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Question: Astrology is about our different characteristics, careers, pastimes, family life, and health. What confuses and amazes me is that what it says fits so perfectly to me… that it’s like someone looked inside me and wrote it down. All my emotions, attitudes, feelings towards others, careers/goals, everything fits exactly with what I’ve felt and determined about myself a long, long time ago. It’s strange because I’ve been told by that this stuff is fake and all a big hoax. If it is… then why is it so true to myself? This confounds me…. can you explain any of this?
Answer: What are you searching for … ??
Ever hear of “self-fulfilling” prophecy? There may be SOME things about your sign that ring true, but you will find that a lot of it could be (and generally is) stuff that can be applied to almost anyone. Yes there are some things that we could say do apply to you (and could also apply to many other people of different signs), but there are also many things that do not apply to you. It’s a mix, but that is to be expected. Interestingly, everything said in your horoscope is more or less some positive or desirable trait ~ very little of it points to anything where improvement would help. We all like to hear nice things about ourselves.
Once, I believed in astrology (and I was far more “clueless” then than I am now), but as time went on, I found more and more cracks and gaping holes in what astrology claimed as “truth.” In the desire to search for answers about ourselves, it is easy to “read into” what astrology says, so we find ourselves agreeing with what our sign says about us without a really critical or objective appraisal of the situation. As you may have noticed, just about everything said about your sign is “good feeling stuff” ~ and we all like hearing about our good side.
There are things about my sign that I’d like to believe too ~ and there are things that are not really me. Further, there are things about other signs that I’d say represent me better than what my sign says, so what does that make me? Some kind of astrological mutt or composite? In fact, there are many things said about your sign that very much apply to me, and my birthday is nowhere near yours.
Basically, the bottom line is this: Astrology and stuff like it can tend to limit what your true potential and talents are. Say you really are an eagle, but your astrology sign tells you that you’re just a chicken (so better not make too many grand plans!). If you were to believe your sign, you’d never be able to soar like the real eagle that you are.
Do you really want to soar like an eagle? OR do you want to be limited by what someone else says about you? Astrology is a very deceptive gimmick. By posing as a source of “guidance” it can easily fool you into following the wrong paths. As far as traits and characteristics that astrology says about you, well ~ there are many explainations of why you act and think the way you do, and it has far, far more to do with your upbringing, age, experiences, meditative processes and people around you than what some astrology sign says.
Do you want others to stereotype you or pigeonhole you into some role because of what astrology says about you? Or would you rather be valued and appreciated for who you really are? Would you rather have the freedom to “be all that you can be” or would you prefer being restricted to some limited future? Astrology signs are very much a form of stereotyping. Just because some things appear true doesn’t mean that you should swallow the whole story. Don’t let yourself be stereotyped.
Astrology may seem to offer easy answers, and the danger is you may not want to continue searching and digging for the true treasures that are in you. Do you really want to be satisfied with half-truths or possible lies? I think not, but there are some who, frankly, are just plain lazy about uncovering their true talents and who are willing to swallow a big lie because part of the story sounds good.
Here’s the basis of how people can be persuaded to another’s viewpoint/ideas: Feed them something they’d like to believe or that may have some partial validity, then gradually start feeding them a greater percentage of half truths and deceptions. Sooner or later, they will not be able to separate what’s true from what’s false. What will they turn to then? Astrology? Isn’t that what probably got them confused in the first place? (Or maybe it was just some extremely clever-tongued person who knew what buttons to push to get the victim to be persuaded to a different viewpoint.) Do you know how “brainwashing” works? (You unscrew the skullcap and add a cup of detergent …. No! No! No!) It’s done basically the same way, usually with some deprivation of food, sleep, etc. or with some overstimulation like fear or terrorizing.
Want to mess with someone’s mind? Find out their sign and then twist some story or situation to fit them to their sign. “Of course!” they’ll say. “That’s me! How did you know? You must be psychic or something!” Then you turn them onto following their sign to make sure they maintain a daily dose of this stuff. (Little do they realize they’ve been cleverly fooled into believing what isn’t always true.) Repeat this pattern over and over and people will start behaving the way their sign predicts they should.
Shall we talk about “exceptions to the rule”? As I’ve said before, there are aspects of my sign that are just not me, and aspects of other signs that reflect me better. Astrologers have come up with some explanations for this, but it doesn’t take much to see the futility of their “reasons.” Basically, their “answers” are a desparate attempt to keep people snowed under a pile of good-sounding deceptions. You’d have a more convincing argument basing personality traits on your DNA!
If one can find an exception to the rule, does that not place the rest under suspicion? Unfortunately, most are blind to exceptions and inconsistancies because they’re so desparate to try to understand why they are the way they are. Astrology and its kin gives them an easy out, so they don’t need to exercise their brains. (This leaves more brain cells available to study the upcoming alien invasion reported in this week’s grocery store tabloid.)
Each of us is very unique! Each is far too complex and unique to be limited by something as confining as astrology. Don’t be afraid of your own uniqueness, don’t listen to things which could lead you to mediocrity. Such thoughts are not your friends, despite what an astrologer might say. Don’t be afraid of not having all the answers to your questions: questioning will keep you seeking for what is solid and true. Be very wary of things that offer easy answers or answers that do not require any effort. The majority of people will chase after the quick or easy answer ~ the one that takes the least effort ~ and they’ll be very disappointed in the long run.
Why look to the stars for your answers? Why not look to the one who made those very stars? There are many things that will try to become substitutes for God in your life ~ it could be astrology, booze, drugs, sex, power, money, popularity, etc, etc. Don’t chase after the cheap substitutes: You’re much too good for that.
Always seek after truth, and you’ll discover how pathetic all these substitute “gods” are. And yes, there are some who focus too much on one aspect or another of a religion (and make this their “god”). This, too, can be a poor substitute, but it is hidden within the “respectability” of “something religious.” ALL these substitute “gods” are superstitions based on half-truths, lies and more lies. Unfortunately, people will follow a superstition out of lazyness and a feeble attempt to quickly and easily grab power or control of some sort. Please don’t let your life be lead astray with superstitions or placing your trust in some poor substitute for God.
Yes, you will need to do some searching to be able to more clearly recognize who God is. There’s a lot of trash you may need to sort through to find God, but I trust you will be able to recognize God when you do see things more clearly. Perhaps right now in your life, things are a little hazy and it’s difficult to see God, but keep looking! He’ll help you find Him. Trust Him!
Do you know the story of the man who found “a piece of the truth”? The devil laughed, because he knew the man would go make a religion out of it. There are many who make a religion of stuff like astrology, crystal balls, etc., and the devil really laughs, because these things will mess up your mind badly. They’re like slow poisons: You take a little, thinking it can’t hurt, then you take a little more … and more … and more until you do get hurt or involved with things that make the dark side of “the force” look like a church picnic!
It’s important that you be able to recognize bull when you see or hear it. If you’re snowed under by bull, you’ll have a difficult time seeing clearly, and you’ll effectively be a prisoner of that bull (and blinded by it, too). But when you are able to see clearly, (that is “see the truth”) you’ll be a free person. Remember, the truth will set you free!
See also:
The Future is Reserved to God
(Pope John Paul II on Astrology)
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© 1999 by Ralph Modica. This topic is also covered by his wife, Terry Modica, in the book Overcoming the Power of the Occult (Queenship Publishing).
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