How is Chinese astrology psuedoscience?

Answer 1

Contrary to its detractors concerted opinion, Astrology is not superstition.

Superstition is more akin to: "If I break a mirror, I will have 7 years bad

luck." or "If a bird flies into my house, someone will die." or "If I step on a

sidewalk crack, I will break my mother's back." or "When It's Christmas and

the weather is warm, it will be cold at Easter."

Those are superstitions. Astrology is not superstition. Not even close.

Astrology is a language. It exists. Like Estonian or French. It just plain

exists. Like hard boiled eggs or chutney. Now, for some, languages that they

do not know and are unable to read or converse in, constitute a sort of threat.

When we hear friends chatting in a language that we don't know and we are

present, we almost automatically imagine that they are talking about us. This

is a kind of natural paranoia. We cannot understand. So we feel threatened or

left out and perhaps even targeted as a victim.

Astrology, like any language, does have to be learned in order to be used.

That's why some people are astrologers and other have other learnèd

professions such as doctors. An astrologer might tell you that your Sun in

Leo means that you tend to want to be in the spotlight, but if your rising sign

is Pisces, that Leo need for the spotlight might be mitigated.

This sort of "diagnosis" is not unsimilar to when a Dr tells you that the lump

on your arm looks like a cyst, but if the tests come out positive, it might be

something more serious. He looks at the cystic physical evidence, but he

also digs further to find out if it might be something more dangerous.

Now the language of Astrology has been much squelched and derided by a

sector of the population we refer to as "scientists" or , in any case, people

who believe that science (another language) is the pathway to understanding

every human ill - including mental, emotional and physical ailments - and to

conquering and refining and owning whatever commodity it available to

man. (Space flight for example or improved hard boiled eggs)

But squelching a language doesn't always put it out of existence. And

Astrology has survived the giant squelch of science and remains a means of

communication between peoples and a method of both diagnosing and

better understanding the human condition. Astrology is not in competition

with science. It's just there alongside it the way that TV is there alongside

the internet. The two media must co-exist. They cannot afford to be at war.

The Internet will win. It's bigger. And younger. TV knows that the way that

Astrology knows that it must coexist with science because if there was a war

between them Science would win. It's bigger. And younger.

Nonetheless, there is wisdom in what it ancient. So Astrology continues to

exist. Some people study it and are able to use it in their work and daily

lives. Other people don't study it sufficiently to become astrologers. But they

dabble and they enjoy dabbling. Other people (most people) consult

astrologers. They are the clients or the patients or the consultees who come

to people like me for advice and information about their astrological charts:

Who am I? What should I do about my mother-in-law's interfering in my

marriage? How can I get a divorce and keep my children? Why do I not have

self-confidence? Where am I making my mistakes and why do I keep

making them over and over again?

What some skeptical people (the Science-blinded or prejudiced) don't know

is that the answers to all of those questions are sitting right there in peoples'

astrological charts. Moreover, just because most people don't know how to

read their charts and don't speak the language or know how to interpret the

letters (symbols), doesn't mean the answers are not there. They are.

Astrology never lies. I have watched it tell me and my clients the truth over

and over and over again, thousands of times. A client writes and asks me

why she cannot seem to get a husband. She's young and beautiful and

accomplished and owns her own home. Yet, she has nobody to share it with.

What should she do?

I find out her birth date, time and place (sometimes she sends me a photo as

well) and I do her chart. First thing I note is that she is more accomplished

than she let on in her query letter. I know already that she is president of her

own company. But she is also an Aries with Leo rising and she was born in a

Rooster year. This woman is what my mother used to call "a tough cookie"

and a multitalented cookie at that!

She doesn't bend easily. She is not soulful and won't listen to whining - even

her own. She wants to be in the spotlight (Leo rising) and she is indeed in

her own spotlight all the time.

She's also a Rooster which is one of the most successfully non-flexible signs

out there. Rigidity lurks in this woman's chart and has already done some

damage to her private life.

But... I look further and...Eureka! This young woman has the Moon in

Cancer. She is longing for a home and children and a man to share it with.

But, because the Aries and the Rooster and the Leo got a hold on her soul

(Moon) when she was still very young, she followed them to her own

multimillion dollar successful oblivion. She learned how NOT to share and

she made her fortune by being ruthless and firm in her opinions.

(Aries/Rooster w Leo rising)

It gets better. I dig a bit deeper and what do I find? This woman has Venus

in Taurus!

NB: I know. I know. You just don't get it when we tell you that there's a

planet in some sign or other about which you know less than zero. Why?

Because we are speaking to you in a language which is foreign to you. And

this time it is about YOU. But we are not trying to hide anything. You can

learn the language too. Nobody is stopping you.

So our young woman has Venus in Taurus. This means (for some astrologers

and we are not all alike. Just like doctors... Get a second opinion) that she

equates love with sensuality and earthiness and posssesion. So, she is

hunting for sensuality, earthiness and ownership and she is only finding pin

stripe suits and striped ties and executive trappings. Why?

Because here she is, the president of a thriving software company, owner of

her own 3000 sq ft. house and two luxury cars, 35 years old and beautiful

and she cannot find a husband - someone to love and be loved by and make

a family and a life with.

So?

She's too strong by half. And she is moreover "attracted" to the wrong kind

of suitor. She has always thought she needed "someone like me." A major

player. A boss person. A leader of men (and women). Balderdash! Two

bosses in the same household? Ouch.

She needs either a steadying, long-suffering Ox or a lovely, languorous

Snake or even a tempestuous Tiger - born in Gemini or Leo or perhaps

Sagittarius because she has Mercury (her communication planet) in

Sagittarius. And those guys she should be looking for are not necessarily

world beaters. They might be teachers or poets or musicians or even weedy

scientists who leave their brains in the laboratories when they come home at

night. They should not be head honchos. She is the head honcho. She needs

soul. So she should find someone with extra soul to share.

Need I say more? Astrology simply never lies!

©SuzanneWhite/Suzannewhite.com2006

P.S. Following her personal astro consultation, our heroine started looking

for Mr. Right in all the "right" places. She is now successfully married to a

brilliant Gemini/Ox (a laid back communicator type) who writes books for a

living. He loves to cook and help with the kids. They have a nanny and some

household help. Madame goes to her job every morning after taking the

children to school. Papa pipes and slippers into his office and hits the

computer for a few hours before dressing and driving to the supermarket to

do the family shopping. You see? Astrology works! sw

Source: http://www.onlinechineseastrology.com/content-detail.aspx?ID=258