Okay, so what even is astrology?
Astrology is a system that studies the movement of the planets in relationship to events on Earth to share insight on current events, make connections about the past, and predict future possibilities. When viewing the sky from Earth, it seems like the planets revolve around us, even though we really know that those planets (including our own) are actually revolving around the Sun. Because of this Earth-based perspective, astrology uses the Earth as its center and bases its calculations & interpretations on how those planets, the Sun & Moon included, interact with each other as seen from Earth.
If you’re here, you probably already know that constellations are groups of stars in a recognizable shape. In fact, I’m willing to bet you often gaze at the sky, and may even have a favorite constellation to look for. (I always look for the Big and Little Dippers! What about you? Let me know in the comments below!)
Any day, month, or year you see it, the set of stars that make up the Big Dipper will always look like the Big Dipper – the distance between these stars doesn’t change. This isn’t the case for the planets, though. The planets are dynamic, and they’re always moving around. The starry sky sets the background for the planets to take on their roles as celestial influencers & change-makers.
As you’re probably familiar, the Zodiac Signs are based on a set of 12 constellations. In astrology, these 12 Signs are used as coordinates to study the movement of the planets relative to the sky.
Astrology uses another set of coordinates that are based on the subject’s view of the sky from Earth – the Houses. The Houses are 12 divisions of the sky, projected from the horizon line of the subject’s current location. (You may be familiar with the term “Rising Sign”. The Sun “rises” over the horizon – this perspective is what sets the stage for the 12 houses.)
Each Planet, Sign, and House have their own specific meanings which can be combined to create the core of an astrological interpretation. Since the Planets are the active ones here, they’re essentially the characters that bring the energy & explain what exactly is going on. If action is being taken or if something is happening, exactly what is it? It’s the Planets’ job to act this role out. The Signs describe the “how” and the “why” – they give more insight into how the characters (Planets) are expressing their energy, and explain the plot by detailing why things are unfolding in a certain way. The Houses are the setting – they set the stage & tell us where all of this is taking place.
I hear you but... how does this all work?
As the Planets move, their action shifts the Elements around, causing changes that are reflected on Earth. As a simple example, we see this when the movement of the Moon causes changes to the ocean tides on Earth.
To help you visualize this further, let’s dive into the Celestial Spheres. This is essentially a model of the 7 planets & their movement around the Earth against the background of the stars and the Zodiac. A few different versions of this model have been created over time, but Traditional Western Astrology generally uses the model developed by Ptolemy that I have pictured here.
In this model, there are 9 total spheres.
The 9th, outermost Sphere represents the Earth-based perspective of the sky’s East-to-West rotation over a 24 hour period. This movement & Sphere is called Primum Mobile, or Primary Motion. As it sounds, this sphere has a very important role – it rotates the Planets which gives them their dynamic action, contains the Zodiac that the planets move through, and marks the passing of days.
The 8th Sphere represents the fixed, non-moving stars & constellations (the firmament).
Next are the 7 Planetary Spheres, which are listed according to the planet’s speed. The slowest planet, Saturn, starts us off in the farthest sphere and then follows Jupiter, Mars, the Sun, Venus, Mercury, and finally, the Moon.
Between the Planetary Spheres and the Earth are the 4 Elemental Spheres. As it sounds, these Spheres represent the 4 Elements and are listed according to the Element’s general density.
- As the lightest Element, Fire is located in the outermost Elemental Sphere. It surrounds the other Elements & represents the cosmic friction of space, generating heat from events like falling stars & comets, the aurora borealis, and more.
- Next is Air, which corresponds to the wind & atmosphere found on Earth.
- Water follows Air as the 2nd most dense Element. It represents the water we find in Earth’s oceans, rivers and lakes.
- The most dense Element is Earth, and naturally, it corresponds with the solid parts of this planet like the continents, mountains, rocks, soil & sediment.
The Earth is represented at the very center of this model, under the 4 Elemental Spheres.
This model is a great tool to use when familiarizing yourself with the overall concept of astrology and the geocentric perspective it’s based on.
A Brief History of Astrology
Astrology’s roots trace back to the prehistoric period, around 30,000 BCE, where early humans used planetary movements for divination and the moon to track the passing of the months. As hunter-gatherers transitioned into farmers & agriculture flourished, they linked the Sun, Moon, and stars with survival and used these observations to guide them in planting, hunting, and navigation. The more humans developed & innovated, the more astrology gained an important presence through its use in decision-making & religious practices. Mesopotamian, Egyptian, and Babylonian societies significantly advanced astrological practices, associating planetary movements with deities.
As trade routes expanded, the exchange of new ideas & perspectives refined astrology into a structured discipline & integrated it into philosophical and medical contexts. The Ascendant was calculated, natal astrology was introduced, & birth charts became more popular.
Astrology faced suppression from Christian authorities in the Early Common Era & Middle Ages. However, the Islamic Golden Age preserved and enhanced astrological knowledge, with scholars making significant contributions. During the Medieval Period, translated Arabic and Greek works allowed astrology to flourish in the Christian world, despite ongoing tensions with the Catholic Church.
The Renaissance revitalized astrology with many significant advancements. Although the Enlightenment period marked a decline in astrology’s popularity, the 19th and 20th centuries saw a revival, integrating psychology and modern technology to deepen astrological insights.
After suffering a decline during the Enlightenment period, astrology experienced a revival. In the mid-1980s, the rediscovery & translation of an Enlightenment-period text inspired the widespread adoption of traditional astrological techniques.
Today, astrology continues to evolve, combining traditional knowledge with technological advancements to offer valuable perspectives on human behavior and planetary influences.
Check out the gallery below for a more in-depth look into astrology’s history!
Next Up – The Elements
The Elements hold a foundational, integral role when it comes to astrology. Not only do they create change on Earth through interactions with Planetary movements, but they also are the basis of how each Sign and Planet are characterized. With a good understanding of how the Elements are derived and how they describe the nature of these important astrological components, you’ll build a strong foundation that’ll help you grasp Sign & Planet interpretative concepts with ease.
The next post in this series discusses these Elements in detail. We’ll also go over the 4 Temperaments – these are created from the Elements, and are used in natal astrology to define a person’s behavioral & emotional patterns.
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