Is astrology useful at all anyways? Well, let’s just start by saying that astrology is super old, and just by the amount of thousands of years it has stayed with humanity, we can infer there must be some kind of value to it. But what can astrology be used for really?
How can my Natal Chart help me?
Your natal chart (aka “birth chart” or simply “astrology chart”) can help you in a myriad of ways to support your life’s decisions. You probably know that, or at least you have some degree of curiosity about how can astrology be helpful to you, otherwise you wouldn’t be here.
So what are the specific ways astrology can help you? And also: what are the ways it cannot?
Throughout the internet - especially in the era of AI generated content - you will find so many astrology websites offering you natal chart reports, readings and articles with astrological interpretations. Some parts of this content will resonate. Some of these astrology websites will promise to help you find your perfect romantic partner. Others will swear to tell you what your purpose in life is.
You have to be careful. You may be fed the commonly believed myth that the problems that you need to solve today, astrology can solve for you, and all you have to do is enter your birth info (+ your credit card info many times) and you will receive all the answers you seek.
Let me clarify what astrology can do and what it absolutely cannot do for you so that you don’t fall for false promises. In case you are coming across my content for the first time, know that I have been learning astrology from a very young age, so I’m very familiar with these experiences. You can learn about me here if you want to know my story.
First of all...
What is Astrology?
Astrology is basically the observation of the sky and the correlation of the celestial movements with life on Earth, especially human life, individually and collectively. Since astrology is thousands of years old, and it has developed in different places of the world, it has evolved uniquely in each place. The differences are fundamentally philosophical, mythological, technical, cultural, geographical and epochal.
Does Astrology predict the future?
There are astrologers that believe that our natal charts determine our fate, and that there is little we can do about it. Others believe that our natal chart is more like a blueprint and a guide, which does not determine our future. Many others lie in between, constantly seeking the answer to the big question of fate. Which one do you incline towards? This will be important for you to decide before you start looking up interpretations, and before you choose an astrologer to do a reading for you.
Which are the different Astrology practices?
The different techniques of astrology that an astrologer chooses to work with will depend on their perspective on the question of fate, and also, on where they have learned astrology. There are vast differences between Eastern and Western techniques, and also, between North and South American cosmologies.
But even just within Western Astrology, which is the one we are most accustomed to in the westernized world, there are differences in how to calculate astrological houses, which celestial bodies to consider in the interpretation and what do they represent, and also, what techniques are used to understand the cycles of a person’s life. Some astrologers will even choose to use slightly different Zodiac wheels.
Which Astrology is for me?
So, how do you choose which one is right for you? I truly don’t have that answer, no one does. Every astrologer will, of course, believe that their perspective is the right one, and it’s up to you to discover what actually resonates for your soul. Your inner knowing will tell you when the information an astrologer gives you is helpful or not for you at a given moment of your life.
I will say that I believe there is a special synchronicity that happens when you connect with a specific astrologer. Jung studied the ways external events seem to be synchronized with our inner psychological processes. I believe this is true, and that it is not coincidental that you meet a specific astrologer, or even that you are here reading this. Nothing is coincidental. Just follow the trail of magic bread crumbs and trust it.
What can I get from a Natal Chart Reading?
A natal chart reading is a profound experience. When you calculate your chart online for the first time in your life and start reading interpretations from astrology websites, you will probably feel overwhelmed. The amount of different interpretation styles and techniques there are is quite wild, as we have explored above.
What can Astrology tell you and what are the things it cannot do?
I will now share with you what a natal chart reading can definitely offer you, at least in the way that I understand and practice astrology (I can’t speak for everyone else!)
What can Astrology tell you?
An astrology reading is like looking into a mirror. You can feel seen and validated.
Exploring your natal chart can offer you a path to self love and acceptance, by giving you a unique blueprint that resonates in a very special way with you specifically, with all your quirks and colorful nuances.
A birth chart reading can offer you a window into understanding your self sabotaging behaviors from a perspective that clarifies the reasons why you behave like that, and the ways to work with these behaviors to turn them in your favor.
You can gain insight into your potential through your astrology chart. Even though the actual expression of yourself and your life will solely depend on your choices, your natal chart shines a light on your natural gifts. Many times our most notable gifts are invisible to us because they seem too simple for us. The chart “reflection” allows you to see yourself from “the outside” and realize that your gifts are actually quite unique.
Your natal chart can teach you about the core emotional needs that dictate how you process and cope with life, which can help you develop a gentle and loving attitude towards your natural way of feeling and perceiving subtleties.
Your chart explains what are the core lessons you have come to learn, and can offer insight into how you can learn them faster so that you are not stuck in unconscious patterns that keep you in toxic loops.
Your chart shows through different angles what is the way you naturally tend to relate to others, and how others see, value, and love you. In this way, it can help you make better choices in your relationships.
Astrology can help you understand the context of experience you are inserted in at a given time, and shine a light on the amount of time this type of experience will be present in your life, with its potential peaks of intensity.
What astrology cannot do for you
While you do see in the mirror what you already know about yourself, you will not see things that you are not ready to see. What you learn from your natal chart is what you are able to see.
Astrology cannot tell you who you are. Keep in mind that an astrologer will be interpreting your chart from a biased perspective (we are human!), and sometimes due to inexperience or lack of knowledge, some may actually be totally messing up your interpretation. If what you are being told feels wrong, scary or disempowering, discard that information right away. Also, your birth time (and sometimes even the date or place of birth) can be wrong. But even if you are 100% certain that your birth information is right, don’t just accept what you are told if you know in your gut that it is not right. Disclaimer about this point: some information, though new and surprising at first, can still feel that it clicks somehow. You just might be too shocked by the truth of it. If the information is actually accurate and good, it will naturally and slowly build its way down into your psyche and over time (sometimes years later) you will understand what it meant. Just remember that it should never feel disempowering. It can feel hard, like a lesson, but that it belongs in your life somehow.
Astrology cannot predict your future. That’s right. We are using an intrinsically predictive tool, and it is truly fascinating to see that many times astrologers as a collective mind will decipher accurately what will happen in the future when looking in retrospect. However, we are also very aware that we can be wrong, because we don’t know everything! If you are intrigued and want to know what the future holds for you, take a look and see the cosmic weather ahead. But never let the weather forecast stop you from what you are feeling called to do. Never let an astrologer tell you what to do. There is always a reason that is beyond our understanding which propels us forward. Travelling on the day that Mercury stations retrograde? So be it! I’ve definitely done that, and I have had no regrets. When astrology starts to feel limiting, or you find yourself overthinking to the point of freezing, get away from it.
Astrology cannot predict specific events in your life. I am repeating point 3 here but shining a different light on it. Astrology is useful for internal, evolutionary, "soul leveling" kinds of predictions. This means you can know what the general theme of your life’s lessons will be about. But it cannot tell you when you will die, when you will marry, how many kids you will have, or what career you will pursue. It cannot tell you if you should date Harry Potter or Ron Weasley. It cannot tell you whether you will move to Ecuador or India. YOU make those decisions.
If I could summarize this entire post in 3 main takeaways, I’d say these three points:
When looking for astrology information, understand who has written it and what their perspective is, and see if you align with it or not.
Know that your natal chart can help you develop self love and acceptance, and weather life’s challenges by understanding the lessons behind your experiences.
Astrology cannot predict your future: only you can decide where you go next.
I hope this helps you navigate your astrology journey better!
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