Q. Is astrology part of the Waldorf belief system?
A. Yes. In Waldorf belief, all stars and planets are the homes of gods, and all of them exert influences on human beings. Here is Steiner discussing this subject. Note that the quotation comes from a book about education — in fact, the book is part of the "Foundations of Waldorf Education" series: "The fixed stars work in the human being, the moving planets work in the human being...." [1] How do the stars and planets "work" in human beings? Through their astrological powers. According to Steiner's teachings, the stars are the abodes of the gods, and we are the center of the gods' attention and beneficence, beaming down to us from on high.
To understand the effects of astrological forces on individual human beings, astrologers use horoscopes. It would be unusual to find a Waldorf teacher openly using a horoscope to analyze a child, but we have a record of Rudolf Steiner using a horoscope for precisely this purpose on at least one occasion. Note that the following quotation also comes from a book about education. We might also note that Steiner made this statement at the height of his power and influence, in mid-1924. “By looking at what the horoscope shows we can see what is really the matter [with a child] ... Consider first Mars. For this child, who was born in 1909, Mars stands in complete opposition to the Moon. Mars, which has Venus and Uranus in its vicinity, stands — itself — in strong opposition to the Moon. Here is the Moon and here is Mars. And Mars pulls along with it Uranus and Venus...." [2] Steiner is discussing the astrological powers of the planets; he is discussing a child's horoscope. He is using astrology.
For more, see "Waldorf Astrology" and "Horoscopes".
[1] Rudolf Steiner, THE ROOTS OF EDUCATION (Anthroposophic Press, 1997), p. 84.
[2] Rudolf Steiner, CURATIVE EDUCATION (Rudolf Steiner Press, 1972), lecture 11, July 6, 1924.
Steiner scorned vulgar, popular forms of astrology. But he affirmed that there is a true or genuine form of astrology, and he gave his followers instruction in understanding such astrology.
◊ "Having thus come to the recognition of how the guiding Spirits of the planets [i.e., the gods who rule the planets] are connected with the several members [i.e., organs] of the man of inner movement [i.e., a human being having an inner life, that is, a true human being], you will be able to follow me when I say that in the allocation of the Signs to the several members [i.e., in identifying which constellations affect which organs] we are already touching the fundamental principle of all genuine astrology. Recall the connections we have been considering, and you will recognise that there lies inherent within them the principle of true and genuine astrology....“ — Rudolf Steiner, MAN IN THE LIGHT OF OCCULTISM, THEOSOPHY AND PHILOSOPHY (Rudolf Steiner Press, 1964), lecture 9, GA 137: THE RUDOLF STEINER ARCHIVE.
◊ “For as what man is today stands written in the heavenly spaces in the writing of the constellations of the stars, so stands written there too what is yet to happen with him [i.e., the stars reveal humanity's past and future]. This is the ground of true astrology. You will see at once, from what we have been considering, that you really only need to know occultism [e.g., Steiner's own teachings, Anthroposophy] and you have at the same time the root principle of astrology.” — Rudolf Steiner, ibid.