Most people consult astrologers for personal matters and guidance, perhaps because they feel at a crossroads in life. To help with offering guidance, an astrologer will usually draw up a birth chart, which is just a map of where all the planets were when you were born, and look for themes that may be causing issues in your life, and talk through possible ways of navigating those issues with you. However, an astrological chart is just a map of a moment in time, and can be drawn up for anything; the start of a business, a wedding or civil ceremony or simply the time a question is asked. Indeed, astrologers are often called upon to elect the best time to start an enterprise, to find something that is missing, or answer a question. Business astrology, too, is a fast-growing area. Astrology can also be applied to political, financial and medical matters, but the astrologer needs to be thoroughly educated in the given specialist area, as well as in their astrology.
For a potted history of astrology and how it has been used, check out Lynn Holt’s excellent article on her website.