I used to cringe to admit that I read my horoscope on a daily basis, or that I even identified at all with my star sign. Now, I don’t hesitate to bring it up constantly. I want to know everyone’s sign, I want to guess everyone’s sign, I want to read them their horoscope and their sign’s chapter from Jan Spiller’s Cosmic Love (a masterpiece). Astrology can be polarizing, and obviously my embarrassment surrounding my affinity for it has not entirely subdued, because I’m going to begin this with a disclaimer: This is not to say that I necessarily think astrology is real. To be quite honest, I don’t really understand it at all. This is to say that even if astrology is total bullshit, which it very well may be, I believe it has the potential to impact a person’s life in radically positive ways—even the nonbelievers.Contrary to popular belief, you can be a skeptic and still read your horoscope or know about your sign! Perhaps for no other purpose than to take yourself a little less seriously! Astrology can be fun. I like to throw, “What’s your sign?” into my list of routine getting-to-know-you questions that we’re all forced to exhaust in our first year of college (and beyond, probably). It’s interesting, unusual, and potentially a conversation starter so you don’t have to sit in silence after having both revealed your respective home states and prospective majors.
It should come as no surprise that the height of my interest in astrology has coincided with my liberal-arts-induced introspective episode, because when it comes down to it, that is what astrology is, a tool for introspection. You don’t have to follow your horoscope to a T, or memorize and identify with the characteristics associated with your sign. What’s really beautiful about astrology is the way it forces you to ask yourself questions like: Am I selfish with my time and energy? Do I rely too much on independence and autonomy? Am I a creative thinker, or am I more logic-oriented? Reading about your sign will encourage you to do some healthy self-reflection and analysis. I think a little skepticism when it comes to the stars can be a good thing, because it can help your identity function as a resource rather than a restraint. You don’t have to conform to the personality types attributed to your sign, but it doesn’t hurt to think about yourself in those terms and see what you learn. My final thought about astrology is that regardless of what you believe to be true or untrue, horoscopes generally have useful and applicable things to say. I think there is a huge misconception out there about horoscopes. Before I ever read mine, I sort of thought it would go something like, “Avoid the color red today and only eat fruit. Whatever big decision you are pondering, the answer is no, and you should take baths instead of showers when venus is in retrograde.” The horoscopes I’ve actually read are nothing like this. They are not bossy or ridiculous, and very rarely is there any information trying to sway decisions in any direction. Most of my horoscopes actually just remind me to be open to others, to take nothing for granted, and to not judge myself or those around me. It’s really just a daily piece of solid life advice, and if it helps you to be a better human being and neighbor, or if it alleviates your anxieties about something, then that’s something to celebrate.
But what do I know? I’m just a Libra, and everyone knows we’re unreliable troublemakers!!!