MOON? STARS?? WHAT???

All of us are in the gutter.
Some of us are looking at the stars.

-- The Pretenders, quoting Oscar Wilde

Well, the gutter is a figurative term, y'know? Anyway, welcome to Astrology by Symboline Dai, a service feature of worcesterphoenix.com . Did the '60s ruin astrology for you? "What's your sign?" became a joke in that era, but do understand that astrology dates back much earlier than the so-called "dawning of the age of Aquarius." Every ancient culture had a mythology involving the moving planetary bodies in the heavens, and Western astrology, which inspires this column, incorporates concepts that go back to classical Greece.

I like astrology because it contains great archetypes based on the ancient gods. Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love and beauty, gives her name to the swift-moving planet Venus, which typifies the desire for harmony, companionship, and beauty in a person's chart. Cronos (or Ouranos), the father of Zeus, gives his name to the planet Saturn, which in astrologese stands for the concepts of maturity, work, and limitations. The Moon is inspired by Diana, the ancient hunting goddess, but in astrology the Moon borrows a few other concepts from other gods. I've found that in clients' charts, the moon defines not only a person's mother but the person's perception of her, as well as the client's own emotional reactions and attitude toward nurturing (of self and others).

Astrology on worcesterphoenix.com comes in two parts -- daily "Moon Signs" and a monthly astrological forecast based on your sun signs. I've written these forecasts to educate and entertain, and I've categorized them by elements: fire, earth, air, and water. Where astrological terms are unavoidable, I do my best to give you some defining terms. There is also a question-and-answer section that will change regularly. If you have questions about astrology and life, feel free to write, and watch this space for responses. Thanks for dropping in. Ad astra per aspera.*

Symboline (symboline@aol.com)

* To the stars through hardship (also, state motto of Kansas).