Unless we have a family member or a close friend who is a practising astrologer, most of us have our first encounter with horoscopes through the media - internet, magazines, newspapers, etc. For most people it's just a fun activity, but for some, it fires our curiosity and enthusiasm for learning more about how astrology really works.That's how it was for me many years ago. When I was a teenager, I became curious about astrology after reading a weekly Sun Sign horoscope page in a well-known women's magazine. I was lucky, because the horoscopes were written by a professional astrologer - and not just some random journalist (which used to be a common practice). But the best bit was that she also had a section devoted to real astrology at the bottom of the page. In it, she explained how astrology worked and what it was all about. This information was like gold-dust for me and I used to save everything she wrote. Although it took a few years before I finally decided to actually study astrology, the small but tantalising pieces of astrological insight provided by this amazing astrologer were what really planted the seed of inspiration in my mind. The Sun Sign horoscopes on their own probably would not have had the same effect.
In her article, the astrologer who advocates Sun Sign Astrology argues that Sun Sign horoscopes are just as important as real astrology. I disagree. Although this branch of astrology has made the subject popular with the general public, it has also diminished it. Sun Sign horoscopes are a poor imitation of the real thing and give people totally the wrong idea about what astrology is. Imagine going into a top Italian restaurant and being served spaghetti hoops from a can. You would want - and expect - genuine, Italian cuisine expertly cooked by a professional chef, wouldn't you? This is the difference between Sun Sign astrology and Real Astrology - one is cheap, instant and doesn't take much effort to produce.The other is personally prepared just for you. Is a can of spaghetti hoops an accurate representation of Italian cuisine? No. Neither is Sun Sign astrology an accurate representation of Real Astrology.
So why do professional astrologers write Sun Sign horoscopes if it gives astrology a bad name? Well, the Sun Sign astrologer hits the nail on the head when she tells us how much she earns every year. £70,000. Yes - seventy thousand pounds. And that is what she gets from the various magazines she writes horoscopes for. Ten times what she earns from doing real horoscopes for individual private clients. This is the reason why some astrologers have sold astrology down the river - to make a fast buck. Easy money. As I've said in this blog before, I only charge for face-to-face personal astrology readings. Any private horoscopes I do for people online are free. I hope this never happens, but maybe one day I will also be tempted into doing simple Sun Sign horoscopes for a large financial reward. For now, however, I will continue to practise and promote Real Astrology.
In her article, the astrologer who advocates Sun Sign Astrology argues that Sun Sign horoscopes are just as important as real astrology. I disagree. Although this branch of astrology has made the subject popular with the general public, it has also diminished it. Sun Sign horoscopes are a poor imitation of the real thing and give people totally the wrong idea about what astrology is. Imagine going into a top Italian restaurant and being served spaghetti hoops from a can. You would want - and expect - genuine, Italian cuisine expertly cooked by a professional chef, wouldn't you? This is the difference between Sun Sign astrology and Real Astrology - one is cheap, instant and doesn't take much effort to produce.The other is personally prepared just for you. Is a can of spaghetti hoops an accurate representation of Italian cuisine? No. Neither is Sun Sign astrology an accurate representation of Real Astrology.
So why do professional astrologers write Sun Sign horoscopes if it gives astrology a bad name? Well, the Sun Sign astrologer hits the nail on the head when she tells us how much she earns every year. £70,000. Yes - seventy thousand pounds. And that is what she gets from the various magazines she writes horoscopes for. Ten times what she earns from doing real horoscopes for individual private clients. This is the reason why some astrologers have sold astrology down the river - to make a fast buck. Easy money. As I've said in this blog before, I only charge for face-to-face personal astrology readings. Any private horoscopes I do for people online are free. I hope this never happens, but maybe one day I will also be tempted into doing simple Sun Sign horoscopes for a large financial reward. For now, however, I will continue to practise and promote Real Astrology.
