Then I started my current job and early on my coworkers were discussing their signs and characteristics and their “rising” and other confusing terms. My coworker asked what my sign was. “Leo,” I told them. They seemed taken aback. “Reeeally?”they responded. “Interesssting.”
I didn’t know what that meant. Was I atypical, was I failing as a Leo? Whatever that meant. I was amused and curious. They offered to do a birth chart. What the hell is that? I asked. “Give me your date of birth, time, and location .” “Can I ballpark the time? I’m not sure,” I said. “Abbbbsolutely not, it must be exact.”
Turns out I’m not just a Leo. I’m a Leo rising, Virgo moon. 4 of my birth chart signs are in Leo. “Damn, you’re fiery. You’re a low key Leo.” Ok. I still didn’t understand what anything meant or why my interest was piqued, but it was. Fuck it, why not? I downloaded the @costarastrology app to teach me more.
Since then its been an ever evolving process of learning and curiosity and humor. Sure, it’s not scientific. But is it fun and community-building and connective, just because? Hell yeah.
And for all the stigma and woo woo write-offs about it, I’ve enjoyed it all. And find myself paying attention when I meet people, when I go on dates, and in thinking back on previous interactions.
And you know the thing about astrology? It’s written off as bogus, unfounded. In my short experience it also seems to hold stronger importance for women, millennials, and especially queer and POC folks. But why? And isn’t it ironic it’s so often viewed as less legit? A tradition that perhaps gives hope and levity and explanation to a mad world that sure as hell ain’t fair. Would that be the case were it a tradition strongly upheld in, say, white male culture? If it was a sport, if it was a religion. I wonder, I do wonder.
I stumbled across this article that elaborated on how astrology has become like religion to us millennial folks, especially in light of decreasing religiosity.
The article said: “Young people have grown up contending with a major recession, climate change and a more general awareness of seeing a political and economic system that many feel hasn’t benefited them, Nicholas said, so it’s not surprising that they’re pushing back against those systems at the same time they’re exploring nontraditional religious beliefs and finding ways to integrate it all.
Nicholas was raised Jewish and still practices the tradition of honoring the new moon, which she brings into her astrology practice — what she calls “a way of being ritualistic that isn’t dogmatic, isn’t sexism, doesn’t have this history of empirical violence.”
“I think that it’s a yearning to return to something. There’s a rejection of things that don’t work,” Nicholas said. “Socialism isn’t new, and astrology definitely isn’t new, and earthly spirituality or living in accordance with the earth’s rituals isn’t new, it’s ancient. I think we’re yearning for something that technology cannot give us, that capitalism cannot give us.”
So that’s something. Something to think about and reflect on. As we critique what’s considered legitimate or worthy. Maybe it’s something, like anything else, that could bring us even a bit closer to one another.
It certainly has for me and my team. We’re a compilation of a Leo (me!), thee ever astrology-knowledgeable Pisces, the curiously skeptic Gemini, the deeply loving Cancer, and the sternly feeling Capricorn. That’s us, all one small and together community, in more ways than one.
So it’s now that I must tell you, this week started Leo season (MY time, biiiitches). I had to look it up, but it allegedly entails the ushering in of energy, passion, and self-expression. That’s pretty rad. But also, it’s mercury retrograde...so...
Just love one another, maybe. Remain curious and open, maybe. Examine power structures and who has the power to define what and when and how, maybe. Remain ready to giggle, maybe. And just say fuck, life is wild and explosive. Cause maybe, just maybe, it’s written in the stars.
And then again, astrology could be just as racist and sexist as America itself. So maybe those damn millennials have it right to find guidance but not take it too seriously after all. Examine and question everything. Anarchy and shit. Fuck everything, let's burn this fucker doooown. Aren't we all just star stuff anyway, Mr. Sagan?
