Astrology And Its Ambiguity

[OpheliaGinger]

A couple of weeks ago, I submitted a form for a free astrological reading--just for fun--and what I got back was nothing compelling. I won't post all of the reading but will highlight what I thought was funny or just plain ambiguous.

 

We now come to the heart of the matter, your Future Mary. I am going to talk to you about your Future and about the important changes which are on the way for you but I will also mention your Past. I worked on your astrological configuration using your date of birth, 2 August 1987, and also using the psychic flashes which came to me about you as I worked on your analysis. There is nothing magic about this, these are simply the flashes, feelings and insights which come to me about a person and which I use to direct my astrological work and which permit me to confirm the direction I choose to take with a person's analysis.

 

Nothing magical you say?

 

So let's start with a look at the major themes of 2009, the year which now reaches it's end.

 

When I started on your Reading I noticed straight away that you have encountered a series of stumbling blocks and difficulties over this year and that 2009 has made you ask a great deal of questions about yourself and your direction in life.

 

No shit. Everyone has. The whole friggin' world has.

 

I can also see that 2009 brought an important encounter for you, someone who came into your life but whom you might not have recognized for who he or she really is.

 

Every day we encounter new people in our day to day interactions outside of our personal spheres. This is a broad reaching statement encompasses everyone.

 

I must also mention that you have missed out on a major opportunity in March 2009, yes this is very clear to me and you were unable to make the most of this opportunity simply because you were not forewarned and you had no idea what to do in order to make the most of this moment.

 

I'm a bit of a recluse so I would have known about any opportunities.

 

You can expect a number of material changes which will bring you the security which you lack at this time. You have been looking forward to changes for a while now, you have the impression that your life has been in a never-ending spiral with the same people, in the same places, with the same results... well 2010 will bring you 2 major opportunities, both of which will bring you (if you seize them correctly) the material and financial security which you need.

 

This applies to everyone. Humans are always in a state of looking to better their life in some form or another. We are all looking for financial peace.

 

I can also foresee another major change which will happen over the Summer period and which is sure to allow you to finish a project which you have had close to your heart for quite some time now.

 

I am currently not working on any projects.

[OpheliaGinger]

Pt. 2

 

I can now tell you that in 2010 you will meet the person you have been waiting for. Mary, you will fall in love. And the person you meet will fall in love with you. You don't know this person yet and this is why 2010 will be such an important time for you, you will meet your soul-mate and I know you have waited for this person for a long, long time. So yes, I am pleased and proud to be able to tell you that in 2010 you will meet the love of your life!

 

What makes you think I have not already meet him/her yet--wait, I may have marked "single" on the form. With that, you would presume I am looking for a "soul mate," but I am quite happy being single. Imagination and a dildo go a long way for me.

 

I can also see that you will both share a love of discovery and travel and that this person will take you to places you have never seen before. You will reach many new horizons! This encounter will bring you love and lightness and this person will fill you with joy and laughter.

 

Isn't that what everyone wants. Travel has always been a human fascination.

 

This person you will meet will bring harmony and comfort into your life because this person will be simple, with strong and true values.

 

As opposed to being weak and phony.

 

Now we get to the most important point. You must come to terms with the fact that everything which you have in your life at this time (be it good or bad) has come to you because of your own actions and choices.

 

D'uh.

 

I know that for a while now you have felt that nothing seems to be going right for you and this is in part because of the particularly negative astrological configuration which you have been living under but also because you have missed out on a number of important opportunities (including the opportunity in March of this year as I have already mentioned).

 

As pessimistic as I am (a friend of mine says I have a "no shit Sherlock" attitude), I never foot the blame on external forces for things I do wrong. Even if negative circumstances arise outside of my sphere of influence, I don't ever blame it on some kind of force. Most everything that goes wrong in my life can be squarely placed on me.

 

An astrologer can help you to move in a certain direction and can guide your steps on the way but at the end of the day our own destiny lies between our own two hands and it is up to you to make the right choices and to make strong, positive decisions at just the right moment.

 

Much like religion frees you of sin that they made up.

 

Mary, I warn you in this way because the stakes concerning this period are far too high. You need a professional to help you through this vitally important time in your life. This Transit is too significant and too important not to try and get all the chances over on your side.

 

Get this, if I wanted to get a complete reading, I have to cough up $60. She kept mentioning that all the changes will happen in 44 days, but I can guarantee that nothing will happen remotely like that in 44 years. Now, if I meet a rich guy within this 44 day time period and it turns into a romance, then I might consider requesting more information, but I am not holding my breath.

[florduh]

You have a need for other people to like and admire you, and yet you tend to be critical of yourself. While you have some personality weaknesses you are generally able to compensate for them. You have considerable unused capacity that you have not turned to your advantage. You are disciplined and self-controlled on the outside, but tend to be worrisome and insecure on the inside.

 

At times you have serious doubts as to whether you have made the right decision or done the right thing. You prefer a certain amount of change and variety and become dissatisfied when hemmed in by restrictions and limitations. You also pride yourself as an independent thinker; and do not accept others’ statements without satisfactory proof. But you have found it unwise to be too frank in revealing yourself to others. At times you are extroverted, wary and reserved. Some of your aspirations tend to be rather unrealistic.

 

I think that should be about 100% accurate.

 

The key to getting the mark to buy the reading as genuine and specific to them is to use something to personalize the information. People accept this general personality description as true if the info ostensibly came from their palm reading, the cards they shuffled, or their astrological "chart." Even skeptics secretly want to believe in magic!

[OpheliaGinger]

You have a need for other people to like and admire you, and yet you tend to be critical of yourself. While you have some personality weaknesses you are generally able to compensate for them. You have considerable unused capacity that you have not turned to your advantage. You are disciplined and self-controlled on the outside, but tend to be worrisome and insecure on the inside.

 

At times you have serious doubts as to whether you have made the right decision or done the right thing. You prefer a certain amount of change and variety and become dissatisfied when hemmed in by restrictions and limitations. You also pride yourself as an independent thinker; and do not accept others’ statements without satisfactory proof. But you have found it unwise to be too frank in revealing yourself to others. At times you are extroverted, wary and reserved. Some of your aspirations tend to be rather unrealistic.

 

 

Wow, that is so spooky. I am so like that.

[Shyone]

You have a need for other people to like and admire you, and yet you tend to be critical of yourself. While you have some personality weaknesses you are generally able to compensate for them. You have considerable unused capacity that you have not turned to your advantage. You are disciplined and self-controlled on the outside, but tend to be worrisome and insecure on the inside.

 

At times you have serious doubts as to whether you have made the right decision or done the right thing. You prefer a certain amount of change and variety and become dissatisfied when hemmed in by restrictions and limitations. You also pride yourself as an independent thinker; and do not accept others’ statements without satisfactory proof. But you have found it unwise to be too frank in revealing yourself to others. At times you are extroverted, wary and reserved. Some of your aspirations tend to be rather unrealistic.

 

 

Wow, that is so spooky. I am so like that.

Nope, that's me all the way.

You just think it's describing you.

[Franko47]

I remember reading somewhere about March being the most notorious month for life-changes and opportunity; something about it being the bridge between winter and spring.

 

 

Enjoyed your review; I think you pretty well dismantled pop-astrology with it's generic "what everyone wants" angle.

[bornagainathiest]

Hi Ophelia!

 

If you really want to dismantle Astrology, perhaps I can help you out.

 

I've no interest in things Astrological as such, but I've been fascinated with Astronomy since my teens. Now, because Astrology depends on what's up there in the sky, why don't we take a look at those constellations that sit on the line of the Zodiac? This is the path that the Sun takes thru the sky over a whole year and it determines which constellations qualify as bona fide Zodiac Signs (or 'Houses') and which do not. Because Orion or the Big Dipper aren't on this line, you'll never find them listed as Zodiac signs. Simple, really. Or is it?

 

http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zodiac

 

If you look at the table entitled, 'The Twelve Signs' on this Wikipedia page everything looks just dandy. But this isn't the whole story, nor is it properly factual or historical. If you want to see which constellations actually sit on the line that the Sun takes across the sky during the year, scroll down to the next table, 'Table of Dates'.

 

Now count the number of signs. The usual twelve Sun Signs? Nope. Count 'em again. Thirteen!

Yep. Wedged in between Scorpio and Sagittarius is Serpentarius. Clicking on that name or the other one, Ophiuchus, will tell you more about what's actually up there in the sky and where the path of the Sun goes. It's the dotted red line in the graphic on the Ophiuchus page. But there's more!

 

If you look at the seventh column of data in the Table of Dates you'll see just how long the Sun lingers in each House of the Zodiac as it travels across the sky. Compare Scorpio (8.4 days) to Serpentarius (18.4 days) and take note that the Sun stays ten whole days longer in this unrecognized and unlisted Zodiac sign than it does is a supposedly bona fide one. So wtf happens to your horoscope if you're unlucky enough to be born in the gap between Scorpio and Sagittarius?

 

I'm still not done!

Now click on the name Libra in the fifth column of the table, not Libra in the first column. Ok, now check out names of the brightest stars, that is, Alpha, Beta and Gamma Librae. What do you see?

Alpha Librae - Zubenelgenubi, 'The Southern Claw'.

Beta Librae - Zubeneschamali, 'The Northern Claw'.

Gamma Librae - Zubenelakrab, 'The Scorpion's Claw'.

 

These three stars are the Chelae, or the Claws of the Scorpion. So what the hell are they doing in the Zodiac Sun Sign of Libra, the Scales/Balance?

 

The answer is that they don't belong there. Libra was unknown to the Arabs, who originally named the stars of Scorpio. Libra was invented by the Greeks and Romans. Put simply, it's a f**k up.

 

The whole Astrological notion of a Zodiac sign being a Sun sign or House, because that's where moves thru the sky is bs. If our lives were really and truly influenced by what's up there in the sky, then the 12 Signs Astrologers use here on Earth are out of whack, as the data shows. No, Astrology is just a unwritten license to spout nonsense to the gullible.

 

Oh and btw Ophelia, if you know any Librans, tell them they're actually Scorpios. Ummm... and you better get the Scorpios and Sagittarians to check and see if they're actually Serpentarians!

 

Thanks.

 

BAA.

[BlueGiant]

Ah the whole siderial versus celestial astrology thing, seen it before. And if you want to get into a lot of other fun, check out Chinese Astrology, or better yet Mayan. Astrology isn't my thing (I'm much more of a Tarot and Dowsing guy, when I need to be entertained, need to be broken out of a mental rut, or just want to rapidly decide something I'm 50/50 on quickly), but how it ties to the history of astronomy as well as the various stories/legends/etc. that I like and is a bit fun.

 

I'd like to say that I can't believe that line of bullshit about "needing guidance" and hawking the full reading there, but we all know far better than that. Complete money grab, and I agree that this is talking a lot without saying anything. Still, kind of fun when done free. About the only value I can think of for it, is a shock when looking at a situation, getting someone into a new, and possibly more productive mode of thought, but there are far better things for that out there (and aren't $60 a pop).