NotSureIfYouBelieveinAstrology

Frequently, when people are first exposed to astrology they may be rather hesitant, saying they're not sure if they really "believe" (or should "believe") in astrology.

First of all, it's perfectly normal to be skeptical about things that we haven't yet explored until we can see if they fit into our personal way of thinking. Some astrologers began as skeptics. In fact, some actually began their study of astrology in order to disprove it. It's not uncommon for those attempting to disprove astrology to evolve into strong supporters.

At one end of the human spectrum are the professional skeptics. These folks have a right to their opinions just as everyone else does. I am offended, however, when they insist that everyone else share their beliefs or when they dismiss out-of-hand that astrology (or whatever) is totally without merit and anybody that uses it is either gullible or a huckster intent on victimizing the gullible without ever having objectively examined it.

Let me state unequivocally that I don't attempt to persuade anyone that my views about astrology (or religion or politics for that matter) are the only reasonable ones. These individual "beliefs" are what make the human species interesting. I respect each individual's right to form his/her own opinions about these issues. Actually, I feel that individuals have a responsibility to themselves to form their own opinions without being force-fed any information by anyone.

If we objectively examine astrology, we will eventually come to a conclusion whether or not it is helpful to us. If it is, we're likely to embrace it, continue our exploration, and want to refine how we incorporate it into our lives. If not, we will either dismiss it or decide to further evaluate it before finalizing our opinion.

It's important to understand that astrology really isn't a belief system. It isn't necessary to "believe" in it in order to evaluate whether you feel it may be useful in your life.

What is necessary, however, is to go beyond the "Sun-sign" columns in the daily papers or monthly magazines as we do our evaluation. Necessarily generalized and brief, these snippets are sometimes amusing or entertaining, but rarely of any real help in our lives.

So reasonably, you might ask, "How should I evaluate whether astrology has the potential to be helpful to me?"

	I respectfully suggest that you begin by observing the Moon phases (in particular the days on or around the New and Full Moon), watching how you and those around you may have heightened sensitivities or be more susceptible to mood changes. Many newspapers and calendars have the Moon phases listed. Often, this relatively simple exercise can help us begin to understand the potential uses of astrology. For example, if we are scheduling a meeting likely to evoke strong emotional responses, perhaps it would be wise to schedule it at a time other than close to a full or new Moon. Many people, like myself, who have been associated with the health care field are well aware of the connection of the full Moon and the numbers of babies delivered or of psychiatric trauma cases.
	You might also choose to evaluate events during a Mercury Retrograde period, noticing the frequency with which communications go awry, computers and mechanical failures occur, people lock their keys inside their cars, etc. You can easily make these observations without a major time commitment as you begin to evaluate for yourself the effects of astrology.
	Certainly, the best way to determine how astrology can be of help to you is to schedule a private session with a reputable astrologer. By pursuing this course of action, you can be made aware of specifics suggestions from your chart interpretation that may be of immediate, practical use to you. By becoming aware of the cyclic nature of astrology and anticipation of upcoming events, you may well decide that you want to use astrology in your life as an adjunct to common sense and practical planning. For additional information, you may want to check out What you should (and shouldn't) expect from an astrologer in the archives of this Web site.

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