In the beginning...

For the wonderful people I have met through Coursera, this astrology course is for you.

First - a Little History

The beginning of astrology is credited to the Babylonians. In the words of Prof Struck (Greek & Roman Mythology course), "their dates" are 1830 BCE to 626 BCE. The first star catalogues date back to 1200 BCE.

There are 70 cuneiform tablets known as Enuma Anu Enlil. Enuma Anu Enlil means in the days of Anu (a sky god) and Enlil (god of breath, wind, loft and breaddth). Written on these tablets are statements like this: "If the moon becomes visible on the first day: reliable speech, the land will be happy" or "If the moon at its appearance wears a crown, the king will reach the highest rank." Sounds like the stuff you might read in any horoscope column!

The tablets cover the following:
Tablets 1 to 13 deal with the appearances of the moon.
Tablets 15 to 22 deal with lunar eclipses.
Tablets 23 to 29 deal with the apperances of the sun.
Tablets 30 to 39 deal with solar eclipses.
Tablets 40 to 49 deal with weather, thunder, and earthquakes.
Tablets 50 to 70 deal with the planets and stars.

This photo is of Tablet 63 and is called the Venus Tablet of Ammisaduqua (Ammisaduqua was a Babylonian king). It lists the first and last visible risings of Venus over a period of 21 years. It is the earliest documentation we know of that details human observation of periodic planetary activity.


I'll write more about astrology's history as we go along.

Next - a Little Science

The sun travels a path across the sky called the ecliptic. Think of a huge hula hoop around the earth. The sun moves along the path of the hula hoop.

The earth is tilted on its axis. Other planets, like Mercury and Venus, are not tilted. Their axes are vertical - like a top when it is first spun. The theory is that at some point in the history of our solar system, another planet (dubbed Theia), crashed into the earth.

Greek & Romany mythology alert! Remember Theia? She was a Titan. She was the mother of the Moon goddess Selene.

Astronomers theorize that when the planet Theia crashed into the earth, striking it at an angle of 45 degrees, debris from the collision created our moon. The moon keeps the earth's tilt fairly constant.

So while it's OK to keep the image that we have of our earth in our heads as straight up and down vertical, we now need to think of the giant hula hoop - the yellow one in the photo - as tilted. The blue one in the photo represents the equator.

The difference between the blue equator ring and the yellow ecliptic hoop is 23.45 degrees. The most northern point on the yellow ecliptic hoop is the Tropic of Cancer. The most southern point is the Tropic of Capricorn.

The constellations that make up the zodiac are strewn along that yellow ecliptic hula hoop and as the sun travels around our earth, it passes through each constellation, spending about 30 days in each one.

Now - a bit of Language

Make no mistake about it, astrology is a language. It is written with "glyphs." You are already familiar with the language and you probably know the glyphs. Time to learn the meanings.

This is the glyph for Aries. Aries is the first sign of the zodiac. The season for Aries is from March 21 through April 20. Aries is located in the northern hemisphere. Aries is Latin for "ram" and the glyph represents the horns of a ram.

For astronomer folks, there are four bright stars in Aries: Hamal, Sheratan, Mesartim, and 41 Arietis.

The movement of the sun into Aries is the vernal equinox or spring in the northern hemisphere and the autumnal equinox or fall in the southern hemisphere.

Since Aries is the first sign of the zodiac, it rules what is considered the first house of astrology. It's element is fire. It is considered a cardinal sign. The ruling planet of Aries is Mars.

Mars in Roman mythology is the god of war as well as an agricultural guardian. His festivals were held in March - and the month was named for him. In the founding myths of Rome, Mars was the father of Romulus and Remus. For Greek & Roman mythology students, you remember the two founding stories of Rome. Venus (Aphrodite) was the mother of Aeneas. Mars and Venus had a love affair, symbolically reconciling the two different foundation stories.

While Mars is a god of war, the wars he fights are meant to secure peace. As an agricultural god (crops are sown in the spring), Mars directs his energy towards allowing crops to grow, which means warding off hostile forces. Mars represents vitality and life force. Mars is associated with metal, which is what implements of war as well as farming are made. Mars was called upon by humans to drive away rust, which also has a double meaning. There is a wheat fungus known as leaf rust. The red oxides of rust damage farm implements - as well as weapons of war. The color red is associated with Mars.

This is the symbol for Mars. It is also the symbol for Man. And it is also the symbol for Iron.

Let's take a look at all the descriptive words for Aries and Mars that I've written so far: first, ram, horns, fire, cardinal, war, agriculture, energy, vitality, life force, metal.

Now compare those words to this description for Aries taken from the www.astrology-numerology.com website:

 

"Aries is energetic, innovative, original, pioneering, assertive, quick-tempered, strong drive, leader, ambitious, extroverted, sometimes aggressive, competitive, enthusiastic, self-reliant, and self-assured."

 

Consider this description of Mars from www.cafeastrology.com: "Mars is the planet of energy, action, and desire. Mars rules our animal instincts for aggression, anger and survival. Our sexual desires come under the rule of Mars. There is no contemplation before action. When we are acting out our Mars, we are assertive, directed, forthright, and adventurous. On the negative side, we are impulsive, rash, impatient, aggressive, and forceful."

 

This is the astrological language of symbols. Aries is the first sign. Aries people want to be first. They are adventurers and pioneers. Aries is the ram. Aries people are like the ram in spring, full of energy, ready to butt heads with anyone or anything that gets in their way. Rash and not quite thinking things through before they act.

Rams and Mars equal aggressive behavior. Aries people can be aggressive in their need to be first, to act out their competitiveness. They can be blunt and to the point.  Spring is the time of fertility, the re-emergence of the life-force. Spring is the time when animals reproduce and new life comes forth. Aries people can be sexually aggressive, eager to get out there and sow their seed. They are just bursting with vitality. They like to begin things, but aren't so keen on following through. They are all fire, burning bright. They are courageous and determined.

 

 What's Next?

 

Next blog entry, a little more history, a little more science, and we'll move on to Taurus. There's a lot to cover and I am eager to get into the interpretation of charts, but first the basics.

 

Feel free to contact me at ajastrology2@gmail.com with any questions.