DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION LUCKNOW UNIVERSITY
INDIAN ETHOS AND VALUES
Term Project on
“A study on Astrology”
Submitted to:
Submitted by:
Dr. B.L. Bajpai
Vimal Kumar Verma M.B.A. (Ist Sem.) Roll no. 59
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT During the course of this project there have been many people who have been greatly helpful to me within their personal capacities in various ways. I take this opportunity to express my gratitude for the cooperation and patience they have shown. I would first and foremost like to thank Dr.B.L.Bajpai, who have guided me at every stage of this project. I would also like to thank my seniors and friends, who have always provided me valuable suggestions and helped me a lot in the completion of the project.
CONTENT 1. Astrology 2. Core Beliefs 3. Tradition 4. The Zodiac 5. Horoscopic Astrology 6. History of Astrology 7. Indian Astrology 8. Western Astrology 9. Astrology and Science 10. Effect on World Culture
ASTROLOGY
Astrology is a group of systems, traditions, and beliefs in which knowledge of the relative positions of celestial bodies and related details is held to be useful in understanding, interpreting, and organizing information about personality, human affairs, and other terrestrial matters. Numerous traditions and applications employing astrological concepts have arisen since its earliest recorded beginnings in the 3rd millennium BC. It has played a role in the shaping of culture, early astronomy, and other disciplines throughout history. Astrology and astronomy were often indistinguishable before the modern era, with the desire for predictive and divinatory knowledge one of the primary motivating factors for astronomical observation. Astronomy began to diverge from astrology after a period of gradual separation from the Renaissance up until the 18th century. Eventually, astronomy distinguished itself as the scientific study of astronomical objects and phenomena without regard to the supposed astrological meaning of these phenomena. Since the 18th century they have come to be regarded as completely separate disciplines. Astronomy, the study of objects and phenomena beyond the Earth's atmosphere, is accepted as a science and is a widely studied academic discipline. Astrology, which uses the apparent positions of celestial objects as the basis for psychology, prediction of future events, and other esoteric knowledge, is not widely regarded as science and is typically defined as a form of divination. Proponents have defined astrology variously, as a symbolic language, an art form, a science, and a method of divination. The scientific community considers astrology a pseudoscience or superstition. Although there is no scientific evidence supporting astrology that is accepted by mainstream science, belief in astrology is widespread in the general public.
CORE BELIEFS: The core beliefs of astrology were prevalent in most of the ancient world and are epitomized in the Hermetic maxim "as above, so below". Tycho Brahe used a similar phrase to summarize his studies in astrology: suspiciendo despicio, "by looking up I see downward". Although the principle that events in the heavens are mirrored by those on Earth was once generally held in most traditions of astrology around the world, in the West there has historically been a debate among astrologers over the nature of the mechanism behind astrology. The debate also covers whether or not celestial bodies are only signs or portents of events, or if they are actual causes of events through some sort of force or mechanism. Although the connection between celestial mechanics and terrestrial dynamics was explored first by Isaac Newton with his development of a universal theory of gravitation, claims that the gravitational effects of the celestial bodies are what accounts for astrological generalizations are not substantiated by scientific research, nor are they advocated by most astrologers. A common belief held by astrologers is that the positions of certain celestial bodies either influence or correlate with human affairs. Most astrological traditions are based on the relative positions and movements of various real or construed celestial bodies and on the construction of implied or calculated celestial patterns as seen at the time and place of the event being studied. These are chiefly the astrological planets, dwarf planets, the asteroids, the stars, the lunar nodes, Arabic parts and hypothetical planets. The frame of reference for such apparent positions is defined by the tropical or sidereal zodiac of twelve signs on one hand, and by the local horizon (ascendant-descendant axis) and midheaven-imum coeli axis on the other. This latter (local) frame is typically further divided into the twelve astrological houses. Furthermore, the astrological aspects are used to determine the geometric/angular relationship(s) between the various celestial bodies and angles in the horoscope. The claim of astrology to predict future trends and developments, or predictive astrology, is based on two main methods: astrological transits and astrological progressions. In astrological transits the ongoing movements of the planets are interpreted for their significance as they transit through space and the horoscope. In
astrological progressions the horoscope is progressed forward in time according to set methods. Most modern astrologers no longer try to forecast actual events, but focus instead on general trends and developments. Skeptics respond that this allows astrologers 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. In the past, astrologers often relied on close observation of celestial objects and the charting of their movements. Modern astrologers use data provided by astronomers which are transformed to a set of astrological tables called ephemerides, showing the changing zodiacal positions of the heavenly bodies through time.
TRADITION: There are many traditions of astrology, some of which share similar features due to the transmission of astrological doctrines between cultures. Other traditions developed in isolation and hold completely different doctrines, although they too share some similar features due to the fact that they are drawing on similar astronomical sources.
Current traditions The main traditions used by modern astrologers are:
Vedic astrology
Western astrology
Chinese astrology
Vedic and Western astrology Vedic and Western astrology share a common ancestry as horoscopic systems of astrology, in that both traditions focus on the casting of an astrological chart or horoscope, a representation of celestial entities, for an event based on the position of the Sun, Moon, and planets at the moment of the event. However, Vedic astrology uses the sidereal zodiac, linking the signs of the zodiac to their original
constellations, while Western astrology uses the tropical zodiac. Because of the precession of the equinoxes, over the centuries the twelve zodiacal signs in Western astrology no longer correspond to the same part of the sky as their original constellations. In effect, in Western astrology the link between sign and constellation has been broken, whereas in Vedic astrology it remains of paramount importance. Other differences between the two traditions include the use of 27 (or 28) nakshatras or lunar mansions, which have been used in India since Vedic times, and the system of planetary periods known as dashas.
Chinese astrology In Chinese astrology a quite different tradition has evolved. By contrast to Western and Indian astrology, the twelve signs of the zodiac do not divide the sky, but rather the celestial equator. The Chinese evolved a system where each sign corresponds to one of twelve 'double-hours' that govern the day, and to one of the twelve months. Each sign of the zodiac governs a different year, and combines with a system based on the five elements of Chinese cosmology to give a 60 (12 x 5) year cycle. The term Chinese astrology is used here for convenience, but it must be recognised that versions of the same tradition exist in Japan, Vietnam, Thailand and other Asian countries. In modern times, these traditions have come into greater contact with each other, notably with Indian and Chinese astrology having spread to the West, while awareness of Western astrology is still fairly limited in Asia. Astrology in the Western world has diversified greatly in modern times. New movements have appeared, which have jettisoned much of traditional astrology to concentrate on different approaches, such as a greater emphasis on midpoints, or a more psychological approach.
THE ZODAIC: The zodiac is the belt or band of constellations through which the Sun, Moon, and planets transit across the sky. Astrologers noted these constellations and so attached a particular significance to them. Over time they developed the system of twelve signs of the zodiac, based on twelve of the constellations they considered to be particularly important. The Western and Vedic zodiac signs have a common origin in the tradition of horoscopic astrology, and so are very similar in meaning. In China on the other hand, the development of the zodiac was different. Although the Chinese too have a system of twelve signs (named after animals), the Chinese zodiac refers to a pure calendrical cycle, as there are no equivalent constellations linked to it like the Western or Indian zodiacs. The common choice of twelve zodiac signs is understandable considering the interaction of the Sun and Moon was central to all forms of astrology. Twelve cycles of the Moon — the months — roughly coincide with one solar year, making twelve a natural choice. The majority of Western astrologers base their work on the tropical zodiac which divides the sky into twelve equal segments of 30 degrees each, beginning with the first point of Aries, the point where the line of the earth's celestial equator and the ecliptic (the Sun's path through the sky) meet at the northern hemisphere spring equinox. Due to the precession of the equinoxes, the slow changing of the way Earth rotates in space, the zodiacal signs in this system bear no relation to the constellations of the same name but stay aligned to the months and seasons. Practitioners of the Vedic astrological tradition and a minority of Western astrologers use the sidereal zodiac. This zodiac uses the same evenly divided ecliptic but approximately stays aligned to the positions of the observable constellations with the same name as the zodiacal signs. The sidereal zodiac differs from the tropical zodiac by an offset called the ayanamsa, which steadily increases as the equinoxes drift further. Furthermore, some siderealists (i.e. astrologers employing sidereal techniques) use the actual, unequal constellations of the zodiac in their work.
HOROSCOPIC ASTROLOGY: Horoscopic astrology is a system that was developed in the Mediterranean region and specifically Hellenistic Egypt around the late 2nd or early 1st century BCE. The tradition deals with two-dimensional diagrams of the heavens, or horoscopes, created for specific moments in time. The diagram is then used to interpret the inherent meaning underlying the alignment of celestial bodies at that moment based on a specific set of rules and guidelines. A horoscope was calculated normally for the moment of an individual's birth, or at the beginning of an enterprise or event, because the alignments of the heavens at that moment were thought to determine the nature of the subject in question. One of the defining characteristics of this form of astrology that makes it distinct from other traditions is the computation of the degree of the Eastern horizon rising against the backdrop of the ecliptic at the specific moment under examination, otherwise known as the ascendant. Horoscopic astrology has been the most influential and widespread form of astrology across the world, especially in Africa, India, Europe, and the Middle East, and there are several major traditions of horoscopic astrology whose origins are Hellenistic, including Indian, Medieval, and most other modern Western traditions of astrology.
The horoscope: Central to horoscopic astrology and its branches is the calculation of the horoscope or astrological chart. This two-dimensional diagrammatic representation shows the celestial bodies' apparent positions in the heavens from the vantage of a location on Earth at a given time and place. The horoscope is also divided into twelve different celestial houses which govern different areas of life. Calculations performed in casting a horoscope involve arithmetic and simple geometry which serve to locate the apparent position of heavenly bodies on desired dates and times based on astronomical tables. In ancient Hellenistic astrology the ascendant demarcated the first celestial house of a horoscope. The word for the ascendant in Greek was horoskopos from which horoscope derives. In modern times, the word has come to refer to the astrological chart as a whole.
HISTORY OF ASTROLOGY:
Origins The origins of much of the astrological doctrine and method that would later develop in Asia, Europe, and the Middle East are found among the ancient Babylonians and their system of celestial omens that began to be compiled around the middle of the 2nd millennium BCE. This system of celestial omens later spread either directly or indirectly through the Babylonians and Assyrians to other areas such as India, China, and Greece where it merged with pre-existing indigenous forms of astrology. This Babylonian astrology came to Greece initially as early as the middle of the 4th century BCE, and then around the late 2nd or early 1st century BCE after the Alexandrian conquests, this Babylonian astrology was mixed with the Egyptian tradition of decanic astrology to create horoscopic astrology. This new form of astrology, which appears to have originated in Alexandrian Egypt, quickly spread across the ancient world into Europe, the Middle East and India.
Before the scientific revolution From the classical period through the scientific revolution, astrological training played a critical role in advancing astronomical, mathematical, medical and psychological knowledge. Astrological influences included the observation and longterm tracking of celestial objects. It was astrologers who provided the first systematic documentation of the movements of the Sun, the Moon, the planets, and the stars. The differentiation between astronomy and astrology varied from place to place; they were indistinguishable in ancient Babylonia and for most of the Middle Ages, but separated to a greater degree in ancient Greece (see astrology and astronomy). Astrology was not always uncritically accepted before the modern era; it was often challenged by Hellenistic skeptics, church authorities, and medieval thinkers. The pattern of astronomical knowledge gained from astrological endeavours has been historically repeated across numerous cultures, from ancient India through the classical Maya civilization to medieval Europe. Given this historical contribution, astrology has been called a protoscience along with pseudosciences such as alchemy.
INDIAN ASTROLOGY:
Jyotish is the ancient Indian system of astrology and astronomy. The term derives from the ancient language of the Vedas, Sanskrit, where Jyothi means light or flame and Ish means God. Jyothish thus means Lord of the light. Jyotish is variously referred to in English as Hindu astrology, Indian astrology, and Vedic astrology. The Vedic system of astrology is one of the six disciplines of Vedanga, the auxiliary disciplines of Vedic religion. As such, Jyotish has historically been part of a continuous holistic approach to living and an integral practice based on the ancient spiritual tradition of India. The foundation of jyotish is the notion of bandhu of the Vedas or scriptures, which is the connection between the microcosm and the macrocosm. Its purpose is to offer humanity a means to understand the role and expression of karma in individual and collective life. Indeed, Hindus believe that humans have fortune and misfortune in life because of karma. Many use Jyotish to understand setbacks in life due to the influence of planets and perform religious ceremonies to mitigate or avoid the pain of separation in life. The practice of Vedic astrology primarily relies on the visible or sidereal zodiac, which is different from the tropical zodiac used in Western astrology in that an ayanamsa adjustment is made for the gradual precession of the vernal equinox. The tropical zodiac is used in Vedic astrology only to compute ascendant (lagna), although the end result is converted to sidereal lagna. Prediction of weather and related phenomena is traditionally made according to sidereal system, especially through horoscopes for the moment of solar transition into sidereal nakshatras and rāshis at ancient center of India (near Bhopal at Cancer) or from Meru in Jamboodvioa ; but some people are now experimenting with tropical syatem for predicting the course of nature - as in weather, etc. Vedic astrology also includes several nuanced sub-systems of interpretation and prediction with unique sacralized elements not found in Western astrology, such as its specific system of lunar mansions (called nakshatras, encompassing a pantheon of archetypal deities). The nakshatras are used by some to pick auspicious times of day or month for every human activity as well as to provide insight into the motivations and guiding characteristics of humans and events coming under their influence. Nakshatra cycles based on the natal placement of the Moon or Vimshottari Dashas are developing a reputation in contemporary culture for the accuracy with which they time unfolding conditions in one's life. When combined with an analysis of planetary transits, significant events in life become predictable.
In India, Jyotish is still commonly used to aid in important decisions in life. In Hindu culture, newborns are traditionally named based on their jyotish charts, and jyotish concepts are pervasive in the organization of the calendar and holidays as well as in many areas of life. Astrology is perceived to be vital in Indian culture, in making decisions made about marriage, opening a new business, and moving into a new home.
Foundation Jyotiṣa is not merely horoscope astrology, the latter is a tertiary branch of Jyotiṣa . Vedic yajñas were religious rites which were performed for obtaining some boons from the deities, and these rites were performed only at specific astronomical concurrences which were thought to be more auspicious for the rites. The first Vedic yajña was Darśapaurnamāsa Yajña (first chapter of Yajurveda :TS,VS) : which could be performed only at new and full moons as the very name Darśapaurnamāsa implies. The very concept of auspiciousness of certain astronomical events for appeasing the gods implies that Jyotiṣa existed then, because this is the very essence of Jyotiṣa. Vedic yajñas could not be performed without the presence of Jyotiṣa; that is why Jyotiṣa has been traditionally regarded as a part (anga) of Veda, i.e., a Vedanga. The tradition of Jyotish is said to have existed in an unbroken line since 3000 B.C. or for some 5000 years. The Western tradition is, by comparison, considered to have existed since the Hellenistic period or for three millennia, but it is also rooted in Mesopotamian and Egyptian astrology. There are stong indications of a common origin of Chinese, Indian, Mesopotamian and Egyptian astrology before 3000 BC. Jyotish is regarded as one of the oldest schools of ancient astrology to have had an independent origin, affecting all other schools in and around India. Jyotish is often discussed as the instructional element of the Rigveda, or the Eye of the Veda, for its alleged ability to view both phenomenal reality and wisdom itself.
Fundamental of Indian Astrology:
Vedic astrology i.e. Jyotish contains some concepts that are not found in any other school of astrology.
1. Nakshatra – the lunar mansions Unique to Jyotisa or Vedic astrology is the idea of the nakshatra or lunar mansion , one of the 27 or 28 divisions of the sky, identified by the prominent star(s) in them, that the Moon passes through during its monthly cycle, as used in Hindu astronomy and astrology. Each nakshatra represents a division of the ecliptic (of 13 degree 20 minutes) similar to the zodiac signs. The mansion associated with a given date corresponds to the constellation which the Moon is passing through at that time.
2. Graha – the planets Graha literally means any heavenly body or point that can cast an impact on human affairs. It may be translated as planet for ease. Graha also includes lunar nodes (Rahu and Ketu) and sub-planets (upgrahas) which are not planets but no less effective than planets. The extra-saturnine planets (Uranus and Neptune) are not included in the category of Graha. The list of nine grahas (heavenly bodies or "planets"): 1. Surya 2. Chandra 3. Mangala 4. Budha 5. Brihaspati 6. Shukra 7. Shani 8. Rahu 9. Ketu
3. Rashi – The Signs
The sidereal zodiac is also an imaginary belt of 360 degrees (like the tropical zodiac), divided into 12 equal parts. Each twelfth part (of 30 degrees) is called a sign or Rashi. 1. Mesha 2. Vrishabh 3. Mithuna 4. Karka 5. Simha 6. Kanya 7. Tula 8. Vrishchika 9. Dhanus 10. Makara 11. Kumbha 12. Meena
4. Bhava –The houses The birth charts are broken into twelve sections, houses or Bhavas, each of which is related to a rashi in an equal house system when rough and hurried computations are needed, but when precision is needed Bhavas are made according to Bhavachalita in which houses are unequal due to the elliptical nature of the apparent orbit of the Sun. The 12 houses are – 1. Lagna 2. Dhana 3. Parakarma 4. Suhrda
5. Suta 6. Yoga 7. Kama 8. Mrityu 9. Bhagya 10. Karma 11. Aya 12. Vyay
5. Lagna – the ascendant One's ascendant, or lagna, the rashi which is rising on the eastern horizon at the time of one's birth, is the most influential and important one. Some important special lagnas are follows. 1. Chandra Lagna 2. Surya Lagna 3. Karak Lagna 4. Varnada Lagna 5. Shri Lagna 6. Indu Lagna 7. Hora Lagna 8. Gati Lagna
WESTERN ASTROLOGY:
Western astrology is the system of astrology most popular in Western countries. Western astrology originated in Mesopotamia during the 2nd millennium BC, from where it spread to much of the world. After spreading to Egypt, where further developments occurred, it then arrived into Greek or Hellenistic culture, where the Greek astronomer and astrologer Ptolemy in his work Tetrabiblos laid the foundations of the Western tradition. Western astrology is largely horoscopic, that is, it is largely based on the construction of a horoscope for an exact moment in time, such as a person's birth, in which various cosmic bodies are said to have an influence. In modern Western sun sign astrology, only the location of the Sun is considered. During the Dark Ages in Europe knowledge of astrology was lost along with much other learning. It was revived and extended by Arab and Persian scholars and reimported into Europe in the Middle Ages. In medieval Europe, important political and military decisions were often made in consultation with astrologers. Nowadays, believers in astrology use it primarily for making personal decisions or attaining information about an individual through natal astrology. Today, astrology has become distinct from astronomy and mainstream scientists in general dismiss astrology as a form of pseudoscience
The twelve signs In modern Western astrology the signs of the zodiac are believed to represent twelve basic personality types or characteristic modes of expression. The twelve signs are divided into four elements fire, earth, air and water. They are also divided into three qualities, cardinal, mutable and fixed. The personality traits of the twelve signs are as follows: 1. Aries (The Ram)
2. Taurus (The Bull)
3. Gemini (The Twins)
4. Cancer (The Crab) 5. Leo (The Lion)
6. Virgo (The Virgin)
7. Libra (The Scales)
8. Scorpio (The Scorpion)
9. Sagittarius (The Archer)
10.Capricorn (The Sea goat)
11. Aquarius (the Water carrier)
12.Pisces (The Fishes) How important a zodiac sign is for an individual depends on the placement of planets and the ascendant in that sign. If a person has nothing placed in a particular sign, that sign will play no active role in their personality.
ASTROLOGY AND SCIENCE: By the time of Francis Bacon and the scientific revolution, newly emerging scientific disciplines acquired a method of systematic empirical induction validated by experimental observations, which led to the scientific revolution. At this point, astrology and astronomy began to diverge; astronomy became one of the central sciences while astrology was increasingly viewed as an occult science or superstition by natural scientists. This separation accelerated through the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Astrology is now regarded as unscientific both by scientific bodies and by individual scientists and has been labeled as a pseudoscience. In 1975, the American Humanist Association published one of the most widely known modern criticisms of astrology, characterizing those who continue to have faith in the subject as doing so "in spite of the fact that there is no verified scientific basis for their beliefs, and indeed that there is strong evidence to the contrary".Astronomer Carl Sagan found himself unable to sign the statement, not because he felt astrology had any validity whatever, but because he found the statement's tone authoritarian. Sagan stated that he would instead have been willing to sign a statement describing and refuting the principal tenets of astrological belief, which he believed would have been far more persuasive and would have produced much less controversy than the circulated statement. Although astrology has had no scientific standing for some time, it has been the subject of much research among astrologers since the beginning of the twentieth century. In their landmark study of twentieth-century research into natal astrology, vocal astrology critic Geoffrey Dean et al noted and
documented the burgeoning research activity, primarily within the astrological community.
Obstacles to research Astrologers have argued that there are significant obstacles in carrying out scientific research into astrology today, including lack of funding, lack of background in science and statistics by astrologers, and insufficient expertise in astrology by research scientists and skeptics. There are only a handful of journals dealing with scientific research into astrology (i.e. astrological journals directed towards scientific research or scientific journals publishing astrological research). Some astrologers have argued that few practitioners today pursue scientific testing of astrology because they feel that working with clients on a daily basis provides a personal validation for them. Another argument made by astrologers is that most studies of astrology do not reflect the nature of astrological practice and that the scientific method does not apply to astrology. Some astrology proponents claim that the prevailing attitudes and motives of many opponents of astrology introduce conscious or unconscious bias in the formulation of hypotheses to be tested, the conduct of the tests, and the reporting of results.
Mechanism As astrologers have been consistently unable to present physical mechanisms for astrology, few modern astrologers believe in a direct causal relationship between heavenly bodies and earthly events. An editorial published by the Astronomical Society of the Pacific reports that they can find no evidence for a scientifically defined mechanism by which celestial objects can supposedly influence terrestrial affairs. Some researchers have posited acausal, purely correlative, relationships between astrological observations and events, such as the theory of synchronicity proposed by Carl Jung. Others have posited a basis in divination. Still others have argued that empirical correlations can stand on their own epistemologically, and do not need the support of any theory or mechanism. To some observers, these nonmechanistic concepts raise serious questions about the feasibility of validating astrology through scientific testing, and some have gone so far as to reject the
applicability of the scientific method to astrology almost entirely. Some astrologers, on the other hand, believe that astrology is amenable to the scientific method, given sufficiently sophisticated analytical methods, and they cite pilot studies they claim support this view. Consequently, several astrologers have called for or advocated continuing studies of astrology based on statistical validation.
Research French psychologist and statistician Michel Gauquelin claimed to have found correlations between some planetary positions and certain human traits such as vocations. Gauquelin's most widely known claim is known as the Mars effect, which is said to demonstrate a correlation between the planet Mars occupying certain positions in the sky more often at the birth of eminent sports champions than at the birth of ordinary people. Since its original publication in 1955, the Mars effect has been the subject of critical studies and skeptical publications which refute it,[48][49][50] and studies in fringe journals claiming to support or expand the original claims.[51][52] Gauquelin's research has not received mainstream scientific notice. The scientific community says that astrology has repeatedly failed to demonstrate its effectiveness in numerous controlled studies. Effect size studies in astrology conclude that the mean accuracy of astrological predictions is no greater than what is expected by chance, and astrology's perceived performance has disappeared on critical inspection. When testing for cognitive, behavioral, physical and other variables, one study of astrological "time twins" showed that human characteristics are not molded by the influence of the Sun, Moon and planets at the time of birth. Skeptics of astrology also suggest that the perceived accuracy of astrological interpretations and descriptions of one's personality can be accounted for by the fact that people tend to exaggerate positive 'hits' and overlook whatever does not fit, especially when vague language is used. They also argue that statistical research is often wrongly seen as evidence for astrology due to uncontrolled artifacts. A largescale study, with a sample size of about 15,000 "astro-twins", was published in 2006. It examined the relationship between date of birth and individual differences in personality and general intelligence, and found no evidence that a connection existed. It also found no relationship between the zodiacal signs and participants' personal traits.
EFFECTS ON WORLD CULTURE: Astrology has had a profound influence over the past few thousand years on Western and Eastern cultures. In the Middle Ages, when the educated of the time believed in astrology, the system of heavenly spheres and bodies was believed to reflect on the system of knowledge and the world itself below. Astrology has had an influence on both language and literature. For example, influenza, from medieval Latin influentia meaning influence, was so named because doctors once believed epidemics to be caused by unfavorable planetary and stellar influences. The word "disaster" comes from the Latin dis-aster meaning "bad star". Adjectives "lunatic" (Luna/Moon), "mercurial" (Mercury), "venereal" (Venus), "martial" (Mars), "jovial" (Jupiter), and "saturnine" (Saturn) are all old words used to describe personal qualities said to resemble or be highly influenced by the astrological characteristics of the planet, some of which are derived from the attributes of the ancient Roman gods they are named after. In literature, many writers, notably Geoffrey Chaucer and William Shakespeare, used astrological symbolism to add subtlety and nuance to the description of their characters' motivation(s). Often, an understanding of astrological symbolism is needed to fully appreciate such literature. Some modern thinkers, notably Carl Jung, believe in astrology's descriptive powers regarding the mind without necessarily subscribing to its predictive claims. In education astrology is reflected in the university education of medieval Europe, which was divided into seven distinct areas, each represented by a particular planet and known as the seven liberal arts. Dante Alighieri speculated that these arts,
which grew into the sciences we know today, fitted the same structure as the planets. In music the best known example of astrology's influence is in the orchestral suite called "The Planets" by the British composer Gustav Holst, the framework of which is based upon the astrological symbolism of the planets.
