{"id":9607,"date":"2024-04-05T09:00:30","date_gmt":"2024-04-05T08:00:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/psychictoday.com\/blog\/?p=9607"},"modified":"2024-03-13T10:04:43","modified_gmt":"2024-03-13T10:04:43","slug":"what-is-astrology-anyway","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/psychictoday.com\/blog\/2024\/04\/05\/what-is-astrology-anyway\/","title":{"rendered":"Astrology Lesson Part 1 \u2013 What IS Astrology, Anyway?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Astrology Lesson Part 1 \u2013 What IS Astrology, Anyway?<\/strong><\/h1>\n

Ever wanted to learn what astrology is? Keep reading to find out!<\/p>\n

A l\u2019alta fantasia qui manc\u00f2 possa;<\/i>
\n<\/i>ma gi\u00e0 volgeva il mio disio e \u2018l velle,<\/i>
\n<\/i>s\u00ec come rota ch\u2019igualmente \u00e8 mossa,<\/i>
\n<\/i>l\u2019amor che move il sole e l\u2019altre stelle.<\/i><\/p>\n

Here vigour failed the lofty fantasy:<\/i>
\n<\/i>But now was turning my desire and will,<\/i>
\n<\/i>even as a wheel that equally is moved,<\/i>
\n<\/i>The love which moves the sun and the other stars.<\/i><\/p>\n

\u2013<\/i>Dante, speaking at the end of Paradise<\/p>\n

\"'what<\/a><\/p>\n

As above, so below-<\/h2>\n

You\u2019ll often see this phrase used in astrology<\/a>. It\u2019s actually from The Emerald Tablet. Also known as the Tabula Smaragdina or the Smaragdine Table- this is an interesting, yet cryptic magical text. No one knows its original source. Reputed to contain all the secrets of the transmutation of the secret of the prima materia- it is said to be the foundation of the art of European alchemists and the art of the Hermetic Tradition. The phrase \u201cAs above, so below\u201d is said to more or less encompass the full system of traditional and modern magic contained within the text.<\/p>\n

Because astrology is a powerful tool for personal transformation- and also used in manifestation work, you can see why this phrase is used. We look to the stars, the planets, and their positions to better understand ourselves and our fate. What we see above is reflected within us, and what is reflected within us- is also what we see above on a clear, starlit night.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Art\u2026or Science?<\/strong><\/b><\/h2>\n

Technically speaking, perhaps a bit of both. Metaphysics has a couple of definitions- and one is not that flattering. Defined as \u201cthe branch of philosophy that deals with the first principles of things, including abstract concepts such as being, knowing, substance, cause, identity, time, and space.\u201d but also, an \u201cabstract theory or talk with no basis in reality\u201d.<\/p>\n

While some may find the latter to be insulting, I don\u2019t. When we understand that though astrology does in fact, fall under the header of \u201cmetaphysics\u201d- we should also ask ourselves, \u201cWho defines reality?\u201d and in doing so, understand that astrology can be a powerful tool for not just better understanding our own, but shaping it.<\/p>\n

Still, the argument of whether astrology is an art or a science rages on. Astrology is, after all, referred to as\u00a0\u201cThe Mother of All Sciences\u201d .<\/i><\/p>\n

An astrologer needs to be able to have a high level of intellectual clarity. In addition to this, though, we act as guide- so, perspective and empathy are also necessary. Our work is very much interpretive, and therefore, a subjective perspective capable of a great deal of understanding and meaning.<\/p>\n

Some would say that it is an art based on science and I am inclined to agree. Astronomy is most assuredly a science- and astrology is, at heart, the language of astronomy in our lives. Mathematics, physics, astronomy and empathy entwine to create a system of understanding.<\/p>\n

So, perhaps the answer is both\u2026and neither.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Two Major Players in Astrology<\/h2>\n

As you read about astrology, you will no doubt encounter two different and distinct types. Tropical and Sidereal. Western astrology, or Tropical, is what we will be working with in our lessons. This is merely because this is the type of astrology I practice- though it\u2019s an often heated debate: neither is superior to the other. You may find one speaks to you more than the other does, but this is a personal decision.<\/p>\n

You may have also heard of Sidereal or Eastern Astrology. This is sometimes referred to as Vedic or Joytish.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Twice as Nice<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Both tropical and sidereal refer to a year- but, they\u2019re two different definitions. They are also two systems for the coordinates of the ecliptic that we use in astrology. They do each divide the ecliptic into signs based on the constellations \u2013 but here\u2019s where they begin to differ. The tropical system is based on the intersection of the ecliptic along the celestial equator or the vernal equinox of the Northern Hemisphere. The Sidereal system, on the other hand, does so based on the fixed stars. Don\u2019t worry, we won\u2019t hash out all the differences, here and it\u2019s much less complicated than it sounds.<\/p>\n

The point is, though, that both of these are incredibly useful tools and both are valid. It\u2019s important that you find the one that you feel most in tune with.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

What You Will Need<\/h2>\n

As we go through these lessons, you will need a copy of your natal chart. If you don\u2019t have your natal chart, I will be using mine for an example to help better illustrate the concepts at play.<\/p>\n

I also recommend you keep a notebook, to take notes and to journal your own thoughts as we go.<\/p>\n

Later on, we\u2019ll also explore the ephemeris, so, if you\u2019d like to grab a copy and familiarize yourself with that, you can. Don\u2019t worry if it seems complex at first. We\u2019ll simplify it so that you can read it with ease.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Coming up in Astrology Lesson Part 2<\/b><\/h2>\n

In our next lesson, we will begin to explore the symbols you\u2019ll see in astrology and what they mean. Stay tuned!<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Speak to one of our Psychics!<\/h3>\n

We have a very experienced and friendly team of psychics with us here at\u00a0Psychic Today<\/strong>! See who is available for\u00a0YOU<\/strong>\u00a0right now!<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Select the psychic of your choice for an exclusive one-to-one reading! Speak to one of our \u00a0Trusted Psychics<\/a>.<\/strong>\u00a0Plus, you can watch us live right\u00a0here<\/a><\/strong>!<\/p>\n

Download our Psychic Today App now!<\/b><\/h3>\n

The\u00a0Psychic Today App<\/b>\u00a0is for all your psychic needs! If you haven\u2019t yet added it to your mobile phone, you can do so by following our links here:<\/p>\n

To download from the\u00a0App Store<\/b>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0click here<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Or\u00a0download it from\u00a0Google Play\u00a0<\/b>\u2013\u00a0click here<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Psychic Today is Here For You!<\/b><\/h3>\n

Psychic Today is on a mission to continue providing the very best psychic advice. Now we have more ways to reach\u00a0our<\/span>\u00a0trusted\u00a0<\/span>psychics<\/span><\/strong>, and\u00a0<\/span>we<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>have\u00a0<\/span>dedicated<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>ourselves<\/span>\u00a0to\u00a0<\/span>answering<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>your<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>questions<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

You can ring them via our\u00a0EasyCall<\/strong>\u00a0feature, found on your chosen Psychics profile. Text our psychics through our\u00a0Text Reading<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>page. You can also send IMs directly to the live stream via our App. We have made it easier for you to get in contact with our psychics, and they will not disappoint!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Astrology Lesson Part 1 \u2013 What IS Astrology, Anyway? Ever wanted to learn what astrology is? Keep reading to find out! A l\u2019alta fantasia qui manc\u00f2 possa; ma gi\u00e0 volgeva il mio disio e \u2018l velle, s\u00ec come rota ch\u2019igualmente \u00e8 mossa, l\u2019amor che move il sole e l\u2019altre stelle. Here vigour failed the lofty…<\/p>\n

READ MORE<\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":9615,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[37],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9607","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-astrology"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"yoast_head":"\nAstrology Lesson Part 1 \u2013 What IS Astrology, Anyway? - Psychic Today<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Dive into the depths of this ancient practice as we unravel its origins and significance. Discover the essence of tropical and sidereal astrology, and embark on a journey toward self-discovery.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/psychictoday.com\/blog\/2024\/04\/05\/what-is-astrology-anyway\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Astrology Lesson Part 1 \u2013 What IS Astrology, Anyway? - Psychic Today\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Dive into the depths of this ancient practice as we unravel its origins and significance. Discover the essence of tropical and sidereal astrology, and embark on a journey toward self-discovery.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/psychictoday.com\/blog\/2024\/04\/05\/what-is-astrology-anyway\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Latest News from Psychic Today | Online Psychic Readings Available | Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/psychictoday\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2024-04-05T08:00:30+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/psychictoday.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/what_is_astrology.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1818\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1000\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Anna\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@psychictoday\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@psychictoday\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Anna\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Estimated reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/psychictoday.com\/blog\/2024\/04\/05\/what-is-astrology-anyway\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/psychictoday.com\/blog\/2024\/04\/05\/what-is-astrology-anyway\/\",\"name\":\"Astrology Lesson Part 1 \u2013 What IS Astrology, Anyway? - Psychic Today\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/psychictoday.com\/blog\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/psychictoday.com\/blog\/2024\/04\/05\/what-is-astrology-anyway\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/psychictoday.com\/blog\/2024\/04\/05\/what-is-astrology-anyway\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/psychictoday.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/what_is_astrology.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-04-05T08:00:30+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/psychictoday.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/b1270a4a7d8459693faf125921daa0fe\"},\"description\":\"Dive into the depths of this ancient practice as we unravel its origins and significance. Discover the essence of tropical and sidereal astrology, and embark on a journey toward self-discovery.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/psychictoday.com\/blog\/2024\/04\/05\/what-is-astrology-anyway\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/psychictoday.com\/blog\/2024\/04\/05\/what-is-astrology-anyway\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/psychictoday.com\/blog\/2024\/04\/05\/what-is-astrology-anyway\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/psychictoday.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/what_is_astrology.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/psychictoday.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/what_is_astrology.jpg\",\"width\":1818,\"height\":1000,\"caption\":\"'what is astrology ' text with background of star \/ zodiac signs\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/psychictoday.com\/blog\/2024\/04\/05\/what-is-astrology-anyway\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Blog\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/psychictoday.com\/blog\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Astrology Lesson Part 1 \u2013 What IS Astrology, Anyway?\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/psychictoday.com\/blog\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/psychictoday.com\/blog\/\",\"name\":\"Latest News from Psychic Today | Online Psychic Readings Available | Blog\",\"description\":\"The UK's leading Psychic brand, Psychic Today. over 1 million psychic readings to date.\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/psychictoday.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/psychictoday.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/b1270a4a7d8459693faf125921daa0fe\",\"name\":\"Anna\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/psychictoday.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/499694c710c2ccc9b42b5ed003543afe3cda42efdeee91a1d969739b27071a3c?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/499694c710c2ccc9b42b5ed003543afe3cda42efdeee91a1d969739b27071a3c?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Anna\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/psychictoday.com\/blog\/author\/anna\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Astrology Lesson Part 1 \u2013 What IS Astrology, Anyway? - Psychic Today","description":"Dive into the depths of this ancient practice as we unravel its origins and significance. Discover the essence of tropical and sidereal astrology, and embark on a journey toward self-discovery.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/psychictoday.com\/blog\/2024\/04\/05\/what-is-astrology-anyway\/","og_locale":"en_GB","og_type":"article","og_title":"Astrology Lesson Part 1 \u2013 What IS Astrology, Anyway? - Psychic Today","og_description":"Dive into the depths of this ancient practice as we unravel its origins and significance. Discover the essence of tropical and sidereal astrology, and embark on a journey toward self-discovery.","og_url":"https:\/\/psychictoday.com\/blog\/2024\/04\/05\/what-is-astrology-anyway\/","og_site_name":"Latest News from Psychic Today | Online Psychic Readings Available | Blog","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/psychictoday\/","article_published_time":"2024-04-05T08:00:30+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1818,"height":1000,"url":"https:\/\/psychictoday.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/what_is_astrology.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Anna","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@psychictoday","twitter_site":"@psychictoday","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Anna","Estimated reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/psychictoday.com\/blog\/2024\/04\/05\/what-is-astrology-anyway\/","url":"https:\/\/psychictoday.com\/blog\/2024\/04\/05\/what-is-astrology-anyway\/","name":"Astrology Lesson Part 1 \u2013 What IS Astrology, Anyway? - Psychic Today","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/psychictoday.com\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/psychictoday.com\/blog\/2024\/04\/05\/what-is-astrology-anyway\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/psychictoday.com\/blog\/2024\/04\/05\/what-is-astrology-anyway\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/psychictoday.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/what_is_astrology.jpg","datePublished":"2024-04-05T08:00:30+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/psychictoday.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/b1270a4a7d8459693faf125921daa0fe"},"description":"Dive into the depths of this ancient practice as we unravel its origins and significance. Discover the essence of tropical and sidereal astrology, and embark on a journey toward self-discovery.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/psychictoday.com\/blog\/2024\/04\/05\/what-is-astrology-anyway\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-GB","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/psychictoday.com\/blog\/2024\/04\/05\/what-is-astrology-anyway\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/psychictoday.com\/blog\/2024\/04\/05\/what-is-astrology-anyway\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/psychictoday.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/what_is_astrology.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/psychictoday.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/what_is_astrology.jpg","width":1818,"height":1000,"caption":"'what is astrology ' text with background of star \/ zodiac signs"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/psychictoday.com\/blog\/2024\/04\/05\/what-is-astrology-anyway\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Blog","item":"https:\/\/psychictoday.com\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Astrology Lesson Part 1 \u2013 What IS Astrology, Anyway?"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/psychictoday.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/psychictoday.com\/blog\/","name":"Latest News from Psychic Today | Online Psychic Readings Available | Blog","description":"The UK's leading Psychic brand, Psychic Today. over 1 million psychic readings to date.","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/psychictoday.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-GB"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/psychictoday.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/b1270a4a7d8459693faf125921daa0fe","name":"Anna","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/psychictoday.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/499694c710c2ccc9b42b5ed003543afe3cda42efdeee91a1d969739b27071a3c?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/499694c710c2ccc9b42b5ed003543afe3cda42efdeee91a1d969739b27071a3c?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Anna"},"url":"https:\/\/psychictoday.com\/blog\/author\/anna\/"}]}},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/psychictoday.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/what_is_astrology.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7bYcW-2uX","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/psychictoday.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9607","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/psychictoday.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/psychictoday.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/psychictoday.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/psychictoday.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9607"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/psychictoday.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9607\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9617,"href":"https:\/\/psychictoday.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9607\/revisions\/9617"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/psychictoday.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9615"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/psychictoday.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9607"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/psychictoday.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9607"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/psychictoday.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9607"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}