The Astrology Paradox: When It’s Helpful and When It’s Harmful

When Your Astrology Obsession Becomes Problematic (and when and how to use it properly) 

Listen, we’ve all been there.  We get hyperfixed on astrology, we calculate our birth chart, become familiar with the simple terms like our rising sign, moon sign, our node node and want to dig a little deeper to see what more we can learn about “this astrology thing,” as beginners like to put it. 

Don’t get me wrong, it’s quite a feat decoding this complicated celestial language and how different placements and transits might affect us.  It’s only human to be curious about how the unknown and things we cannot see resonate with us so well (and to feel like you’ve reached guru status with something no one else around you seems to know about).  Like with all things, this quest for knowledge can be taken too far.

I think I speak for anyone who has acquired a vast amount of astrological information when I say that it can be all too easy to fall into the trap of letting astrology overrule how you live your life.  In ancient times, astrology was used to predict important life events such as the birth of a baby, natural disasters, illnesses, and any other answers that humans in the present day receive from technological advances.   In modern times, we are fed much too much of pop astrology that hyper focuses on signs and vague sun sign horoscopes, leading to generalizing and stereotyping single zodiac signs.   

Outdated practices and the misinformation brought up by pop astrology can lead to unrealistic expectations of it’s students.  Though a useful tool for offering insights into our personalities, relationships, and in some instances our future astrology can serve as a light in a dark room.  A way to understand humankind.  But it can all too easily become a distraction from reality.  

I have seen too many people turn to astrology in times of hardship and upheaval desperate for answers when what they were really needing was therapy and/or medical attention.  It’s okay to utilize astrology during hard times of course but it should NEVER replace help for poor mental or physical health.  If you want to use astrology as a self help tool you must use it in addition to these traditional healing practices.     

Also, some who are furthering their astrological education by learning about transits (planets moving from one zodiac sign to the next) can become too fixated on their individual future and how certain astrological transits could make or break them.  This only leads to excessive future planning and anxiety that inhibits them from living in the moment and taking things day by day.

Now, I’m no saint here.  I’ve been studying astrology for 2 yerars now and I’m guilty of pretty much all the things that I say you shouldn’t use astrology for in this blog post.  When you’re learning new astrological tidbits of information for the first time, every single day, it can be hard not to make connections to yourself, everyday life, and the people around you.  

But I’m at a place now where I’ve been able to have a grounded perscpetive of all the astrological information that I learn about by taking the things that resonate and dealing with life as things come up, instead of just checking the plaentary alignments and chart aspects of myself and others every single day.           

The hyper fixation on it becomes a problem when you start looking for an astrological explanation for every single thing that happens in your life big and small, good and bad.  It’s okay in the beginning when your first learning about astrology so you can make connections and recognize patterns. 

But once you become more well versed in the practice you need to start discerning for yourself what astrological information resonates with you personally and listening to your inner voice to let you know when your use of astrology is inapropriate and may do more harm than good.  

For this blog post, I’m going to give you the full rundown of when and when not to use astrology and when it’s better to look elsewhere for guidance (not answers).

When to Use Astrology

To Self Reflect and Personally Grow

Astrology can be a powerful tool when it’s used for introspection. Your birth chart, which is a map of the positions of the planets at the time of your birth, provides you with the opportunity gain insights about your natural capatblites and gifts, challenges and areras needed for growth, and you emotional deafults. A basic understanding of your birth chart and how it connects to your life experiences can lead to positive change and intgrate a holistic integration of self accepatance. 

For example, if a planet and it’s house placment or aspects to another planet in the chart suggests a tendency towards impulsive decison making in the work place, you can be more mindful of this trait and how it can have an affect in this certain area of your life.

For Understanding The People In Your Life

Astrology also offers valuable insights into relationship dynamics.  This has it’s own branch of astrology called, Relationship Astrology. From romantic partnerships, to friendships, and families comparing our individual birth charts with those of those close to us can show potential areas of ease and tension. 

This is not a definitve measure of compatibility of course, but it can help us understand why certain dynamics manifest and how to navigate the roablocks of meaningful connections.

A Future Preparation Tool 

Many turn to astrology for guidance on timing events such as choosing a date for a major event or deciding when to start a new project. Certain planetary transits and celestial alignments are more favorable for specific actions. One instance is the ever so famous Mercury retrograde.  It is often noted a terrible time period to sign contracts or travel. 

It is important to note that too much planning and preparing for a transit known to be difficult can cause anxiety and unecessary worrying.  But being aware of these time periods long before they occur can still serve as a useful planning tool in finding dates to carry out signicant events.  You can find the yearly transits and retrogrades through an online ephemeris. 

Enhance Creativity and Find Inspiration in the Mundane 

Astrology is a powerful source of creative inspiration becasue it is an interpretative practice. Many artists, writers, and musicians draw upon it for their work due to it’s endless perspectives and intitive nature. It is especially helpful in overcomning creative blocks to give the eyes a fresh, new lens to see through in artistic endeavors.

When Not to Use Astrology

Making Major Life Decisions 

With astrology’s great capacity to provide us with what’s going on with ourslves internally and the happeings of the external world it should not be the sole basis for making major life decisions. 

When you’re making descisons about your career, health, or finances you should not abandon common sense and practicality by giving away all of your personal power to the planetary positions. Astrology should complement your decision-making process without entirely replacing critical thinking or seeking professional guidance.

Diagnosing Health Issues 

This is one of—if not the biggest misues of astrology. While some aspects in a birth chart can support the facts of exisiting health troubles, it is foolish to think that it can exactly pinpoint any future health issues or healing remedies for exising ones.  The stars are not your dcotors.  Always consult a licensed healthcare professional for any medical issues you are experiecning or feel you are at risk for experiencing.   

Escaping Accountability 

Especially in the age of social media and widespread pop astrology (not real astrology) people have restorted to blaming their “signs” (I put that in quotation marks since most people are refering their sun signs in these particular instances) for their shortcomings and mistakes.  Your birth chart, transit chart, or any other chart you may calculate for yourself should not be used as an excuse to avoid personal responsibility for actions you choose to make out of your own free will. 

Your astrological chart serves to highlight tendencies, but you make conscious choices that you need to take personal responsibility.  Astrology is a self awareness tool not an “I’m a____ so I can’t help it” excuse note.

To Get Definitive Answers 

Though astrological transits can bring insights about potential outcomes it cannot predict the future with absolute certainty.  We are only human and we have the gift (and sometimes curse) of freedom of choose that offers a variety of potienal outcomes.  It’s important to remain open to possiblity and not get caught up in what you think the language of the stars and patterns of your birth chart are telling you.  That’s our intuition’s job and astrology is just a framework to help you nurture it.   

Utilizing Astrology with a Balanced Approach

Astrology has it’s place and purpose.  It’s appropriate to use at some times but not others.  It has it’s limitations and knowing when to turn to other sources is viable for not getting overwhelmed with the endless information that comes with the study of the stars.

When we use astrology wisely, we enrich our lives without letting it overshadow the way we carry our day to day activities and living in the present moment. 

All this to say, let life happen now and look to the astrological explanations after the fact.  Your intution is the playbook of your human experiences, not the ephemeris.  In the words of Shakespeare, “life is too short, so live your life to the fullest..every second of your life just treasure it.”