Astrology: Magic or Myth?

When I ask you when you were born, you can tell me the date and the year, and you might be able to tell me the time. But can you tell me how the planets and stars were aligned when you first popped into the world? Probably not!

A woodcut of the original zodiac signs

Astrology is the study of how the planets affect people and events. The way planets were arranged when you were born can give you insight into your personality and your inner self, much like the moon affects the tides. You've probably heard of zodiac signs like Aries and Pisces, which are determined by the month you were born in. Each sign has its own personality and character type associated with it. For example, Aries people are usually boisterous and fiery while Pisces people are usually spacey and creative. Though astrology hasn't been scientifically proven, many people believe in it and use their astrological charts to gain more insight into themselves.

Looking into the astrological aspects of the night sky

Though people didn't have daily horoscopes in the newspaper a few thousand years ago, people still looked up to the skies to predict future events and to answer their questions. For example, Tycho Brahe said "suspiciendo despicio", which means "by looking up I see downward". In fact, people have been using the stars for thousands of years, and not just for directions. The Babylonians are often credited for birthing astrology, and they valued astrology just as much as they valued scientifically backed astronomy. During the time period between the classical period and the scientific revolution, astrology was used to further mathematical, scientific, and psychological knowledge. When the scientific revolution swung around, however, people began seeing astrology and astronomy as different - astronomy was seen as more scientific, while astrology was seen as more absurd and superstitious. Though great figures in astronomy like Kepler and Galileo saw them as separate studies, they still practiced both equally.

So is astrology real, or is it just one big placebo? As stated above, astrology isn't scientifically supported, but there's an overwhelming amount of anecdotal evidence that points towards the fact that astrology isn't just myth. To find some evidence, you can take a look at your own zodiac sign and see if there are any similarities! Just use this handy chart:

My natal chart

My grandma is very interested in astrology - if asked, she can name all 12 zodiac signs, their traits, and the

planet they're associated with in the blink of an eye. The last time I visited her, she helped me make a natal chart, which is a more in-depth zodiac tool that includes all of the planets and how you're related to them based on your birth month. It seemed very complicated at first, but we dissected it and I found nearly all of the connections to be startlingly true! I've been using my zodiac to make decisions and know myself better for a long time.

So, what do you think? Is astrology actually a magical force, or is it all just one giant coincidence?