Astrology is based on the study of the zodiac, a celestial wheel of twelve constellations of stars that appears to rotate around the Earth.
From the Earth’s perspective, the zodiac creates a backdrop for the orbit of the planets of our solar system. and the cosmic influence of the zodiacal signs are concentrated through the various planets as they radiate down to Earth.
Ancient astrologers understood the totality of the universe and knew that the planets orbit around the Sun (heliocentric). But because astrology relates to life, and life occurs on Earth, astrology is based on the perspective that the stars and planets revolve around the Earth (geocentric).
Signs of the Zodiac
Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces.
These signs in sequence show a process of crystallization, beginning with a burst of energy in the first sign of Aries and dissolving at the end in the last sign of Pisces.
In addition to this sequential pattern, the zodiac is also patterned by the elemental triplicities made of the four elements, the modal crosses made of the three primary forces, and the six polarities.
The Zodiac Represents the Completion of a Cycle
The divine light in its completion and fulfillment. On the Kabbalistic Tree of Life the seven planets are each seen on different sephirah of the Tree, but the zodiac itself is on the sephirah Chokmah, the Cosmic Christ. In ancient depictions of the zodiac, Christ is shown in the center, surrounded by the twelve disciples.
The cosmic divine light of the zodiac travels down into our solar system and is refracted through the planets of our solar system, so that each planets concentrates the zodiacal sign beyond it.
Geocentric Perspective
In ancient times there was no division between science and religion, and the astrologers were also astronomers. These astrologer-astronomers knew perfectly well that the earth and planets revolve around the Sun, but the geocentric perspective is no less valid than a heliocentric perspective.
In particular for the practice astrology, because the Earth is our home, and our perspective matters a great deal for a mystical science that relates to humankind.
The Sun and all the Planets Travel Through the Zodiac
From the point of view on Earth it appears that the Sun and all the planets travel through the zodiac in a line called the ecliptic.
The Sun, or any planet, concentrates the energy of each sign for a month. For example, from October 22nd through November 21st each year the Sun is in the sign of Scorpio. Anyone born during this time will have their Sun in the sign of Scorpio, thus imbued with the qualities of Scorpio, concentrated through the Sun.
All the other planets, the Moon, Mercury, Venus, Saturn etc. each have their own length of cycles in which they pass through the zodiac, giving us the unique qualities of each day, each moment.