Can You Really Trust Your Horoscope? Is Astrology A Science?
Written by Beth (she/her), who is such a Capricorn.
5 min read
On 28 December 2023, I received a rather ominous email from Allure Magazine claiming to hold supernatural understanding of the year ahead. It was, naturally, the annual horoscope for my star sign. And, for the first time in several years, I felt compelled to read it.
My 2024 Horoscope…Apparently…
Whether I like it or not, my 2024 will be a pivotal year. In September, I’ll be setting off to university, which is such a novel concept, I can’t even begin to know what the shape of my life will be after that. Only time, and potentially horoscopes, will tell.
So what’s in store?
My fellow Capricorns and I are promised a year of introspection and growth, with a few mid-year obstacles and a journey of self-development, which promises an improved and healed version of ourselves by mid-November. The specifics are strikingly similar to my expectations. Here’s the deal:
- Stress arising around the late spring and early summer (something to which I’m sure many year 11 and 13 students can relate, Capricorn or otherwise)
- A period of rapid change and understanding of a brave new world, related to a solar eclipse on 02 October ‘24, just a few days before Fresher’s begins
A bit vague and open ended, right? Maybe that’s a good thing, maybe it’s bad. Let’s take a closer look…
The Advantages of Astrology
The most common benefit attributed to an individual horoscope was comfort. It might be exciting and just a tad nerve-wracking to open that annual email but it’s important to note that the areas of life horoscopes discuss are those which tend to elicit the most anxiety.
The average horoscope offers hope for those struggling with romantic or professional aspirations. Most of the romance-oriented horoscopes I read mentioned:
- Exploration
- Strengthening
- Peace
Whilst the career-oriented horoscopes typically promised:
- Expansion
- Wealth, and the
- Realisation of ambition
A horoscope or a hug?
The New Year is often difficult, with feelings of uncertainty about the future at an all-time high, and a horoscope can prove a useful security blanket, offering personalised affirmations that everything will be okay. It can be extremely comforting to see positive messaging before the start of something new, even for those who aren’t completely sold on the accuracy of astrology.
And here’s the kicker:
Astrological affirmations might even lead to better results, with a huge volume of scientific research confirming that positivity improves cognition, as well as social performance and physical health! One study, published by North Carolina University, proved that exposure to media that elicits feelings of happiness significantly increases problem-solving ability.
This means there is a very real, very scientific possibility that reading a positive horoscope, be it romantic or professional, might actually improve your success in that area, if only due to the power of positive self-thought.
The Disadvantages of Astrology
Astrology is a form of ‘paranormal determinism’. This means it’s based on the belief that something supernatural has the capacity to shape the course of a human life. Whilst it can provide comfort for a great number of people globally, it can also be isolating for those who feel as though they’ve been misrepresented.
Do signs have reputations?
Certain signs, such as Scorpio, have gotten a bad rap in pop culture. First off, it’s hard to think of the sign without thinking of a real life spiky-tailed-pinchy-clawed scorpion counterpart. And then there are characters in films like:
- Patrick Bateman: American Psycho’s well-coiffed serial murderer
- Sauron: the immortal god representing total malice from the Lord of the Rings trilogy
- Miranda Priestly: who sure, isn’t quite as evil as the first two, but definitely makes Andie’s life a living hell in The Devil Wears Prada
For those only just learning about astrology, it can be disheartening to find yourself associated with such negative portrayals, which can lead to some dismissing horoscopes altogether. This is a bugbear I can absolutely understand as someone who finds herself in such good company as Skeletor, Emperor Palpatine and Cersei Lannister. But it’s also one which can be approached from a different perspective.
Simply put, the existence of only 12 astrological signs means that each one is shared with an average of six hundred and sixty seven million real people…not even including fictional characters. So there are bound to be some bad seeds in there somewhere. But that’s no reflection on the good-hearted Scorpios out there!
FYI, Pocahontas was a Scorpio (at least according to ScreenRant) - and she’s awesome.
Is Astrology a ‘Science’ Though?
Well, I remain unconvinced. It seems nigh on impossible that a few paragraphs of vague predictions of ‘change’ and ‘stress’ and ‘love’ could not only apply to a twelfth of the planet (or thereabouts) but also possess an otherwise completely inaccessible insight into the future. In order to find out more about the mystical ‘horoscope’, I decided to try two things. Simply put:
- I asked others about their experience with horoscopes; both positive and negative. One friend described her annual Virgo horoscope as ‘a security blanket’ that made ‘everything in her life feel a little bit better’. Another described any form of astrology as ‘pseudoscientific mush’. Talk about harsh!
- I opted to experiment with my own, discovering whether it could predict my January
What Did My Horoscope Tell Me?
According to the January horoscope for Capricorn:
- The 11th was supposed to bring a new approach to self-care and organisation
- The 13th was a day for communication
- The latter fortnight of the month was all about love and self-indulgence, with a touch of stress around the full moon on the 25th
Once again, this is a relatively vague set of predictions — but it also wasn’t entirely inaccurate. Here’s how my month actually panned out:
- In the earlier weeks of January, I set about rearranging both my physical and digital space and learned to paint my nails
- I can’t say the 13th brought anything more remarkable than an online foraging workshop
- But as for the final few days of the month, I discovered a new recipe for cinnamon buns and I can honestly say that self-indulgence has taken on a whole new meaning - one conveniently filled with cinnamon and cream cheese
All in all, horoscopes are extremely personal. Despite their global reach and generalised predictions, it’s up to you as to how they relate to your life. Meaning that they’re completely subjective. If the astrological affirmations they provide bring you joy then why should anything stop you? If they’re not for you, that’s completely valid as well. As for their accuracy? Only the stars will ever know.
It doesn’t matter if you’re a Taurus or a Scorpio (they’re total opposites don’t you know) or just looking for your pack of Pisces pals, you’ll meet a bunch of new people by going on an NCS experience. Don’t miss out, grab your place today by heading to MyNCS – your one stop shop of all things away from home.
