ARIES - The Ram ~ Ruler: Mars - symbol of energy and power. Mars is the masculine principle and gives Aries determination, energy ambition and power. It brings Aries willpower and an active pursuit of goals.

March 21 - April 20

TAURUS - The Bull ~ Ruler: Venus - symbol of love and harmony Venus was ancient goddess of Love and after the Moon is the feminine principle and rules Taurus. This planet governs love, affection, art, creativity and physical beauty.

April 21 - May 20

HISTORICAL NOTES:

The origins of the zodiac began in Sumer, Mesopotamia in an area in the southern region of Babylonia – present-day Iraq; the site of the Sumerian civilization of city-states that flowered during the third millennium BC.

The zodiac was originated as a method of visualizing the passage of time. The zodiac was at first a symbolic calendar. It was divided into twelve parts, suggesting by its appearance the 12 moons in a year. The signs were also contrived as geometric divisions of the celestial sphere, each corresponding to one twelfth of a year.

The concept of the zodiac spread from Babylonia to Greece and, from there, to Egypt where the Egyptians substituted their own symbolism. The signs of the zodiac, as established by the Egyptian astronomer, Ptolemy, in the 2nd-century AD, are the ones we use today. By Ptolemy time the zodiac was already more than two thousand years old. But together with its growing astrological use the basic function and structure of the "calendar of the zodiac" remained.

Since Ptolemy's time there has been significant changes in the Southern hemisphere and for people in this region the symbolism of the signs were at odds with their actual experiences of the seasons and divinatory purposes. The ancient astrologers would have used astronomical observations of the night sky for practical knowledge as in the relationship between solar positions and stellar positions with the season for planting and other agriculture tasks . Much later, as in Europe, the Christianization of the region associated angels with the signs of the zodiac in the attempt to replace the traditional ancient signs and gods.

GEMINI - The Twins ~ Ruler: Mercury - symbol of communication and ruler for Gemini. In ancient times Mercury was believed to be the messenger of the gods. This planet governs intellect, communication, wit, writing and diplomacy. In a Gemini Horoscope it shows the way you think and express yourself.

May 21 - June 21

CANCER - The Crab ~ Ruler: Moon -symbol of the emotions and instincts of Cancer. The Moon represents the feminine principle. It governs change, sensitivity, feelings, memory and maternal instincts.

June 22 - July 21

ASTRONOMY:

In astronomy, the zodiac is the region of the sky close to the circle on which the orbital plane of our solar system intersects the celestial sphere. It includes the apparent path of the sun across the sky, known as the ecliptic, and the apparent paths of the naked eye planets which move in a zone just above and below. Observed from the earth's surface, a bright object lying outside of the zodiacal region cannot be a planet. The zodiac is traditionally thought of as comprising a certain set of constellations which include Ophiuchus, recognized by Ptolemy more than 1,700 years ago. In modern astronomy, the zodiacal constellations, like all constellations, are recognized as chance visual groupings of stars, with no natural significance. We see the sky without any perception of its depth; two stars for example, are neighbors in a constellation but dimensionally are not close to each other.

LEO - The Lion ~ Ruler: The Sun - symbol of awareness and ruler of Leo. The Sun represents our conscious self- our capacities, the will to live, vitality, spirit and organisation. Associated qualities and dominant in Leo are power, confidence and generosity.

July 23 - August 22

VIRGO - The Ram ~ Ruler: Mercury - symbol of communication In ancient times Mercury was believed to be the messenger of the gods. This planet governs intellect, communication, wit, writing and diplomacy. In a Virgo horoscope it shows the way you think and express yourself.

March 21 - April 20

ASTROLOGY:

In western tropical astrology the zodiac is perceived as a band on the celestial sphere which contains the paths of the Sun, Moon, and principal planets. It is divided into twelve equal parts of 30̊ each, called "signs of the zodiac" or astrological signs, each named for a constellation. At the center of this band is the plane of the ecliptic.

The sign of Aries marks the beginning of the year at the Northern Hemisphere vernal equinox. The retreating crab in Cancer represents the retreat of the Sun from its farthest northern point at the time of the Northern Hemisphere summer solstice. Leo, the symbol of fire, represents summer heat. The scales of Libra signify the balance between day and night at the autumnal equinox. The decline of the sun's power is represented in Scorpio by the scorpion, the symbol of darkness.

The water-bearer, Aquarius, represents the rainy season which, in Egypt, meant the yearly flooding of the Nile. The fishes of Pisces, symbolize the return of life and the resumption of agriculture. Aries became the Fleece. Two Sprouting Plants replaced the twins of Gemini. Cancer was re-named Scarabaeus - - the beetle considered divine by ancient Egyptians. Leo became the Knife and Libra the Mountain of the Sun. Sagittarius was reduced to just an arrow. Capricorn became the image of life, represented by a mirror. Scorpio became a serpent. Aquarius became simply water, while Taurus, Virgo and Pisces were not changed.

LIBRA - The Scales ~ Ruler: Venus - symbol of love and harmony Venus was ancient goddess of Love and after the Moon is the feminine principle. This planet rules Libra and governs love, affection, art, creativity and physical beauty. No wonder people of the star sign of Libra like expensive things.

September 23 - October 22

SCORPIO - The Scorpion ~ Rulers: Mars and Pluto. Pluto is the symbol of unconsciousness Pluto was the god of the Underworld is associated with the problems of its time of discovery in 1930- authoritarian governments, war, gangsters and unstable economics. It also governs death, hidden truths, secrets and great power.

October 23 - November 2

ZODIAC:

The zodiac (from Greek zoon, "animal")was first conceive as an imaginary belt in the heavens extending on either side of the Sun's apparent path (the ecliptic), that includes the apparent paths of the Moon and the planet: Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. There is also the beliefs in various other zodiac: western tropical astrology, including Vedic astrology and Chinese astrology.

The zodiac includes twelve of the constellations that the ecliptic crosses lies in the general plane of the solar system, thus the Sun, Moon, and planets seem to move through the zodiacal constellations. When the sun enters a sign in tropical (Ptolemaic) and sidereal (Vedic) astrological systems the dates may vary by as much as 2 days or more from year to year. Depending on the cycle of leap years, and the precession of the perihelion of the Earth's orbit over many centuries the chances inaccuracies become greater.

The "tropical" zodiacal dates (those that divide the zodiac starting with the vernal equinox) are primarily observed in the United States and western Europe. For the most part, people who are uneducated about astronomy have limited their knowledge about the universe by having heard about our solar system only in an astrological context and Zodiac signs.

SAGITTARIUS - The Centaur ~ Rulers: Jupiter - symbol of aspirations and hope The largest planet in our solar system Jupiter represents expansion. Like the mythological king of the gods, Jupiter instils life and wisdom. Optimism, generosity, luck, humour and opportunity are all associated with this planet. Jupiter is benevolent and brings good fortune.

November 22 - December 21

CAPRICORN - The Goat ~ Ruler: Saturn - symbol of realism, authority and study. Associated with 'Old Man Time' with his sickle, Saturn restrains our actions. Saturn governs long term plans- study, concentration and dogma are his touchstone. Saturn is realistic, authoritarian and practical.

December 22 - January 20

HOROSCOPE:

The prediction of someone's future based on the relative positions of the planets has fascinated the our human specie since the down of time. Judged to be probable, the reading of a horoscope is an intuitive act which evokes unpredictable responses by the recipient. Making such futaristic predictions about any one's future it is serious as repositioning the planets and signs of the zodiac at a particular time and place.

To achieve this phenomenon one must first understand and be a believer in the familiar "star sign", or more precisely the "sun sign", under which a person is born. This of course refers to the position of the sun in the signs on the tropical ecliptic at the time of his or her birth.

Briefly, the concept of an astrological birth sign is when the person would have some characteristics of the mythic symbolism the ancients identified with that constellation: "Libra" (the scales) as example, will be balanced and stable; because the planets are all found in the zodiac, the position of the Moon or a planet in a particular sign would have an effect on the life of that person.

Giving another example: a person born on June 1st is near the center of the Gemini sign, and Gemini would be his sun sign. Other planets observed near the center of Gemini, would be in "conjunction" with the sun, and said to have a particularly strong effect on the destiny and personality of the person. From yet a different perspective, other planets who are in other signs of the zodiac, their effects would be felt on verious portions of a person's life "ruled" by that sign.

Lastly, significance is also associated to the angular positions of planets and signs relative to each other at the moment of a birth or other significant event.

AQUARIUS - The Water Carrier ~ Ruler: Uranus - symbol of originality and rebellion or Aquarius. The discovery of Uranus in 1781 coincided with the French Revolution and therefore came to represent revolution, change and freedom. This is also the planet of the great inventor and governs eccentricity, independence, intuition, rhythms, mobility and impulsiveness

January 21 - February 18

PISCES - The Fishes ~ Ruler: Neptune - symbol of fantasy and imagination This blue planet is associated with the sea and governs the intuitive mind, transformation and spirituality. As Pisces ruler It is the psychic's planet and reigns over dreams, fantasy, sensitivity and refinement. It is also the planet of compulsions and addiction.

February 19 - March 20

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