Today, you open Instagram and you will find Mercury retrograde memes, zodiac reels, and rising sign compatibility jokes. People scroll, laugh, share, and deep down, they are searching. That is the funny thing about psychological astrology: it’s not just about horoscopes at the back of a magazine anymore. It is more about getting to an understanding when life feels blurry. But why do people believe in astrology at all? And should we believe in astrology in the first place? Psychology has one answer. Astrology has another. And they meet somewhere in the middle.

What Is Astrology, Really?

Astrology is old. Really old. It is believed to have originated more than two thousand years ago. In ancient times, it is said, the Babylonians and Greeks started connecting the stars with human behaviour. This led them to draw up the 12 zodiac signs as we know them today, each one with its own symbol, pattern and a hint of one’s destiny. Astrology doesn’t qualify as a science like astronomy does. Researchers can’t run tests to check if horoscopes are true. Yet, beliefs in astrology are common and old. They have lasted for centuries and travelled across cultures and countries. That says something. Why is astrology so popular if it isn’t ‘proven’? Because it feels human. It feels personal.

Why do we believe in astrology?

Here’s the thing. Belief in astrology usually shows up when life feels shaky. During the Great Depression, during wars, and even during the recent pandemic, people turned to the stars. Not for answers written in stone, but for a map of meaning. 

Why do people believe in astrology? Because psychologically, astrology works like a coping tool. It offers comfort when the world feels shaky. Astrology welcomes everyone, no matter their background. That inclusiveness is what makes astrology meaningful: it gives everyone a sense of belonging.

It gives a sense of control

One reason astrology feels good: it offers control. Or at least the illusion of it. Psychologists call this ‘external locus of control.’ If you think life is being controlled by outside forces, then maybe the planets can explain your heartbreak or my promotion. Should we believe in astrology because it gives us control? Maybe not fully. But it sure feels better than thinking life is random chaos.

It validates identity

Ever read your horoscope and think, ‘That’s so me’? That’s the Barnum Effect working: people believing that vague, general statements are uniquely true. It is a bias, but it doesn’t make it meaningless. Astrology affirms your identity. It reflects your personality and reassures you that you are okay just as you are. That is why horoscopes feel true, even without many details. They echo what you already believe, and that validation can be healing.

It helps us tolerate ambiguity

Humans don’t like uncertainty. We hate it. We want patterns, signs, and reasons. Astrology gives that. When you are amidst a heartbreak or starting a new job, you can look at a chart and see a narrative. It is not a rigid one, but a symbolic one. Astrology doesn’t erase uncertainty; it just makes it easier to live with. That is why astrology is so popular in tough times.

Where astrology meets psychology

Astrology and psychology sound like opposites.  One is symbolic, while the other is scientific. But they are closer than you might think. Carl Jung used archetypes. Astrology uses zodiac symbols. Both are just languages for the soul. Archetypes and Symbols: Psychology has the Hero, the Shadow. Astrology has Aries, Scorpio.

Humanistic Perspective: Both care about self-acceptance and growth.

Narrative Therapy: Therapy gives you a story. Astrology gives you a chart.

Psychologically, astrology shows us they are not enemies. They are two mirrors, reflecting different angles of the same face.

Should we believe in astrology completely? Maybe yes. But we should use it as a reflection, as a psychological mirror, because that’s where the value lies. So, why is astrology important? Not because it’s scientific, but because it’s symbolic. It gives language to our identity, comfort in uncertainty, and a way to connect. That is why astrology beliefs don’t die out; they grow. It’s about listening to the stories we tell ourselves through the stars. And sometimes, those stories are exactly what we need.

Ask Agastyaa. Let AstroSure.ai realign your mind and body, one cosmic insight at a time