I'd bet that some may groan at the resurfacing of this thread. Sorry about that. My intention is to speak to those who have explored astrology, with no interest in persuading others. Von, I love your recognition that used in one way, astrology can be as valuable a personality inventory tool as is the MMPI. When I practiced as a psychotherapist, I used astrology a lot for this purpose, when the client was amenable. It's an especially useful tool for couples counseling and parent / child relationships, as well as for understanding some of the interpersonal dynamics in the workplace. @Yvonne Smith -- Capricorn+ here too. You made the crucial point that astrology is a highly complex observational science that is vastly more than a mere Sun sign, altho the Sun sign alone can be illumination (groan, sorry about the predictable pun). We also look at Moon (mine is Leo) and ascendant -- which is the sign that is on the horizon in the location and at the moment of a birth, commonly called the Rising Sign (Scorpio for me). And beyond those three are the relationships, called aspects, between everything in a chart, some of which show a potential and others of which show a trait. And all of it can be mediated by free will and mindful awareness, or lack thereof. Oh and all of that is impacted, or not, by the daily moment of the planets, and some asteroids. Thank goodness for computers now that can plot all of that instantly. Ruth mentioned needing both day-month-year and time of birth (hour and minute). You also need location of birth along with current location of residence to draw an accurate chart. For those who don't know their correct time of birth, there are ways to calculate one. Ask me if you're interested. Fun facts: Hippocrates, credited as the father of modern medicine, believed that physicians needed a deep knowledge of astrology in order to successfully diagnose and treat patients. Famed psychiatrist / psychoanalyst Carl Jung believe astrology to be the summation of all ancient knowledge of psychology. Although the craft can be used for a variety of things, including financial investments, I agree with Jung that it's a valuable aid in working with therapy clients, and anyone who is interested in personal enlightenment. BTW, we're coming up on another Mercury in Retrograde. I may have to start a thread on that!
@Lon Tanner , there are a thousand ways to start. Would you be more interested in knowing more about the mechanics of the basic moving pieces, the history and uses, or the time tested interpretations? If you're curious about your own chart, PM your complete birthdate and time, and place of birth. I can run a chart for you.
Here is another 2015 resurrection that I think is worthy of more discussion. I hate to see it die with Hal calling it bunk and not science. There are many that use it for entertainment and take it out of the rim of science, but it is based on science IE microgravity, magnetism, cycles, moon phases, and the solar system in general. I was never all that into it, but my father that was a highly degreed scientist (considered genius by pre-NASA) and worked in high-level government space jobs, did make a scientific connection and connect it to indisputable laws of science. Even the entertainment versions peg me with amazing accuracy with their descriptions of a Scorpio woman. I don't live my life by it or even check it to see how my day will go, but I do see how our personalities are affected by it.
Of all of the things I could, should or would want to pay any attention to, astrology would not be one of them.
Always happy to see a good thread revived, I nevertheless default to considering astrology to be bogus and, if science at all, I would consider it to be a pseudoscience, this despite the fact that my mother-in-law, whom I liked, wrote this book, among others. Although she has passed away, her website is still up. The book is no longer available, although Amazon has a copy from time to time. Not at the moment, though. My brother-in-law is also an astrologer, with a radio show in Oregon or Washington. At least, I think he still has the show. I once drove from Seattle to Maine with him and, despite the fact that he is on the left-wing lunatic fringe, we managed to have cordial arguments all the way. I actually like him. I don't think he should be allowed to vote, but I like him.
Astrology is like hypnosis. It can be used in a useful therapeutic way or entertaining way. Beth is correct with the quote from Ike that most horoscopes are general and anyone can find something that applies to them. These general entertainment horoscopes do not take into account one's actual day and hour of birth. If one does a chart of my birthday and hour, one from 1960 would differ from mine in 1950. In my case, the general entertainment horoscope is very accurate in nearly every detail. That made it easy for me if a guy that didn't know me asked me out. I could say go read the general Scorpio horoscope for women and then ask me again. I always gave them an out.
Consider Tarnas' Cosmos and Psyche. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosmos_and_Psyche I only got it because I found The Passion of the Western Mind remarkable: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Passion_of_the_Western_Mind
Years ago I read of a college professor who brought an "astrologist" into class. The students were asked to fill out a form where they listed the details of their birth as detailed as they possibly could, to include exact time of birth. They were told that each one of them was to receive a custom horoscope. Some weeks passed, and the astrologist returned with a stack of envelopes, one for each student with their name written on it. He handed them out, and the students were instructed to read their horoscopes. After they finished, the professor asked: How many of you thought this was so spot-on it was creepy? 75% of the hands went up. How many of you thought this was kinda close but not really exactly you? 15% of the hands went up. How many of you thought this was nothing like you at all? 10% of the hands went up. OK. Now swap horoscopes with the person sitting next to you so you can read each other's. They did so, and discovered that the horoscopes were all identical.