We all love to hear what our astrological sign (or sun sign) is and what it means. It’s fun to see if the characteristics of the sign match up with our personality. It’s interesting to note that there are many variations of the definition of astrology. According to Kepler College, astrology is the “study of the meaningful correlation between celestial objects and earthly events.” The Cambridge Dictionary defines it as “the ancient practice of studying the movements and positions of the sun, moon, planets, and stars in the belief that they influence human behavior, whereas Vocal defines it as the “study of the patterns of movements and relative positions of celestial bodies interpreted as reflecting the potential of human affairs and the natural world.”
As you can imagine, astrology has been around for centuries — dating back over 5,000 years! The tool that astrologers use to determine a sign and what will happen to a person is a birth chart (or natal chart). A person’s birth chart is casted by the time, date and place of birth. Essentially, it is a map of the planets in their journey around the sun precisely at the moment of birth. A birth chart can also be casted for an event or business.
The chart is broken up into 12 30-degree segments, just as there are 12 months in a year. Each segment is called a house, which is ruled by a particular sign. Each sign is named after a constellation in a particular area. These houses provide information about a person’s personality, career, finances, love life … etc. For example, the 3rd house represents communication, the mind, siblings, social activities, neighbors, and early education per AstroStyle. Also, it’s ruled by Gemini. Each sign correlates with a time period throughout the year, and has an element, quality, color(s), special day and a ruler. A sign also reveals strengths and weaknesses, compatibility, lucky numbers and likes and dislikes. Below are the 12 zodiac signs and their birth dates.
Aquarius (the water bearer) – January 20th to February 18th
Pisces (the fishes) – February 19th to March 20th
Aries (the ram) – March 21st to April 19th
Taurus (the bull) – April 20th to May 20th
Gemini (the twins) – May 21st to June 21st
Cancer (the crab) – June 22nd to July 22nd
Leo (the lion) – July 23rd to August 22nd
Virgo (the virgin) – August 23rd to September 22nd
Libra (the balance) – September 23rd to October 23rd
Scorpio (the scorpion) – October 24th to November 21st
Sagittarius (the archer) – November 22nd to December 21st
Capricorn (the goat) – December 22nd to January 19th
To break astrology down further, there are different systems of astrology, such as Vedic and Western, as well as several divisions, including natal, medical, and mundane. Each one has its own characteristics. For instance, medical astrology covers homeopathy and herbal medicine. Astrologers use it to determine the best time for a person to undergo surgery or to conceive.
Astrology is a complex science, which takes time and skill to master. It sheds light on a person’s personality and can provide direction. Astrology is a meaningful guide that will continue to influence us for generations to come.