I have always loved astrology ever since I was young. I would wake up and tune in to the morning news programs while preparing for school so that I could catch the horoscope for the day by the resident fortune-teller. I wouldn’t necessarily believe in what she would say, but it was fun to know nonetheless.
Fast forward to today and I now do Tarot readings as a hobby, write weekly horoscopes for When In Manila, have a growing collection of beautiful crystals, perform new moon and full moon rituals in my bedroom, and enjoy interpreting birth charts.
These days, it’s no surprise anymore when someone like me says they do all these things in their spare time. Astrology has become so rampant in the past few years and our generation practically became obsessed like it was our new religion. Not a day would pass when we don’t come across a meme about how water signs are so emotional. It’s become a joke that you’d have to ask someone what their sign is before you could even think about dating them. We all harbor a collective hatred towards Mercury Retrograde and its inconveniences, and everyone knows to always steer clear of Scorpios.
Why are we so into astrology? Many people would give different answers. Some might say that it’s fun, others say it helps explain events that happen in their lives.
To me, though, astrology has helped me in ways I never thought it could.
I’ve lived my life suffering bouts of anxiety, insecurity, and self-deprecation. The things I’ve gone through during my adolescent years took a toll on my self-confidence. A couple of failed relationships also made it difficult for me to love and understand myself. I had no friends to pull me up when I was drowning in my sadness; I couldn’t depend on my family to understand what I was going through.
It was a pretty rough quarter-life.
It wasn’t until I explored astrology in the past year that I began my journey to self-acceptance and healing.
ALSO READ: Stop blaming the stars for everything bad that happens to you
I had bought a deck of tarot cards from a friend on a whim and thought of it as a nice way to unwind when the stress of my full-time job started to weigh heavy. I studied its meanings diligently and practiced with daily readings for myself every morning. And in the evening, I’d jot down my thoughts and learnings of the day based on the message each card would give me.
Funny how, without me meaning to, I was able to gain clarity and mindfulness in my day-to-day life. I went from “This day sucked, as usual” to “If I had done something about it, like what my tarot reading advised me to, then this day would have been much better.” I started taking responsibility for my actions and realized that a change of perspective had long been overdue.
My tarot readings likewise gave me the direction I needed in my life. Every time, it told me what I needed to focus on, what I needed to improve, and what I needed to welcome into my life to achieve the goals I’ve set for myself. They became constant reminders that success required confidence, positivity, and self-love just as it did hard work.
Then, I started interpreting my birth chart—the whole thing about rising signs, moon signs, signs in planets, and the twelve houses. In simpler terms, digging deep into my personality in relation to the universe. And oh my god, what a lightbulb moment it was. “So that’s why I’m like this!” I found myself saying. But my self-awareness also meant I needed to start accepting who I was—including the parts that I hated and the parts I thought I could change.
And, just like that, I began to finally liberate myself from my self-loathing and open my heart to the truth that this is who I am, this is what I was born with. If I couldn’t love myself completely, then who will?
ALSO READ: From Houses to Planets to Compatibility Tests: Here are Astrology Basics for Newbs
To be completely honest, it’s not that I believe 100% in fortune-telling or the effects of Mercury Retrograde or the compatibility of signs. In fact, it never really mattered if astrology was real or not; what mattered was that it became my chance to self-reflect, open my eyes to all the possibilities of the world, and be given clarity on what to do about them.
Astrology helped me find growth and self-acceptance. And because of it, I am now the woman I’ve always dreamed to be—empowered, optimistic, self-reliant, and much, much more relaxed.
And, honestly, my life has never been more magical.
Follow my Instagram @musingsandmagic for daily astrology content!
What does astrology mean to you? Tell us in the comments!
Written in the Stars: How My Obsession with Astrology Helped My Mental Health
I have always loved astrology ever since I was young. I would wake up and tune in to the morning news programs while preparing for school so that I could catch the horoscope for the day by the resident fortune-teller. I wouldn’t necessarily believe in what she would say, but it was fun to know nonetheless.
Fast forward to today and I now do Tarot readings as a hobby, write weekly horoscopes for When In Manila, have a growing collection of beautiful crystals, perform new moon and full moon rituals in my bedroom, and enjoy interpreting birth charts.
These days, it’s no surprise anymore when someone like me says they do all these things in their spare time. Astrology has become so rampant in the past few years and our generation practically became obsessed like it was our new religion. Not a day would pass when we don’t come across a meme about how water signs are so emotional. It’s become a joke that you’d have to ask someone what their sign is before you could even think about dating them. We all harbor a collective hatred towards Mercury Retrograde and its inconveniences, and everyone knows to always steer clear of Scorpios.
Why are we so into astrology? Many people would give different answers. Some might say that it’s fun, others say it helps explain events that happen in their lives.
To me, though, astrology has helped me in ways I never thought it could.
I’ve lived my life suffering bouts of anxiety, insecurity, and self-deprecation. The things I’ve gone through during my adolescent years took a toll on my self-confidence. A couple of failed relationships also made it difficult for me to love and understand myself. I had no friends to pull me up when I was drowning in my sadness; I couldn’t depend on my family to understand what I was going through.
It was a pretty rough quarter-life.
It wasn’t until I explored astrology in the past year that I began my journey to self-acceptance and healing.
ALSO READ: Stop blaming the stars for everything bad that happens to you
I had bought a deck of tarot cards from a friend on a whim and thought of it as a nice way to unwind when the stress of my full-time job started to weigh heavy. I studied its meanings diligently and practiced with daily readings for myself every morning. And in the evening, I’d jot down my thoughts and learnings of the day based on the message each card would give me.
Funny how, without me meaning to, I was able to gain clarity and mindfulness in my day-to-day life. I went from “This day sucked, as usual” to “If I had done something about it, like what my tarot reading advised me to, then this day would have been much better.” I started taking responsibility for my actions and realized that a change of perspective had long been overdue.
My tarot readings likewise gave me the direction I needed in my life. Every time, it told me what I needed to focus on, what I needed to improve, and what I needed to welcome into my life to achieve the goals I’ve set for myself. They became constant reminders that success required confidence, positivity, and self-love just as it did hard work.
Then, I started interpreting my birth chart—the whole thing about rising signs, moon signs, signs in planets, and the twelve houses. In simpler terms, digging deep into my personality in relation to the universe. And oh my god, what a lightbulb moment it was. “So that’s why I’m like this!” I found myself saying. But my self-awareness also meant I needed to start accepting who I was—including the parts that I hated and the parts I thought I could change.
And, just like that, I began to finally liberate myself from my self-loathing and open my heart to the truth that this is who I am, this is what I was born with. If I couldn’t love myself completely, then who will?
ALSO READ: From Houses to Planets to Compatibility Tests: Here are Astrology Basics for Newbs
To be completely honest, it’s not that I believe 100% in fortune-telling or the effects of Mercury Retrograde or the compatibility of signs. In fact, it never really mattered if astrology was real or not; what mattered was that it became my chance to self-reflect, open my eyes to all the possibilities of the world, and be given clarity on what to do about them.
Astrology helped me find growth and self-acceptance. And because of it, I am now the woman I’ve always dreamed to be—empowered, optimistic, self-reliant, and much, much more relaxed.
And, honestly, my life has never been more magical.
Follow my Instagram @musingsandmagic for daily astrology content!
What does astrology mean to you? Tell us in the comments!
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About The Author
WhenInManila.com's Associate Editor and Head of Entertainment. A storyteller since 8, but she swears she was a fortune-teller in her past life. When she isn't writing, she plays video games, screams about Formula 1, and does tarot readings as a form of therapy. Find her on Instagram, @reseaseo.