Has Astrology Lost You Friends?
 

This seems like a ridiculous question but has your interest in astrology caused people to think you’re meddling with “dark stuff”?

Someone I considered a friend found religion and cut me out of their life because I’m into astrology — they said I was Satanic. I’m pretty shocked by this. It’s hurtful. And ignorant.

I’m trying to consider the source: he has paranoid delusions and takes the Bible out of context. All he’s done since finding religion is quote scripture to judge everyone. I’m just shaking my head.

I could say something to him but confronting would only make him more belligerent.

Ya win some, ya lose some.

Re: Has Astrology Lost You Friends?
 

Yes, I can't seem to talk to anyone about my interests anymore. Ppl are so sensitive to difference of interest that they're willing to end friendships over it. I can't tell ppl I like this.

Re: Has Astrology Lost You Friends?
 

Currently, I have exactly one acquaintance "irl" who knows that I indulge in the so-called dark arts. I actually let him in when he made a joke that "you look like the type who would conjure up demons". He's fine with it, and he even told me about a friend he has who is in some "deep occult ****" and even goes by the nickname mystic.

I did lose a relationship because of my interest in the occult. An ex wanted me to stop with the occult stuff that is so dark and demonic, and convert to Christianity and live happily ever after with her. She gave an ultimatum which forced my hand - making me come to the conclusion that I didn't love her enough to give up on my personal passions. I think in that way it was for the best that we split up.

Re: Has Astrology Lost You Friends?
 

So you feel Astrology is evil?

Re: Has Astrology Lost You Friends?
 

So-called.

I also do wider occult studies.

I don't view the arcane/occult in a binary good/evil sense.

Re: Has Astrology Lost You Friends?
 

If you aren't doing anything illegal, it really isn't dark.

Re: Has Astrology Lost You Friends?
 

Is one of the criteria for darkness, illegality?

Re: Has Astrology Lost You Friends?
 

If you want to be a villain, then you have to be doing something illegal.

Re: Has Astrology Lost You Friends?
 

Villain? Some people refer to the occult as the "dark arts" usually those who have an idea of what the occult is through spooky stories about ouija boards acting up or finding child sacrifices when they and their mates were hiking in the woods.

I think the term "dark arts" is pretty innocuous so it's interesting to see how others differ in their perception of the phrase.

Re: Has Astrology Lost You Friends?
 

Different countries and tribes have different laws, but they are all based on the people's evaluation of unfairness, for example sorcery might be banned in some country because of possible demonism (Sharia), and be permissible in another country due to the view that it is ineffective and harmless (any Western country). In both cases, as long as you are not breaking the law, you are nobody, from an infamy standpoint.

Re: Has Astrology Lost You Friends?
 

I don't think we're having the same discussion, ptolemy a.k.a petosiris

Re: Has Astrology Lost You Friends?
 

Even western countries or those countries under colonial rule have laws that prohibit sorcery or anything along occult lines being practiced and pushed openly. In fact, it was one of the deciding factors on the development on how modern day astrology was contextualized and practiced.

Re: Has Astrology Lost You Friends?
 

Lots of other ppl believe astrology and tarot is witchcraft and the devil. My husband wants me to stop too. But hey, whilst everyone s pointing the finger at me they're getting away with murder.

Re: Has Astrology Lost You Friends?
 

Two responses I got from friends in the past: 1. they don't believe in it, care for it or like it. And 2. "it seems cool, but I do it for fun and I only know my sun or moon signs". When I was similarly interested in astrology as a child between ages 10-14, I had 3 school teachers: one is a fundamentalist Christian, the other a scientific minded person and a third one called himself a skeptic who was a church-goer. Both convinced me not to follow astrology as unscientific, superstitious and dangerous. One was an Aries sun/Sag moon, and two others are Sagittarians, not sure what their moon signs are (Taurus? or double Sag moon?) and these 3 are the most skeptical signs when it comes to the belief in astrology (I'm an Aquarius sun/moon).

Re: Has Astrology Lost You Friends?
 

Now about my family: My Mom and brother are Taurus, my father and his first daughter who is my half-sister are Sagittarius, and my nephew is a Capricorn. Usually, fire and earth signs don't seem to have a fascination nor a belief in astrology...friends who are of air and water signs would care and share my interest in astrology. The signs Gemini, Scorpio, Aquarius and esp. Pisces are said to represent astrology: Gemini has Mercury and Aquarius has Uranus as ruler planets of astrology, and Scorpio has Pluto being the paranormal planet.

Re: Has Astrology Lost You Friends?
 

Astrology is like politics and religion, with some people, you stay away from those conversations. Today there are so many different ways we can interact with each other, so many choices, why not find common ground? Unfortunately everyone seems to hunker down to their specific likes and dislikes. Plus my accuracy rate being what it is people roll their eyes at me and I don't blame them. :-)

Moon Dance

Re: Has Astrology Lost You Friends?
 

Giggle :)

It depends how honest or poor you are at predicting....teehee!

Re: Has Astrology Lost You Friends?
 

I'm fairly open about my interests in this kinda stuff. lol

Like at work, we were joking about superlatives and who would get what title for our hypothetical yearbook. lol Other people got most likely to give away a shift, or most likely to ask for a shift and I got most likely to ask for someone's birth date, time and place. hahaha

A lot of my coworkers are open to hearing about astrology and tarot, etc. and find my enthusiasm endearing. Some are skeptical, but like to ask me questions and then tease me affectionately about how I think very differently. One of my coworkers likes to say 'oh I do this because...' and starts listing off star-related gibberish. haha

Several of my coworkers ask me for tarot readings and one recently asked me to go to a cemetery with her on a full moon to read her tarot. lol I'm not sure I'm down for such an activity, but I'd say astrology and tarot hasn't lost me friends, but rather gained me quite a few acquaintances.

Re: Has Astrology Lost You Friends?
 

I've never had a genuine friendship, and most likely never will. I do not agree with "socially accepted" definitions of what a "friend" is and most certaintly not the ambiguous terms associated with it.

Everything in life is transitory in nature, including the people in your life. As your consciousness elevates, and you gravitate towards particular paths & enter new phases in life, people will fall away. Allow them to. It's a natural process.

As for astrology and the matter of dealing with "dark matter". Well, that's entirely dependent on perception, isn't it?

What exactly is dark matter?

Institutionalized definitions? Scientific & mathematical formulations & expressions? Lower vibratory states? Particular dimensions? Subconscious? Occulted material? Material that has been stolen, hidden, manipulated, distorted, and suppressed? Is it the historical context associated with it? Maybe it's the culmination of energy harvested from such operations? Is it associated with misrepresentations & descriptions of ancient texts? Most everything in this construct we call "life"? Maybe it's associated with beings that are capable of such? The heavier matters of life? Deeper aspects?

I'm sorry, but the argument regarding "Satanism"- not the biblical derivative either, is no different than any other rigid belief system. No different than any other cult. Orders, chains of command, and all. No different than a little boy sitting at a pew at 8 am on a Sunday morning. Period.

Re: Has Astrology Lost You Friends?
 

What is friendship in your view, LL?

Re: Has Astrology Lost You Friends?
 

My close friends don’t mind and even start talking about it with me but if meeting new people and it eventually comes up, it just helps push me into ‘weird’ and ‘quirky’ category even more.

Re: Has Astrology Lost You Friends?
 

Your post also reminded me of this - The Word as Spoken and Written

Re: Has Astrology Lost You Friends?
 

First off, I am curious what planet and aspect sits on your 3rd, 7th and 11th house...

I also dont have much close friends but many acquaintances as I am much picky to whom I really deal with, however my friends and acquaintances don't mind me having this interest in Astrology, in fact I am known for it. Most of them became interested Of the subject because of me.

Well, I can start by listing off what friendship is not:

In my view, they are not acquisitions, assets, investments, networks for your own personal gain / enhancements of an imaginative "image" or 'hierarchical structure', means to an end, extensions of your ego, forms of validation, placeholders, or remedies for your inner brokenness / void.

Of course, there is potential for these qualities to manifest, but not intentionally nor exclusively the reason for relations.

I don't particularly care for the stipulations, expectations, and obligations one suddently finds themselves with once they have a "friend". For me, it is entirely too restrictive & limited.

Also, I don't believe it coincides with the natural rhythms of life.

I actually question the sincerity of friendships, personal identity, and rates of maturation if one keeps the same circles for extended amounts of time.

For me, the word "friends" is steeped with divisive undertones.

I am capable of having deep meaningful experiences with human beings without nonsensical labels.