How does Astrology work?
If you are a fan of astrology, or if you make it your profession, sooner or later you are going to run into skeptics. They believe that astrologers are frauds and they ‘make it all up.’ Alternatively they believe astrologers are well-meaning idiots, along with astrology believers. This is quite funny, because these skeptics are the same people who live their lives by the clock and the calendar. Both of which are also made up. Frankly, the time and date are about as real as Narnia, lying behind the wardrobe in the famous C.S.Lewis classic.
I realise that astrology is about as real as Narnia to people who are educated in a rational universe with only science and mathematics to hold them, but at some point, you have to challenge skeptics and ask ‘Why is your reality, more real than my reality?’
Read on to discover how Astrology works
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Astrology Essentials
See how the planets and asteroids, elements and qualities come together to give you a better understanding of Astrology.
Sun signs
The Planets
In Astrology each planet symbolizes a different component of life, a different type of energy
The Sun
The planet of self. Highlights what it touches, like a spotlight. It illuminates every detail like the sun hitting a tree branch
The Moon
Ruler of emotions. The Moon is associated with the menstrual period as it takes around one month to repeat itself, just like a woman’s menstrual cycle.
Mercury
Planet of Communication. Mercury is the Roman messenger of the Gods who had winged sandals and a winged helmet, flying with his news.
Venus
Planet of Love and Money. Venus was the Roman goddess of love, who was unfaithful to her husband Vulcan and had sex with Mars.
Chiron
The Wounded Healer. Chiron is referred to as ‘the wounded healer’ but he was best known as a music teacher.
Mars
The Planet of Passion. Mars is the Roman God of War. Mars is linked to the colour red – the colour of blood, and the colour your face turns when you are angry.
Jupiter
The Planet of Luck. Jupiter rules opportunity and expansion. He rules people and organisations who were born lucky, or feel lucky, so they give – and go on giving.
Uranus
The Planet of Rebellion. Uranus is the catalyst that starts the revolution. Uranus is the catalyst that starts the revolution. Uranus is confronting, challenging, changing, liberating.
Pluto
The Planet of Power. Pluto was the Roman god of the underworld, who lived in darkness and was only seen once, fully revealed – when he abducted his future wife, Proserpina. He represents transformation in the balance of power
Saturn
The Planet of Karma. Saturn is the planet astrologers associate with pain. Saturn rules sharp edges and sharp objects, prickly people and prickly plants. Spikes and spikiness. He is associated with not only holly, but also with the blade of a scythe.
Neptune
The Planet of Illusion. Neptune is avoiding, evading, escaping. Uranus is confronting, challenging, changing, liberating. Neptune is about being comfortably numb. About getting lost, not waking up.
Heavenly Bodies
Asteroids are named after Roman archetypes are found in your personal birth chart.
Cupido
Son of Venus, husband of Psyche. Symbol of desire and short-term passion.
Minerva
Wife of Cupid, daughter-in-law of Venus. Symbol of what is eternal, immortal.
Vulcan
Husband of Venus. Symbol of tightly controlled anger and desire; restrained fire.
Juno
Wife of Jupiter. Symbol of commitment and the loss of freedom/gain in security.
Fortuna
Daughter of Jupiter. Symbol of fortune. Highs become lows and vice versa.
Minerva
Daughter of Jupiter. Wise and all-knowing. A symbol of deep intelligence.
Diana
Daughter of Jupiter. Child-free and marriage-free. A symbol of independence.
Apollo
Son of Jupiter. Symbol of leadership. One of the few gay gods in Ancient Rome.
Apollo
Son of Jupiter. Symbol of the pure pleasure principle. Hedonism and indulgence.
Aesculapius
Grandson of Jupiter. Symbol of rescue, resurrection, rebirth. The ultimate healer.
Hygeia
Great-granddaughter of Jupiter. Symbol of prevention being better than cure.
Panacea
Great-granddaughter of Jupiter. Symbol of the ethical issues around all cures.
Ops
Wife of Saturn, mother of Jupiter. Symbol of hope and happy endings after pain.
Vesta
Daughter of Saturn. Symbol of one male/many female ‘harem’ scenarios.
Salacia
Wife of Neptune. Found in the year of the Asian Tsunami. Similar to Neptune.
Ceres
Pluto’s mother-in-law. Symbol of power struggles and compromises in control.
Proserpina
Pluto’s wife. Symbol of go-between status, bridging powerful people/entities.
The Houses
The twelve houses in your horoscope – the twelve segments of the circle – describe all the departments of your life. Each one is ruled by a zodiac sign.
The First House
The first house is about appearances. You can be the real you, away from what you wear, and how you use your body language, and how you are profiled. But – image matters.
The Second House
The Second House is about everything you earn, own or owe. Money, credit cards and shopping are Second House matters.
The Third House
The Third House, at its core, is about being heard and read. Thus we go into areas like literacy, translation, speech impediments, deafness, public speaking, and of course vision, as one has to read, in order to translate and transmit.
The Fourth House
Cancer is a sign very much associated with home. House, apartment, land, garden, home town, homeland. I often find crab shells in the water, which are reminders that Cancer carries her/his ‘home’ as part of himself or herself.
The Fifth House
The Fifth House of your horoscope is ruled by the Sun and the zodiac sign Leo. The Sun is a symbol of the father. Leo is a symbol of royalty.
The Sixth House
The Sixth House is very much about daily rituals and the method and order of your regular routine.
The Seventh House
The Seventh House is ruled by Libra and Venus. Venus also rules the Second House, which is about jewellery, gold and money, as well as food – all the valuable items of life.
The Eighth House
The Eighth House is ruled by Scorpio and Pluto. Robert Hand notes, “Death. Inheritance. Other people’s money” in his book, Horoscope Symbols but neglects to mention sex.
The Ninth House
The Ninth House of your horoscope is ruled by Sagittarius and Jupiter. It describes travel and travel in the mind. Real journeys and intellectual, educational, academic or spiritual journeys.
The Tenth House
The Tenth House is ruled by the zodiac sign Capricorn and Saturn. This is where you climb to the top, achieving your goals and becoming successful.
The Eleventh House
The Eleventh House of the horoscope describes your communities – groups of friends and acquaintances – and social media.
The Twelfth House
The Twelfth House of your horoscope is ruled by Neptune and Pisces. This already has quite a fluid, watery feel, thanks to the symbolism of the ocean, and fish.
The Elements
In modern astrology each of the elements are associated with different astrological signs
Earth
Earth has to deal with loyalty.
Air
Air has to deal with playfulness and wits.
Fire
Fire has to deal with bravery.
Water
Water has to deal with emotion, intuition, and intelligence.
Astrology Basics
New to Astrology and your chart? No problem! Here are some handpicked posts for you. Discover even more.
All About Your Birth Chart
What do all those planets, asteroids and the rest mean in your personal birth chart? Sometimes called the natal chart this is the key to everything you need to know.
The Second House
The Second House is about everything you earn, own or owe. Money, credit cards and shopping are Second House matters.
The Seventh House
The Seventh House is ruled by Libra and Venus. Venus also rules the Second House, which is about jewellery, gold and money, as well as food – all the valuable items of life.
Find Your Rising Sign Without a Birth Time
The Rising Sign or Ascendant describes what people know best about you – what really stands out – even if it’s not the real you! It is always opposite your Descendant, which describes your main partner or soulmate in life.
Discover more Astrology Basics.