Astrology – Some Common Questions Answered
Mankind has long had a fascination with the stars in the sky. The orbiting bodies of the planets aligning with Earth in a way to influence our very behavior have long been a topic of debate. Is there a way to divine what is going to happen in our lives by studying the cosmos?
The viewpoints on astrology are as diverse as the readings themselves are and it ultimately comes down to knowing the history of astrology. In this article we will cover some of the fundamental questions that concern astrology.
Is astrology different from astronomy?
For many years astronomy and astrology were essentially the same. Both branches were studying the stars and trying to come to a conclusion on how they related to Earth. Astrology began to divert from astronomy around the time that Isaac Newton published his hypothesis on celestial gravitation. Astrology began to center around how the stars, planets and lunar nodes affected human behavior. Astronomy deals, predominantly, with how celestial bodies are formed, age and their affect on the physical properties of Earth.
Why were earlier astronomers interested in astrology?
The fundamentals of astronomy and astrology are the same. Both require a study of planets, gravitational fields and stars in relation to Earth. As each branch discovered new patterns, stars or planets, they would publish their findings. It was through the combined intellectual talent of both groups that real progress was able to be made.
What are the signs of the zodiac?
For the sake of brevity, we will list the signs of the zodiac from the Western constellations along with the symbol associated with them. The signs are: Aries (The Ram), Taurus (The Bull), Gemini (The Twins), Cancer (The Crab), Leo (The Lion), Virgo (The Virgin), Libra (The Scales), Scorpius (The Scorpion), Sagittarius (The Archer), Capricornus (The Sea-goat), Aquarius (The Water-bearer) and Pisces (The Fishes).
What is the relationship between astrology and tarot cards?
It is not so much that tarot cards affect astrology as it is astrology affecting tarot cards. A tarot deck usually has 78 cards. Some are made up of the 12 signs of the zodiac. Others are a mixture of what is known as Major and Minor Arcana cards. The cards take from a variety of different cultures ranging from India to Egypt.
How has astrology affected mankind?
Without a shadow of a doubt astrology has had an impact and affected mankind. Even withholding the idea that planets, the sun, or the stars affect and influence our daily lives, without astrology’s input much of the information we have on the solar system would not exist. Astrology and astronomy were intertwined for many, many years.
By Lisa
