Psychology of Stars - Egocentrism
By: Jared Lopatin

Understanding the world around us

Horoscopes are everywhere. They are in newspapers, magazines, on websites, etc. Numerous people read them, eager to find out what the day may hold in store. There's a psychological tie that I believe draws the human race towards the occult: our own desire to learn about ourselves. Humans seem to be egocentric creatures, intent on discovering all we can about our race and the world around us. This is the reason behind our forays into scientific endeavors. Occult and science are not so diametrically opposed as we might like to believe.

The true believers

There are two sides to the astrological fence. On the one side, there are those who believe in astrology wholeheartedly and read their horoscopes in order to find out what the day will bring. They eagerly search out descriptions of their signs, looking to see evidence for why they are the way they are. As astrology is both an ancient science and art, it's fascinating to see patterns return again and again in certain charts. The interpretation of these charts is up to the given astrologer, but of course, there are certain universally accepted interpretations that are then applied to combinations of planets within a chart.

The skeptics

On the other side of the argument, astrology is a self-fulfilling prophecy. The argument is that we end up subconsciously transforming ourselves depending on what we read. If someone is a Gemini, they might read that Gemini are communicative, so they subconsciously train themselves to talk a lot. Then, the next time they read it, they think to themselves, "Yes, that's totally me." Or maybe they read their horoscope at the beginning of the day and then they're on the lookout for certain aspects of their lives throughout the day.

We have a deep need to understand ourselves and our world

In either case, I think that one of the most prominent motivations for people to read horoscopes or research their signs is because of a deep need to understand the self. We want to know why we are the way we are. It's why therapy is on the rise. Turning to a daily soundbite of what a day might hold is certainly an attempt to create a more personal connection with the world around us and how it specifically relates to the self.

One of the best examples I can give of this egoism that pervades the astrological exploration is the way that people react when they find out that I know about astrology. They immediately ask me to tell them all about them, what qualities are associated with their sign, etc. Secondmost is the question regarding relationships. Everyone wants to know how they best relate to other people. It's a natural place to go to when exploring such a subject.

Perhaps our explorations in astrology are truly therapeutic in that they unlock hidden truths that we keep buried within, just as a psychologist does. They raise questions, offer different insights, force us to examine something from a new perspective. It may be that astrology is therapy that has traversed time, no matter whether a person believes in it or not.

Jared R. Lopatin lives in New York City where he is currently working a fantasy series while getting his Masters of Science in Special Education. He enjoys learning about new authors and creative endeavors and welcomes any suggestions. Be sure to check out his astrological series at http://starchildtrilogy.com

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