What Is Astrology? – 101 Guide

Spend a few minutes on social media or any dating app and it’s abundantly clear that astrology’s popularity has skyrocketed and gone mainstream. But if you still feel out of the loop when you hear terms like Mercury retrograde or natal chart thrown around, then you’ve come to the right place. And hey, don’t feel bad — it’s a language that even veteran, professional astrologers continue to learn and practice throughout their lives.

Here, we break down the key building blocks of astrology to kickstart your understanding of the language of the sky — and help you keep up the next time your friend brings up their crush’s zodiac sign at brunch.

Astrology, Defined

So, what is astrology, and what do astrologers do? In her wonderful guide, The Essential Guide to Practical Astrology: Everything from zodiac signs to prediction, made easy and entertaining, one of my mentors, April Elliott Kent, explains it this way, “Astrology is the study of the connection between celestial activity phenomena and earthly events. Those who practice astrology are called astrologers.”

Those earthly events might include career, relationship, and wellness insights in your weekly or monthly horoscope. The most reliable of these columns are written by professional astrologers who do their best to explain how the planets’ current movements are affecting you based on where the planets were when you were born.

Pros also use the movement of the planets to explain or even predict current events, social trends, and financial markets. And we can also take an in-depth look at your personality or your compatibility with others based on your personal astrology — aka your birth chart. Charts are also used to investigate the characteristics and outcomes of events, like a marriage or election.

Astrology is where math meets mythology. It is the calculation of the planets and their orbits that combine thousands and thousands of years of history and observational patterns. You can also say that astrology is a kind of cosmic code of our nature and also the forces that are happening outside of us in the world.

It is a process that started since the Babylonians, then the Egyptians, the Greeks, then today. It used to be considered something that people studied at university. Therefore, there is something in it that has happened for a long time. Many people are now returning and studying Greek astrology, which is the astrology of ancient Greece. But I don’t support it, because it stops at the planet Saturn, and Saturn is the planet of the ancestors. I said to myself, come on, Uranus is coming after that, the world of change. Next is Neptune, the planet of dreams and mystery, and Pluto, which is the shadow work. They should be part of it.                                                               

What the Planets Mean?

Each celestial body in our solar system serves a purpose in astrology.

If you’re looking at your own personal astrology (more on that in a moment), each planet or luminary (the sun and moon) offers insight into different pieces of your personality and life. For instance, your sun sign speaks to your sense of self and identity.

But if we’re talking about what sign a planet or luminary is currently moving through, we could be characterizing a particular month. For example, you might hear how from July 22-23 to August 22-23 (the beginning and end dates for the sign vary from year to year), the sun is in Leo, a fire sign symbolized by the Lion, offering up more confidence and fueling bold action.

The basic symbolism for each of the main planets, luminaries, and points in the sky:

Sun: Confidence, self-image, self-esteem, sense of self, and identity.

Moon: The emotional compass of the zodiac, shaping a sense of safety, security, values, and intuition.

Mercury: The messenger planet, which oversees information-gathering, research, and communication.

Venus: The planet of love and beauty influences passions, relationships, pleasure, art, and money.

Mars: The go-getter planet involves how you take action, your energy, sexual expression, and courage.

Jupiter: The planet of luck and abundance.

Saturn: The planet of rules, limitations, boundaries, and discipline.

Uranus: The planet of change, rebellion, breakthroughs, and sudden events.

Pluto: The planet of transformation, death, rebirth, and power.

North & South Nodes: These mathematical points on a chart are always opposite one another. The north node acts as an astrological north star, or the karmic path you’re meant to move toward in this life, while the south node is what you’re already well-versed in, perhaps as a result of early or past life experience.

Rising sign/Ascendant: The sign that was ascending on the eastern horizon at the time of your birth is considered your rising or ascendant. It speaks to the image you project out into the world, and it offers insight into your skills, talents, and strategies you might adopt to make your way in life.

Some astrologers also use Chiron, a comet that orbits between Saturn and Uranus, the dwarf planet Ceres, and asteroids like Pallas, Vesta, and Juno.