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by Mya Brillinger, working individually

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Post #2 Red Flag: Ancient Wisdom (video)

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Post #2 Red Flag: Ancient Wisdom (video)

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Explanation:
In the past century, science and technology have made significant advancements to allow scientists to study and learn about the world around us. Because of this, humanity has gained access to more knowledge and resources to improve our lives and better understand the world we live in. Believing that early humans had more knowledge than we do today is backward thinking, as they did not have the tools to study what scientists do modern-day.

How does Ancient Wisdom connect to Astrology?
The video shown above, titled "Origins Of The Ancient Zodiac And Astrology", details how astrology as a practice was discovered in Mesopotamia during the Babylonian Empire. It explains how the ancients used the constellations to dictate many aspects of life and society. It was ancient wisdom that the stars and planets were living beings and had the ability to provide guidance to humanity. The flaw with this logic is that, once again, there is no evidence to suggest that any claims from the past are fact. Ancient people from Mesopotamia made observations of the stars and assigned meanings to them, but they did not have the technology to be able to make sufficient studies of space and the universe as we do today.

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Origins Of The Ancient Zodiac And Astrology

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Post #3 Red Flag: Confusion of Causation and Correlation (website)

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Post #3 Red Flag: Confusion of Causation and Correlation (website)

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Explanation:
When two things occur at the same time often enough, one can sometimes be confused with causing the other to occur. It's much like the stereotype that all Canadians like hockey; being Canadian does not directly influence an interest in hockey as a sport, and being interested in hockey does not mean you are Canadian. Yes, they do correlate, as hockey is a popular Canadian sport, but one does not cause the other.

How does Confusion of Causation and Correlation connect to Astrology?
This webpage describes different types of people that believe in Astrology, and how one group believes that the moon and stars have direct control over events that happen on Earth. Although celestial events and earthly events happen simultaneously, there is very little evidence to suggest that celestial bodies have direct influence on human events. When a predicted event does occur, it can be explained by The Law of Large Numbers, which explains that if two random events happen at the same time, they can happen frequently enough to be believed that one causes another despite the fact that those two events are more likely to occur separately than together.

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Astrology is broadly defined as the study of the correlation between celestial and earthly events.

It is based on the premise that when something happens in the sky, and event that has similar symbolic meaning will also occur on Earth.

Astrologers have historically been divided into two major camps when it comes to their views regarding the mechanism underlying astrology:

1) The first camp views the planets and other celestial objects as being capable of correlating with earthly events without necessarily causing those events to occur. Therefore they adhere to the view that there is no causal mechanism underlying astrology, but instead that it works as a result of symbolic correlations that are not causal in nature.

2) The second camp views the planets and other celestial objects as literally causing events on Earth to happen through some sort of causal force or mechanism that they emit. Those in this camp view astrology as working through some sort of underlying causal mechanism, although the nature of the mechanism is sometimes said to be a known force, such as electromagnetism, and other times an unknown force that hasn't been properly discovered or understood yet.

The commonality between the two views is that they both accept that celestial objects bodies regularly correlate with terrestrial events. Practically speaking, astrologers who adhere to one view or the other essentially practice astrology in the same way, as most of the techniques could be conceptualized within the context of either framework.

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Astrology is broadly defined as the study of the correlation between celestial and earthly events. It is based on the premise that when something happens in the sky, and event that has similar symbolic meaning will also occur on Earth.

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Post #4 Red Flag: Mystical Energy (website)

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Post #4 Red Flag: Mystical Energy (website)

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Explanation:
The word "energy" is used scientifically to measure something's ability to work. Electricity is a form of energy because it powers our technology and many of our home appliances. When the word "energy" is used in any other context, it is essentially meaningless.

How does Mystical Energy connect to Astrology?
The website shown above mentions the word "energy" numerous times throughout the attached article in regards to the moon. In Astrology, the sun and moon have a deep connection to the zodiac signs, so it is believed by those who practice Astrology that the moon has different abilities throughout the stages of the moon's phases. It also refers to the word "energy" to mean the word emotion. The critical thinking process should be considered when reading about the moon phases and their energy: Is this energy measurable?

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Author:

Updated on December 16, 2022

By The AstroTwins

Moon-curious? Here's everything you need to know about new moons and how to harness their powerful energy from down here on solid ground.

Image by mbg Creative x Lucas Ottone / Stocksy

Last updated on December 16, 2022

What's a new moon?

A new moon happens once a month when the moon and the sun conjoin in the sky, setting off a new cycle of light. When the moon is new, it's invisible to us on Earth, then it slowly appears as a very thin crescent of light. While the energy of a new moon lasts for about three days before and after the lunation, the moon is technically only new for a moment-when the sun and the moon are directly aligned in the sky ( and on the zodiac wheel!).

What's the spiritual meaning and significance of the new moon?

Since new moons happen once a month and signify the beginning of a cycle, you can think of them as a cosmic reset. The new moon is an ideal time to set intentions and goals that you'll develop as the moon waxes toward fullness. Connecting to these lunar energies can provide grounding and a sense of direction.

After the new moon, the light starts to build, as the moon gradually becomes more visible to us on earth. This phase between the new and full moon is called the waxing moon. Our mission during this time is to collect energy and information as everything becomes illuminated. We can use the waxing moon momentum for building, working toward a goal, or bringing the first phases of a project to fruition.

What to do during the new moon

When we write things down, we are more likely to remember and act on them. At a page-turning new moon, write down whatever you're looking to manifest during this two-week cycle of light. Spend time with what you wrote and read it aloud. Keep your list of intentions with you as the moon waxes, and revisit it and revise it as needed. Stay in tune with the moon as it builds, and manifest your desires.

What kind of energy do you want to bring with you into this new cycle? Affirmations are a great way to get clear on what you want. Make a list of affirmations, read them aloud, and revisit them as the moon's light builds. Whereas intentions set the tone for what you want to do, affirmations are all about what you want to be and embody. Examples of affirmations for the new moon include: "I am confident"; "I bring peace and love into this new cycle of light"; "I share my light."

Water-based rituals are always a great way to work with lunar energy, as the moon is so closely linked with the water element. Relax and reset in the tub with your favorite music playing. Light candles, fill your diffuser with essential oils, and set a healing ambience for your bath. Submerge and set the space for a new beginning as you cleanse, release, and refresh your mind, body, and spirit.

Creating sacred, intentional space is an excellent way to invite new moon energy into your life. Oftentimes, when we create a physical environment, the energy we want more readily pours into our lives. Clear off a surface (dresser, table, etc.) and set any objects, intentions, lists, or images that remind you of what you're calling in with the new moon. Revisit this sacred space as the moon waxes. You can use it as a meditation station and light candles, use aromatherapy and oils, add crystals, and ground into the energy around the space every morning. New moons can also be a time to share sacred space with others through a new moon circle ceremony.

What not to do during the new moon

Use the new moon to energetically set the tone for the coming weeks. It's a time to refresh, reset, and look to the future. If there are any relationships or friendships in your life that consistently bring you down or drain your energy, you'll want to avoid spending time with these people at the new moon. Surround yourself with people who help you feel energized and alive!

The new moon is just that: new! Stay present, look ahead to the future with optimism, and try not to get bogged down with worries about the past. Let it go, and let it flow.

Pay special attention to any new people, experiences, or opportunities that the universe puts in your path during the new moon. While the full moon is a time to release anything that's not serving us, the new moon is a time to build, create, and spark new projects.

How to shake up your new moon ritual throughout the year

A new moon always falls in one specific astrological sign. Every sign carries different energies and themes, and we can use this information to connect us with the cosmos. Here are some keywords associated with each sign to help you get started on your lunar journeying.

Aries: Identity, self, individuality, fire, beginnings.

Taurus: Mother Earth, art, nature, body positivity, grounding.

Gemini: Conversation, air, information, knowledge, social.

Cancer: Water, womb, Mother, moon, comfort.

Leo: Fire, creativity, fame, Sun, sovereignty.

Virgo: Earth, goddess, harvest, sorting out what's necessary from what's not.

Scorpio: Deep waters, underworld, shadow, the past.

Sagittarius: Adventure, fire, the unknown, wildness.

Capricorn: Earth, structure, integrity, hard work, Saturn.

Aquarius: Air, new ideas, revolution, future-oriented, outsiders.

Libra: Balance, justice, beauty, harmony, air, ideas.

Pisces: The ocean, collective consciousness, mystical, dreams.

More advanced astrology fans can refer to their own natal chart to see where the next new moon will fall for them. For example, if the next new moon in Aries falls in your 10th house, it will be all about setting intentions in your career and public life, which are 10th-house topics. You can use this cosmic info to help guide your intention setting and areas of focus for the next few weeks.

The new moon is like a cosmic reset and a monthly gift from the universe. Use this energy for beginnings and to set the tone for the next cycle in your life. Avoid unnecessary stress and decide what energy you want to call in. Let the new moon empower you!
RELATED STORY: 9 New Moon Rituals For Love, Release, Manifestation + More
Then comes the full moon, a time for culmination and harvest. This is the peak moment that we've been working toward, when our new moon intentions reach their apex. Should we stay or should we go? Do we reap the rewards of our work or change course? As the moon becomes completely visible to us on earth, we can see everything clearly.

Next, the waning moon phase begins. As the moon recedes and the light starts to dwindle, we can begin to release what's no longer working for us. Reflect on what you've built during the waxing phase and shed what doesn't feel right. As the moon disappears from view, we can tie up any loose ends and say goodbye to what's not serving our highest purpose.

Astrologically speaking, new moons occur when the sun and the moon are at the exact same degree in the same zodiac sign. Full moons happen when they are in opposite zodiac signs but at the same degree. Every new moon will culminate in a corresponding full moon six months later. For example, a Pisces new moon will fall during Pisces season in February or March, then the Pisces full moon will arise during Virgo season in August or September.

You can set short-term goals between new and full moons every two weeks. Then, use lunar astrology for a longer game, creating intentions at a new moon that you'll develop over a six-month window.

Ophira and Tali Edut, known as the AstroTwins, are professional astrologers based out of New York and Seattle. Their work has been featured in The New York Times, Elle, Vogue, and Good Morning America. They have been dubbed "astrologers to the stars" after reading for notable celebrities, including Beyoncé, Emma Roberts and Stevie Wonder. The AstroTwins have collaborated with Nordstrom, Kate Spade and Urban Outfitters, among other major brands. They have authored four print books: AstroStyle, Love Zodiac, Shoestrology, and Momstrology, and have a growing collection of ebooks, including their popular annual horoscope guides.

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Moon Curious? Here's Everything You Need To Know About New Moons & Their Energy

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Author: Updated on December 16, 2022 By The AstroTwins Moon-curious? Here's everything you need to know about new moons and how to harness their powerful energy from down here on solid ground. Image by mbg Creative x Lucas Ottone / Stocksy Last updated on December 16, 2022 What's a new moon?

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An example of a newspaper column on weekly horoscopes.

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Post #5 Red Flag: Confirmation Bias (image)

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Post #5 Red Flag: Confirmation Bias (image)

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Explanation:
During a game of darts, only the darts that hit the board are counted for points, and the misses are not. When this tactic is applied to a social situation (ex. fortune telling, tarot cards, psychic readings), this is called Confirmation Bias. People naturally gravitate towards evidence that confirms our beliefs rather than disproves them. We are more likely to retain the memory of a "hit" than a "miss" based on how true we believe it to be.

How does Confirmation Bias connect to Astrology?
Many people who believe in Astrology will often follow their horoscopes in the weekly magazine, newspaper, or online.   The issue with Confirmation Bias in astrology is that it often requires those who read their daily horoscopes to actively seek out confirming evidence to reinforce the belief. One limitation of astrology is that these horoscope readings are generalized texts based on each zodiac sign, meaning that the reading will not always be accurate. This also connects to the pseudoscience watchlist because newspapers and websites will often use horoscopes to entice people into subscribing, meaning that money is involved.

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Post #6 Red Flag: Appeal to Authority (video)

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Post #6 Red Flag: Appeal to Authority (video)

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Explanation:
If this many celebrities and successful people believe in it, it must be true, right? When advertising companies use stars or actors in lab coats to sell a product, service, or ideology, this is called Appeal to Authority. The goal is to get people to subscribe to this product or ideology by utilizing the appearance of credibility. Consumers are more likely to believe someone successful and familiar, regardless of the advertised person's background.

How does Appeal to Authority connect to Astrology?
Cosmopolitan, a magazine, published the video linked above on their YouTube channel detailing celebrities' responses to being asked about their zodiac signs. They intended to use the faces of Beyonce and the Kardashians and their belief in Astrology to gain more viewers and readers. They claim to believe in Astrology and its effects on their personality and relationships with others around them.

Asking questions and applying critical thinking to these claims can also aid in determining the validity of this video; do any of the celebrities shown have a background in astronomy? If not, where does their belief stem from? Are they gaining anything from endorsing Astrology as an idea or practice?

This is also linked to the pseudoscience watchlist that there is money involved, as a magazine like Cosmopolitan requires funding to keep running.

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Celebrities open up about their star signs | Cosmopolitan UK

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An image of the Milky Way galaxy in the night sky.

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Post #7 Reason for Belief: Patternicity (image)

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Post #7 Reason for Belief: Patternicity (image)

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Explanation:
As humans, it is natural that we look for patterns and consistencies in the world around us. Often, we assign meaning to meaningless and mundane patterns simply because our brains are trained to do so. This red flag is called Patternicity.

How does Patternicity connect to Astrology?
Because of the association between the night sky observed at a certain time during the calendar year and one's date of birth, it is often believed that your personality and life are predetermined by the stars at birth. Natal charts are often used in Astrology to predict your life, personality, relationships, and career based solely on the star position during your exact date and time of birth. One flaw with this belief is that it doesn't recognize that your personality and life are often influenced by a variety of other factors (ex. upbringing, personal experiences, psychological factors, family medical history). This also connects to the pseudoscience watchlist because the results cannot be reproduced or verified, since no one person will relate completely to their astrological natal chart. It is impossible to completely predict someone's life based on the position of the stars during their birth.

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Post #9 Reason for Belief: Emotional Connection (website)

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Post #9 Reason for Belief: Emotional Connection (website)

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Explanation:
When we make an emotional connection, we often feel more compelled to believe something because it appeals to our emotions. This allows our judgment to become clouded, making it harder for us to think critically about whatever issues we face. This is mostly because, as people, we look for confirmation bias to feed our thoughts and emotions, making it harder to break the cycle of our beliefs.

How does Emotional Connection connect to Astrology?

Many people who believe in astrology look towards the practice for life guidance, or use it to find a sense of purpose. This was popularized during the 1970s hippie movement when belief in astrology became more prevalent within modern society due to the beginning of the 2,000-year astrological period referred to by astrologers as "The Age of Aquarius". It is still popular within society to read horoscopes or astrological projections on how your week, month, or year will go based on your zodiac sign. These texts are wired to make the reader assign an emotional connection to their horoscope based on the accuracy of the prediction, causing the reader to believe that astrology can influence human events.

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Even though astrology lost favor after Newton's discoveries of modern science, it didn't take away from the comeback in popularity of the mystical Age of Aquarius beginning in the 1970s.

According to Julie Beck, author of "The New Age of Astrology", "The New Age movement of the 1960s and '70s came with a heaping helping of the zodiac."

The '70s was one of the biggest times for astrology in pop culture. The hippie movement of the 1960s and '70s led to a lot of questioning of religion.

The Age of Aquarius is a 2,000-year period that began in the 70s, it was a time of new beginnings, which led to the popularization of astrology. Now, about 50 years later, astrology is feeling a resurgence.

"Astrology is currently enjoying a broad cultural acceptance that hasn't been seen since the nineteen-seventies," According to Christine Smallwood at the New Yorker and author of "Astrology in the age of uncertainty." "The shift began with the advent of the personal computer, accelerated with the Internet, and has reached new speeds through social media."

Today, astrology is even bigger than it was during the Age of Aquarius. Gen Z and millennials have taken a particular interest in astrology, using it as a way for better self-understanding.

"In a 2014 study conducted by the National Science Foundation, it was found that 58% of young people aged between 18-24 believed that astrology is a science. This isn't surprising given that apps like Co - Star advertise themselves by stating that they use "NASA data" to "algorithmically generate insights" for their users. Although astrology is not a science, it is marketed as such. In a world dictated by reason and logic, this scientific turn has legitimized and popularized the practice," according to Mona Jameel author of Gen-Z, Zodiac: Why Teens are Turning to the Stars for Answers`

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Even though astrology lost favor after Newton's discoveries of modern science, it didn't take away from the comeback in popularity of the mystical Age of Aquarius beginning in the 1970s. According to Julie Beck, author of "The New Age of Astrology", "The New Age movement of the 1960s and '70s came with a heaping...

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I chose to evaluate post #2 about Ancient Wisdom.

Define the problem:
Do the movements of celestial bodies cause worldly events?

Gather information:
Astrology is a practice that was founded and used during the Babylonian Empire. It is an idea that revolves around the movements of the planets in our solar system, as well as the 12 astrological signs known as Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Saggitarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces. Those who believe in astrology claim that it has the ability to predict events in society, as well as our daily lives.

Evaluate evidence:
Astrology was developed during a time when humanity had very little access to scientific resources, and there was no ability to test and record evidence to support the claim beyond surface-level observation. This means that the scientific method was not used (note, the scientific method as a theory was not proposed until the time of Galileo), and therefore could produce no verifiable results.

Recognize assumptions, emotions, and biases:
Mesopotamians were biased because of the correlations between the stars and their religious practices at the time (ideological support). They assumed that their Gods had control of the stars and planets, believing their movements caused seasonal changes or societal events simply due to the coincidence of them occurring at the same time. There is no further evidence proving that the night sky affects human behavior or natural events.

Synthesize evidence, and identify alternatives:

Solution 1: Celestial bodies do cause worldly events, supported by the observations of Mesopotamian scholars during the Babylonian Empire.

Solution 2: Celestial bodies do not cause worldly events, supported by modern knowledge of Astronomy as well as Galileo's scientific method.

Select the best alternative:
I conclude that the movements of celestial bodies do not cause worldly events.

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Post #8 Reason for Belief: Agenticity (video)

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Post #8 Reason for Belief: Agenticity (video)

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Explanation:
Do you believe that a God or Goddess from the Greek Pantheon rules over your star sign? This is called Agenticity. It is very common for religions or cultures to assign a higher meaning to phenomena that we cannot understand or explain as if a God or spirit is controlling it to guide us.

How does Agenticity connect to Astrology?
When Astrology was created in Babylon circa. 3rd millennium BCE, people observed the planets' movements and began assigning certain Gods from their pantheon to the planets they observed. They believed that the Gods could control the planets in our solar system, and using that they could control the events of what happens on Earth. The problem with this belief is it relies on a geocentric solar system because the ancients believed the stars and planets revolved around us, which we now know is false.

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Astrology Origins and The Zodiacs explained | Explore Mode & Myth Stories Collab