by On the validity of astrology in today's world
Astrology is based on the symbolic connection between the observer and the phenomena being observed, specifically, the positions of planets and luminaries as seen from Earth. From this perspective, using the Ptolemaic or geocentric system makes sense. We use a reference model that relates to our seemingly stationary position on the Earth’s surface, making it appear as though the celestial vault rotates around us. After all, motion is relative to the observer: the Moon’s orbit may not appear as an ellipse when viewed from the north celestial pole, and the Sun is not static to the background; it actually rotates around the centre of the galaxy.
The confusion surrounding using a system deemed obsolete stems from the attempt to compare astrology and the underlying principles that guide it with the experimental and theoretical frameworks of modern science. In current scientific practice, data is valid when it meets well-defined criteria, such as a statistical alignment between the data and the theory. This line of reasoning suggests that astrology should demonstrate its validity by proposing a direct influence of the planets on human destinies, potentially through electromagnetic or similar forces—that is, through causes we can measure directly.
However, astrology derives its significance from a very different perspective, aptly summarised in a fragment from the Emerald Tablet attributed to Hermes Trismegistus: “That which is below is like that which is above, to accomplish the miracles of one thing.” In modern terms, this phrase suggests that the objective world and how it appears to our senses, along with the observer’s consciousness, constitute a single reality. In the process of cognition, this reality seems to split into separate parts. Therefore, we must work to reclaim what has been lost—the original unity—through indirect learning. That involves analytically breaking down things to attempt to recover their true meaning.
Consciousness acts as the organising principle of a cosmic vision that would otherwise lack meaning. Hence, we can use astrology as a tool to reconnect our inner microcosm with the objective macrocosm. If we assign meaning to things, then external reality serves as a mirror reflecting our essence. By utilising the laws of analogy and symbolism, we can develop an astrological language understandable to humans and, therefore, based on a geocentric perspective. This language helps us clarify the significance of our existence in the world.
All this does not detract from the merits of scientific research in the commonly understood sense when it does not pursue purely utilitarian and destructive ends. The same thing happens with what today is defined as “daily horoscopes”.
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