In some of my past Editor’s Notes, I’ve occasionally mentioned astrology. It’s a subject that I have periodically studied for a few years now and has become so ingrained in the way I perceive humans. Back in the pre-COVID-19 days, reading someone’s birth chart in the middle of the function was my party trick; I thoroughly enjoyed it when someone asked me to read it for them because each chart was like a cheat-sheet of the person in front of me. So, I wanted to take the chance in this note to explain a little bit more about astrology to those who can’t fathom the obsession but are curious to learn more.
Firstly, with astrology, you are not just one sign. Astrology has many layers and ways to interpret it. You think you might be unhinged because you’re a Cancer and that’s what people usually tell you, but it might not exactly be the case. You have a birth chart, a map of how the stars aligned when you were born. In your birth chart, it includes more than 10 signs that describe parts of yourself, depending on where the sun, moon, and planets were positioned. Most people focus on their “big three.” This is your sun sign (the most common sign people tell you about; your “Zodiac sign” if you will), your moon sign, and your rising sign. Your big three can give you basic but valuable insight because they tell you: A) who a person fundamentally is = sun sign; B) emotions, feelings, and how a person responds to the world = moon sign; and C) how a person comes across to others (basically their first impression) = rising sign.
For example, I’m a Scorpio sun, Virgo moon, and Virgo rising. Fundamentally, I am a Scorpio – loyal, focused, and mysterious. Emotionally, I am a Virgo, meaning I can be methodical in the way I process feelings and I’m a bit of a perfectionist. When someone first meets me, the more vocal traits of Virgo come across, like being helpful, thoughtful, and witty. As you get to know what each placement signifies and the main traits of each sign, reading a birth chart is like reading a book. Some people think astrology doesn’t apply to them, but like a good book, the most interesting charts are complex and made up of different facets that come together magnificently when you see the final big picture.
I never was a spiritual person. I found it hard to believe in something that couldn’t be proved concretely with facts (you see how that Virgo moon jumped out?), but astrology being based on science greatly drew me to the practice. Then, as I used astrology to comprehend the deeper, hidden parts of me, the spirituality of the practice shined through and allowed me to understand myself. To evolve. To figure out when the untrusting nature of a Scorpio is necessary and when the stirring worries of a Virgo are not.
If this piqued your interest, I suggest downloading the app Time Passages, putting in your birthdate, time, and location, and sitting down, comfy with a beverage in hand, to embark on the eye-opening journey of astrology.
