Ever since I learned to open a newspaper, I have seen horoscopes. They are in every country in some shape or form; newspapers, fortune tellers, priests, mystics, crystal balls, gypsy ladies, and even in Chinese fortune cookies! In the back of my mind I knew this was weird (at best); a neurotic habit I’d slipped into.
Horoscopes are fascinating. People have long been looking to the stars in an attempt to discover a purpose to life and the universe at large. The literal meaning of Astrology is the study of the stars. It differs from Astronomy by focusing its attention on the study of celestial and human events on earth.
Over 3000 years ago, early astronomers wondered how the sky would appear if the stars could actually be seen during the daytime. From their observations, some determined that the Sun appeared to “enter” or pass through a different constellation each calendar month. These twelve constellations are called the Zodiac. The idea of the zodiac is ancient and has roots tied back to the early cultures of Mesopotamia. The first 12-signs were named after the Gods of these cultures with the Greeks adopting astrology from the Babylonians and the Romans. They renamed the signs of the Mesopotamian zodiac according to the mythologies of their own culture. This is why our familiar zodiac of the contemporary West has names related to the Mediterranean mythology.
The Chinese zodiac is based on the year you were born and uses twelve animal signs: rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig. But it doesn’t stop there: They rotate between yin and yang and have five elements: (earth, metal, water, wood, and fire). These combinations can be more detailed such that a person can be a yin water rabbit, yang metal rabbit, a yin fire rabbit, etc.… The entire Chinese zodiac cycle takes sixty years to complete.
Hindu astrology, or Vedic astrology, is tightly linked to India’s historic astronomy. There are three branches: Siddhanta (astronomy), Samhita (which predicts major events) and Hora (more detailed predictions).
While elements of the Hindu zodiac closely resemble the Western zodiac, the Hindu places a greater emphasis on the moon. They understand a persons moon sign to be of more importance than their star sign. Another difference is that they use a sidereal (relating to the stars) rather than a tropical zodiac. This means the Hindu zodiac is fixed to the constellations whereas the Western zodiac moves slightly over time with the earth’s poles. Around 285 AD both zodiacs would have been the same but the Western rendition has since moved by over twenty-two degrees.
The Egyptians were constantly seeking answers from the night sky to give them advice, knowledge and to determine their fate. They held the belief that their personality, life, and destiny were tied to the heavens. Their astrology is comprised of twelve constellations that form thirty-six decans (star groups). Each decan has its own ruling planet and lasts for 10 days.
Taking the Chinese example, I was born in the Year of the Goat/Ram. People born in this year are good artists, and very wise. Well, one out of two is not bad(!). I found the horoscopes in the UK were as clear as the British government. Everyday totally different, and new topics. I wondered how fast my stars were moving in the sky because the changes were making me wonder how this was being decided.
However, I realised that once I read some positive news, there was instant gratification. I was about to have the appeal of James Bond, the money of Jeff Bezos, the following of Kylie Jenner, and the career prospects of Larry Fink. I read it a couple of times to make sure. I was set for a good year. I had to make sure I don’t argue with anyone, wear blue socks, and green underpants, and never walk under a ladder. Sounds perfectly legitimate to me. Then, I looked at another paper, and the horoscope was not so positive. I was going to put on weight, lose friends, and encounter someone who would try to poke my eyes out. I didn’t like that. So, I turned to a third paper. That was much more positive, much like the first. So 2 vs 1. Yes..i’m still winning. Things are looking up. Better not check anymore, unless it becomes 2–2.
I realised that I was reading horoscopes and all were different and nothing consistent every single day. But people want that mental and emotional boost. Reading positive news at the start of the day provides a sub-conscious boost. If the news is not good, we stop and ponder why. Then we look somewhere else…and another paper, another website….until at long last, a positive prediction is found. Alas! The day can start.
Digesting negtive news is not everyone’s cup of tea. As I grew up, I came across various types of ‘horoscope’/fortune-telling. I had my hand read over a dozen time; perhaps I enjoyed a lady holding my hand regardless of what she said. I heard of many people visiting gypsy ladies who used tarot cards or a glass ball to ‘look into the future.’ Many people come back and tell us how accurate the reading was. The past was 100% correct and hence the future must also be correct.
In Singapore, I came across a girl who charged $10 for 3 minutes and then $5 for a minute thereafter. What a novel way to charge for fortune telling. I decided to stop and talk to her. I was trying to check how quickly she spoke. I was hoping she may talk alittle quicker and our chat would fall within $10. But, she was a slow speaker and kept asking me to repeat my question. I didn’t need a fortune-teller to tell me that soon my wallet would be empty. I walked away but thought many times that perhaps I should have spent $10….it was the curiosity.
Curiosity is what drives us to want to know the future. We want vetted mystics to read our palms and tell us how wealthy we will become. And the person telling us also are shrewed. They follow an 80/20 rules. 80% good things and 20% negative, just to ensure that the experience is as real as possible.
We all love positive news. Your subconscious grabs onto it and it acts like a booster, a wheatgrass shot for the mind. When people are feeling stressed and anxious, they engage in two main behaviours, one is avoidance and the other is seeking reassurance. A horoscope provides reassurance. Is that such a bad thing? Well, that depends. Much like believing in God — believing in a higher cosmic power is essentially an expression of faith. Religion, spirituality, astrology, call it what you want, but at it’s heart, they all come from a deeply human drive to understand and be closer to the transcendent.
And faith — be that religious, spiritual, whatever — has been shown to have some resolutely positive effects on mental health. In fact, one review of more than 3,300 recent scientific studies into the relationship between religion/ spirituality and mental health found that, on average, people who had some kind of faith were less likely to be depressed, reported higher self-esteem, were generally less anxious and less prone to suffer from problems with addiction.
Basically, thinking that there’s some divine reason behind the fact that you didn’t get the job you were desperate for or soothing yourself with the thought that, despite how painful it is, your relationship didn’t work out because ‘it wasn’t meant to be’, cushion life’s emotional blows. Studies found a link between faith and lowered blood pressure, lower rates of heart disease and even a lowered likelihood of dementia. If you live a more chilled out life, where you don’t let negative emotions grind on you, if you keep in mind that even in the worst times, something good will come along, it can make you a happier and all-round healthier person.
With horoscopes, people want guidance, especially when there’s loads of difficult things going on in the world. But it’s all external validation, they’re not finding positivity within themselves, they’re also not managing their distress and they’re not building confidence in their own ability to cope. They’re always looking for this external guiding voice to make things better. And it becomes addictive because people start looking for more and more reassurance in different areas to protect their own vulnerability.
As for how many of us actually “believe” our lives are written in the stars, that’s a difficult thing to establish even for career researchers in the area. My suspicion is that what attracts us is more complex than belief; less straightforward than a simple desire for an omniscient guide through life. Either by convincing us that we have made the right decision or by giving us a direction to go in, horoscopes help us when we’re feeling really lost (to a certain extent, of course!). What our horoscope says can tip the balance when we have doubts, or convince us that choices we’ve made were the right ones.
Palmistry fascinates me. I have had my hand read in Qatar, and the gentleman telling me was 100% spot on about the past. He future was alittle hazy. Perhaps we was correct on both accounts. Maybe I should insure my hand, just as Jenifer Lopez insures her legs. Without my hand, how will I know my future? How do the lines change as my fortune changes? The answer I got was, “Yes the lines on both the palms do change over a period of time. more specifically, the lines on your active hand (i.e. right hand in most case) changes more often then the passive hand. These changes can take from 6 months to many years to show up on your palm. The lines on your palm is the mirror of the things that you have done up till now and the things you will be doing in coming future.” Most intriguing.
Indians believe in Kundali. When a baby is born in Hindu family the very first thing they do is prepare a Kundali of that child. From this kundali the future of that guy is predicted. It is also used to match with the kundali of the other person before a couple decides to marry. Everything rests with the priest! I recall my dear friend Arun having to go through this process to find a wife. It was a painful process based on matching different shapes — almost like a board game. I am pleased to say that Arun is happily married, so perhaps it works. But are there no separations in Indian marriages that have used Kundalis? Of course they are. Then what reason is given? Perhaps the priest was not experienced enough or there was a new edition available of the book he uses and he was trying to avoid buying it. Perhaps he was cheaper than a more experienced priest. It may be like going for a haircut at Harrods. The more you pay, the better the stylist. Yet, people overlook this basic fact and statistic and still use Kundalis. Kundalis have several other uses, and they will never go out of fashion.
We need to live in the now. The past is the past and we don’t need anyone to confirm what happened. We can tell ourselves that. The future is not to be predicted. When you aren’t being present you become a victim of time. Your mind is pulled into the past or the future, or both. The idea of being mindful — being present and being more conscious of life as it happens in a nonjudgmental, goal-less way — may seem contradictory to those who are used to sacrificing living in pursuit of their goals, but cultivating mindfulness will help you achieve your goals and enjoy life even more. Not only are you more productive when you’re mindful, but you can also reap numerous benefits in all aspects of your life.
Mindfulness is the energy of being aware and awake to the present moment. It is the continuous practice of touching life deeply in every moment of daily life. To be mindful is to be truly alive, present, and at one with those around you and with what you are doing. We bring our body and mind into harmony while we wash the dishes, drive the car, or take our morning shower.
Our true home is not in the past. Our true home is not in the future. Our true home is in the here and the now. Life is available only in the here and the now, and it is our true home. Most people are forgetful; they are not really there a lot of the time. Their mind is caught in their worries, their fears, their anger, and their regrets, and they are not mindful of being there. That state of being is called forgetfulness — you are there but you are not there. You are caught in the past or in the future. You are not there in the present moment, living your life deeply. That is forgetfulness.
The opposite of forgetfulness is mindfulness. Mindfulness is when you are truly there, mind and body together. You breathe in and out mindfully, you bring your mind back to your body, and you are there. When your mind is there with your body, you are established in the present moment. Then you can recognize the many conditions of happiness that are in you and around you, and happiness just comes naturally.
We must enjoy our daily lives. Today. Today is the most important moment. We can only guarantee this very moment, so why not enjoy it. Life is precious. Being around good people, being positive, and being compassionate. Mindfulness.
I am happy. I am enjoying today. I am listening to the birds singing, the leaves rustling and the distant sound of a lawnmower. My mind is at peace. I have lost my addiction to want to know what will happen tomorrow and next week, next month and next year. I think now only of today.
I haven’t looked at a horoscope for several months now, perhaps years. Perhaps I missed the opportunity to be James Bond for a day. Yet I was content. However, whenever I am in Singapore, the annual Chinese New Year, a time where temptation is all around me to read the annual horoscope, I will still do it. It’s fun and a tradition.
I stopped taking it so seriously when I opened a Chinese fortune cookie and it read:
“I cannot help you. I am just a cookie.”
