The Do’s and Don’ts of Consulting Your Horoscope
Horoscopes are pretty much everyone’s first exposure to astrology, and we’ve all read them (devoured them?). It can be a lot of fun - but if you don’t know the right way to interpret your horoscope, they usually end up being bunk.
Yes, there’s a right way and a wrong way! And a few things you need to keep in mind when reading your horoscope. Let’s dive in:
DO: Read your Rising sign.
Alrighty, time for you to get educated about how horoscopes are put together! In astrology, we have something called houses, and there are 12 of them. Each house connects with a different part of life, and has its own energy.
How the houses are calculated varies; there are many house systems used for this (the most common in the West are Placidus, Koch, Equal, and Whole Sign).
The start of the houses most often is the Ascendant, and the Zodiac sign it’s in is called your Rising sign (it’s the sign on the horizon at the moment you’re born in the location you’re born at). This is usually your 1st house (which rules the self).
Your Rising sign is usually different from your Sun sign; there are 12 Zodiac signs, so you’ve got a 1-in-12 chance of them being in the same sign, so for most of us, they’re in different signs.
Meanwhile horoscopes are written using Solar Houses, which means the Sun sign is used as the 1st house (Rising), and every sign and house follows in order after that. Horoscopes focus on the transit (moving) planets touring through, and astrological events occurring in, those Solar Houses.
But, if your Rising sign is different from your Sun sign, then this won’t be correct for your own houses. So, you’ll often see astrologers recommend you read your Rising sign horoscope instead of your Sun sign horoscope. This is why.
It’s still technically correct since Solar Houses are a system (and used to be used frequently before computers and calculators came along to make the complex calculations easier). But many will find that the Rising sign horoscope resonates better than the Sun sign.
One other note though - if your Ascendant is late in the Zodiac sign, then you actually want to read the Zodiac sign AFTER your Rising sign. Every Zodiac sign is made up of 30 degrees, so if your Ascendant is later (especially after 20 degrees), then you may find the next sign resonates more in terms of horoscope accuracy.
DON’T: Take dates too literally.
Since horoscopes use the Solar Houses, and remember that every Zodiac sign has 30 degrees, each house begins at 0 degrees (the first degree). But, in your own houses, that’s almost never the case (unless you use the Whole sign system).
This means that when you personally are impacted by astrological events will vary from what the horoscope says. For example, horoscopes follow transit planets moving through the Solar Houses, so they will enter a new Solar House as soon as they enter a new Zodiac sign (0 degrees). But the dates that will begin for you will usually be different (often later).
In the case of New and Full Moons, you get a period of about 2 weeks before and after they occur for their impact to be felt, so there’s a wide swath of opportunity there. In the case of eclipses, their impact is up to 6 months before and after and needs to be triggered (a whole other discussion!).
DO: Take what resonates most for you.
Horoscopes can be a helpful way to connect to your intuition. Focus on what resonates most for you, especially for horoscopes that aren’t actually horoscopes (so sometimes people will call natal or birth chart information “horoscopes”, but they’re not actually).
DON’T: Buy into solely the good or solely the bad.
Many of us tend to be either toxic positivity or negative nellies, and neither is very good! So, catch yourself if you start falling down either rabbit hole. Don’t only believe the good (and act like a narcissist - you have flaws, OWN THEM), but also don’t only believe the bad (and act like Chicken Little - take a beat and breathe!).
DO: Use the opportunities for personal growth.
Most horoscopes provide information that are meant to help you improve yourself and your life. This is an opportunity for personal growth that you shouldn’t miss out on. Every opportunity for growth should be used to your advantage!
Some people do get obsessed with their horoscope. It’s not a religion - it’s not gospel! It doesn’t have to control your life, and it absolutely shouldn’t. You have agency, and you need to think for yourself. Your horoscope should be a helper, not your master.
DO: Take responsibility!
Jumping off of that, you make your own choices. You have free will (well to the extent that any of us do, I know, I know). Your horoscope doesn’t dictate your entire life, your entire reason for being. YOU DO! Again, horoscope = helper, and you’re the master of you.
DON’T: Use your horoscope as an excuse for anything.
To put a pin on it, don’t use your horoscope as an excuse for anything - for poor choices, bad breakups, ill-advised behavior, or just outright jerk-ness. You are not a victim to the planets, and astrology is not a tool for escaping blame. It’s a tool for empowerment, and that can only happen when you stop making excuses.
Recap:
read your Rising Sign
don’t be a stickler with the dates
rake what resonates but don’t obsess either way
look for room for growth
acknowledge your free will
