A Match Made in Heaven
More than 3,000 years ago, the visible planets—the wandering stars—corresponded to the gods and goddesses of ancient myth. The constellations illustrated their stories of heroic battles and adventures, as well as their rising and falling fortunes.
The ancient Greeks used myth as we use science today, to explain the creation of the universe and to help describe man’s place in the cosmos. While modern physicists now can explain many of the physical principles that underlie the working of the universe, it is storytellers who continue to put science into context and help us understand our spiritual place in the universe.
Today, we can still be inspired by the figures we see in the sky. Everything old is new again, and the ancient myths can serve as models for contemporary stories. The stars are still there, too. They’re beckoning you now, waiting to be used as a cosmic model for the creative journey.
Drama on a Cosmic Scale
The night sky has inspired storytellers since the dawn of time. For thousands of years, people have gathered around a fire, looked up at the heavens, and spun stories on the strands of starlight. Today, the imagery and symbolism of astrology can inspire your writing, too.
In fact, every constellation in the sky is associated with a corresponding myth or legend. Those stories have become part of our collective memory, and they make up a shared language of myth and metaphor that illustrate the human condition.
Writers and astrologers have a lot in common. They’re both students of human behavior, with a fascination for discovering hidden motivations, secret fears, and boundless dreams. They’re natural observers who have a knack for tuning in to conflicting emotions, subconscious behavior, and mystery.
The language of astrology is the language of drama—of conflict and resolution, courage and compassion, and life-changing growth and development. A lot of astrologers even describe the zodiac as a cosmic drama, and they point out that the planets move through the signs of the zodiac like players on a celestial stage.
Whether or not you use astrology for inspiration, every story shares the same elements: characters, plot, setting, and theme. You might be surprised, however, at how quickly astrology can help you create and develop those components, and weave them seamlessly together.
The Science of Astrology
Astrologers were our first astronomers, and they’ve been plotting the movement of the planets since the beginning of recorded history. Originally, the priests and philosophers who studied the skies were searching for signs and omens from above, which they could relay to their leaders and kings.
Contrary to popular belief, however, astrologers don’t think the planets control our behavior. You’ll be hard-pressed to find any astrologer who believes that the stars create our destiny. In fact, astrologers have a saying: “The stars impel. They do not compel.”
William Shakespeare put it even better when he wrote, “It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves.”
In fact, astrologers have noted that the movements of the planets mirror events on Earth—primarily because the planets move in predictable cycles, and people are creatures of habit. Astrology isn’t superstition. It’s the study of patterns, both in nature and human nature. And while astrology can sometimes be used to predict the future, it also puts the past and present into context.
Of course, it’s also true that no one is entirely predictable. That’s the secret weapon in every writer’s arsenal. Writers and astrologers alike can see the contradictions, quirks, and foibles that add drama to every life.
At its heart, astrology is a symbolic language. Astrology offered us our first model of the human psyche, which makes it a form of primeval psychology. Today, astrology offers us a context that can help us see our place in the larger universe.
Astrology offers a timeless framework for viewing—and understanding—the human condition. Writers and artists who can tap into the cycles of astrology have a magic window into the world of human experience.
Why Use Astrology?
Why should writers use astrology? Because it works.
When you’re staring at a blank page of paper, face to face with writer’s block, astrology gives you a starting point for the process of creation. Astrology is an open invitation to the gods of time and the sky to enter your life, have a seat at your table, and share their stories through you. In the act of using astrology to create, your creativity will be unleashed.
What’s more, you’ll be working in familiar territory. You probably know your own Sun sign, as well as the astrological signs of several friends and family members. You know the planets from sixth-grade science—and you’re probably familiar with the mythic gods and goddesses for whom they’re named.
The study of astrology, like the study of storytelling, can be a lifelong fascination and pursuit. While this book can’t teach you everything there is to know about astrology, it will give you enough tools to use astrology confidently, accurately, and well.
Overview
In this guide, we’ll look at the planets as people and characters, the signs of the zodiac for storylines and plot, and the houses of the horoscope as settings.
The cast of any story revolves around the lead character, just as the planets orbit around the Sun.
Here’s what you’ll find in the three main sections of this book.
1. The Planetary Players. The planets are the guiding lights of the night sky and the actors in the drama of the cosmic stage. They make perfect models for the characters in a world of your creation. We can examine their motivations and goals, as well as their hopes and fears. We can let them reveal themselves through dialogue. We’ll determine which characters are the center of the action, and which characters make up the supporting cast.
2. The Signs of the Zodiac. Just as the planets revolve around the Sun, your characters will move through the signs of the zodiac. In the process, their stories will unfold. We’ll follow the plot, and discover what obstacles and conflicts keep them from reaching their goals. We’ll also study the ways that the symbolism of the same twelve signs can be the foundation of story structure, theme, and symbolism.
3. The Houses of the Horoscope. The twelve houses of the horoscope provide a backdrop and setting for the drama of human experience.
There’s no shortage of material when you use astrology as a brainstorming tool. Between the ten planets, twelve signs, and twelve houses of the horoscope, you’ll discover 1,440 creative combinations. Throw in a few extras, like asteroids, fixed stars, and constellations, and you’ll have as many writing possibilities as there are stars in the sky.
How to Use This Guide
This guide is designed to stimulate your imagination by introducing you to the classic connections between astrology and storytelling. We’ll cover the core concepts of astrology—the planets, signs, and houses—and discover how they correspond to the elements of fiction.
Creative Guidance
Throughout this guide, you’ll find a wide range of creative ideas to help you add astrology to your writing practice, including writing prompts, writing suggestions, and encouragement for you to make your own cosmic connections.
The ideas are designed to spark your creativity. Feel free to adjust or adapt them however you like. You can even mix and match them. After all, astrology itself is based on a few basic concepts that can be rearranged in countless combinations.
You can use this book as a source of ideas and inspiration or as a creative writing companion. Think of it as a tool kit to help you create characters, develop dialogue, and plot scenes and stories from beginning to end.
In some ways, you might think of this book as a reference guide or an astrology primer. I say that with some hesitation, though, because you don’t have to become a serious student of the art in order to benefit from its wisdom. In fact, you don’t need to have any knowledge of astrology at all in order to use the techniques in this book. I’ve tried to explain the principles in plain English, so you can experiment with its tools and techniques however you like—and gain the confidence you need to incorporate it into your work.
In fact, by the end of this book, you should feel comfortable picking and choosing the elements of astrology to create your own unique twist on character, story, and setting.
Creative Guidance
If you like, you can compare the information in this guide to the signs and symbols in your own birth chart. You can calculate a free natal chart online at www.astro.com, buy beginner’s astrology software from a site like www.halloran.com, or order an astrology chart, complete with a detailed explanation, from the publisher of this book. Visit www.llewellyn.com for details. Later, as you start to write, you can also cast fictional horoscopes for your creations.