| Ever since humans looked toward the sky for | | | | such as Kepler, Jung, Galileo, Copernicus and |
| some kind of meaning to life and answers to | | | | Brahe were all significant contributors to |
| the big questions, astrology has been a part | | | | astrology during their time as scientists. |
| of many people's lives. The fact that | | | | Even with the marginalization of astrology |
| essentially every culture has, at different | | | | that was ongoing even in the time that these |
| times, looked towards the stars for | | | | famous figures were alive, they managed to |
| understanding speaks to the universal nature | | | | practice and further the belief in astrology, |
| of astrology. | | | | along with their better known scientific |
| | | | practices. |
| As it evolved from one end of the globe to | | | | |
| the other, it took on a different | | | | · Astrology has had a significant impact |
| significance and gravity. Some cultures used | | | | on modern language. Many different words that |
| it to determine laws and punishments, others | | | | are commonly used today have a root in |
| for love and spirituality. The growth of | | | | astrological thinking of the past. For |
| astrology is marked with peace, war, | | | | instance, influenza comes from the Latin for |
| abundance and famine. Human history can be | | | | influence and was so named due to the belief |
| charted with the history of astrology. Here | | | | that many sicknesses are caused by the |
| are a few interesting facts about the history | | | | influence of planets and heavenly bodies in |
| of astrology. | | | | the sky. The word disaster originates from |
| | | | the Latin for bad star. And maybe the best |
| · The origin of astrology is thought to | | | | known word origin from astrology is lunatic, |
| begin with the ancient Babylonians two | | | | from the root luna, meaning moon. |
| centuries before the birth of Christ. They | | | | |
| took celestial events that were witnessed in | | | | · Astrology has had an impact on modern |
| the night sky and interpreted them to signify | | | | literature, as well. Many writers, including |
| certain events. Major events like a passing | | | | all time greats like Shakespeare and Chaucer |
| comet, a meteor shower or an eclipse were | | | | used astrological and planetary explanations |
| given extreme importance and they often | | | | for their characters behavior. Such |
| believed that significant actions were needed | | | | references have become a part of modern |
| to calm the anger of the gods. Human | | | | society. The idea that a full moon still |
| sacrifice wasn't unheard of in some | | | | influences people's behavior is just as |
| situations to deal with what the Babylonians | | | | common today as it was 500 years ago. |
| thought were upset deities. | | | | |
| | | | · Education and astrology have had an |
| · The first areas of the world that | | | | intertwined past. In Europe, during the |
| astrology spread to were China, India and | | | | medieval period, a university quality |
| Greece. Each culture infused the basic | | | | education was divided up into seven separate |
| Babylonian astrological belief structure with | | | | categories, one for each known planet. These |
| their own myths, legends and interpretations. | | | | disciplines became known as the liberal arts; |
| In Greece, many of the characters from | | | | a term still used today on many college |
| ancient Greek mythology were combined with | | | | campuses. These arts evolved into the modern |
| the stars to give their astrology it's own | | | | sciences, but their roots are firmly planted |
| local style. The same was true for India and | | | | in the field of astrology. |
| China where local religion and superstition | | | | |
| was combined with astrology to give it more | | | | Astrology has existed in one form or another |
| meaning to the local population. | | | | in almost every culture on earth since the |
| | | | beginning of time. When humans had nothing |
| · Astrologers were some of the first | | | | else, they had the night sky, crystalline, |
| scientists in medieval Europe. It was | | | | pulsing and always changing. It was |
| astrologers that made the first accurate maps | | | | inevitable that cultures would begin to |
| of star movement as well as the orbit of the | | | | assign patters and meaning to the night sky |
| moon and many astronomical observations about | | | | since so much of life depended on rain, sun |
| the Earth, itself. Many scientists today look | | | | and the crops that they helped to grow. |
| down upon astrology as being a | | | | |
| pseudo-science, but without the tiereless | | | | Just like any other belief system, there have |
| work and immaculate record keeping of | | | | been dark times when blood flowed and anarchy |
| astrologers hundreds of years ago, the more | | | | reigned due to an interpretation from above, |
| respected science of astronomy would have | | | | but the true heart of astrology is still |
| been set back by centuries. | | | | based on the desire for human understanding |
| | | | that is influenced by heavenly bodies. While |
| · Not only were some of the first | | | | many modern scientists belittle astrology and |
| scientists astrologers, some of the most | | | | its beliefs, there will always be a group |
| respected scientific minds in human history | | | | that understands the significance of the |
| were practicing astrologers. Historic names | | | | planets and stars. |