War Of The Worlds: Astrology versus Astronomy

The human brain is an organ contained within the skull. It weighs roughly three pounds, is composed mostly of water and is the main part of the body's nervous system. It contains approximately 80 - 120 billion nerve cells - called neurons - which coordinate and control all the functions of the body by electrical impulses, and is fuelled by 20% of the daily calories consumed. 

Jupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun. It's weight is more than 300 times greater than Earth, it is composed mainly of gases - primarily hydrogen - and is the largest planet in the Solar System. It contains a core of ice, rock and metal and is orbited by 67 natural satellites - called moons. Jupiter has a powerful magnetic field and emits it's own radiation. It is situated 778,330,000 km from the Sun and takes almost 12 Earth years to complete one orbit.

Why am I saying all this on a blog about astrology? Have I lost the plot? No. It's because a few weeks ago I had the intensely irritating experience of reading an article written by an astronomer. A very angry astronomer who appears to have 'issues' with astrology, using inflammatory phrases such as "Astrology doesn't work". If it didn't work, I wouldn't be doing it. "It has no basis in reality". It's part of reality. He also claims that it's just a con trick to make gullible people part with their money. He seems to zone in on Sun-sign astrology being particularly bad - which I actually agree with. It's one of the reasons why I set up this blog. Sun-sign and magazine/newspaper horoscopes give astrology a bad reputation. They are vague and misleading. That's why I advocate real astrology. It's personal and unique. As for astrologers taking money off people, it's true, there are some unscrupulous astrologers - just like in any other profession - but there are also astrologers who have to make a living by charging for their work. I personally do not take any money for my chart readings.

Don't get me wrong, I have always loved astronomy and long before I 'discovered' astrology I actually wanted to be an astrophysicist. Many genuine astrologers have astronomical knowledge and we all respect astronomers. That's why it's such a shame that our respect is not reciprocated. The article I read - entitled 'Time's Up For Astrology' - was written with the sole purpose of denigrating astrology and all those who practise it. In fact, the author was totally against anyone who had any interest whatsoever in the workings of the zodiac. 

Now, I'm perfectly used to people criticising my subject, or belittling my work. In fact, when some people ask what I do, I occasionally just tell them I'm a counsellor - which is basically true anyway. You just know that you're going to get a hard time from certain, misinformed, narrow-minded individuals, and unless I'm in the mood for a 'lively debate', I tend to avoid arguing against ignorance. What annoyed me about the article was the fact that, in the 21st Century, it's hard to believe that people are still getting the wrong idea about astrology, and for reasons known only to themselves, astronomers continue to have a problem with astrology - and astrologers.... 

A quick history lesson: Originally, there was only astrology. Ancient astrologers observed the motion of the heavenly bodies and through these observations they discovered that the Sun, Moon and planets appear to exert an influence upon Earth depending upon their relative positions in the sky. They found out that this influence had an effect on the personality, physicality and behaviour of human beings. They also learned that by observing the cycles of movement in the sky they could predict future events. They knew the universe had a purpose, a soul, an intelligence. As more knowledge of the universe became available through modern technology like telescopes, astrology was overtaken by astronomy. You could say that astrology gave birth to astronomy. It was the precursor to this new science. The foundation. The root knowledge. But why do astronomers continue to deny that astrology has any value? They are almost paranoid about it. What have they got to be afraid of? Why do they feel threatened by it? Maybe it's because they only see the universe as a purely physical entity. 

Which brings me back to the beginning of this post. The descriptions of the human brain and the planet Jupiter are their basic, physical functions. But we all know that there is more to the brain than just water and electrical impulses. The brain gives us our inner identity, character and personality. Without it, so many wonderful, yet abstract phenomena would not even exist: art, music, mathematics, language, humour, compassion, love. A physical description of the brain would have you believe that its only function is to control the body, but we know that's not true. The brain doesn't just control - it also creates. 

The same is true for the planets. Jupiter is a fascinating study of facts, figures and statistics - as are the other bodies in the Solar System. It's dimensions are awe-inspiring, it's chemical composition is astounding. But, as we astrologers know, it is so much more than just a giant sphere of rock, metal, ice and gas. Someone once said, "The stars were not placed in the sky just to be admired". This is the philosophy of astrologers. We believe the universe is a mechanism. A fully-functioning machine. A cosmic computer. Maybe one day, astronomers will open their minds and appreciate just exactly how amazing the universe really is. 'Time's Up For Astrology'? Definitely not.