Superstition, signs, astrology — should you believe everything you see and read?
Okay, that's pretty deep. How about something on the lighter side: horoscope reading? Most of you have probably been guilty of doing this at some point: checking your daily horoscope to see how the day is going to hold up. Yes, admit it now. I am not saying you sit by the computer and check the site constantly, but your curiosity likely has gotten the best of you.
So what really is the deal with horoscopes? Who reads these things, and who believes them?
"For some, it is because they need to believe in an ordered universe, that there is a reason for everything. For others, it is because they need a crutch. And for still others, like myself, belief is because I have seen it work again and again," Stein says of the power of astrology.
I admit it; I have found myself guilty of reading a daily horoscope or two to seek some guidance and perhaps an idea of where my day will be heading. Sometimes you just give in to temptation. But really now — can a paragraph actually guide your whole day, or perhaps even your romantic life?
There are so many questions in life, and unfortunately, so few answers are given. There is something to be said for reading sentences like "Today you will run into someone from your past" and "Be aggressive later in the day and you will get what you need." It can be hard to resist the allure of relying on the stars rather than blind instinct.
Truthfully, most of us are not going to be paying a foreign website for our latest compatibility match report, but with the "free astrology guide" peering at them on the homepage, it's no wonder many people flock to their sign's blurb of the day.
"Astrology often becomes popular when the world is going through crises," Stein says. "But in recent years, with the advent of computers and the Internet, there are people taking a more serious, scientific approach to studying astrology, and this is attracting a whole new generation of people."
Sure, you can avoid the disclaimer that says horoscopes are not based on complete and factual evidence, but you still can't help thinking about it.
So here you are. You've already looked at today's horoscope and are sitting there analyzing what it could mean. Is today the day I ask for my raise? Do I talk to that new guy across the office? Is this the day to start that new project? Yes, now the questions have started circulating through your head continuously with no end.
You can sit there and try to sort through your Aries or Sagittarius daily read word for word, or you can take things into your own hands and go with a general meaning.
"The astrology chart is a blueprint given to you at birth. But your free will gives you the ability to emphasize, decrease, [and] transform the blueprint," Stein says.
Superstitious individuals would probably disagree, but how many of us have come across a person "from our past" on a given day? Wouldn't that include the mailman? Jokes aside, there is a real horoscope and astrology following.
So the real question is "Now that you're hooked, how can you free yourself from horoscope dependency?" Take power into your own hands rather than giving in to your reading. You need to remember to read with a grain of salt. You wouldn't rely on a complete stranger coming up to you on the street and telling you how to live your life, so why would you believe a brief paragraph on a random site?
Either way, the true mystery of horoscopes remains just that: a mystery. Rely on your instincts and take a look at your love horoscope for fun, but don't become dependent on its advice. Stein concurs.
"Our futures are not fated," he says. "Astrology is only a guide, but we make our own choices."
Sometimes it may even be more fun to take the ride and wait for things to just happen. Go with the flow? What a concept.
About Zane Stein
Zane B. Stein has been involved with astrology since 1969. He has authored the book Essence and Application: A View from Chiron, which discusses modern astrology and, according to Stein, is still the most widely read text on the subject. He has spoken at events throughout the United States, as well as in Canada, England, Scotland, and Ireland. Stein also has a private astrological practice in Atlanta.
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