*Eleditor’s note: Astrology isn’t a religion. We’re not sure it’s a science, either. It’s magic, maybe. But, as with feng shui, say, things affect things. So as long as we don’t go blaming our problems on the stars, as long as we assume responsibility for our own actions…well, hell, a little auspicious coincidence and applicable wisdom can’t hurt. And so, with that grain of salt…enjoy!

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If someone had told me two years ago I’d be interested in astrology, I would have laughed at them.

I used to look at my horoscope and chuckle at the over-generalizations. How could the Leo horoscope possibly apply to all Leos in the world? Everyone is an individual with his or her own unique blueprint. I felt like astrology didn’t account for the differences among us.

But the truth is, it does account for everyone’s unique blueprint and personality—I just wasn’t receiving the full picture.

A year ago, I had a reading by a professional astrologer. I consider myself open-minded when it comes to anything spiritual, metaphysical, mystical, whatever you want to call it. I was already a self-identified spiritual person as I sat there waiting for the astrologer to divulge all he knew.

But I was still slightly skeptical.

He rocked my socks off. This man knew a scary amount about me from looking at my birth chart and the placement of the planets at the time of my birth. Before this reading, I had no idea that all the planets play a role in who we are. I just thought it was our sun sign (the sign that dictates that I’m a Leo) that mattered.

No wonder I never felt like my horoscope really encapsulated who I am! Our sun signs are just relevant to the core of who we are—our ego, our personality. Our emotional selves are ruled by the placement of the moon. I discovered I was a Taurus Moon, which explained my odd, conflicting personality.

I can be child-like, desiring of attention, and outgoing when comfortable, but my Taurus Moon is what makes me more emotionally sensitive and introverted. I usually prefer comfort, stability, and familiarity to being wild, adventurous, or daring. My moon makes my emotions more practical, cautious, and low-drama—even though Leo is a dramatic sign!

It came as little surprise to me to hear that my Leo Sun (my wants) and Taurus Moon (my emotional needs), are within five degrees of each other, which indicates tension as Leo and Taurus create a square—a hard aspect—in the zodiac.

No wonder I have so many issues, I thought, laughing to myself.

I listened in amazement as he continued to tell me the signs and houses of all of my other planets and what it all meant. There is Mercury, the planet of communication and the mind; Venus, the planet of love and attraction; Mars, the planet of sex, energy, and ambition; Jupiter, the planet of luck, growth, and wisdom; Saturn, the planet of challenges, discipline, and karma; Neptune the planet of dreams, healing, and spirituality; Uranus, the planet of change, originality, and unconventionality; and Pluto, the planet of transformations and power.

Beyond these, we all have an Ascendant, or rising sign. This is the sign that was rising on the eastern horizon when we were born that influences how we appear to people. We have a North Node, which influences where we’re headed in this lifetime. There’s also Midheaven, which involves our career, and Chiron, an asteroid that is arguably the most important component in relationships according to the Magi Astrologers.

So many components, each describing a different facet of our personality.

When he was done, I had a full picture of why I am the way I am. The planets and their placements explained every facet of my being, from my OCD tendencies to the kind of partner I am attracted to.

I was absolutely fascinated and hooked from that moment on.

I started researching astrology all I could and examining my own and others’ birth charts in detail. During slow periods at my job, I spent time on the Café Astrology website where you can enter a free birth chart that instantly displays all of the planets and all of the other components I mentioned. I developed a special fascination for synastry, or comparing two people’s birth charts to determine compatibility.

Time and time again, my chart, my friends’ charts, and charts between two people proved to reflect the reality of personalities and relationships. Astrology had gone from interesting speculation to a science in my mind. I’m someone who, if presented with proof in my own life and experiences, will believe in something, and I will use it as a tool to assist me in my life and in other people’s lives.

I now have professional software that is even more accurate and offers various interpretation windows. If I’m wondering about whether a relationship will work, I’ll ask them their birth information and study who they are as a person early on. It saves lots of trouble and heartache in the long-run, so why not! It might seem creepy, but it has been extremely helpful to me.

Astrology turned into a passion and a serious pursuit of mine unexpectedly in the past year. We never know what direction life will take us next or what interests we will develop. My goal is to keep learning as much as I can and hopefully offer astrology readings to others one day.

Even if we don’t fully know if we believe in something but it helps us further understand ourselves and why we are the way we are, there can be benefit to it.

As for me, I’ll be looking up in wonder, thinking of those slowly turning planets way out there in space and how they assist in mapping out the course of our lives.
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Author: Molly Johnson

Image: i wanna wake up kicking and screaming/Flickr

Editor: Callie Rushton