The Science of Astrology
India has retained a great tradition of producing intellectual giants since time immemorial. Some of these outstanding people were known as Rishis. Rishi is defined as one who observes something new in nature (Rishih Darshanat)-[reference number1] or simply put it is a Sanskrit term that was used to indicate a scientist. Even at the risk of doing slightly out of context, it remains to be said that to use the title of Maharshi with the names of even such spiritual teachers and religious reformers as Swami Vivekananda or Swami Dayananda would not be proper in the actual sense of the term, let alone the use resorted to by every other self proclaimed godman nowadays. Now we continue with our present concern.
On closely observing nature, Rishis discovered that everything in it seemed to work on a systematic pattern and the planets in our solar system moved through the heavens with such a precision that their positions and movements could be calculated for centuries in advance. It was found that universe was but governed by mathematical laws and mathematics, on the other hand, thrives on the interrelation of various objects that comprise a system. Advanced explorations into the mathematical interrelation of the terrestrial life with the rest of the cosmos led them to the discovery of co-relation between the movement of planets in our solar system against the backdrop of the remaining part of the observable universe and the nature of events in human life. This, in turn, seemed to solve the mystery of time to some extent, for future events in the life of an individual could then be known with the help of a deep study of mutual geometrical positions of planets at the moment of his birth. Astrology, developed on these lines, basically deals with the quality of a given moment as, for instance, what will be the future of a child born, a question asked or a project initiated at a particular moment that represents a unique point in the space-time continuum. But the more important fact is that such developments were not made on any sort of guesswork or a so- called superstitious belief in an all pervading divinity but based on such mathematical achievements and scientific revelations that remain unparalleled to date.
Profound studies were conducted in the field of astronomy which then paved the way for evolution of the science of astrology in due course of time. The earth is described as egg-shaped, suspended in the space like a magnet and moving about in three different ways in our ancient astronomical texts. Of these, the last movement known as the precession of the equinoxes is responsible for the development of the concept of a sidereal or fixed zodiac that was widely used for horoscopic calculations in Indian astrology. Astronomical facts and concepts of immense importance including even theories on the evolution of the universe can still be found scattered in our ancient literature. The luni-solar calendar of India is an ample testimony to the Indian genius in astronomy. Age of the earth was calculated and recorded in the form of Srishti Samvat that tells us that 1,955,885,102 solar years have elapsed since the formation of our earth as on 26th march 2001 whereas modern science has so far not been able to provide an exact figure.
The problem is that such knowledge is still contained in Sanskrit scriptures of which no authentic translations are available and are not found fit to be studied in the light of modern scientific knowledge and are instead discarded as bundles of superstition, especially so in India. Today, most of the criticism against Indian sciences in general and astrology in particular is largely biased and based on a lack of proper information.
The most common argument against astrology is that neither modern science has found any evidence of an astral connection to our lives nor does it conduce to the common sense approach and hence the basic assumption of astrology, of planets influencing events on the earth, stands refuted. The point missed is that science itself is uncommon sense for most of the time. For instance, the dual nature of electron, both particle and wave-like, is accepted as a scientific truth because it is observed to be so even when the science is unable to explain the reason of such unusual behaviour and similar is the case with the theory of gravity that is accepted as true without any explanation of the underlying physical mechanism because the consequences of the theory coincides with the facts well. As philosopher of science Karl Popper-[Reference number2] has emphasized, a good theory is characterized by the fact that it makes a number of predictions that could in principle be disproved or falsified by observation. Then, if the said effects of the planets can be quantified in the form of objective predictions which come true, it should be taken as proof enough for the truth of astrology. In fact, Johannes Kepler, to whom modern science is indebted for discovery of the laws of planetary motions, had studied the co-relation of atmospheric and weather changes with planetary movements from 1617 upto 1629, the result of which is his book named ‘Astrometeorologica’, that goes to show the factual effect of planets on our earth.
Astrology, as a science, can forewarn us of approaching dangers and hence provide an invaluable chance of taking due precautionary measures and being mentally prepared so as to be able to either avert the negative happening itself or at least minimize the possible evil to a considerable extent. Unfortunately, the notion of fatalism usually associated with such warnings can overpower the good that this study may do otherwise. Astrology is a promoter of the individual freewill and this fact is amply demonstrated in the prescription of horoscope matching for any form of alliance, selection of Muhurtha or auspicious moment for starting any important project and remedial measures as based on the planetary positions.
Many of the believers and even students of this subject of seemingly incredible possibilities perceive it to be a closed science, which in my view, is very incorrect. Astrology has just as much scope for further study and research as any other science of the day that can be exploited for the good of mankind at large. The need is only to have an open mind and willingness to accept the truth while investigating matters of such a nature and discover the real superstitions for oneself.
[reference number1]- “Rishirdarshanat” - Nirukta-2/11
[Reference number2]- A Brief History Of Time- Stephen Hawking- Page 11
Sonal Sharma is in the field of astrology for past six years. He is also engaged in research in the field of astrology and has presented a research paper on the scientific nature of astrology in A.B.V.S.-2004, held in Pusa, Delhi in Feb.2004. His contact email address is unik_logik@yahoo.co.in.
Tags: astrology, horoscope, science, stars, wisdomA Version Of The Origin Of Astrology
The history of astrological development is as foggy as the history of mankind. Definitely, there is a theory of biological evolution developed by Charles Darwin and others, stating that all species of organisms arise and develop through the natural selection of small, inherited variations that increase the individual’s ability to compete, survive, and reproduce. Also there is a not-fully-proven theory of an astrology development that our ancestors observed- they observed the star sky, wrote down everything, that occurred there, and as a result they came to the conclusion that, supposedly, some configurations in the sky correspond to some proceedings on the earth.
I do not wish to go deep into scientific disputes, but the theory of Mankind as a result of natural selection seems to me unreal. For the tens of centuries reflected in history, people changed very little. In the same way I do not consider possible the occurrence of astrology just from observation. Certainly, a lot of imperative astrological observations have been done in the past, especially in Babylon. However their purpose was not the discovery but only the acknowledgement of astrological laws.
We can ask then, from where have these laws come? I would answer: they have been the result of the practical appendix of certain philosophical-religious concepts. Of course we can continue from where these concepts came, etc. If we continue to do this we will go too far from our sphere of interests in a practical astrology.
There are many blank spots in the history of astrology. When you try to understand it very often there is an impression, that there once existed an extensive knowledge that was gradually forgotten. For example, there exists the evidence that the very deep and detailed understanding of astronomy (that is, actually, astrology as the astronomy at that time was an integral component of astrology) were around in Egypt in days of the Pyramids’ creation, that is about 2400 BC. Around that time (1650 BC) they created complex calendars and it looks like later on the Egyptians began to forget the astronomical basis of those calendars.
It is possible to tell that astrology has come to Europe (we shall concentrate on the European branch of astrology as the closest to us) from the Egyptian, Babylonian, and Persian sources. The middlemen in this process, also interpreters and distributors of astrological knowledge in the first century AD., were the Greek philosophers. The Greek books were a source of astrology for the civilized world of those times, including the Roman Empire. Astrology played an important role in the Roman Empire and by IV century AD, was finally stated as a public science.
However after the Roman Empire collapsed around 500 AD and the rise of the barbarian kingdoms in Europe (present-day Italy, France, Germany, etc.) the astrological tradition in Western and Central Europe stopped. And in the east, in the Byzantium Empire, religious and political conditions completely suppressed the practice of an astrology.
Then onto the stage came the Arabs. In 711 AD their empire extended from the territory of present Spain in the west up to India in the east. In VIII century the Arabian governors and leaders of the Muslim world motivated the intelligence of the country to study the Greek language and assimilate the scientific achievements of other nations. So Greek astrology along with other Greek sciences became a component of the Arabian Islamic science. In this condition astrology continued to develop, while in Europe during the six centuries, from 500 to 1100 AD, the practice of astrology was extremely complicated.
One of the major reasons for the decline of astrology in Europe was the degradation in the field of mathematical and other scientific formations that followed the fall of the Roman Empire. However by 1100 the West has realized, at last, the necessity of the development of a science - in the same way as it occurred in the Muslim East in VIII century. The mass translation of Arabian scientific (including astrological) texts to Latin language had begun.
The result became the revival of interest in astrology in Europe, which prolonged up to XVII century.
If you would like to learn more about astrology, especially mystical parts of astrology, visit the Astrology-Wisdom site.
Willie Krut is studying astrology and readily likes to share his knowledge. To subscribe to the free Willie’s Newsletter, visit http://www.astrology-wisdom.com
Tags: astrology, horoscope, science, stars, wisdomRevival Of An Astrology
The scientific revolution that started in XVII century has caused some illusions to many western intellectuals, that in the near future all secrets of the world will be discovered by the power of the main and experimental science. The worldwide recognition of the heliocentric Kopernik theory (Mikolaj Kopernik (1473-1543) the founder of modern astronomy) and then the discovery of new planets has been seized as a refutation of the astrology that traditionally used Ptolemy’s geocentric model (Ptolemy (367?-283?b. c.), astronomer and general in Alexander the Great’s army who succeeded him as ruler of Egypt (323-285 b. c.)) and only five visible planets.
As a result, by the end of XVII century in continental Europe the practice of astrology had actually come to nil. In England some astrological traditions continued and had not been stopped because in England the strong tradition of herb science included some astrological knowledge.
During this period of time society started to demand from astrologists scientific proofs of their astrology discoveries, no matter how paradoxical this sounds, because astrology is one of the most ancient sciences. At that time the definition of a science was extremely narrow. Everything that could not be proved “by a stick and a rope”, appeared unscientific. Those astrologists, who aspired to social acceptance, began to offer (and continue to offer until now) various rationalistic explanations of astrology. However in relation to the area of knowledge based on the ancient philosophical-religious concepts it turns out not so harmoniously.
At that time a lot of changes happened not only in science but also huge changes occurred in society by itself. The role of the astrologists in society changed too. During those years many astrologists were at the same time doctors, translators, and mathematicians. They were highly educated people. Their clients were the aristocrats and priests, those who ruled the world at that time. For example, one of the major representatives of the Medieval Astrology Guido Bonatti was nobleman by himself and he predicted to the priests the rank they can reach - bishop, cardinal or even Pope. He used to give advice to the members of the royal family and aristocrats about political, military, and state affairs.
Now the authority passed to businessmen more and more and the growing education among workers has given rise to popular astrology - that which now fills the last pages of many newspapers and magazines. The education system changed the orientation, now the basic were concentrated on engineers, managers, bankers, and the knowledge of languages and philosophies become less valuable and significant. And when in the second half of XIX century in Europe had began the next revival of astrology, only a few were capable of using the sources, and the majority of documents were still not translated from Greek, Arabian, and Latin.
Renewal of interest in astrology in the XIX century is caused substantially by skepticism of the existing theory that all of Mankind’s secrets are possible to explain by means of reason. The understanding of science began to extend gradually and as a result at the end of XX century nobody is surprise at such science like psychology - whose subjects and methods are in many cases very far from a rationalistic pattern.
Inspired by the social success of psychology, many astrologists of the XX century began to teach astrology by combining it with psychology. As a result psychological astrology was born. Psychological astrology focused, unlike classical astrology, not on the objective reality but on the emotional world of the person.
At the same time, by end of the XX century it has increased the interest to classical astrological works, to those methods and directions which have been hidden. Because of that a lot of astrological documents were translated from the Greek and Latin languages.
If you would like to learn more about astrology, especially mystical parts of astrology, visit the
Astrology-Wisdom site.
Willie Krut is studying astrology and readily likes to share his knowledge. To subscribe to the free Willie’s Newsletter, visit http://www.astrology-wisdom.com.
Tags: astrology, history, horoscope, science, stars, wisdom