Astronomy Vs Astrology

This morning, my partner was watching an astronomy programme that he had recorded. The presenter was talking about Jupiter and its physical qualities, he said that Jupiter is the largest planet and that 1000 earths could fit inside. He went on to say that astrologers believe that Jupiter influences human lives and that we are right. Astronomically, Jupiter is very “beneficial” to the earth through its gravitational pull. Astrologically, good luck, blessings, protection, popularity and large and excessive qualities are associated with Jupiter. Physically, Jupiter is said to protect us from asteroids and meteorites that may have hit the Earth. However, the astronomer then said that astrology is a load of rubbish anyway.

Astronomers don’t know everything about the universe and astrologers don’t know why astrology works. When I first studied astrology I ‘tested’ it using events and correlated the symbolic meaning of the planet with the actual event. I only had a couple of books to work with, but I looked back at some of the most significant, painful and life changing events and found some strange “synchronicity” at work…Without a doubt, astrology, has shaken my view of life (Uranus in 3rd house). Astrology is a mind-bending subject to learn.

I felt liberated understanding that there was a pattern at work, but it can also be limiting. You cannot change your birth chart, not in the sense that I can never change my own experiences in life, but I can only change it within the terms of that planet, if that makes sense. The transits and corresponding life events also had me questioning the control I had over my own life. The question of ‘fate’ loomed large over my astrological studies.

At one time astrology and astronomy where the same and we shared the same studying quarters. Astronomers would prefer not to mention its association. Kings paid astrologers to help them make decisions and the funding went towards astronomical research. Some of the most important astronomers of that time were also astrologers. Now, astronomers are embarrassed by our past connection and they tend to treat our belief in astrology, with disrespect.

The discovery of a new planet has always coincided with events at that time. In 1781, Uranus was discovered at the time of the American and French Revolution and it correlates with eruptive energy in society. Uranus also disrupted the traditional view of astrology and the ’known’, seven planets. Its discovery caused quite a bit of upset to the “traditional system” and some traditional astrologers refuse to “accept” the outer planets. The astrology and Uranus’ symbolic meaning is clearly evident here.

Uranus describes revolutions, stirrings, freedom and independence and is not mainstream, and rebels against tradition, if it no longer works. All the mind-orientated subjects are governed by Uranus: Astrology, higher mathematics, Science and Astronomy. Astronomically, Uranus rotates on its axis and astrologically Uranus is different and doesn’t fit in or follow expected ‘norms’. Uranus was named after the Greek God of the heavens. Quite often the physical properties of a planet neatly align with its astrological meaning. Here is an earlier post to read on this topic and its a collection of various quotes that I find uplifting: Astrology - The Difficult Profession