By Lynn Buske
A hobby of mine as a child was to look up at the stars in wonder and awe. When I was in 6th grade, I started my own magazine and it had horoscopes in it (copied from a “real” magazine). Something in horoscopes rang true for me—doesn’t everyone know their sun sign? The idea that “something out there” could understand or explain who I was validated me and brought peace. But, at the same time, horoscopes felt absolutely ridiculous.
What I think doesn’t sit right with most people about horoscopes is they may feel deep down that there are more than twelve different kinds of people. Perhaps something feels stolen from us if the stars can predict the future or seem to create us. If that’s how you feel–I agree.
Real astrology is much more complicated than just your sun sign. Real astrology is also not the result of cause and effect. The stars did not determine you. The planets do not generate your fate. YOU do.
So how does astrology work? What might be helpful to read instead of horoscopes?
Astrology is the study of how the celestial bodies impact us here on earth—personally. On a day-to-day basis, the planets exert energies that motivate and deter us. Think of it working like gravity, but in regards to different aspects of our life. Those energies work differently with each of us depending on how they relate to our individual, unique birth chart.
Your birth chart, or natal chart, is a snapshot of the sky the moment you were born (I like to think we chose this with God). How the sky looked from our view on earth–which planets appearing near which stars—is a REFLECTION of who you are and are becoming.
A natal chart contains Planets, Signs and Houses:
The Planets are often described as the “actors.” For example, the Sun is our ego, the Moon is our emotional self, the Ascendant is the mask we wear, Mercury our thinking and communicating, Venus is our desires, and Mars is our actions. Also typically included are: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, and a few other key points of intersection, or asteroids, which are actors in their own right.
The Signs are how each of us portrays these characters. These are the twelve zodiac signs most of us know: Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces.
The Houses are the areas in our life, or the stages, in which this drama takes part: finance, career, childhood, etc.
A typical magazine horoscope only refers to your Sun’s sign, and doesn’t consider the houses. A natal chart would show what sign and house eachof the celestial bodies reside in at the time of your birth and what the implications of that reveal about you.
Your birth chart is a mirror of all your strengths, weaknesses, traumas, and loves. Reviewing your birth chart can give you information on how to achieve what you want and heal what needs attention. It does not predict what WILL happen. It shows TENDENCIES, AVERSIONS, and SUPPORT. The choices are up to you.
But you are DEFINITELY more than just your Sun sign.
So if horoscopes have ever drawn you in, you want to know more about yourself, or are struggling with something, having an expert draw up your birth chart might worthwhile. If that information proves helpful, then you can start looking into how the daily celestial transits impact you by finding a good astro-weather report.
I am so glad I followed my natural draw and looked more deeply into astrology. For me it makes sense alongside all the other things I think I know. I am continually astonished with how much astrology clearly speaks to me about my life. How could the stars know so much about me? Well, God knows about all God’s children.