Daily Skywatch – Monday April 20 2009

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How to learn astrology

Astrology is an incredibly complex field of study, but don’t be discouraged if you feel a little overwhelmed. I’ve got lots of resources for you to get started:

First, read the introduction to astrology on my blog. This outlines the basic concepts.

Second, go to my website and start with the Introduction, which outlines the history of astrology and talks about how astrology is typically used.

Next, open the article entitled Meet the Planets! This article will explain the symbology of the planets, Sun and Moon.

Finally, explore the article on what the signs and houses are all about.

Soon I’ll be posting an audio class for beginners that will also be helpful. Ask questions here – everyone has something to contribute!

I’m not a huge fan of rules, but I like to encourage a happy sandbox with lively, entertaining, and educational discussions. There’s a fine line between civil debate and arguments that escalate into rage and I want to stay as far away from that line as possible. There’s also a fine line between introducing yourself and using this blog for your own self-promotion.

So… here are guildelines for this sandbox:

Everyone’s ideas and comments are welcome, whether or not they agree with me or anyone else. However, comments that refer to anyone as “stupid” or are excessively rude and do not add anything to the conversation will likely be removed.

I invite and encourage you to add your URL to your comment so that we can all get a better idea of who we are. I believe that this fosters community and helps the discussion along. However, if your post is for the sole purpose of advertising your URL or product, or if you are posting entire articles, those posts are likely to be removed.

A certain amount of healthy skepticism is welcomed, but comments that serve no purpose other than to inflame will likely be removed.

If you have a question about your chart that relates to an article here, feel free to post your birth data and I’ll be glad to answer it. This will give others an opportunity to learn from the dialogue.

If you have a general question about your chart or need advice,you can ask it here, but that kind of question will likely be outside the scope of what we can accomplish in this venue. you might instead want toconsider having an astrology reading.

Thanks for your comments and your participation in our discussions!

**Welcome to Astrological Musings!!

Welcome to Astrological Musings, a blog about the movements of the planets and how they affect our lives. Astrology is much more complex than the “sun sign” astrology you see in your daily paper: each of us has our own unique blueprint which is the horoscope, and the dance between the earth and the planets, sun and moon facilitate cycles on earth and within ourselves. Increasing our understanding and knowledge of these cycles helps us to be able to navigate them more effectively and create genuine transformation in our lives. We are not limited by our stars, as William Shakespeare said, only in how we use what we’ve been given.

In this blog you’ll find daily updates on planetary configurations and meanings, as well as horoscopes of famous people and events in the news. We’ll explore connections between cultural trends and planetary cycles, and discuss strategies for managing times of crisis. Political discussions here lean to the left, but other viewpoints are welcomed and encouraged! Religious discussions lean toward the unorthodox, but all faiths are respected here.

Although Astrological Musings is new to Belief Net, there are over 2-1/2 years of writings in the archives! Take a look, and visit our new Astrological Musings community where you can ask questions, share your views, and ask a free question for astrological advice. Stop by and introduce yourself!

For more articles and information about astrology readings with Lynn, visit Astrodynamics on the web.

Your comments and feedback are always encouraged, so welcome aboard!

Introduction to Astrology: Essential terminology

Think astrology is all about Sun signs? Think again! Astrology is actually the study of the movement of the planets from our perspective on earth. The basic astrological symbolism includes the twelve signs of the zodiac, the planets, and the houses of the astrological chart.

The signs of the zodiac are echoes of the similarly named constellations which are rather arbitrarily divided into 30 degree symbolic segments that trace the apparent path of the Sun around the Earth from our viewpoint. We call that path the “ecliptic.” Each zodiac sign enjoys different assets and challenges and exhibits different personality traits.

The planets and luminaries (or Sun and Moon) in modern astrology are joined by a variety of other bodies such as asteroids and Chiron, which is classified as both an asteroid and a comet. In the astrological cosmology, each of these bodies represents an aspect of our personality. For example, the Moon represents our emotional nature and the way we process our feelings. Mercury reveals the way we communicate and share information. The outer planets (Uranus, Neptune and Pluto) show where we are likely to have experiences that awaken us to new realities (Uranus), transcend the material world (Neptune) or surrender to endings and new beginnings (Pluto).

The signs that the planets and luminaries fall in tell us the way those aspects of our personality or fields of experience manifest in the individual. Other fields of astrology create charts for other entities such as corporations and countries (mundane astrology).

When an astrological chart is cast for a person or an event, an actual two-dimensional map of the sky at the time of the birth of the individual or the event is drawn. This map is called the “horoscope,” and it is a two-dimensional view of the solar system from the viewpoint of the individual or event. The space of the sky above and below is divided up into twelve segments which we call “houses.” Each house represents a sphere of existence, and planets which fall in those houses suggest which areas of life will be most affected.

Astrologers also look at the geometric angles that the planets make to each other. These angles are called “aspects,” and they describe the way the various aspects of personality work together. The “hard angle” aspects (90 and 180 degree angles) are challenging aspects; they create conflict and tension but ultimately generate power for change. The “flowing” aspects (60 and 120 degree angles) create ease and harmony, but can induce complacency and laziness.

As the planets move through the sky, they make similar angles to planets in our chart, called “transits.” The relationship between planets in the sky and planets in our own chart induce cycles of experience that can be either harmonious or challenging. Understanding the nature of these cycles can not only give us tools for navigating the rough waters, but also provides clues for timing.

Finally, although our birthchart (also called the “natal” chart) never changes throughout our life, just as we are essentially the same being from birth to death, over time we change and evolve and this is reflected in the progressed chart. The progressed chart advances the natal chart and provides further clues for timing planetary cycles and events.

These basic concepts are just the beginning of what can be a lifetime of exciting discovery in the realm of astrology!

Astrological Musings

Daily Skywatch – Monday April 20 2009

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