Astrology is a system that has been practiced for thousands of years, and up until the 18th century, there wasn’t really a division between it and astronomy. The astrologers were the astronomers, but this gradually started to change during the ‘Age of Rationalism’ in the 17th century, which gave birth to the ‘Scientific Revolution.’ As modern day science emerged and took astronomy along with it, it has dismissed astrology simply because they could not come up with a ‘rational’ explanation for how it works.
Fast forward to the 21st Century, and we now have NASA as well as other astronomers and scientists claiming that the Zodiac we are using today is ‘outdated’ because the stars have moved since its inception over 2000 years ago. To add even more confusion, they are also saying that there is a 13th constellation known as ‘Ophiuchus’ that astrologers were missing this whole time.
Understanding The Origins Of The Zodiac
The most common method of astrology used around the world today is what we refer to as ‘Western Astrology,’ which uses a 12 sign Tropical Zodiac. This Zodiac was established over two thousand years ago by the Babylonians and developed further by the Greeks. This occured when the constellations resembling zodiac signs were more roughly ‘aligned’ with the zodiac we are still using today.
When this zodiac was in the process of being established, astrologers would observe the conditions of the different periods of the year, including people born during those periods. They eventually divided the year up into 12 sections, what we now know as the ‘signs of the zodiac’. At that time, they combined their real life observations of the 12 sections with their observations of the positioning of constellations.
During this process of observation, they were able to correlate the properties of each of the 12 sections of the year with a symbol or animal they were familiar with from real life experiences such as the Ram, Bull, Twins, Crab, etc. This also somewhat loosely matched the images formed by the groups of stars in the sky, and hence this 12 sign zodiac was birthed.
To put it simply, the Astrologers of 2000 years ago did not identify the characteristics of a sign because of the stars, they identified based on their real life experiences. They then associated those characteristics with the images formed by the groups of stars. What came first, real Scorpions on the Earth or a vague Scorpion formed by the stars in the night sky? Think about it.
Yes NASA, You Are Right. The Constellations Have Shifted, But That Is Irrelevant When It Comes To The Tropical Zodiac
Every 72 years, the positioning of the stars and constellations shift by 1 degree (from a geocentric perspective) due to the wobble of Earth’s axis. This is known as ‘precession.’ Astrologers have always been well aware of this but for some reason, NASA astronomers and the scientific community seem to believe otherwise. Remember, up until three centuries ago, the astrologers were also the astronomers and they observed the sky obsessively. Of course they knew about the precession, and as a matter of fact, it was discovered in 127 BC by Hipparchus.
During 2nd Century AD, the awareness of precession became popularized by the historical figure Ptolemy. He made it clear that the Zodiac they (the Greeks) were using was a ‘tropical coordinate system.’ The Cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn) are to always stay aligned with the equinoxes and solstices, which is also the start of each season. This allowed the Zodiac to be evenly distributed and centered around Earth’s relationship to its Sun.
When we refer to the ‘Tropic of Cancer’ in the Northern Hemisphere, and the ‘Tropic of Capricorn’ in the Southern Hemisphere, this again is derived from the Tropical Zodiac. What’s so interesting to me is that mainstream scientific community (including geographers and astronomers) actually use these terms, perhaps without even questioning their origins.
During each of the Solstices, the Sun is at the exact latitude of one of the tropics. For example, during Summer Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere (Winter Solstice in the Southern Hemisphere), the Sun is aligned with the latitude of the Tropic of Cancer, which is when the Sun ‘enters’ the Zodiac sign of Cancer. This occurs in opposite fashion at the next Solstice six months later with the Sun’s ‘entrance’ into Capricorn.
Ophiuchus Is A Constellation, Not A Zodiac Sign. There Are 88 Constellations In Total
Yes NASA, you are right that Ophiuchus does exist as a constellation, but as stated above, constellations are not the same as signs. Also, we need to consider that there are also another 75 constellations, 88 in total. If astronomers like to claim that Ophiuchus is a new sign, then based on that logic, shouldn’t the other ones also be treated equally as well and be brought into the mix?
Simply put, modern day astronomers do not understand astrology and have always dismissed it. Why are they making claims like this if they don’t believe in it? My theory is that it is part of a conspiracy to confuse everyone and further discredit astrology. In my opinion, one of the biggest conspiracies of all time is the modern day suppression of the ancient practice of astrology.
For example: someone born on May 31st would be a Gemini (Sun sign), but their Sun would be aligned with the star Aldebaran in the constellation of Taurus. On the other hand, if someone was born on June 8th, they would still be a Gemini Sun sign, but it would be aligned with the star Rigel in the constellation of Orion, which is not even in the Zodiac. All of these variables with stars/constellations can still be intepreted while placed in the lens of the Tropical Zodiac. See what I mean?
How Do The Moon And The Planets Occupy A Sign?
If you are more familiar with astrology beyond Sun signs, or have read my forecast articles, you’ll know that the Moon and planets ‘occupy’ signs as well. For example, as I am writing this article, Jupiter has recently entered Libra (and will be there for 13 months) while the Sun is in Virgo for the next 1.5 weeks.
The reason that Jupiter is in Libra is because of the distance it is from the Sun at this time of year. The positions of all the planets and heavenly bodies, including the Moon, are calculated that way due to the calibration of the Zodiac based on the Earth-Sun relationship.
To continue with this example, after finishing its time in Virgo (last sign of the Summer season) over the next 1.5 weeks, the Sun begins its 30 day passage into Libra on the Equinox as it does every year. Almost 4 days later it will be in a conjunction (alignment) with Jupiter because Jupiter is still in the beginning of the Libra section of the Tropical Coordinate System.
What About The Zodiac In Hindu Astrology?
I am aware that some readers will be asking about Hindu Astrology (Jyotish) based out of India. In the system that has been practiced and developed in that country, they use the same 12 sign Zodiac. However, it is a ‘sidereal’ version instead of ‘tropical,’ in which the the 12 signs gradually move with the precession and the Sun is not the focal point like it is in Western Astrology.
Some astrology enthusiasts believe that the 12 signs in the Indian system are aligned with the constellations but they actually are not, for the most part. This zodiac does move along with precession, but just with the starting point being aligned. For example, Aries starts at the time of year when the Sun is aligned with a star in the Aries constellation but the rest of this zodiac is not truly aligned with the others.
As stated above, there are 88 assigned constellations that are all different sizes. Jyotish Astrology uses the same 12 signs and distributes them evenly just like Western Astrology does. Both of these systems have many similarities, yet still some distinct differences, which is likely because both have much of the same origins yet have also been developed separately over periods of time.
Although astrology has been practiced for much longer then 2000 years throughout the world, it is believed that the 12 sign Zodiac we use today was developed by the Babylonians during the 7th Century BC. It was then passed on to the Greeks in the 4th Century BC, and eventually spread from there.
Historical correlation suggests that this Zodiac had reached India during the 3rd Century BC when Alexander The Great had arrived. However, it is likely that astrology was already being practiced in India prior to this (during the Vedic period), just like it was already being practiced in Babylon and elsewhere before the establishment of the 12 sections/signs.
In my experience, both the Western and Jyotish systems work and are valid. Each of them is a different lens with different strengths. While they employ a lot of the same techniques as each other, there are still other techniques that are exclusive to each of the systems individually, both at the basic and advanced levels.
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via Collective - Evolution