An Introduction to Western Astrology

Western astrology is a complex and mysterious art. It allows the serious student to reach a truer understanding of self, and has come to be known as the path to the deeper self. Astrology is the world’s oldest science, and has begun to make a comeback. The majority of newspapers and magazines in the western world have some type of astrology column, and astrology is even popping up at some universities as a legitimate course.

However, despite the huge amount of interest in the subject, the general public actually knows very little of this fascinating science. Most people will read an astrology column on occasion, and some will pick up a book now and again, but few take the time to understand astrology and its nuances.

What is Western Astrology?

Almost everyone knows that astrology is the study of the planets and how they affect your life. Most people also know that astrologers believe that the movement and positions of these planets will have a corresponding effect on life on Earth.

Astrology is much more than this. Astrology is a science. Its practice requires an astrologer to calculate and create a birth chart, and this is a complicated process involving ascendant and descendant signs, sun and moon signs, and a knowledge of the houses of astrology; it's a process that requires quite a bit of skill.

Astrology is regarded as an art. The interpretation of a fully calculated birth chart is a difficult process by which an astrologer determines the exact meaning of the information presented. This is much more complicated than stating: “The Aries is apt to be a leader.” Interpreting astrology to its fullest extent requires years of study and practice.

Astrology is a form of divination. The idea behind using astrology to predict the future relates to the positions and movements of the planets. It is thought that if a particular pattern repeats itself, then conditions here on Earth will also repeat themselves. Most astrologers do not try to predict specific events, but focus on trends that are apt to develop.

Components of Western Astrology

Astrology is much more complicated than most people realize. Some of the components of modern astrology include:

• Sun signs
• Moon signs
• Ascendannts
• Descendants
• Houses
• Aspects

As a result of the complexity of astrology, a true astrological reading will never be found in your local newspaper. A birth chart is unique to each individual, and must be created and interpreted by a qualified astrologer.