Astrology: Can the Stars and Planets Influence our Lives?

Written By: Anna Niemira

Look at the Stars!  Constellations are dazzling in the night sky.  They enchant us with their beauty and mesmerize us with their mystery.

In the past, people observed cycles of the Moon to record its influence on tides and rivers and followed constellations to predict seasonal changes for agricultural purposes. Eventually, they correlated celestial configurations and the influence of the planets with human characteristics and personal circumstances searching for an individual interpretation of the sky.

Development of Astrology

For thousands of years, people of every region and culture observed the sky.  There are prehistoric cave wall paintings, some dating back as far as 15,000 years - from Turkey and southwestern France, depicting figures resembling zodiac signs, constellations, or heavenly events.

Chinese, Hindu, and Pre-Columbian Mesoamerican cultures sought to understand the world through fairly intricate calendar systems intended to anticipate terrestrial events based on celestial observations.

Western astrology traces its roots to Mesopotamia, a historical region of Western Asia (present-day Iraq, Iran, Turkey, Syria, and Kuwait).  With Alexander the Great’s conquest of Asia, western astrology spread throughout the Hellenistic world and into Europe. The 7th-century Islamic conquest of Roman Egypt took Babylonian, Egyptian, and Hellenistic astrology to yet another level.  Eventually, astrological knowledge reached Central and Western Europe, and beyond.

Western astrology is one of the oldest astrological systems, along with the Vedic and Chinese systems, which are still in contemporary use.

Cultural Transformation

Throughout the centuries, astrology was present in politics and writing.

Famous writers such as Dante Alighieri, William Shakespeare, and contemporary author Eleanor Catton, to name a few, referred to various planetary configurations and their influence on characters' actions and behaviors in their literary works. 

Eventually, the development of science challenged the validity of astrology.  However, in the 20th century, the development of mass media communications with newspapers printing daily horoscopes caused a surge of the interest in divination and astrology. During this period, Carl Jung's work on personal archetypes based on astrological components added to its influence.

The Hippie pop-culture revolution of the '60s brought the New Age movement seeking a deeper understanding of the cosmos. There has also been some interest in the coming Age of Aquarius and humanity taking control of its destiny and planet Earth, sparking further fascination in astrological concepts and principles, not only for personal horoscopes but also for the longue durée.  

Astrological Practice

Vedic astrology bases its principles on lunar and planetary movement. Chinese astrology is intertwined with its philosophy, the observation of the Sun and Moon, and the concept of yin and yang.

Date, time, and place of birth are necessary elements of Western astrology to draw natal chart and analyze planetary transits and aspects to predict events and energies in a person's life.

There are personal and cultural preferences when it comes to using a specific astrological practice.  Vedic astrology is favored in India and within Indian communities. Similarly, Chinese astrology is well understood and practiced in the Asian region and among Asian communities. Both have become well-known and influential around the world.

Nowadays, practicing astrologers are versatile in various techniques and astrological systems, combining practices to achieve the best results in reading clients' horoscopes. Cross-cultural interactions over thousands of years of development in astrology, have been synthesized into modern astrological approaches.

Astrological Footprint

When Madonna was asked in one of her interviews about her zodiac sign, she famously replied:

"For my Sun sign, my raising sign, or my Moon sign?"

No two natal charts are the same. Each person has a unique planetary alignment.  Twins born on the same day at the same place have a different time of arrival in the world, and thus, have two separate natal charts, although with many similarities.

There are many factors to consider when analyzing natal charts. The placement of the Sun, Moon and the rising sign are the essential points to review, followed by the analysis of personal, fast-moving planets and then by outer, slow-moving planets and the aspects between them.

Natal And Transits Charts

Historically, astrology was customary in academic circles, with scientists fluent in astronomy, medicine, and mathematics drawing exclusive horoscopes for their principals, kings, and queens. Nowadays, there are websites with free computerized programs that instantly generate natal and transit charts.

Astrotheme offers natal and transit charts in the reference to personality, compatibility, and forecasting. It also provides some basic information about astrology: https://www.astrotheme.com/. 

AstroDienst is a multi-lingual website providing access to various charts: https://www.astro.com/horoscopes. 

Cafeastrology: https://astro.cafeastrology.com/natal.php provides options for a free natal chart with planetary positions, houses, and aspects. There is also a brief natal chart report describing the meaning of each planet in its natal house and its possible effects.

The excellent Astrolada channel https://www.astrolada.com/ with its principal astrologer, Lada Duncheva, is a one-stop shop for astrology knowledge.  It generates a natal chart and provides a free personal seven days ahead transits calendar customized for each person, in addition to astrology reports, courses, and webinars for those interested to deepen their understanding of astrology. Curated talks on Astrolada's YouTube channel, with astrologers of various disciplines, provide free information on current transits, future trends, and planetary configurations to get us equipped and prepared for upcoming energies.

How Astrology Can Help Us?

Astrology can be a tool for recognizing the attributes of planetary influences.  Understanding our natal chart and the transit chart can empower us in personal growth. 

We can learn about our talents and attributes with hints of how to cherish them and turn them into our solid strengths. Our natal chart can also indicate our weaker points and the areas in which we need to invest more energy to recognize and address unproductive, or even self-destructive, trends and behavior.

Astrology can help us to be in control of our own lives and to recognize our free will. We are in charge of our actions and decisions. It is up to us to understand and use upcoming favorable energies to our advantage and be proactive for more challenging circumstances.  Time frames of planetary movements give us an indication of when the cosmos will turn the tables to let us get back on our feet.

The Universe – More Often Than Not - Has Our Back

Keeping in mind that the Universe wants us to succeed helps us to understand and get through burdensome planetary configurations. It is about us being committed to our goals and determined to overcome our doubts and fears.  Blessings can have various shapes and forms.  Sometimes, they disguise themselves as obstacles. 

When we know ourselves well, trusting ourselves and listening to our intuition come naturally to us. It is our personality and our character, which give substance to and drive our chart. 

There is no unfavorable natal chart. It is about us succeeding, achieving our full potential.  Sometimes, we need to be more patient or invest more effort.  Other times, we come across much more favorable circumstances.  It is all about shaping us to be the best we can be.

When Astrology Can Hinder Us ?

It is easier to blame the stars and planetary alignments for any misfortunes than to do an honest assessment of our faults.  If we do not take our goals seriously, we cannot expect any rewards, even with the best planetary alignments.  The same goes for us carrying on with negative patterns and refusing to make any adjustments or changes. 

If we do not focus on solid problem solving and expect miracles instead, we can set ourselves up for big disappointments.  A chart with favorable aspects is not activated, bringing desired rewards and accolades unless we pursue and channel such energies.

Let us remember what William Shakespeare once said:

"It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves."

Astrological Expectations Versus Reality

Thousands of years of astrology, and we are still in the process of learning on a communal and individual basis.  Discoveries of new planets and stars set a challenge for future observations and astrological ideas. It is a fascinating study of constant motion, velocity, cross energies, and effects.

It is interesting and empowering to discover our natal charts and to follow the transits and planetary aspects to uncover energies we can work with to our advantage. It helps to have realistic expectations instead of wishful thinking that sets us up for frustration and disappointment.

We are the masters of our own destinies.  Planets, constellations, and their energies guide us and support us, helping us in achieving our goals, plans, and dreams. However, our determination, courage, and persistence truly sets us apart and holds the key to realizing our dreams.

"Astrology is just a finger pointing at reality." - Steven Forest, American Astrologer

“Per aspera ad astra.” – Latin saying: “Through hardships to the stars.”