Why Do People Believe in Astrology?

Most people know what their astrological sign is. Of course, there are a range of believers in astrology – from those who casually read their horoscope when they come across it, to those who base major life decisions on their sign. Although astrology has been around basically since the beginning of time (those Greek guys knew what was up), there has been a recent significant increase in the popularity of horoscopes.
So, why is everyone talking about astrology right now? Here’s a list of the reasons this form of psychism is everyone’s new obsession.

How does astrology work?
Before we get into the reasons why knowing the ins and outs of your sign is a major necessity in 2020, here’s a little background on astrology. Dating back to somewhere around 1000s BCE, astrologers used the planets to foretell everything from weather to war.
In astrology, your sign is based on the position of the planets, the sun, and the moon at the moment you were born. Each sign covers 12 months of the calendar year, with the signs divided into four elements: water, fire, air, and earth. Your sign can explain so many things about your personality (including your strengths and weaknesses) and which other signs would make good romantic matches for you.
So why is astrology so important right now? Here are some explanations for the trend.

1. We want to know what the future holds.
The main reason why everyone’s talking about astrology is because we’ve never lived in a more uncertain time. Aside from the current stresses of the global pandemic, the economic recession, and political unrest, there are still so many immediate daily crises that affect everyone (job and housing shortages, climate change, etc.).
In these turbulent times, we’re all craving a little bit of hope that things will turn out okay. Astrology provides some insight into the future so that we can look ahead to a time when there might be a little more to be optimistic about. Even if it’s just motivation to go after a job promotion or confidence to hit the dating scene, reading your horoscope can make the future feel a little less scary and unknown.

2. It’s easy to keep up via social media.
We’re all extremely busy and don’t always have time to learn new things or even keep up with current hobbies. But with astrology cropping up more on social media, everyone can track their sign without having to take time out of their day to do it.
Plus, we tend to gravitate towards trends that other people are posting about – and seeing enough posts about why Scorpios make the best boyfriends, or why an Aquarius for a boss might mean work tension, means you’ll want to keep current with your astrological knowledge too. Basically, following a horoscope account or two on Instagram means you’re in on the trend in a quick and easy way.

3. It’s what everyone else is talking about.
In the same vein, no one wants to feel out of the loop when people are discussing something that’s popular. If you don’t want to be left out of the conversation, you’ll want to have at least basic information about your sign and how it might manifest itself in your traits.
It’s also something lighthearted that can be brought up easily in conversations, especially if everyone you’re with wants to talk about their problems brought about by mercury in retrograde (it’s important, look it up!).

4. It can be a source of humor.
The great thing about astrology is that it’s usually very upbeat and positive. It can be humorous to discuss, so you don’t always have to be talking about depressing things.
It’s also a fun way to laugh at yourself; astrology means you can look at yourself through the lens of the stars. You’re just going to be you no matter what – it’s the planets you were born under!

5. We’re taking care of every part of ourselves.
Many of us are living in a time when we place a huge focus on overall health, and pride ourselves on taking care of our wellbeing no matter what. This means we go vegan, we SoulCycle, we feng shui our homes – all in the name of being more well-rounded and grounded human beings.
For a lot of people, following their astrological charts means they’re taking care of their spiritual side too. Astrology is just one more way that you can focus on the health of your mind, body, and spirit.

6. We’re more spiritually open-minded.
Some people wonder why millennials are so drawn to astrology. Along with the reasons listed above, this generation also tends to be a lot more open-minded to things that aren’t based in scientific fact.
This is why millennials are more prone to purchasing healing crystals and talking to psychics. Their openness to the spiritual world means astrology is just one more way they can connect to the world around them on another level.

7. It gives us a break from the gloom and doom.
Aside from the other benefits of astrology, it also serves as a healthy escape (which everyone could use a good dose of these days). Having an outlet for thinking of things that aren’t dark or heavy can be really valuable.
Even if reading your horoscope feels a little frivolous or like a guilty pleasure, it can serve as a pocket of time in your day where you can indulge in something fun and light.
Don’t get left out of the conversation – start researching your sign today, or get a reading from an astrologist for a more in-depth understanding of the astrological world.