Astrology in Time and Place: Cross-Cultural Questions in the History of Astrology

by Nicholas Campion (Editor), Dorian Gieseler Greenbaum (Revision)

Astrology is the practice of relating the heavenly bodies to lives and events on earth, and the tradition that has thus been generated. Many cultures worldwide have practised it in some form. In some it is rudimentary, in others complex. Culture and scholarship have categorised it as both belief and science, as a form of magic, divination or religious practice but in many ways it defies easy categorisation. The chapters in this volume make a significant contribution to our understanding of astrology across a range of periods of cultures. Based on papers presented at the annual conference of the Sophia Centre held in 2012, the contributions range from China and Japan, through India, the ancient Near East, the classical world and early modern Europe, to Madagascar and Mesoamerica. The different topics include ritual and religion, magic and science, calendars and time, and questions of textual transmission and methodology. Astrology in Time and Place is essential reading for all interested in the history of humanitys relationship with the cosmos.

315 pages, Hardcover

Published May 26, 2016

Reviews

[Gustavo666 · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book brings together academic articles on Traditional Astrology. It contains useful information on the history of astrology, and the articles on the development of this oracle in the East cover some truly unique topics. From an astrologer’s perspective, there isn’t much of practical value here, since the book does not discuss specific techniques. At the same time, I think it’s essential for a practitioner to familiarize themselves with the history of the divination system they use, and many of the texts here provide details not found in books that cover the history of astrology more broadly. However, most of the articles are of purely academic interest and can be skipped if your focus is on the practical application of astrology.

[Imogen]

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