What is Astrology and How Can it Help Me Know Myself?

Despite living in an age of cyber-connectivity, made possible through technological advancements, in the modern world, people are more disconnected than they have ever been. They are disconnected from the cosmos, disconnected from nature, disconnected from one another, and disconnected from their inner purpose. 

Astrology is the study of the movement of the planets and other celestial bodies as reflective of or synchronous with events in human life and the natural world. The ancient Babylonians created the first astrological system by observing the sky and separating it into twelve constellations. For centuries thereafter, astrology was at the heart of science, medicine, philosophy, and magic. Today, we can still observe the planets as the ancient Babylonians did—to understand the fundamentals of human nature. In an age of uncertainty created by globalization, astrology can be used to reconnect ourselves inward, reconnect with each other, and reconnect with the greater cosmos.

Former president Franklin D. Roosevelt, former president Ronald Regan and businessman J.P Morgan Chase are well known for having consulted with astrologers before making crucial decisions. Even “the respected psychologist Carl Jung studied astrology, coining the term synchronicity, which became part of the psychological lexicon, as an expression of what astrology is built on: a correspondence of seemingly unconnected events that happen simultaneously” (Herring, 2016).

I personally turned to astrology a few years ago during a period in my life when I was seeking answers. I had always been a deeply spiritual person; connected to something greater than myself. As a child and young adult, I was a practicing Catholic. I was very active in the church as a choir director and catechist into my early twenties. However, I went through a period of time where I really struggled with understanding who I am as a person. As a closeted gay man, I could not easily come to terms with who I was and the religious doctrine I followed.  My spiritual practice no longer adequately aided me in understanding myself fully because it did not provide me the answers to questions I had. Religious doctrine limited my understanding of myself and of other Beings—until I turned to astrology. 

I’ll admit, at first I found astrology fun and slightly entertaining. I would look at daily and weekly horoscopes and be amused until I started to recognize patterns in my life. I quickly realized that astrology was a lot deeper and more complex than a simple sun sign horoscope that most people are familiar with—“When were you born? Oh, Taurus!” In fact, I learned that astrology was incredibly intricate and spiritual in nature, exploring human behavior in ways I had never understood before.

Some people consider astrology a fun conversation starter, while others write it off completely as pseudo-scientific and ‘woo-woo.’ I get this because as an academic myself, I am naturally skeptical of most things. I think one of the reasons for such skepticism is a common misunderstanding that our lives are fated and that astrology claims to explain it all. Our lives are not fated. To be clear, astrologers don’t claim this. Astrology is about exploring the synchronicities and the possibilities of the events in one’s life. As a human being, you have free will and have the right to exercise choice and design your own life. I like to equate astrology forecasts to a weather forecast. When a meteorologist declares that it is going to rain today, you can choose to respond to the forecast however you want. If you bring an umbrella (work with the energies of the day), then you will likely stay dry and if you choose not to (fight against it)⎯well, you’re likely to get wet and struggle a bit.

Astrology can be used to help us understand more about our personalities, our soul’s purpose, and lessons to be learned while we are on this earth. Through astrology, I learned that my personality is full of contradictions. I learned that I thrive from transformation and change and get really unhappy when things are stagnant. I learned that I am not always able to see or understand my aggressive side, though others do. I learned why I come across to others as intense. I learned the reasons why I struggle in relationships and how that is connected to my life’s path. I learned that I carry myself as a coach and teacher but have a strong tendency to retreat inward like a hermit when things get tough. I learned that my emotions are strong and can come up quickly, which seems to contradict my intellectual nature and calm exterior. These are just some of the things I’ve discovered about myself with the help of astrology. Not only has astrology been the single most important tool I have ever had for self-discovery, it has also afforded me an avenue to continue to grow spiritually by connecting with that which is greater than myself.

Astrology has helped me learn more than I ever thought possible about myself and I continue to learn more and more each day. We are all navigating a unique and personalized journey on this earth. Our souls have come here for a time to learn specific lessons. My commitment is to help people discover more about themselves than they ever realized before and inspire them to live a life they love. That is why Path & Purpose exists and that is why I exist.

With love,

Cam

Citation:

Herring, A. (2016). Essential astrology: everything you need to know to interpret your natal chart. Woodbury, MN: Llewellyn Publications.

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