Why Astrology Does Not Have The Answers

 

‘What’s your Zodiac sign?’ Don’t answer. That is not the point. The point is that you all know the answer. You may not believe in astrology or care to read what the future is going to bring every week in the magazine but still you know your sign. Why? Because there was some point in your life that you were made to understand that this is something you should know, one of those questions you will be asked throughout your life, so you might as well know the answer.

I remember back at school when every girl would have a notebook with questions that we would exchange with each other and you had to answer all sorts of personal stuff with a pseudonym that you had to reveal at the last page anyway. Of course we all knew most of the answers already, but I think the point was to see how many BFFS, cute stickers and song lyrics we would have at the end of it all. Note to self: check what happened to those notebooks. Anyway, what I am trying to say is that the zodiac sign question was always around the first 5 you would find in those books, along with favourite colour, music etc. It was supposed to reveal things about you.

Fast forward ten years and I can not remember the last time someone asked me about my zodiac sign. Actually, I was asked my Chinese sign last Chinese New Year, but that does not really count. Given these data, I had come to believe that people had indeed realised that their date of birth and the planets do not actually define who they are. I expect the demotion of Pluto from planet status messed up a few birth charts along the way.

Now let’s go a little back in time, a couple of weeks ago to be exact, when I found myself with no plans for Saturday night and decided I should go for a walk. Despite the many times I have walked around Covent Garden, I had never really explored the Seven Dials area, the time I was drunk and trying to figure out how to go to the bus station does not really count. As a result, I decided to walk that way and look around the cute little shops. That was when I stumbled upon a couple of astrology shops, full of people, which was quite impressive considering the rest of the shops in the area were nowhere nearly as full. I decided to go in.

‘Find out what 2014 will bring!’ ‘Find your birthstone and get it for protection!’ ‘What does your zodiac sign say about you?’ These were the main focus points inside. The merchandise ranged from unnecessarily complicated books, semi-precious stones, tarot cards and crystals, altar supplies for those who practice magic and the usual souvenirs aimed at tourists. Having done a bit of research in Wicca, because if you don’t do something weird when you are a student something is wrong with you, I could easily recognise which parts of the shops were aimed at the ‘serious’ practitioners and they were the less crowded ones, which made it less likely that all the witches in London suddenly went to restock at the same time, than that everyone else suddenly went crazy and started worrying about their future.

Now, when I say crazy, I do not mean it as harsh as it may sound. It is along the same lines as making resolutions that no one is actually going to keep and deciding to make big changes in one’s life, that are most likely to be forgotten by the end of the month. It is perfectly normal, part of our nature even. Another year has passed, we may not be who we want to be yet. And it’s ok. Really.

But stones and crystals are not the answer. And the stars do not know the future either. It is all up to us and our ability to change, evolve and become the best versions of ourselves. No matter how weak we may feel at times, and trust me I have done my fair share of self-pitying, no one and nothing can change us, if we don’t want to change ourselves. Yes, it is hard, yes we have all tried and failed at times, but that is too part of the process. One more lesson. So, leave the stars alone, keep the stones for decoration and sit down for a while. Think about what you love about yourselves, think about what you want to change, make a list if you have to. And change something. Small changes that will add up and make you a different, stronger and better person. Yourself! And let it all be thanks to you.