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