Is Astrology a Hoax?

Astrology tends to be a polarizing subject, sharply divided among believers and non-believers. From those who start their day with a horoscope, to the professionals, to the skeptics, and the straight up haters, there is quite the spectrum of feelings towards this topic. 

Roughly a year ago, when the pandemic was in full swing and life was put on pause, I turned to any outlet that would A) fill up my new found free time and B) provide an explanation--or a beacon of hope--for this crazy life we were living. Like many people, I refused to trust contradicting information from the government. Rather,  I turned to my daily horoscope podcast as a way to seek out an external source of information.

As you can assume, this ultimately led me down the astrology rabbit hole, as I became obsessed with apps like Co-Star (which I’ve realized is not an informative app, but that’s a conversation for another day). Through research, I discovered my entire birth chart, and learned so much about the 11 remaining zodiac signs. 

But in my journey to better understand what it meant when someone told me I’m “such a Sagittarius”, I quickly realized there is so much more to astrology than just your sun sign, moon sign, and rising sign. (If you still need to learn the basics, click here!)

Introspection

While others may disagree, studying astrology-particularly your own natal chart-is an excellent opportunity for some serious introspection. Before I really dived in, there were certain aspects of my sun sign that didn’t necessarily resonate with me. Before writing off the entire subject because of this, I learned in Astrology 101 that our sun sign is one singular part of our entire chart and does not come anywhere close to making up the entire picture. I soon discovered that I am a rising Pisces with a stellium in Capricorn, including my moon (and to those who are wondering, no I am not ok). This gave me further opportunity to check in and focus on these ruling areas of my life. Suddenly it was not simply, Who am I?  but rather, How do I feel? How do I love? How do I communicate? What inspires me? And how do I come across to others? 

Self Development Opportunities 

It’s important to recognize that astrology is not an excuse to express our less attractive traits. In fact, I believe it presents an opportunity for growth and maturity by placing a microscope on these aspects of your personality. In this manner, you can gain a better understanding of what makes you tick, and which areas need a little extra TLC. 

For example, I used to be notorious for showing little to no emotions when things bother me, sweeping my feelings under the rug in fear of people pitying me, or seeing me as weak. I also resort to cracking jokes about my misfortunes as a coping mechanism. These qualities reflect my moon (which rules your emotions) in Capricorn and according to Cafe Astrology, “Lunar Capricorns are often quite hard on themselves, and would benefit from letting their guard down once in a while. They quickly garner reputations of being mountains of strength, and they easily hide their sensitivity behind a sarcastic manner.” Avoid conceding to your faults and saying, “Well that’s just the way I am--blame the stars not me!” I have become much more attuned to my feelings and expressing them when I need to. I genuinely believe it has allowed me to take a deeper look at myself, become more self-aware, and work towards the betterment of my overall outlook and behavior, personality, and even relationships. 

Bonding Potential 

Speaking of relationships, astrology allows for unmatched bonding opportunities. There is something special about finding someone with the same “big three” as you, or who was also raised by parents with the same signs as yours. This opens a window to finding some serious connections. It can help you find common ground with your acquaintances, co-workers, and even your grocery store check-out clerk!

I have had some great friendships blossom from the question “what’s your sign?” This can be said really for any interest or hobby, but what I really love about astrology is if you have a basic understanding of the subject, you can use it to gain an overall better understanding of another person by dissecting their placements. And before the non-believers come for me, I realize this can be a slippery slope (I’m looking at you geminis and scorpios). There can be some danger in looking at someone’s birth chart and assuming you know everything there is to know about them. But in reality, astrology can become a better version of 20 questions. Instead of asking, “What’s your favorite color?”, you can ask “How do you identify with your Sun, Moon, and Rising signs?” This opens the gates for a greater chance to get to know them more deeply. 

Useful for Vetting People

This next bit is one of my favorite benefits of becoming an astrology fanatic:

It weeds out the jerks. 

I am NOT saying anyone who doesn’t believe in astrology is an asshole or that you should write someone off entirely based on their sign. However, you can arguably get a good look into a person’s overall personality by the way they respond to you saying you’re interested in astrology. I have yet to meet someone I got along well with who responded poorly when I asked what their sign was. If they respond by saying something like, “oH My gOd aStRoloGy iS SoOooOOo StuPid dO yOu ActUalLy BeLievE iN tHaTt??'', it reveals that they have no problem mocking you or your interests. On the other hand, if someone who doesn’t know much about the topic is open-minded and accepts your passion,  you’ve met a high quality individual. 

A Spirituality Gateway

Astrology is often a gateway towards a person’s overall spiritual journey. Many topics associated with astrology, including meditation, manifestation, shadow and inner child work, can provide the foundation for your spiritual awakening. I know it can be a daunting leap from reading your horoscope to carrying around crystals and cleansing your chakras, but spirituality offers a sense of purpose and self-love that I personally found was missing in my life. Spirituality allows you to confront your  “shadow aspects”, to improve yourself and how you interact with the world. 

Written by: Eloise O’Loane