Why Do Planets Have Certain Characteristics?

The 12 signs of the zodiac as we know them today evolved over several thousand years.  Since each sign has a ruling planet, early astrologers made associations between the five planets they viewed with the naked eye and what occurred here on earth.

The discovery of each new planet seemed to mark a major step in the evolution of humanity.   The planet Uranus was discovered in 1781 which coincided with the start of the Industrial Revolution.  There was much upheaval during this time with the American War of Independence (1775–1783) and the events leading up to the beginning of the French Revolution.  Uranus which rules the sign of Aquarius is associated with the keywords rebellion, upheaval, and independence. 

Pluto which is Scorpio’s planetary ruler was discovered during the rise of fascism which led to the Second World War.  Its discovery as a planet also coincides with the advent of organized crime and the Great Depression of the 1930s.  Astrological keywords used to describe Pluto are underground, elimination and seduction.

Can Astrology Be Proven?

I took a pseudoscience university course recently and did a paper on Michel Gauquelin, a psychologist and statistician who attempted to demonstrate the validity of astrology for more than 40 years.  He was not an astrologer and actually opposed the practice of it.

He set out to prove a correlation between the positions of the planets at the time of birth and certain human characteristics.  After going over thousands of birth charts, there appeared to be statistical positions of the planet Mars in the charts of athletes (called the Mars Effect), with similar placings of the planet Jupiter for actors, and with Saturn for scientists.  His calculations and assumptions were verified by a third party in 1960 by the Belgian Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of Paranormal Phenomenon.  This same committee later changed its mind and to save face, set out to disprove Gauquelin’s findings.  If you ever have a chance to do the research, the reasons for this reversal become fairly obvious.  It is similar to the stories that you read or even some of the things you have experienced first hand when an organization or individual approves something and then withdraws their support when they come to realize all the negative press they receive.

After reading numerous journals and accounts both for and against his findings and taking into account all the political wrangling that was occurring to try and disprove his studies, I came to the conclusion that he had indeed found something which proved that the day of birth is somehow correlated to certain psychological characteristics.   More specifically, he had proof that there was a correlation between sports champions and positions of the planet Mars in the sky at the time of their births.

I have been studying astrology for more than 25 years and still get satisfaction in discovering new ways of applying different planetary coordinates to certain events that occur in a person’s life.   

Can I Change My Future?

Without getting into too much detail and tackling the question of destiny vs free will, you can alter your future in a number of different ways.  When two people come together in any type of relationship (business partnership or marriage for example), they will experience life on multiple levels.  They will still have things happen only to themselves but they now have a new birth chart based on the day that the new relationship started.  Thus, they will live this new shared birth chart and future possibilities with their business partner(s) or significant other. 

On a more subtle level, you can change your future by making very small changes in the way you approach things.  A number of motivational speakers talk about intention.  Why you do things has everything to do with the eventual outcome.  Am I in my current job because I enjoy my work or is it just a paycheque?   Making better choices makes for a better life.  Easier said than done though.  Many are stuck in jobs they wish they weren’t because of convenience, lack of education, or just complacency.  It takes considerable effort to make a change.  Astrology can help you see where your strengths are and whether or not you have hidden skills that are not being acted upon. 

Another way of changing your future is to alter the way you think about the present.  This could be deemed a lazier or passive approach but is just as valid which can yield instant results.  It is what has been called “making lemonade out of lemons”.  Seeing your situation differently and in a positive light is not only a coping mechanism but will cause the body to react differently.   A recent study on the immune system found that you can boost your immune system by thinking positive.  Whether your happier outlook is based on fact or an illusion doesn’t matter.  Just by imagining that your future is brighter, things are getting better and you will succeed releases endorphins and other important immune boosting chemicals.  Pretending that your situation is getting better in turn will attract more positives in your life which will have a snowball effect.  A good example of this is pretending to be what you want to be in life.  This can supercede the aspects in your birth chart pushing you beyond any limitations or restrictions.  This is a common technique for a high jumper as they imagine themselves clearing the bar before they actually attempt the jump. 

About The Astrologer

My name is Lazarus and I have been studying astrology for about 30 years.  That makes me about 36 years old. (I wish)  I live in Canada and was actually in the entertainment industry for a number of years.  With the advent of the internet, it has made doing readings much easier and I really enjoy all the different requests from around the globe.  I plan to teach astrology soon and develop astrological software in the next couple of years. 

Can Astrology Help Solve My Money Problems?

Your astrological birth chart describes how you might earn your money, how you spend it and how you may accumulate it.  There are so many factors to consider when determining individual wealth that it is very complex to come up with a definitive answer and must be determined based on the characteristics of the individual from their birth chart.  Those who are determined to make money and save it will accumulate it.  There are some who will spend it faster than they can make it and will accumlulate nothing except more debt.  

One of the most popular questions surrounding money is “will I win the big lottery?”  An astrologer is sometimes able to approximately determine a lottery win based on the position of certain planets, usually but not limited to Venus (money), Uranus (surprises) and Jupiter (expansion).   But the question of wealth includes holding onto money which is ruled by the planet Saturn (responsibility).   If a person wins a large sum of money but spends it all with nothing to show for it, this will likely be reflected in their chart from the relationship between the planet Neptune (dissolvement) and Venus (money).  When a birthtime is known, then the houses also come into play in a birth chart with the second house ruling money matters as well as the ruler of the second house and its placement in the chart.  As you can see, it can get very complex and it is not a simple task to determine if a person will become wealthy in their lifetime.  But those who can’t seem to save money can always get others who are knowledgable in this area to help them such as using the services of an investment broker.  This is just one example of how we can circumvent our birth charts by teaming up with others to change our fortune. 

My favourite story of the ups and downs of finances is when New York real estate magnate Donald Trump was going through a tough period.  The story goes that during the 1990 real estate crunch when Donald lost millions, he passed by a homeless person and realized that the man was wealthier than he was.  Donald, of course, later went on to bounce back and recover his billionaire status.  In his birth chart, Donald’s money planet Venus is well aspected to Uranus as well as Mars (determination).

Can Love Last Forever?

This was the question asked recently in the movie Juno by its young star actress, Ellen Page.  Astrologically speaking, the short answer is yes.  But if two people did not establish a friendship prior to starting a relationship with each other, the odds are not in their favour.  Having a friendship prior to falling in love, increases the strength and staying power of the relationship.  But to be able to be friends and lovers with the same partner is something that will already be in place even before the two people meet. 

A compatibility chart in astrology will display the friendship and lover aspects between the two people who don’t even know each other.  Aspects between people show up as challenging, beneficial or neutral.  It can show aspects like strong friendships, emotional love, and mutual respect for each other.  It can also show challenging aspects such as disagreements, deception and dishonesty. 

Yes, Juno, love can last forever but if there is a mixture of challenging and beneficial aspects in two couple’s charts, it will take a little more elbow grease to keep the relationship going when the going gets tough.

How Can Astrology Improve My Life?

Nearly everyone would like to know what the future will bring.  Can I look forward to happiness, prosperity, love or a new, rewarding career?  Astrology acts like a weather report, showing you where there are clear sunny skies or a sudden downpour.  At times when there are many challenges, astrology can point out the reasoning behind these difficulties and where we have to grow as an individual to be able to move beyond them. 

The study of the natal chart can reveal skills and tendencies that a person may not have been aware of becoming one of the most eye-opening events for many.  How can the planetary positions at the time of my birth know that I have a scientific mind, love the outdoors, enjoy the arts or have excelled in sports in school?  Just the idea that aspects of our personalities, even parts of us that were hidden from ourselves, are brought out into the open after a chart is cast is reason enough to give astrology the benefit of the doubt.  A person who didn’t know that they had an artistic flair could be inspired, after finding out about their hidden talent through astrology, to take art courses and eventually show their works in an art gallery.     

Astrology can let us know why we feel the way we do and when to stay calm and ride out the storm.  It can also tell us when to make a change in our lives that will renew and rejuvenate us.  Certain events are actually meant to keep us from stagnation and to get us moving and back onto our chosen path. 

The study of astrology also teaches us not to take life too seriously or personally.  Losing a job or the breakup of a relationship does not have to be experienced as failure.  Knowing that a change is coming in your life can negate the guilt and blame that is so often associated with relationship upheavals. 

What Is Astrology All About?

Astrology is a way for us to find out about ourselves, those that we are involved with and how all of this relates to the world around us.

It works by charting the positions of the planets at the time of birth. This natal chart is then analyzed based on centuries old interpretations which have been modernized to apply to our everyday living.