Getting Into Astrology as a Pastor’s Kid
How did someone raised in a deeply Christian home get into astrology?
Astrology is defined as the study of the correlation between celestial and earthly events. As a pastor’s kid, how did I enter this realm?
For starters, I’ve always connected with the divinity of God through the vast, wordless, comforting, expanding mystery of it all. And at the same time, a structured approach to faith always felt the best for me. I loved reading the Bible.
Growing up in a Christian household felt very nurturing to me because everything was connected to religion. We prayed before every meal, and God was included in almost every conversation. The conversations where God wasn’t included, I would push for it. For me, life had to make sense within a framework of a relationship with God.
Growing up with parents as Christian leaders (my dad was a pastor) gave me a more in-depth perspective. For example, I enjoyed having access to books on theology and biblical interpretation. Additionally, our home was constantly cycling with visitors. I wouldn’t always participate in the endless discussions of hermeneutics and apologetics, but I was always listening, always gathering data…
Hermeneutics is the theory and methodology of interpretation, especially the interpretation of biblical texts. Apologetics is the religious discipline of defending religious doctrines through systematic argumentation and discourse. These two practices continue to fill me with joy.
There were two key turning points in my life related to these disciplines.
The first one was an intensely spiritual prayer experience where I was forced to accept the vastness of God, and how He reveals Himself in an infinite plethora of cultures and forms (such as nature, supernatural events, and everything in between).
The other one was getting introduced to astrology from a friend. I came face to face with the reality of the accuracy of astrology. The fact that we didn’t just have a sun sign (such as Gemini), but also a moon sign (such as Virgo) absolutely blew me out of the water. And it got so much more detailed! Thus began my journey with reconciling having a relationship with God at the same time as participating in a new system of knowledge, based on the interpretation of traditional philosophies.
I removed the label Christian from my self but kept my relationship with God. It became more robust and meaningful to me as I observed Him reveal Himself through the natural, observable, cyclical patterns of creation (such as seasons).
It felt like discovering the language of God. Imagine hearing the most beautiful, intricate, perfectly balanced language that consistently delivers realistic hope. It continues to help me define my life experiences and brings me to a state of tangible, practical peace.
Having a unique illustration of our position in life offers us comfort and provides us with the strength to do the right thing.
Understanding astrology helps us relate to others with compassion because it gives us a view that we are not inherently better or worse than each other. We’re just different, human, and full of glorious potential.
Astrology is not a necessary component of spirituality, but I am lucky to have discovered it and am looking forward to sharing more.
Have you had any unconventional breakthroughs in your approach to a relationship with God? Have you had any key moments regarding religion that brought you to a deeper level of meaning and connection? What did these moments look like and feel like? How were they defined for you? I’d love to hear.
