Astrology should be taken seriously

Just about everyone has heard of astrology, whether in horoscopes on the internet, “The Signs As…” posts, or natal charts. There are many extremes of belief when it comes to astrology ranging from “total nonsense” to “definite science.”
To me, astrology is a pseudoscience because it is far more relative and interpretive than something more concrete, like astronomy. Astrology is a superstition with no scientific basis. That being said, I believe that there is something to it. The positioning and state of the world around us at the point of our individual births matters in that it cosmically shapes us and the times we live in.
I have found that astrology offers meaning, not prediction. It gives the idea of something, not the specifics. My natal chart has not perfectly determined exactly the kind of person I am, but it gives me a lens to look through that I otherwise would not possess. It has also granted me a new perspective to the world around me.
Most people know their sun sign, the sign people mean when inquiring “What’s your sign?” There are some who don’t feel like they fit their sun sign at all, and the advice I give them is to look up their natal chart. I’ve found that many who consider their natal chart – a chart denoting the positions of the planets and other celestial bodies at the time and date of their birth – seem to discover that these aspects make up for the inaccuracies of their sign.
Each aspect of an astrological chart – each Zodiac sign, each planet, each house – represents something like a type of personality, a different facet of ourselves, from our romantic sensibilities to our fighting spirit to how we communicate ideas. A natal chart gives us all these little components of our lives for us to make sense of and interpret. It is not binding and it is not a tell-all of one’s future. However, I do think people who are interested should take the time to make sense of these pieces.
These facets give us new perspectives. Looking at my chart helped me find some weaknesses and strengths that I hadn’t considered before. It gave me a different way to see myself, and different ways to consider finding a purpose. It provided warnings I hadn’t considered and factors to keep in mind when I do need to make important decisions related to my schooling, my family, my occupation. The natal chart gives a person a glimpse of the different types of people they could be, if they so chose.
Pursuing astrology has also helped me to find magic in the world around me. There are already innumerable ways, of course, but there is something to the accessibility of astrology that makes it particularly fun. Anybody can find just about anything astrologically related on the internet with ease, complete with easy-to-understand explanations and interpretations.
Finding different modes of self-discovery is my favorite thing. I love learning about myself and others. Astrology is good for analytical people who want to examine the world around them. I would never say that astrology is perfectly accurate, nor would I say that it should dictate how someone chooses to act. But I do think it is a wonderful vehicle for discovering meaning, for soul searching, and for finding new ways to understand.