I Am Pagan - Notes From A Solitary Eclectic Neo-Pagan Witch

Pagans and Astrology

Not all who believe in astrology are pagan. Most pagans, whatever their path, have some involvement with astrology. Many pagan rituals, ceremonies, and holidays are dependent on the positions of the moon, sun, and planets. If you do spell casting, many spells are best performed at certain times such as a waxing, or a waning moon.

I actually came to my belief in astrology prior to my initiation to paganism.

Geraldine Thorstens excellent book, God Herself, in the 1981 and earlier printings goes deeply into the links between the Goddess religions and astrology. For some reason, this was removed in later editions. In the chapters dedicated to each sign, she describes clearly what effects people of each particular sign should expect as the moon travels through the signs every twenty eight days. Of course, it isn't written in stone. Sun signs are a broad and crude grouping of people who express their signs very differently depending on personal history, and the positions of all of the planets in their chart — not just the sun - as well an influences from numerology and who know what all else.

But it's a place to start.

I must warn you now, I am a nerd. Only the a nerd would sit down and do what I did next.

As early as I can remember I kept what I called diaries. Recently I found a much better term for them — zibaldone. A book with notes, sketches, random thoughts, and in my case articles that interested me, cartoons that made me laugh, keepsakes like ticket stubs, and so on.

When I discovered the information in God Herself I had an idea. I sat down with close to twenty years worth of journals and for each entry that had a clear date, I listed a few words about what my apparent mood and circumstances were — up, down, angry, depressed, happy.

And then I took that list and an ephemeris (if you don't know, that is a huge book that lists the position of the planets for decades on end past and future) and noted what sign the moon was in on each date I had listed.

And then (yes, I had a lot of time on my hands back then) I sat down with the God Herself book open to the chapter on Cancer — as a moon sign we are especially affected by the moon — and critically determined if I really was having the sort of day, or sort of mood, that you would think I was having as the moon went through the signs.

What I discovered was that as far as I could tell the accuracy rate was about 80%. Well above what you would expect through simple chance. I purposely worked through my project in such an order that I would not be inclined to simply say, oh yes, that was right on that day. I suspect, if anything, if I went back through with the God Herself book in my hand I would probably find it even more accurate. But reading twenty years of my autobiography once is enough, thanks!

So I convinced myself. Not that it was worthwhile to read my horoscope in the newspaper — no, those are too vague and try to cover way too much territory in too few words. But I do keep on hand a calendar that shows the moon signs. Over time I've noticed even more patterns emerge that relate to my husband and I as a couple, or to him (he is a Scorpio) and learned that it actually helps me, in my life, to work with the moon.

A few years ago I went to a professional astrologer and counselor for a few months. The first thing she did was cast my entire chart, and then we had a session where she interpreted it to me. Before that we had talked for a few minutes, mainly discussing why I was seeking counseling (PTSD). So what she told me about me had to be based on that chart - and it was very accurate and revealing. 

So, in conclusion, shallow and silly astrology should be treated like what it is. But in depth and accurate tracking of your own life, and a professional level chart and interpretation are worth having and doing and using in your life. IMHO.