I have always been a lover of personality tests. From the Myers Briggs four personality types to the Enneagram test, I enjoy the revelations which can potentially arise from answering simple questions about myself. However, it seems that when it comes to relationships, the most common test of personality compatibility requires no input from the individual. There is no quiz to fill out, no decisions to be made. For some people, the answers are seen within the untouchable space above us, where they have been shining for thousands of years: the stars.
When embarking on a new relationship, the question of astrological compatibility tends to be asked mostly in jest. Simple curiosity leads to the googling of star sign traits, which are either revelled in if they forecast success, or subsequently dismissed if their predictions are direr. However, whilst the zodiac is most commonly used in this casual way, it still remains a divisive subject if considered more seriously. When envisioning this argument, one can immediately hear the adamant protests against the idea of a predetermined fate; declarations that the whole idea of astrology is fraudulent, believed only by the gullible who do not put stock in real scientific research. In response to this rebuke, the zodiac believer tends to make frequent use of the phrase ‘closed minded’ whilst potentially giving real-life examples of when their astrological knowledge has widened their insight.
Personally, I have always been sceptical of the proposed foreknowledge of astrology. Love is one of the most unpredictable sensations a person can experience; one cannot plan for its arrival, nor can it be acquired by sheer force of will. We can choose who we wish to view in a romantic light, yet the feelings themselves cannot be forced. In light of all this, the idea of predetermined matches seemed utterly absurd to me.
However, whilst researching more into the practice of astrological charting, I began to uncover its rich and complex history. The zodiac has been used as a tool for matchmakers for hundreds of years, long before the internet was used to assess personalities in the form of the online quiz. Astrology came to prominence in China during the Han Dynasty over two thousand years ago, and the Hindu method of examining astrological compatibility is notable for its uniqueness in comparison to western principles. Once the extensive past of the zodiac has been comprehended, it suddenly feels unjust to entirely dismiss it without consideration.
Furthermore, even the present usage of astrology is more complicated than it can initially seem. Finding the answer to the question of compatibility requires more than a quick glance at your partner’s sun sign; all three elements of a person’s natal chart must be considered, all of which have different meanings which interact with each other. The sun sign is the component everyone is familiar with, but when considered as only one of three parts, it is representative only of your ego. Your moon sign is representative of your emotions, the inner parts of your personality, whereas your rising sign is indicative of your external, the person you present to the world.
After discovering all this, I was feeling very overwhelmed. This entire process was a lot more complicated than simply googling your daily horoscope, or comparing your traits to the sign of another person!
By illuminating this information, my intention is not to reach a definitive judgement on the legitimacy and accuracy of astrological compatibly; clearly, I am not informed enough to do so. Instead, what I wish to inspire is a simple curiosity surrounding this century-old phenomenon. Even if you are a total sceptic of the Zodiac like I was, I would encourage you to delve a little deeper into its ideas and cease being so outright mocking of it in the meantime. Even if there is no possibility of you putting stock into such a practice, reconsider your belittling of those who do. For in a world filled with ever-changing variables, it is any wonder that some take comfort in the few things that remain fixed? If some people want to look up and see themselves reflected back in the stars, who are we to judge them?