29/08/2023
What is a Horoscope?
Although we generally take 'a horoscope' to mean an astrologers prediction of our future. It actually means an astrological chart or diagram representing the positions of the Sun, Moon, planets, astrological aspects, and sensitive angles at the time of an event, such as the moment of a person's birth. The word 'horoscope' is derived from Greek words hora and scopos meaning "time" "observer"
Once it has been worked out, the horoscope provides the basis for divining many aspects of that event or related events or time periods.
Signs of the zodiac
The signs of the Zodiac
The sky is divided up into 12 areas - the 12 signs of the zodiac. Each of these signs covers an equal area of the sky and is aligned to the stars. (Over millennia the zodiac moves with respect to the stars as the earth's axis precesses - but it's best to ignore this whilst learning the basics). So when looking at the sky, the stars are fixed when compared with the zodiac, but the planets, as they orbit the sun, change position and "wander" about. Astrology tries to use the movements of the stars to understand our personalities and to some extent control our destinies. Each of the 12 signs is also associated with an element (earth, air, fire and water) and also a mode (cardinal, fixed and mutable). More about this later.
The Planets
Each of the planets (which for astrology includes the sun and the moon) control a different aspect. In general terms they can be listed as:
Planetary Symbols Astrology
Sun = Ego / Self
Moon = Emotion / Moods
Mercury = Communication / Thinking
Venus = Harmony / Affections
Mars = Confidence / Energy
Jupiter = Prosperity / Good Fortune
Saturn = Limitations / Practicality
Uranus = Individuality / Inventiveness
Neptune = Idealism / Compassion
Pluto = Transformation / Power
The Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus and Mars are the personal planets which affect our personalities and immediate relationships. The more distant planets affect how we interact with the world in a more general way.
When planets are in retrograde (e.g. they appear to be traveling backwards to their normal motion in the sky) their effect can be reversed to be directed inwards. When they again start to move forward again their effect can be enhanced.
Planets and Signs
Each planet is the ruler of a particular sign (or signs). Whilst in that sign the planets influence is enhanced. The rulerships for each of the planets are as below:
Sun Leo
Moon Cancer
Mercury Gemini and Virgo
Venus Libra and Ta**us
Mars Aries (and* Scorpio)
Jupiter Sagittarius (and* Pisces)
Saturn Capricorn (and* Aquarius)
Uranus Aquarius
Neptune Pisces
Pluto Scorpio
* before the invention of telescopes, these signs were also assigned to these planets. Since telescopes the three outer planets have been discovered and assigned these signs.
This information is useful since if you know what influence a planet has, then you will know what influence that signs ruled by that planet have.
Elements
Signs are allocated a different element in turn. This means that every fourth sign has the same element as follows:
Fire Signs : Aries, Leo, Sagittarius
Earth Signs: Ta**us, Virgo, Capricorn
Air Signs : Gemini, Libra, Aquarius
Water Signs : Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces
Fire signs represent a persons passion, energy, enthusiasm, inspiration.
Earth signs represent a persons practicality, stability, materialism, realism.
Air signs represent language, intellect, communication and social relationships.
Water signs represent emotion, mysticism, intuition.
Generally speaking, the more planets someone has in a particular sign at the time of their birth, the stronger that signs personality traits will be in them.
Modes
Rather like elements, each sign also has a mode allocated to it. Every 3rd sign has the same mode as follows:
Cardinal Signs: Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn
Fixed Signs: Ta**us, Leo, Scorpio, Aquarius
Mutable Signs: Gemini. Virgo, Sagittarius, Pisces
Cardinal signs are energetic, dynamic and proactive.
Fixed signs are persistence, perseverant, stable.
Mutable signs are flexible, changeable, adaptable, suggestible.
Again, the more planets you have in a particular Mode, the more your personality has those traits.
Working out the planets influences?
It takes quite a lot of skill to determine one's personality traits accurately. However, a simple rule of thumb is to count at the time of birth how many planets fall in each sign and then work out how many are in each element and mode (perhaps counting the sun and moon as 2 due to their extra influence). The greater the score for each indicates how much of an influence each element and mode are on that person.