Human Beings have always been fascinated by the rising Sun resplendent in its orange and gold glory, the ball of fire as it grows in size and brightness, its movement across the blue sky, and finally the soft pink, orange and grey hues of the setting Sun. The beauty of the Moon and her moods as she grows from a small curve to a beautiful round yellow ball suspended in the black velvet sky, overshadowing the twinkling stars, and then contracts gradually till she disappears allowing all the stars to twinkle against the dark backdrop of the sky, has been an inspiration to all, especially poets and artists.

From times immemorial human beings have been observing the blue sky, the seasonal grey clouds, the play of colours as the Sun rises and sets each day, the varying size, colour and beauty of the Moon and the countless stars, some of which twinkle and some don't, which are the planets.

Being gifted with intelligence, Man soon observed that this play of colours and the ever-changing sky is related to the Sun and Moon and this has an impact on human life. Gradually it was evident that the movement of the Sun, Moon and the Planets follows a pattern and these influence life. In nature, movement of the Sun governs seasons; seasons influence nature in known and unknown ways: flowers bloom in spring, trees shed their leaves in autumn, trees bear fruit according to the seasons, in winter birds migrate to warmer places, animals hibernate. The movement of the Moon influences tides and weather as also mood swings in human beings.

Astrology is about the way the Sun, the Moon and other Planets affect human life. While the Sun is considered the most important entity in Astrology as it governs the self and the soul, the Moon is believed to rule our emotions. Each Planet has a well-defined function and astrology is about the impact of these Planets in our life. In Astrology, the Sun and the Moon are considered as Planets. These Planets are in motion and this brings about changes in our life. As the speed of each Planet is different, the Planets come close, meet, cross, or go far away from other planets. The distance between planets is also an important contributing factor.

While Astrology is popular for predictions, it can help us to understand our own nature and the nature and behaviour of people around us. Astrology is a useful tool in making career choices, find a suitable life partner, reveal possible health problem, our finances, to understand our relationship with our parents, siblings, spouse and friends. In essence, Astrology is a perfect Personal Guide.

- Sushama Usgaonkar