(I feel like most of my writeups start this way, but) I was a really odd child. I had a little bit too much fantasy in my book-diet, and by the time I was ten had read everything I could find on crystals, Tarot, ghostbusting, the occult, witch trials, the Loch Ness monster, palm reading... and Astrology. Being (paradoxically enough) a scientifically-minded ten year old, Astrology was my favorite subject out of the above. Contrary to popular belief, Astrology is more than the lame and obviously incorrect "horoscopes" in newspapers and magazines or what sun sign you are. The position of the ALL planets (in our solar system anyway) and their relationships at your exact time of birth are what matter to an individual. These are charted in a true horoscope, which is a circular chart divided up like a pie, which helps one keep track of such statistics. When an entire horoscope is calculated, the reading is extremely detailed, not just three sentences like in a magazine. Believe it or not, there is A LOT of math involved in this process. Trig, mainly. I taught myself how to use angles before the rest of my class even touched on it, just so I could delve deeper into this subject.
Now I am an Atheist who prides herself on scorning superstition, and I still consult a horoscope or two from time to time. How do I reconcile that one, you ask? I think of it like a psychological tool, like a Rorscach test. I feel that way about most things: astrology, life, and especially literature. It doesn't matter what the author was trying to say; what matters is what you get out of it. Do I think astrology is objectively accurate? No, of course not. It's a tool for understanding your own personality and that of others. You can take the information you get, or leave it. It's just a starting point when you're getting to know someone, or a fun party game where you discuss how right (or wrong) it is. It doesn't matter if it's correct or what your future is, because a person is not only a product of the stars ( literally), but a product of genetics and environment and we've got souls too, if you believe in that. Astrology shouldn't be treated fatalistically, or like a religion, but as a tool for the curious or those stuck with a tough decision. It helps you think and consider. No more, no less.
It just takes a healthy attitude. It may seem superstitious, but until you learn about it and consider all viewpoints, it's not fair to decide that it's ridiculous. Astrology is a tool to be considered and enjoyed, but it also shouldn't be a way of life. Balance, my friends. Balance.
If you're interested in Astrology, check out The Only Astrology Book You'll Ever Need, by Joanna Martine Woolfolk. At your public library, it will be somewhere in the 100s. Its title speaks the absolute truth.