8 Reasons Why Your Astrologer Hates You

• More food for thought: I have read and heard, though I'm no astronomer, that the concept of Tropical astrology was taken up in Europe because the Sidereal model of the actual movement of the equinoxes backwards through the signs reflects the idea that the earth moves around the sun, not vice versa. The Tropical model accounts for neither, and was more amenable to the Christian need to place the earth at the center of the solar system. But since I'm not an astronomer, I can't say for certain. Opinions?

• Wyatt: One approach to understanding the differences between the two types of astrology, and to better understand the draw of the rabbit hole that astrology represents, would be to get a one year or 6 month reading from each types of practitioner. What you will see over time is that just about any predictive method that works for a tropical astrologer involves looking at planetary movement by progression or transit against angles, house and planets of the birth chart, and the interpretation using the actual signs is an afterthought, sort of like an NBA player who dunks a ball and then makes a face at the camera. The point was the timing of events, the characterization by sign a flourish. IMO. Also worth noting is the fact that most PROFESSIONAL Tropical astrologers will not credit that their predictive methods work with the actual (Sidereal) placements of astronomical bodies against the backdrop of the stars. This is a misconception that I have heard from the mouths of established pros that I have mentioned this to. Additionally, some of the methods such as progressions and returns have been used in sidereal astro (particularly Vedic astro) long before Western/European practitioners credit themselves as an institution with having "invented" some of these methods. Case in point: Progressions. Both types of pros have used them for a very long time. A key difference being that Vedic/Hindu practitioners progress retrograde planets in the retrograde direction. But if you pick up a book about the history of the practice, you get something like a European history of explorers crediting Colombus with finding America, when any serious researcher will point out that the Vikings were definitely in North America much sooner, as were the Basques, whose cultural knowledge of the world beyond the Atalantic was exploited by the Spaniards but not credited, not to mention the indigs themselves. This applies to Astrology as well.

• Joyce Van Horn While I don't buy that astrology crap, it's refreshing to see someone from San Fransicko who makes any sense.

• As an astrologer of twenty years, I love this and it is very true. Only you left one out. They tell you there were born on the hour such as 8am. Yeah right. And then call back the next day with the correct birth time and want a redo.... for free.

• @Wyatt: What you're talking about is the approximately 23-degree difference between the tropical and sidereal zodiacs. The sidereal zodiac is more closely aligned with the actual position of the constellations the signs were named for, though both are symbolic and not literal constellation maps. Snarky astronomers who know nothing about astrology sometimes like to claim astrologers are unaware of this. Even casually browsing through any decent astrology book would reveal otherwise. Both tropical and sidereal traditions of astrology exist and have developed interpretive methods appropriate to the zodiac they use. Individual astrologers may prefer one or the other; it really doesn't matter.

• I am a San Francisco astrologer who has been in full time practice for over 26 years. While I respect and care for my clients, some of what the astrologer you interviewed strikes a familiar chord. On my website, I am very clear about the fact that I don't do predictive astrology; nonetheless, I will occasionally get phone calls or clients in my office who assume that I'm a fortune teller. I figure my job is to educate them with a practical reading that gives them choices, timing and empowerment. Like psychology, astrology provides guidelines, has certain cosmic "laws" and should always be practiced with integrity, compassion and honesty. Otherwise, in my opinion, it's a waste of time and energy for both of us.

• I thought the signs were set in stone - if you're born in mid-December, you're a Sagittarius. And the original basis was which constellation is at a certain point in the sky. So, again, if you're a mid-December birth, then you actually weren't born whenever the Archer was supposed to be the one with the influence. My physicist? Shit, I wish I had a personal physicist. I'm not sure what sign he was - just had a brief conversation about it. And here's a clue as to exactly how much stock you should put in what I'm saying about this - I meant to say astronomer, not physicist. I'm just that good.

• @tangyjoe: I thought "Richard Connelley" just ranted against people who can't spell worth a fark. Or uppercase "God." Your comment sounds like a Rolaids commercial 'cause you clearly can't spell "relief." @Wyatt: Good point, but your own chart is a snapshot of what the sky looked like at your birth, so why would shiftiness matter? And what sign is your physicist?

• Did Richard Connelley have a stroke? Where did this blog post come from? I thought RC just ranted against Republicans and people who believe in god and an occasional "dumb ass criminal" story thrown in for comic releif. Ususally things related to current news/events but this one is just out there even for R.C.

• *developed prediction: more typing errors to come

• Isn't it true that since this stuff was development, the earth has naturally shifted, so you're technically whatever sign you would have been if you were born a month earlier? A little confusing, AND a physicist told me it. They can't let you know if it's going to be a good month for your finances, clearly they don't know fuck about shit

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