THE BASICS OF ASTROLOGY: A Beginner's Guide to the Cosmic Language (2024)

Lisa Harrison

The Basics of Astrology

Copyright © 2024 by Lisa Harrison

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise without written permission from the publisher. It is illegal to copy this book, post it to a website, or distribute it by any other means without permission.

Lisa Harrison asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.

First edition

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Contents

1. What is Astrology?

The Origin Of Astrology

The Zodiac

How Does Astrology Works?

Branches of Astrology

The Birth Chart or Horoscope

2. Your birth chart - the map to your life

Cast your Birth Chart

Getting to Know your Birth Chart

Identify the Zodiac Signs in your Chart

Identify The Planets On your Birth Chart

Identifying Planets in signs in your chart

Identifying the houses in your chart

Identifying your houses’ sign

Your ascendant or Rising Signs

3. Understanding The Zodiac Signs

The Elements( Fire,Earth ,Air or Water)

Fire,Earth ,Air or Water Signs

The Elements in your Chart

The Qualities ( Cardinal,Fixed and Mutable )

Cardinal, Fixed, and Mutable Signs:

The Qualities in your Chart

The Polarities (yang/yin)

4. Getting to Know the Planets

Generational Planets

The meaning of Planets

Jupiter

Positive and Negative Signs of Planets

5. Exploring the Zodiac Signs

The Signs’ Ruling Planets

The meaning of the Signs

Aries

Taurus

Gemini

Cancer

Leo

Libra

Scorpio

Capricorn

Aquarius

Pisces

SUMMARY

6. The Angles

The Ascendant (Rising Sun)

Signs on the ascendant

The descendant (the Love Line)

Signs on the descendant

The Medium Coeli (MC or Career Line)

The Imum Coeli ( the IC or Home Line )

Summary

7. The Houses

Different Ways of Looking at your Birth Chart

Angular,Succedent and Cadent Houses

House Cusps

The meaning of Houses

1st house

2nd House

3rd house

4th House

5th house

6th House

7th House

8th House

9th house

10th House

11th house

12th House

A guide to your house rulers

Aries or Aries Rising:

Taurus or Taurus Rising:

Gemini or Gemini Rising:

Cancer or Cancer Rising:

Leo or Leo Rising:

Virgo or Virgo Rising:

Libra or Libra Rising:

Scorpio or Scorpio Rising:

Sagittarius or Sagittarius Rising:

Capricorn or Capricorn Rising:

Pisces or Pisces Rising:

Summary:

1

What is Astrology?

The term astrology originates from the early Latin expression astrologia, which is derived from the Greek term ἀστρολογία. When dissecting the latter, we find ἄστρον – astron, meaning ‘star,’ and λογία – logia, meaning ‘study of.’ Consequently, astrology can be defined as ‘the study of the stars.’

Throughout the ages, astrologers have observed the movements of planets around the Sun and their positions relative to the fixed stars. They have also analyzed the Moon’s orbit around the Earth, interpreting the interplay between these celestial bodies and our planet. Astrology serves as an exploration of how the Sun, Moon, planets, and fixed stars’ positions and movements correlate with events on Earth and in our lives.

The question arises: do these celestial cycles and cosmic occurrences influence events in our world, or do they merely mirror them? This remains a significant question. The reputed father of astrology, Hermes Trismegistus, a potentially mythical figure, is attributed to summarizing the workings of astrology in a text called the Emerald Tablet, expressing the idea as follows: As below, so above; As above, so below; to accomplish the miracle of the One Thing.

The Origin Of Astrology

The Babylonian culture in Mesopotamia, during the 2nd millennium BCE, crafted the initial organized astrology system, drawing on sky observations to create omens for predicting weather and political events. While some argue for even earlier origins, possibly dating back to the time when humans dwelled in caves, evidence in France and elsewhere indicates lunar cycles were noted around 25,000 years ago. Early human survival and adaptation to changing seasons relied on understanding nature and Earth’s cycles, with lunar observations aiding in this endeavor.

Over millennia, astrology’s legends and theories developed. Both ordinary people and astrologers posed questions about celestial events, seeking to understand correlations with Earthly occurrences. The observations, particularly around the seven ‘classical planets’—Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn—were tested, retested, and found accurate. As modern astrologers incorporated Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto into the system, some planetary meanings shifted; for instance, glamour transitioned from Venus to Neptune, and drugs from Mars to Neptune.

Initially, there was reluctance among astrologers to accept the meanings of these modern planets. Presently, while some astrologers still resist using Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto, those who do agree on their interpretations, alongside the classical planets. The author of this book adopts the modern system, incorporating Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto, emphasizing the belief that astrology evolves.

The Zodiac

In the exploration of celestial bodies, astrologers primarily observe the Sun, Moon, and planets as they traverse the zodiac – an imaginary band encircling the sky along the Sun’s apparent path across Earth’s celestial expanse. The zodiac consists of 12 equal segments, each associated with astrological signs: Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces. Astrologers attribute different interpretations to planetary positions within specific signs, such as Venus traversing Gemini, Cancer, or Leo.

Due to the Earth’s axial wobbling, known as the precession of the equinoxes, there is a gradual shift in our perspective of the stars. This phenomenon causes constellations to move approximately one degree every 71.6 years, leading to a misalignment between the zodiac signs and the actual constellations. Despite this, astrologers continue using the symbolic zodiac system, finding it effective.

The planets orbit the Sun in a consistent direction, each taking varying durations to complete their orbits. As they navigate the 360 degrees of the sky, they form angles with each other, referred to as ‘aspects,’ which arguably constitute the essence of astrology. Chapter 8 delves into the significance of these aspects. Additionally, while our solar system is commonly envisioned as a globe, it more accurately resembles a flat disc, as depicted in the stylized illustration provided for reference.

The Solar System

How Does Astrology Works?

The mechanics of astrology remain shrouded in mystery. As elucidated earlier, modern astrology stems from an ancient understanding that we represent a miniature version of the universe. I posit that astrology functions because all life is interconnected, forming a vast web of relationships. The concept that everything is intertwined, with the microcosm mirroring the macrocosm, aligns with Hermes Trismegistus’s principle of As above, so below, which forms the crux of astrology.

Consider the stars as a grand cosmic timepiece. For instance, Saturn, traditionally associated with solemnity, acts as the somber planet in the zodiac. When the Saturn alarm resonates on the cosmic clock, indicating an angle or aspect with another planet, it signals a time for seriousness. Conversely, Mercury, known as the planet of communication, among other attributes, prompts communication when its celestial alarm sounds.

In essence, astrology remains enigmatic, akin to a celestial secret or a bestowed gift of knowledge from the divine or the universe.

Branches of Astrology

There exist various