Zodiac: Practical(ly) Magic

I can't believe it...the final post in my A-Z blog challenge on all things mystical! And now, the letter Z...

Zodiac: The twelve constellations through which the sun, moon and planets cross. Each constellation is attributed a "sign" containing special significance depicting various aspects of life.

Ask a majority of people, "What's your sign?" and they can tell you easily. Knowing ones' birth sign is widely accepted, though few understand what it means.

The belief is that the position and alignment of stars and planets at the time of ones' birth can describe their personality attributes. This goes along with my month-long underlying theme of universal energies and their impact on all things; in this case, the type and position of energies affect a child's personality at birth.

Of course, one might turn this around and argue that a child already possesses these traits beforehand (in which case, perhaps their energy influences the date of their birth). Either way, it is interesting to note that a large percentage of people find commonalities between their personalities and the characteristics of their "sign."

For instance, as a Cancer I am said to be creative and drawn to occult and psychic phenomenon, as well as very family oriented with a tendency toward having a large family. I am a mother of seven and the author of a novel with psychic themes, currently writing a blog series on mysticism. Cancers are also notoriously moody creatures, as anyone who has my regular acquaintance can attest. We are drawn tightly to the moon and water, both of which describe me.

If you've never looked up your sign's traits, it may well prove an interesting study. But outside of the momentary entertainment value, who cares? It's not like you need someone to tell you what you like, after all. Still, using the zodiac can help you improve self awareness, be mindful when selecting a compatible mate or career, and to watch for potential pitfalls in life as well as your health. (Certain signs tend to lean toward particular types of ailments.)

Because the line up of stars and planets pull energy in varying ways (think of the way the moon's energy and pull affects the tides), the zodiac is used to predict the future. Such horoscopes are popular enough to be featured in just about every daily newspaper on the planet. Though I find discrepancy at times between various horoscopes (much like scientists may disagree on a particular theory, some astrologists may differ in their reading of astrological signs), I've been suitably impressed on numerous occasions. Not enough to consult the zodiac before deciding what color shirt to wear, but enough to respect the fact that there is value inherent in understanding the mysteries of the zodiac.

If you're interested in further information on birth signs, the zodiac, and astrology, check out these sites:
http://www.astrology-online.com
http://www.astrologycom.com/zodiac.html
http://www.evolvingdoor.ca/zodiac/signsindex.htm