What are some reasons to believe in astrology?

What are some reasons to believe in astrology? A question I answered on Quora (under a different heading).

Here are some thoughts…

Astrology is one of the most profound systems ever invented by human beings. It is a system that has been around for thousands of years and has been developed, with variations, across different cultures.

Astrology has many uses. It can be applied to the birth of a ship, a business or a person. The one that interests me most is its application to people.

Astrology allows us to take hold of our destiny. It allows us insight into who we truly are; the situation we in; what makes us tick. It allows us to better understand our self and how we can improve on who we are.

Through the further physical or symbolical movement of planets, it allows us to look at symbolical circumstances going forward. These “trends” allow us, individually, to anticipate likely outcomes and make better use of them as they appear.

Astrology challenges us to consider that life, rather being a series of unrelated events and coincidences, is actually “meaningful.” We live in a meaningful, dynamic and symbolical world. This has implications for why we are on the planet.

It affords us useful insight into our spiritual intentions, our purpose, to understand why we are here, what we have come to learn, experience, achieve.

A birth-chart seen in this way, then provides a lens into our spiritual situation – that some will argue (myself included) ties into a longer spiritual journey and associated incarnations. Astrology is at its most profound in this respect.

Philosophically…

It is important to grasp this philosophically too. Astrology provides us with an holistic/spiritual worldview. It is not the same as the worldview currently presented by our sciences, nor that supported by our main-stream religions. It is however the worldview (whether we end up calling it astrology or not) that we are all heading towards. And we need to do so if we are to make it to the next level in our understanding, in our consciousness/wakefulness.

The current worldviews of our religions and sciences will either have to change or fall away. This is also a reason why astrology does survive against all the sceptics and public flak it receives, with its reputation pushed out to the fringes. It is the bearer of a precious worldview that must be adapted.

There are, of course, other bearers of this holistic/spiritual worldview – such as tarot, palmistry or say, the I Ching. But none of these take in the environment we exist in, the solar system, quite like astrology does.

Is life meaningful to you?

I argue that our belief in astrology, or not as the case may be, hinges on whether we can accept that life is meaningful. If we can believe this to be the case, then we are likely to be more open to a belief in astrology. If not then we probably won’t believe in it. It is actually that simple…

It needs to be said too – and I hope you can gather this – that I’m not talking here of “horoscopes” as popularised through the media; that we associate with the “stars” and we read about on the coffee-break page of our newspapers or magazines.

This is the public view and misconception of astrology. It is a watered-down form of Sun-sign astrology, catering for twelve groups of people. It is, of course, one the reasons (along with its rediculous association with “superstition” and “fate”) why people no longer take the subject seriously.

It is certainly the reason why there are so many armchair critics of the art. Because of the association, anyone, and their mother, can assume authority and have, supposedly, an informed opinion on astrology. And, as I personally know, people do get carried away on what they think they know about it, and of the people, like myself, who believe in it.

Proper astrology is a darn-sight more involved and complex. It takes years of study and practice. It can, by the way, be studied formally. I have diplomas in it for example.

I hope this helps with your question. You can find out more about my views on astrology how it works, and benefits, by getting hold of my Discover Proper Astrology series on Kindle books – or check out the PDF versions here.

Associated links:

Is astrology actually more about…
Why people with same zodiac sign lead different lives?
Christianity and Astrology