Astrology – is it a science or something spiritual?

Because I sometimes provide free monthly horoscopes and psychic predictions, people often think that astrology is part of my religion.

It’s not.  For me, astrology is a science… just not a science that’s fully understood or recognized, yet.

HOROSCOPES

I don’t start my day by reading today’s horoscope.  I may not even read  weekly horoscopes.

It’s true that some days are better than others for particular activities.  In most cases, the difference is very slight.  Planets glide through space, they don’t hop or jerk from one spot to the next.  The change from one day to the next can be tiny, in the grand scheme of things.

However, I am mindful of the general trends for each month.   During a Mercury retrograde, career opportunities will appear, especially opportunities that make use of my past achievements.

Saturn’s position tells me about the number and quality of problems that will challenge me to learn and grow in new directions.

However, that’s more than just a “horoscope du jour.”

I look at broad trends and analyze them carefully.   I study what happened the last times the planets were in a similar configuration.  I see if world headlines and personal observations anticipate the same kinds of events, this time.

It’s probably a lot like the way the Farmer’s Almanac is calculated each year… but no one is likely to call that “religion” or a conflict with anyone’s spiritual beliefs or practices.

ASTROLOGY

In general, astrology seems to explain things that we can’t explain using any other prediction or analysis tools.

Astrology signs, specifically an astrology birth chart, can explain a lot.

When I was confused because casual acquaintances think of me as an extrovert, astrology explained it.

My astrology rising sign — the way that the world first sees me — is Sagittarius, which I call the “party-party-party” sign.  However,  my sun sign — reserved, tidy (sometimes calculating) Virgo — is who I am inside, and to the people who know me best.

When I analyze someone’s astrological birth chart, they often experience relief. That chart bypasses the many “do this, do that” cues sent by the media and well-meaning friends and family.  Astrology tells them where their strengths and weaknesses are, and it can point the way to overcome them.

NOTHING IS SET IN STONE

For me, astrology is like a road map.  Astrology tells me where the person started out, and how far they’ve strayed from (or stayed on) their fastest route to happiness.

Astrology identifies upcoming trends, from the highest tides at the full moon to the potential for travel delays during Mercury retrogrades.

But, trends and the fastest routes are simply road maps and weather reports.  The individual can choose his or her own path, and whether to pay attention to planetary trends or ignore them.

Nothing is set in stone… not in your life, that is.

VENDING MACHINE RELIGION

For me, if something works like a vending machine, it’s not religion.  It’s math or it’s science, but it may not be a science that we understand yet.

When Galileo said that Earth rotates around the Sun, not vice versa, that was science no matter how many people insisted that it was religious heresy.

Deity (God, Allah, gods and not-gods, goddesses, etc.) can use science, or bypass it altogether.

Likewise, psychic gifts and the ability to interpret astrology… those can be gifts of Deity just as a great singing voice is.

But, if I notice a larger number of cars by the side of the road during a Mercury retrograde, that’s science, not religion.

When I see Jupiter moving into Aquarius, I know that it means greater opportunities.   Mars and the Sun in Scorpio increase the likelihood of stinging comments.  For me, this is science… just not a science that we understand yet.

Religion is about faith: Things that we cannot prove, but must take on faith.  Our spirituality may affect how we interpret the world around us, but ultimately, religion is about faith.

Science is different.  If such-and-such happens and — most of the time — the outcome is predictable, that doesn’t involve faith.  It’s not religion.  It’s not spirituality.

For me, astrology is science.  It’s backed up by statistics.  Tides increase at the full moon.  People born with a sun sign of Aquarius are more likely to appear in a “hall of fame” somewhere.

It’s possible to weave astrology into your spirituality.   Helping others with astrology can be a very spiritual pursuit.

However, I see astrology as a science not a religion.