How it progressed in the United States September 19, 2008
Posted by egabriel in History of Astrology.Tags: articles, astrological, astrology, attempt, books, columns, complex, concepts, contention, controversy, descriptions, factor, forecasts, interest, journalists, magazines, materials, modern, newspapers, period, points, popular, position, practice, public, readers, result, serious, sun, war, writings
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The serious and complex writings on astrological practice and concepts in America progressed into a new period of popular. Many complex astrological materials were simplified to attempt to carve a clear line through points of contention and controversy.
Great public interest in astrology made publishers realize that millions of readers were interested in astrological forecasts and the interest grew ever more intense with the advent of America’s entry into the First World War. The war heightened interest in astrology. Journalists began to write articles based on character descriptions and astrological forecasts were published in newspapers based on the one and only factor known to the public: the month and day of birth, as taken from the position of the Sun when a person is born. The result of this practice led to modern-day publishing of Sun-Sign astrology columns and expanded to some astrological books and magazines in second half of the twentieth century.
How it was in the beginning September 19, 2008
Posted by egabriel in History of Astrology.Tags: astrologer, astrological, astrology, celebrities, distribution, forecasts, horoscope, interest, journals, papers, popular, practice, precedent, readings, texts
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In the first half of twentieth century a great surge of popular interest in astrology took place in the US. A very popular astrologer Evangeline Adams from New York City helped quench the public’s thirst for astrology readings with many accurate forecasts. Adams was even arrested and charged with illegal fortunetelling in 1914. But the case was dismissed when Adams correctly read the horoscope of the judge’s son provided with just his birth date. Her acquittal set a precedent, establishing that astrologers can practice freely and was not guilty of any wrongdoing.
The wave of interest towards astrology even increased by wide distribution of astrological journals, text, papers, and textbooks throughout the United States. Astrologers became celebrities, like, for example, Alan Leo, Sepharial, Paul Cheisnard and Charles Carter.
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Mayan calendar and Mayan astrology September 19, 2008
Posted by egabriel in History of Astrology.Tags: ancient, astrologer, astrology, beginning, calendar, constellation, curious, cycle, evidence, horoscope, influence, life, mayan, movements, observatory, planets, priest, profession, ritual, rulers, solar, superstitions, system, victim, warfare, year, zodiac
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Ancient astrology. It is an interesting subject. Call me superstitious, but where do we turn in the times of crisis? Recently I read curious stuff about Mayan astrology. It turns out that the distinctive Mayan calendar and Mayan astrology have been in use in Meso-America from at least the 6th Century BC. There were two main calendars, one plotting the solar year of 365 days, which governed the planting of crops and other domestic matters; the other called the Tzolkin of 260 days, which governed ritual use. Each was linked to an elaborate astrological system to cover every facet of life.
On the fifth day after the birth of a boy, the Mayan astrologer-priests would cast his horoscope to see what his profession was to be: soldier, priest, civil servant or sacrificial victim. A 584 day Venus cycle was also maintained, which tracked the appearance and conjunctions of Venus. Planet Venus was seen as a generally inauspicious and baleful influence, and Mayan rulers often planned the beginning of warfare to coincide with when Venus rose. There is evidence that the Maya also tracked the movements of Mercury, Mars and Jupiter, and possessed a zodiac of some kind. The Mayan name for the constellation Scorpio was also ’scorpion’, isn’t it something?
There is evidence for other constellations being named after various beasts, but it remains unclear. The most famous Mayan astrological observatory still intact is the Caracol observatory in the ancient Mayan city of Chichen Itza in modern day Mexico.
European cultural traditions September 12, 2008
Posted by egabriel in Supernatural.Tags: celts, contact, cultural, culture, festival, halloween, holidays, immigrants, myth, physical world, spirits, story, traditions, versions
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No matter what you say, I think that Halloween is one of the greatest holidays ever. We are already missing it and wait for the next one. I heard more versions about the origin of a Halloween than fingers on both my hands and my toes. Some are no more than a myth. But this story that I found in archives of funeral home directory, seems to be closer to truth than others. So, here it is.
I read that Halloween originated from the Pagan festival Samhain, celebrated among the Celts of Ireland. And that Irish immigrants carried versions of the tradition to North America in the nineteenth century. Many European cultural traditions hold that Halloween is one of the times of the year when spirits can make contact with the physical world.
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Influence of stars September 12, 2008
Posted by egabriel in History of Astrology.Tags: ancient, astrological, astrology, astronomy, belief, branches, connection, cosmos, crisis, cultures, history, human, influence, lives, matters, nations, report, research, science, stars, study, superstition, time
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While working on my research for funeral home directory, I started thinking more about the influence of stars, in general, and astrology on our lives. I know, what you are going to say – this is not a real science, it is a superstition, etc, etc. Well, a lot of people would agree with you and then in the time of crisis would check in privacy of their homes astrological reports. And I am not an exception, at least I admit this.
As you may well know, the history of astrology encompasses a great span of human history and many cultures. The belief in a connection between the cosmos and terrestrial matters has also played an important part in human history. Basically, there are three main independent branches of astrology: Western, Indian, and Chinese. The study of Western astrology and the belief in it, as part of astronomy, is found in a developed form among the ancient Babylonians; and directly or indirectly through the Babylonians, it spread to other nations. It came to Greece about the middle of the 4th century B.C., and reached Rome before the advent of the Christian era. In India and China, astronomy and astrology developed largely independently.
Speaking about ghosts September 3, 2008
Posted by egabriel in Supernatural.Tags: adaptations, favorite, film, genealogy, ghosts, movie, source
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The third place is firmly held by Oscar Wilde’s The Canterville Ghost, which has been adapted for film and TV on several occasions. And in the vague distant fourth stands Henry James’s The Turn of the Screw, that has also appeared in a number of adaptations.
Speaking about ghosts, my favorite movie bears the same name “The Ghost”. Yeah, I know, what you’re gonna say (too cheesy, too phony, blah, blah, blah). Well, what’s the girl to do? If you add to this movie, others like “Dracula”, tv series “Angel” and “Buffy, the vampire slayer”, you can imagine, who you’re dealing with right now. I am also into genealogy, you can ask me about the line of British monarchs since 8 century or French kings starting with old Francia chieftains, and I will give you the right answer, even if you wake me up in the middle of the night.
When I work on building the genealogical tree, I go first through online databases. My favorite source, naturally is my funeral home directory, simply because it is a great place to get free access to funeral homes, funeral operators and funeral directors. Usually, they are very nice – I never got any rejections. Helpful bunch, what can I say?
Series of cryptic prophecies September 3, 2008
Posted by egabriel in History of Astrology.Tags: astrologer, astrologers, astrology, cryptic, events, famous, horoscope, popular, predictions, prophecies, publications, supporters
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The most famous predictions about European and world affairs were made by the astrologer Nostradamus. His claim to fame came after the publication in 1555 of his work Centuries. A book that represented a series of cryptic prophecies. So obscure are the predictions that they have been interpreted as relating to a great variety of events since, including the French and English Revolutions, and the World War 2.
Nostradamus became so popular that in 1556 he was summoned to the French court by queen Catherine de Medici and commissioned to draw up the horoscope of the royal children. She was one of his most staunch supporters. Later Nostradamus fell out of favor with many in the court and was accused of a witchcraft, but Catherine de Medici continued to support him and patronized him until his death.
