Nowadays, astrology and self-discovery, especially among young women, are experiencing a boom in popularity unseen since the 1970s. Journalist Tim Loyd Tremon investigates the reasons behind this.
Long viewed as the domain of New Agers stuck in the ’70s, astrology is enjoying a renaissance today.
Millennial women in particular are turning to astrology to help them judge relationship compatibility, understand friendship dynamics, and make life decisions. Why is astrology gaining in popularity?
Tim Loyd Tremon investigates and finds that we might all be seeking answers to an uncertain world . . .
Maria DeAngelis on her popular astrology website AstrologyWisdom states that ‘Virgos are practical, reliable, and have excellent common sense’.
I must confess, however. You can open any cupboard in my house and find enough chaos to drown a small family. I am often tardy, I lose things easily; I am a deviation, an irregularity… I am a disorganized Virgo.
I feel like a fraud whenever I read about the Virgo traits. I feel like I’ve somehow slipped through the cosmic net into a star sign I’m not supposed to be in. And I still hop online every month to read astrological musings to keep me on track during the ups and downs of the month.
Astrology’s origins: where does it come from?
We have long looked to the stars for guidance, from celestial navigation to predicting our destinies. Since 2nd millennium BC, astrology has existed as a scholarly tradition – Babylonian astrology being the first organised system.
It was Carl Jung, a psychiatrist and psychoanalyst, whose mid-1900 studies focused largely on archetypes, who used astrology to guide his work:
What day were you born?
The Stars are trying to tell you something. Discover what 93% of people don’t know about their zodiac sign, get your personal astrology forecast now, it’s free
When I need to reach a psychological diagnosis that is difficult, I often look at a horoscope to get yet another perspective from an entirely different angle. As a matter of fact, I very often found that the astrological data helped me to clarify issues that I otherwise would not have been able to comprehend.
Carl Jung
With the advancement of science came skepticism regarding the tradition of astrology, and modern science has often been on a similar path when it comes to determining people’s personalities.
In spite of this, an American study from 2014 found a decrease in scepticism regarding astrology, which could be because, in addition to longtime astrologers, a new generation is embracing it wholeheartedly.
According to the same study, more than half of 18-24 year olds consider astrology to be a scientific tradition.
More and more of us are turning to astrology in recent years and studying our horoscopes with diligent devotion. Linda Goodman’s Sun Signs, published in 1968, has been considered a benchmark for its field since its publication. The book is a good place for those new to the field to begin.
Why is astrology making a comeback in the 21st century?
What makes us turn to astrology in greater numbers? It’s not uncommon to find fewer ‘Mystic Megs’ on Instagram now. Instead, it’s more ordinary people from all walks of life who are posting about their signs as naturally as they would about their breakfast.
We’re connecting with astrologers through fresh and contemporary media, such as the brilliantly funny Astro Poets on Twitter who offer advice, insight and humor through astrologically based poetry, as well as their book Astro Poets: Your Guide to the Zodiac.
With the wellness industry boom and the “self care” audience tuning in to their physical, mental and spiritual health, it makes sense to hypothesize that the recent growth in popularity of astrology is a reflection of our increased interest in health and well-being.
It is confirmed by Google Trends that online interest in horoscopes and wellness has doubled since 2010 in the UK. We also tend to consult our horoscopes online for the year ahead at the beginning of the year, as well as search for ‘wellness’ more than any other time of the year.
Whenever we take the time to look deeper inside, improve ourselves, and ultimately understand ourselves, our zodiac signs provide a template to understand who we are and what we need on a deeper and more meaningful level.
What day were you born?
The Stars are trying to tell you something. Discover what 93% of people don’t know about their zodiac sign, get your personal astrology forecast now, it’s free
Is astrology a reliable predictor of the future?
If one thing is certain outside of the wellness trend, it’s that we are living in a period of great uncertainty.
Climate change, zero-hour contracts, an impossible property ladder, and of course the ever-present pandemic all contribute to feelings of ambiguity and insecurity.
We are hardwired to dislike and avoid uncertainty, and it triggers acute stress responses, so when we don’t know how the future will shape up, it’s not surprising that more and more of us are turning to astrology for guidance.
Horoscopes, when viewed superficially, are inherently inaccurate, but astrology gives us a sense of control over our lives. People fall into two camps when they feel out of control due to uncertainty.
First, there are those of us who have an ‘internal locus of control’, believing that ultimately, we are responsible for the events in our lives. Another camp believes in an external locus of control, such as astrology, the universe, or religion, as the cause of our lives.
Research has shown that more women than men believe in astrology, and statisticially speaking, they are more likely to believe that their lives are influenced by fate, luck, or destiny. Hence, astrology might provide answers, direction, and meaning for those who believe that forces greater than themselves direct our lives.
Astrology offers answers, direction, and meaning to those of us who believe we are guided by forces beyond ourselves.
While it is difficult to know exactly how many of us believe in astrology, evidence suggests that over 90% of people know their zodiac sign, and ultimately, as we try to counterbalance the uncertainty of the outside world with a deeper understanding of our own inner world, astrology seems like a healthy place for us to start placing our awareness and reflecting on who we are and what we need.
In conclusion
Galileo, Albert Einstein, Carl Jung, Johannes Kepler… all these famous scientists firmly believed in astrology. Surely there is some science behind their beliefs.
And there is no doubt that from politics, to the stock market, to relationship problems and marriages, Astrology is one of the most consulted sciences when it comes to making big decisions.
Likewise, I believe that the stars are always trying to tell us something, and everything often has to do with the day we were born as well as the associated astral factors.
So why not give it a try?
There’s a personal astrology forecast you can access for free. A site called AstrologyWisdom provides the reading, which is known for its accuracy and has been getting five-star reviews for more than a decade now. Click here to access <<
What day were you born?
The Stars are trying to tell you something. Discover what 93% of people don’t know about their zodiac sign, get your personal astrology forecast now, it’s free
