The Origins of the Zodiac
To understand why there are different astrological systems today, we have to look back over 2,000 years to the origins of horoscopic astrology. In ancient Babylon and Greece, the study of the stars and the study of the seasons were one and the same.
Around the 2nd century CE, the Greek astronomer Ptolemy standardized the zodiac used in the West. At that time, the Vernal Equinox (the first day of Spring in the Northern Hemisphere) aligned perfectly with the constellation Aries. Because of this synchronization, the "First Point of Aries" became synonymous with the start of Spring. This system, based on the sun's relationship to the Earth's seasons rather than the background stars, became known as Tropical Astrology.
Understanding Tropical Astrology
Tropical Astrology was created to function as a seasonal calendar. It fixes the zodiac signs to the equinoxes and solstices. In this model, 0 degrees Aries is always the first day of Spring, regardless of where the actual stars are.
However, the universe is not static. The Earth wobbles on its axis like a spinning top, a phenomenon known as the Precession of the Equinoxes. This wobble causes the background constellations to drift backward from our perspective—roughly 1 degree every 72 years.
The 24 Degree Drift: Over the last two millennia, this drift has accumulated to about 24 degrees (almost a full zodiac sign). Today, when the Sun rises on the first day of Spring, it is actually in the constellation Pisces, not Aries. While Tropical astrology stayed loyal to the calendar, it drifted away from the cosmos.
What is Sidereal Astronomical Astrology?
Sidereal Astrology (from the Latin sidus, meaning "star") is the system that stays loyal to the visible sky. It accounts for the precession of the equinoxes, adjusting the zodiac so that it matches the actual constellations you see when you look up at night.
However, most standard Sidereal systems still divide the sky into twelve equal 30-degree slices. This is where the Frequency Forecast model goes deeper. We utilize True Sidereal Astrology (also known as Constellational Astrology).
True Sidereal Astrology acknowledges two astronomical facts:
- Uneven Signs: Constellations are not perfect 30-degree boxes. Virgo is a massive constellation spanning over 40 degrees, while Cancer is small, spanning only about 20 degrees.
- The 13th Sign (Ophiuchus): The Sun actually passes through thirteen constellations on the ecliptic, not twelve. Between Scorpio and Sagittarius lies Ophiuchus, the Serpent Bearer, a constellation that the Sun traverses for about two weeks every December.
Bridging Two Worlds
For centuries, a debate has raged between Western (Tropical) astrologers who value psychological archetypes and Eastern (Vedic/Sidereal) astrologers who value predictive accuracy.
Our model bridges these two worlds.
We bridge them by applying the rich, psychological wisdom of Western astrology to the actual positions of the stars.
From Tropical
We retain the deep understanding of planetary aspects, psychological archetypes, and character analysis that Western astrology has perfected.
From Sidereal
We apply these interpretations to the true astronomical positions of the planets.
For example, if the Tropical system says you are a Leo, but the Sun was actually in the constellation Cancer when you were born, we interpret the archetype of Cancer. We believe the energy you embody comes from the actual star system the Sun was filtering through at your birth, not the seasonal calendar date.
Why This Model Makes the Most Sense
The Frequency Forecast model is chosen for one simple reason: Energetic Resonance.
Astrology is the study of the correlation between celestial events and earthly events. It makes the most logical and intuitive sense to base this study on the visible reality of the sky.