How does astrology work?

Question

What exactly is the nature of the force or mechanism by which astrology works?

No, I don't want to hear what it does, or what my horoscope is. I want to hear HOW IT WORKS. Right now I'm a skeptic, and I'm aware there are lots of believers so I'd like to know just how you (the believers) think the positions of the stars and planets affect or reveal what happens to people on Earth.

As part of this exercise, I would also like you to read this:
http://www.badastronomy.com/bad/misc/astrology.html
Right now I believe that that page makes a lot of good points and does a good job of showing that astrology does not work. However, if you still believe it work reading that, then you must be aware of some way in which you believe the arguments the page's author makes to be invalid. So far I haven't gotten much feedback when posting that link, so that's one of the main things I'm looking for now. What's your explanation?

Answer 1

Hey, someone else asked about telescopes and astrology, and I think my answer to that may be what you're trying to get to... Just find the ridiculously long post that is Richard! :)

I'd cut and paste here, but much of the answer directly engages the idea of telescopes' impact on astrology, so it would violate pragmatics.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AuYUCrQt86voBxGJEEDeF.7sy6IX;_ylv=3?qid=20071028013248AAIEbe3&show=7#profile-info-AA10244921

Right now that's still an open question and my answer is the 2nd one (from the top).

Answer 2

Basically, there are stars in the sky, and they tell you your destiny! Now that'll be $50 for the first 5 minutes, $5 each additional minute. Make Checks Payable to: Astrology Believers Anonymous.

The only force astrology could exert on people is the force of gravity from the massive heavenly bodies, which is weaker than the force I experience from the paper clip sitting on my desk right now.

I had this interesting idea though: even though we recall very few memories in our youth, they do affect us. Perhaps being born in winter and having your first moments of life be cold and dark has a different effect than being born in summer. It might have an impact on how you see life, in a very subconcious way.

I am very skeptical, but these girls I know have this book, and they love astrology, so they did it on me and the results were a 100% corrollation of my life, experiences, and thoughts. I'm still a skeptic though :)

Answer 3

I can not defend traditional Astrology. But ,I do believe, that astrology works best, as a spiritual tuning device. Tuning into nature has been used to become more intune spiritually. The Sun, Moon, and planets {if you exclude mercury and venus}, can be used to tune into nature on the biggest scale with each given a different cycle to connect with. The spiritual is not scientific. Through the intuitive senses of the human spirit, one senses the universe, as a lot smaller and more at one. Not everyone has that sense of connection to all that exists as strong. The same is true to people's connection to God. Meditation, along with mind-body exercises and diet, can help with this connection..Over 30 years, I have tried to develop my own workable astrology system and believe I have. It does not have signs or houses, and tries to be logic based as much as possible. I do not believe in predicting the future, with astrology, because outcomes can be improved, or spoiled.

Answer 4

Don't expect explanations as this is strictly belief base concept. They can not say what kind of energy is involved. Why it can not be detected or measured and why it does not weaken with distance. Skeptics are all ignorant and narrow minded but are the pro-astrology people even close to providing testable evidence?

As James Randi said, believers are like unsinkable rubber ducks.

Answer 5

That is a very in depth Q I have this book
The Secret Language of Birthdays and it is the only book i have ever had faith in dealing with astrology. In the books introduction it explains the mechanics of astrology. I am of course taking from this book and summarizing here.
it says the mechanics of "the grand cycle of life" which involves the Points, human life, natural event, (equinoxes) and astrology point ( degree points of birth). its really broken down. I can scan it in and email it to u if u would like. i looked for it on line (PDF) and couldn't get it, Or i could utorrent it and email the whole book once i get it.
Let me know

Answer 6

Look, read and learn to interpet this strange but delightful phenomena: BEHOLD, I SEE A WOMAN WITH A CROWN OF TWELVE STARS UPON HER HEAD and SEVEN STARS IN HER {RIGHT HAND} CLOTHED IN THE SUN and TRAVAILING WITH CHILD WITH THE MOON BELOW HER FEET. However strange this "revelation" maybe to actually picture in astronomical terms, it is the whole [pie] in each and every astrological sign ever invented by men of vision and purpose, this wonder is the key to understanding your destiny, because you were created in the like-ness of GOD, in order to become a legendary Hero, like Mr. GEORGE WASTINGTON, who came from out of the womb of my Mother who is otherwise called Hera or Hathor, {MotheroftheGods} part3

Answer 7

It is a matter of common knowledge among mystics that the evolutionary career of mankind is indissolubly bound up with the divine hierarchies who rule the planets and the signs of the Zodiac, and that passage of the Sun and the planets through the twelve signs of the Zodiac, marks man's progress in time and in space. Therefore it is not to be wondered at, that in the course of their investigations into the spiritual development of mankind, the writers have also encountered much that deals with the Zodiac which is the boundary of our evolutionary sphere at the present time. So much has been perceived in the memory of nature that sheds light upon obscure passages of the Bible, that notes have been made from time to time of different points, but how to collect and collage these dissociated writings into a united whole, has been a great problem for a long time. Even now, the writers know and feel that what they are bringing forth is only a very, very weak attempt to set before the students that great body of facts which have come to them through the memory of nature. They feel, however, that this will give a new and more profound meaning to the old symbols, and that by passing on what has been found they put themselves in line to receive more light.

Thus the Zodiac and the planets are as a book in which we may read the history of Humanity during past ages, and they also give a key to the future which is in store for us. In the famous Zodiac in the Temple of Denderah, Cancer is not pictured as we have it in modern days. There it is a beetle, a scarab. This was the emblem of the soul, and Cancer has always been known in ancient times, as well as among modern mystics, to be the sphere of the soul, the gate of life in the Zodiac whence the spirits coming into rebirth, enter our sub-lunary conditions. It is therefore aptly ruled by the Moon which is the planet of fecundation, and it is noteworthy that we find Capricorn, which is its opposite, ruled by Saturn the Planet of Death and Chaos, who is mystically depicted as "the reaper with his scythe and hour glass in hand." These two opposite signs are therefore turning points in the soul's career. Cancer and Capricorn respectively mark the highest ascent of the Sun into the Northern Hemisphere, and its lowest descent into the South. We observe that during the summer when the Sun is in the sphere of Cancer and allied signs, fecundation and growth are the order of the day. But when the Sun is in the South, in Capricorn, we have winter, when nature is dead. The fruits of the summer are then consumed and assimilated by us. As a circle dance of the Sun among the twelve signs determines the seasons of the year when direct, causing the germination of myriads of seeds cast in the earth, also the mating of the fauna, which then makes the world alive with the sights and sounds of manifested life, and at another time leaves the world dumb, dull and drear in winter's gloom, under the sway of Saturn, so by the slower backward movement, known as the Precession of the Equinox, does it produce the great changes which we know as Evolution. In fact, this precessional measure of the sun marks the birth and death of races, nations and their religions, for the pictorial Zodiac is a symbolical presentation of our past, present and future development.

There is a side of the Moon which we never see, but that hidden half is as potent a factor in causing the ebb and flow of the earth's tide, as the part of the Moon which is visible. Similarly, there is an invisible part of man which exerts a powerful influence in life, and as the tides are measured by the motion of the Sun and Moon, so also the eventualities of existence are measured by the circling stars, which may therefore be called the "Clock of Destiny," and knowledge of their import is an immense power, for to the competent astrologer the horoscope reveals every secret of life.

Thus, when you have given an astrologer the data of your birth, you have given him the key to your innermost soul, and there is no secret that he may not ferret out. This knowledge may be used for good or ill, to help or hurt, according to the nature of the man. Only a tried friend should be trusted with this key to your soul, and it should never be given to any one base enough to prostitute a spiritual science for material gain.

If you are a parent the horoscope will aid you to detect the evil latent in your child and teach you how to apply the ounce of prevention. It will show you the good points also, that you may make the better man or woman of the soul entrusted to your care. It will reveal systemic weakness and enable you to guard the health of your child; it will show what talents are there, and how the life may be lived to a maximum of usefulness. Therefore, the message of the marching orbs is most important, and as we have shown the great danger of giving birth data to anyone else, there remains only one course: To study the science yourself.

Answer 8

God arranged us to be different that way..