What is below is like what is above.
And what is above is like what is below,
So that the miracle of the One may be accomplished
(Tabula Smaragdina)
Man is striving for knowing the secrets lying every where in this God made universe. Despite the immense development in science and technology and tremendous increase in his knowledge base, so much is yet to be discovered both outside and inside of his own self. Astrology (astron ~ a star', logia ~ study') is a subject which makes man capable of knowing secrets about himself; his past, present and his future by the relative position and movement of heavenly celestial bodies.
It has been in practice since ancient times. There are three present day astrological beliefs; Western Astrology, Vedic Astrology and Chinese Astrology. Almost each one of these has origins arising from the astrology practiced during Babylonian and Hellenistic era. The methods followed by the western and Vedic Astrologers are relatively different from Chinese Astrologers.
PURPOSE OF ASTROLOGY:
The baseline purpose of astrology is to interpret the secrets lying anywhere in the universe, both outside and inside of ourselves regardless of time, place or individual. But the reason of studying or practicing astrology is varied, depending upon the situation and needs of the individuals. At the same time different methods and techniques are applied in finding out the right answers. Let us discuss a few of them:
1. The most common purpose of practicing astrology is to know about a person; his past, present and future. It also encompasses the behavior and personality of a person. This needs interpretation on the basis of Zodiac signs and natal charts.
2. What is going to happen in my country, this world and to the universe after ten years or may be fifty years? Such are the questions which are raised to find out the answers. It also includes occurrence of natural disasters like earthquake, storms, and floods as well as the rise and collapse of governments.
3. Answering a specific question. For instance; when I will be employed? When I will be married? Whom I will be marrying? Will this year be good for me? And so on.
IF IT WORKS:
Well to put it simply and bluntly, it does work. To prove this we have little to provide as proof as it has never been practiced as a science. Rather people generally disregard it as a faction of science. Its principles are based upon practice than practical. Astrology is closely related to astronomy.
In past, both the subjects had been studied in conjunction with each other. Sir Isaac Newton was the first one who showed connection between what is above and what is below. According to him, the gravitational force which occurs in celestial bodies effects the events occurring on land. I feel personally that this statement is quite understandable and practicable. If sun alone can control the presence of life on earth then why not moon or other planets can control the other aspects of life on earth?
If we study a single atom and sub-atomic particles and then we study our solar system or for that matter other planetary systems in universe or even galaxies, we would come to know that there is a single principle governing all of these. A principle in which there is a boss and other entities spinning around that boss or the centre. We can consider sun as nucleus and electrons as planets and vice versa. If the number of electrons or protons is altered, the whole properties of the element change. Even if the number of revolutions per microsecond is altered, the properties of the element change. So, that in a way proves that if the movements of planets change, the life on our earth is also affected. The individuals born in that moment when such changes occur would also reflect those qualities the qualities of that moment caused by stars and planets. If we know what the effects of those astro-changes are, then we can predict our future too.
However, there is another group of astrologers who follow Jungian's school of thought. Brigitte Hamann, Lizz Greene and few others have gone even beyond the theory of Synchronicity'. They believe that there is no causal effect of planets on the terrestrial life. According to them, every moment has a certain set of qualities and everything in universe in that particular moment imitates the qualities prevalent in that moment. So the stars and the planets are not causing a person to possess those qualities but in fact they themselves are affected by those qualities. But still, they do not mean that the astrology doesn't work They believe that we can not only know a child's characteristics when it's not yet mature but we can also predict its future. Only we have to study the astrological charts of that individual, negate the causal effect and work it though synchronously.
So according to both major schools of thought, astrology DOES work. The theories work differently but they end up at the same upshot. Personally, I might have doubts over someone predicting future, but I have observed myself that people who have same zodiac, behave commonly. It often happens that I predict a family member's or a friend's behavior to a certain situation. I do it keeping in view their zodiac sign. I have even drawn astrological charts which proved to be quite fruitful. And I have seen other people too doing so, and many draw them thousand times better than me. All in all, I believe astrology works.
God has created this whole unreachable universe for us. If He wanted he could have created only one planet earth, for us to live and die on and one star sun, to provide us light and heat. But he created something of which we even can't properly imagine. He has let it out for us to explore. So, why not to believe in the wonders He has created? Why not to believe in that astrology works?