PART 2 -- A Brief History of Astrology & more.
Another concept to understand is what Astrologers call an ORB. It was determined that when two planets were not precisely and exactly in aspect, but were close to it, they still had an effect. In other words, even though the square aspect is 90º, planets that were 87º or 88º or 89º apart still had an effect on each other, and the effects were very similar to what they would be if they were in exact square, although not as strong as when they were in exact aspect.
At this stage, you may well ask yourself the question: if Astrology is deemed to be accurate, then why isn’t Astrology recognized and respected as a science? How come there is no university giving out degrees in Astrology? (Some Universities do have Astrological curricula now.)
The answer is very simple. The accuracy of Traditional Astrology is not good enough to qualify as a science. The main reason is that the ancient astrologers had one major, insurmountable shortcoming: they only knew of the planets they could see! Pluto was not discovered until 1930. Neptune was discovered in 1846, and Uranus in 1781. Not knowing about these three very important new planets was a crippling handicap for the Babylonian astrologers.
Take, for example, the day that started World War II, September 1, 1939. On that day there was a Grand Trine of Mars, Neptune and Uranus. A Grand Trine in the Babylonian Alignment Chart was a sure-fire celestial sign of an impending significant event. But if you did not know about the existence of Neptune and Uranus, there would be no Grand Trine, and the Babylonians did not know about Neptune and Uranus. Therefore, even though symmetrical patterns would have worked perfectly, the Babylonians could not have known there was a symmetrical pattern in the sky---not without Neptune and Uranus. They would not have seen and recorded the sign in the sky that would predict a momentous day!
The ancient Astrologers were right about the importance of symmetrical patterns made by the planets, but they did not know enough of the planets to hold on to this belief. Even worse, they would think they were wrong. Trying to do astrology without all the planets is like trying to write a book with a five-year-olds’ vocabulary. The rules are valid and apply, but you are very limited in what you can do.
Because of this enormous disadvantage, the Babylonians, and virtually all other Astrologers since them, have groped for other ways to use the planets as a predictive methodology. They devised many other tools for astrology, most of them useless, or even worse, just plain wrong. In doing so, Astrologers took many wrong turns and did something that is probably the main reason why astrology is not recognized as a science: most astrologers set aside the original Babylonian Alignment Charts in favor of the HOROSCOPE CHART.
A Horoscope Chart is the type of astrological chart that is used today in virtually all astrology magazines and books. It still has the Babylonian circle with its 12 parts. But the 12 parts represent HOUSES and are usually not equally divided into 30º segments. The major problem with such charts is that you cannot look at them and easily pick out a symmetrical pattern of planets. You cannot easily visualize the important alignments and Planetary Geometry made by the planets, the way you can with a Babylonian Alignment Chart. It was the Babylonians themselves who also designed the original horoscope charts, but they were meant to be used as an addition to the alignment charts and were not very useful on their own.
The Babylonian Alignment Charts were designed so that you cannot help but notice the most important Planetary Geometry of the planets. Unfortunately for astrology these charts have not been used by the majority of Astrologers for a very, very long time. Had they done so and continued the use of Babylonian-style alignment charts, then, most likely, when the new planets were discovered, it would have been easier to understand the importance of Planetary Geometry and know that astrology really works.
Which brings us to:
MAGI ASTROLOGY
The basic principles of traditional astrology are retained in Magi Astrology, but the interpretative techniques are not only improved, they are drastically redesigned. A brief introduction to the art of Magi Astrology does not allow for lengthy explanations about all the variations separating the two, and I will only point out the main differences.
TRADITIONAL ASTROLOGY.
Major tools for interpretations:
Almost total reliance on the planetary position within the Zodiac Houses.
Almost exclusive use of HOROSCOPE CHARTS.
Exact time of birth. (If this is not known, or happens to be inaccurate, the practical result is to invalidate most of the results and predictions provided by Traditional Astrology).
Allows fairly wide planetary Orbs ranging from 5º to 8º to consider planets to be “In Aspect” with each other.
Almost exclusive reliance on the Longitudinal Planetary Position, with scant regard to their position in the Declinations (Latitudes).
MAGI ASTROLOGY.
Major tools for interpretations:
Planetary Geometry and Symmetrical Planetary Geometry.
The use of ALIGNMENT CHARTS, with the exclusion of HOROSCOPE CHARTS.
Will use exact time of birth, if known, but because this is so difficult to ascertain it has no need to rely on it to be accurate. The birth date is all they need.
The Planetary Orb is restricted to a maximum separation of 3º in the Longitudes and 1.2º in the declinations. Planets are not considered In Aspect at wider ranges because their influence on each other is deemed as too diminished for it to be effective.
Magi Astrology considers the Planetary Position in the Longitudes of Equal importance to their position in the Declinations. They are considered equivalent, and no distinction is drawn between the two. Furthermore, as far as their influence on the chart is concerned, this influence is reinforced when the same aspect is repeated at both levels. (Bi-Level Aspect).
There are many, many other differences of technique between Traditional and Magi Astrology methods of interpretation and I will mention a few in subsequent posts. A few, because they are far too numerous to mention, even in passing. Suffice to say that, in lieu of its much stricter rules and enormously wider use of Planetary Geometry and Symmetry, Magi Astrology is increasingly being recognized by astrologers worldwide as by far the most accurate and superior of the two.