Today, there are three main branches of astrology, namely the Chinese or East Asian astrology, Western astrology and the Indian or Jyotish astrology. The Western astrology is by far, the most popular astrology system used in the Western Countries. This astrology system first originated during the 2nd millennium BC in Mesopotamia. This is where it started to spread all around the world. After this system was spread to Egypt, further developments were made. This was then spread to Greek where a Greek astronomer/astrologer, Claudius Ptolemaeus (A.K.A Ptolemy), set the foundations of Western tradition in his work, Tetrabiblos.
Although there are might be some great similarities of the various astrological concepts, the Ptolemy system is very much different than the concepts we use today; that is when it comes to the understanding of the universe. The universe in Ptolemy’s concept was geocentric. This means that his universe has the Earth in the middle with the rest of the planets orbiting/rotating in series of complicated cycles and epicycles (which means cycles within cycles). Ptolemy’s concept of understanding the universe was used until around the late 1500s. This was when Kepler and Copernicus came into the picture. The work which they did was widely understood. This in turn boosted its popularity and became widely known to the world.
Astrology and other various arts went downhill when the Scientific Revolution became popular and astronomy gained respect. However, Astrology enjoyed some small revivals during the 1700’s to 1800’s in England. During the year 1930, when Princess Margaret was born, Astrology once again gained its popularity. In that year which Princess Margaret was born, astrological profile of the princess was printed on the London Sunday Express. This has led to our modern day horoscope column in various newspapers.
During the Dark Ages, priesthood had the right and privilege to study the science of astrology. Astrology was used for leaders to run a successful kingdom and also for the benefit of their daily lives.
The western astrology is basically based on the horoscope construction for the most precise moment in time, which includes the birth of a human, which is said that the different cosmic bodies play a certain part in its influence. Astrology is in fact an ancient science which is a mix of psychology and astronomy. Being used and studied by the world, the study of the interactions which occur among the planets and stars that is widely based on complex mathematical cycles.
Astrology has become so popular nowadays that one need not go to great lengths to find any information about it; this means that it is extremely accessible. One need not have the knowledge of any classical languages to be able to understand astrology as Astrology is readily available in your mother tongue.
