Astrology is not a science

Yes, I am an astrologer. Yes, I make a living from astrology. And no, for me, astrology is not a science. I see astrology mainly as an art form. Just like dancing, painting, writing or making music.

With art, you only have to follow a few basic rules and fill in the rest in your own way. Usually, the more creative you are in this, the better the result will be. Even cooks, furniture makers or surgeons can become true artists in their field!

With the various types of dance, you will first have certain moves to master in order to perform the dance of your choice. It would be a bit weird if during Argentine Tango you suddenly went wild with modern dance on your own; not a face.

Nevertheless, with a bit of originality, it is quite possible to mix several dance styles together in a way where it does become a beautiful whole. With art, the trick is to combine the basic rules with your own insights and creativity.

Creativity

In painting, the rule is that you use paint on paper or canvas to create a work of art. On the other hand, you decide entirely what kind of paint to use and how to stroke, throw, spit or spray it on the canvas. Creativity! And whether it is beautiful or ugly, this just depends on what someone sees in it.

Even when writing, you will have to follow certain rules with regard to spelling and grammar. Of course, your work should be readable for everyone. But what words you type on, in what style and form you cast your story: it's up to you! Each writer uses their own imagination in this regard. What one reader finds terrible, another likes. Each for their own reasons.

Music, ditto. Before you can compose your own music, you will have to learn to play the notes. And whether you do this by ear or read from paper is irrelevant. If it sounds good, it sounds good. Although, what is good? Again, opinions are divided on this, tastes differ.

Art

Every dancer, every painter, every writer and every musician, after learning the basics, develops their own style and attracts their own audience with it. An audience that experiences what they make as art, depending on what it does to them emotionally.

That others label his work as your purest dregs is unfortunately goat's cheese. Can happen. Nobody can make something that everyone likes. And fortunately so. After all, art is not a one-size-fits-all product and for this reason it is not suitable for everyone.

And this also applies to astrology. Astrology is also a 'tool'. Some love it, others loathe it. But however you look at it, someone who knows how to play this instrument well may well call himself an artist, just like a dancer, painter, writer or musician.

As with other artists, no two astrologers' methods are the same. Have ten astrologers draw a birth chart and all ten will look different. Not in terms of drawing, which is, after all, based on facts and fixed calculations. The interpretation, on the other hand, may differ from one astrologer to another.

Style

Once an astrologer has learnt the basics of astrology and has also had to follow certain basic rules for the purpose of calculations, he will - just like dancers, painters, writers or musicians - develop an entirely unique style over time.

Each astrologer works out a horoscope in his or her own way and with this, like other artists, attracts his or her own audience or clients.

Where one astrologer interprets the horoscope from a psychological point of view, another will emphasise life destiny and past lives. Where one astrologer involves Householders in the interpretation, another will ignore this matter altogether.

Just because of the different ways of interpretation, astrology can never be a science.

Pseudoscience

Because astrology involves tricky formulas and a lot of calculation, people are quick to think of it as 'science'. But as nice as it is that a drawing charts exactly how the planets were in the sky at the time we were born, this unfortunately does not guarantee that these planets actually affect our unique personality and the rest of our lives.

The personal celestial chart - the screenshot of the solar system taken at the moment of birth - is therefore the only thing in astrology that is actually based on science. The interpretation of this picture is mainly based on relics from ancient times,  calculations of which nobody knows exactly who came up with them and our own suspicions and assumptions in this area.

As striking as some events are, how much grip we also have on our horoscope and however recognisable its interpretation, the proof that astrological calculations actually have insightful or predictive values has never been scientifically proven by anyone.

For this reason, astrology is dismissed by many as pseudoscience or superstition. This sounds somewhat inferior, but unfortunately, it is what it is. Astrology is not a science. Even those with a passion for this ancient wisdom (because it is) will really have to accept this anyway.

Coincidence

What is extraordinary, though, is that some events seem to take place every time a particular planet is retrograde (optically backwards) or the moon is in a particular phase. Not for nothing did farmers used to take their crops off the land at the full moon and look at the position of the planets to predict the weather. Nevertheless, none of this can be implicated in science.

Indeed, predictions that do come true could also very well fall under the heading of synchronicity. Or perhaps on coincidence rests, who knows. And the fact that a person totally recognises himself in his constellation or can place the information in his birth chart entirely for himself could also be caused by the psychological Forer effect.

Despite my love for the symbolism, the brilliant elements that make up astrology, the apt descriptions of the constellations and the logic there seems to be in the astrological calculations, it unfortunately still contains no scientific proof that the sun, moon and planets actually influence us.

Art

Just as a dancer, painter, writer or musician can trigger certain feelings in his audience, an astrologer is also very capable of inspiring or emoting his clients. Scientifically proven or not, the way someone does or says something can just drop a penny or reveal a missing piece of the puzzle.

Not for nothing has astrology been around for centuries and people continue to consult all kinds of horoscopes to this day. Something doesn't necessarily have to be scientifically proven to be fun or interesting. So I think that dismissing astrology as 'quackery' without further ado is really too short-sighted.

However, I do believe that something that cannot be scientifically proven should not be used to make scientific diagnoses either. Especially with a view to health! Those who are not medically literate should under no circumstances pretend that they are. Not even under the guise of 'medical astrology'.

While I think astrology can be absolutely useful, helpful and convenient in many ways, I think those who use astrology to make medical diagnoses and, in doing so, take a seat in the doctor's chair without hesitation are indeed guilty of quackery.

Quackery

Despite the fact that doctors in the eighteenth century did make their diagnoses based on a person's horoscope, of course, this is an outdated method for a reason.

Because a birth chart is seen as a whole and everything in the radix (birth chart) is interrelated, it is difficult to ignore the planets located in the Sixth House (House of Health) during interpretation. For this reason, I will also always simply explain what the planets in the Sixth House mean for the person for whom I am calculating the horoscope.

Nevertheless, I maintain (and I will always state this) that this is a astrological interpretation and not a medical one. Do you nevertheless feel addressed or does it make you doubt any physical complaints you may be experiencing? If so, ALWAYS consult a doctor, not an astrologer.

Astrology is not a science. So please, let us continue to see the horoscope drawing primarily as a figurative mirror, a tool, a creative art form to discover and get to know ourselves better in a playful way. Not to play doctor ourselves with all possible consequences.

Just like a dancer, painter, writer or musician, the astrologer may address the themes of 'illness and health' in his art. However, this does not mean that his claims actually relate to his audience. At most, it may make someone think. It is up to the astrologer to be honest about this at all times.

Reading tip: The Astrology Guide 

Very comprehensive reference work on the origins, background, different types of astrology and its application.

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Source: VROUW Glossy, January 2020