What is Astrology? Many think Astrology is a Belief System. It's about harmonics, energies, soul, perception, philosophy, and potential for having influence. Giving a person a sense of meaning.
Astrology at its root is the study of how planetary bodies and forces in the universe have an influence on the human psyche, and in general life itself. You may wonder what Astrology is, and the best answer I can give requires some suspension of disbelief. it requires a study of history, and looking beyond Western Culture. It requires connection and study of the culture most intimately connected to Astrology. This is India Culture, where Astrology began and holds the key to knowing its true power and use in human life.
Over many centuries India has progressed and studied Astrology, that is the effect of stars and unseen forces on the human being and life they live. Through personal study of Astrology from both Western Astrology truly is and holds the reins to its potential.
At a simple level, Astrology appears as the study of planetary batteries and how they affect a person. Yet there is something deeper to it. By studying Vedic Indian Astrology Culture, the field of general Astrology has a greater sense of meaning for me. Astrology is a deeper study, rooted in Harmonics. Harmonics make up everything. The composition of vibration energy and its relationship to how everything is.
Everything is Harmonic vibration. Science is Harmonics. Harmonic frequencies have a deep effect on everything. Harmonics are rays of light, time, temperatures, colors, numbers. math is harmonics., Music is Harmonics. Most forms of modern technology are transistors or receivers for harmonics, unseen vibrations materialized for our enjoyment and use.
Harmonics are how things interact and play, and tell a story. Harmonics are vibrations make things move. Indians in Vedic Astrology believe everything relates to the Moon, and Moon controls the tides and moves water. Perhaps anything water based, which for instance the human body is mainly composed of, is subject to being influenced by harmonics. Vibrations move water. Perhaps Indian culture was also on to something, and why Harmonics are the source of all divination and things "spiritual" in nature.
Indian Jyotish points out that Planets have souls. By studying Indian idea of astrology, I have come to determine what a soul even is. Harmonics are the basis of "souls." Indian study has led me to find that the the planets are sources of vibrations and harmonics. The planets have harmonic output, megahertz frequencies, and these frequencies affect us. Why? because Harmonics effect consciousness. Perhaps this is because consciousness where water exists. Where there is no water, there is no life.
After lengthy study of Indian astrology, harmonics became hard to ignore in terms of Astrology. Indian culture, being so mathematically inclined in their perception of Astrology, opened my perception on the Astrology. If the planets have souls based on harmonic vibrations, perhaps its possible the mass size and gravity of planets mean their vibrations can have huge impact. Thus perhaps explaining the root of Astrology and why planets have influence on the consciousness of all things alive. Especially, as prior said of course, anything made of water.
Astrology is all about the horoscope, which I have come to understand is materialization of harmonics thanks to study of Indian Culture. The Astrology birth chart or horoscope is a map of seeing how planets play harmonically, and the imprint it has on human consciousness relative to the the time of birth.
Astrology is the study of how harmonic energy and vibrations play together, and how the imprint of this "play" becomes materialized as a source of our consciousnesses relative to the day we were born.
Thanks to opening my mind to cultures outside the west, I have a different perspective on Astrology and life.
Despite my study of Astrology aside, an in depth look at the history of Astrology is important to understand how Astrology came to be, its role in the modern world, and where it can be going. Astrolgoy points an interesting reality of life, and perhaps is summed up how efficient and telling a round circle really is (after-all a horoscope which Astrology is based in is round.)
This story is despite the state of society, no matter how advanced we think we are, everything comes back around. Somehow things always return to the starting point. Astrology is a basic teacher of life and a great study is. Origins and endings, ups and downs, cycles of changes. An important fact that somehow, someway, everything that goes around comes around. This is the framework for the great expierence we call life.
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Some background and history of Astrology.
Astrology has been around for as long as 2500 years, and many cultures had hands in its progression and development. Despite many different uses of Astrology and the study of the stars, one thing does sound true. There is something mysterious and mystical about how the position of stars, planets, and unseen forces has an influence on human life.
The use of Astrology predates centuries back to the 3rd Century B.C.; where the planets (namely the Sun) were originally studied by farmers to forecast seasons to improve farming practices. Over time,
Mesopotamian culture studied the effects of stars and planets on human life, realizing its effects were greater than just the Sun shifting the seasons and aiding in farming.
This understanding of Astrology in the Western world is commonly accepted as the origin of Astrology. This is a practice called Tropical Asatrology It is based on the Greek background and heavily built upon the Sun as the reference point of Astrology. The Sun and the position of its relevance to the zodiac signs (constellations) was a driving force in the origins of Western Astrology. However, Astrology has deeper roots. Astrology in history goes back as far as 1200 BCE in India.
In India, which some feel is the original source of the study of stars on human life, Astrology was seen from a different viewpoint. Instead of being Sun centric Astrology in India was Moon centric. The system from which Indian Astrology, known as Vedic Astrology, was derived from recorded words of History called the Vedas. What is known from the Vedas is Astrology starting in 1200 BCE was mathematically based upon astronomy with Moon as the central point. The only time the Moon and planets were married with Vedic lore into a complex system of understanding the effect of stars on man.
Some say the Greeks predating the 3rd Century bartered with Indians and copies the already established practice of Astrology from them. Astrology was quite complex and advanced, and likely respected to be a central point of culture. It was valued, looked to, and utilized in day-to-day life. Yet somewhere along the way the Greek's interpretation and copying of India's Astrology got reduced, lost, and scattered.
The most prominent event which led to the diminishment of Tropical Astrology came in the year 409. Emperors Theodosius II and Honorius of Rome ordered Astrologers to burn their books or face dire consequences. This was said to be expulsion, cast off, or possibly death if not followed. This event was significant because it has been rumored that nearly 70% of Astrology information which was taken from India was lost.
The 30% remaining books are either hidden or forgotten, along with scholars retaining knowledge, were all that was left of English-speaking Astrology practice. The remaining knowledge passed along was rudimentary, making what was left of Astrology seem undeveloped. This unfortunate situation led to the grounds and basis of modern Tropical Astrology and how it is viewed in the dominant English-speaking. Especially in the Western world.
It is not out of the realm of possibility that India has always been the master and originator of Astrological truth and purity in practice. Yet after the unfortunate ordering of eradication of copies of material bartered from India, combined with the fall of Rome in 400 AD the world become divided more than ever on Astrology. Western Tropical Astrology developed stemming from the remaining 30% of knowledge left behind, and India stayed true to its cultural roots; which has rich in spiritual detail and more scientific based on 2500 years of study.
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Fast forward a bit in time to around 2000 AD in Human history, Indian Astrology has always stayed true to its root. It has developed and grown based on mathematical practice. Current modern technologies have made casting horoscopes based on the stars (which Astrology is based on) easier than ever. In many years the schism between East and West Astrology has grown thanks to technology; where sociopolitical factors also had a major say in Astrology's role in East vs West.
India has always been a more "economically poor but spiritually developed" culture. The Western world became richer and more capitalized; in the wake leaving behind spirituality and religion as a focal points. Over generations India stayed true to its spiritual attachment to Astrology; retaining being Moon Centric. Western Tropical Astrology, likely due to the loss of recorded information and the decline of spirituality, and the rise of capitalism, developed a different culture around Astrology. Astrology in the West became more Sun focused and reduced to physical and practical functions.
This simple truth of how Astrology progressed over 2500 years is important as it sets the framework for the decline of Astrology in Western society. While India stayed true, The western world lost interest as it crew towards being a materialistic society. With this shift and developing schism, Astrology declined in the western modern. It is only recently that there has been a resurrection of interest and serious focus in the West. Before touching on this, a little background brick laying is important to show how the importance of Astrology shifted. What was once an intricate practice respected by many diminished in the age of capitalism?
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In the last 80 to 100 years, dating back to 1940, Astrology in the Western world fell victim to capitalism. The desire to make money. While it is a symptom of the loss of Astrology's prominence in the Western world, this is a mere part of the puzzle. The other major player in the picture is the Western world losing its connection to spirituality and religion.
As people in the West became more ingrained in a capitalistic culture and attained more spending power among the average class, they left god and spirituality behind. These two main issues likely contribute to the loss of Astrology in Western culture. The common culture and average class in Western society became too busy working for money and power on the one hand. On the other hand, the loss of god and feeling of empowerment through a strong functioning economy meant the individual gained a feeling of invincibility.
Spending power for the average citizen became a death blow to the legitimacy of Astrology in Western culture. In a sense, a feeling of fate and destiny became within one's grasp, no longer needing to rely on Luck, hope, or outside forces. God get left behind; as did the connection to spirituality slowly over time.
The aforementioned combined with the loss of interpretation and material covering 70% of Astrology taken from India, Astrology began to fade from the limelight.
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It isn't to say Astrology completely went to bed in the Western world in recent times. There were few who kept it afloat. Astrology however became a very difficult field to commit to. With a demotivated general public, combined with capitalistic raising the standard and cost of living, being an Astrologer became less appealing. Those who studied or continued the tradition of Astrology were either very well off aside from the rat race of capitalism, or very poor suffering and troubled.
In a sense, the middle average class, which is 97% of people in a society, had no time to focus on Astrology. The depth of its wonder was lost and Astrology went backward. Almost to the point, Astrology became entirely extinct in the Western world. Sans for a few who tried making money doing Astrology by appealing to a mass of people who felt no real intimate connection for the varying aforementioned factors.
In the Western world in modern times, many people became introduced or exposed to Astrology through frivolous "Newspaper" Sun sign Horoscope columns. These are columns written by Astrologers who hold the torch of the struggling field of Astrology. They have a difficult "monkey on their back" to deal with. These Astrologers are trying desperately to stay afloat financially on their own, and in doing so, had to make sacrifices. In order to sell Astrology to the masses it had to be dumbed down, reduced, and simplified to appeal to a public ignorant on the subject.
The unfortunate reality is Astrologers in the Modern era in the 20th century had no choice. To appeal to the common masses and gain interest in Astrology, it had to be stripped down in order to hope the public can get intrigued. With public intrigue, money can be made from the public and Astrologers can stay afloat. But at best even this way of working with Astrology proved not enough and public interest in Astrology waned. People as a culture simply flocked to where the money was, and Astrology was not it.
A problem with "Sun Sign Horoscopes" was Astrology was so simplified that it got a bad reputation. Astrology in newspapers and article horoscopes had to take on a shock value to capture people's attention from the busy capitalistic money-focused world. One such major function became heavily focused on the financial aspect of astrology. Astrology dating back to India was a major study including heavily emphasizing all 12 "houses of Astrology" The houses represent all tangible things that make up human life.
In order to heavily appeal to capitalistic money-eccentric culture, Astrologers really emphasized financial prediction. It wasn't of course the only thing emphasized; Astrology culture shifted more towards emphasizing the life, core of a person, relationships, and career. All major concepts related to money. This grabbed the public, and Astrologers used horoscopes to win public notoriety by appealing to greed and self-gain. Very much different than India which also included for thousands of years spiritual focus and the implementation of deeper concepts than material focus.
The big issue in the use of Astrology is it became merely a tool for prediction to forecast luck. Astrology really became only for those in bad circumstances who needed a pick me up, some hope or belief things were going to improve for themselves. It's not to say Astrology has not always been used in this regard; it just got so heavily focused in this way that deeper uses and reasons for connecting with Astrology took a back seat. Astrologers made some money, but by appealing to the public's desperation; inadvertently diminished potential followers who could become potential scholars to advance the field.
Basically, Astrology became the master of its own demise, and it was no one's fault really. Astrologers needed money, and people needed hope there was money waiting for them. Astrology became very materialistic and lost its root in the soul. With that came also some unintended downfalls.
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Newspaper horoscopes, as prior mentioned, appeal to 97% of the average working class in a capitalistic society. In such writings, Astrology is reduced to a mere shell of itself through prediction based on luck. In these writings; capturing the passing attention of readers through vague predictions had an unintended and unforeseeable consequence. The field of Astrology suffered as a whole
Prediction "horoscopes" gave Astrology a very bad reputation. The prediction model of Astrology uses horoscopes which were often sentences in length, sometimes paragraphs at best. They serve as an introductory model to Astrology; leaving the reader unaware the "horoscope" is merely the surface of a very deep science spanning centuries. While it was appealing for shock value to capture attention, this style of Astrology never really captured imaginations and hooked people beyond the instant gratification of prediction and hope.
Astrology's Pop "prediction" culture status in the modern world really caused Astrology to hit a snag. Not only was it seen as a fortune-telling service, but it was also seen in a reduced fashion as a pseudo-science. Likely of course this is due to its lack of depth employed in order to appeal to an intellectually impoverished average member of society
Inadvertently, by appealing to the masses often for a sale or a buck, Astrology has fabricated an image of a shell of what it once was. Simplifying Astrology to appeal to the masses has taken a toll when it already was in Dire straights. It lost its intellectual roots, which unfortunately met another problem in modern capitalistic society hurting Astrology and its reputation in society.
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Modern Society in the capitalistic modern world, of course, became a very technologically advanced society. capitalism bread a need for constant improvement. Innovation bloomed with investment in growth. The technology grew and society pressed people indirectly. Society became very "smart and intellectually focused." Becoming, and identifying, as very intelligent was important to feel accepted in society. This really had a bad effect on society.
Since Astrology became "reduced" to appeal to the average citizens of citizens, it gained a reputation for the dumb, ignorant, and stupid. Astrology also gained a reputation as only for the foolish, seen for those who were down on their luck and not able to "make their own way." Even being interested in the field of Astrology either gained automatic negative notoriety or simply meant people didn't take you seriously. After all, the capitalist age was about expansion and growth, creating your own opportunity. "Leaning on astrology" was seen as a sign of weakness due to inability, stupidity, or lack of desire to be properly educated. In a way, Astrology interest was seen as a kind of delusion that subjected a person to be on the outside looking in.
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So much went against Astrology so fast in a 100-year time span that it's no wonder it felt out of favor of Western modern capitalistic society.
Centuries gone by removed from a past where Astrology once held a scholarly position in society. Astrology was now "for the dogs." Philosophers, mathematicians, and those of backgrounds related to all forms of divination were pulled to Astrology in the past and are no longer drawn to the field. In a way you can see being into Astrology in the modern world became a kind of embarrassment and mark of disgrace in a person's character.
The once great field celebrated which was once the corner start piece of human society has been reduced to laughing stock status. Many in the modern world see Astrology as a mockery and disgrace in the age of technology and the advancement of human society.
What was once an intricate study in understanding a human being's relationship to life has become a figure of fun at best. A source of temporary amusement for many, and a source of jokes for others. Those who put faith in Astrology, commonly known as Astrologers, have been objects of ridicule by the intelligent and progressed. Astrology in the modern world to many has become a belief system, rather than a science or a basis for a deeper understanding of life.
In the modern world, the same philosophers, mathematicians, and educators in past centuries that worked to progress Astrology, now dunk it. They laugh at it, ridicule it, discredit it. Perhaps rightfully so.
Astrology in the modern era has been diluted and debased in the age of science and progress. To the point, Astrology has become so suppressed in modern society that only a handful of truly committed individuals pass the torch of Astrology.
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Astrology is not lost in the Western world. Its resurrection is actually underway for a variety of reasons.
Only in recent times has Astrology started to gain momentum again in Western society culture. Several issues around capitalistic culture have begun to turn the tables. Namely, peak capitalism being the culprit. Peak Capitalism is where society has basically become so advanced, and so efficient, it has made people redundant in the same culture it was created to serve.
Peak efficiency has led to technological employment, loss of purpose, and disconnection from values ingrained by the culture of capitalistic technological culture. Issues like mental illness have skyrocketed along with poverty. Such can be attributed due to a lack of opportunities as the workforce diminishes in part thanks to AI advancements in technology and robotics.
The 97 percent of average so-called "intelligent and progressive people" are left holding the bag so to speak. They don't know where to turn. The average person has two options; to become more intelligent, and more -progressive and work harder to maintain the advancement of technology and robotics. This is great if you are super smart or have great connections to get the few remaining jobs that will be left after peak capitalism diminished all opportunities for the average working class.
For the rest. For the "average." The "non-intelligent" what do they do? These are the people that lack the basic makeup to be programmers, coders, and engineers; what direction do they find in life? Most importantly where does meaning in their life come from? Ah, this is where we return to a funny realization; the capitalistic culture is making modern life become as India always was. Impoverished, devoid of economic opportunity....yet.... this lifestyle is not without purpose and place.
The suffering who are known in the fall from peak capitalism, the average left holding the bag, what do they do?
They return to a simple life. One where they pursue spirituality for purpose. To find a connection with the universe. Understanding god, purpose, and how everything is connected. An opportunity for the resurrection of Astrology. People are returning to spirituality, a greater connection to nature, self, harmonics, and energy; and to find a place among everything by gaining a deeper intimate connection to the universe from within.
This is Astrology at its core, and what India has built Jyotish and Vedic principles on. And it's finally coming west because people understand its place as the structure of the Western world crumbles.
What goes around comes around. We return to the origin of spirituality no matter how advanced we think are and move past a need for it. It's funny how nature works like that.
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The future of Astrology is the merging of past and modern. Eastern and Western concepts fused. There is a place for the traditional understanding of harmonics, merged with the progression of the Western world. People live in both the physical world and the spiritual world, and in some ways, is telling where I think Astrology is heading. it's based on two very vital theories of how East and West came to differences in thinking over centuries, yet have equally important truths that support what life truly is.
Western culture is rooted in the external environment being important. Eastern Indian Culture is rooted in the inner environment or the soul. Western psychology is how the external environment influences the self and life live. Indian Culture and Astrology highlight the internal environment affecting the external and how life occurs.
Both are right, and both have a place.
The future of the science of Astrology is merging Western Psychological Understandings AMD Indian Spiritual understanding. The material and immaterial. The physical world and the spiritual world. Through Indian Astrology we gain insight on the importance of harmonics and souls influencing a person. With Western efforts and developmental work on psychology we under the soul of a person in action.
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The progress of Western astrology, rooted more in psychology, can grow when merged with Indian concepts of spirituality. The eroding of capitalism and the awakening of Western masses is gravitating toward an interest in spirituality. With it, a renewed interest in spirituality. These Western minds are coming from a culture, of materialism, psychology, and progressive understanding of human behavior; and offer a new resource for Indian astrology to grow.
Western concepts can be imposed on Indians truly, the study of harmonics, to understand the entirety of a person. Soul and Desire. Consciousnesses and Action. What motivates a person? What makes them unique? Get a better grasp of where a person fits in the bigger picture, and ultimately put them in the best environment to do so.
For you see; Astrology is deeper than a belief system, a religion, or a pseudo-science for the cast-off or delusional as the Western world has come to see it. That flawed perception might be changing, but it still hovers. There is a place for Astrology in intelligent minds cultured on the idea of progress. We can progress by going backward, studying our roots, and merging the past with the modern.
Technology from the West is bringing new hope for depth and a greater understanding of Astrology, Harmonics, and how they can very well all play together in how a person truly experiences the world.
Thanks to technological advancements in the way of complex computer processors; Astrology has become a legit science again slowly in the Western public. Now there are many who study deeper levels of Astrology; with more time to investigate how the universe has an effect on human life. Imagination has been injected into Astrology world like never before.
In the modern world, robotics have given people more free time, which has allowed them more time to connect with spirituality. Advancements in technology have allowed people interested in Astrology in the West, to open their minds by being exposed to the complex realm of spiritual Vedic (Indian Astrology.)
The last 100 years of human society advancement have opened the door slowly for Astrology to progress in a way it never has. Astrology can be more than mere prediction models, it can be a tool for understanding the behavior of a person based on the soul. Based on Harmonics. India laid the groundwork with Divisional Varga charts which can explain the depth of a person. Now western progressed minds can take a psychological approach to understand the "depth of the soul" thanks to the framework of Vedic Divisional Charts.
Western is deep in psychological depth. Eastern Vedic is deep in harmonic understanding of math and consciousness. Together merged the understanding of Astrology and the human experience can be better than its ever been. The future is now and developing before our very eyes; especially in a world connected by technology and no longer segregated by distance or language.
Western Astrology is the External Soul, The Psychology, and the Projection. Vedic Astrology is Internal Soul, The Harmonics, and the Reflection. Together they form the basis of a greater understanding of what it is to live. Many think Astrology is a Belief System. but it's really about perception, understanding. philosophy, and the potential for influence. Giving a person a sense of meaning.
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