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| {{Short description|Branch of astrology dealing with politics, government, and law}} | |||
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| ], ''Harmonia macrocosmica'', plate 15, 1661]] | |||
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| '''Mundane astrology''' is the application of ] to world affairs and world events, taking its name from the ] word ''mundus'', meaning ''"the ]"''. Mundane astrology is widely believed by ] to be the most ] branch of astrology.<ref>{{cite book|title=From the Omens of Babylon: Astrology and Ancient Mesopotamia|author=Michael Baigent|publisher=Arkana|year=1994}}</ref> Astrological practices of divination and planetary interpretation have been used for millennia to answer political questions. It was, however, only with the gradual emergence of ] from the sixth century B.C. that astrology developed into two distinct branches, mundane astrology and natal astrology.<ref>{{cite book|title=Mundane astrology|author=Michael Baigent, Nicholas Campion and Charles Harvey|publisher=Thorsons|year=1984}}</ref>. | |||
| '''Mundane astrology''', also known as '''political astrology''', is the branch of ] dealing with ], the ], and the ] governing a particular ], ], or ]. The name derives name from the ] term {{Lang|la|mundus}}, 'world'. | |||
| Mundane astrology deals with the study of events at a national level which are significant enough to affect the harmony, hopes, expectations and material conditions of the citizens. Often there is a considerable focus on the ], ] or ] of a particular ], ], ] or ]. The most prevalent approach to the study of mundane astrology is by focusing on the horoscope representing the birth of a collective entity. It is held that certain countries have ] (or ]s) just like a person is said to in astrology. For example, the modern state of India is widely considered to have come into being at midnight on August 15, 1947, when its independence was attained from Britain. This time gives rise to a national horoscope for this country, which can be analyzed in terms of the natal potential and the impacts of ] planets in the horoscope at any given time. The other approach is the ancient practice of predicting mundane events based on the study of ] phenomena, such as the movement of celestial bodies through signs in the ], aspects between planets or astronomical cycles. This approach makes no reference to a national horoscope. | |||
| Certain countries have ] (or ]s) just like a person is said to in astrology; for example, the chart for the United States is widely thought to be sometime during the day of ], ], for this is the exact day that the ] was signed and made fully official, thus causing the "birth" of the United States as a nation. Indeed, ] is a major national ] in America and unequivocally thought of as the "]" of the entire nation. | |||
| Astrology is considered to be a pseudo-science by the scientific community. | |||
| == |
==History== | ||
| Mundane astrology is widely believed by astrological historians to be the most ancient branch of ].{{sfnp|Baigent|1994|p={{page needed|date=November 2022}}}} Early Babylonian astrology was exclusively concerned with mundane astrology, being geographically oriented, specifically applied to countries cities and nations, and almost wholly concerned with the welfare of the state and the king as the governing head of the nation.{{sfnp|Koch-Westenholz|1995|p=19}} Astrological practices of divination and planetary interpretation have been used for millennia to answer political questions, but only with the gradual emergence of ], from the sixth century BC, did astrology develop into the two distinct branches of mundane astrology and ].{{sfnp|Baigent|Campion|Harvey|1984|p={{page needed|date=November 2022}}}}{{sfnp|Broecke|2003|pp=}} | |||
| The earliest known artifacts of astrology date back to ] in the 16th century B.C..<ref>{{cite book|title=A History of Horoscopic Astrology|author=James Herschel Holden|publisher=AFA|year= 1996}}</ref> The evidence suggests this omen-based astrology was solely practiced in the realm of mundane predictions.<ref>{{cite book|title=From the Omens of Babylon: Astrology and Ancient Mesopotamia|author=Michael Baigent|publisher=Arkana|year=1994}}</ref> From that time there have been three major developments in mundane astrology, associated also with significant advances in astronomical knowledge. In 120 ] the ] ] ] set down the fundamentals of mundane astrology in ''Book II: Mundane astrology'' of his famous treatise on astrology, the ''Tetrabiblos''. In the ninth and tenth centuries the astrologers of the ] added many more techniques, particularly the use of the cycles of ] and ] to identify the rise and fall of ] and religions. The twentieth century saw a major proliferation of techniques, including those based on the use of ].{{cn}} | |||
| ==Techniques and principles== | |||
| ==Mundane Horoscopes== | |||
| Astrologically, the affairs of a nation are judged from the horoscope set up at the time of its official inauguration or the birth chart of its leader, or various phenomena such as ], ], ]s, planetary stations, ] and ].{{sfnp|Raphael|1996|pp=15-17}} | |||
| Just as a person has a horoscope cast for the moment of their birth, so too can states and nations have horoscopes cast for the moment of their beginning.<ref>Derek and Julia Parker, ''The New Compleat Astrologer'', pp184-5, Crescent Books, New York, 1990</ref> In many cases the correct date is not clear, and in most cases a nation or country has multiple birth charts. For example, many astrologers take the date of England's horoscope as Christmas Day 1066 - the day when that William the Conqueror had the crown set upon his head. There is also a chart set for midnight on 1 May 1707 (Old Style), the time of the Union of England and Wales with Scotland creating Great Britain. The Union then grew again on 1 January 1801 with the Union of Great Britain and Ireland. A further change took place as the Republic of Ireland left the Union, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was created. Another example of a country/state that has multiple 'birthdays' is France, which regained its independence after the occupation of the Second World War as the Fourth Republic on 10 October 1946, while the present French system came into being as the Fifth Republic after a referendum held on 28 September 1958. Similarly in Germany the present state system came into effect with the enactment of the Basic Law in August 1949, yet it is also considered by most astrologers that a new state has come into being with German re-unification in October 1990.{{cn}} In principle, any organisation or object can have a chart cast for the moment of its 'birth'.<ref>Derek and Julia Parker, ''Ibid'', p184</ref> For example, the ship ''Titanic's'' horoscope is generally cast for noon on 10 April 1912 when the ocean liner first set sail. | |||
| The techniques of the subject were discussed in detail in the 2nd century work of the ]n ] ], who outlined its principles in the second book of his ]. Ptolemy set this topic before his discussion of individual birth charts because he argued that the astrological assessment of any 'particular' individual must rest upon prior knowledge of the 'general' temperament of their ethnic type; and that the circumstances of individual lives are subsumed, to some extent, within the fate of their community.{{efn|{{harvp|Ptolemy|1940|loc=II, 2: p. }}: "And since weaker natures always yield to the stronger, and the particular always falls under the general, it would by all means be necessary for those who purpose an inquiry about a single individual long before to have comprehended the more general considerations".}} The third chapter of his work offers an association between planets, zodiac signs and the national characteristics of 73 nations. It concludes with three assertions which act as core principles of mundane astrology: | |||
| ===Horoscopes for the USA=== | |||
| # Each of the fixed stars has familiarity with the countries attributed to the sign of its ecliptic rising. | |||
| There are many contending dates and times for a national horoscope for the ], but the primary events considered are on the one hand when the states declared their independence from ] and on the other when they formed a lasting union.{{cn}} | |||
| # The time of the first founding of a city (or nation) can be used in a similar way to an individual ], to astrologically establish the characteristics and experiences of that city. The most significant considerations are the regions of the zodiac which mark the place of the Sun and Moon, and the ] – in particular the ]. | |||
| # If the time of the foundation of the city or nation is not known, a similar use can be made of the horoscope of whoever holds office or is king at the time, with particular attention given to the ] of that chart.{{sfnp|Ptolemy|1940|loc=II, 3: p. }} | |||
| ==Practice== | |||
| ====''Declaration of Independence (1776)''==== | |||
| The first English astrologer for whom we have evidence of astrological practice is Richard Trewythian,{{sfnp|Page|2001|p=193}} whose notebook is largely concerned with mundane astrology. He constructed horoscopes for the Sun's ingress into Aries over thirty years, and recorded general predictions for twelve of those years between 1430 and 1458.{{sfnp|Page|2001|p=201}} His notebooks demonstrate how he recorded the logic for his conclusions: | |||
| Most astrologers view the birth of the USA as having occurred sometime during the day of July 4, 1776, when the ] was adopted <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.astrodatabank.com/NM/usa.htm|title=Main page|publisher=Astro Databank|accessdate=March 29, 2012}}</ref>{{unreliable source|failed=y}}. Of the many charts proposed for that day, the most widely accepted continues to be the ], set for 5.10pm on 4 July 1776 in Philadelphia. <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.astro.com/astro-databank/Nation:_USA_No.1|title=Sag rising chart|publisher=Astro Databank|accessdate=March 29, 2012}}</ref>{{unreliable source||failed=y}} This chart was generated using medieval techniques which signified the event, rather than purporting to represent the actual time. <ref>Nick Campion's Book of World Horoscopes p417</ref> Other dates also configure in this event. The document, formally entitled ''The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen United States of America'', explained the justifications for separation from the British crown, and was an expansion of ]'s ] (passed by Congress on July 2), which first proclaimed independence. An engrossed copy of the Declaration was signed by most of the delegates on August 2.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.astro.com/astro-databank/Nation:_USA_No.4|title=Armistead July 2 chart|publisher=Astro Databank|accessdate=March 29, 2012}}</ref>{{unreliable source|failed=y}} | |||
| {{blockquote|Pregnant women and boys will incur harm and severe dangers. This conclusion is drawn from the trine aspect between Saturn and Venus on the day of the ingress. {{Clear}} | |||
| ====''Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union (1777-1781)''==== | |||
| Concerning the wars of this year: they will be caused by the aspect of opposition of two heavy planets, which will occur on 27 March. And the time of the beginning of the war will be on the first day of May. This conclusion is drawn by the application of the greater luminary to Saturn. Merchants will be well disposed this year.{{sfnp|Page|2001|p=202}} | |||
| In recent years, some astrologers and historians consider the formation of the country to have occurred with the ] when the country became legally a ] with its own constitution. ] chart is based on November 15, 1777, when the ''Articles'' were approved by the ] to be sent to the states for their ratification. Solte rectified the time as 12.46pm.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.astro.com/astro-databank/Nation:_USA_No.7|title=David Solte 1777 chart|publisher=Astro Databank|accessdate=March 26, 2012}}</ref>{{unreliable source|failed=y}} It bears noting that the Articles had at this time not been ratified by the 13 still ] or independent ]. The SAMVA USA (]) chart<ref>{{cite web|url=http://iipa.net/IIPA2010DH/usa_chart.htm|title=The SAMVA Horoscope for the USA|publisher=International Institute for Predictive Astrology|accessdate=March 26, 2012}}</ref>{{unreliable source|failed=y|<!--from the bottom of page linked: SOURCE OF THIS DOCUMENT: ttp://cosmologer.blogspot.com/2007/12/samva-usa-chart.html-->}} is based on the event when ] became the 13th and final state to pass an Act ] the ] on February 2, 1781. The Act provided the ''requisite unanimous consent for the formation of a perpetual union'' of the thirteen states. The chart was rectified using the techniques of ancient ], notably the ], determining that the ] took place at 5.00pm on that day. Another chart is based on the formal ratification ceremony of the Articles on March 1, 1781, when the ] of the new ] entered into force.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.astro.com/astro-databank/Nation:_USA_No.8|title=Ron Grimes chart|publisher=Astro Databank|accessdate=March 26, 2012}}</ref>{{unreliable source|failed=y}} | |||
| }} | |||
| He also made several predictions concerning the king (Henry VI), such as one he made in 1433 where he noted: "it seems that the king will be sick this year because Saturn is lord of the tenth house".{{sfnp|Page|2001|p=202}} | |||
| ==Astrological Ages== | |||
| {{unsourced|section|date=March 2012}} | |||
| ==Notes== | |||
| ] | |||
| {{notelist}} | |||
| An approach to studying longer-term history through astrology is through the use of "]" indicators, providing a source for the idea of ]. The ] provide another astrological technique for examining the correlations between historical events on a large scale with Ages such as the ], that are generally linked to ]. One complete precessional cycle (Great Year) is approximately 25,600 years, and the average length of an Astrological Age is approximately 2160 years. Many astrologers believe that the world is currently on the cusp of the Age of Pisces, passing into the ]. ] traditionally linked to ] include ], salvation and faith-based religions, ], ] (especially ], but also including all forms of drugs both legal and illicit), ], ], ], psychic phenomena, all esoteric subjects and massive problems that humanity has created for itself. ] associated with ] include ], freedom, ], ], ], ], ], ], freedom fighters and revolutionaries, excitement and the effects of mental instability upon societies. {{cn|date=March 2012}} | |||
| ==Modern scientific appraisal== | |||
| {{main|Astrology}} | |||
| Contemporary science considers astrology a pseudoscience.<ref>{{Cite news|title=The Real Romance in the Stars |author=Richard Dawkins |publisher=The Independent, December 1995 |url=http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/the-real-romance-in-the-stars-1527970.html |location=London |date=31 December 1995}}. See also {{cite web|title=Astronomical Pseudo-Science: A Skeptic's Resource List |publisher=Astronomical Society of the Pacific |url=http://www.astrosociety.org/education/resources/pseudobib.html}}</ref> Criticisms include that astrology is ] and supplies no ], proves impossible to ], and describes natural events in terms of scientifically untestable supernatural causes.<ref name="Hartmann">{{cite journal|last=Hartmann|first=P|coauthors=Reuter M, Nyborga H|title=The relationship between date of birth and individual differences in personality and general intelligence: A large-scale study|journal=Personality and Individual Differences|year=2006|month=May|volume=40|issue=7|pages=1349–1362|doi=10.1016/j.paid.2005.11.017}}</ref>{{Failed verification|date=July 2011}} It has also been suggested that much of the continued faith in astrology could be ] explained as a matter of ].<ref name="Eysenck">] pp.42-48.</ref> Skeptics{{who|date=October 2011}} say that the practice of western astrologers allows them to avoid making verifiable predictions, and gives them the ability to attach significance to arbitrary and unrelated events, in a way that suits their purpose,<ref>About.com: </ref> although science also provides methodologies to separate verifiable significance from arbitrary predictions in research experiments, as demonstrated by ] and ].{{citation needed|date=October 2011}} | |||
| ==References== | ==References== | ||
| {{Reflist|2}} | |||
| <div class="references-small> | |||
| <references/></div> | |||
| ===Works cited=== | |||
| *{{cite book |title=Mundane Astrology |first1=Michael |last1=Baigent |author1-link=Michael Baigent |first2=Nicholas |last2=Campion |author2-link=Nicholas Campion |first3=Charles |last3=Harvey |publisher=Aquarian Press |year=1984 |isbn=978-0850303025}} | |||
| *{{cite book |title=From the Omens of Babylon: Astrology and Ancient Mesopotamia |first=Michael |last=Baigent |publisher=Arkana |year=1994 |isbn=978-0140194807}} | |||
| *{{cite book |first=Steven Vanden |last=Broecke |title=The limits of influence: Pico, Louvain, and the crisis of Renaissance astrology |year=2003 |publisher=Brill |isbn=978-90-04-13169-9}} | |||
| *{{cite book |last=Koch-Westenholz |first=Ulla |year=1995 |title=Mesopotamian Astrology:An Introduction to Babylonian and Assyrian Celestial Divination |publisher=Museum Tusculanum Press |isbn=978-8772892870}} | |||
| *{{cite journal |first=Sophie |last=Page |title=Richard Trewythian and the Uses of Astrology in Late Medieval England |journal=Journal of the Warburg and Courtauld Institutes |volume=64 |year=2001 |pages=193–228 |publisher=The Warburg Institute |doi=10.2307/751562 |jstor=751562|s2cid=160610768 }} | |||
| *{{cite book |last=Ptolemy |first=Claudius |author-link=Ptolemy |title=Tetrabiblos |series=Loeb Classical Library |translator=Frank Egleston Robbins |publisher=Harvard University Press |year=1940 |url=http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Ptolemy/Tetrabiblos/2A*.html |access-date=2022-11-20}} | |||
| *{{cite book |author=Raphael |author-link=Robert Cross Smith |year=1996 |orig-year=1897 |title=Raphael's Mundane Astrology Or the Effects of the Planets and Signs Upon the Nations and Countries of the World |publisher=Sun Publishing Company}} | |||
| == External links == | |||
| ==Further reading== | |||
| * hosted by (accessed 1 July 2012). The complete fourth book of William Ramesey's ''Astrologiae Restaurata'', 'Astrology Restored' (London, 1653), edited and annotated by Steven Birchfield (1.43MB). The Fourth book is entitled ''Astrologia Munda'', 'Mundane Astrology' - said by Birchfield to be the closest thing we have to an accessible textbook on traditional mundane astrology. | |||
| * Nicholas Campion, ''The Book of World Horoscopes'', The Aquarian Press, London, 1988 | |||
| * Stan Barker, ''The Signs of The Times - The Neptune Factor: America's Future and Past as Seen Through Planetary Cycles'', Llewellyn Publications, St Paul, MN USA 1986 | |||
| * E. Alan Meece, ''Horoscope for the New Millennium'', Llewellyn Publications, St Paul MN USA 1997 | |||
| * Dhruva, ''Astrological analysis of Indian Affairs (1947–2050)'', New Delhi: Readworthy Publications (P) Ltd., 2008 (ISBN 9788189973025) | |||
| * "America is Born: Introducing the Regulus USA National Horoscope", Regulus Astrology LLC, Princeton, NJ, 2008. (ISBN 9780980185621) | |||
| * Richard Tarnas, ''Cosmos and Psyche'', Intimations of a New World View, New York, 2006 (ISBN 9780670032921) | |||
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Latest revision as of 00:35, 28 September 2024
Branch of astrology dealing with politics, government, and law
Mundane astrology, also known as political astrology, is the branch of astrology dealing with politics, the government, and the laws governing a particular nation, state, or city. The name derives name from the Latin term mundus, 'world'.
Certain countries have astrological charts (or horoscopes) just like a person is said to in astrology; for example, the chart for the United States is widely thought to be sometime during the day of July 4, 1776, for this is the exact day that the Declaration of Independence was signed and made fully official, thus causing the "birth" of the United States as a nation. Indeed, July 4 is a major national holiday in America and unequivocally thought of as the "birthday" of the entire nation.
History
Mundane astrology is widely believed by astrological historians to be the most ancient branch of astrology. Early Babylonian astrology was exclusively concerned with mundane astrology, being geographically oriented, specifically applied to countries cities and nations, and almost wholly concerned with the welfare of the state and the king as the governing head of the nation. Astrological practices of divination and planetary interpretation have been used for millennia to answer political questions, but only with the gradual emergence of horoscopic astrology, from the sixth century BC, did astrology develop into the two distinct branches of mundane astrology and natal astrology.
Techniques and principles
Astrologically, the affairs of a nation are judged from the horoscope set up at the time of its official inauguration or the birth chart of its leader, or various phenomena such as eclipses, lunations, great conjunctions, planetary stations, comets and ingresses.
The techniques of the subject were discussed in detail in the 2nd century work of the Alexandrian astronomer Ptolemy, who outlined its principles in the second book of his Tetrabiblos. Ptolemy set this topic before his discussion of individual birth charts because he argued that the astrological assessment of any 'particular' individual must rest upon prior knowledge of the 'general' temperament of their ethnic type; and that the circumstances of individual lives are subsumed, to some extent, within the fate of their community. The third chapter of his work offers an association between planets, zodiac signs and the national characteristics of 73 nations. It concludes with three assertions which act as core principles of mundane astrology:
- Each of the fixed stars has familiarity with the countries attributed to the sign of its ecliptic rising.
- The time of the first founding of a city (or nation) can be used in a similar way to an individual horoscope, to astrologically establish the characteristics and experiences of that city. The most significant considerations are the regions of the zodiac which mark the place of the Sun and Moon, and the four angles of the chart – in particular the ascendant.
- If the time of the foundation of the city or nation is not known, a similar use can be made of the horoscope of whoever holds office or is king at the time, with particular attention given to the midheaven of that chart.
Practice
The first English astrologer for whom we have evidence of astrological practice is Richard Trewythian, whose notebook is largely concerned with mundane astrology. He constructed horoscopes for the Sun's ingress into Aries over thirty years, and recorded general predictions for twelve of those years between 1430 and 1458. His notebooks demonstrate how he recorded the logic for his conclusions:
Pregnant women and boys will incur harm and severe dangers. This conclusion is drawn from the trine aspect between Saturn and Venus on the day of the ingress.
Concerning the wars of this year: they will be caused by the aspect of opposition of two heavy planets, which will occur on 27 March. And the time of the beginning of the war will be on the first day of May. This conclusion is drawn by the application of the greater luminary to Saturn. Merchants will be well disposed this year.
He also made several predictions concerning the king (Henry VI), such as one he made in 1433 where he noted: "it seems that the king will be sick this year because Saturn is lord of the tenth house".
Notes
- Ptolemy (1940), II, 2: p. 119: "And since weaker natures always yield to the stronger, and the particular always falls under the general, it would by all means be necessary for those who purpose an inquiry about a single individual long before to have comprehended the more general considerations".
References
- Baigent (1994), p. .
- Koch-Westenholz (1995), p. 19.
- Baigent, Campion & Harvey (1984), p. .
- Broecke (2003), pp. 185 ff.
- Raphael (1996), pp. 15–17.
- Ptolemy (1940), II, 3: p. pp.157–161.
- Page (2001), p. 193.
- Page (2001), p. 201.
- ^ Page (2001), p. 202.
Works cited
- Baigent, Michael; Campion, Nicholas; Harvey, Charles (1984). Mundane Astrology. Aquarian Press. ISBN 978-0850303025.
- Baigent, Michael (1994). From the Omens of Babylon: Astrology and Ancient Mesopotamia. Arkana. ISBN 978-0140194807.
- Broecke, Steven Vanden (2003). The limits of influence: Pico, Louvain, and the crisis of Renaissance astrology. Brill. ISBN 978-90-04-13169-9.
- Koch-Westenholz, Ulla (1995). Mesopotamian Astrology:An Introduction to Babylonian and Assyrian Celestial Divination. Museum Tusculanum Press. ISBN 978-8772892870.
- Page, Sophie (2001). "Richard Trewythian and the Uses of Astrology in Late Medieval England". Journal of the Warburg and Courtauld Institutes. 64. The Warburg Institute: 193–228. doi:10.2307/751562. JSTOR 751562. S2CID 160610768.
- Ptolemy, Claudius (1940). Tetrabiblos. Loeb Classical Library. Translated by Frank Egleston Robbins. Harvard University Press. Retrieved 2022-11-20.
- Raphael (1996) . Raphael's Mundane Astrology Or the Effects of the Planets and Signs Upon the Nations and Countries of the World. Sun Publishing Company.
External links
- 17th Century study in the Ancient Art of Mundane Astrology hosted by Skyscript (accessed 1 July 2012). The complete fourth book of William Ramesey's Astrologiae Restaurata, 'Astrology Restored' (London, 1653), edited and annotated by Steven Birchfield (1.43MB). The Fourth book is entitled Astrologia Munda, 'Mundane Astrology' - said by Birchfield to be the closest thing we have to an accessible textbook on traditional mundane astrology.
