Calculating the Horoscope
Deviation
Interpreting the Horoscope
Forecasting with Astrology
What Makes a Good Astrologer?

No matter what type of astrology is being practiced, all astrologers base their interpretations on the positions of the Sun, Moon, and planets. Some astrologers include the positions of certain asteroids, some add hypothetical bodies, some use stars, quasars, and even the galactic center. All these positions are calculated from precise astronomical tables for the exact time and place of an event or a person's birth. The resulting information is usually noted on a circular chart which has come to be known as the horoscope.

Deviation
Charts may have either dramatic differences or minor differences due to miscalculation or variations in method. For instance, A minor variation may be caused through the type of zodiac used. Although most astrologers today use the tropical zodiac , some (including Hindu astrologers) use the sidereal zodiac. While this does not alter the relationships between the planets and the horizon, it often changes the sign that they are located in. Practicing astrologers must also choose which house system they will use in their work. There is no universally agreed-upon house system, and sometimes a planet's house position in one system will change in another system.

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Interpreting the Horoscope
Interpreting astrological symbols such as planets in a birth chart can reveal many things: an individual's early life experiences, inherited predispositions, and basic life challenges. Through the horoscope, the astrologer seeks to understand a person's potential, and in a positive sense, can often bring into focus hidden strengths and talents. The astrologer offers to individuals an account of who they are, where they have been, and where they might go in order to realize their potential. Unlike the psychologist, the astrologer can reach such conclusions rapidly, even without ever having met the client. Click here to get your custom horoscope report; or get one for a friend.

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Forecasting with Astrology
Probably the most controversial, intriguing, and popular aspect of astrology has to do with the prediction of the future. Strictly speaking, predicting an exact event in the future is impossible. What the astrologer can do is forecast the nature of trends and locate points in time when physical, social, or psychological events may occur. Astrologers find that, while the timing of an event or trend is reliably predictable, a person's response to the event is not. While the timing of specific circumstances appears to be fated (or preprogrammed), our free will can color the nature and quality of our responses.

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What Makes a Good Astrologer
Astrologers are capable of explaining through astrology only what they are capable of understanding. The best astrologers are those who have perfected their judgment over a long period of time. For information on astrological readings and what you could expect from one, click here.

Astrologers may be self-taught or study under a teacher, and after years of practice, emerge as respected professionals. Some astrologers learn and practice only one type of astrology, while others are more versatile. There are now astrological organizations that offer certification. One is the American Federation of Astrologers (AFA), which offers an 8-hour professional-level test, the passing of which guarantees that a person knows the mathematical side of astrology thoroughly and can also interpret a natal chart reasonably well. National Council for Geocosmic Research - Astrology Organization (NCGR) offers a far more thorough and demanding certification program with four levels, from beginner to professional, with examinations at each level. Click here for other certifying astrological organizations. However, passing a difficult test is no guarantee that someone is competent.

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