Psychological astrology
Encyclopedia
Psychological astrology, or astropsychology, is the result of the cross-fertilisation of the fields of astrology
with depth psychology
, humanistic psychology
and transpersonal psychology
. The horoscope
is analysed through the archetype
s within astrology to gain psychological insight into an individual's psyche
. Astrologer and psychotherapist, Glenn Perry characterises psychological astrology as "both a personality theory and a diagnostic tool".
, Plato
, and Aristotle
(especially his De Anima
treatise). Their theories on the nature of the Soul
were adapted to astrology by important historical astrologers such as Ptolemy
and Al-Kindi
.
In the twentieth century, esoteric tradition inspired Carl Jung
, Swiss psychiatrist and founder of analytical psychology
, to formulate his archetypal hypothesis
from Plato's theory of ideas or forms
. In his research into the symbolic meaning of his patient's dreams, conversations and paintings, Jung observed recurring mythical themes or archetypes. He proposed that these universal and timeless archetypes channel experiences and emotions, resulting in recognizable and typical patterns of behavior with certain probable outcomes. Jung claimed to observe a correlation between these archetypal images and the astrological themes or traditional 'gods' associated with the planets and signs of the zodiac. He concluded that the symbolic heavenly figures described by the constellations were originally inspired by projections of images created by the collective unconscious
. Jung wrote "Astrology represents the sum of all the psychological knowledge of antiquity".
In collaboration with pioneer theoretical physicist (and Nobel laureate) Wolfgang Pauli
, Jung developed the theory of synchronicity
. This theory, which Jung compared to Aristotle's formal causation, poses that "whatever is born or done at this particular moment of time, has the quality of this moment of time". Accordingly, astrological claims of correlations between the position of heavenly bodies at the time of birth and an individual's development were defined by Jung as being acausal and not directly caused by the planets.
and his protégé, Alexander Ruperti. Rudhyar termed it "humanistic astrology," the subject of his monumental volume, The Astrology of Personality, published in 1936. Psychological astrology, however became firmly established in the late 20th century with the books and lectures of Liz Greene
and Stephen Arroyo
who were both strongly influenced by the Jungian model. In 1983, Liz Greene and Howard Sasportas, a psychosynthesis psychotherapist, founded the Centre for Psychological Astrology in London.
Meanwhile, in Switzerland, Bruno Huber & Louise Huber
also developed their own method of astrological psychology, referred to as the Huber Method which was influenced by Roberto Assagioli
's work with psychosynthesis
. In 1962, the Hubers founded the Huber School of Astrology and their work is now taught at the Astrological Psychology Association.
Possibly the most widespread application of Jung's theories is through the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
(MBTI) assessment developed during the Second World War. CPP Inc., the publisher of the MBTI instrument, calls it "the world’s most widely used personality assessment", with as many as two million assessments administered annually. This psychometric
questionnaire is designed to measure psychological
preferences in how people perceive the world and make decisions. These preferences were extrapolated from the typological
theories proposed by Jung and first published in his 1921 book Psychological Types
. So the authors, Briggs and Myers adapted Jung's four psychological types,, which were based on the four elements of classical cosmology on which the zodiac
, with its corresponding human character traits, was structured. Nicholas Campion
comments that this is "a fascinating example of 'disguised astrology', masquerading as science in order to claim respectability."
and astrology is widely considered a pseudoscience
by the scientific community. In psychology
and cognitive science
, confirmation bias is a tendency to search for or interpret new information in a way that confirms one's preconceptions and avoids information and interpretations that contradict prior beliefs.
in "Nature". Twenty-eight professional astrologers agreed to participate, including several who were strongly influenced by the Jungian model. Carlson concluded that the astrologers were unable to match horoscopes with profiles compiled using the California Psychological Inventory
(CPI) in blind tests any better than chance.
Astrology
Astrology consists of a number of belief systems which hold that there is a relationship between astronomical phenomena and events in the human world...
with depth psychology
Depth psychology
Historically, depth psychology, from a German term , was coined by Eugen Bleuler to refer to psychoanalytic approaches to therapy and research that take the unconscious into account. The term has come to refer to the ongoing development of theories and therapies pioneered by Pierre Janet, William...
, humanistic psychology
Humanistic psychology
Humanistic psychology is a psychological perspective which rose to prominence in the mid-20th century, drawing on the work of early pioneers like Carl Rogers and the philosophies of existentialism and phenomenology...
and transpersonal psychology
Transpersonal psychology
Transpersonal psychology is a form of psychology that studies the transpersonal, self-transcendent or spiritual aspects of the human experience....
. The horoscope
Horoscope
In astrology, a horoscope is a chart or diagram representing the positions of the Sun, Moon, planets, the astrological aspects, and sensitive angles at the time of an event, such as the moment of a person's birth. The word horoscope is derived from Greek words meaning "a look at the hours" In...
is analysed through the archetype
Archetype
An archetype is a universally understood symbol or term or pattern of behavior, a prototype upon which others are copied, patterned, or emulated...
s within astrology to gain psychological insight into an individual's psyche
Psyche (psychology)
The word psyche has a long history of use in psychology and philosophy, dating back to ancient times, and has been one of the fundamental concepts for understanding human nature from a scientific point of view. The English word soul is sometimes used synonymously, especially in older...
. Astrologer and psychotherapist, Glenn Perry characterises psychological astrology as "both a personality theory and a diagnostic tool".
Origins
The origins of psychological astrology can be traced to the writings of ancient Greek philosophers such as ThalesThales
Thales of Miletus was a pre-Socratic Greek philosopher from Miletus in Asia Minor, and one of the Seven Sages of Greece. Many, most notably Aristotle, regard him as the first philosopher in the Greek tradition...
, Plato
Plato
Plato , was a Classical Greek philosopher, mathematician, student of Socrates, writer of philosophical dialogues, and founder of the Academy in Athens, the first institution of higher learning in the Western world. Along with his mentor, Socrates, and his student, Aristotle, Plato helped to lay the...
, and Aristotle
Aristotle
Aristotle was a Greek philosopher and polymath, a student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great. His writings cover many subjects, including physics, metaphysics, poetry, theater, music, logic, rhetoric, linguistics, politics, government, ethics, biology, and zoology...
(especially his De Anima
On the Soul
On the Soul is a major treatise by Aristotle on the nature of living things. His discussion centres on the kinds of souls possessed by different kinds of living things, distinguished by their different operations...
treatise). Their theories on the nature of the Soul
Soul
A soul in certain spiritual, philosophical, and psychological traditions is the incorporeal essence of a person or living thing or object. Many philosophical and spiritual systems teach that humans have souls, and others teach that all living things and even inanimate objects have souls. The...
were adapted to astrology by important historical astrologers such as Ptolemy
Ptolemy
Claudius Ptolemy , was a Roman citizen of Egypt who wrote in Greek. He was a mathematician, astronomer, geographer, astrologer, and poet of a single epigram in the Greek Anthology. He lived in Egypt under Roman rule, and is believed to have been born in the town of Ptolemais Hermiou in the...
and Al-Kindi
Al-Kindi
' , known as "the Philosopher of the Arabs", was a Muslim Arab philosopher, mathematician, physician, and musician. Al-Kindi was the first of the Muslim peripatetic philosophers, and is unanimously hailed as the "father of Islamic or Arabic philosophy" for his synthesis, adaptation and promotion...
.
In the twentieth century, esoteric tradition inspired Carl Jung
Carl Jung
Carl Gustav Jung was a Swiss psychiatrist and the founder of Analytical Psychology. Jung is considered the first modern psychiatrist to view the human psyche as "by nature religious" and make it the focus of exploration. Jung is one of the best known researchers in the field of dream analysis and...
, Swiss psychiatrist and founder of analytical psychology
Analytical psychology
Analytical psychology is the school of psychology originating from the ideas of Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung. His theoretical orientation has been advanced by his students and other thinkers who followed in his tradition. Though they share similarities, analytical psychology is distinct from...
, to formulate his archetypal hypothesis
Jungian archetypes
Carl Jung created the archetypes which “are ancient or archaic images that derive from the collective unconscious” Also known as innate universal psychic dispositions that form the substrate from which the basic symbols or representations of unconscious experience emerge...
from Plato's theory of ideas or forms
Theory of Forms
Plato's theory of Forms or theory of Ideas asserts that non-material abstract forms , and not the material world of change known to us through sensation, possess the highest and most fundamental kind of reality. When used in this sense, the word form is often capitalized...
. In his research into the symbolic meaning of his patient's dreams, conversations and paintings, Jung observed recurring mythical themes or archetypes. He proposed that these universal and timeless archetypes channel experiences and emotions, resulting in recognizable and typical patterns of behavior with certain probable outcomes. Jung claimed to observe a correlation between these archetypal images and the astrological themes or traditional 'gods' associated with the planets and signs of the zodiac. He concluded that the symbolic heavenly figures described by the constellations were originally inspired by projections of images created by the collective unconscious
Collective unconscious
Collective unconscious is a term of analytical psychology, coined by Carl Jung. It is proposed to be a part of the unconscious mind, expressed in humanity and all life forms with nervous systems, and describes how the structure of the psyche autonomously organizes experience...
. Jung wrote "Astrology represents the sum of all the psychological knowledge of antiquity".
In collaboration with pioneer theoretical physicist (and Nobel laureate) Wolfgang Pauli
Wolfgang Pauli
Wolfgang Ernst Pauli was an Austrian theoretical physicist and one of the pioneers of quantum physics. In 1945, after being nominated by Albert Einstein, he received the Nobel Prize in Physics for his "decisive contribution through his discovery of a new law of Nature, the exclusion principle or...
, Jung developed the theory of synchronicity
Synchronicity
Synchronicity is the experience of two or more events that are apparently causally unrelated or unlikely to occur together by chance and that are observed to occur together in a meaningful manner...
. This theory, which Jung compared to Aristotle's formal causation, poses that "whatever is born or done at this particular moment of time, has the quality of this moment of time". Accordingly, astrological claims of correlations between the position of heavenly bodies at the time of birth and an individual's development were defined by Jung as being acausal and not directly caused by the planets.
Jungian legacy
Several astrologers as well as psychologists pursued Jung's theories in their writings, teachings and practice. One of the first astrologers to combine Jungian psychology with astrology was Dane RudhyarDane Rudhyar
Dane Rudhyar , born Daniel Chennevière, was an author, modernist composer and humanistic astrologer. He was the pioneer of modern transpersonal astrology.-Biography:...
and his protégé, Alexander Ruperti. Rudhyar termed it "humanistic astrology," the subject of his monumental volume, The Astrology of Personality, published in 1936. Psychological astrology, however became firmly established in the late 20th century with the books and lectures of Liz Greene
Liz Greene
Liz Greene, is an American-British astrologer, psychologist and author. She is the sister of the late author Richard Leigh...
and Stephen Arroyo
Stephen Arroyo
Stephen Arroyo is an American author and astrologer.Arroyo has written seven books on psychologically oriented astrology which outline his theory that the individual’s experience of the Solar System’s impacts on their personal energy field, both psychological and physical...
who were both strongly influenced by the Jungian model. In 1983, Liz Greene and Howard Sasportas, a psychosynthesis psychotherapist, founded the Centre for Psychological Astrology in London.
Meanwhile, in Switzerland, Bruno Huber & Louise Huber
Bruno Huber
Bruno Huber was a Swiss astrologer who, with his wife, Louise Huber, founded the Huber School of Astrology in 1962. A later branch of the school opened in the UK in 1983...
also developed their own method of astrological psychology, referred to as the Huber Method which was influenced by Roberto Assagioli
Roberto Assagioli
Roberto Assagioli was an Italian psychiatrist and pioneer in the fields of humanistic and transpersonal psychology. Assagioli founded the psychological movement known as psychosynthesis, which is still being developed today by therapists, and psychologists, who practice his technique...
's work with psychosynthesis
Psychosynthesis
Psychosynthesis is an approach to psychology that was developed by Roberto Assagioli, M.D. He compared psychosynthesis to the prevailing thinking of the day, contrasting psychosynthesis for example with Existential psychology, but unlike the latter considered loneliness not to be "either ultimate...
. In 1962, the Hubers founded the Huber School of Astrology and their work is now taught at the Astrological Psychology Association.
Possibly the most widespread application of Jung's theories is through the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator assessment is a psychometric questionnaire designed to measure psychological preferences in how people perceive the world and make decisions...
(MBTI) assessment developed during the Second World War. CPP Inc., the publisher of the MBTI instrument, calls it "the world’s most widely used personality assessment", with as many as two million assessments administered annually. This psychometric
Psychometrics
Psychometrics is the field of study concerned with the theory and technique of psychological measurement, which includes the measurement of knowledge, abilities, attitudes, personality traits, and educational measurement...
questionnaire is designed to measure psychological
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
preferences in how people perceive the world and make decisions. These preferences were extrapolated from the typological
Personality type
Personality type refers to the psychological classification of different types of individuals. Personality types are sometimes distinguished from personality traits, with the latter embodying a smaller grouping of behavioral tendencies. Types are sometimes said to involve qualitative differences...
theories proposed by Jung and first published in his 1921 book Psychological Types
Psychological Types
Psychological Types is the title of the sixth volume in the Princeton / Bollingen edition of the Collected Works of Carl Jung. The original German language edition, "Psychologische Typen", was first published by Rascher Verlag, Zurich in 1921....
. So the authors, Briggs and Myers adapted Jung's four psychological types,, which were based on the four elements of classical cosmology on which the zodiac
Zodiac
In astronomy, the zodiac is a circle of twelve 30° divisions of celestial longitude which are centred upon the ecliptic: the apparent path of the Sun across the celestial sphere over the course of the year...
, with its corresponding human character traits, was structured. Nicholas Campion
Nicholas Campion
thumb |upright |Dr Nicholas CampionNicholas Campion , is an historian with particular expertise in cultural history and the history and contemporary culture and practice of astrology. He is the author of a two volume history of Western Astrology.He is a native of Bristol, England...
comments that this is "a fascinating example of 'disguised astrology', masquerading as science in order to claim respectability."
Philosophy
While psychological astrology brings a transpersonal dimension and spiritual notions to psychology by linking the psyche to the Cosmos, psychological astrology is "decidedly not deterministic". Nor is an individual's everyday life ruled by malefic or benefic planets as the horoscope is considered a mere tool to help identify an individual's nature and potential for psycho-spiritual growth.Criticism
Psychological astrology has been criticized for confirmation biasConfirmation bias
Confirmation bias is a tendency for people to favor information that confirms their preconceptions or hypotheses regardless of whether the information is true.David Perkins, a geneticist, coined the term "myside bias" referring to a preference for "my" side of an issue...
and astrology is widely considered a pseudoscience
Pseudoscience
Pseudoscience is a claim, belief, or practice which is presented as scientific, but which does not adhere to a valid scientific method, lacks supporting evidence or plausibility, cannot be reliably tested, or otherwise lacks scientific status...
by the scientific community. In psychology
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
and cognitive science
Cognitive science
Cognitive science is the interdisciplinary scientific study of mind and its processes. It examines what cognition is, what it does and how it works. It includes research on how information is processed , represented, and transformed in behaviour, nervous system or machine...
, confirmation bias is a tendency to search for or interpret new information in a way that confirms one's preconceptions and avoids information and interpretations that contradict prior beliefs.
Research
The largest and most recognized study of the claims of astrology was published by Shawn CarlsonShawn Carlson
Shawn Carlson is an American science educator who founded the Society for Amateur Scientists in 1994, which is dedicated to "Helping ordinary people do extraordinary science." In 2010, he founded the LabRats Science Education Program, to inspire students aged 11 to 18 to "love learning about...
in "Nature". Twenty-eight professional astrologers agreed to participate, including several who were strongly influenced by the Jungian model. Carlson concluded that the astrologers were unable to match horoscopes with profiles compiled using the California Psychological Inventory
California Psychological Inventory
The California Psychological Inventory is a self-report inventory created by Harrison Gough and currently published by Consulting Psychologists Press. The test was first published in 1956, and the most recent revision was published in 1987. It was created in a similar manner to the Minnesota...
(CPI) in blind tests any better than chance.
See also
- Archetypal astrologyArchetypal astrologyArchetypal astrology is a branch of astrology, influenced by Jungian and post-Jungian depth psychology, that studies the connection between the changing positions of the planets in the solar system and archetypal patterns in human experience. It is practiced by a growing number of archetypal...
- Astrological symbolsAstrological symbolsAstrological symbols are images used in various astrological systems to denote relevant objects. A number of such images are shown below.-History and origin:...
- Astrology and alchemy
- Astrology and astronomyAstrology and astronomyAstrology and astronomy were archaically one and the same discipline , and were only gradually recognized as separate in Western 17th century philosophy ....
- Astrology and computersAstrology and computersAstrology software is a type of computer programs designed to calculate horoscopes. Many of them also assemble interpretive text into narrative reports.-History:...
- Planets in astrologyPlanets in astrologyPlanets in astrology have a meaning different from the modern astronomical understanding of what a planet is. Before the age of telescopes, the night sky was thought to consist of two very similar components: fixed stars, which remained motionless in relation to each other, and wandering stars, ,...
- Season of birthSeason of birthThe time of a year in which a person is born has been linked to physiological and psychological changes to humans. Unlike Astrology, the scientific researches on the seasonality of births are usually trying to establish causal relationships with physical and mental health...