INTRODUCTION TO ASTROLOGY
Signs, Planets, and Houses

The mystery and magic of astrology offer one way of understanding our world. Astrology uses images and metaphors from nature to describe the essence of a person, the processes of growth, and the possibilities of how our individual lives might unfold.

An astrologer interprets the position and meaning of the Sun, Moon, and planets together with the zodiac of signs as they relate to each individual's experience. The circle of the zodiac signs describes a cycle of experience.

No one yet knows exactly how or why astrology works. There are many scientific theories, some of which may turn out to be correct, but they all remain unproven. For whatever reason, astrology does work. It helps people gain additional insight into their lives, and that is why so many people turn to astrology.

Astronomy is the scientific observation and measurement of heavenly bodies; astrology is the art of interpreting that astronomical information as it pertains to our life here on earth. And in its interpretation, astrology reveals our connection in a meaningful way to the natural world, that we are a part of it, not apart from it.

Essentially, astrology is a valuable diagnostic and interpretative tool for understanding yesterday and today, and also to indicate trends of the future. It can help people understand themselves and each other more deeply, as well as help them to be more aware of the rhythms and patterns of their own lives and the world they live in.

In addition to his or her Sun sign (determined by the month and day you were born, he's an Aries, she's a Leo, etc.), everyone has every other sign as well as every planet somewhere in their chart. It is a matter of which signs or planets are emphasized, as well as how they are integrated, that distinguishes one person from another and makes each individual unique.

Signs

When most people think of astrology, they think only of their birth signs. These birth signs, also known as Sun signs, are what many people think is all there is to their horoscopes (if you are born on December 19, you are a Sagittarius; if your birthday is August 24, your Sun sign is Virgo, etc.). Horoscope columns in newspapers and magazines are based solely on these Sun sign analysis. However, sun sign astrology scratches only the surface. True astrology is much more complex.

An astrological chart is like a snapshot of the heavens, a freeze-frame of the sky, from the perspective of a particular place on Earth and at a specific time and place. It is a two dimensional picture, showing the positions in the sky of the Sun, Moon, and eight known planets. The chart marks the beginning of something, whether it is the birth of a child, the incorporation of a company, or the founding of a nation.

Our astrological year begins at the Spring Equinox, falling approximately March 21st, with the sign of Aries, continuing through the sequence of the zodiac through Pisces, where the cycle begins again.

The Planets

Ancient civilizations viewed the planets as godlike energies, or even as the very gods themselves. Today, astrologers see each planets as symbolic of a basic life force.

The sun and the moon are seen as a complementary pair. Although we know the sun and the moon technically are not planets, they are included for convenience by astrologers in the term "planets."

Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto were only discovered in modern times. All three are especially significant in representing broad cultural forces which define whole generations and cultural periods; they may or may not be significant in any individual's chart.

The Twelve Houses

An astrological chart is divided into twelve pie-shaped sections, called Houses. Each house defines an area of our human existence, such as personality, home, career, or partnerships. The Ascendant marks the beginning point of the 1st house and the other houses follow counter-clockwise.