Astrology for Beginners: Workshop 1

By: Sue Stacey

Workshop No. 1 - with

Key words for The Zodiac,

The 12 Signs of the Zodiac

Aries - Taurus - Gemini - Cancer - Leo - Virgo

The 12 Signs of the Zodiac

Virgo - Libra - Scorpio - Sagittarius - Capricorn - Aquarius

The Planets

The Houses

The Zodiac belt surrounds the Earth - and as we look out into the Heavens we 'see' the planets moving through each of the signs. Each planet moves at a different speed (called the Daily Motion). The Moon is a satellite of the Earth and has a cycle of approx. 28 days. We see the Sun as taking one year to move through the Zodiac.

The 12 Signs of the Zodiac

Each year the Sun changes sign at an exact moment in time and therefore the exact time, date and place must be used to determine a person's Sun Sign. Adopted Time Zones and Summer Times must be taken into consideration on every chart.

The Planets

At this present time we are aware of 11 planets that have an orbit around our Sun. Also within our galaxy are millions of other 'bodies' - many of which we know of as Fixed Stars (e.g. Sirius @ 13 degrees).

These do not appear to have movement and are not used in Basic Chart Interpretation. However, as we all on Earth ave impact upon each other, so I believe do the energies of all the bodies in our solar system. It does seem however that the planets have the greatest affect upon us.

The 12 Houses of The Birth Chart

Every sphere of life has its place within a specific House - below is a brief summary of the Key areas of life. The Ascendant, or Rising Sign, is the point at which the Houses start and the Birth Chart is divided up, firstly into quarters, and then into the 12 houses. The Houses are numbered anti-clockwise around the Chart.

The Ascendant

Seen as the "face that we show the world", the Ascendant is the point of the Zodiac we see on the eastern horizon at the moment of a birth. It is our entry into this life and is a point which can indicate change and new beginnings. The quality of the Zodiac sign which occupies the Ascendant can give an indication of how we wish the world to see us.

A Fire Sign enjoys expressing a powerful and positive presence.

An Earth Sign enjoys being seen as a creative force -making, nurturing and creating.

An Air Sign will talk themselves into and out of many situations!

A Water Sign will attempt to blend in with the surroundings, seducing those around them that they have the power, not the water sign. Never underestimate the power of water!

The M.C. or Mid-Heaven

This is interpreted in the chart as the 'high-spot', the direction pointer, the road-way to your future. The Zodiac Sign which the M.C. cuts through will give an indication of how you take control of your life, what ambitions you do have, and gives indications as to when you are at your best to make positive moves forward toward attaining your successes in life.

For many people the understanding of "Astrology" begins and ends with 'Sun Sign Astrology' as read in their daily newspapers or magazines. However, in recent years the minds of many have become open to seeking an understanding of 'self' and of how we all have impact on eachother and the world. Astrology, through the interpretation of Birth Charts or Maps, is a tool to aid the discovery of how, why, when and where. In this Workshop, we shall learn how the Zodiac Signs give us the key words to the quality of our lives and we can discover "HOW" we operate. The Planets are step 2 - and can tell us "WHAT" we are operating with and with the third key, the "HOUSES" we will be discovering where these energies manifest in our lives. Zodiac, Planets, Houses - three Keys to understanding the Birth Chart.

Workshop 1 is the first step to Understanding Astrology and gives the basic Key Words and Phrases, Dates etc. for each of the Zodiac Signs, Planets and Houses.

Further Workshops will give more detailed understandings of the Signs and Planets, the relationships between the planets, i.e. Aspects and How to bring the energies together to Interpret the Chart. How to calculate the Birth Chart, plus different tools of interpretation (i.e. Mid-Points, Progressions etc.) will also lead to a deeper understandings of the Basics of Astrology.

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