Astrology has been experiencing a renaissance over the past five years in popular culture, with an expanding presence in the marketplace. There are endless options for consultations, readings, education online and increasingly on mobile apps. The field of astrology is no stranger to change and it's not necessary to believe in astrology for it to provide interest and value. There’s a generational and technological evolution and shift in the astrological “tradition”. Creating a ripe area of need in the current culture for astrology to be optimized as a wellness tool, while preserving much of the academic rigor and continuum of the astrological profession.

Many of the apps on the market are based on zodiac “sun” signs with assumptions that can mislead the public about who they are and can result in poorly informed decision-making. Astrology is so much more than a zodiac sun sign. In fact, The sun sign only comprises one aspect of the chart analysis. In this sense, astrology is mislabeled and misused as a tool for marketing and entertainment. This is nothing new, it has just been on pause since the 1970s when astrology and the zodiacs were last in vogue. Further back, R.H. Naylor introduced the first newspaper horoscope columns in the first half of the 20th century.

The ephemeral nature of horoscopes probably results in no harm to the reader. Yet, just like the media in our current era, there is much fake news and misinformation that includes mass market horoscopic astrology too. The consumer is often left feeling adrift in a sea of confusing and contradictory information. However, astrology is less about validation in the scientific sense and more about the practice of self-validation, known in psychology as the Forer Effect.

Nicholas Campion, the author of “Astrology and Popular Religion in the Modern West,” has argued, “the number of people who know their sun sign, consult their horoscope, or read about the sign of their romantic partner is much higher.”

Dr. Chris French, a professor of psychology at London’s Goldsmith College who studies belief in the paranormal, sometimes asks students on exams: “Does astrology work?” “Basically, the good answers would be the ones that took part in the word ‘work,’” he says. On the one hand, the straightforward answer is that, according to a host of scientific studies, astrology does not work. “But you’ve then got the other question… ‘Does astrology provide any psychological benefit, does it have any psychological function?’” he said. “The answer to that is, sometimes, yes.”

The rising number of products and services related to astrology indicates that this is a ripe area of need for the current culture that can be optimized for wellness—while still preserving much of the academic rigor and nature of the astrological profession. Understanding the user’s needs and motivations — whether that’s reducing anxiety, uncertainty, validation or just for entertainment, etc. will help to customize a tool that will feel like a reliable and friendly advocate on life’s journey. In a nutshell, putting value before vanity, while preserving and creating a culture of sustainable astrology.