Astrology is the study and interpretation of the movements of the planets and other celestial bodies and their interrelationship patterns, and finding connections with the rhythms of life on Earth. Astrology can also be understood as a holistic or complete approach to the universe and the cosmos, and it is through astrology that it is possible to understand and see that everything is interconnected and united by invisible threads.
The past and present of astrology
Nowadays, unfortunately, it is widely believed that astrology is an archaic and lost phenomenon that could or should be a thing of the past. The heyday of astrology dates back centuries, and the popularity of astrology began to fade during the Enlightenment, when the scientific way of thinking came to the fore and began to value reason and thinking, and faith in religion, the church, and everything that science could not explain decreased.
In today's era of scientific thinking, where nothing can be true until it is really made clear and irrefutably confirmed hundreds of times, we sometimes feel even more drawn to the unknown and mystical in the hope of finding a deeper meaning in life and understanding the true purpose of the journey we are experiencing. That is why astrology made a powerful comeback in the 20th century, albeit in a slightly changed form, such as in the form of the popularization of Sun sign astrology, but in the last few decades many old traditions have also been revived which have been the foundation of astrology, such as Hellenistic astrology's principles and techniques which are actually the base of modern Western astrology.
Comeback of Hellenistic astrology
The origins of the Hellenistic astrology's system is mysterious. It is known to have originated in the Hellenistic period sometime after the conquests of Alexander the Great and reached its peak of popularity during the Roman Empire. However, it is still not known whether it developed over centuries or was developed by a group of astrologers who lived in one geneartion. Rather, the evidence tends to suggest that the truth lies between the two extremes, as the system of traditional astrology is so compact and comprehensive that all the pieces of the puzzle seem to fit perfectly into place. So it could not have developed over several centuries and different eras, but probably the basics of this powerful system were laid down by experienced astrologers who practiced for a generation or two.
Hellenistic astrology can be considered as the cradle of Western astrology. This is where most of the basic techniques used in modern Western astrology come from. For example, common features can be seen in the fact that a system consisting of four basic principles (the planets + the zodiac signs + the houses + the aspects) was first used in the interpretation of astrological charts in the Hellenistic era (around the 1st century BCE). The same approach is used today. However, the revival of traditional astrology can help understand how the original system was developed and how to use existing techniques even more effectively. It also helps bring back techniques that have been forgotten over time, but are still effective in today's context.
Modern astrology could be a newer and better version of the astrology of 2000 years ago, a further development of the so-called program. In many cases, this is true when there would be an upgrade of the original system. Unfortunately, modern astrology has not developed linearly in one direction, and in the course of important developments many techniques and knowledge have been forgotten, which are now considered somewhat self-evident, and its true origin or initial meaning has been lost over time. Additions have also been introduced that have nothing in common with traditional astrology - for example, the so-called ABC model, where each zodiac sign represents a house. In traditional astrology, the focus is more on the planets that rule the houses and their placement in the chart. At the same time, significant changes have also taken place compared to the heyday of Hellenistic astrology - the system of traditional astrology is built on the planets visible to the eye, since there were no telescopes at the time. Thus, the established system did not deal with the "invisible" planets which were discovered later. This does not mean that the system of Hellenistic astrology is wrong or that it is not suitable - I can confirm that it is still effective and informative today. Thus, by interweaving traditional and modern astrology, we get even more powerful results.
Hellenistic astrology was initially designed as a system that used celestial phenomena to interpret people's life paths and fate. Its purpose was to convey information not only about a person's psyche and character (which has become the core of modern astrology), but also about external events and circumstances that occur in one's life path. It may seem sci-fi and utopian that we have such a powerful tool in our hands to describe possible external events, or how the planets can even describe our life path. The fact that the founders of Hellenistic astrology dared to claim that it is possible and that our lives are to some extent shaped by fate is equally ethereal, when in fact the system developed by the astrologers of that time was and is very successful in doing so, and if interpreted correctly, it can be seen that this system actually works.
By using the basic knowledge of Hellenistic astrology as well as the further developments of modern Western astrology, it is possible to use the information from the sky map to learn to know yourself better and to make better choices for yourself. The birth chart illuminates the path in which areas of life it is easier for us to succeed and make a career, as well as whether only one area is suitable for us or rather if the placement of the heavenly bodies at the time of our birth favors changes during life. Whatever question is bothering us, the answers can be found in our personal birth chart.
Fate and free will
However, it is worth keeping in mind that astrology does not set anything in stone. This does not mean that our lives are all written in the stars and set in place by fate. We have our own path and lessons to learn in this world, but that does not take away our free will. The astrological birth chart is simply our guide. It guides us on how to flow more smoothly with the energies that shape our lives and learn the lessons and tasks that we have chosen for ourselves when we were born into this world. If we follow the recommendations of our birth chart, it will be easier for us to cope with difficulties and at the same time also easier to take advantage of the benefits and gifts that life has to offer us. The birth chart gives us the necessary knowledge and tools how to cope the best with the energies given to us. Whether and how we use them is already our own free will.
