History of Astrology

By Rachel Gardner

               Many years ago in Ancient Babylon, the priests and priestesses were using the real sky and saw no difference between what we now call Astronomy and Astrology.  They saw the sky as divine script, a living cosmic language written by the gods.  They observed the sky carefully and paid attention to events and occurrences as certain placements happened.  They also used celestial math and developed the Enūma Anu Enlil.  This is a series of 68 – 70 tablets used as the principal source of omens.  Eventually the studies spread into Greece.  This leads us to the development of Tropical Astrology…

               Once Babylonian Astrology arrived in Greece and Greek Astronomers began studying, they were passionate about having the stars align with the solstices and equinoxes…the relationships between the Earth, the Sun, and the seasons.  However, this was fine for the times as The Sun was in Aries at the beginning of Spring.  Now that is not accurate.  At the beginning of Spring, the Sun is in Pisces in the real sky above us, not Aries.

               This is now an outdated method of practicing Astrology.  No longer does the sky align with the Tropical system.  It’s a great way to honor the solstices and equinoxes, however I believe that we need to alter the dates of these holidays as the stars continuously but slowly move. 

               I would like to mention that this information from Babylon reached parts like India and they kept the Sidereal aspects and thus began the Vedic systems.

               Going much farther back in time we have tablets that describe the universe as circular, divine, and orderly.  These ancient tablets are called the Enuma Elish which were written on clay tablets in Akkadian language and earlier in Sumerian cuneiform.  The Enuma Elish talks about recurring astrological patterns.  In fact, we now have what is called the Saros cycles, which are cycles predicting eclipses.  The Babylonians and Sumerians believed that the cosmos was a clock and therefore predictions and cycles could be made.

               With Tropical Astrology taking the main show here on Earth (at the moment) we are unlinked with the real sky and therefore not as connected with the cycles of the Earth.  There has been many times on what we call solstices and equinoxes where I have felt that this wasn’t quite the right time for this energy, it wasn’t at its fullest.  After discovering this knowledge, I understood why I was experiencing this.

               Along with Ptolemy and others creating Tropical Astrology, they also took out the 13^th constellation…..Ophuichus, the serpent bearer.  This is wildly interesting to me personally, as Ophiuchus is the sign of alchemy, transformation, and healing after diving into the deep waters of the self we become the Pheonix rising, the snake who sheds the older layer of skin, we are born anew.  Scorpio would like to hold that energy of the Phoenix rising, but this is Ophiuchus’ in my opinion.  Scorpio is for diving into the deep layers of the psyche within the self, once that work is done, we are born anew through Ophiuchus.   

               In conclusion, True Sidereal Astrology is about getting back to our ancient roots before Patriarchy and control took over the planet.  True Sidereal for me is about reclaiming ancient traditions long lost from those who declare power and control over the people still to this day. 

We will rise...after much cosmic and earthly disruption of truth. From the rubble of illusions, we gather the shattered pieces and forge a clearer path. What was hidden will be known. What was broken will teach us how to heal. The sky remembers. The Earth remembers. And so do we.

So mote it be!