Introduction

Astrology for Beginners: Part 1

All text © copyright Charles Jameson 2015 astrologyschool.net

Welcome!

• Astrology is a vast subject, so today we’ll be just covering some of the essentials.

• Aims for today:– Give you a general understanding of astrology as a way

of seeing the world, and help you to ‘think astrologically.’

– Provide you with specific ways of looking at a natal horoscope and be able to make a few meaningful interpretations.

– Show you how to use a free online tool to create your own natal horoscope, based on the time and place of your birth.

Approximate schedule for today

10.45 – Part 1: Introduction11:15 – Part 2: Planets12:15 – Part 3: Planetary combinations12:30 – Lunch break1:00 – Part 4: Signs (of the zodiac)2:00 – Part 5: Looking at example horoscopes2:30 – Part 6: Creating your own horoscope3:00 – Part 7: Houses (of the horoscope) – time permitting3:30 – Finish up

What is astrology?

• Astrology is the study of the correlation between events in the heavens and life on Earth.

• It is one of the oldest organised bodies of knowledge in the world, and has been practiced by many cultures for thousands of years.

• In the West, astrology was once considered by academics and the elite as a serious and important area of knowledge.

• The ‘scientific revolution’ in the late 17th century changed all that.

• Modern science (and religion) has largely rejected astrology as heretical and/or ‘superstitious nonsense’ … although they have never really investigated it, beyond a superficial level.

Why learn astrology?

• Astrology shows you that there is more to life (i.e. a bigger picture) than meets the eye.

• It confirms other dimensions: spiritual, metaphysical, magical.

• It is important in herbalism, making talismans, kabbalah, alchemy, (natural) magic and possibly tarot.

• Astrology can help you learn more about yourself, about other people, and the world in general.

• Astrology is ancient and cosmic universal wisdom,

accessible to all and written in the stars, not some external authority or dogma.

Astrology and life

• Up until the late 17th century, astrology was widely respected, e.g. in medical circles, as an intellectual pursuit.

• It was considered ‘normal’ that our lives had some correlation with celestial events (not in terms of ‘fate’).

• It was considered normal that pretty much everything had an astrological correspondence, every plant, object, part of the body, etc was ‘governed’ by a planet or could be described in astrological terminology.

• This was part of the great ‘chain of being’• For instance, Culpeper says that mint was

governed by Venus, so mint harvesting, planting, etc should be done on a Friday (Freya’s day), Venus’s day, at a Venus hour.

Types of Western Astrology

• Natal – the study of an individual’s horoscope or birth chart, looking to understand our uniqueness and how that plays out during the course of our lives. Medical is a branch of natal.

• Electional – Choosing an astrologically favourable moment to do something (start a business, plant a crop, etc)

• Horary – Ask a question, get an answer – no birth data required! The horoscope is set for the time of the question, and it will reveal the answer. A bit like Tarot.

• Mundane – The astrology of nations, corporations. Looking at how the planetary transits affect particular countries (e.g. fall of Berlin Wall).

Astrological approaches

• Traditional – astrology as practiced prior to about 1900 in all it’s glory, before it was simplified.

• Modern – astrology after 1900 – Jung, archetypes, emphasis on myths, free will.

• Many modern astrologers are shifting focus to back to some of the traditional ideas, thanks to new translations of original texts, and personal computers (which speed up the horoscope calculations)

• My astrological approach is a mix of about 70% traditional, 30% modern.

What is a ‘horoscope’?

• It’s a diagram, a representation of the positions of the planets etc for a particular location and time on Earth.

• A ‘natal’ horoscope is the horoscope for an individual, based on their time of birth. A horoscope is sometimes referred to as a ‘chart’.

• You can use astrology software to create a horoscope – I’ll demonstrate how to do that later, using a free web tool.

• Here’s an example of a horoscope…

HORIZON

UNDER THE EARTH

EAST

‘RISING SIGN’ or ‘ASCENDANT’