Astrology: Definition, History, Symbols, Signs, & Facts

Astrology is the study of the movement of celestial objects and their influence on human affairs

Astrology refers to the study of the movement and relative positions of celestial bodies, which is interpreted as affecting human affairs and the natural world. According to the historian Emily, in early Islamic history, astrology (ʿilm al-nujūm, “the science of the stars”) was “by far the most popular” of many attempts to predict future events or discern hidden things.

Astrology in its broadest sense is the search for what it means to be human in the heavens. It attempts to understand human behavior in general and in particular through the influence of planets and other celestial bodies. It has been suggested that astrology as a study began when people made a conscious attempt to use astronomical cycles to measure, record, and predict seasonal changes.

Many who practice astrology believe that the positions of certain celestial bodies influence or relate to human affairs. Most modern astrologers believe that the universe (especially the solar system) operates as a single entity, so whatever happens in one part of it must be reflected in all the other parts. Skeptics dispute these claims, pointing to the lack of concrete evidence of any significant impact of this nature.

What are the origins of astrology?

Whether scientific or magical, astrology has been around since the 2nd millennium BC. And is still here to fascinate us. In the most developed ancient cultures, astrology dominated all other bodies of knowledge. It was prevalent in Hindu, Chinese, Mayan, and Arabic cultures, Ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome.

On the other hand, the original purpose of astrology was to inform the course of a person’s life through the positions of the planets and the signs of the zodiac (12 zodiac signs) at the time of birth or conception. The basic technique of astrology was developed from this science called Genetics (Crib Casting). The main branches in which astrology evolved after genetics are general, definite, and interrogative.

Astrology recognizes the planets, fixed stars, zodiac signs, and gods of the decades who express their will through their corresponding positions and signs. The earth is the center of the world; the heavens and their star gods move around the earth like a closed sphere.

What is astrology?

Astrology is a set of systems, traditions, and beliefs in which knowledge about the relative positions of celestial bodies and related information is believed to assist in understanding, interpreting, and organizing knowledge about personality, human affairs, and other terrestrial events. Practitioners of astrology are known as astrologers, or more rarely, astrologers. Historically, the term mathematics was used to denote a person who was proficient in astrology, astronomy, and mathematics.

Astrology, a type of divination that involves predicting Earth and human events through the observation and interpretation of the stars, sun, moon, and planets. Advocates argue that understanding the influence of the planets and stars on Earth’s affairs allows them to predict and influence the fate of individuals, groups, and nations. Although astrology has often been viewed as a science throughout its history, it is now widely considered to be diametrically opposed to the findings and theories of modern Western science.

Astrology in its broadest sense is the search for meaning in the heavens. Early evidence that humans were consciously attempting to use astronomical cycles to measure, chart, and predict seasonal changes, in the form of markings on bones and cave walls, suggests that the lunar cycle was observed 25,000 years ago. This is the first step towards recording the Moon’s influence on tides and rivers and organizing a common calendar. As knowledge of the constellations that appear in different seasons increases, farmers address agricultural needs—and use the rising of certain star groups to herald annual floods or seasonal events. Civilizations by the third millennium BC had a sophisticated understanding of celestial cycles and probably lined temples according to the sunrise of stars.

Astrology has its roots in the ancient world and was first practiced by the Egyptians

The connection between astrology and Egypt has been recognized since ancient times: the Egyptians are often credited with discovering astrology. The invention of art is attributed to the higher classes of Egyptian society. It is said that royal aides or the king himself revealed the mysterious art in the glorious past. In the time of Pharaoh Djoser, the famous sage Imhotep, son of Ptah, appeared among the names of explorers.

The origin of astrology is not only in the region of Mesopotamia – Babylon – Sumerian culture. Ancient Egypt is also known as the birthplace of astrology. During the Hellenistic era and late antiquity, astrologers were often referred to as “Chaldeans” and “Babylonians,” indicating their origin in Mesopotamia. On the other hand, many Hellenistic writers believed that astrology was passed on to the Egyptians long ago by the god Hermes Trismegistus. Which tradition was the original, or whether the two were parallel, is difficult to determine today. Existing historical material is insufficient for these purposes.

A large number of written and material artifacts from Greco-Roman Egypt attest to the importance of astrology to Egyptian culture. It has long been known that most verifiable astrologers can relate to the Temple surroundings, but the discussion here confirms and details this connection. Since astral knowledge has proven to be widely available to temple personnel regardless of position, practitioners of it can be found among priests of many types and classes. Engaging in astral science not only provided temple servants with additional income, it also provided them with additional social authority as they extended their services into the realm of popular religion. Astrologers who work on natal charts are obviously also interested in making general predictions, and their activities don’t end there. They also practiced several other fields of “science”, which fit well with the image of the Egyptian priest conveyed by many Greek and Latin writers as a learned “polymath” versed in various “obscure” wisdom. However, this is no mystery to priests as a collective.