My passion began with this subject in 1997. Way before this I did have an interest in horoscopes and read the magazines and newspapers like a little puppy wanting those snippets of hope that the horoscopes tend to give the general public.

I am born in early June, a Gemini according to the horoscope people who use the Tropical system of astrology. Now under this system and in accordance with the horoscope meme, I wanted to know everything I could get my hands and eyes on in regard to Gemini. Cause it would help me, wouldn't it? Try as I did, there was just something wrong with me fitting into the mold. I was disgruntled, disappointed that those fun loving, witty, versatile, flexible Gemini traits just didn't quite fit ME.

In 1997 I went to an Astrologer who upset my apple cart, tipped the apples onto the ground, well that's what happened to my mouth when he told me I was not a Gemini, but a Taurus! Once I really got into astrology I started to understand just what it is all about. The zodiac is only a very small part of a huge picture.

So why am I Taurus and not Gemini? There is a 23 degree difference between the Tropical system of astrology and the Sidereal system. Sidereal astrology is factual in that, the actual position of the planets at the time of your birth is in fact 23 degrees in the previous zodiac sign to that of Tropical. This is factual - true - unmistakable - no lies and undisputable. You look in the sky and hey presto - on the date and time of my birth the Sun was in Taurus and not in Gemini as Tropical so incorrectly says.

So once I got over the shock of not being who I thought I was, I put my mind into understanding just what my astrologer friend was revealing to me. My whole astrological blueprint in the form of planetary aspects showed me so much more to this art than the shallow information I had previously believed.

And so why did I resonate so much with Gemini? Well, that's because I have Mercury in Gemini, also in the 3rd house which is where Mercury likes to be. Mercury is strong in my chart, hence I could relate to the quick witted aspects, the communicator in me. But having the Sun in Taurus, I could then rest in knowing that my wanting of security and home being so strong was not out of character, but in character with having my Sun placed in such an earthy sign.

Aspects in your chart are THE most important part of your Astrology chart. An aspect is the distance one planet is to another planet, ie Mars Sextile (or 60 degrees) to the Sun gives a persona of Will, leadership, achievement. Uranus Trine Mars (120 degrees) makes for a rebellious independant type, quick to act, but impatient to some. Venus conjunct Moon (within 5 degrees of each other) gives a person of softness, lover of fine things, sensuality and receptivity. Pluto square Mars (90 degrees) shows the traits of a rock solid individual, unwavering, perhaps resistant, strong libido.

A person has many aspects in their chart which makes up a kaleidoscope of personality traits. Not all these traits come out in an individual in a lifetime, but they are nonetheless there and available to be used for the length of your human journey.

Now when you read those horoscopes, what they relate to is a generalisation of what it is to have the Sun in a particular sign. Now the Sun in your chart may not be very strong. The Sun is a planet of great magnitude, means that part of you that shines, has confidence and can do. If you have not brought out the sun inside yourself then you just may not be doing much shining at all, hence those predictions are not going to mean squat! And the fact that most of you are not in fact the sun sign you think you are adds to the sad and sorry reading you are glueing your eyes to.

To understand astrology in it's cleanest form, you need to understand what Planetary Forces are, ie what is the Saturn influence in your chart, what is the Jupiter force in your chart, Venus, Moon etc. And that's another entry in itself.

So if you hear a conversation, or read a forum that starts off with "I'm a Libran, should I go out with a Scorpio," don't buy into it, you are wasting your time and being conned out of your little mind.