Are the existing astrological systems perfect?

Regarding number of its practitioners, contemporary astrology is the most popular in history, but placed on intellectual margin and often considered as cheap entertainment...

Anybody who in practice tried astrological techniques believes in its efficiency; astrology is not superstition, but during time, in many cultures and under various influences, many wrong was incorporated into its fundamentals and interpretations.

Without any doubt, western astrological systems produce the best results; western astrology has continuously developed for more than 2 500 year and is still dynamically developing and expanding according to new insights. Jyotish is bonded to Vedic tradition; today it seems more as relict from astrological past... Chinese astrology studying gives impression of archaic forgotten wisdom, which must be questioned again and improved.

But... result of interpretation depends the most upon astrologer himself, ability of analysis and synthesis, depth of insights. No matter which astrological system you use, width and depth of your consciousness are what matters. It is problem of most practitioners of western astrology, astrologer is powerless confronted with many information horoscope implies, paralyzed trying to find essence and make conclusion, transcending acquired knowledge and imposed worldviews. New generations want better knowledge and deeper insights into nature of reality. It is very important that at the beginning of XXI century we are not slaves of old astrologer insights; their ideas have to be critically and thoroughly examined. The greatest problem of astrology is its separateness from astronomy and lack of contemporary astronomical measurements. Astrology unfortunately develops as autistic system.

When information about wrong calculation of planetary position, regarding real current position of constellations came to West, it provoked shock... great shock... centuries of astrological practice had to be abandoned, irrationality of astrological system had to be admitted, its base literally destroyed and, according to most astrologers opinion, "authority" and years of practice sacrificed. Cyril Fagan tried to save situation in simplest possible way - "change positions in signs, all other can be the same..." but this change was also too great, for most astrologers who connected their existence and "authority" to superficial and meaningless daily and weekly predictions, according to Sun signs. Sidereal astrology was more a threat than a new better insight... shock and silence prevail today... meaningless popular astrology entered into collective consciousness and few question it...

Daily and weekly predictions according to Sun signs emerged in the last century, during 30's, in American astrology journal; the goal was to popularize complex astrological skill and give it media character. This typical American product, superficial but commercially efficient, overwhelmed the world and gave to XX century astrology great popularity. All serious astrologers criticized this superficiality and logics of prediction upon oversimplified basis for great number of people, but simultaneously, behind pseudonym, often wrote for American astrology and similar magazines... Never before in history Sun position in a constellation was assigned influence so great; unfortunately, horoscopes according to Sun's signs are today often identified with astrology itself... Tropic positions are main reason why contemporary astronomers doubt astrology; it is impossible to seriously understand "science", studying unity of man and universe, and calculating planetary positions with great error... Sidereal astrology corrects the mistake, but it isn't astronomically correct also... constellations are not 30° wide, sidereal positions are partially wrong, too...

Horoscope is established on polarity dynamics; it is reason of Zodiac's division into twelve constellations, of 30°. But... if we play with interpretation of horoscope elements position, according to real position of thirteen constellations, we will get also good results... The unavoidable question is: why would star clusters, which ancient people identified with animal and human figures, be at all influential independent entity? Obviously, this approach to celestial phenomena is overcome, stars are not Gods anymore, and we don't see in their clusters important figures... collective consciousness changed... So, which positions in constellations are really astrologically relevant and how much is their meaning result of suggestion adopted by astrologer during his comprehension of astrological fundamentals? Skeptics always claimed astrological basis as irrational, and interpretation as result of intuition, without any real foundation in cosmic influences. According to them, astrology is scientifically irrational, but can be intuitively inspirational... to question this claims there is only one way, personal studying of astrology, which through aspects and transits discovers that change of angles between horoscope elements has precise influence, during time unbelievably similar. So, we cannot talk about irrational basics and intuitive insight. How astrologer interprets horoscope? Horoscope is complex web of numerous elements and their interconnections; never astrologer can encompass all of them in his interpretation... astrologer regularly interprets some parts in accordance to dynamics of wholeness; for this it is necessary to encompass great number of influences, which mutually stimulate and annihilate themselves. Conclusion is always a synthesis, using acquired knowledge about influences, transcends analysis. The same conclusion is possible on basis of less of more influences.

Modern astronomy neglects astrology; challenge of XXI century is to question traditions and current knowledge about universe and place of physical and psychic inside universal wholeness. Man, society and life on the Earth depend upon energy movements in the universe; discovery of Dr. Percy Seymour is important step to new connection of astronomy and astrology and beginning of scientifically founded understanding of astrology. Future must radically change existing astrological systems and bring rational and concrete insights into nature of forces inside solar system and further. It is necessary to thoroughly question astrological fundamentals, as we know them. Existing astrological systems are not perfect, and even less perfect are those who interpret.

But one is for certain - during time... when lives begin and end, cultures develop and vanish... there will always be questions about relationship of men and universe, and astrology will flourish...

Ninoslav Safaric

December 28, 2004