The Real Reason Your Horoscope is Wrong
Karina Lafayette – October 2021
Scene from ‘Amelie’ (2001)
It’s fairly easy to take horoscopes as simple, light-hearted entertainment. Even though most people don’t take them seriously, ever stop and wonder why that is? Other than the obvious facts that there are millions who share the same birthday, there is more to it than a simple case of sun sign stereotypes. Even if there is a grain of truth in them, having yourself reduced to a caricature isn’t exactly the best introduction to a subject that’s been passed down for hundreds of years. While yes, the sun shows a lot of things, there are other factors to consider. Here are a few reasons why you might not relate to your sign!
You Were Born on a “Cusp”
Scene from ‘Amelie’ (2001)
Before continuing, I really want to clarify one thing: cusps do not exist. Yes, I know. It’s been a long held argument in astrology, but the reason why cusps don’t exist is simple; A planet cannot be in more than one sign at a time, that would be like a relationship where you have one foot in and one foot out. Make up your mind! Even if your sun is at 29 degrees in Leo, your sun is still in Leo. You wouldn’t be a combination of Leo and Virgo, unless you actually have planets in both those signs. When we first get into astrology, the idea of being on the cusp makes us feel special, but to be honest, everyone’s chart is already unique to begin with. So there isn’t any need to add an extra piece to the puzzle.-As someone who reads people’s charts, there is however one time I’ll acknowledge cusps, and that’s when it comes to houses, depending on what system is used. The Placidus house system is a “Time-proportional House System of Movement”, and in this chart interpretation, you can easily have a house on the cusp of more than one sign. However, for the sake of simplicity, whole houses are often easier to understand.
Unless you don’t know your birth time, and really are unsure whether your sun is at 29 degree Leo or 0 degree Virgo, there’s always something called a chart rectification, where through a series of questions, an approximate birth time can be given. Some astrologers specialize in this, but there are plenty of websites that offer it for free.
If even after getting your birth time and knowing your sun, you’re still not convinced, then see the next point.
Because there is one significance to having a planet at a later degree…
Your Progressed Chart
Scene from ‘Amelie’ (2001)
This is where astrology grows even more complicated. You’ve begun studying the ins and outs of your birth chart, familiarized yourself with what the houses and planets mean, only to find another layer: your progressed chart. What? Yep. (And don’t even get me started on transits, solar returns, etc.)
A progressed chart essentially takes a look at the progression of the planets from birth throughout a person’s life. This can give insight into lessons you’ll be learning over time, how you mature, and in some cases, event predictions- although predictions should be taken with a grain of salt. Now, that doesn’t mean your birth chart changes, just that progressions can explain how a shy Virgo would suddenly become more social and outgoing with age. This would make a progressed sun in Libra. In my own chart, I have my sun at a late degree- what some people would’ve otherwise called a “cusp”, making my progressed sun in Gemini since what feels like forever. As a kid, I used to be very quiet, self-conscious, and enjoyed my routine. While I still relate to a lot of Taurean traits, I’ve learned how to be more confident, vocal, and I enjoy variety.-Nevertheless, because a progressed chart can be a bit confusing, I would only recommend really diving into it, once you have a good grasp on your natal chart first.
You Read Your Horoscope and Came to that Conclusion
Scene from ‘Amelie’ (2001)
Here’s a fun fact: horoscopes are mostly told from the POV of the Rising Sign. This is why nobody relates to their horoscope, which makes it that much easier to discredit astrology. So if you read a horoscope for Virgo and it mentions Pluto being in the fifth house, but as a Scorpio rising, Pluto has been transiting your third- now you know.
Astrologers who write horoscopes for magazines, newspapers, and websites generally move the sun sign in the first house to give their interpretation. Now, this sounds pretty clever, except for the fact that there usually isn’t a disclaimer attached. So people who aren’t familiar with astrology will read their horoscope and right off the bat, if a horoscope says something about the lottery but they don’t win money, it gets passed off as fake. That just gives the general public all the more reason to label it as a “pseudo-science”. Not to mention, even when a horoscope is accurate, there are literally millions of people with the same birthday, so obviously not everyone is going to relate. Anytime I do general readings for the signs, I recommend looking at your sun, moon and rising sign for a bigger picture.
But really, the best way to guarantee a horoscope is relatable, is to do a personalized one through websites like Astrodienst or Astrotheme, where you can get a quick reading with your birth info. Or better yet, get your chart looked at by a professional astrologer who sees your humanness.
Despite Having Your Sun in ____, Most of Your Planets are in a Different Sign
Scene from ‘Amelie’ (2001)
Say for example you’re a Gemini, but you have Venus, moon and Mercury in Cancer, this makes you more sensitive and in tune with your emotions than what you would expect from the average Gemini. In other words, how you think (Mercury), feel (moon) and love (Venus) are different from how you express yourself (sun). It doesn’t mean Gemini isn’t emotional, but as an air sign, they filter the world through their intellect. Whereas Cancer as a water sign, filters the world through their emotional state.-Another important factor is Mercury. While the sun rules our ego and general personality, Mercury is our state of mind, our thought process, our ideas, and how we communicate. So even though the sun is significant, if you don’t relate to it, there’s a high chance Mercury plays a role here.
A Gemini with Mercury in Cancer is more concerned with comfort, intimacy. While a Gemini with Mercury in Taurus spends their time building a proper foundation of trust and understanding with everyone in their day-to-day life. They’re also going to take certain things at heart and hold grudges far longer; compared to a Gemini sun and Mercury, who may be angry for a few days, only to forget an argument even happened in the first place.
Your Sun is Making an Aspect to Another Planet
Scene from ‘Amelie’ (2001)
Half the planets are generational, and don’t really have a big impact on celestial makeup unless they make an aspect to a personal planet (sun, moon, Venus, Mars and Mercury). Therefore, if you have Uranus conjunct sun in Capricorn, you’re going to be a very atypical Capricorn, and lean toward being eccentric, forgetful, unpredictable, and a bit of a mad scientist. The same way an Aquarius with sun conjunct Saturn could be perceived as more stoic, calm, level-headed and grounded.-Whenever two planets are conjunct, it basically means that they are within 0-8 degrees from each other. Some allow an 11 degree orb, but that’s up for debate.
Conjunction: Two planets right next to each other, causing them to fuse as one entity
Opposition: Two planets in opposite signs-Square: Two planets that are in the same modality but different elements, which creates friction. IE: Saturn in Aquarius (Fixed air) square sun in Taurus (Fixed earth)
Trine: A soft, favorable aspect, where two planets are in the same element but different signs. IE: Venus in Taurus (Fixed earth) trine moon in Capricorn (Cardinal earth)
Sextile: Two planets in compatible elements, working together in harmony. IE: water and earth, fire and air
Inconjunct (or Quincunx): Two planets that have incompatible elements and different modalities. Neither has common ground which causes a chart holder to feel setbacks with both planets. IE: Venus inconjunct the moon might feel like you sacrifice your love life to have a family, or vice versa.
When it is all said and done…
Look to the House that Your Sun Sign is in For More Answers
Scene from ‘Amelie’ (2001)
Wherever your sun lands in your chart, this is the area of life you shine the brightest. Here, you want to be seen, appreciated, valuable, and competent. While your zodiac sign shows your overall personality, the house adds extra flavor. Think of the houses in a chart as seasoning, while the signs and planets are the ingredients. For example, if you’re a Sagittarius sun in the twelfth house, you can still be curious, philosophical and whimsical, but you may not relate to the usual know-it-all attitude that comes with being a Sag. You’ll also feel more drawn to solitude and studies linked the occult. If the sun is placed in the tenth house of reputation, not only are you more sure of yourself, you want the world to know it.-Of course, like already mentioned, there are other things to consider, so no two suns are ever completely alike. Regardless, it’s safe to say that the more you discover, the more you’ll understand why you spent all those years feeling mildly offended by memes and general descriptions that paint your sun as “unpredictable”, or “stubborn”, or “chatty”, only to find that there really is so much more to it.
P.S. as Taurus, I can safely add that my sign is definitely not “boring”. Socially selective maybe, but we still have Cher and Jack Nicholson, so…😉
Karina xo
Cher in the movie ‘Moonstruck’ (1987)
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This article was originally published on Medium.
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