The ambition of every human being born on this earth is to lead a comfortable care free span of life free from disease and impediments while hoping to continue living as long as possible. Astrology is a science studied by Ancient Sages who propounded the theories in relation to the presence of the sun, moon and the planets involving their influence on man.

These are predictions deduced and justified by the principle that certain regular occurrences of celestial phenomena such as planetary conjunctions, transits, eclipses etc., invariably coincide with certain significant developments in the individual on this planet earth. The popular astrological forecasts featured in newspapers and magazines indicate very general tendencies. There is no reason to assume that things do not exist or are true or false because we do not know about them. Celestial bodies do not produce only light and gravitation. Astrology point to problems not found in other branches of science.

The moon closest to our earth influences or minds and the body as much as the moon cause high and low tides in the sea. The birth of a child can be associated with the planetary and stellar positions in the heavens at the time of birth. Thus the qualities and the life of that child born has a pattern similar to the state of that moment.

The solar activity and those of the planets are the route cause of activity in this world. Thus astrology is the science which governs the position of the sun - the Time. The time of birth of a child is the time his life on this earth commenced according to the position of planets and corresponding to the ‘merit’ (Karma) accumulated by the individual in previous births. Everything that happens on this earth should have a purpose. Thus the lives of individuals are governed according to the circumstances they were born.

There are many people who do not believe in astrology. The writer himself was one of them who belittled those who believed in astrology. However the life of an individual will go on with its ups and downs with no prospect of changing it. Even Shakespeare in one of his plays has spoken of fate which is in our stars. The astrologer predicts events past and those that will take place in the future life span of an individual by going through the planetary positions in his horoscope indicated at the time of birth. The writer once consulted a lady astrologer of Elpitiya down south who makes only a slight glance on a horoscope submitted and predicts events past, present and also future happennings in the life of the owner of the horoscope. The writer produced the horoscope of a relative of his when he had lost contact of him in a foreign country for several years.

Holding the horoscope in her hand she at once said that the owner of the horoscope was abroad and at that moment he was leisurely travelling in a steamer in mid ocean which was later found correct. He had travelled to the States from England. She further said that he would continue to be a bachelor for the rest of his life. He is now in his seventies a confirmed bachelor. In this instance she scored over conventional astrology. The basis of this prediction was supposed to be through her knowledge of astrology for she at times calculated the period and effects of reigning planets of the consultant’s horoscope.

I guessed that there was sometimes an occult element within her capacity to predict. It is known that in India there are astrologers who possess a ready made horoscope for every individual when someone consults one of them and begin reading on it. Can alarmingly frightening predictions effect the psychological mechanism of the consultant?
Godwin Witane.