Wellbeing

NH’s Talking About: Astrology

In these uncertain times, could the stars hold the answers?

Who hasn’t picked up a Sunday supplement and flicked to their horoscope, or looked up their partner’s astrological traits online? It’s human nature to seek out more information about ourselves, and who can resist a glimpse into their future? But suddenly, astrology seems to be everywhere. With #astrology and #horoscope being tagged in 4.4million and 2million social media posts respectively, we’re more likely to discuss Mercury Retrograde than The Crown at the water cooler. It is, without a doubt, having a cultural ‘moment’.

“We’ve lost faith in our authority figures, religion, politicians and governments and so have turned inwards,” explains Carolyne Faulkner, author of Your Stars (£12.99, Harper Collins). “Astrology enables us to get to know ourselves on a deep level and to read and manage the energies around us.” With Brexit around the corner and a climate crisis on the horizon, it’s understandable people are turning to the stars for answers, but astrology has been around for more than 2,000 years, why the sudden upswing now? According to astrologer and moonologer Yasmin Boland, the biggest influence on this stratospheric rise is technology. “All of a sudden, thanks to the internet, people can do their natal astrology chart (a chart based on their time, date and place of birth) for free in two nanoseconds,” says Yasmin. “So they instantly know where their Venus, Mars and Moon are at any given moment. In the past, you had to pay an astrologer who would laboriously cast your chart.”

Now there are horoscope apps like Co-star that will deliver a personalised reading and allow you to track the movement of the stars in real time, and Time Nomad that offers to be your ‘virtual astrology teacher’. You can even track your mood and hormone cycle in relation to the phase of the moon with the app, Moody Month.

“Social media has transformed people’s access to astrology,” says Jane Struthers, author of Moonpower (£14.99, Eddison Books Ltd) “Many websites provide astrological information in bite-sized chunks, which means we can read it quickly on the way to work and find out what the day has in store for us.”

Despite being called into question in the 17th Century with the discovery of new scientific methods such as astronomy and physics, astrology has remained a popular staple of society, with memes, merchandise (horoscope mug, anyone?) and quizzes that will tell you anything from which sign you should date, to what you’ll become in your next life. “People want answers,” adds NH’s astrologer Marjorie Orr. “In a fast-changing and uncertain world they want some certainty. Astrology can give them a framework, explain why certain things are happening and when the bad things will stop happening. Having an explanation is easier to handle than being buffeted around in a random universe.” So, should we base our lives on it? Probably not, but in today’s climate we could all do with a bit of hope, in whatever form that comes. If we discover a little bit more about ourselves on the way, that’s got to be a bonus.