A new year comes with fresh resolutions and goals for the next 365 days. Lately, more people are relying on astrology to help them navigate.
A recent survey found that 37% of women and 20% of men believe in astrology , with the highest numbers among people ages 18-49. It’s becoming a lucrative business too, with Americans spending an estimated $2.1 billion on the “mystical services market” in 2018.
Chani Nicholas, professional astrologer and author of the book “ You Were Born For This: Astrology For Radical Self Acceptance ,” says that the latest surge in astrology’s popularity is due to more stress, much like when the practice had a moment in the 1970s.
“I think in the 60s and 70s, there was a lot of the fabric of society unraveling … and so there was a huge backlash to that,” she says. “And now I think what millennials and Gen Z are growing into is a world that's incredibly unstable and obviously unfair. I think we're seeing generations push up against cultural norms and things that would have our fears assuaged and saying … what is going to give my life meaning and purpose, and what am I supposed to do here?”
The cover of “You Were Born For This.” Courtesy of Chani Nicholas.
For Nicholas, astrology is about race, class, and gender identity. She believes people can live better by looking at how social structures and astrological placements impact them.
“When we are able to radically accept who we are, we're much more prone to work on the things that we need to work on,” she says. “I wanted to write a book that would help people access the wisdom of their chart so that they could more quickly align with living out their purpose. And so that we could all be, again, more quickly of service to the world. Because I do believe that the world needs each one of us to be doing our jobs in the ways that we can.”
Chani Nicholas. Courtesy of Chani Nicholas.