On March 21, astrologers around the world celebrate "International Astrology Day." To celebrate this day, I, as a professional astrologer, decided to answer the most frequently asked questions and share my many years of experience with you.

What Is Astrology and How Does It Work?

To understand astrology, one should recall the principal law of the universe - "As above, so below." Legend has it that these words belong to the great mystic, philosopher, astrologer, and prophet Hermes Trismegistus, who lived in ancient times long before the birth of Jesus Christ. According to his teachings, everything from atoms to molecules, worlds and universes, is in harmony and agreement. Everything is governed by one law. And this is confirmed by modern scientific discoveries. For instance, recent studies found that galaxies in the universe form a structure resembling that of a living tissue cell. The atomic model repeats itself in the morphology of the solar system, and examples of such analogies are countless.

The basis of astrology is the law of correspondence. That means, if the planet's positioning is unfavorable, it will negatively influence events on Earth. And a person born at a certain moment of time during certain planetary placements possesses the full energy potential of that time and those planets. This determines the person's personality, and according to astrological theory, Destiny is the development of personality across the life course.

Time course can vary; it can be both smooth and challenging. Astrology is the only doctrine that can determine the quality of time. There is simply no other way of finding it out.

Calendars available today to all nations were the first, rather uncomplicated, predictions. They are all based on planetary cycles. Western nations follow a solar calendar and eastern - the lunar. It is today that we know the exact date, year, and day of the week. However, the ancient people had to measure time, for which they turned to the sky.

The world was full of chaos and accidents, and only the sky offered harmony and order. The Sun rose and set recurrently, and the moon appeared at regular intervals. Other planets moved in a precise rhythmic motion.

This led to the first predictions, i.e., the calendars, which guided people's daily lives, times of sowing and harvesting, hunting and simply provided temporal understanding to people. It was simply impossible to survive without organizing time!

The first horoscopes were created for rulers, kings, and important people. Ordinary mortals could not have their own horoscope simply because they did not have a watch and most often did not even know the year of their birth.

Horoscopes were the privilege of the elites. Initially, astrology was studied in monasteries and various religious institutions, while the nobility schemed and fought wars, and the common people just did not have the opportunity to study.

Then, astrology began to be taught in schools and was considered mandatory for scientists.

In the past, astrology and astronomy were not separate doctrines, and all the famous astronomers of that time were excellent astrologers...The examples are well known and include Pythagoras, the great ancient Greek philosopher and astrologer, Albert the Great, a lecturer at the University of Paris and Cologne, Nicolaus Copernicus, Polish astronomer and astrologer, creator of the heliocentrism, Galileo Galilei, and Italian astronomer and astrologer, Johannes Kepler one of the most renowned scientists of his time, who discovered the laws of planetary motion and many others.

Doctors were also required to know astrology. The famous Hippocrates once said, "A doctor who does not know astrology is more of a fool than a doctor!" Recognized doctors such as the reputed seer Michel de Notredame, Paracelsus, and everyone who was allowed to practice medicine had a perspicacious knowledge of astrology.

Many prominent scholars studied astrology, including Isaac Newton, President of the Royal Society of London. Few people know that Newton made his main discoveries in physics before the age of 25, and the rest of his life was devoted to studying astrology, alchemy, theology, and deciphering biblical prophecies. In 1704 Newton wrote on a piece of paper 2060 as the date of the end of the world. But, as they say: "we just have to wait and see."

Albert Einstein also studied astrology. He said, "Astrology is a science in itself and contains an illuminating body of knowledge. It taught me many things, and I am greatly indebted to it".

Russian scientists Mikhail Lomonosov, Alexander Chizhevsky also studied astrology.

Writers and poets did not shy away from astrology either. Johann Goethe, a German writer and naturalist, together with Schiller, developed the astrological diagram "The Rose of Temperaments."

In the East, astrology was considered one of the most sacred sciences, which was studied by scientists, poets, and rulers. The renowned poet Omar Khayyam wrote many astrological works that enjoyed great demand.

Contemporary astrologers work with everyone who wants to get a personalized horoscope, as thanks to computer programs that perform complex mathematical calculations, the compilation of a horoscope is greatly simplified.

What do people expect from an astrologer? In large part, a prognosis, but the value of astrology is the astrologer's ability to explain the mundane events. This helps people to better navigate the future.

Usually, people turn to an astrologer at low points of their lives, as they deem it crucial to know when this difficult period will end. For instance, losing a job or a rough divorce is something an astrologer can help with by giving the exact time of when a person can get a new job or meet someone. An astrologer can estimate the reason for the divorce and what mistakes can be avoided in the future.

Unlike a psychologist, an astrologer does not need to ask the client any questions. He only needs an exact time of birth to be able to tell everything about that person.

This is particularly important for parents who want the astrologer to determine the child's talents and advise the best activity to engage the child in.

Therefore, the work of an astrologer is not only a prediction, it is also a type of psychological support.

I dived into a serious study of astrology after I was amazed at how accurate was the timing of my first marriage according to the chart I built. After that, my fascination only grew stronger and finally turned into a passion. Everything is precisely calculated—the universe is an enormous universal computer, where everything is accounted for. But this in no way implies that we should not better ourselves, it is just that everyone approaches it differently and individually. The universe, indeed, welcomes any self-improvement; however, this does not necessarily mean that we can command our destiny. So, if an astrologer is wrong, blame it on him and not destiny.

Are astrologers ever wrong? Yes, astrologers, just like the rest of us, sometimes make mistakes, however, it is uncommon with a good professional astrologer.

In my book "An Astrologer's Notes," I write what it is like to be an astrologer, about my feelings, experiences, and the most interesting cases in my astrological practice. So, if you are interested in the insider's view on astrology as a profession and astrology in general, I highly recommend it to you. I think you will find it fascinating since a profession of an astrologer is unmatched! And so, this book has a separate chapter devoted to astrological errors. I don't shy away from them, I study them!

Writing astrological predictions is a complex process. Let's take, for instance, the following question: "who will win the presidential elections"? Such a prediction requires taking into account many factors, including the country's horoscope. The emphasis has to be placed on each factor within the given system, which greatly complicates the work of any astrologer. Yes, I thought Trump would win the elections, as his data is stronger than that of Biden. By the way, 4 years ago, my prediction about Trump's victory over Hillary Clinton turned out to be correct.

When I studied this question, I focused predominantly on the personal data of the applicants. And indeed, Trump has a stronger horoscope, and he is an outstanding and strong personality. However, that period for Scorpios (Biden) was more opportune than for Gemini (Trump).

Either way, I made a mistake, and my prediction failed since, as we know, Biden is the president! Yet, I did write that this will be a special, never seen before in the United States election. The quote from a prediction that was published in my interview for SWAAY magazine goes as follows:

On Election Day, and the entire period leading up to it, both Mercury and Mars will move backward in relation to the movement of the Sun across the horizon (known as being in retrograde). This means that we can expect a lot of unreliable or intentionally twisted information, large-scale protests, and this will peak the last week before Election Day, which is planned for November 3, and the entire month that follows. Planets in retrograde also suggest that the opposition party is likely going to attempt to contest the election results, and all of this will go hand in hand with major scandals. We are all used to American elections becoming scenes of political conflict, but I am afraid that this year, things will take a new shape and outdo previous years in terms of political upheaval…

…I think that Donald Trump might be re-elected for a second term if he is only running against Joe Biden. Compromising information about Biden will be released late in September or in October 2020. This will also be a difficult time for Biden's health. Overall, his horoscope is much weaker than Trump's."

That is to say, the prediction is accurate according to the description of the situation, however as per result, it is not.

Here's another quote from 2020 predictions:

"The peak of wars between supporters of the old and the new order will culminate in the second half of 2020, the period lasting from July to December.

Equally, the period between August and October may herald a huge global economic crisis that will affect all countries throughout the world.

In this same period, we may witness peace agreements breaking down and active military hostility in hot spots around the world."

It can scarcely be denied that this prediction came true. Nevertheless, the bulk of the predictions published in this article were translated into reality, but people tend to single out mistakes, especially when it comes to astrology.

Everyone whose work relates to forecasting or predicting the future, from meteorologists to financial analysts, makes mistakes, but no one questions them. Moreover, representatives of other prognostic sectors are mistaken no less often than astrologers.

Astrology, which has served mankind for centuries, is under pressure from a skeptical society, and there is no explanation for this. Religion, even though amplifying astrology, considers it a sin. Scientists, who have forgotten the precepts of their great predecessors, are now also quite skeptical about this science.

It will not always be like this, however. Now we are all witnessing a really transformational moment. A transition to new Epoch, the Age of Aquarius, which brings a significant change in values, and people's treatment of one another. So, if the main value of this time is money and many judge a person solely based on his wealth, the Age of Aquarius will gradually change everything.

Aquarius brings totally different energy! It's bold, direct, creative, joyful. It validates the triumph of thought and spirit rather than the power of money! The value lies in the person himself, his spiritual potential, things he can offer to society.

The change of epochs, the change of energies is always associated with turbulent global developments, civilization crises, a revolution in the economy, culture, with new views on religious teachings, and change in relationships between the people.

The slogan of this Epoch is Equality, Happiness, Brotherhood of everyone on the planet. The people's true core values will be measured by their spiritual development. The Age of Aquarius will rightfully place astrology as the spiritual science, which explains so much in our life, among other disciplines.

2020 and 2021 are the eventful and decisive years of transition to another Epoch. Of course, like any transition, this period is exceptionally challenging.

One can compare this period with birth and death.

The most precarious phenomenon of this time, of course, can be considered the coronavirus epidemic. This infection brought the world to a sudden standstill. What for? Perhaps to stop another war or an endless rat race?

Either way, the virus hit us severely and is here to stay at least until the fall of 2021, the end of the year. And hopefully, it will then turn into a common virus like the flu.

Any disease has a spiritual foundation, and humanity hasn't looked healthy for a while now. The entire planet has become infected with the virus, meaning that our whole world is in spiritual distress. And spirituality reached its lowest in the virus most impacted countries. The gloves are off, all the intentions of the forces of Evil are apparent, which is an advantage of the sorts too, making the fight against it easier.

I mentioned the economic meltdown meant to hit our world in 2020 and 2021, and, unfortunately, my prediction became a reality. But 2022 and mainly its first half will bring much more favorable conditions. The world will start to recover during this period. The fall and winter of 2022 look a little worse, and international relations may worsen during this period. Another armed conflict may be looming. However, it will not lead to war.

I have read numerous comments on my books "Complete Horoscope 2020" and "Complete Horoscope 2021", where I was called "the most depressed astrologer ever." But, I would actually replace the word "depressed" with "realistic." Humanity had a very rough 2020. The beginning of 2021, as can be seen by recent developments, is not a smooth ride either. In yearly horoscope predictions for 2021, as outlined in the SWAAY magazine, I described the main critical periods of 2021: (January - March, May - first half of July, December - January 2022.

And in fact, January - March of this year was a challenging time for many due to the "second wave of coronavirus" and the re-imposition of restrictions world-wide, which had a negative impact on both the economy and social mood, leading to countless protests and clashes with the police in many parts of the world. The distribution of vaccines, among other things, ensued tension on the international stage. I fear that the other periods of 2021 that I mentioned will also be quite tense.

Astrology is not a science of consolation, and I am not fond of astrologers who, despite unfavorable astrological calculations, say that "everything is fine." On the contrary, I believe that the expression "Forewarned is forearmed" is more appropriate. A good astrologer ought to warn his readers and clients about possible challenges and suggest solutions, which I do in my books. I consider this to be my primary objective.

Of course, everyone prefers to hear only positive information. But my job is to tell it like it is. It may also be attributed to cultural differences. Westerners tend to smooth things over, while in Russia, people prefer to pull no punches.

I have already started working on the next book, "Complete Horoscope 2022," and I can firmly say that the 2022 planetary position will be much more favorable, and I promise more positive predictions. Good luck everyone!