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So most of the church ppl demonize astrology because it’s what is Taught, way back since the 3 century when the Roman Catholic Church demonized it for their own agendas. I’ve done a deep dive into Jesus’ life and other ppl such as Plato, Socrates, Pythagoras, the natives and all of them studied astrology and taught it, yes even Jesus. Once you educate yourself that and show the evidence of this ancient science, it can’t be refuted, and it at least get their brains moving and thinking.
Also the Bible indicates this. In Genesis it states that God created the heavens first, before the humans. Through the stars he encoded the map for us to follow, to find him. Even Jesus’ birth had to do with astrology. The 3 wise men followed this new star and found Jesus. They used astrology, that new star was Jupiter conjunct Saturn, which is very rare. And puts Jesus’ birthday July, 29 7BC, but that’s a whole nother topic. But study these ppl and get your evidence to educate ppl and they’ll have no choice but to listen to you.
Let them say whatever they want. You've found something you like. Thing is....and this goes for anyone, astrologer or not....drop the assholes.
Seriously, life is too damn short to surround yourself with people who will knock you don't because you find enjoyment in something. Do you tear people down for spending a buttload of money on football tickets? Likely not, because that is "accepted". Ef that. No one gets to tell you what you find enjoyment or value in.
If people protest or ask you how you could "fall for it", tell them to relax and that you find it fun. A good old "oh shut up, it's fun for me". They don't have to believe in it. Remind them that. They have their fun things and this is yours. I find that for most naysayers, this is enough. Sometimes though you get some jerk who insists that they "debunk" it for you or tear it down or tear you down for liking it. These people are no good in your life.
Besides, astrology is one of the most popular past times and professions world wide for a reason. Loads of other people find it just as enjoyable as you, and as humans have for thousands of years. Every culture in the world built cosmologies. The patterns in the stars helped them navigate and also survive - to know when the rainy season was coming, etc. They just also happened to notice that the same seemingly unrelated patterns happened at the same time and thus astrology was born.
I found people would get low key paranoid when “announced” my obsession with astrology. Or they got insecure about what I thought or what I thought I knew about them or the situation. Even though they didn’t believe in it at all they still assumed I was all alone in my own mind coming up with truths or expectations or judgements about them or our relationship without their input which is DEFINITELY NEVER the case for me. I assume NOTHING from looking at your chart or our Synastry even though I KNOW it doesn’t lie also has dozens of ways it can work out. This was particularly the case with MEN, as you might guess. They didn’t like me thinking I knew something they could not know and since they didn’t know astrology and couldn’t just look it up and read the Wikipedia article to “know” they would become very irritated even if I only talked about it a little. I learned after only 2 men to definitely get their digits (birth data) but keep the details to myself unless I just WANT to slap the shite out of someone. Yeah, I’m talking to YOU, Brian, with your Sun on my Uranus and your 12th house Mars in Capricorn trine Jupiter exactly opposing my Saturn.
You're zoomed in too much. Zoom out.
There is a HUGE world of astrology out there. Have you looked at the huge number of astrologers and millions of views, 1000s of comments?
Why are you stuck to prove it to the minority. It's not about believing, almost everyone met with an unqualified astrologer hence it is thought of as a belief., it's pure science and very exact.
You go to college, take a course and be professional about what you want. Others will catch up eventually not when one is a novice and unclear about themselves.
Why waste time defending astrology to others when you could be looking up the time and place of the latest newsworthy thing and the birthdays of the people involved? Or maybe look up the transits on your grandparents wedding day with their birthdays. Or the transits for the time a flea jumped off your dog’s butt. All of that is way more interesting than talking about astrology to others who are ignorant of astrology. Trust me.
Astrology is its own language. Just as you wouldn't speak French to a person who only understands German you can't speak astrology to someone who doesn't understand the language of astrology. Been there , done that, it doesn't work.
It’s such a drag because you inevitably must defend it and just, no. I’d rather check the ascendant for Anchorage,
Alaska for no reason than try to verbally prove astrology to someone who has not experienced it themselves
A very important piece of advice I got from my spiritual mentor: you don’t need to reveal all of you to people who don’t make you feel safe.
You can perhaps tell them you’re reading astrology these days and leave it at that, so see how they react. If their reaction to this basic thing is negative, then no need to go and share all your beliefs and desires. Share them with people who give you the space to be yourself
I agree, don't tangle yourself up needing positive reactions: you are the person whose opinion matters. But. Here's a tool for conversations that get awkward. Rob Brezsny (who also writes awesome horoscopes) suggests when dealing with/speaking to skeptics, likening interest in astrology to "believing in" poetry. Many people have varied opinions about it, and that's ok. It's an art, interpretive, that broadens horizons. Humans have many frameworks in which to explore/deepen/express our understanding of life. In case that helps.
She called it “chameleon energy”. Be an energy chameleon. Shift based on your situation.
It’s a brilliant way to protect your energy and only give as much of yourself as appropriate 💕
Definitely make sure you have a good few friends who believe/are open to it before you do, that if or when they are crappy about it you have people to talk to
I totally understand what you’re talking about. I actually decided to go to Kepler College this year to get my degree in astrology. At first it was very scary telling people. Especially since I work in a very conservative town where I’m actually really close to my customers but each and every time I tell someone it gets easier. Plus I’m starting to love spreading the word that there is sooo much more than your sun sign
I think this is a bit of a controversial wording, of course astrology believers don’t face the amount of prejudice LGBT folks do. But otherwise I think this is an opportunity for you to just stand for your beliefs. I do like astrology for example but I am also an engineer so I am a science type, in my head somehow both things coexist: The fact that I know it rationally doesn’t make sense, and the fact that I wish it did, I would like magic to exist, and analysing the planets and their supposed effect on me makes me face some questions to look inward and that usually leads to some introspection which is super useful.
In my mind it’s as any religion. Religion is supposed to give you solace, guide you through your life and give you some supporting community. Astrology kinda does that for me even if I wouldn’t say I am as devoted as other people. So as long as you know why you like it/believe in it then the people in your life can decide if they can live and let live or if they will not be supportive.
I also had a similar struggle for years to the point where I restricted myself from reading about astrology in my own free time. Recently I started "coming out" and was surprised to find out that most people actually don't care. I found out that I even had friends who were also into astrology, but neither of us ever brought it up. I realised that if anyone starts arguments with me over it or insults me in any way, it's kind of a favour to me because I don't want to have anything to do with someone like that anyway. Luckily, nobody has done this. A sceptical friend did ask me a few questions about it, but it was all very civil and I don't believe it has negatively impacted her opinion of me.
I mean if astrology comes up I usually pipe in that I find it interesting and always err on the side of saying I’m no expert if asked questions. I like to use the “Billionaires believe in astrology,” angle when a bro says something rude but that’s about it in terms of negativity. If it’s not their thing, oh well. If I get a chance to nerd out, cool.
In my case, my ‘friends’ do judge me for believing in it and it made me feel ‘stupid’ for the longessst time but they are the ones who know astrology as just ‘12 zodiac signs’ or ‘magazine horoscopes’. If they have no knowledge about how deep astrology is, then their opinion doesn’t even matter to me.
I know tarot as well and they ALL got a reading from me and it was spot on but later called me ‘stupid’ to believe in all this.
That sounds very relatable, I’m sorry to hear you went through that. I know how much it sucks to have people around you who make you feel bad for your interests and beliefs.
I just did it and never looked back. I’m open about my tarot use as well. It’s caused a riff in my friendships as well. Oldest friendship I’ve had that’s lasted is slowly drifting. It’s cool to them when other people are into it, but not me. I’m supposed to be the token POC friend who is depressed all the time. Spirituality has saved my life and done a lot more to rid depression than anything else I’ve tried over the last 12 years. It’s hard to watch people you love leave your life, but if it prevents you from being YOU, they were never meant to last. Instead, I’ve found some really cool people who share my interest mostly on here and TikTok!! Gotta leave the old to make room for the new 🤍 I had my spiritual awakening about 3 years ago. I always believe in there being more, having seen angel numbers my entire life and just **knowing** on some instinctive level that there was more to me and to life than I knew at the time. It took a lot of darkness to find the light, but I have never and will never regret my choice. Even if my family thinks I’m crazy.
Remove people from your social media whp dont like it. Sounds drastic but it helps minimize judgement and unwarranted opinion.
Also just dont talk about it as much with people who dont like or care for astrology.
When I was younger, I hid my interest/ belief. I’d sometimes make diminishing comments that covered what I really believe. Then I stopped paying attention to astrology. As I’ve hit middle age, I’ve become more settled and comfortable in who I am. I rediscovered astrology and have gotten pretty deep into it. Now I freely talk about it and sometimes tell others about my journey. I explain how it resonates with me and how it has made me a better person. I’ll say that this is something that comes with age and growth. I genuinely don’t need anyone to agree with me about it. I would have needed that in my 20s. I would have needed to prove my points and demand respect. Now I just know I’m right and deserve respect, but if I don’t get it, it doesn’t have any effect on me because I know other people’s responses are 100% about them.
As someone who has had several careers and holds advanced degrees, I’ve also struggled with this issue.
I agree with someone who said it’s very analytical. I think that’s what drew me in (my advanced degree is in law).
Here’s where I have landed on this and how I think about it. You’re welcome to adapt any that work for you.
**(1) FIRST: You’ll never convince the haters**
I have realized that I’ll never convince people who don’t want to be convinced, so it’s a waste of time to invest energy in that.
That said, here’s how I respond to people:
**(2) The “It’s just a story” argument**
In response to people who say
> isn’t it just a story that people make up about things happening with the planets
I say
Yes. It is a story.
Just like the stock market is driven by a story people make up based on information companies provide. People create expectations based on certain facts they pick out, and when companies announce earnings, if their announcements are in line with those expectations then people buy the stock. If not, they sell the stock. The price of the stock really has no relationship to the actual results of the company. It’s all driven by story.
That’s how most of life works.
**(3) The “I don’t believe in it” or “Does it work?” Arguments**
To the people who say they don’t believe in it: I don’t consider it a belief system.
It’s not a religion.
It’s the observation — over thousands of years — of correlations between what’s happening in the sky and what’s happening on earth.
Yes, past doesn’t predict future.
And also when certain themes pop up repeatedly it helps to take notice.
I think of it less about trying to predict the future and more about trying to understand the present.
I also view it as a portal to study myself through archetypes. We all have all the archetypes within us.
It can be a lot easier to connect with my parts by saying “how can I connect with my inner Saturn” as a shorthand for naming those various Saturn qualities. Or how I can I better embrace all of my Taurus archetype.
In that sense it’s like any other personality type indicator. And a potent tool for coming into wholeness by embracing all of me.
**(4) It’s the study of seasons and cycles.**
My grandfather once told me to “take my cues from nature.” He was talking about the seasonal cycles. And that’s where I started. Then I learned about the moon phases and that led me to more fully study astrology.
I’ve been doing flying trapeze for 21 years and one of the recurring themes I’ve learned through trapeze is that **timing** is key.
As a real estate broker, people are always asking me about market cycles and timing.
As a productivity coach I often say that **timing is more important than time management.**
Eg: How long it takes to get from point A to point B depends on traffic, which depends on when you go.
To me, astrology is like the overarching framework of seasons. Winter might be 3 months, but you can be in a metaphorical winter for much longer.
Astrology helps me understand the quality of time I am in.
**(5) The Key to Decoding the Patterns**
Keeping track of the cycles of the planets against my own life helps me see patterns. For example I have found that when the moon is in Cancer my body doesn’t do so well. Seems odd because the moon is at home in Cancer. It took me a while to connect that for me, the moon in Cancer = moon conjunct my Saturn, which can cause fatigue. And it’s almost like my body gets tired as a way for me to remember to set better boundaries and take care of it better (also it’s my 10th house so it’s possibly also a kick in my ass to focus more on career on those days than the extra set of deadlifts).
All that to say: by unlocking that pattern I can better prepare. I can be more compassionate with myself when I fail my heavy deadlifts (ok. In theory. I’m still working on this, LOL 😂) I can allow more space in my schedule.
Just like you don’t go to surf when the tide is low. You plan your surfing based on when the waves are coming.
If you’re planning an outdoor event and it’s forecast to rain, you plan a back-up venue.
To me, astrology is like the weather or the tides or any of that.
It’s a code to the patterns of the universe. Why wouldn’t I want to learn how to decode it and use it to better plan or have more compassion for myself?
**EDITED TO ADD:**
**I forgot to include here the thing I find astrology most useful for — the whole reason I love to teach about it!**
**(6) Framework for organizing life and getting things done**
Astrology is the best framework I’ve found for organizing the areas of my life and knowing where to focus and WHEN to focus there.
Before I started learning astrology, I used to get stuck in identifying the various “areas” on my “wheel of life.”
Then I learned about the house system. Not only does it lay out all the areas, it does so in a way that makes so much sense. It’s the original “wheel of life.”
As a productivity nerd, I’ve been through MANY different productivity systems and frameworks. There are many that tell you to set priorities or categorize things as urgent/not urgent.
But those systems don’t tell you when to focus on an area.
Also, what many fail to acknowledge is that life doesn’t just slide neatly into boxes and quadrants. Things don’t only fall into one area.
At any moment in time we have multiple competing roles and responsibilities.
The framework of astrology recognizes this.
When you have knowledge of your chart and houses, and you know where the sun, moon and planets are, you know where to focus your energy.
Not every transit will apply to you.
The technique of *annual profections* tells you where your focus should be for the year and what planets are particularly important to follow.
As planets form aspects from different parts of your chart it pulls focus to those areas of life.
This becomes a super practical system for getting shit done, that’s based on empirical observation. You don’t even have to “believe” in the story about the archetypes of the planets and signs to use it in this way. Just look at where the planets are gathered and know that this part of your life is asking for attention.
It’s like a literal cosmic clock.
As a practicalist, (and a Taurus sun) I appreciate this concrete practicality.
* * *
I hope that’s helpful …
I am getting ready to offer a course in Practical Astrology and I think I’m going to use this to share with my list and on my blog to address how I see astrology! So thank you for the prompt!
Great reply! There are so many highly intelligent people or those with very high degrees who get into astrology. Noel Tyl, who wrote about solar acrs for instance, was a certified genius and a composer. People always crap on things they don't understand.
Thank you! I turned this into a 2-part blog series where I fleshed it out more.
[3 Responses to Astrology Skeptics](https://mymeadowreport.com/reneefishman/2024/3-responses-to-astrology-skeptics/)
[5 Ways I Use Astrology as a Practical Tool for Productivity and Personal Development](https://mymeadowreport.com/reneefishman/2024/5-ways-i-use-astrology-as-a-practical-tool-for-productivity-and-personal-development/)
I suppose one could say I put my legal/advocacy skills to good use.
And also a good way to use my
- Libra rising with Pluto conjunct ascendant (always going for the deep answer, presenting all sides, seeking justice),
- 9H Mercury in Gemini (communication, especially about wisdom topics),
- Taurus Sun (ever practical), and
- Saturn in Cancer in my 10th house: always bringing some structure to everything I teach, plus it’s Cancer season, so claiming my moment in the spotlight!
Astrology is just so fun. People are missing out! And when I tell people random predictions at work and then they happen and they get scared, well that kind of psychological torture is what I live for. 😂
Actually just recently I predicted something down to the hour for my boss....that he would get a nasty surprise that would come in the form of a phone calm or email from a very aggressive hopeful investor he didn't want to take money from. Boom. Happened. He came into work all bleary eyed and said "well your little bomb went off around midnight went off. Please, no more predictions for a while!". I felt bad for him but I also was amazed. Astrology is awesome.
Thank you so much.
I’m a bit blown away — in the best of ways — by all the upvotes on my response. Funny to me because I’ve been struggling to write the sales page for my course and yet this all just flowed out of me.
And when it comes to my blog, I have addressed some of these points in separate posts, but never like this before.
I may even repurpose my response as a blog post — which is a great way to embrace the “lazy” side of my Taurus Sun!
Thank you for that reflection!
I’ve already written about it at least once
[See here](https://mymeadowreport.com/reneefishman/2023/the-key-to-decoding-lifes-mysteries/)
But it probably deserves more than one and one specifically about astrology.
Any of these points can be their own post! That’s why I publish daily!
For my day job I work as an analyst. Astrology is very analytical which is why it interests me so much. The universe is made with such mathematical precision, in the same way that we are, that it’s ridiculous to think it doesn’t have an effect on us. It’s a discipline that incorporates multiple other disciplines, not just maths and physics, but also psychology, mythology, history, anthropology, metaphysics - all of those bits of knowledge put together is what makes a kick arse astrologer. You need to utilise those disciplines in order to explain how astrology impacts us.
Astronomy looks at what’s going on in the sky, astrology looks at the impact.
Forget Russell Grant and Justine Toper, it’s a bona fide intellectual discipline that has been around for centuries. People used to get married, go to war, plant crops, travel all based on what the cosmos was doing. What’s really interesting is watching the skies and comparing that to what’s going on in the news. You’ll find evidence that it’s not just woo woo magic (although this is another conversation altogether)
No wonder I’ve always found myself drawn to astrology- I’ve always been super interested in those topics that you listed… astrology is like a combination of all those things.
The other thing about astrology that I say to the naysayers, is that it’s a tool for self discovery. Not everything you read will sit right with what you know about yourself thus far, but you take what resonates and you work on that. I guess that’s why there’s space for different astrologers working in different ways. It’s not hard lined, and that’s absolutely fine.
Maybe say things like “Thank Jupiter” and “Happy solstice!”, “total Sagittarius behavior”, also warn your friends about hard transits coming up or relate their experiences to what’s currently happened and offering insight so they can navigate. The more you lean into it, the more comfortable you’ll become, and you’ll also realize people are pretty receptive for the most part and the closed minded people will see them selves out.
Just an FYI, there’s a university in England that I think you can get a masters on astronomy and astrology. I think for your bachelors, if you’re truly trying to go to school in pursuit of something related to astrology, study mythology. It’s super important to understand the relationship with the planets.
There’s a university in wales that does a masters degree in astronomy and cultural astrology https://www.uwtsd.ac.uk/programme-courses/postgraduate-pgce/philosophy-theology-and-religious-studies/cultural-astronomy
It never comes up in conversation and I don't speak about it to people who have no interest.
Talk to people who like it. If people don't, let them feel how they feel and don't argue.
Most people are adverse because they are being judged by people using poor technique and false stereotypes.
I would let people have their opinions. But also know it's okay to like and believe things others don't. If people hate you for liking astrology, that's their problem. Also, you don't have to convince people it's real- just live and let live.
Hi, how amazing for the first time in your life you want to study uni and it’s for astrology! I’m so excited for you! (I study astrology on my own and go to college for Chinese medicine & acupuncture)
As for how do you tell those about your interests who probably don’t “believe” in astrology / will demonize you for… you just don’t tell those people. And if it gets brought up naturally in conversation such as “what’re you going to school for” you can tell them, without the need to explain any further. And if they have questions that feel neutral or maybe just curious, you can let them in
However if they start to demonize or belittle you for your chosen field of study… that’s where communicative boundaries come in. Not allowing people to talk to you in such a way.
And I know that’s easier said than done sometimes and the bold, courageous conversation where you’re sharing such boundaries can be so intimidating, it’s so important if you’re wanting to maintain those relations while honoring yourself.
I’ve been an astrologer on TV. Coming out as one (having been raised on astrology by my father, an astrologer), I was met with people accusing me of witchcraft and being in league with the devil. I also have people question my intelligence (knowing nothing about my education in the Ivy League and physiological sciences in grad school). I had not planned on those responses to me, naively, and it really turned me off to being so open with my beliefs
I learned from that experience that, I don’t need people to know all of my beliefs because some would choose to use them against me. You’ll find those who share your belief in circles that support beliefs like that. Otherwise, I’ve found it’s a waste of time and energy.
For some reason, having a belief in astrology is akin to being one of the dumbest people alive it seems. There are way too many uneducated people and/or brainwashed people into other systems of belief as to think their lack of knowledge and understanding supersedes my study of it. Very silly.
It always amazes me when people I who I thought I was close to think less of me because I now practice whatever they’re judging in their minds, instead of wondering, “wow, so and so who I’ve always admired is into such a thing, what is so valuable about it that so and so has changed life so much?”
“i’m interested in the history behind studying planetary movement/alignment as means to signify, interpret, and predict human activity and life events”.
personally, i’ve gotten to a point where everyone who knows me, knows that i take this seriously, knows that i do it professionally and for others, and knows that there are people willing to vouch for my practice. sometimes that’s even just a little “well what he said was kind of making sense”
other than that, astrology’s robust history, which 99% of people do not know, often speaks for itself when having to tell strangers. i remind people that astrology is a multicultural study that spans across so many human eras, but throughout them all, has always adhered to a rigid and complex systems/techniques that cannot be compared to modern pop culture astrology. there’s a 3,000-year record of horoscopic-hellenistic astrology (which i practice) and i think you’d find more ease than you think in explaining to people that you see some substance in it. remind people that you’re not looking to diagnose or belittle, or even “claim to know” with rigidity BECAUSE you’re into astrology and you’ll be fine. worst case scenario, people still think you’re a wack job, and in that case, so what? for the majority of its history, astrology was not utilized by wack jobs, but the very opposite.
it is important to delve beyond “sun sign astrology” or you’ll very often find yourself in that tough spot, trying to justify your beliefs and gain respect for very basic interpretations that the public already knows to have disdain for. i make it a habit of not speaking to people about their sun sign, period, for that very reason.
Hello there, I'm both someone who practices astrology and someone who came out as gay in the conservative rural south of the US (Appalachia to be specific).
I am fully out in public life and in private life as a gay dude, but when it comes to things like my interests I generally don't discuss them with others unless there are already indications that the interest is shared to some degree. That goes for everything from astrology to fantasy RPGs to how I make a living every day.
If you want to foster acceptance or tolerance of astrology as a part of your life's purpose then that's a sort of noble and difficult journey that you are welcome to undertake. Otherwise, the truth of the matter is that you are not responsible for making other people feel positive feelings about astrology and that concerning yourself with such things is generally a waste of time and energy.
In either case this isn't something that you resolve through debate or persuasive argument. There are no magic words or phrases that will convince someone of something because humans follow their emotions and not reason. You can only meet people where they are at and decide if there's enough common ground between the two of you to continue on in relationship with them.
Instead, focus more on building the confidence to boldly pursue the things that are important to you regardless of the opinions of others around you. There are plenty of people who are into astrology out there and as you get older, if your interest holds, you will naturally find yourself gravitating toward the kinds of people that appreciate you and your interests while the friends and loved ones with negative beliefs about you and your interests will become more distant or drop off altogether.
Confronting this reality may cause temporary feelings of sadness, but do keep in mind that this is a natural part of the way that life works and that this scenario will play out for billions of other people based on millions of other interests that have nothing to do with astrology.
(I'm blurting this out pretty quickly so I hope it makes sense and is helpful in regard to your question, if not, my bad!)
just tell em it’s like tracking weather patterns but for cosmic events ;) i wouldn’t spend any time or effort justifying this divination practice to anyone. The field of psychology was heavily influenced by astrology (look at Jung). Like with all disciplines, astrology is a map for increased understanding, of ourselves and others. If the oceans and tides are affected by moon cycles, surely we as energy bodies, are affected by planetary movements.
Astrology isn’t a belief system, astrology is math.
The people that “don’t believe in it” do not understand it and will never really look into it or research it to understand it.
You do not need them to though. People will have their own opinions regardless and you cannot control that.
But I do like mentioning how astrology started agriculturally, that’s why there’s astrology in farmers almanacs. Plus it is not completely wild to think celestial bodies have influence on us, the sun and moon have major influences to earth in many many ways.
I wouldn’t call astrology math; astrology is foremost based on myth, archetype, and symbology. The closest it gets to math is with very, very simple angular relations. Hardly math here.
To teach us how to calculate charts by hand, my wonderful teacher, Sam Reynolds, recommended we get engineering calculators because they’re the type that include the functions we needed.
That surprises me - what are you calculating beyond trines, sextiles, at most quintiles and septiles? It seems like very simple arithmetic, unless I’m mistaken.
You don't have to "come out" in terms of announcing it and/or campaigning for people to accept you for what you believe in.
As a gay Black man who believes and practices Tarot and astrology in the state of Texas, I don't aspire to having others understand, or accept me. I just live my life the way that serves me the most so that I can, in turn, serve others to the best of my abilities. And my beliefs rarely have to be a part of the conversation.
As far as your "friends", whatever they believe in can be disputed in just as many ways as astrology can. Just because they decided to conform and take the same stance on astrology, doesn't make them the judge and jury on what to believe in.
What’s wild to me is how judgy people get about it, but if you look at the origins/beliefs of most religions they’re whack af. Believe what you want. As long as you’re not hurting anyone else, what does it matter? There are far worse things to believe than in astrology. Just don’t go scamming people and i think you’re good.
If you feel secure in yourself you won’t care what they think, but personally I only share with those who are open to it. The rest you’re just banging you’re head against a wall and why do that to yourself?
Generally people who say Astrology is pseudoscience are the same people who don't know anything about it or know very little like Zodiac Sun signs. Astrology is much more than 12 Zodiac Sun signs.
Astrology is considered as pseudoscience at present times or modern times, it is believed and accepted that there is no any Scientific mechanism for how Astrology can or do work and there are 4 fundamental forces in nature and none of them have any influence upon humans which is the basic arguments against Astrology.
British Astrophysicist and Astronomer Dr.Percy Seymour has written 2 books on Astrology, he has proposed a magnetic theory of Astrology and proposed a mechanism for how Astrology can work.
How Astrology works? Consider the following points:
1. The revolving planets and planetary alignments orchestrates Solar activity where the weak tidal forces of the planets is amplified by Sun’s magnetic field. Resonance is said to play a role here.
2. As a result, there is a formation of sun spots on the surface of sun, because of Solar activity induced by the planets there is a variation or fluctuations in Geomagnetic field which is known to influence a wide variety of organisms.
3. The Geomagnetism is linked to the solar activity, the fluctuations in solar activity causes change in Geomagnetic field variations.
4.Magneto-reception is an ability of an organism to be able to detect Geomagnetic field and able to navigate with the help of geomagnetic field. Organisms are able to detect Geomagnetic field due to magnetic particles present in brains and birds are able to navigate due to cryptochromes present in their eyes which helps in detecting light.
5. Scientists have discovered traces of magnetic particles in human brain particularly in Brain stem,Cerebellum and Cerebrum. Cerebellum is responsible for motor coordination, balance and equilibrium, fine body movements.
6. A study says that Geomagnetic field conditions plays a major role in development of foetus, thus Geomagnetic conditions are responsible for sustaining of life on earth.
American Radio Engineer and amateur Astronomer John Henry Nelson discovered that revolving planets and planetary alignments orchestrate Solar activity and thereby affecting the propagation of Radio waves which caused distortion in Radio communication.
The discovery of Radio Engineer John Nelson seemed to suggest that alignments of planets with respect to the Sun also had an effect upon Earth. These angles also seem to coincide with Astrological aspects:
Opposition- 180 degrees
Quincunx- 150 degrees
Trine- 120 degrees
Square- 90 degrees
Sextile- 60 degrees
Semi-sextile- 30 degrees
In traditional Astrology, the opposition, square and trine aspects are said to be powerful and
other aspects are said to be less powerful.
Astrologers took keen interest in his discovery.
It depends on who you're talking to. If they're religious I start by telling them astrology is simply god's clock, and learning to tell time is neither evil nor good. If they're not religious I skip that step and go to the beach. The tides roll in and out because of the moon. If you want to sit on the beach you wait for low tide. That's astrology. There are more crimes under the full moon because it's easier to see what's happening at 3 in the morning, and easier to sneak around. That's astrology. You plant a garden in the spring. That's astrology. It's simply observation. Keep track of the time (or god's time) and see what happens. The name for that observation, is astrology. It's not evil, or even hidden.
... I love astrology but doing a degree in astrology seems like the biggest waste of space.
A degree in psychology, where you can explore your interest in astrology is much more beneficial iny perspective... Or a business degree where you can learn critical skills to run an astrology based business also amazing...
But as someone who had their own tarot business, and astrology business, and loves this stuff and also has a masters degree and currently works in a different field related to mental health, if I met someone who told me they had a degree in astrology i wouldn't take them seriously or the school they went to.
Enlighten us and tell me which college actually gives you a degree in astrology? As far as I know there are none at least in the US. It’s not a recognized college education. Not sure this is what OP meant
If having logical arguments and explanations can help you feel more confident check those episodes of the Astrology Podcast:
[Talking about Astrology to a Sceptic](https://youtu.be/C2LsqdSZjKw?si=tYNU-THMMjvvDGMG)
[Talking about Astrology to Non-astrologers](https://youtu.be/KG3ETNYNTXs?si=2yAoQRmT4cHfj0sg)
I am dealing with the same thing, even though there are people in my life like my friends and family and spouse who know I love astrology and tarot and have practiced since I was a kid. They all support me, even if they have varying beliefs personally. I am cautious to share my interest though with other people, especially if they seem like they would be judgmental.
There are online haters and real life haters too, I’m sure but I try not to let it get to me. I haven’t “come out” broadly to my whole social circle or extended family yet but I just tell myself that the right people won’t care and will support me anyway.
At a certain point, you just have to stay true to yourself. This goes for all viewpoints, not just astrology. There will always be people who don’t try to understand where you’re coming from or your perspective, and others who will love you for or in spite of it.
I’ve went through this recently and was so scared during the process. What I realized is that as long as I accept it myself, people usually don’t question it. I’m not asking for permission to like astrology. I’m not looking for their approval. I’m simply informing. Their reaction is their responsibility. I don’t need to justify it. Good luck ❤️
aw. i hear you! a lot of people have a lot of opinions… as someone who has been into astro for over 10 years, and has studied it professionally, i just let the haters think they know better and move on with my life. astrology is literally one of the oldest things you can study, humans have ALWAYS done this. talk about a time tested practice! of course there is such an overload of pop astro that gives it a bad name, but whatever. it’s nothing to lose sleep over. let people hate leos and geminis and you just keep studying and doing what you’re called toward.
whenever you venture into realms of study where there is relationship with intuition and psychic work, there are always so many skeptics.
follow your curiosities and know that you don’t have to prove yourself to anyone. i remember when i first started my astro program i was like OMG so many astro obsessed people like me, this is amazing! there was a moment where we decided on a group name and multiple people pulled the chart for that decision and i was like wow… it’s so nice to be around people who want to study earthly phenomena within the larger cosmic geometry. if anything, you pursuing study will put you in more aligned communities.
fuck the haters! follow your passions. they’re probably just a bunch of virgos anyway 😋
(this is a joke, virgos.) :P
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Hi, Carl Jung for most his life never disclosed his love for astrology!
So most of the church ppl demonize astrology because it’s what is Taught, way back since the 3 century when the Roman Catholic Church demonized it for their own agendas. I’ve done a deep dive into Jesus’ life and other ppl such as Plato, Socrates, Pythagoras, the natives and all of them studied astrology and taught it, yes even Jesus. Once you educate yourself that and show the evidence of this ancient science, it can’t be refuted, and it at least get their brains moving and thinking. Also the Bible indicates this. In Genesis it states that God created the heavens first, before the humans. Through the stars he encoded the map for us to follow, to find him. Even Jesus’ birth had to do with astrology. The 3 wise men followed this new star and found Jesus. They used astrology, that new star was Jupiter conjunct Saturn, which is very rare. And puts Jesus’ birthday July, 29 7BC, but that’s a whole nother topic. But study these ppl and get your evidence to educate ppl and they’ll have no choice but to listen to you.
Let them say whatever they want. You've found something you like. Thing is....and this goes for anyone, astrologer or not....drop the assholes. Seriously, life is too damn short to surround yourself with people who will knock you don't because you find enjoyment in something. Do you tear people down for spending a buttload of money on football tickets? Likely not, because that is "accepted". Ef that. No one gets to tell you what you find enjoyment or value in. If people protest or ask you how you could "fall for it", tell them to relax and that you find it fun. A good old "oh shut up, it's fun for me". They don't have to believe in it. Remind them that. They have their fun things and this is yours. I find that for most naysayers, this is enough. Sometimes though you get some jerk who insists that they "debunk" it for you or tear it down or tear you down for liking it. These people are no good in your life. Besides, astrology is one of the most popular past times and professions world wide for a reason. Loads of other people find it just as enjoyable as you, and as humans have for thousands of years. Every culture in the world built cosmologies. The patterns in the stars helped them navigate and also survive - to know when the rainy season was coming, etc. They just also happened to notice that the same seemingly unrelated patterns happened at the same time and thus astrology was born.
I think just follow your dream and read about it! Not everything has to be announced. Hustle follow your passion
I found people would get low key paranoid when “announced” my obsession with astrology. Or they got insecure about what I thought or what I thought I knew about them or the situation. Even though they didn’t believe in it at all they still assumed I was all alone in my own mind coming up with truths or expectations or judgements about them or our relationship without their input which is DEFINITELY NEVER the case for me. I assume NOTHING from looking at your chart or our Synastry even though I KNOW it doesn’t lie also has dozens of ways it can work out. This was particularly the case with MEN, as you might guess. They didn’t like me thinking I knew something they could not know and since they didn’t know astrology and couldn’t just look it up and read the Wikipedia article to “know” they would become very irritated even if I only talked about it a little. I learned after only 2 men to definitely get their digits (birth data) but keep the details to myself unless I just WANT to slap the shite out of someone. Yeah, I’m talking to YOU, Brian, with your Sun on my Uranus and your 12th house Mars in Capricorn trine Jupiter exactly opposing my Saturn.
You're zoomed in too much. Zoom out. There is a HUGE world of astrology out there. Have you looked at the huge number of astrologers and millions of views, 1000s of comments? Why are you stuck to prove it to the minority. It's not about believing, almost everyone met with an unqualified astrologer hence it is thought of as a belief., it's pure science and very exact. You go to college, take a course and be professional about what you want. Others will catch up eventually not when one is a novice and unclear about themselves.
Why waste time defending astrology to others when you could be looking up the time and place of the latest newsworthy thing and the birthdays of the people involved? Or maybe look up the transits on your grandparents wedding day with their birthdays. Or the transits for the time a flea jumped off your dog’s butt. All of that is way more interesting than talking about astrology to others who are ignorant of astrology. Trust me.
Astrology is its own language. Just as you wouldn't speak French to a person who only understands German you can't speak astrology to someone who doesn't understand the language of astrology. Been there , done that, it doesn't work.
You don't really have to "come out". I like astrology but I don't really talk about it with people I know won't understand or believe.
It’s such a drag because you inevitably must defend it and just, no. I’d rather check the ascendant for Anchorage, Alaska for no reason than try to verbally prove astrology to someone who has not experienced it themselves
A very important piece of advice I got from my spiritual mentor: you don’t need to reveal all of you to people who don’t make you feel safe. You can perhaps tell them you’re reading astrology these days and leave it at that, so see how they react. If their reaction to this basic thing is negative, then no need to go and share all your beliefs and desires. Share them with people who give you the space to be yourself
This is good advice. Thank you
I agree, don't tangle yourself up needing positive reactions: you are the person whose opinion matters. But. Here's a tool for conversations that get awkward. Rob Brezsny (who also writes awesome horoscopes) suggests when dealing with/speaking to skeptics, likening interest in astrology to "believing in" poetry. Many people have varied opinions about it, and that's ok. It's an art, interpretive, that broadens horizons. Humans have many frameworks in which to explore/deepen/express our understanding of life. In case that helps.
She called it “chameleon energy”. Be an energy chameleon. Shift based on your situation. It’s a brilliant way to protect your energy and only give as much of yourself as appropriate 💕
Definitely make sure you have a good few friends who believe/are open to it before you do, that if or when they are crappy about it you have people to talk to
My Tia and cousin told me that it’s a “path to things you don’t want to get into girl” (I’m 24 😭)
But I DO want to get into it… lol
I totally understand what you’re talking about. I actually decided to go to Kepler College this year to get my degree in astrology. At first it was very scary telling people. Especially since I work in a very conservative town where I’m actually really close to my customers but each and every time I tell someone it gets easier. Plus I’m starting to love spreading the word that there is sooo much more than your sun sign
I wanted to go to Kepler college too! I’m just not sure if I want to take the plunge yet
nah do not bring it up, unless you have nerdy/weirdo friends or they bring it up themselves
I think this is a bit of a controversial wording, of course astrology believers don’t face the amount of prejudice LGBT folks do. But otherwise I think this is an opportunity for you to just stand for your beliefs. I do like astrology for example but I am also an engineer so I am a science type, in my head somehow both things coexist: The fact that I know it rationally doesn’t make sense, and the fact that I wish it did, I would like magic to exist, and analysing the planets and their supposed effect on me makes me face some questions to look inward and that usually leads to some introspection which is super useful. In my mind it’s as any religion. Religion is supposed to give you solace, guide you through your life and give you some supporting community. Astrology kinda does that for me even if I wouldn’t say I am as devoted as other people. So as long as you know why you like it/believe in it then the people in your life can decide if they can live and let live or if they will not be supportive.
I also had a similar struggle for years to the point where I restricted myself from reading about astrology in my own free time. Recently I started "coming out" and was surprised to find out that most people actually don't care. I found out that I even had friends who were also into astrology, but neither of us ever brought it up. I realised that if anyone starts arguments with me over it or insults me in any way, it's kind of a favour to me because I don't want to have anything to do with someone like that anyway. Luckily, nobody has done this. A sceptical friend did ask me a few questions about it, but it was all very civil and I don't believe it has negatively impacted her opinion of me.
I mean if astrology comes up I usually pipe in that I find it interesting and always err on the side of saying I’m no expert if asked questions. I like to use the “Billionaires believe in astrology,” angle when a bro says something rude but that’s about it in terms of negativity. If it’s not their thing, oh well. If I get a chance to nerd out, cool.
In my case, my ‘friends’ do judge me for believing in it and it made me feel ‘stupid’ for the longessst time but they are the ones who know astrology as just ‘12 zodiac signs’ or ‘magazine horoscopes’. If they have no knowledge about how deep astrology is, then their opinion doesn’t even matter to me. I know tarot as well and they ALL got a reading from me and it was spot on but later called me ‘stupid’ to believe in all this.
That sounds very relatable, I’m sorry to hear you went through that. I know how much it sucks to have people around you who make you feel bad for your interests and beliefs.
Sounds like you need some new friends
I just did it and never looked back. I’m open about my tarot use as well. It’s caused a riff in my friendships as well. Oldest friendship I’ve had that’s lasted is slowly drifting. It’s cool to them when other people are into it, but not me. I’m supposed to be the token POC friend who is depressed all the time. Spirituality has saved my life and done a lot more to rid depression than anything else I’ve tried over the last 12 years. It’s hard to watch people you love leave your life, but if it prevents you from being YOU, they were never meant to last. Instead, I’ve found some really cool people who share my interest mostly on here and TikTok!! Gotta leave the old to make room for the new 🤍 I had my spiritual awakening about 3 years ago. I always believe in there being more, having seen angel numbers my entire life and just **knowing** on some instinctive level that there was more to me and to life than I knew at the time. It took a lot of darkness to find the light, but I have never and will never regret my choice. Even if my family thinks I’m crazy.
I say something like “Do you like astrology my love or are you one of those stiff minded rationalists?”
Remove people from your social media whp dont like it. Sounds drastic but it helps minimize judgement and unwarranted opinion. Also just dont talk about it as much with people who dont like or care for astrology.
I don’t use social media anymore, I found it too draining
When I was younger, I hid my interest/ belief. I’d sometimes make diminishing comments that covered what I really believe. Then I stopped paying attention to astrology. As I’ve hit middle age, I’ve become more settled and comfortable in who I am. I rediscovered astrology and have gotten pretty deep into it. Now I freely talk about it and sometimes tell others about my journey. I explain how it resonates with me and how it has made me a better person. I’ll say that this is something that comes with age and growth. I genuinely don’t need anyone to agree with me about it. I would have needed that in my 20s. I would have needed to prove my points and demand respect. Now I just know I’m right and deserve respect, but if I don’t get it, it doesn’t have any effect on me because I know other people’s responses are 100% about them.
As someone who has had several careers and holds advanced degrees, I’ve also struggled with this issue. I agree with someone who said it’s very analytical. I think that’s what drew me in (my advanced degree is in law). Here’s where I have landed on this and how I think about it. You’re welcome to adapt any that work for you. **(1) FIRST: You’ll never convince the haters** I have realized that I’ll never convince people who don’t want to be convinced, so it’s a waste of time to invest energy in that. That said, here’s how I respond to people: **(2) The “It’s just a story” argument** In response to people who say > isn’t it just a story that people make up about things happening with the planets I say Yes. It is a story. Just like the stock market is driven by a story people make up based on information companies provide. People create expectations based on certain facts they pick out, and when companies announce earnings, if their announcements are in line with those expectations then people buy the stock. If not, they sell the stock. The price of the stock really has no relationship to the actual results of the company. It’s all driven by story. That’s how most of life works. **(3) The “I don’t believe in it” or “Does it work?” Arguments** To the people who say they don’t believe in it: I don’t consider it a belief system. It’s not a religion. It’s the observation — over thousands of years — of correlations between what’s happening in the sky and what’s happening on earth. Yes, past doesn’t predict future. And also when certain themes pop up repeatedly it helps to take notice. I think of it less about trying to predict the future and more about trying to understand the present. I also view it as a portal to study myself through archetypes. We all have all the archetypes within us. It can be a lot easier to connect with my parts by saying “how can I connect with my inner Saturn” as a shorthand for naming those various Saturn qualities. Or how I can I better embrace all of my Taurus archetype. In that sense it’s like any other personality type indicator. And a potent tool for coming into wholeness by embracing all of me. **(4) It’s the study of seasons and cycles.** My grandfather once told me to “take my cues from nature.” He was talking about the seasonal cycles. And that’s where I started. Then I learned about the moon phases and that led me to more fully study astrology. I’ve been doing flying trapeze for 21 years and one of the recurring themes I’ve learned through trapeze is that **timing** is key. As a real estate broker, people are always asking me about market cycles and timing. As a productivity coach I often say that **timing is more important than time management.** Eg: How long it takes to get from point A to point B depends on traffic, which depends on when you go. To me, astrology is like the overarching framework of seasons. Winter might be 3 months, but you can be in a metaphorical winter for much longer. Astrology helps me understand the quality of time I am in. **(5) The Key to Decoding the Patterns** Keeping track of the cycles of the planets against my own life helps me see patterns. For example I have found that when the moon is in Cancer my body doesn’t do so well. Seems odd because the moon is at home in Cancer. It took me a while to connect that for me, the moon in Cancer = moon conjunct my Saturn, which can cause fatigue. And it’s almost like my body gets tired as a way for me to remember to set better boundaries and take care of it better (also it’s my 10th house so it’s possibly also a kick in my ass to focus more on career on those days than the extra set of deadlifts). All that to say: by unlocking that pattern I can better prepare. I can be more compassionate with myself when I fail my heavy deadlifts (ok. In theory. I’m still working on this, LOL 😂) I can allow more space in my schedule. Just like you don’t go to surf when the tide is low. You plan your surfing based on when the waves are coming. If you’re planning an outdoor event and it’s forecast to rain, you plan a back-up venue. To me, astrology is like the weather or the tides or any of that. It’s a code to the patterns of the universe. Why wouldn’t I want to learn how to decode it and use it to better plan or have more compassion for myself? **EDITED TO ADD:** **I forgot to include here the thing I find astrology most useful for — the whole reason I love to teach about it!** **(6) Framework for organizing life and getting things done** Astrology is the best framework I’ve found for organizing the areas of my life and knowing where to focus and WHEN to focus there. Before I started learning astrology, I used to get stuck in identifying the various “areas” on my “wheel of life.” Then I learned about the house system. Not only does it lay out all the areas, it does so in a way that makes so much sense. It’s the original “wheel of life.” As a productivity nerd, I’ve been through MANY different productivity systems and frameworks. There are many that tell you to set priorities or categorize things as urgent/not urgent. But those systems don’t tell you when to focus on an area. Also, what many fail to acknowledge is that life doesn’t just slide neatly into boxes and quadrants. Things don’t only fall into one area. At any moment in time we have multiple competing roles and responsibilities. The framework of astrology recognizes this. When you have knowledge of your chart and houses, and you know where the sun, moon and planets are, you know where to focus your energy. Not every transit will apply to you. The technique of *annual profections* tells you where your focus should be for the year and what planets are particularly important to follow. As planets form aspects from different parts of your chart it pulls focus to those areas of life. This becomes a super practical system for getting shit done, that’s based on empirical observation. You don’t even have to “believe” in the story about the archetypes of the planets and signs to use it in this way. Just look at where the planets are gathered and know that this part of your life is asking for attention. It’s like a literal cosmic clock. As a practicalist, (and a Taurus sun) I appreciate this concrete practicality. * * * I hope that’s helpful … I am getting ready to offer a course in Practical Astrology and I think I’m going to use this to share with my list and on my blog to address how I see astrology! So thank you for the prompt!
Great reply! There are so many highly intelligent people or those with very high degrees who get into astrology. Noel Tyl, who wrote about solar acrs for instance, was a certified genius and a composer. People always crap on things they don't understand.
Thank you! I turned this into a 2-part blog series where I fleshed it out more. [3 Responses to Astrology Skeptics](https://mymeadowreport.com/reneefishman/2024/3-responses-to-astrology-skeptics/) [5 Ways I Use Astrology as a Practical Tool for Productivity and Personal Development](https://mymeadowreport.com/reneefishman/2024/5-ways-i-use-astrology-as-a-practical-tool-for-productivity-and-personal-development/) I suppose one could say I put my legal/advocacy skills to good use. And also a good way to use my - Libra rising with Pluto conjunct ascendant (always going for the deep answer, presenting all sides, seeking justice), - 9H Mercury in Gemini (communication, especially about wisdom topics), - Taurus Sun (ever practical), and - Saturn in Cancer in my 10th house: always bringing some structure to everything I teach, plus it’s Cancer season, so claiming my moment in the spotlight!
Astrology is just so fun. People are missing out! And when I tell people random predictions at work and then they happen and they get scared, well that kind of psychological torture is what I live for. 😂
Actually just recently I predicted something down to the hour for my boss....that he would get a nasty surprise that would come in the form of a phone calm or email from a very aggressive hopeful investor he didn't want to take money from. Boom. Happened. He came into work all bleary eyed and said "well your little bomb went off around midnight went off. Please, no more predictions for a while!". I felt bad for him but I also was amazed. Astrology is awesome.
DAMN you're good!
Thank you so much. I’m a bit blown away — in the best of ways — by all the upvotes on my response. Funny to me because I’ve been struggling to write the sales page for my course and yet this all just flowed out of me. And when it comes to my blog, I have addressed some of these points in separate posts, but never like this before. I may even repurpose my response as a blog post — which is a great way to embrace the “lazy” side of my Taurus Sun!
Decoding the patterns: deserve its own post
Thank you for that reflection! I’ve already written about it at least once [See here](https://mymeadowreport.com/reneefishman/2023/the-key-to-decoding-lifes-mysteries/) But it probably deserves more than one and one specifically about astrology. Any of these points can be their own post! That’s why I publish daily!
Amazing reply
Thank you!
This is an excellent reply! Thank you for your time I took some screen shots!
Thank you!
You sound like you would be a great teacher on this subject. Best of luck to you on your journey. You’re a very eloquent writer
Thank you!
For my day job I work as an analyst. Astrology is very analytical which is why it interests me so much. The universe is made with such mathematical precision, in the same way that we are, that it’s ridiculous to think it doesn’t have an effect on us. It’s a discipline that incorporates multiple other disciplines, not just maths and physics, but also psychology, mythology, history, anthropology, metaphysics - all of those bits of knowledge put together is what makes a kick arse astrologer. You need to utilise those disciplines in order to explain how astrology impacts us. Astronomy looks at what’s going on in the sky, astrology looks at the impact. Forget Russell Grant and Justine Toper, it’s a bona fide intellectual discipline that has been around for centuries. People used to get married, go to war, plant crops, travel all based on what the cosmos was doing. What’s really interesting is watching the skies and comparing that to what’s going on in the news. You’ll find evidence that it’s not just woo woo magic (although this is another conversation altogether)
No wonder I’ve always found myself drawn to astrology- I’ve always been super interested in those topics that you listed… astrology is like a combination of all those things.
The other thing about astrology that I say to the naysayers, is that it’s a tool for self discovery. Not everything you read will sit right with what you know about yourself thus far, but you take what resonates and you work on that. I guess that’s why there’s space for different astrologers working in different ways. It’s not hard lined, and that’s absolutely fine.
Maybe say things like “Thank Jupiter” and “Happy solstice!”, “total Sagittarius behavior”, also warn your friends about hard transits coming up or relate their experiences to what’s currently happened and offering insight so they can navigate. The more you lean into it, the more comfortable you’ll become, and you’ll also realize people are pretty receptive for the most part and the closed minded people will see them selves out.
This is simple excellent advice!
Just like religion, just keep it between you and your higher power. I only bring it up if asked
This was going to be my answer!! It’s really worked for me!
Just an FYI, there’s a university in England that I think you can get a masters on astronomy and astrology. I think for your bachelors, if you’re truly trying to go to school in pursuit of something related to astrology, study mythology. It’s super important to understand the relationship with the planets.
Do you know the name of it?
There’s a university in wales that does a masters degree in astronomy and cultural astrology https://www.uwtsd.ac.uk/programme-courses/postgraduate-pgce/philosophy-theology-and-religious-studies/cultural-astronomy
“Cultural astronomy” — brilliant!!
Great, thanks 😊
Stone of the very best astrologers, like Bernadette Brady, have been students on that course, and then became teachers on it.
It never comes up in conversation and I don't speak about it to people who have no interest. Talk to people who like it. If people don't, let them feel how they feel and don't argue. Most people are adverse because they are being judged by people using poor technique and false stereotypes.
I would let people have their opinions. But also know it's okay to like and believe things others don't. If people hate you for liking astrology, that's their problem. Also, you don't have to convince people it's real- just live and let live.
Practice self acceptance until you no longer care
this
That’s the best advice.
People like me deeply appreciate people like you want to be-those that know astrology and can advise me. There are plenty of people like me.
This sounds like a good idea lol
I’m studying how different energies effect brain waves, specifically planetary energies on our neuro-architecture
Where are you studying this from ?
That’s astrology babes
No like source ? Any book, research paper etc?
You misunderstand. That user is just volunteering the theoretical phrasing they would use when talking to normies.
Ohhh got it. I should start calling myself a tubelight now. Thanks fellow Redditor.
Exactly
Hi, how amazing for the first time in your life you want to study uni and it’s for astrology! I’m so excited for you! (I study astrology on my own and go to college for Chinese medicine & acupuncture) As for how do you tell those about your interests who probably don’t “believe” in astrology / will demonize you for… you just don’t tell those people. And if it gets brought up naturally in conversation such as “what’re you going to school for” you can tell them, without the need to explain any further. And if they have questions that feel neutral or maybe just curious, you can let them in However if they start to demonize or belittle you for your chosen field of study… that’s where communicative boundaries come in. Not allowing people to talk to you in such a way. And I know that’s easier said than done sometimes and the bold, courageous conversation where you’re sharing such boundaries can be so intimidating, it’s so important if you’re wanting to maintain those relations while honoring yourself.
I’ve been an astrologer on TV. Coming out as one (having been raised on astrology by my father, an astrologer), I was met with people accusing me of witchcraft and being in league with the devil. I also have people question my intelligence (knowing nothing about my education in the Ivy League and physiological sciences in grad school). I had not planned on those responses to me, naively, and it really turned me off to being so open with my beliefs I learned from that experience that, I don’t need people to know all of my beliefs because some would choose to use them against me. You’ll find those who share your belief in circles that support beliefs like that. Otherwise, I’ve found it’s a waste of time and energy. For some reason, having a belief in astrology is akin to being one of the dumbest people alive it seems. There are way too many uneducated people and/or brainwashed people into other systems of belief as to think their lack of knowledge and understanding supersedes my study of it. Very silly.
It always amazes me when people I who I thought I was close to think less of me because I now practice whatever they’re judging in their minds, instead of wondering, “wow, so and so who I’ve always admired is into such a thing, what is so valuable about it that so and so has changed life so much?”
“i’m interested in the history behind studying planetary movement/alignment as means to signify, interpret, and predict human activity and life events”. personally, i’ve gotten to a point where everyone who knows me, knows that i take this seriously, knows that i do it professionally and for others, and knows that there are people willing to vouch for my practice. sometimes that’s even just a little “well what he said was kind of making sense” other than that, astrology’s robust history, which 99% of people do not know, often speaks for itself when having to tell strangers. i remind people that astrology is a multicultural study that spans across so many human eras, but throughout them all, has always adhered to a rigid and complex systems/techniques that cannot be compared to modern pop culture astrology. there’s a 3,000-year record of horoscopic-hellenistic astrology (which i practice) and i think you’d find more ease than you think in explaining to people that you see some substance in it. remind people that you’re not looking to diagnose or belittle, or even “claim to know” with rigidity BECAUSE you’re into astrology and you’ll be fine. worst case scenario, people still think you’re a wack job, and in that case, so what? for the majority of its history, astrology was not utilized by wack jobs, but the very opposite. it is important to delve beyond “sun sign astrology” or you’ll very often find yourself in that tough spot, trying to justify your beliefs and gain respect for very basic interpretations that the public already knows to have disdain for. i make it a habit of not speaking to people about their sun sign, period, for that very reason.
Hello there, I'm both someone who practices astrology and someone who came out as gay in the conservative rural south of the US (Appalachia to be specific). I am fully out in public life and in private life as a gay dude, but when it comes to things like my interests I generally don't discuss them with others unless there are already indications that the interest is shared to some degree. That goes for everything from astrology to fantasy RPGs to how I make a living every day. If you want to foster acceptance or tolerance of astrology as a part of your life's purpose then that's a sort of noble and difficult journey that you are welcome to undertake. Otherwise, the truth of the matter is that you are not responsible for making other people feel positive feelings about astrology and that concerning yourself with such things is generally a waste of time and energy. In either case this isn't something that you resolve through debate or persuasive argument. There are no magic words or phrases that will convince someone of something because humans follow their emotions and not reason. You can only meet people where they are at and decide if there's enough common ground between the two of you to continue on in relationship with them. Instead, focus more on building the confidence to boldly pursue the things that are important to you regardless of the opinions of others around you. There are plenty of people who are into astrology out there and as you get older, if your interest holds, you will naturally find yourself gravitating toward the kinds of people that appreciate you and your interests while the friends and loved ones with negative beliefs about you and your interests will become more distant or drop off altogether. Confronting this reality may cause temporary feelings of sadness, but do keep in mind that this is a natural part of the way that life works and that this scenario will play out for billions of other people based on millions of other interests that have nothing to do with astrology. (I'm blurting this out pretty quickly so I hope it makes sense and is helpful in regard to your question, if not, my bad!)
Your words are helpful, thank you : )
All you have to do is nurture your curiosity and imagination and your work involving astrology will become nuanced and complex. Notice I said work.
just tell em it’s like tracking weather patterns but for cosmic events ;) i wouldn’t spend any time or effort justifying this divination practice to anyone. The field of psychology was heavily influenced by astrology (look at Jung). Like with all disciplines, astrology is a map for increased understanding, of ourselves and others. If the oceans and tides are affected by moon cycles, surely we as energy bodies, are affected by planetary movements.
Astrology isn’t a belief system, astrology is math. The people that “don’t believe in it” do not understand it and will never really look into it or research it to understand it. You do not need them to though. People will have their own opinions regardless and you cannot control that. But I do like mentioning how astrology started agriculturally, that’s why there’s astrology in farmers almanacs. Plus it is not completely wild to think celestial bodies have influence on us, the sun and moon have major influences to earth in many many ways.
I wouldn’t call astrology math; astrology is foremost based on myth, archetype, and symbology. The closest it gets to math is with very, very simple angular relations. Hardly math here.
To teach us how to calculate charts by hand, my wonderful teacher, Sam Reynolds, recommended we get engineering calculators because they’re the type that include the functions we needed.
That surprises me - what are you calculating beyond trines, sextiles, at most quintiles and septiles? It seems like very simple arithmetic, unless I’m mistaken.
👏 changed my life for the better
You don't have to "come out" in terms of announcing it and/or campaigning for people to accept you for what you believe in. As a gay Black man who believes and practices Tarot and astrology in the state of Texas, I don't aspire to having others understand, or accept me. I just live my life the way that serves me the most so that I can, in turn, serve others to the best of my abilities. And my beliefs rarely have to be a part of the conversation. As far as your "friends", whatever they believe in can be disputed in just as many ways as astrology can. Just because they decided to conform and take the same stance on astrology, doesn't make them the judge and jury on what to believe in.
What’s wild to me is how judgy people get about it, but if you look at the origins/beliefs of most religions they’re whack af. Believe what you want. As long as you’re not hurting anyone else, what does it matter? There are far worse things to believe than in astrology. Just don’t go scamming people and i think you’re good.
I keep it to myself unless other people show they are open to it.
Same. It works well too .
If you feel secure in yourself you won’t care what they think, but personally I only share with those who are open to it. The rest you’re just banging you’re head against a wall and why do that to yourself?
Generally people who say Astrology is pseudoscience are the same people who don't know anything about it or know very little like Zodiac Sun signs. Astrology is much more than 12 Zodiac Sun signs. Astrology is considered as pseudoscience at present times or modern times, it is believed and accepted that there is no any Scientific mechanism for how Astrology can or do work and there are 4 fundamental forces in nature and none of them have any influence upon humans which is the basic arguments against Astrology. British Astrophysicist and Astronomer Dr.Percy Seymour has written 2 books on Astrology, he has proposed a magnetic theory of Astrology and proposed a mechanism for how Astrology can work. How Astrology works? Consider the following points: 1. The revolving planets and planetary alignments orchestrates Solar activity where the weak tidal forces of the planets is amplified by Sun’s magnetic field. Resonance is said to play a role here. 2. As a result, there is a formation of sun spots on the surface of sun, because of Solar activity induced by the planets there is a variation or fluctuations in Geomagnetic field which is known to influence a wide variety of organisms. 3. The Geomagnetism is linked to the solar activity, the fluctuations in solar activity causes change in Geomagnetic field variations. 4.Magneto-reception is an ability of an organism to be able to detect Geomagnetic field and able to navigate with the help of geomagnetic field. Organisms are able to detect Geomagnetic field due to magnetic particles present in brains and birds are able to navigate due to cryptochromes present in their eyes which helps in detecting light. 5. Scientists have discovered traces of magnetic particles in human brain particularly in Brain stem,Cerebellum and Cerebrum. Cerebellum is responsible for motor coordination, balance and equilibrium, fine body movements. 6. A study says that Geomagnetic field conditions plays a major role in development of foetus, thus Geomagnetic conditions are responsible for sustaining of life on earth. American Radio Engineer and amateur Astronomer John Henry Nelson discovered that revolving planets and planetary alignments orchestrate Solar activity and thereby affecting the propagation of Radio waves which caused distortion in Radio communication. The discovery of Radio Engineer John Nelson seemed to suggest that alignments of planets with respect to the Sun also had an effect upon Earth. These angles also seem to coincide with Astrological aspects: Opposition- 180 degrees Quincunx- 150 degrees Trine- 120 degrees Square- 90 degrees Sextile- 60 degrees Semi-sextile- 30 degrees In traditional Astrology, the opposition, square and trine aspects are said to be powerful and other aspects are said to be less powerful. Astrologers took keen interest in his discovery.
It depends on who you're talking to. If they're religious I start by telling them astrology is simply god's clock, and learning to tell time is neither evil nor good. If they're not religious I skip that step and go to the beach. The tides roll in and out because of the moon. If you want to sit on the beach you wait for low tide. That's astrology. There are more crimes under the full moon because it's easier to see what's happening at 3 in the morning, and easier to sneak around. That's astrology. You plant a garden in the spring. That's astrology. It's simply observation. Keep track of the time (or god's time) and see what happens. The name for that observation, is astrology. It's not evil, or even hidden.
People will never fully agree with it. Learn to discuss it with people who understand it and want it. It’s like a language
... I love astrology but doing a degree in astrology seems like the biggest waste of space. A degree in psychology, where you can explore your interest in astrology is much more beneficial iny perspective... Or a business degree where you can learn critical skills to run an astrology based business also amazing... But as someone who had their own tarot business, and astrology business, and loves this stuff and also has a masters degree and currently works in a different field related to mental health, if I met someone who told me they had a degree in astrology i wouldn't take them seriously or the school they went to.
Enlighten us and tell me which college actually gives you a degree in astrology? As far as I know there are none at least in the US. It’s not a recognized college education. Not sure this is what OP meant
Not a credible one but you'd be surprised. I know of someone who has a doctorate in CLOWNING
I don’t know if I’d actually get a degree/certificate in astrology. it’s just something I thought about briefly and got excited about.
That's great, don't wanna rain on your parade, you should be excited to go to 3rd level education:) it's amazing!
If having logical arguments and explanations can help you feel more confident check those episodes of the Astrology Podcast: [Talking about Astrology to a Sceptic](https://youtu.be/C2LsqdSZjKw?si=tYNU-THMMjvvDGMG) [Talking about Astrology to Non-astrologers](https://youtu.be/KG3ETNYNTXs?si=2yAoQRmT4cHfj0sg)
I am dealing with the same thing, even though there are people in my life like my friends and family and spouse who know I love astrology and tarot and have practiced since I was a kid. They all support me, even if they have varying beliefs personally. I am cautious to share my interest though with other people, especially if they seem like they would be judgmental. There are online haters and real life haters too, I’m sure but I try not to let it get to me. I haven’t “come out” broadly to my whole social circle or extended family yet but I just tell myself that the right people won’t care and will support me anyway. At a certain point, you just have to stay true to yourself. This goes for all viewpoints, not just astrology. There will always be people who don’t try to understand where you’re coming from or your perspective, and others who will love you for or in spite of it.
I’ve went through this recently and was so scared during the process. What I realized is that as long as I accept it myself, people usually don’t question it. I’m not asking for permission to like astrology. I’m not looking for their approval. I’m simply informing. Their reaction is their responsibility. I don’t need to justify it. Good luck ❤️
aw. i hear you! a lot of people have a lot of opinions… as someone who has been into astro for over 10 years, and has studied it professionally, i just let the haters think they know better and move on with my life. astrology is literally one of the oldest things you can study, humans have ALWAYS done this. talk about a time tested practice! of course there is such an overload of pop astro that gives it a bad name, but whatever. it’s nothing to lose sleep over. let people hate leos and geminis and you just keep studying and doing what you’re called toward. whenever you venture into realms of study where there is relationship with intuition and psychic work, there are always so many skeptics. follow your curiosities and know that you don’t have to prove yourself to anyone. i remember when i first started my astro program i was like OMG so many astro obsessed people like me, this is amazing! there was a moment where we decided on a group name and multiple people pulled the chart for that decision and i was like wow… it’s so nice to be around people who want to study earthly phenomena within the larger cosmic geometry. if anything, you pursuing study will put you in more aligned communities. fuck the haters! follow your passions. they’re probably just a bunch of virgos anyway 😋 (this is a joke, virgos.) :P