Dante's Inferno described astrologers in one layer of hell, with their heads turned backwards and taking small steps forward.
Astrology requires heavy, recursive and intellectual effort to describe events in the world. Whenever a new fact or piece of novel information is introduced to the initial interpretations of symbols, you have to go back and rework your understanding of the relationships between symbols.
It can be interesting and stabilizing of your feelings and emotions because you're constantly filtering down interpretations of character and meaning into symbolic pockets, but it also is an incredibly slow process that is reactive to new information. It is definitely a net negative on participant's ability to move forward in the world.
The ability to predict entirely depends on how the astrologer fills their symbolic pockets with particular meanings and then lays it out across time. Due to the sheer quantity of interpretation one can invest in this process, and constant refinement of it, the setup of one astrologer is not communicable to another. Studying the past astrologers is a curiosity at best, fuel for the fire at worst.
Astrology never comes to a final end. It doesn't have the completeness of a religious book, nor the ability to begin new events itself. You just interpret forever.
> It is definitely a net negative on participant's ability to move forward in the world
I rather like Vettius Valens (2rd century) take on the value of Astrology. It shares much with eastern thought and practices, just with a different tool:
"As a result, those ignorant of the prognostic art—or those not willing to engage in it at all—are led away and enslaved to these previously mentioned gods. They endure all blows and suffer punishment along with their pleasures. Some partially attain what they hoped for, their confidence begins to increase, and they await a permanently favorable outcome—not realizing how precarious and slippery are these accidents of Fortune. Others are disappointed in their expectations not just once, but always; they then surrender body and soul to their passions and live shamed and disgraced—or they simply wait, living as slaves to fickle Fortune and deceitful Hope, and they are entirely unable to achieve anything.
But those who have trained themselves in the prognostic art and in the truth keep their minds free and out of bondage; they despise Fortune, do not persist in Hope, do not fear death, and live undisturbed. They have trained their souls to be confident. They do not rejoice excessively at prosperity nor are they depressed by adversity, but they are satisfied with whatever happens. Since they do not have the habit of longing for the impossible, they bear steadfastly the decrees of Fate. They are alien to all pleasure or flattery and stand firm as soldiers of Fate."
Astrology requires heavy, recursive and intellectual effort to describe events in the world. Whenever a new fact or piece of novel information is introduced to the initial interpretations of symbols, you have to go back and rework your understanding of the relationships between symbols.
It can be interesting and stabilizing of your feelings and emotions because you're constantly filtering down interpretations of character and meaning into symbolic pockets, but it also is an incredibly slow process that is reactive to new information. It is definitely a net negative on participant's ability to move forward in the world.
The ability to predict entirely depends on how the astrologer fills their symbolic pockets with particular meanings and then lays it out across time. Due to the sheer quantity of interpretation one can invest in this process, and constant refinement of it, the setup of one astrologer is not communicable to another. Studying the past astrologers is a curiosity at best, fuel for the fire at worst.
Astrology never comes to a final end. It doesn't have the completeness of a religious book, nor the ability to begin new events itself. You just interpret forever.