This isn’t the first time astrology has had a moment like this, and it won’t be the last. For thousands of years, the practice has existed in various forms. More recently, the New Age movement of the 1960s and 1970s included a heavy dose of astrology. (Some refer to the New Age as the “Age of Aquarius,” referring to the 2,000-year period after the Earth’s passage through the Aquarius sign.)
While astrology didn’t go completely in the decades between the New Age boom and nowyou could still get horoscopes in the back pages of magazinesit “got back to being a little bit more in the background,” says Chani Nicholas, an astrologer in Los Angeles. “Then there’s something that’s happened in the last five years that’s given it an edge, a relevancy for this time and place that it hasn’t had in 35 years.” The millennial generation has taken it and run with it.”
Many of the people I spoke to for this article felt that, while the stigma surrounding astrology still exists, it has faded as the discipline has gained traction in online culture, particularly among young people.
“We’ve seen a reframing of New Age activities over the last two years, very much tailored toward a Millennial and young Gen X component,” says Lucie Greene, global director of J. Walter Thompson’s Intelligence Group, which studies and predicts cultural trends.
Broadly’s horoscopes have “grew really dramatically,” according to Callie Beusman, a senior editor. The Cut’s president and editor-in-chief, Stella Bugbee, claims that a typical horoscope article on the site received 150 percent more traffic in 2017 than the previous year.
Astrology is well-suited to the digital age in some aspects. If you feel like plunging into a Google-research rabbit hole, there’s a low barrier to admission and practically infinite depths to plumb. More jokes about Saturn returns, less “Hey baby, what’s your sign?” pickup linesthe availability of more in-depth knowledge online has given this contemporary wave of astrology a certain sophistication.
A quick refresher: Astrology is not a science, and there is no proof that one’s zodiac sign has anything to do with personality. However, the system has its own logic. The positioning of the sun, moon, and planets within 12 sectors of the skythe zodiac signsgives meaning to astrology. Even if you’re not an astrology fan, you’re probably aware of your sun sign, the most well-known zodiac sign. It’s determined by the position of the sun on your birthday. However, the position of the moon and each of the other planets at the time and place of your birth adds more shades to the portrait of you that your “birth chart” paints.
Horoscopes are designed to inform you about what the planets are doing now and in the future, as well as how this impacts each zodiac sign. Susan Miller, the popular astrologer who developed the Astrology Zone website, advises, “Think of the planets as a cocktail party.” “You could have three individuals chatting at the same time, two people arguing in the corner, and Venus and Mars kissing.” I need to figure out what’s going on in those monthly talks for you.”
“Astrologers are continually attempting to break down these massive concepts into manageable chunks of information,” Nicholas explains. “These days’ kids and their memes are the ideal setting for astrology.”
Astrology uses the planets and zodiac symbols to express complex ideas about personality, life cycles, and relationship patterns. That shorthand also works well online, where symbols and shorthand are frequently used.
Bertram Malle, a social cognitive scientist at Brown University, wrote me in an email, “Let me state first that I consider astrology a cultural or psychological phenomenon,” not a scientific one. However, “full-fledged astrology,” which goes beyond sun-sign horoscopes in newspapers, “provides a powerful lexicon to express not only personality and temperament, but also life’s obstacles and chances.” To the extent that one just learns this vocabulary, it may appeal as a rich means of portraying (rather than explaining or forecasting) human feelings and life events, as well as highlighting some potential coping routes.”
In times of stress, people frequently consult astrology. According to a short 1982 research by psychologist Graham Tyson, “those who contact astrologers” did so in response to pressures in their life, especially stress “related to the individual’s social duties and relationships.” “Under high stress, the individual is willing to employ astrology as a coping mechanism, even though he does not believe in it under low stress.”
Millennials have been the most stressed generation since 2014, according to American Psychological Association survey data, and they are also the group most likely to claim their stress has increased in the past year since 2010. Since 2012, Millennials and Gen Xers have been much more anxious than previous generations. Since the 2016 presidential election, Americans have been experiencing greater stress as a result of the political turmoil. According to the APA’s 2017 survey, 63 percent of Americans are “extremely concerned” about their country’s future. Reading the news stresses out 56% of individuals, with Millennials and Gen Xers being substantially more likely than older people to say so. Political infighting, climate change, global problems, and the prospect of nuclear war have all been prominent in recent news. If stress makes astrology look more appealing, it’s no surprise that more people are interested in it now.
In This Article...
Is astrology a scientific discipline?
Astrology isn’t the most scientific method of answering queries. Although astrologers endeavor to explain the natural world, they rarely attempt to critically examine whether those explanations are true despite the fact that critical evaluation is an important aspect of science.
What was Jesus’ take on astrology?
I believe that God created astrology as a tool for us to better understand ourselves and to use as a spiritual tool. Numerous bible texts, in my opinion, support astrology. As a Christian, I try to remember what Jesus said. “There shall be signs in the sun, moon, and stars,” Christ predicted in Luke 21:25, referring to the importance of astrology. He explains the value of astrology with his pupils, as well as how it might be used as a sign of his return. Why would Jesus provide us this critical knowledge if we are not intended to understand the energies of the planets and signs, and if he was actually against it? Just as the three wise men knew Jesus would be born under the star in the sky that led them to him lying in the manger, Jesus warned us that when he returns, there will be signals in the sky.
Is astrology merely a hypothesis?
Astrology is a sort of divination that involves observing and interpreting the fixed stars, the Sun, the Moon, and the planets to predict earthly and human events. Devotees think that knowing how the planets and stars affect earthly matters permits them to forecast and alter the fates of individuals, groups, and countries. Despite being recognized as a science throughout its history, astrology is largely regarded today as being diametrically opposed to modern Western science’s findings and views.
Why are horoscopes so inaccurate?
The main reason astrological signs don’t align with the zodiac is due to precession, a wobble in the Earth’s spinning axis. The Earth bulges somewhat at the equator as a result of its rotation, similar to how a skater’s skirt fanned out as she spins. The Moon’s and Sun’s gravitational pulls on the bulge, causing the Earth to wobble like a top. Over the period of 25,800 years, the wobble causes the Earth’s axis, which is the center line around which it revolves, to swing in a leisurely circle.
The view of the zodiac from Earth is altered as a result of this movement, with the constellations appearing to slide to the east by around a degree per human lifetime. Hipparchus of Nicaea discovered precession with his naked sight approximately 150 B.C., though it was gradual.
The vernal equinox or the first day of spring was in Aries in ancient times. It went into Pisces circa 100 B.C. due to precession, where it is today and will remain until 2700 A.D., when it will move into Aquarius, and so on. It will finally return to Aries after 25,800 years, and the cycle will begin again.
Astrology and its predictions about fate and personality can be entertaining as a game. The subject, on the other hand, has no scientific foundation. It’s the equivalent of the board game “Monopoly” in the real estate market.
Astrology draws attention away from the planets’ very real affects, namely their gravitational interactions with one another, which create true changes in the shapes, sizes, and tilts of their orbits. Past ice eras on Earth were most likely triggered by such shifts. Direct impacts between Earth and celestial bodies can result in dramatic changes, such as the 66 million-year-old impact of an asteroid off the Yucatan Peninsula, which resulted in the extinction of dinosaurs and the advent of mammals.
Astronomical studies will someday allow such events to be predicted, however astrological forecasts will lead to nowhere.
Who came up with the concept of zodiac signs?
The 12 zodiac signs, one of the earliest notions of astrology, were devised by the Babylonians around 1894 BC. The Babylonians lived at Babylon, which is roughly where modern-day Iraq is located. Babylon was one of the most prominent ancient Mesopotamian towns.
Do the signs of the zodiac have any bearing on one’s personality?
It’s crucial to realize, however, that astrology is not the same as astronomy. Astronomy is the scientific study of the universe and everything in it, but astrology isn’t. “No one has proved that astrology can be used to foretell the future or describe people’s personalities based just on their birth date,” NASA says.
Can you tell which student was born in which month based on their behaviors and personalities if you think back to that party? The answer is simple: no. There is no scientific evidence that a person’s brain chemistry is affected by the constellations on the day they are born. However, a person’s zodiac sign can influence their personality if they allow it to, because people are in charge of their actions and behaviors, which shape their personalities. “When I put others before myself, I’d like to think I’m selfless,” sophomore Pisces Helen Duan remarked. “However, my intuition is not Pisces-like.”
Is there a God in astrology?
I’ve been asked numerous times over the years to speak about the compatibility of astrology and religion by clients who are deeply religious. Despite the fact that some passionately religious people consider astrology to be heretical, I’ve noticed an extraordinary ideological connection between organized religions and the orderly world of astrology.
Astrology is completely compatible with a strict religious belief system. It’s a graceful jump to assume that a God created the universe, with noble ideals guiding even the planets and stars.
The study of the planets and stars precedes and has influenced religious belief and practice around the world, according to evidence from ancient texts, sculptures, and stained glass art. Symbols of astrological signs and planets can be found in our earliest ancient religious sites. Significant religious luminaries including Jesus, Mohammed, Moses, Buddha, and Mary Baker Eddy were born within astrological alignments that synchronistically confirmed their arrival.
Some devoted religious believers’ opposition can be traced back to a time when priests and religious authorities sought to interpret and mediate all religious experiences from their positions of authority. Our forefathers sought divine inspiration straight from the stars and considered themselves to be an intricate part of an active universe evolving before the development of male-dominated organized religion. Astrology as a technique and a belief system founded on an enchantment with the divine orchestrations of the heavens was open to anyone. Astrology does not necessitate the worship of a single deity or figurehead; rather, it assumes the existence of an infinite and purposeful intellect that pervades the heavens and the earth in a grand symphony of meaning.
Religion comes from the Latin term religio, which meaning “to connect together.” What could be more inextricably interwoven than celestial motions and human experiences and events?
The meanings of the 9th and 12th houses, as well as the archetypes of the planets Jupiter, Saturn, and Neptune, all honor the importance of religion and spirituality in astrology. The 9th and 12th houses represent areas of life where religious or spiritual guidance, experience, and/or ordainment may be sought. Jupiter can represent a powerful spiritual or religious figure, Saturn a harsh God image, and Neptune mystical experiences and religious rapture.
A trustworthy, unbiased astrologer can assist a client in strengthening their confidence. Through an examination of their chart, I’ve assisted several clients in reclaiming and activating their religious roots, leading them toward the power that comes from following a religious path. Religion is a cornerstone of psychological and mental well-being for some people.
Unlike many organized religions, astrological ideas and practices are free of sexism, racism, homophobia, and other forms of oppression. Even the old astrological metaphors of masculine and feminine planets and energies have been redesigned as receptive and active energies that are not gendered in expression. Every human has a strong seat at the table of the universe, just as every planet and star has a position in the sky.
These lists demonstrate how religion and astrology can have a fruitful relationship.
Religion is a Saturn word in astrological terms: it is ordered, spells out right and wrong, and is constructed on and in institutions and agreements. Astrology has a Uranian bent to it:
Is it true that Muslims believe in astrology?
Astrology is the study of celestial bodies’ movements and relative placements, which are thought to have an impact on human affairs and the natural world. According to historian Emilie Savage-Smith, astrology (ilm al-nujm, “the study of the stars”) was “by far” the most popular of the “many activities aiming to predict future occurrences or perceive hidden phenomena” in early Islamic history.
Despite Islamic prohibitions, some medieval Muslims were interested in studying the apparent motion of the stars. This was partially due to their belief in the importance of the celestial bodies, and partly due to the fact that desert inhabitants frequently traveled at night and relied on knowledge of the constellations for navigation. Muslims needed to determine the time of prayers, the direction the kaaba would face, and the correct orientation of the mosque after the arrival of Islam, all of which helped give a religious impetus to the study of astronomy and contributed to the belief that the celestial bodies had an impact on terrestrial affairs as well as the human condition.
The criteria for Islam’s attitude on astrology are laid out in Islamic jurisprudence, the Quran, the Hadith, Ijma (scholarly consensus), and Qiyas (analogy). The idea is further differentiated into that which is either halal (authorized) or haram (forbidden) (forbidden). The view that astrology is forbidden by the authorities, as enshrined in the Quran and Hadith, is shared by all Islamic sects and academics.
