There are many people who believe in astrology and read their daily horoscopes avidly, and there are many who dismiss the idea completely. What’s the truth? Bear along with me as we explore a few novel aspects.

Being trained in Physics and Oceanography, I was for many years dismissive of astrology, and still am, in the conventional sense. I cannot buy into the proposition that there are 12 basic personalities defined by one’s starsign.

We know that the tides are governed mainly by the moon and sun (though there are several hundred terms in the equation which is used for tidal prediction). Bear in mind that the earth itself, and the atmosphere also experience tides – not only the sea has tides. That is the first aspect.

I suffer with seasonal affective disorder (‘SAD’), and have done so for about 20 years. This disorder is caused by the seasonal variation in sunlight level and intensity in people who live outside the tropics. It is a depressive disorder, and by definition, seasonal in nature. In its most severe form it is known as bipolar disorder.

 
The underlying mechanism is related to the body’s production of serotonin and melatonin. For me, this leads to the idea that behaviour (governed by mood), can be influenced by seasonal sunlight levels. That is my second aspect.

There is a book called ‘Outliers’, by Malcolm Gladwell (he also wrote ‘Tipping Point’). A fascinating read, but I’ll pick out just one of his propositions. He analyses the birthdays of the star players of NFL teams (that’s American Football). The star players tend to have birthdays at a particular time of year.

No, not Astrology. Players born early in the year tend to be the oldest in their school/college peer group. Therefore, they are more mature physically than other students in their school year born later in the year. If there is 11 months difference in birthdays between oldest and youngest in a given school year, then at age 12, say, there is 7-8% difference in physical maturity. The older and stronger students then tend to excel in their school year as compared with their peer group and so get more encouragement and support, and so on, self reinforcing. That’s my third aspect.

Let us try and pull these aspects together:

- the earth, oceans and atmosphere are subject to astronomical forces (tides).

- Outside the tropics, a propensity for part of the population (SAD sufferers ~17%) to be affected by seasonal sunlight levels (just a result of the earth’s orbit around the sun), via a mechanism which alters body chemistry. Also the human female menstrual cycle is tied generally to the lunar orbital period (though obviously not all women are in phase).

- Segments of the population exist whose physical ability and success is determined by the time of year at which they were born. This could be tested by looking at countries where academic years differ (Malcolm Gladwell explored this, but only in the context of the extent of summer vacation length, East versus West).

We could reasonably expect that the effects of the ‘birth at time of year’ might be visible in academic prowess (as opposed to sporting prowess), though surely the education profession would have detected this by now.

Might we be seeing, at least at a first order level, effects on the population and individual personality arising from the earth’s motion around the sun, and moon around the earth? I am sure we are. There is probably a lot more to this than we can pick up here, but food for thought is it not?

How do Astrology and Starsigns fit in? Could they be a proxy for this set of effects arising from the planetary motion of the Earth and the Moon? However, I can’t believe that lower order effects (such as Uranus in Scorpio) would be significant at all.

Nevertheless, it is in the nature of human beings to refine ideas and systems. Maybe it is not snake oil after all.

© 2009 Pete Marsh. All Rights Reserved

Facts, opinions and some novel ideas. If you want to know more, then check my blog at =>
http://astroscene.blogspot.com – comments would be very welcome.

If you want to learn more about SAD, with some novel approaches to managing the condition, then check out my site at =>
http://www.sadaffectivedisorder.com

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/astrology-articles/is-astrology-just-snakeoil-1657075.html

Horoscope is so very popular nowadays. When you read newspapers, books or magazines, you can always see their own column or section for daily horoscopes. When you also surf on the internet, you can see lots of sites dedicated to offer horoscope readings for 12 zodiac signs. Horoscope is even being sent right into your inbox when you subscribe to any social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Orkut or any sites that have a special social profile for horoscope updates. The ubiquity of horoscope only shows that many people are so much hooked in reading on it even though some readers don’t believe on those given forecasts. But have you ever wondered why horoscope is so popular today? Have you also ever thought what’s behind its timeless charm to people? For that matter, this article has discussed below some of the top reasons why people do read their horoscopes.

1. To know about their Love Life

It is no wonder why people read horoscopes for their love life. They are eager to know their horoscope to see if their zodiac sign is compatible with his or her partner. They also read horoscope to know more about the personalities, attitudes and behaviors of their special someone.

2. To know if they are Lucky or not

Aside from love life, people also enthusiast to read horoscopes to see whether they are lucky or not in their business, career or work for a particular day. They also want to know what are their lucky numbers, colors and birthstones.

3. To be used as their Guide

Since reading daily horoscope has become a natural habit among a lot of people, they tend to become satisfied when they have some knowledge about what will happen on their future. They gain some peace of mind when they know how the day ahead of them. That’s because they use horoscope as their guide or warnings to become prepared or careful for their actions, plans and decision-making.

4. To be Amused and Entertained

Many people read horoscopes just for entertainment purposes. They don’t take those given predictions seriously because they don’t believe in astrology. But still they take a moment to read their horoscope just for fun or out of curiosity. They feel great whenever they read something good about their horoscope signs.

Get free daily horoscope, weekly horoscope and monthly horoscope signs for 12 zodiac signs today at Horoscope Signs. For more articles about horoscope, see also Free Horoscope Readings.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/astrology-articles/reasons-why-people-read-horoscopes-1344359.html

Just The Basics by Wiccame

This is a cut corners, crash course in astrology. Before we’re finished, I want you to understand more about real, bona fide, astrology than 90% of the rest of the population does. (Although, you’ll probably gain just enough understanding to make you dangerous.) You might want to bookmark this page, since there might be more here than you can comfortably digest at a single sitting.

Sun Sign Astrology?

Almost everyone knows what their “astrological Sun sign” is from reading the daily horoscopes in the newspaper. Sun Sign Astrology is just the tip of a huge iceberg. What most folks don’t realize is that at the moment of a person’s birth – in real, bona fide, astrology each of the planets in our solar system has a correlation with regard to the human personality depending on:

What Zodiac Sign the planet is in

How the different planets “aspect” or “connect” with each other

And what house the planet is in.

Geez! We’ve barely just gotten started – and we’ve already got four major concepts going here:

I – Planets – raw energy (these are the Verbs of Astrology)

II – Zodiac Signs – patterns of energy (these are the Adverbs of Astrology) you know – the twelve signs, Aries – Pisces

III – Aspects – these are different connections between the planets

IV – Houses – where the energy/patterns (planets/signs) take place

So astrologers attempt the difficult task of cohesively pulling together and synthesizing the ways that the planets, signs, aspects, and houses in a person’s birth chart all work together to form a whole. We look for major repeated themes in the birth chart. And we look for a thousand other “things” that aren’t part of a cut corners, crash course in astrology.

I – Planets (and Points)

For some unknown, unfathomable, mysterious reason – the Sun, the Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto in our solar system have a mystical “correspondence” with the internal makeup of the human psyche.

Why this is so – I’m basically clueless…. I suppose most unknown, unfathomable mysteries are destined to remain unknown, unfathomable mysteries (and stubbornly refuse to be pinned down by our teeny, tiny human brains)…That’s why they’re called unfathomable.

Along with these 10 planets, there are several other “points” on the birth chart that are also muy importante (very important). However, in a Crash Course, we only have to include a special point called “the Ascendant.” (Sometimes also called the Rising Sign.)

The Big Three

Of all the many planets and/or points in the birth chart – there are three planets and/or points that are the very most important to get a handle on. These three most important planets and/or points are the Moon, the Sun, and the Ascendant.

The Rest Of The Planets Are Important Modifiers

Personal Planets

Mercury – communication, intelligence, thought, ideas
Venus – relating abilities, pleasure, enjoyment, values
Mars – assertiveness, getting what you want, survival
Social Planets
Jupiter – expansion, beneficent, jovial, opportunity, religious
Saturn – restriction, limitations, structure, learning hard lessons
Generational Planets
(most important to individual personality as they form aspects to the other planets, the Ascendant, and the houses they fall in)
Uranus – independent, electricity, shock, inventive, detachment
Neptune – dependent, foggy, romantic, misty, mystical, magnetic, imagination
Pluto – intensity, hidden, invisible, transformation, eros, erotic
In a nutshell:
the Moon symbolizes – where we’ve already been (instincts)
the Sun symbolizes – where we’re going in the future (heart and identity)
and the Ascendant symbolizes – how we’re going to get there (outer behaviors).
The Three Most Important Points On A Birth Chart:
The Ascendant The Ascendant is also sometimes known as the “Rising Sign” – and to add to your confusion… the Ascendant is not a physical celestial body or planet.
The Ascendant (or Rising Sign) is the Zodiac sign which was rising on the horizon at the exact moment of your birth. The Ascendant represents the exact dawning of your life on planet Earth. It’s the part of the Sky that came to meet and greet you at the exact moment of your birth.
The Ascendant aids us in answering the question: “who am I in this world?” The Ascendant acts as an “I am filter” through which we process all of our life experiences… The Ascendant acts as a protector and a mask (yet it’s much more than simply a mask). The Ascendant reflects how we allow the world at large to “see” us…. it reflects our outward behaviors and personality that people first see when getting to know us.
On our own personal “hero’s journey,” the Ascendant takes on the very nature of “the quest.” The outer behaviors of the Ascendant set the “stage” of our story. And the Ascendant is “the Guide” on our personal Quest! The fast moving point of the Ascendant cycles through all 12 of the Zodiac Signs within the course of a single day. And because the Ascendant is such a fast moving point on the chart – it’s the main reason why astrologers need to know the exact time and place of your birth.

The Ascendant also determines the house placements in the birth chart. Some astrologers are big into the Ascendant determining physical characteristics – I’m not convinced. (An interesting aside note: in one of her books, Liz Greene mentions that the Midheaven is often more important in determining physical characteristics…. Don’t worry…. If you stop off at the Castle before leaving this section, then you’ll be introduced to the Midheaven)
The Moon – in the birth chart, the Moon reflects where we find our greatest source of emotional security and feel the safest. The Moon is the most important point during the “growing up” years. Paradoxically, the Moon symbolizes both our “inner mother” and our “inner child.” As an adult, whenever we’re scared or find ourselves “cornered in a tight spot” – the Moon contains our “bag of tricks,” our inheritance, our instincts which we unconsciously fall back on to save ourselves in stressful times of trouble.
Remember all those stories where the young hero starting out on a quest is given something to protect him/her by their mother? The thing given is usually a magic ring, cloak, potion, etc.?
The item Mom (Moon) gives the young hero is very often something that once belonged to the hero’s father. It’s a part of the hero’s inheritance. And when the hero gets caught in a really tight spot – the hero then gets out this gift which miraculously “saves the hero’s bacon….”
The Sun – in the birth chart – reflects our sense of identity, self-expression, source of creativity, and how we shine best. The Sun normally gains in importance and strength as we grow older and develop a clearer sense of who we are as an individual. Fact is, though…. some folks never effectively express their Sun Sign energy (regardless of what the Daily Horoscope versions of astrology say). Some folks get stuck in only identifying with their Ascendant and/or Moon.
The Sun is the focal point of our Hero’s Journey! In order to feel totally alive… the Sun is the “inner hero,” that over the course of a life-time, we must learn how to consciously give energy and expression to.
Summing Up:
The Ascendant is the Guide on our personal quest. (outer behaviors)
The Moon is the Inheritance (the bag of tricks containing a magic ring or potion) which saves the hero in those times of grave danger. (instincts)
And the Sun is the Hero of our quest. (heart and identity)
Remember… the Moon is where we’re been, the Sun is where we’re going, and the Ascendant is how we get there. (be sure to check out “The Castle” when you come to it. It’ll help clarify all this.)
Ascendant, Sun, Moon… Most important?
I’m often asked, “okay…. okay…. , BUT, Dr Z, IF you had to narrow it down – which one is truly the most important of the three? The Ascendant, the Sun, or the Moon?”
I don’t have to narrow it down!
The Sun, the Moon, and the Ascendant are all very, very important in their own particular way….
Here’s something you might find interesting…. in Greek Mythology, the Titan god Hyperion (he above) and the Titan goddess Theia (the divine) conceived three children:
Helios — the god of the Sun
Selene — the goddess of the Moon
and Eos — the goddess of the morning (dawn)
These three celestial children of the Titans were, however, considered to be subject to all the other gods and goddesses of the Greek Pantheon.
II – Zodiac Signs
as described by the Elements and Modes
Moving on, we come to the Signs of the Zodiac (which most folks are at least semi-familiar with)… Sure…. you most likely know the Zodiac Sign of your birth Sun – but where is the Ascendant, the Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto? Don’t go into shock – but in your birth chart – each of the different planets (and points) mentioned in Section One are most normally located in several of the different Zodiac signs. The Zodiac Sign of a particular planet in your birth chart will modify how the raw energy of the planet is expressed in your life.
At the very heart and soul of the twelve Zodiac signs are what are called the Elements and Modes. A lot of folks, including myself, mistakenly ignore(d) the Elements and Modes when first starting out. However, ignoring the Elements and Modes is a huge mistake – because the Elements and Modes are responsible for determining the basic qualities and characteristics of the twelve Zodiac signs.
The twelve Zodiac signs are divided up into different cyclic combinations of the Elements and Modes.