When scrolling through social media, you might come across content about zodiac signs, full moons and how different planets can affect people and their behaviour. Whether you believe in it or not, astrology influences much of what we consume and how we view the world.
A survey conducted by Research Co. and Glacier Media in 2023 suggests that 35 per cent of Canadians believe in astrology. The proportion is even higher among those aged 18 to 34.
So, what is it and why are people gravitating to it? The Toronto Observer spoke to four experts to break it down for you.
What is astrology?
Astrology, based on our discussions with our experts, can be defined as trying to make sense of how what is happening in the sky (the positions and movements of planets and stars) can have some kind of effect on the Earth. The way people understand it however, depends on each individual practitioner, where they are located and their culture.
“Astrology is a system. There’s many different versions of the system, but it’s all designed to sort of try and connect what’s going on in the sky with what’s happening here,” said Janet Markham, an astrology teacher and educational consultant at the nonprofit Canadian Association for Astrological Education (CAAE).
“It’s a system of symbolic interpretations that allow us to think through people’s personalities, hangups, anxieties, challenges. And we can use the sort of symbolism of astrology to work through and help people understand themselves and their world,” said Daryn Lehoux, professor and department head of classics and archaeology at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ont.
“It’s a cultural practice of narrating the world in a way where we can make sense of an otherwise senseless anxiety,” said Filip Andjelkovic, an assistant professor at the University of Toronto’s department of religion.
What’s the science behind astrology?
Western astrology is a product of what the Greeks developed during the Hellenistic period after what was built in Babylon from the 3rd millennium BC. If we go back to what they established as astrology, people would say a lot of it is based in science, specifically mathematical calculations, such as the position of planets in a certain day and time and statistics related to that.
“You couldn’t really make sense of medicine without thinking about the effects of planets. It was part of the established understanding of the world,” said Jean-Olivier Richard, an assistant professor at the University of Toronto in the christianity and science program.
For Markham, astrology is a mix of science and art.
Astrologers such as Markham use the American Ephemeris, a book that contains the positions of planets and other important data to make precise calculations in their practice. Then it becomes more of an art of understanding what it means to have a certain planet in that position and how that could affect someone or a world event, based on the day, time and other circumstances.
When thinking about modern astrology, the type normally delivered to our social media feeds, Richard notices a different approach compared to professional astrology.
“For the most part, it has gotten rid of the sophisticated mathematics that were involved in establishing those charts. It keeps only the astrological judgment or the associations you would draw between certain signs and planets and what happens in your life,” he said.
“So it’s interesting, but I don’t know how useful (modern astrology) is. It’s not the whole story,” said Markham.
Why are people attracted to it?
For Lehoux, there’s probably as many answers as to why believe it, as there are people that believe in astrology. But the global instability people have been experiencing for years could also influence that.
“I think it’s no surprise that astrological thinking goes hand in hand with destabilized societies, ” said Andjelkovic. That can be seen in the rise in interest in astrology throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, where the stars could provide some kind of comfort in an unprecedented situation.
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In Canada, during that time period, there was a six percentage point increase in young Canadians that believed in astrology, according to the Research Co. and Glacier Media survey. This could show how Canadians, aligned with other nations, also turn to astrology to find some kind of meaning for what is happening in their lives.
“There has been a real interest in the last few years by people, certainly younger people,” said Markham. “I don’t know whether it’s sort of trying to get meaning out of things. Or if there’s something going on between everybody and we are all suddenly interested in it.”
Can I trust astrology?
This is a tricky question, because it’s about deciding if the science behind it is enough for you to trust it and if it works for you.
“I think a lot of astrologists will argue that they’ve seen enough evidence to convince them,” said Lehoux. “ The people who believe it, often believe in it because they think they’ve seen actual evidence of it working.”
“It does provide meaning in a world where I think a lot of people are seeking meaning and don’t find it,” said Richard.
