A Brief Astrology History: The Dawn of Popular Sun Signs (19th–20th Century) Alan Leo, Dane Rudhyar, Linda Goodman

From the 17th to the 19th centuries, astrology survived primarily in the form of folk almanacs or as a niche entertainment, with very few people actually studying the discipline.

At the turn of the 20th century, however, conversations regarding the soul, reincarnation, spirits, and mediumship began to resurface. Spiritualism and Theosophy became widespread trends.

Consequently, astrology made its way back into Western mainstream society. Alan Leo, an English Theosophist, was a pivotal figure during this era. He dedicated himself to establishing various astrological societies and simplified astrology to make it accessible to everyone. His background as a Theosophist allowed his works to reach a broader audience, establishing astrology’s popularity in the English-speaking world and revitalizing it across Europe.

"Character is Destiny"

Another significant contribution by Alan Leo was shifting the focus of astrology from the "prediction of future events" found in classical astrology to character analysis. His catchphrase was "Character is Destiny." With the advent of depth psychology in the 20th century, astrology began to focus on psychological analysis, using the craft as a tool for introspection.

During this period, astrology also became linked with the New Age Movement.

Note: The New Age Movement is a trend that strips away traditional religious labels while connecting with occultism and spirituality.

A hallmark of Modern Astrology is the shift from the external to the internal. Unlike the traditional preoccupation with fate, modern astrology prioritizes psychological structures and states of being.

The Rise of the Sun Sign

Beginning in 1930, Sun Sign astrology became a cultural phenomenon. Magazines began featuring zodiac columns and horoscopes for the twelve signs. Suddenly, anyone who knew their birthday could participate.

Before this, classical astrologers typically viewed the "Ascendant" (Rising Sign) as the most personalized sign, rather than the Sun Sign.

Dane Rudhyar continued Alan Leo’s path of character analysis by integrating depth psychology into Western astrology, becoming an early adopter of Jungian theories.

Modern astrology also incorporates the relatively "new" outer planets: Uranus and Neptune (discovered in the 18th and 19th centuries) and Pluto (discovered in the early 20th century). Since the 1980s, these outer planets have been fully integrated into standard practice, often replacing traditional rulers. The use of asteroids has also gained significant attention.

While some dismiss asteroids, I personally find them incredibly exciting and will share more of their stories in future posts. The five most commonly used asteroids include Chiron (The Wounded Healer), Ceres (The Harvest Goddess), Juno (The Goddess of Marriage), Vesta (The Goddess of the Hearth), and Pallas (The Goddess of Wisdom and Truth).

The Linda Goodman Phenomenon

In the late 20th century, there was an intense desire for innovation within the astrological community. Whether intentional or not, the trend was to carve a new path away from tradition. This mirrored the broader 1960s counterculture in America, which challenged traditional values and encouraged people to explore themselves through new lenses.

On January 1, 1968, 43-year-old Linda Goodman published Sun Signs. The book discussed the personality traits, behaviors, and romantic patterns of the twelve signs. It sat on the New York Times bestseller list for years and has sold tens of millions of copies to date. Interestingly, at the time of publication, the transiting North Node was within 1 to 2 degrees of her natal Chiron and Ascendant.

While Goodman wasn't the first author to emphasize Sun Signs, her passion for writing, which included poetry, gave her a vivid and engaging prose style. Furthermore, the book’s focus on romantic patterns addressed one of the public's most pressing interests. Goodman continued to use astrology to explore love and relationships for years to come.

The Digital Milestone

The final milestone in bidding farewell to tradition was the popularization of the personal computer. This made the calculation and drawing of birth charts easier than ever before. Previously, astrologers required a background in astronomy and mathematics, using ephemerides and complex tables to manually calculate a chart.

Period	Key Figures / Events	Core Shift
Late 19th C.	Rise of Theosophy & Spiritualism	Astrology returns to the mainstream, linked to the soul.
1910s	Alan Leo	"Simplification" of techniques; "Character is Destiny."
1930s	Magazine & Newspaper Columns	Sun Sign astrology has become a massive trend.
1960s	Counter-culture & Dane Rudhyar	Integration of Jungian psychology and outer planets.
1968	Linda Goodman publishes Sun Signs	Astrology becomes a pop-culture phenomenon (focus on love).
1980s	PC Popularization	Chart calculation is automated; barrier to entry drops.