Review of Facade

Facade

http://www.facade.com/

The site I’m reviewing this time is not an astrology site.

It’s an interactive computer site which reads tarot cards, and runes, and the I Ching, and biorhythms, and various other methods of divination.  And they are all completely random results chosen by a computer.  (It even flips an electronic coin!) So why am I reviewing it? Well first, because I like it, it’s a lot of fun! But there is also another reason, a method to my madness if you will.    

It’s been said that every grain of sand has the shape of the mountain.  What does that mean?  Well, I was taught that there is ultimately only one truth (the shape of the mountain), and it doesn’t really matter how you find it because whichever method you use (or whichever grain of sand you study) is just as valid as any other method because they all lead to the same truth in the end. So, it doesn’t really matter whether you use astrology, or tarot cards, or religion, or math, or science, or colors, or music, or words, or numbers, or whatever – if you can understand it, the results will be the same.

  

I use astrology because it makes the most sense to me, but I also have a working knowledge of tarot cards, numerology, cartomancy (playing cards), and runes, all of which correspond to astrology and to each other in some way.  I admit that I am often skeptical of the beliefs some people hold, but I try to keep an open mind, since I am aware that many people are just as skeptical of my beliefs.  And I have been surprised on quite a few occasions.  

Over the centuries man has used some astonishing and truly bizarre modes of prophecy which I thought you might enjoy. Also, you may find that it makes some of the beliefs held today seem almost normal in comparison. 

Axinomancy- by a stone balanced on a red-hot ax.

Cephalomancy – by boiling a donkey’s head

Chalomancy – by interpreting the tones made by striking 
       copper or brass bowls

Chresmomancy – by the utterances of a person in a frenzy

Felidomancy – by the behavior and action of cats

Gelomancy – by the interpretation of hysterical laughter

Gyromancy – by the mutterings of those exhausted by 
        wild dancing

Metopomancy or Metoposcopy – by the lines on a person’s
        forehead

Myomancy – by the sudden appearance of rats or mice

Omphalomancy – by contemplation of one’s own navel

Podomancy – by study of the soles of the feet

Scapulomancy – by the markings on the shoulder bone of an 
         animal

Sciomancy – by the size, shape and changing appearance of 
         shadows of the dead

Splanchomancy – by examining the entrails of sacrificial
         victims

Uromancy – by inspection of urine

Zoomancy – by reports of imaginary animals, such as Sea
          monsters

The Shape of the Mountain

Review of Darkstar Astrology

Review of Darkstar Astrology

http://darkstarastrology.com/

I read an article on Horoscope Services (http:// horoscopeservices.co.uk/) entitled White Label Horoscopes.  Subscribers may choose from a long list of daily, weekly, or monthly Horoscope RSS & XML feeds which are available to be e-mailed to you. These feeds also offer a variety of other free astrology services for any platform which may be displayed by you on your web site, blog, or other web pages to add content and even revenue to your astrology pages.  You choose the design, which data services you would like to use, and you may even choose to interface with our astrology server through AstroEngine.Net Web Service.

Darkstar Astrology is currently the highest ranked astrology blog by blogrank.  Out of the following 8 ranking lists included under astrology blogs Darkstar came in 1^st five times, including for the ultimate rank and for both the Feedburner RSS membership and for the highest number of unique monthly visitors.

 Astrology Blog Ranking Lists:

By Ultimate Rank                                  1st

By Feedburner RSS Membership        1st

By Unique Monthly Visitors                 1st

By Alexa Rank                                       1st

By Complete Rank                                1st

By Google Indexed Pages

By Google PR

By Number of Incoming Links

  

I must say the only thing that really surprised me about their ranking is that it wasn’t higher.  They’re RSS feeds and willingness to share their services are clearly a significant factor in their popularity, but they’re articles and interpretations are very detailed, highly accurate, and written by astrologers who have are obviously intelligent, but they also have a rare ability to write about interesting topics without being condescending.  I love the way they include references about the Greek myths in their writing, and the fact that they make it easy for me to accept the negative and yet still feel empowered.

  

Review of Astrolibrary

Astrolibrary

https://astrolibrary.org/

I decided to examine some  astrology websites to find a good resource I could reccommend for those who are just now developing an interest in astrology and would like to learn the basics. I’ve settled on Astrolibrary, mainly because I liked their philosophy which includes a belief in free will.  They even included one of my favorite quotes in lesson 10: “I am the master of my fate and the captain of my soul.”

I was a teenager when I checked my first book on astrology out of the library, and by the end of the night, I had cast my birth chart. It’s even easier now that there are websites that will do the math and draw the chart for you.  (I still would recommend you learn to do the math yourself, but then have one printed out for you at Astrodienst.com to check your accuracy.)

Begin with lesson one, and once you have your chart, come back here to Astrolibrary and continue through lesson 10.   But, just for now, don’t go past lesson 10. If you really are interested in learning more, then look at how some of the other websites with lessons for beginners present the same material. I would suggest that you take your time and really learn the planets, signs, houses, and aspects forward and backward before you go any further. These are the tools of astrology and as necessary to reading a chart as the alphabet is to writing a book.  But once you know them, you’ll find that you can learn anything and everything about astrology with ease.

There is much more involved in astrology than just reading someone's birth chart or writing a daily horoscope column.  These are just some of the areas involved in the study of astrology:

Astrology of a Business - the birth chart of a business

Astropsychology - psychological astrology

Composite or Blended Chart Astrology - the chart of a            relationship or family

Electional Astrology - determining when to do something

Geographic Astrology - determining where to do                       something

Hellenistic Astrology - the study of ancient astrology

Horary Astrology - the study of the birth of a question      Medical Astrology

Mundane Astrology - Political or World Events

Past Life Astrology

Synastry - Compatibility

Vocational Astrology - Choosing a career

  

REP UR SIGN Review

REP UR SIGN

https://www.facebook.com/REPURSIGN/

I don’t know why I like this site, but I really do.
Astrology on Facebook is like a whole new world for me, and this one is my favorite.  It’s based on the idea that everybody thinks their sun sign is the best (which is funny because its true!), so that becomes your team, and you vote for your team. Their posts are just random thoughts on the signs, but they always make me smile.  And even though they are just for fun, somebody over there actually knows what they’re talking about astrologically, because I can almost always see the logic behind them.  

I like reading the comments and seeing how many votes each of the sun signs get.  It’s interesting to see how many people agree with what is said about their sign. Some signs are the first to laugh at themselves, and the first to comment on posts. Other signs will be the first to vote for any positive characteristics attributed to their signs but they either just never recognize or never admit to having any negative traits, even when it’s all in fun.

I should mention that this is not a site for kids, they are usually relatively tame, but some of the posts do cross over into R-rated areas. 

Astrocenter.com Review

Astrocenter.com

http://www.astrocenter.com

Note:  Although my original intention was to review only Astrocenter.com, I have confirmed that the other two astrology websites listed below are part of the same company as Astrocenter.com with similar content, and so I am including all three in this review.  Their fourth website, Psychiccenter.com is a listing of psychics, astrologers, and other fortune tellers, and if you wish to purchase a reading you can do so there.

Astrology.com            (www.astrology.com)

Horoscope.com          (www.horoscope.com)

Psychiccenter.com    (www.psychiccenter.com)

I’ve talked to you about a couple of astrology websites I like, now I’m going to tell you about what I don’t like.  I have many problems with these sites, beginning with the way they perceive, interpret, and portray astrology and astrologers. 

  

Astrology is based on the theory that the positions of the Sun, Moon, planets, and other celestial bodies tend to influence each other, our world, and all of us. This is not such an outlandish idea when you consider the effect the moon has on the tides of our Oceans. 

Astrologers believe they can identify the type of influence that it holds over a person by studying the position the planets were in at the time of his birth. Astrology is a way to interpret these influences, and gain some insight into ourselves and others.  The hope is that once we can recognize these tendencies we are then empowered to control and direct them accordingly.  Astrology is not an absolute, it has never negated the idea of free will.   “The stars impel, they do not compel.” 

I think it is best to always approach astrology and astrologers with an open mind but with some skepticism.  It is best to reserve judgement and evaluate what we are told against the facts.  But there are certain red flags contained in these websites:

My main problem is that they speak in absolutes.  For instance, the title of one article is “Don’t date these signs, Scorpio”. Astrology would not say that.  It would try to indicate the problems one sign might have with another and find ways to work around them.  

I also question their accuracy. Astrology involves some very precise calculations to determine the position of the planets at the time of birth. I have found several calculation errors in their birth charts, including a major one in my own chart.  

Also, they are very profit oriented.  Every horoscope is just a way to introduce something they are selling or to obtain information from you so that they can try to solicit you through email.

That's three strikes by my count.  Proceed at your own risk.

Astrology Zone Review

Astrology Zone

https://www.astrology zone.com

Astrology Zone was created in 1995 by Susan Miller, one of the most popular, dedicated, and talented astrologers online.  There are innumerable reasons for her success, all of which are both true and impressive; but the reason I first noticed her and the reason I still find her so fascinating is this:  the monthly horoscopes she writes for astrology zone are not only the best monthly horoscopes online, they are the best horoscopes by Sun Sign that I have ever read anywhere.

I am not a very big fan of horoscopes based only on Sun signs.   They are, out of necessity, very general and impersonal, and rarely ever accurate.  I once heard an astrologer compare someone who wrote a daily horoscope column and claimed to be an astrologer to someone who wrote greeting cards and claimed to be a poet.  But, Susan Miller's Monthly Horoscopes are the exception.  She is an excellent and prolific writer, and the horoscopes are very specific and eerily insightful.

The rest of Astrology Zone is just okay.  The Life & Love section has some interactive devices on compatibility and other topics; the learning section has some basic astrology lessons; the Shop has some astrological items for sale; and there are some very interesting articles she's written, But nothing on the level of her legendary monthly horoscopes.

Astrodienst Review

Astrodienst

https://www.astro.com/

The purpose of this blog is to review some of the Astrology websites online.   So, I thought I’d start where I started twenty years ago, with the first astrology website I ever visited, and it’s still my favorite.

Astrodienst was, is, and probably always will be one of the best astrology websites online.  For the new user, it’s fun and user friendly, and if you know where and when you were born you can very easily get your natal chart printed out and interpreted.  They have a section titled AstroClick which lets you click any spot on your chart and have it explained to you.  You can enter the information for other people as well and get their natal charts as well. And AstroClick Partner will give you an analysis of your relationship with another person.  The Color Oracle is a lot of fun too. They have a section for your Weekly Horoscope and another titled Astrology for Lovers, both of which are excellent. And if you are interested in learning more about astrology, their section titled All About Astrology is a very good place to start.  And these are all free!

If you do want to pay for a more in depth interpretation, then do it here.  Liz Greene is one of the few astrologists online that won’t be a waste of your money.