© Fiona Aedgar 2024
Western Astrology is entirely based on nature and the seasonal cycles that we experience in Europe (it is a Greek system.) When the Sun enters 0 degrees of Aries, we have the spring equinox which is when the Sun crosses the earth's equator.
0 degrees of cancer is the summer solstice. 0 degrees of Libra is the Autumn equinox. Winter solstice is 0 degrees of Capricorn. As you can see, tropical, Western astrology perfectly reflects the seasons as it is a solar based system.
Western astrology functions independently from the constellations and is not in alignment with the stars other than in name.
Western astrology is not wrong, "frozen," or any other absurd term used by the people who have zero knowledge of western astrology which includes NASA and a lot of Vedic astrologers.
The tropical signs reflect the cycle of the seasons. Cardinal signs which are those that I listed above, fall at the start of a new season. Cardinal signs initiate changes and are natural leaders. Fixed signs (Taurus, Scorpio, Leo & Aquarius) represent the times of year when we are fully into a season and nothing is changing in nature. These signs are stubborn, loyal and resilient. The mutable signs (Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius & Pisces) occur at the end of one season, right before the equinox or solstice. These signs are flexible and go with the flow. We take this formula and apply it to every planet in the birth chart, then we analyse the relationships between the planets. All of these planets represent different life areas. The angles in the chart change every 2 hours and also fall in different signs.
You will not have the same birth chart as anyone else unless they were born on the same day, time and location as you.
We are part of nature and reflect her qualities. The planets do not control anything, they are a reflection of life, the microcosm and the macrocosm.
Scholars of tropical astrology recognise that the qualities of the signs are not interpreted in the same way as the constellations of the same names. For example, some stars in the constellation of Cancer are said the have the qualities of Saturn and Mars (planets of war, conflict, discipline and endings. Vastly different from tropical cancer which is ruled by the moon and said to be the archetype of the nurturing and fertile Mother.
Claudius Ptolemy states in his work "Tetrabiblos" "The beginnings of the signs and likewise those of the terms, are to be taken from the equinoctial and tropical points. This rule is not only clearly stated by writers on the subject, but is also especially evident by the demonstration constantly afforded, that their natures and familiarities have no other origin than from the tropics and equinoxes, as has already been plainly shown.
He mentions this issue several times in the Tetrabiblos. It's almost as if he anticipated the buffoonery and misconceptions surrounding Greek, Western astrology.