Is Astrology Scientific?
The simple answer is yes—and no. Astrology, like medicine, is an art based on a science.
The natural world is not as chaotic as it seems on the surface. Science has always sought to discover the underlying order that governs the appearance and behaviour of phenomena, from sub-atomic particles to the movement of galaxies. Science also seeks an understanding of human behaviour through biology, psychology and economics, for example. Scientists set out to find "natural laws" that govern phenomena, then look for ways that the knowledge of these interacting laws (repeatable patterns of phenomena) can be applied for our benefit.
Observations, Measurement, Calculations
Scientific observations, measurements and calculations are used in astrology to generate the framework for meaningful, symbolic patterns. These patterns, scientifically categorised, reveal much about the way our world is constructed; they enable us to analyse, explain and predict social, political, emotional and other important characteristics of life on earth.
A vast database of analytical techniques and interpretative commentary has been accumulated over the centuries, through the dedicated observations and practical applications of astrological practitioners. Modern astrologers have also made impressive contributions, researching and categorising the effects of the more recently discovered planets such as Uranus, Neptune and Pluto, the influence of mid-points, asteroids, galactic centre and so on. It's an ongoing process.
The Art of Astrology
The art of astrology lies at one level in the construction of accurate profiles of personality and relationship, through the skilled interpretation of symbolic patterns, and in mapping the general tendencies that present themselves over the course of our lives.
Astrologers use scientific facts in the mapping of human consciousness and as keys to the understanding of experience. This is an interpretative process, which does not depend on accepting particular theories about how planets can affect us, or on whether they are a sort of synchronous clock ticking along with psychological and social factors on earth, or on some other causal process. The strength of astrology comes from the accumulated knowledge of centuries of research and observation, developed within a deeply intuitive understanding of the essential nature of the world, consciousness and the environment. Combined with accurate mathematical and scientific data, today's astrologers can use this established knowledge in the generation of valuable psychological, economic, or predictive profiles.
All Things are Connected
Astrology, however, is grounded in a profoundly holistic view. Astrologers believe that all things in our universe are intimately and deeply connected. The world, as we see and experience it, is a great deal more like a being than a thing. The world and its inhabitants are linked, like a body and its cells: the wellbeing of the one depends equally and mutually upon the wellbeing of the other. The spiritual side of astrology connects us consciously to the intentions of this world-being and how they apply to our lives as we live them.
The art of astrology lies, at the most profound levels, in the meaningful interpretation of powerful symbols. Through making sense of a range of apparently chaotic and unrelated events, astrology in the right hands shows how these events relate directly to us and generate the daily experiences of our lives.