I don’t “believe” in astrology in a way that would make me think that the specific stars and planets are like a fortune that I can’t avoid.

I have fun blaming my tech issues on Mercury in retrograde, but do I believe that Mercury, the rocky planet mostly made up of iron, directly impacts my tech? No.

However, I do like to use the celestial bodies as an opportunity to look at the different parts of my psyche and play with how they interact.

For example, in astrology today, Mars is squaring Saturn. Traditionally, this means that Mars's energy (your projective energy, how you put yourself into the world, etc.) clashes with Saturn's energy (taking action on what you feel called to do and mastering the skills to do so). These are just oversimplified examples of each, but you get the picture!

Do I take this to mean that my desire to do what I feel called to do WILL clash with how I present myself? And will the clash be inevitable because the planets have decreed it? No.

But I take this as an opportunity to look within and reflect on when this may have happened before, how I reacted to those parts of myself clashing, and how I can better react to that if it happens again.

For example, when I thought about what these two energies clashing meant for me, my first thought was with my writing.

When I write, I feel I am doing what I’m called to do. It’s a major part of who I am, and when I meet someone new for the first time, it’s what I say I “do.” Writing is so important to me that it is a part of my identity.

Ironically, writing is also something I struggle to do consistently, especially when it comes to putting my writing out into the world. Sometimes, it’s a lack of belief in myself (Can I write something interesting enough that another human would want to read?) or dejected thoughts (Why bother? Writing today won’t make a difference anyway!)

Sometimes, I’m self-aware enough to catch myself when I have these thoughts and can readjust accordingly. But, more often, though, they are unconscious thoughts I don’t realize are there, and they poison my actions throughout the day, usually resulting in mindlessly scrolling Instagram or bingeing TV.)

Now, you can see my two aspects aligning with today’s astrological events. In journaling today, I could explore how my soul’s calling clashes with my projectivity (Saturn squaring with Mars) and what I can do about it.

Looking at what is happening in space isn’t a way for me to practice fortune telling to see how my day, week, or year will go without my input or consent.

To me, astrology is an opportunity to do a psychological experiment on myself. In the experiment, I take the individual aspects that make up who I am, mix and match them, see how they interact, and take what I observe as a learning opportunity.

The next time you see your horoscope on Buzzfeed, take it as an opportunity to experiment on yourself, too. You might be surprised at what you find!

All the best,

Monica

✨ Felt a spark?

If something in this piece stirred something in you—made you think, feel, or see the world a little differently—and you’d like to support the work, you can leave a one-off tip or buy me a coffee. Your support helps me keep this space shared, not gated. Thank you for reading! 💛