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The Older I Get, the More I Believe in Astrology

This might be the reason more of us are reading our horoscopes


a woman looks at the night sky filled with constellations
Monica Garwood

Welcome to Ethels Tell All, where the writers behind The Ethel newsletter share their personal stories related to the joys and challenges of aging. Come back Wednesday each week for the latest piece, exclusively on AARP Members Edition

I’m not sure when I first understood what astrology was, but I remember from an early age poring over the daily horoscopes published in our local newspaper. Growing up, I’d be sure to check out the monthly forecasts in Young Miss and Seventeen magazines, and once I even bought a little book at the checkout counter of the grocery store, specifically about Scorpios.

So I guess what I’m saying is that historically, I’m not woo-woo, but I am a little woo.

I married into a family that openly discussed sun signs and planetary alignments the way my parents talked about plans for the weekend, so the shift may have been gradually building since I first met my in-laws-to-be, in 1996. However, over the past five years, I’ve gone from simply reading my daily horoscope when it pops up on a social media feed to having a morning ritual that includes reviewing it on two different apps and noting any guiding wisdom for the day or week in my calendar.

I’ve started using horoscopes to help guide “future me.” For instance, I write little reminders from my horoscope for the week ahead at the top of my weekly calendar, reminding myself of big themes to look out for. For instance, a few weeks back, I wrote, “Unbecome everything that isn’t you.” Throughout that week, I faced some moments that offered me opportunities, but inauthentic opportunities. I passed on them because they would have pushed me to be something I’m not.

In addition, over the past few months, if anyone asks my sign, I don’t simply reply “Scorpio,” but rather feel it necessary to add “with Leo rising and Aquarius moon.”

It turns out, according to Dossé-Via Trenou — an astrologer and fellow Scorpio whose horoscopes under the Scorpio Mystique platform I’ve followed since 2011 — there’s some planetary activity that could be responsible for my recent astrological glow-up.

“We have entered the Age of Aquarius, especially with Pluto, which is Scorpio’s ruling planet, now in Aquarius until 2044,” says Trenou, explaining that prior to this shift we were in the Age of Pisces, where a lot of things like religion are programmed and have a mass influence on the collective consciousness.

“The shift to the Age of Aquarius is leading many more of us to open up our minds about what spirituality and fate are, and making it more personal to our core values,” she adds.

In April 2025, Trenou launched a redesigned app called Know the Zodiac. Her users are largely female, with millennials and Gen Zers comprising her largest single age groups (the 24-34 and 35-44 age ranges make up 38 percent and 39 percent of users, respectively), and users age 44 and up accounting for nearly 20 percent of users.

But it is the Gen Xers and boomers who dominate Trenou’s in-person readings.

That tracks, as we older women tend to value in-person conversations more, and we likely have more disposable income to spend on a personalized service. “Women 40 to 60, often from lived experience, are recognizing patterns that keep coming out, and they do want an astrologer to really go deep in their charts and help them see their own blind spots, and help them see what their biggest strengths are,” says Trenou.

Susan Miller, who was among the first astrologers to establish an online platform in 1995 with Astrology Zone, boasts 13 million annual unique visitors. She shares similar age-related demographics as Trenou, but reports that 20 percent of her readers are age 65 and up.

Miller agrees that astrology seems to be growing in popularity and attributes it to social media.

“Everybody has always loved astrology, but they kept it a secret,” Miller says, evoking images of headlines running in the National Enquirer involving former first lady Nancy Reagan inviting astrologers to the White House. “Now, people are talking about it.”

While Trenou and Miller are two divergent voices in astrology, they have a lot in common. Both started studying astrology from a young age — Trenou at age 10, Miller at 12 — and were encouraged by their parents to follow this path. Both were raised in Christian households.

Most importantly, their purpose as astrologers is aligned.

“Astrology is the best tool you can use for creative problem-solving. There is always something good going on, on a chart,” Miller says, noting that people are quick to point to all the bad things happening to them while ignoring areas where opportunity awaits. “That’s my job. You may be so consumed with a horrible boss or something negative that you’re not seeing the other areas that are glittering for you. I show you that.”

While admitting that “fear-based astrology,” which only shares the doom and gloom and offers false solutions to readers, would be much more profitable, Trenou calls being an astrologer a “huge responsibility” and says her goal is to ensure the practice isn’t commodified and is used to lift people up.

“One of the best ways astrology can be used is to help people realize that nothing lasts forever. Things will shift. We are evolutionary,” says Trenou. “And I just want as many people as possible to understand this wisdom because that’s what is going to raise the collective consciousness, and it’s already happening.”

Journalistic integrity prevents me from even hinting at a peek into my charts during my conversations with Miller and Trenou, but they ask me for the requisite astrological information (sun, rising, moon), as any good astrologer would.

“You’re moving into the light,” Miller tells me, noting the remarkable astrological event this year that is five planets shifting into new signs. “They’re all moving into fire and air, which is perfect for you because your moon is air, your rising is fire and you have a Capricorn earth, which keeps you very practical and grounded. You’re going to have a very good year in 2027 … and you’re going to have the best time of your life next summer, when Jupiter goes into Leo.”

And in the less distant future, says Trenou, I’m going to be making an impact. Perhaps even with this article. She adds: “With your Aquarius moon, this work you’re doing right now is part of this Age of Aquarius enlightening: using your platform to help raise the collective consciousness.”

AARP essays share a point of view in the author’s voice, drawn from expertise or experience, and do not necessarily reflect the views of AARP.

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