Birth Charts (Horoscopes) - Let the Heavens guide you

For birth charts (horoscopes) and other consultations with UK astrologer Richard Hills click: astrologers

Birth charts are the mainstay of modern astrology. The map of the heavens drawn for the exact time at which and location in which a person was born has been used for the purposes of delineating character, forecasting the future and for comparing with other horoscopes to discern compatibility. What is the philosophy behind this use of natal horoscopes?

In some ancient thinking the stars and planets were a kind of medium through which the Earth and life within it were created. It therefore made sense that the arrangement of these heavenly bodies at the place and time of a person was born could give a lot of information about that person's destiny.

Today we might query this - why do we take the moment of nativity as significant? Surely the moment of conception is more important? No doubt, if we could determine the moment of conception we would use this information. But normally this moment cannot be ascertained, whereas the moment a baby is born can. So we use birthcharts - but why do they work?

Some believe in a theory of influences. The stars and planets somehow imprint themselves on to the person when born and influence that person throughout life. There may be an implicit assumption that the natal horoscope somehow matches the genetic make-up of that person, a kind of DNA map. The problem with this can be seen if we consider horaries. A horary is drawn for the time and place at which an astrologer understands a question put to him or her by a client. If the map passes a few tests, in particular one as to whether or not it describes the situation enquired of, then it can be used to advise the client. But where is the DNA here? We are not using any particular moment in the person's life and the natal horoscope may not even be referred to.

The similarity is that, whether for a horoscope or for horary, we are using the map of the heavens at a particular moment to advise the client. Birth is a significant moment. We could use other significant moments, including that of conception, if we knew them, but for centuries the moment one is born has been considered particularly significant. I believe the consideration of horoscopes has more to do with the ancient art of divination than it has with genetics or planetary influences. This is not to deny that the natal horoscope often does tell you a lot about the person concerned in a general way. But the main use of natal horoscopes is as a divination tool for a person who approaches an astrologer with questions about how to live life. In this way they are similar to horary. Divination theory also implies that, if you have specific questions, a horary can be more useful than a birth chart. This may be encouraging to those who do not what time they were born.

© Richard Hills

For consultations with astrologer Richard Hills click: birth charts (horoscopes)

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Richard Hills - Astrologer
59 Bampton Street, Minehead, Somerset, UK, TA24 5TU
Tel (24/7): 0845 643 0671 or 01643 705571 (UK), +44 1643 705571 (International)
SIP: sip:plustalk@zodiacsigns.plus.com
Skype: richard.hills.astrologer
e-mail richard@astrology-chart.co.uk

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