Basics of Astrology THE BASICS OF ASTROLOGY by Hermotimus

Astrology is the science that predicts (based on the time and place of birth) the physical, emotional and social aspects of an individual for his or her lifetime. Astrology is based upon the idea that the positions of the stars, planets, moon and sun at the time of birth influence and affect every part of a person's life. Just as the sun, moon and planets affect and create the tides in the earth's oceans, they also affect the tides within each individual. These effects are predictable (as are ocean tides), and through accumulated knowledge an accurate prediction of the basic characteristics of a specific person can be made. The chart of the positions of the stars, planets, moon and sun at the time of birth is called a Natal Horoscope or Birth Chart. It is comprised of several different elements: The 12 houses of the horoscope, the twelve signs of the Zodiac, the planets of our solar system and the moon and sun. In creating this chart, the Astrologer assumes the Earth is a fixed point and that all other cosmic bodies revolve around it on a daily basis. Thus each of the 12 houses of the horoscope represent two hours of the day. The celestial heavens make up a circle which contains 360 degrees. The 12 signs of the Zodiac divide this circle into 30 degree sections. Each of these sections are divided into three 10 degree segments called decans. Each decan has a planetary ruler and specific characteristics associated with it. (The numbered cards of the Minor Arcana of the tarot deck are assigned one to each decan and take much of their meanings from the decans.) Each of the twelve houses of the horoscope represent a different part of the life, character and emotions of the person. They are as follows: First House: The personality, disposition, health, temperament, physical build and appearance, and one's outlook on life. It has a bearing on manners, and forms of outward behavior. Second House: Possessions of all kinds, and the person's attitude towards them, and worldly resources which support the physical body, also moral values and ambitions. Third House: Family ties, brothers, sisters, cousins, etc. School life, education, communications, letters, books, short journeys, cars, bicycles, public testimony and speech. This is the House of Communication. Fourth House: The beginning and end of life; the home as a base. This house has a certain bearing on parents, their abilities (and their ability to fulfill their commitment) since personal status and home life depend to some extent on them. Houses, land, foods, household items and private life are also related to the fourth House.

Fifth House: Creativity, children, pleasures, holidays, enterprises and new undertakings. Pleasures, love affairs, and the object of instinctive affection. This is the House of romance and creative expression. Sixth House: This House rules work; also subordinates, providing a strong pointer aimed at people's attitudes towards servants. This is also the House of health and service, although physical well being cannot be entirely assessed from it. Seventh House: Indicates those who are in close relationships of an emotional and business nature. Also close friendships, legal affairs and contracts. Eighth house: Represents money from legacies, shared feelings, life force elements of sex, birth and death, and attitudes towards death and the afterlife. In addition, high business; the stock exchange and insurance companies. This is also the House of crime and other people's money. Ninth House: Further education, study in depth of profound subjects, and mental exploration; also long distance travel, foreigners, languages, This house also has a bearing on moral ideals, conscience and dreams. Tenth House: Aspirations, ambitions, public standing. All matters outside the home; the career or profession, and attainment in that field, social status and responsibilities, a sense of discipline, and matters affecting outward appearances and the personal image. Eleventh House: This house influences friends and acquaintances, clubs and societies. Objectives in life, and the more detached contacts made in day to day affairs. Intellectual pleasures, as opposed to more physical or sporting forms of relaxation. It is known as the House of friendships. Twelfth House: A need for seclusion; service to others, such as hospital visiting, self-sacrifices (often as a result of a partner's illness). Bad habits, things done secretly, and self-undoing. It is called the House of selfundoing. The twelve signs of the Zodiac also have specific characteristics for persons born under them. The sign of the Zodiac are divided in several different ways: First, they are divided into the four elements: Fire, Water, Air and Earth. Fire signs are Aries, Leo and Sagittarius. These signs represent the spiritual world, and persons born under these signs have many spiritual qualities. Water signs are Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces representing man's emotional nature. Air signs of Gemini, Libra and Aquarius represent the mental part of man's nature. Persons born under these signs tend toward the intellectual. Earth signs of Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn represent people who are more

physical in their nature. The next division of the Zodiac is into Cardinal, Fixed and Mutable signs. Cardinal signs are pioneers, activists, reformers, and seekers of new conquests. The Cardinal signs are Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn. Fixed signs represent conservatives, they are slow to change and suspicious of new ideas. The Fixed signs are Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, and Aquarius. Mutable signs are the counselors and compromisers, striving to bring harmony. The Mutable signs are Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, and Pisces. The signs of the Zodiac are also divided into Masculine and Feminine aspects. The Masculine aspect is considered to be active, powerful, outgoing and electric. Masculine signs are Aries, Gemini, Leo, Libra, Sagittarius and Aquarius. The Feminine aspects is considered to be passive, inward looking and magnetic. The Feminine signs are Taurus, Cancer, Virgo, Scorpio, Capricorn and Pisces. The Signs of the Zodiac each have specific characteristics for people born under each sign. They are as follows: ARIES: March 22 to April 20. Masculine, Fire and Cardinal in nature. Its positive traits include pioneering, competitiveness, courage, independence and quickness. its negative traits include domineering, quick-tempered, violent, intolerance and self-centeredness. Aries governs the head, face, brain and upper jaw. TAURUS: April 21 to May 21. Feminine, Earth and Fixed. its positive traits include practicality, patience, endurance, and persistence. Negative traits include possessiveness, laziness, inflexibility and stubbornness. It governs the throat, neck, ears, vocal cords, thyroid, tongue, mouth, tonsils and lower jaw. GEMINI: May 22 to June 22. Masculine, Air and Mutable. Positive traits include adaptability, versatility, intelligence and a fine sense of newness. its negative traits include restlessness, changeability, nervous energy and inconsistency. Gemini governs the shoulders and upper chest. CANCER: June 23 to July 23. Feminine, Water and Cardinal. Positive traits include kindness, sensitivity, imagination and sympathy. Negative Cancerian traits include emotionality, weakness of character and instability of effort. This sign governs the arms and hands. LEO: July 24 to August 23. Masculine, Fire and Fixed. Leo's positive traits include generosity, enthusiasm, broadmindedness and drama. Its negative traits include dogmatism, snobbery, intolerance and conceit. Leo governs the heart, sides and upper back. VIRGO: August 24 to September 23. Feminine, Earth and Mutable. Its positive

traits include discrimination, modesty, tidiness and analytical judgment. Negative traits include fussiness, worrisome, finickyness and conventionality. Virgo governs the intestines, liver, pancreas, gall bladder, lower plexus and upper bowel. LIBRA: September 24 to October 23. Masculine, Air and Cardinal. Libra's positive traits include charm, easy going nature, romantic and diplomatic. Its negative traits include lack of decisiveness, resentfulness, flirtatious and gullibility. It governs the kidneys, lower back, adrenal glands and appendix. SCORPIO: October 24 to November 22. Feminine, Water and Fixed. Scorpio's positive traits include strong feelings and emotions, a sense of purpose, imaginative and discerning. Negative traits include jealousy, resentment, obstinacy and suspiciousness. It governs the genitals, bladder, rectum and reproductive organs. SAGITTARIUS: November 23 to December 22. Masculine, Fire and Mutable. Its positive traits include joviality, optimism, open-mindedness and adaptability. Negative Sagittarian traits include exaggeration, extremism, and irresponsibility. It governs the hips, thighs and upper legs. CAPRICORN: December 23 to January 19. It is Feminine, Earth and Cardinal. The positive traits include reliability, ambition, carefulness and prudence. Its negative traits include a rigid outlook, pessimism, conventionality and miserliness. Capricorn governs the knees and lower legs. AQUARIUS: January 20 to February 19. Masculine, Air and Fixed. Its positive traits include humanitarianism, friendliness, loyalty and originality. Negative traits include unpredictability, rebelliousness, tactlessness and unconventionality. Aquarius governs the ankles. PISCES: February 20 to March 21. Feminine, Water and Mutable. Its positive traits include humility, compassion, sympathy and sensitivity. Negative traits include vagueness, carelessness, indecision and secrecy. Pisces governs the feet. The planets have meanings that depend on what sign or house they appear in, and the relationships of the other planets to them. This allows me to give you only a very basic description of their characteristics along with their symbols: THE SUN: Its symbol is a circle with a dot in the center, and represents individuality with its creative ability. This is the life-giver, the center on which all else depends. It represents the creative urge, the will to lead. Its attributes are bigness of heart, nobility, sincerity, pride and ambition. It brings intensity to all situations. THE MOON: Its symbol is a crescent, usually shown as a half moon. It suggests reflection of individuality, just as the Moon reflects the Sun's light. It brings fruitfulness to things under its spell. It is impressionable, changeable, frank and open, refined, kind and modest.

MERCURY: Its symbol is a circle with a crescent above it and the cross below. It represents the mental processes, when the entire nature of man discusses with itself the course on which it finds itself and methods of improving it. It is quick, mental, imaginative, studious, sharp, logical, and fond of oratory. It brings keenness of mind to its affairs. VENUS: Its symbol is a circle with a cross below it. This means the individuality has conquered the materiality, the nature becoming friendly and altruistic. It represents the beautiful, the harmonious, and friendly. It is affectionate, sympathetic, refined, fond of pleasure, social and artistic. It brings softness and smoothness to its affairs. MARS: Its symbol is a cross above a circle, although the cross has been altered slightly to have it appear as an arrowhead. Its meaning is that materiality has conquered individuality, resulting in greed and war. This is the planet of force and energy. It is good or bad depending on the way man uses it. It is constructive, courageous, fond of the outdoors, hot-tempered, aggressive and grasping. JUPITER: Its symbol is a crescent above a cross. It means the personality is master of the materiality; a jovial exterior hides the crass earthliness of the physical nature. It is a symbol of happiness and expansion. It expands, enlarges, brings good fortune. It is noble, sincere, kind-hearted, religious, honorable and faithful. SATURN: It shows the cross of materiality above the crescent of personality, the basis of the word saturnine or sadness. Material and physical woes have mastered the urge to be free of trouble. Life's great teacher or taskmaster, this is the planet of experience. It limits, and by limiting bestows wisdom. It tends to subdue enthusiasm and zealousness. It is reflective, chaste, careful, fearful, and economical. URANUS: Its symbol consists of the cross above the circle, the cross bordered by two crescents. This is the symbol of Mars with the double symbol of the Moon. It is the symbol of rebellion and revolution, when the personality desires to free itself of the symbols of greed and war. It is liberty-loving, original, abrupt, boldly romantic and philosophical. NEPTUNE: Its symbol is the cross above the circle with a crescent running through the cross. It suggests mystery, for there is a subtle partnership between the personality and the materiality of man; a psychic path winding itself through the physical body. It teaches awareness of the unseen worlds. Psychic ability, mysticism, introspection and carelessness about material affairs. PLUTO: Its symbol is the circle above the crescent above the cross. It means the individuality is on top, preparing something new. Thus Pluto is the planet of far-reaching changes, and gives a strong inner desire to upset the old order and inaugurate something new. This not done in haste but with careful planning.