© Michele Finey 2025 

Since before the dawn of civilisation, people have looked to the heavens for inspiration. From the earliest times, we have charted the movement of the Sun, Moon and planets to guide human affairs. The waxing and waning Moon, the Earth’s journey around the Sun, and the cycle of the seasons regulate life on Earth and frame our experiences. We are all influenced by these cycles. 

The Egyptians, Greeks, Mayans, Sumerians, Babylonians and Chinese all practiced astrology. Astrology was integral to countless other cultures across the globe. In India, the Vedic system is alive and thriving. 

The Australian Aborigines have always understood the eternal connection between the heavens and the Earth. Many indigenous cultures understand sky wisdom and honour the movement of the planets. In his book, The First Astronomers, Duane Hamacher explains this philosophy and quotes Lakota Elder Arvol Looking Horse: “Star knowledge is like a mirror. The stars are up there, and we have the stars down here.” Hamacher explains that in the Lakota/Dakota language this is called Kapemni –‘As is above, so is below’i which is exactly the same philosophical phrase used in western astrology: As above, so below. 

At one time, astrology and astronomy were one and the same. Today, astronomy focuses exclusively on the science and physical properties of the stars and planets, ignoring any meaningful connections between the heavens and Earth. Astronomers have excluded anything remotely associated with astrology from their conversation. 

Astrology is both a science and an art form. To become an astrologer, one needs a broad range of skills, including an understanding of mathematics, astronomy, geometry, mythology, symbolism and psychology. Astrology is an ancient symbolic language where our personal stories are interwoven with universal myths and the rhythmic dance of the planets. 

Over the years, there has been a host of astrological researchers, notably Michel and Francoise Gauquelin, whose monumental research in the 1950s resulted in statistically significant findings which validated a range of astrological assertions. This included verification of the symbolic meaning of several key planets and their prominent position in 

the birth charts of notable professionals, in keeping with well-established astrological interpretationii. Their findings have been replicated many times over, but have been constantly criticised by people in the scientific community, who continue to deny that astrology has any merit. These critics often say that there can’t possibly be any mechanism to account for planetary influence, so they dismiss it with prejudice. But the scientific community knows, or should know, that quantum theory has shown conclusively that there does not have to be a physical force to create an effect. In fact, astrologers have never said there was any kind of causal mechanism to explain the link between the celestial happenings and events on Earth. Perhaps one day, we might discover some kind of physical force to account for astrological influence, but this is not the point. Astrology works because we are all part of the universal whole. Everything is connected. As above; so below. While scientists keep trying to isolate individual factors to examine them and draw conclusions about life and the universe, they are now starting to realise that this is impossible. Yet they still will not open their minds to the immense possibilities that astrology has to offer. 

YESTERDAY AND TODAY 

Ancient astrologers and alchemists assigned a specific metal to each of the luminaries and the then known planets. The Sun is gold, the Moon is silver, Mercury is quicksilver, Venus is copper, Mars is iron, Jupiter is tin, and Saturn is lead. 

“The word alchemy is commonly used to describe how, when two entities or energies come into contact, both are changed by the encounter, and a new entity, or third force, is created.”iii 

It is astounding how these ancient assignments were known to exist before they were rediscovered in modern times. Today’s electrical engineers and scientists will confirm that copper (Venus) and iron (Mars) are the key metals used to drive our machines and generate power here on Earth. They will also tell you that copper and iron have a special relationship. 

In electromagnetic theory, electricity and magnetism are bound together through the copper and iron relationship. Our machines and electricity generators require both metals and neither metal functions effectively without the other. To operate at peak efficiency, copper and iron must be carefully balanced in quantity and form, plus they must match the 

environment they operate within and the task they are trying to perform. They coexist and have a dynamic relationship. 

Michael Faraday, pioneer in electromagnetism, invented the dynamo principle on 17 October 1831. This was just a few days after a Venus-Mars conjunction. Both Faraday and Nikola Tesla, the creative genius who invented the three phase AC system, the universally applied system for the distribution of electrical power across the globe, have Venus and Mars in a square (90 degree aspect) in their birth charts. In the AC system, electrical and magnetic fields are connected through a 90-degree relationship. 

Copper is the most commonly used conductor of electricity. When formed into a coil and energised with electricity, this creates a magnetic field. If that copper coil entwines the iron, this intensifies the magnetic field. When a copper circuit is first turned on, an initial surge of power occurs, and this is called the ‘excitation phase’. This inrush of power sets up their relationship. How perfect that Venus turns Mars on and gets him excited. 

Once established, the electrical and magnetic relationship settles down to a regular cyclic exchange of energy, (as in human relationships) which results in the movement of our motors and the function of transformers. This strong electromagnetic relationship is the force behind every electric motor in our homes and industry and every electricity generator, be it nuclear, fossil fuel, wind or geothermal powered. 

At first ‘excitation’ the creation of magnetism in the iron opposes the electrical field from the copper. Then the magnetism returns the power to the copper and so the cycle begins, which is how an AC circuit responds. This exchange of power between the copper and iron occurs out of phase, at 90 degrees to each other. Just as one force begins to wane, the other returns the power to keep the cycle going. 

This interaction of copper and iron mirrors their celestial dance, as well as their astrological meaning. Whatever our gender or sexual orientation, Venus and Mars represent key aspects of the psyche. 

Planet Venus is never more than about 45 degrees away from the Sun. She is in a way tethered to the Sun. This symbolises her astrological function as a key symbol of our core values and principles. When Venus reaches her greatest elongation, astrologers interpret this as Venus operating at her most animated and free. Mars travels much more freely, forming every angle to the Sun, reaching his apparent stations when about 135 degrees from the Sun. This is when he is most thwarted in his expression. Stationary Mars is contrary to his natural 

exuberance, which presents a challenge to Mars, as he is not known for his patience. When we plot Venus’s most outgoing greatest elongation points relative to the Sun, and Mars’s stations, they are exactly 90 degrees apart. 

The Venus-Earth relationship is also significant. For every five orbits of the Earth around the Sun, Venus orbits eight times, tracing a five-petalled flower in the sky every eight Earth years. This ratio 5:8 is the Golden mean, part of the Fibonacci series, where each two numbers in the sequence added together result in the next number. When plotted geometrically, this pattern is seen in all spiralling life-forms on Earth, such as shells, ferns and flowers. It is a natural pattern of growth. The golden mean is the most pleasing and beautiful proportion, and it’s intrinsic to Venus, the goddess of love, beauty, and fertility. 

Each of the planets has a specific character. Mercury is close to the Sun; hence it moves fast, and is elusive. These characteristics are intrinsic to its astrological meaning which is where we get words like mercurial. Mars, having a distinct red colour, reflects his nature as the god of war. Mars is associated with energy, drive and passion. Jupiter is the largest planet and is therefore associated with expansion, exaggeration, good fortune and anything big. Saturn, with its distinctive rings, symbolises boundaries, systems, limitations and order. In 1781 Uranus was discovered unexpectedly, and it has an unusual axis, factors which inform its astrological interpretation. Each planet has an archetypal theme and a group of associated symbols, in keeping with its nature. 

GLOBAL TRENDS 

In his book, Cosmos and Psyche, astrologer Richard Tarnas examines the links between historical events and planetary cycles and describes their astrological signature. Many astrologers engage in this type of research, examining the cycles of the outer planets to understand how they relate to global trends and events. Because planetary cycles repeat, we can look to the past to see what happened under similar conditions and what might transpire when these planetary patterns recur. The symbolism will be similar, but the specifics will always differ. Astrologers are analysts, not psychics or clairvoyants. We can’t ‘see’ the future, but we can describe potential scenarios and offer guidance about how to navigate the future. 

Forecasting based on historical cycles to ascertain what the future might hold is not new, and certainly not new to science. Just look at modelling for climate change. Organisations like the CSIRO use literally dozens of models to try to forecast weather patterns. The accuracy 

and reliability of these models varies, as do the skills of those using them. What becomes significant is that taken together, they inform a body of knowledge. This knowledge is refined and modified as it is compared to actual events, and so the reliability of any model improves over time. No one expects to get a 100 percent accurate prediction from models, but the trending forecasts are significant. It’s the same with astrology. Because planetary cycles repeat, we can sometimes see how history might repeat itself, but most astrologers don’t try to make specific predictions. Astrology is symbolic. Astrologers try to forecast the general theme that’s suggested by a particular planetary pattern. The aim is to learn from the past and assist human development by guiding people to make informed choices. 

THE TROPICAL ZODIAC 

The misinformation surrounding astrology is mostly due to the widespread publication of sun sign forecasts in the media. Obviously, the entire population of Earth is not divided into 12 convenient categories. Nor are there thirteen signs of the zodiac as a number of spurious media reports which continue to circulate, would have you believe. There are 88 constellations, and it has been widely reported that one of them, Ophiuchus, is a newly discovered 13th sign of the zodiac. This is complete nonsense. Constellations and zodiac signs are two different things. The signs of the tropical zodiac which are used in western astrology are framed by the solstices and equinoxes when the Sun moves into one of the four cardinal signs. The Sun moves into Aries and Libra when it aligns with the equator in March and September, and enters Cancer and Capricorn when the Sun reaches its most northerly and southerly declination at the solstices. When the Sun enters a cardinal sign, this is the start of the season, hence cardinal signs are associated with initiative and leadership. The other signs are the fixed signs, Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius, so called because of their loyalty and intensity and the weather extremes that happen when the Sun is in fixed signs. The mutable signs, Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces, are so called because they are versatile and adaptable. When the Sun is in mutable signs, the weather is often variable and changeable. Each zodiac sign is 30 degrees in size and there are 12 of them. This is basic maths. 12x30 is 360 degrees, the number of degrees in a circle. There is no such thing as a 13th sign. Ophiuchus is one of the 88 constellations, and some constellations have the same names as the 12 signs, which is perhaps the reason for the confusion. In any event, astrologers are more focused on the planets than the signs. 

ASTROLOGY TODAY 

Contrary to popular belief, astrologers do not especially focus on the stars. It’s the planets that are the main area of interest. Astrologers study all facets of the planets, their symbolism, mythology, their astronomical positions, their angular relationships to one another, their synodic cycles, Saros and Metonic cycles, and much more. They assess how planetary placements and cycles correlate with people and events here on Earth. In western astrology today, there are both traditional astrologers who use a system grounded in ancient texts and theories, and modern psychological astrologers, who favour a more symbolic approach to the chart, in keeping with the work of Carl Jung and his ideas about the collective unconscious and synchronicity. Jung was a pioneer in the field of psychology. He also studied astrology and conducted his own astrological research. Indeed, Jung’s psychological types, Intuition, Sensation, Thinking and Feeling are indistinguishable from the four astrological elements, Fire, Earth, Air and Water, respectively. 

Many astrologers hold PhDs and have additional qualifications in counselling, or related fields. Some are psychologists who use astrology in their practice. Astrologers use the birth chart as a counselling tool, guiding people to develop more self-awareness, find solutions to their problems, and discover their life purpose. The birth chart is a map of one’s potential. Learning about one’s chart offers people hope. Because astrology is symbolic, it provides a range of options for those seeking guidance, and fosters confidence to help people pursue their dreams. 

Whether it’s the birth of a person, an idea, a country, or the time of any event in history, or in the future, a map of the heavens shows where the planets are located and identifies the many angular relationships (aspects) between them. Around 370 people are born every minute on planet Earth, and countless events happen each day. Two people born around the same time, will have almost identical birth charts. Astrological twins often have similar interests and talents, but their choices and life events will vary. Genetics and upbringing always play a role in one’s development, so it’s important to have context when working with clients. Astrology is symbolic, not literal. 

Despite the revival of interest in astrology over the past 100 years or so, unfortunately there is so much misinformation about what astrology is, and what it isn’t, the average member of the public has no idea of its vast scope, or the extent of its use. It can be difficult for people to tell the difference between professional astrologers and some of today’s social 

i Duane Hamacher, The First Astronomers, Allen and Unwin, Crows Nest, NSW, 2022, p.31. 

ii Mars, Moon, Jupiter, Saturn and Venus were found to be prominent in the birth charts of professionals who had attained a high degree of success in occupations and activities symbolised by these archetypes. Interestingly, the position of these key planets which were rising and culminating in the charts, were concentrated in the 12th and 9th houses, which differed by a few degrees to their traditional interpretation as being prominent in the 1st and 10th, but the meaning of the planets was identical to the professions examined. 

iii Clare Martin, Alchemy, The Soul of Astrology, The Wessex Astrologer, Swanage, UK, 2020, p.xix 

media savvy astrologers, who may or may not be qualified. Just like any profession, there are professional bodies which aim to ensure astrologers adhere to a code of conduct and abide by ethical standards. Astrology involves years of study and a lifetime to master. It’s a vast subject, as big as the universe and it continues to evolve.