Astrology is a fascinating and complex field that has been studied and practised for centuries in various cultures around the world. Western astrology, in particular, has evolved over time, with different schools of thought and approaches to interpreting astrological charts emerging throughout history.
Two of the most notable branches of Western astrology are traditional astrology and Hellenistic astrology. While both share some similarities, they also differ in their philosophy, techniques, and interpretation methods.
We will explore the key differences between traditional and Hellenistic astrology to help you understand these two fascinating branches of Western astrology more deeply.
Explaining Astrology and Its Evolution
Traditional astrology refers to the astrological practices and beliefs that were prevalent in different cultures across the world. This astrology was based on observations of celestial bodies, including planets, stars, and constellations. Traditional astrologers believed that each planet uniquely influenced human life and personality traits. They used complex calculations to create birth charts or horoscopes, which provided insights into an individual’s destiny.
Hellenistic astrology is a branch of traditional astrology that developed in ancient Greece and Egypt during the Hellenistic period. It was heavily influenced by Greek philosophy, specifically Stoicism and Neoplatonism.
Hellenistic astrologers introduced new concepts, such as using planetary rulerships for signs and houses, dividing zodiac signs into decans (10-degree segments), and introducing lots or Arabic parts.
The evolution of astrology continued with medieval Islamic astrology, Indian Vedic astrology, Chinese astrology, and modern Western astrology. Despite cultural differences in astrological practices, they all share common themes, such as using celestial bodies to predict future events or gain insight into personal characteristics. Astrology remains a popular subject today, with many individuals turning to it for guidance in their lives.
Traditional Astrology:
Traditional astrology refers to using ancient astrological techniques and principles that date back to the early centuries. It is also referred to as classical, medieval, or Renaissance astrology. Traditional astrologers rely on a set of techniques that have been passed down over centuries through various cultures, including Hellenistic and Persian astrology.
One key difference between traditional and Hellenistic astrology is their approach to chart interpretation. While Hellenistic astrologers focused on delineating specific planetary influences on various areas of life, traditional astrologers emphasised the importance of planetary rulerships and dignities in determining a person’s destiny. Therefore, traditional astrologers emphasise aspects such as receptions, sects, essential dignities, and accidental debilities, among others.
Western astrology has undergone significant changes, with modern-day practitioners incorporating new interpretations with each passing day. However, for those who desire a more structured method rooted in history while still having practical application today, turning towards traditional astrology may be an excellent option.
Overview of Principles and Beliefs
Traditional astrology is rooted in the belief that celestial bodies have a direct impact on human life and events. The principles of traditional astrology are based on the teachings of ancient philosophers like Plato and Aristotle, who believed that everything in the universe was interconnected. Traditional astrologers use horoscopes, birth charts, and planetary alignments to understand a person’s personality traits, relationships, career paths, and future opportunities.
On the other hand, Hellenistic astrology developed in Greece during the 2nd century BCE under the influence of Babylonian astronomy. Hellenistic astrologers believed that celestial bodies had a less direct impact on human life than previously thought. They focused more on interpreting astrological symbols rather than making predictions based solely on planetary positions. The principles of Hellenistic astrology emphasise individual free will and personal responsibility for one’s actions.
Despite their differences, both traditional and Hellenistic astrology hold beliefs in common such as karma or fate playing a role in one’s life path, cycles of time affecting individuals and societies alike and understanding oneself through self-reflection with guidance from astrological interpretations. Ultimately both practices seek to provide insight into oneself and offer direction for navigating life experiences with awareness informed by broader cosmic perspectives beyond our everyday lives.
Hellenistic Astrology
Hellenistic astrology is a branch of astrology that originated in ancient Greece and developed during the Hellenistic period. While traditional astrology focuses on individual birth charts and the influence of celestial bodies on one’s personality and fate, Hellenistic astrology places greater emphasis on predicting events and outcomes based on planetary alignments.
One key difference between traditional and Hellenistic astrology is the use of timing techniques. Traditional astrologers often rely heavily on transits, which track the movement of planets in relation to an individual’s natal chart. In contrast, Hellenistic astrologers use time-lord systems to predict events over more extended periods. These systems divide a person’s life into specific “periods” ruled by different planets or combinations of planets.
Another distinguishing feature of Hellenistic astrology is its focus on triplicities or “trigons.” These groups of three zodiac signs share common characteristics based on their element (fire, earth, air, or water). Triplicities were used in ancient times to assign rulership over certain areas of life (for example, Mars rules over war while Venus rules over love), as well as to determine compatibility between individuals based on their signs’ shared elements.
Differences in Techniques
The differences between traditional and Hellenistic astrology lie in their techniques and approaches. Traditional astrology, also known as medieval or Renaissance astrology, is based on the teachings of ancient Greek astrologers such as Ptolemy and later developed during the medieval period. Traditional astrology focuses on predicting future events through the analysis of planetary movements, using techniques like horary and electional astrology.
On the other hand, Hellenistic astrology dates back to the 2nd century BCE and was practised by astrologers in Alexandria, Egypt. This form of astrology focused more on character analysis rather than prediction. It used techniques like zodiacal releasing (a technique that reveals periods of a person’s life where certain planets are activated) and annual profections (a technique that looks at how a person’s chart changes as they age).
Another major difference between these two forms of astrology lies in their use of house systems. Traditional astrologers primarily use whole sign houses, while Hellenistic astrologers tend to use quadrant houses. These differences in techniques reflect different philosophical approaches to understanding human destiny – one focuses more on prediction and fate. At the same time, the other emphasises free will and the potential for personal growth.
Adam Elenbaas on The Differences Between Hellenistic and Modern Astrology
In this podcast, Nightlight Astrology’s Adam Elenbaas is interviewed by his friend and social media assistant, Cat Neligan, on the differences between ancient Hellenistic and modern astrology.
Adam sets the tone for the discussion by explaining that Hellenistic refers to the ancient Greek period and the astrology practised during that time. He clarifies that Horoscopic astrology is the practice of casting a birth chart for an individual based on their birthplace, birth time, and birth date.
The resulting chart is divided into 12 houses, each representing different aspects of life, and the planets and signs are placed accordingly, forming aspects that reveal the chart’s meaning.
Hellenistic astrology refers to the study of ancient texts that detail astrology’s rules, methods, and techniques during that period and the underlying spiritual philosophy that practitioners used. As opposed to modern astrology, which sees many astrologers practising in their ways, Hellenistic astrology was practised as more of a science.
The house division system is one significant technical difference between ancient Hellenistic and modern astrology. Ancient astrologers primarily used the whole sign house system, where the rising sign becomes the entirety of the first house, the following sign in zodiacal order becomes the second whole sign house, and so on.
Modern astrology uses a quadrant-based house division system, which divides the signs into smaller sections. Adam believes that whole sign houses are more accurate than any other form of house division.
Another distinction is the planets used. At the same time, modern astrology uses planets such as Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto, Hellenistic astrology sticks to only the traditional seven planets (Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Sun, and Moon). The Nodes of the Moon are also interpreted differently in ancient astrology, and there is a specific language around the traditional seven planets that is less rich in modern astrology.
The interview discusses the vast array of technical differences between ancient Hellenistic and modern astrology, including aspects, planets, rulerships, and techniques. However, Adam notes that it’s not a binary choice between ancient and contemporary astrology but rather a matter of appreciating both and finding the best of both worlds.
The readings you get from a traditional Hellenistic astrologer will be much more focused on predicting future events in your life based on your chart. They will also provide more insight into your karmic journey and an understanding of the patterns and cycles in your life.
There is also a greater emphasis on the spiritual aspect of astrology and recognising that the chart is just a diagnostic tool to help us navigate through life rather than something that defines us or our identity.
However, modern astrology can still provide valuable insights into our personality traits and behaviours, and many great modern astrologers can provide impactful readings. Ultimately, it comes down to personal preference and what type of astrological guidance resonates with you the most.
In this video, the speaker talks about how ancient astrology can be used to determine the consequences of past actions, known as karma, and how they affect an individual’s present and future life.
Ancient astrologers could predict specific events, such as health issues and difficult transits, and identify the areas of life where these events would occur. The speaker emphasises that karma is accurate and that we are responsible for improving it through good deeds.
Adam also discusses astrology’s evolution and the practice’s current state. He explains that we should not look to the past with an idealistic view but rather understand that there are trade-offs and advantages to different times in history. Additionally, he acknowledges that how we use astrology may need to change to better suit our modern lifestyle.
Overall, the speaker highlights the importance of using astrology to pursue spiritual life and improve karma while acknowledging that the practice must be adapted to the current times.
The podcast is light-hearted and engaging. Adam is very knowledgeable in Hellenistic astrology and is open to hearing from the viewers about their experiences. The podcast encourages the audience to express their views and opinions, creating a community spirit.
Overall, the podcast is an excellent resource for anyone looking to widen their knowledge of Hellenistic astrology. Adam’s approachable and friendly manner would make it easy for newbies to grasp the concepts discussed. Furthermore, the opportunity to exchange experiences with others could be an enriching experience for viewers.
Comparison of predictive methods
When it comes to predicting future events, there are several methods available. Some of the commonly used predictive techniques include traditional astrology and Hellenistic astrology. While both these methods are based on astrological principles, there are notable differences in their approach and interpretation.
Traditional astrology focuses on the use of zodiac signs and planetary positions to predict future events. It assigns specific meanings to each planet and their placement in different houses of a horoscope chart. On the other hand, Hellenistic astrology places more emphasis on the relationship between planets rather than their individual meanings. It uses specific techniques like profections, solar returns, and timing cycles to predict future events.
Another significant difference between traditional and Hellenistic astrology is that traditional astrology is more focused on personality analysis, while Hellenistic astrology is more event-oriented. Traditional astrologers emphasise analysing one’s natal chart to determine one’s character traits, strengths, weaknesses etc.. In contrast, Hellenistic astrologers focus primarily on using predictive methods to forecast important life events such as marriage or career success.
Differences in Philosophies
Traditional astrology, also known as classical astrology, dates back to ancient times and is based on the belief that celestial bodies directly impact human affairs. Traditional astrologers use a geocentric model of the universe and focus primarily on the positions of the planets in relation to each other and their influence on individuals’ personalities and life events. They also emphasise astrological aspects such as conjunctions, squares, trines, and oppositions.
On the other hand, Hellenistic astrology emerged during the Hellenistic period in Greece and focused more on divination than character analysis. Hellenistic astrologers use a heliocentric model of the universe and incorporate techniques such as timing through planetary periods or “lots,” which are calculated using specific mathematical formulas. They also consider fixed stars in their readings and pay attention to predictive techniques like profections, solar returns, and zodiacal releasing.
Overall, while traditional and Hellenistic astrology share some similarities in their basic principles (such as using horoscopes to interpret celestial influences), they differ significantly in terms of philosophical approach and methodology. Traditional astrology emphasises character analysis through planetary positions, while Hellenistic astrology focuses more heavily on predictive techniques through complex calculations.