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Astro-logical Forecast for Tuesday 1/4/2011 — New Moon in Capricorn; Sidereal vs. Tropical Zodiacs

A reader forwarded the following “article” posted on about.com entitled “Your 2011 Horoscope? It’s Wrong: Your Sign Isn’t What You Thought It Was”http://www.newser.com/story/108793/your-2011-horoscope-its-wrong.html  Would I like to comment on it, she asked. Ohhhhhh…would I!

The “article” (with a byline, no less) was essentially a link to another post by someone named Robert Roy Britt entitled “Why Your 2011 Horoscope Is All Wrong” http://www.livescience.com/strangenews/etc/horoscope-2011-astrology-sign.html? and it is a fine example of the incredibly uninformed things that can be written by someone who knows absolutely nothing about astrology — or real journalism — and isn’t the least bit interested in learning.

“The folks over at Astrology.com have outdone themselves with a set of predictions for 2011 based on your horoscope,” writes Britt. “Problem is, the predictions are all wrong. Why? Because, simply, the stars are not aligned as the prognosticators think.Your zodiac sign… was originally based on the constellation the sun was in the day you were born. Thing is, Earth wobbles, a phenomenon called precession.”

You can almost hear Britt rubbing his hands together with glee as he continues, “Over the 2,500 years or so since the zodiac was established, your sign has moved about a month relative to the sun and stars. You’re no longer what you think you are, and so if you’re an astrology buff, perhaps poised to make a New Year’s resolution based on the stars and a reading of your supposed personality, know that you’re actually following observations, predictions and advice aimed at another person entirely.”

Good Lord, where do I start??? First, the 2011 predictions posted on Astrology.com are based on your Sun Sign, not your horoscope. Your horoscope is the unique pattern of the planets at the moment of your birth, relative to where you were born, and there are a lot more moving parts in a horoscope than just your Sun Sign. Second, Britt has no idea what “the folks over at Astrology.com” a.k.a. “the prognosticators” think about how the stars are aligned — because he clearly never bothered to ask them to justify this apparent discrepancy.  If he were a real journalist, he might have researched the history of astrology (just look up “precession of the equinoxes” or “history of astrology” in Wikipedia), and discovered that yes, thanks to precession, the actual constellation of Cancer now lies in the zone of the TROPICAL zodiac known as Leo; the constellation Leo now lies in the zone of the tropical zodiac known as of Virgo, etc., etc.

Wait? “Tropical” zodiac? What’s that? Is there more than one zodiac? Yes! There is a SIDEREAL zodiac, which fixes the system of astrology to the background stars, i.e. the orientation of the Earth relative to the galaxy. Vedic (Hindu) astrologers use the sidereal zodiac. The sidereal zodiac reflects the phenomenon of precession.

But Western astrology uses the tropical zodiac, which fixes the system of astrology to the seasons, i.e. the orientation of the Earth relative to the solar system. In Western astrology, the vernal equinox (first day of spring) is always always always zero degrees of Aries. If you are born at 7PM March 20th, 2011 in NY, NY your Sun will be at zero degrees of Aries in Western astrology. However, to an sidereal astrologer using the Krishnamurti zodiac with Hindu Bhava houses, your Sun will be at 5 Pisces. Whoa! Head trip!! How can this be?? How can there be more than one system of astrology and have them all work (which they do!)???

Think of all astrology — whether it’s Vedic (Hindu), Chinese, Mayan or Western  (and there are sections on each on Astrology.com) — as a SYMBOLIC LANGUAGE, like English or Chinese. How do languages work? There is no intrinsic meaning to the letters and words I am typing right now, but anyone who understands English will presumably understand them. Fascinating! And languages evolve over time, reflecting the evolving consciousness of those who create it. Chaucer and Shakespeare can be challenging for present-day English speakers — right? English has evolved!  Chinese, Spanish and Inuit are all valid languages…with nuances that reflect the their respective values and cultures, yes? Do you need words that describe all the different kinds of snow in the Arctic? Then learn Inuit; English is rather limited in comparison.

I see Western astrology as a language that expresses a point of view that places a greater value on life as it is actually experienced here on Earth (“tied to the seasons, or Earth relative to the Sun and our solar system”), and more specifically to life from the point of view of the Northern Hemisphere (it’s summer in South Africa right now). And it works! And so do the systems of Mayan, Chinese and Vedic astrology, which express a different point of view. Don’t believe me? Book a consultation with a skilled and reputable astrologer in any system and you will find truth within it. If Western astrology intrigues you, I can help; that’s my expertise.

Is astrology a science? Not exactly. Astrologers are more like medical doctors and psychologists, who use truckloads of analytical data combined with the art of interpretation — which we then apply to the unique reality of the individual horoscope. “The patterns of the planets, fascinatingly, reflect patterns in life development,” my mentor, Noel Tyl, often says. That’s really all there is to it. I can’t explain why the system works (though I have theories); but I do know, from years of observation and research by myself and other astrologers, that it does.

OK..on to the forecast. New Moon in “make it happen” Capricorn at 4:03AM NY time — and a partial solar eclipse, too. Capricorn is an earthy, ambitious, practical energy that is only too happy to spring into action. Add a big hook-up between expansive, enthusiastic Jupiter and radical, innovative, tech-savvy, magical, independent, erratic Uranus that occurred at 7:52 AM and the sky is the limit. Or not — maybe we’ll hear some startling news from the cosmos today, too. Oh wait, we just did — and I spent most of today’s column talking about it. ;)

Your mission during this New Moon cycle is to make it happen. All the planets are direct until Jan 25th — there’s nothing held back — no second agenda.  Wow! What a way to start the New Year. Go for it!!!