Sun sign astrology is generally for entertainment purposes only.

Since the sign

occupied by the Sun at birth is considerably significant, most people do find
some similarities between the Sun sign descriptions and their personalities. The
same is true for compatibility based on Sun signs. However, when it comes to
daily, monthly, and yearly predictions, probably very few people experience any
degree of accuracy. There are a multitude of factors in every individual chart that
indicate significant modifications to the significance of the predictions made by
Sun sign astrology.
Natal astrology, also known as genethliacal astrology, is the practice of using the
natal chart and its modifications to determine an individual’s personality
characteristics and destiny. At first, natal astrology was used to determine such
things as one’s occupation, marriage, number of children, and length of life.
Today natal astrology is a combination of predictive astrology and psychological
astrology, used to understand an individual, to determine his life course, to
predict events in his life, and to analyze the nature of his relationships.
The astrological chart used in natal astrology is referred to as the natal chart,
the
birth chart, and the nativity. It is a symbolic map of our solar system, or the
space surrounding the Earth, as it appeared at the moment and place of birth. The
birth chart captures the universe as it exists at a particular moment in a
particular
place. The person for whom the birth chart was erected was once referred to as
the native, but today this practice is rare.
Predictions in natal astrology may be based on the natal chart or on a
combination of the natal chart, directions, progressions, and transits. The
practice of making predictions in natal astrology is also called predictive
astrology.
The natal chart serves as a starting point for understanding one’s relationships
and relating potential. The charts of two or more individuals can be compared
using a variety of techniques. Questions of attraction and compatibility are easily
answered by comparing natal charts. Using natal astrology to describe
compatibilities is called relationship astrology and synastry.
Synastry can be used to pick a partner —marriage, business, or otherwise—and
to reveal strengths and challenges in current relationships. It reveals the
strengths, joys, annoyances, and conflicts in any relationship—mates, lovers,
parents, children, grandparents, siblings, family members, employers,
employees, customers, competitors, and enemies.
Medical astrology, another application of natal astrology, uses the natal chart to
diagnose and treat physical and mental illness. Prior to the Age of Enlightenment
in Europe, astrology was used as the primary basis for all medical diagnosis and
treatment. Applied medical astrology is sometimes called astrotherapy.
However, it was the Danish mystic Max Heindel (1865 – 1919), founder of the
Rosicrucian Fellowship, who first used the term astrotherapy.2 He referred to all
forms of healing as astrotherapy. Heindel believed that astrotherapy worked
according to the alchemic principles or laws of Compatibility and Systemic
Receptibility. Today the term astrotherapy is more commonly used when
referring to counseling and psychotherapy based on the natal chart than when
referring to the treatment of somatic illnesses.
Modern Western allopathic medicine abandoned the use of astrology during the
Age of Reason in Europe (the early 1seventh century). Jyotish (Vedic astrology)
remains an essential part of ayurveda—the traditional medicine of India.
Astrology is also an integral part of the holistic traditions of Chinese, Tibetan,
Mongolian, and Vietnamese medicine.
Mundane astrology is concerned with worldly events. It uses the natal charts of
rulers, leaders, countries, states, and cities as well as current planetary
positions
and their aspects to predict events, wars, disasters, weather, famines, economic
conditions, and the fortunes of nations. Comets and solar and lunar eclipses hold
special significance in mundane astrology. Mundane astrologers assist
companies, businessmen and other individuals by predicting economic trends
and the stock market.
Political astrology and meteorological astrology are branches of mundane
astrology. Political astrology is concerned with politicians, governments, laws,
and elections. Meteorological astrology is concerned with predicting the weather
and weatherrelated disasters.
In horary astrology the astrologer erects a chart when the client asks a question.
The client may ask general questions such as “Will I get the job I want?” Often
the questions are “When” and “Where” questions. The client in horary astrology
is referred to as the querent.
Electional astrology is used to determine the best time for an event such as a
wedding or surgery. It is also used to pick the day and time to begin a project,
start a business, take a trip, or hold a meeting. Although it is considered to be a
unique branch of astrology, electional astrology uses the natal chart and its
derivatives.
Major Schools of Astrology
There are currently several schools or philosophies of astrology. Most of these
have descended from the practices of localized populations that had little
communication with others beyond their borders before the common area. The
most popular of these include Western (European) astrology, Vedic astrology
(Jyotish), Chinese astrology, and Tibetan astrology. Some others that are
frequently used include Taoist astrology, Vietnamese astrology, Buddhist
astrology, and Jewish Astrology.
Due to advances in science and technology, astrologers may choose between
several perspectives in regards to tropical astrology vs. sidereal astrology and
geocentric astrology vs. heliocentric astrology. Also, modern developments in
psychological, social, cultural, and spiritual factors have brought about the
development of astrological sub-practices such as predictive astrology,
psychological astrology, archetypal astrology, psychodynamic astrology,
spiritual astrology, karmic astrology, esoteric astrology, occult astrology,
Uranian astrology, cosmobiology, and magi astrology.
Tropical astrology uses the signs of the zodiac —the twelve divisions of the
Earth’s orbit around the Sun. Sidereal astrology uses the constellations—the
clusters of stars as they appear from Earth. The differences between tropical and
sidereal astrology are discussed in more detail in the next chapter. Tropical
astrology is practiced by most astrologers and is the form of astrology with
which most non-astrologers are familiar. The zodiac of sidereal astrology is the
basis of jyotish or Vedic astrology and is used by some Western astrologers.
Geocentric astrology uses the Earth and the individual’s birthpla ce as the center
of the chart. Heliocentric astrology is a recent development of the late 1900’s. It
places the Sun at the center of the chart. It does not use houses and downplays
the signs. It focuses on planetary aspects, some of which are modified by the
heliocentric point of view. Few astrologers use heliocentric astrology. Those
who do use the heliocentric chart do so with the geocentric chart to augment
their interpretations.
Psychological Astrology
Within the tradition of Western astrology, there is a strong emphasis on personal
traits or behaviors. The twelve astrological signs are commonly described in
terms of behavioral potentialities, characteristics, or traits. Similarly, specific
traits are assigned to the planets and to such sign families like the elements and
modalities. This trait-approach to astrology is especially true for popular or Sun
sign astrology. Traits are behavioral characteristics, qualities, or dimensions
that
are relatively stable over time, vary among individuals, and influence behavior.
Personality traits are relatively enduring patterns of perceiving, relating to, and
thinking about the environment and oneself that are exhibited in a wide range of
social and personal contexts.3
While trait theories of personality were popular in psychology during the
mid1900’s, the use of traits in astrology was practiced as far back as the
beginning of the Common Era (AD) when Claudius Ptolemy (90 AD – 168 AD)
published the Almagest (The Great Compilation) and the Apotelesmatika
(Astrological Effects) or Tetrabiblos (Four Books). During the Renaissance, the
description of astrological traits for the commoners became popular and began to
replace and overshadow the use of court astrologers who predicted events for
royalty, rulers, militia, and the politically ambitious. By the 1800’s, Western
astrologers excelled in describing astrological traits.
With the development of theosophy, psychology, psychotherapy, and counseling
in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, the event- oriented nature and predictive
features of astrology have been deemphasized in favor of the psychospiritual
fulfillment. The English theosophical astrologers Alan Leo (1860 - 1917) and