Whether or not you believe in astrology, it is undeniable that it holds value for people.
One of the first things you will learn about me is my love for astrology, and one of the first things I will ask you is what your sign is (I’m a Leo, for the record).
I am drawn to astrology because of how deeply I resonate with all of the placements in my birth chart (my Scorpio moon and Sagittarius rising, for example). It helps me see the nuances of my personality and articulate them, something I learned to do as I matured to an adult.
I also love to see how other peoples’ placements shape them and my relationships with them. In short, I cannot not see the world through an astrological lens.
According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the earliest evidence of astrology dates back to the third millennium B.C.E and was considered an academic discipline for centuries throughout much of Eurasia.
Today, Millennials and Gen-Z, attracted to the sense of control the practice provides during chaotic times, have helped it proliferate the internet, even though it is now considered a pseudoscience.
Perhaps someone has asked you for your “Big Three” (sun, moon and rising signs) or “Big Six” (the previous three, plus your Mercury, Venus and Mars signs). Perhaps you know what all of them mean or perhaps you do not.
If you are interested in astrology, there are plenty of places in the Twin Cities alone that can give you the tools to get started.
The Future, a 30-minute bus ride via the 3 and 22H buses or a 10-minute drive from the University of Minnesota in the Corcoran neighborhood, is a small storefront with a bright interior. The space was filled with the energizing scent of cinnamon when I visited on Friday.
Lacey Prpic-Hedtke, an Aquarius, opened the store in 2017 and started her own astrology business, Silver Rising Astrology, the following year. Prpic-Hedtke said she has been interested in astrology since she was 12.
“I like that astrology is a way for people to understand how they relate to other people,” Prpic-Hedtke said. “It’s not necessarily about telling them what to do, but it’s more like a weather report. We have free will, but I try to make (my readings) empowering.”
The Future carries Prpic-Hedtke’s favorite book growing up, “The Only Astrology Book You’ll Ever Need” by Joanna Martine Woolfolk, among a myriad of other books, zines, accessories and ritualistic tools like candles and incense.
One book that stood out to me was “Post-Colonial Astrology” by Alice Sparkly Kat, a breakdown of how astrology can be used for collective liberation and healing. It immediately went on my “To Be Read” list.
For even more astrology books, stop by Magus Books and Herbs in Northeast Minneapolis, a 10-minute drive or 20-minute bus ride via the 2C and 10 buses.
Beyond astrology, Magus offers books catering to various spiritual beliefs, helping to bring those people together under one roof.
“I love overhearing a conversation in the store between a Buddhist, a Wiccan and a ceremonial atheist,” said owner and Master Herbalist Liz Johnson, a Gemini. “I think that’s fascinating. It’s good for the world.”
Out of what Magus has to offer, Johnson recommended “Astrologickal Magick” by Minneapolis author Estelle Daniels.
Magus also has an in-house astrologer who holds classes and can be seen by appointment for birth chart readings of varying lengths.
One of Minneapolis’ oldest astrological institutions was The Eye of Horus, which opened in 2003 and is now split into a retail metaphysical store, MoonStone MPLS and 3rd Eye Psychic Salon.
Rachel Dominguez, owner of 3rd Eye Psychic Salon and a Scorpio, explained how astrology is built into practice as a tarot card reader.
“The major cards all have either a zodiac sign or a planet or an element, and the small cards are just interpolations of planets and signs,” Dominguez said. “You can derive a very flexible and nuanced interpretation based off of these different symbols as they arise.”
Dominguez said 3rd Eye Psychic Salon has two astrologers on staff who offer readings of varying lengths, but also recommended getting a Thoth Tarot deck at MoonStone, which she said includes nuances that were removed from the mainstream Rider-Waite decks.
“There’s all these different parts to the cards and they all make for an incredibly nuanced universe of constellations of meanings,” Dominguez said. “That’s going to help you understand your signs more.”
There are many ways to break into astrology, a practice Prpic-Hedtke said you can never stop learning about.
“Who’s to say any of what’s on Earth is made up,” Prpic-Hedtke said. “It’s just fun to believe in things I want to believe in, that bring me joy and make me giggle.”