How Does Astrology Work?

Acausal thinking

Those of us who have gone through the typical Western school system were taught the scientific mindset: to think causally. An example of this would be, "The heat from the sun causes the snow to melt." It is natural then, that an often repeated critique of astrology is around causality. Astrologers are often asked if we really believe that distant planets can have an effect on us. This is causal thinking: the planets cause us to do something as though we were puppets on strings. Astrological thinking is acausal. There are simply no "invisible forces" between us and the planets.

Synchronicity at the heart of astrology

The Swiss psychologist Carl Jung used the term synchronicity as a way to describe events that are connected by meaning but not causally. The planets are connected with us through synchronicity. If, for instance, there is tension between the planets, then there is tension in us at the same time. The connection is one of meaning: as above, so below. How to read this "tension between the planets" is what this web site is about. As you learn about planetary behavior you learn about human behavior, too. They are synchronous; they are connected by meaning. Consider this lovely play between Harpo Marx and Lucille Ball to demonstrate synchronicity: the connection is through meaning, not anything else.

Is astrology a science?

Yes, and no. The same way that medicine is a science and an art, so is astrology. Science underlies both. Biology, chemistry and other sciences underlie medicine and astronomy underlies astrology. But in the end, a doctor and an astrologer need an artistic approach, an intuitive gift to excel. At its best astrology is a healing art, one of the helping professions. Astrologers use science to cast a birth chart that is based on exact calculations of planetary movements.

How does astrology differ from astronomy?

Imagine two rural Chinese sisters that have a great love of theatre. They are filled with joy when traveling performers pass their village. They speak not a word of English but are one day taken to a Broadway play. Sitting in the front row, they are mesmerized. The first sister is fascinated by the movements of the curtains, the mechanics of the scenery going up and down, the remote-controlled objects moving magically across the stage, and the magnificent lighting all around her. The other sister is busily trying to figure out what the play is about and who is saying what to whom. The first sister is the astronomer, the second the astrologer. They simply have different interests in the same event.

Do we have free will?

Yes. The more we know about our Birth Chart, the more free will we have to make choices. We all came here to learn certain lessons that we cannot "escape." We can, however, freely choose the classroom in which we will learn these lessons. These are shown in your Birth Chart as themes, patterns, challenges and free rides. The more aware you are of these, the more you can decide how to live them.