What Does Your Sign Say About You?

July 5, 2006 — -- Whether people believe in astrology or not, nearly everyone knows his or her sign.

Some think the way the stars, sun and moon were aligned when you were born is the key to unlocking the mystery of your personality.

According to a 2001 Gallup poll, 33 percent of Americans believed in astrology and the National Science Foundation said that 43 percent of Americans checked newspaper horoscopes.

If so, they are in good historical company.

Alexander the Great and Galileo both took heed of the stars.

The study of astrology dates back thousands of years, but experts cannot seem to agree on exactly when or where it began. Some say it originated in 2,300 B.C. in Mesopotamia or modern-day Iraq; others say 4,500 B.C.

Some say it began in Egypt.

Whatever its origins, the study is an important tool for life, astrologers say.

"First of all, astrology is based on mathematical cycles," said Susan Miller, who writes an astrology column for InStyle magazine and CosmoGirl.

"You have complete control of your life. I can just tell you the kind of influences, whether they are tough and constricting, or open and expansive. We feel you should take advantage of the good ones, and I show you how to deal with the difficult ones. It is a matter of adjusting for the flow of the cosmos."

Miller, who created the Web site Astrologyzone.com, said that certain signs were predisposed to attain certain things in life.

For example, five U.S. presidents have been Scorpios and five have been Aquariuses.

"Aquarius wants to change the world to make it a better place. President Lincoln was an Aquarius. You see this sign coming up a lot. This is almost the sign of the mom that's so busy taking care of battered women and she forgets to cook dinner at home. It is a very giving sign," Miller said.

Presidents John Adams and Teddy Roosevelt were both Scorpios, who are considered good negotiators, according to Miller.

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., is also Scorpio, she noted.

A Forbes magazine study found that more billionaires were Virgos than any other sign.

Warren Buffet, who recently pledged 85 percent of his more than $40 billion fortune to charity, is a Virgo.

Miller said that Pisces had been the dominant billionaire sign until a few years ago.