Consider the writer, who is a Virgo, although an atypical Virgo (we think). Her sister is a Capricorn, and according to the astrology experts, we should be in tune with Capricorns. And in fact, the writer and her sister and quite literally opposite sides of the same coin. We have the same dreams! And we know when the other is in trouble of some kind. We will call each other at odd times, only to discover that the other was in trouble, or needed help or advice or counsel. We don’t know it consciously, but it just works out that way.

Then there was her husband, or ex-husband, to be more exact. He was a Libra and perhaps we should have done some research into astrology before we got married. In one article we read, under Libra, it said “No chance.” How true, how true!

So should you make the decision about your life partner based on astrology. Well, it doesn’t hurt to do some dispassionate examination before taking such a big step. While you might not want to reject someone on the basis of his birth date, a good horoscope CAN help you out with some clues to his or her nature that you might not pick up on all by yourself. And when they do something that completely mystifies you, perhaps a little basic knowledge of astrology will help you decipher what’s going on and help you communicate better. And that’s never a bad thing, no matter what resource you’re using for better communication.

However it does not preach total dependence on fate. Astrology lets you know what you were born with, what your possibilities are, the limitations, your strong points and your drawbacks. What type of life partners and professions suit you and to expect is also indicated. It also prescribes various remedial measures to ward off the bad effects and to enhance the good results. Astrology is your roadmap of destiny. However your fate is in your hands. The scriptures guide us by telling us what is good and what is bad; what to do and what not to do; how to do and how not to do. You are given a piece of land and the seeds to sow. How much effort to put in to it, what amount of manure and water to add and when how to reap the produce is your job.

After that it is you who have to act using your knowledge intelligence, discrimination and experience. Fate is like a game of cards where you cannot help the cards that have been dealt to you but how to play them is in your hands. You may get good cards but if you play badly you will lose and you may get bad cards and still may win if you play carefully. Don’t blame the roadmap if you get drunk, drive badly and have an accident!

First consider how accurate your own horoscope is. There are similarities among many of them, but find the resource that best describes YOU. Then use that same resource to do a little research on your beloved. You certainly don’t have to reject someone because he’s  a Water sign and you’re a Fire sign. But, it can certainly provide some insight into why you two clash, or why you think he’s a wet blanket sometimes.

You can really go into detail about the ideal zodiac mate for you, but it’s hard enough to find someone, isn’t it. So don’t walk away from that Water or Earth guy. Use your knowledge to understand him. Maybe you need to borrow some tips from Air or Earth to help manage the communications between the two of you or to help resolve conflicts.

There are many really good books and Web sites to help you figure out the details of your zodiac match. Do a little research. And make it fun! What’s your sign can be a cliché, but if you deliver the line in the right way, it can also be a good ice breaker. If you’re a Virgo, and you’re introduced to, say, a Libra, tell him he’s got his work cut out for him. Everyone loves a challenge and it’s an easy way to flirt and start to get to know someone.

Though it may come as a surprise to the true believer many astrologers believe that   astrology cannot make precise predictions about your future although  astrology can indeed reveal the tendencies of your future.

If an astrologer tells you that next Tuesday you will be walking down the street, and will accidentally trip and fall, breaking your left wrist as it cracks against a fire hydrant, that would be a pretty precise prediction, wouldn’t it. But no astrologer ever makes predictions  like that. More likely, an astrologer would say: There is some danger of having an accident next Tuesday; try to be more careful than usual. This is of course not a precise prediction, but rather a statement, based on certain astrological techniques, about an increased probability of a certain type of event occurring. This is the true strength of astrology: not to tell you what is going to happen (since that is beyond its capabilities), but rather, to inform you about the probablilit9es of certain types of events occurring.

Astrology isn’t used to predict the future. It’s used to help you gain insight and understanding into the patterns and directions your life takes. It’s not an absolute, but it’s an indicator. If you don’t like what your astrological or natal charts tell you, it’s certainly within your power to change it. Astrology can give you insight into one potential destiny, but there are too many variables, including the decisions you make for yourself, to predict with any degree of accuracy what will happen in the future.

Babylonian astrology was introduced to the Greeks early in the 4th century BCE and, through the studies of Plato, Aristotle, and others, astrology came to be highly regarded as a science. It was soon embraced by the Romans (the Roman names for the zodiacal signs are still used today) and the Arabs and later spread throughout the entire world.

While earliest astrology was used to bring a sense of order out of apparent chaos, it was soon employed to predict weather patterns, primarily for agricultural purposes. It was eventually widened to include forecasts of natural disasters, war and other events in the affecting the human condition. Once success in these fields was established, it was a natural evolution for astrology to be used as a means for advising for kings and emperors and, in time, the population at large.

The zodiac (which is derived from the Greek word meaning circle of animals) is believed to have developed in ancient Egypt and later adopted by the Babylonians. Early astrologers knew it took twelve lunar cycles (i.e., months) for the sun to return to its original position. They then identified twelve constellations that they observed were linked to the progression of the seasons and assigned them names of certain animals and persons (in Babylonia, for example, the rainy season was found to occur when the sun was in a particular constellation which was then named Aquarius, or water bearer).

Around the year 2000 BCE, Babylonian astrologers believed that the sun, moon, and the five planets known at that time (Jupiter, Mars, Mercury, Saturn, and Venus) possessed distinct powers. Mars, for example, appeared to be red and was associated with aggression and war.