When the moon is in the seventh house...

Hey, what's your sign? I'm guessing you're an Aries. I knew it. We're destined to get along.

Is there any more obnoxious pick up line or a more effective way to get turned off to astrology? It's always struck me as just a little cheesy, yet I read a horoscope fairly often. I know my sign, Cancer -- on the Gemini cusp and its icon, the crab. I know its planet -- the Moon, its element -- water, its dominant body parts -- breasts and belly, its leading personality traits -- changeable moods that can drive other people crazy, a love for home and family, a strong strain of romanticism, a certain materialism, a double edged sensitivity and of course, that tough protective shell. I even know the sign of the absolute worst possible mate for me, Leo, coincidentally the sign of my husband. Even a casual reading of my blog shows that I am at least superficially, a pretty typical Cancer.

I am strongly drawn to the Moon. Despite its regular presence in the sky, I can't take it for granted. I automatically smile when I see it. My hormonal cycle is that of the moon, and my body empties itself for restoration as the moon turns to a void. If the moon can control the ebb and flow of the tides, it makes sense to me that it could call the salt water in my body as well. Yes, I know that silent, silver orb is my planet.

I don't want to give too much weight to astrology. It's hardly science. It cannot be proven or truly quantified. I don't believe in an inescapable destiny or that the time and place of birth place people into an unbreakable mold. Free will cannot be mitigated, and the strength of DNA and environment overrides the potential strength of any distant planet in my mind.

I'm not going to discount it completely. If all things are truly connected, the position of the planets could have an effect on a person, but there would be countless other factors asserting their presence as well. So, I'll read my horoscope with a generous dash of salt, and anyone who tries to guess my sign has no chance of getting my attention.

This entry prompted by Sunday Scribblings.

Sunday Scribblings, astrology, Cancer