Hidden Potential Revealed by the Planets

Would you like to understand yourself better? Make sense of the way you react to certain situations and be able to develop certain aspects of your personality that might otherwise lie dormant? Well, those are just a couple of the things astrology offers. And I'm not talking about the mini horoscopes you read every morning in the newspaper.

I have heard a lot of people say something like "No way every Gemini in the city is going to have a misunderstanding at work on the very same day. Astrology is total crap." But the thing is, those horoscopes are purposely written in general terms in order to encapsulate all Gemini's who will be reading it. They are meant for entertainment, not to give you any insight into your own personality.

This may seem obvious, but no two people are the same. It is the same in astrology. No two Gemini's are exactly the same. And that is because your Sun Sign (which is your main sign) is only the tip of the iceberg. To truly find out who you are, you have to address all the planets as well as house positions. This is where it starts to get complicated. This is also where most people decide to brush astrology off as "nothing more than entertainment".

If you don't know your sun sign, that is a good place to start. Look here for a list.

If you only look on the surface of astrology, of course you are only going to get superficial information in return. There is no way for newspaper horoscopes to personalize the information they give you in two sentences. To judge astrology based on this is like judging a person based on how they answer the phone.

So, basically, when you are born, all the planets are positioned in a zodiac sign. Each one affects a different aspect of your personality. For an in depth explanation of each one check out this article.

I'll use my astrological chart to give an example of how this works. Mercury rules anything to do with communication, such as speaking and writing and your communication style. When I was born, Mercury was in Leo which means I have the ability to organize my thoughts well and concentrate for long periods of time. I have an easy going disposition but have the tendency to be opinionated and stubborn.

If you would like to figure out your own astrological chart, the best website is Astrodienst.com. They also offer some free interpretations.

I realize there are a lot of people who look at astrology and see no value in it. But it is so much more than half-assed predictions in the morning newspaper. It is more about understanding your own personality. That way you can work on your weaknesses and promote your strengths. I see it as a way to improve yourself by being more aware.

In my next post I'll talk about how to use astrology for compatibility. All you have to know is the person's birthday and you can find out who they are. Better than googling them and hoping for the best, that's for sure.