its full fruition, Venus, which rules the principle of love and attraction, must go through the entire cycle of experience in the Zodiac. Only when we can put ourselves in another person’s shoes and feel with him or her what he feels can we be sympathetically attuned to that person and feel capable of loving them. Love in the true sense requires that we be attuned to all creation.  
Only in Pisces, where Venus works with the transcendental vibrations of Neptune and the goodwill of Jupiter, does such a high goal reach fulfillment. 
Love is the most transcendent and exalted product of the evolutionary process; only one who has lived through all the experience of humanity—as represented by Pisces, the last sign of the Zodiac—can fully experience the meaning of it.  Even this is limited, since Pisces is but the end of one turn on the spiral of evolution, the next spiral holding a greater promise of the expansion of consciousness and the unfolding of new creative powers.

A Psychological Astrologer's Comments

One of the best writers and teachers of psychological astrology today:  The Value of Astrology -  An Introduction not for Kids only, by Liz Greene

   Some people today think that astrology is only superstition, and that the ancient astrologers lived in a primitive and ignorant age. These people forget that their ancestors of long ago were clever enough to build the pyramids of Egypt which have stood for over four thousand years, and Stonehenge, which archaeologists now believe was a wonderfully accurate kind of clock based on the movements of the Sun, Moon and stars.

Sir Isaac Newton, one of the greatest scientists of all time, did not scorn astrology. He practiced it himself, and when one of his friends asked him why be believed in such "rubbish," he replied, "Sir, I have studied the matter. You have not!" More recently the famous Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung became very interested in astrology and wrote about it in his books. And some modern scientists certainly do not laugh at astrology. They are using research methods to try and understand why the beliefs of astrology seem to be true. They are discovering exciting things about the different kinds of energy that each planet emits, and are beginning to realize that the Moon really does have a powerful effect upon living things. Their researches may one day help to explain why astrology works.

Meanwhile, more and more people are beginning to realize that a knowledge of astrology can be a very useful thing. We have already said that a knowledge of it can help us to understand ourselves and others better. In countries like India, astrology has been used for thousands of years to help people choose the right marriage partner, and to select the best time of year to get married. Today psychologists may study a patient's horoscope to seek a better insight into that person's character, and some companies are beginning to use astrology to help them select the right people for the right jobs, because a horoscope can help to show what things a person is good at doing.

 One important thing to remember in the study of astrology is that no sign of the Zodiac is better or worse than any other sign. It is as good to be a Leo as it is to be a Scorpio, and Virgos have just as many special qualities as Capricorns or Geminis. Every sign indicates special gifts and abilities, though no two people can ever have exactly the same qualities and personalities because all sorts of other facts about the position of the Moon and the planets also have to be taken into account in every case.

Where can you learn more about astrology? Some American universities now teach astrology as a serious subject, and all over the world people can take a postal course even if they cannot attend lectures or classes. There are also many more books you can read about astrology. Some of these have been written by a Frenchman named Michel Gauquelin, who produced some fascinating statistics to prove how accurate astrology can be in assessing people's personalities and abilities. His books, as well as many others, have made many people take a new and serious look at astrology, and they are available in libraries and bookshops. Just have a look at them! And do not worry if some people tell you that astrology is silly. They probably know nothing about it. In the world today we know a great deal about how to make things like motor cars, refrigerators and television sets, but tend to ignore the great mysteries of life and death. People are becoming aware of this, and taking a fresh interest in many ancient teachings, including astrology.

There is another way of looking at astrology. The ancient astrologers believed that the entire universe was really one great living being, which they called God. They believed that every part of this universe was connected with every other part, so that although sometimes people feel they are alone, they really are not. They are part of this one great living being, regardless of whether it is called God, Jesus, Allah, Krishna, Buddha, Mithras, or any other name. Ancient astrologers believed also that this great being was growing and becoming more and more perfect, and that every living thing within the universe was also growing and becoming more perfect. They believed there is an eternal spark of life within each person that does not die when the body dies. It continues to live, and returns in many different bodies, life after life, each time becoming wiser and more beautiful and more perfect.

It may be that astrology has something to offer us today because it concerns itself with human values more than most other sciences. It can help us to understand that our lives have purpose. It may be that there is some truth in the ancient beliefs, and that we and the planets are all part of one unified cosmos. Knowing a little about astrology can help to open your eyes to many things, and the most important of them all is who you really are, deep down inside. And maybe that is what life is really about.

Texts taken from "Looking at Astrology", © Liz Greene 1977