Astromancy

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Astromancy (from Greek αστρολογία = άστρον, astron, "star" + English suffix, -mancy, "divination by", derived from Greek μαντεία, manteía, "divination") is divination and fortune-telling in astrology. The term astromancy is generally used as a synonym with astrology in its modern, prophetic sense, as opposed to its ancient form before the split with astronomy; however, some astrologers distinguish the two, with astrology focusing on identifying potentials and trends which the subject may choose to either promote or discourage, and astromancy contending to predict or influence definitive results.^{[citation needed]}

Astromancy, in the sense of fortune telling by reading an astrological chart, constituted the major use of astrology in centuries past. It assumes a deterministic world-view in which the planets indicate patterns into which individuals are locked and events are destined to occur.

Some contemporary Western astrology, such as that based in psychology and growing out of the work of Dane Rudhyar, rejects astromancy as a perspective beyond the ability of astrology. Many modern Western astrologers believe that the horoscope shows planetary influences operating upon a person but the individual remains free to respond to those influences in a variety of ways. In like manner, some astrologers claim that they can predict heightened pressures operating on society but not specific events. Thus astrology is claimed to offer practical assistance in a counseling situation and usefully applied to understanding the stock market, but it cannot predict upcoming events in a person's life or relationships or the movement of specific stocks. Most contemporary textbooks carry at least a passing reference to astromancy, and rejection of it, as part of their introduction to the topic.^{[citation needed]}

References

Freeman, Martin. Forecasting by Astrology: A Comprehensive Manual of Interpretation and Technique. Wellingborough, Northhamptonshire, UK: Aquarian Press, 1982. Lee, Dal. Dictionary of Astrology. New York: Coronet Communications/Constellation International, 1968.

Ronan, Margaret, and Eve Ronan. Astrology and Other Occult Games. New York: Scholastic Books Services, 1972.

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