#simplify astrology

I'm finally getting started!

My goal with these lessons is to help anyone interested to learn more about themselves by giving the basic tools and information to be able to look at their own chart and “decode” the language.

Before beginning this new endeavor, I wanted to cover a few basics about astrology’s history. And also a little bit about myself!

Astrology’s History:

Astrology is over 5000 years old. In Mesopotamia around 3000 BCE Babylonians became the first astronomers by recording and identifying the prominent constellations and their patterns. Babylonians also created the first zodiac wheel.

Constellation maps have existed far longer than maps of the world, and for centuries early civilizations used the rhythm and cycles of the Sun, Moon, & Stars to hunt, plant, harvest, migrate, and even to treat illnesses and ailments.

Astrology is a method of predicting human and earthly behavior based on the placements and movements of the sun, moon, and planets within the 12 zodiac constellations.

During the Middle Ages, astrology was a fundamental part of culture. Being practiced and studied by doctors, astronomers, and mathematicians alike. Advances in mathematics helped astrologers develop better, more accurate and sophisticated charts.

Belief in astrology began to decline as the church gained power. It was seen as superstition during the Holy Inquisition which is when Galileo Galilei was charged with heresy and was forced to renounce his astrological beliefs to save his life.

Today, the practice of astrology is seen and used as a form of entertainment. Although many societies and cultures still utilize the reading of the stars to successfully plant/harvest crops, kill weeds, plan surgeries, and ween their children from bottles & pacifiers. (More on the Farmer’s Almanac later!)

Shellie’s Herstory:

I’m self-taught! I’ve been studying astrology for nearly 30 years.

I started when I was 10 years old with my still-to-this-day-bestie. We used “The Only Astrology Book You’ll Ever Need” which we both still use today. We even taught ourselves to manually calculate full birth charts including ascendants (this was pre-Internet days!) and cast many charts for our friends over the years.

I try to find fun, simple, easy-to-digest ways to explain the complexities of astrology even when the learner has zero prior knowledge.

I try to make it a point to regularly remind everyone that no one person is all one thing and no two people are exactly the same. We are humans and are a complex amalgamation of nature and nurture. I once read something that said (save for twins born within the same minute via cesarean, etc) it would take 25,000 years for a natal chart to repeat exactly. So, safe to say everyone has their own, individual, unique birth chart!

Come learn with me! No matter how long I’ve been doing this, there are always new things to learn in this very old, very information-dense topic. So always bring questions – I don’t know everything but I love to research and learn new things!

aka the Ascendent