Photo: WAYHOME studio / shutterstock
You can be any age, old or young, and still be an old soul.
By Emily Ratay — Written on Sep 30, 2020
If you’re an old soul, it means you're wise beyond your years, and have a better understanding of the world and all its secrets. The age of your soul doesn’t coincide with your actual age, but rather how much your soul has experienced within all of your lifetimes — both now and in the past.
An old soul tends to focus on the bigger picture in life because they know there’s more to this world than getting hung up on the past. Old souls teach others how to embrace change, learn to let go, and how to have an appreciation for the things that matter most in life.
In astrology, there are clues as to which zodiac signs are old souls.
Sometimes, your sign leaves a clue to where you are in the karmic life cycle. When you list all the zodiac signs in order, Aries is first and Pisces is last. Aries can be a person with new soul, and Pisces can be here to complete their journey.
Pisces is known for empathy, while zodiac signs like Sagittarius and Capricorn are known for their individuality and focus. So, just because you don’t check off all the boxes of what makes an old soul, it doesn’t mean you’re not still one.
Find out which zodiac signs are old souls.
This isn’t an exact science, of course, but when you think about the characteristics of each zodiac sign and what’s most important to them in life, it makes sense.
Aries (March 21 - April 19)
As the first zodiac sign, you need to be first in almost everything you do. It's something that comes naturally to you, Aries.
This “me first” state of mind you just can’t seem to shake is what makes your soul eternally young.
You have an interminable thirst for adventure and exploration that not only keeps your heart young, but keeps your soul young, too. The way your face lights up, your eyes sparkle, and you get excited when you talk about something you love all prove that your soul is innocent and young, like a child.
Taurus (April 20 - May 20)
Taurus, your soul is not as young as Aries’ soul, but it's still in its formative years.
As an earth sign, you're someone who is always looking for stability and security in life, but you're also deeply interested in learning more about yourself and looking for answers to some of life’s biggest questions.
Your soul is young — think: young adolescent. You might not always handle every situation with maturity, but you should never deny yourself a chance to discover new things about the world and yourself, either.
Gemini (May 21 - June 20)
There is a hunger inside of you, Gemini, that tends to rule how you handle pretty much everything in life. You may be pretty up and down with all of your emotions, but that’s pretty predictable for a teenage soul.
You tend to deal with a lot of inner turmoil and feelings regularly, but no matter what kind of ups and downs your emotional rollercoaster kind of life takes you on, you’re always interested in growing into your identity and exploring all the world has to offer you.
Cancer (June 21 - July 22)
Cancer, your soul is young — like, teenage young — but still slightly older than Gemini’s. You're known for being the parental zodiac sign in your squad, but even when you don’t have all the answers for your friends, you still care deeply for them.
What makes your soul a little older than the angsty teen is that you have a more fully-formed idea of what you want out of life. You find yourself looking more to the future than just living in the present.
Leo (July 23 - August 22)
Even though you're all about making a name for yourself in the world and putting your nose to the grindstone, Leo, you still make sure you make plenty of time for partying and having fun.
You’re at a stage in life where you know who you are and what you want, but it’s still important for you to let yourself hold onto your youth.
If your soul had an age, it would be in its early 20s — that time in everyone’s lives when we simultaneously want to be seen as adults but don’t want to fully grow up just yet.
Virgo (August 23 - September 22)
Just like you’re not the kind of person to associate with people who are just a bit too immature for your taste, Virgo, you don’t like to give off any immature vibes yourself.
Your soul is in its late 20s — that time in life when it’s time to start thinking about the future and making decisions that are going to be beneficial long-term. You want people to take you seriously, Virgo.
When you’re not trying to do good for the world or plan your future, you’re listening to your soul to figure out what you should be focusing on. You tend to be attracted to people who are older than you because you feel like they can really teach you important things about life.
Libra (September 23 - October 22)
Anyone who knows you, Libra, knows just how grown-up you can be and how grown-up you wish you were, all at the same time.
Your soul is about 30ish, which is the age where people feel like they have a pretty good handle on all of the adult things that come with being 30, but still act childish at times.
What keeps you young, Libra, is the fact that you still want to learn new things and enjoy life. Your soul may be in its 30s, but you’re still interested in getting the most out of your youth as possible.
Scorpio (October 23 - November 21)
One thing that makes a soul old is being able to see the big picture in life, instead of getting hung up on the little things that aren’t going to matter a year from now. You’re not there yet, Scorpio, but the question “Is there more to just this?” is constantly on your mind.
If your soul had an age, it would be in its 40s or so. You’re clearly much more mature than most zodiac signs, but you still find yourself getting caught up in unsaid words, meaningless conversations, and arguments.
One thing that does make you a good candidate for an old soul, however, is that you know better, and you’re constantly looking for ways to be your best self.
Sagittarius (November 22 - December 21)
Sagittarius, your soul is fairly old — think: middle-aged. It’s not necessarily old by everyone’s standards, but it’s the perfect age to describe your soul specifically.
Your love for philosophy and growing as a person makes your soul mature, but your childlike nature and ability to make a joke out of pretty much everything keeps your soul young.
There are times when you feel much older and more mature than your friends, and then there are times when you feel like a kid. Because your soul’s age is kind of right in the middle, you connect with both young and old souls.
Capricorn (December 22 - January 19)
As someone who is consistently achieving their goals and working toward a higher purpose, Capricorn, it’s safe to say that your soul is pretty old (say, 60s-80s).
You’re not only over the drama and confusion that comes with growing up and learning from your mistakes, but you’re also far above it all. At this point in your life, you’re more interested in being a leader and role model for those who need it most (usually the younger souls).
Life is too short to get hung up on the little things that don’t really matter. You’ve experienced so much already, and you’re ready to sit back and just enjoy how far you’ve come.
Aquarius (January 20 - February 18)
You’re definitely an old soul, Aquarius — that much is true (like 90s-100s). As someone who clearly operates on a higher plane than every other zodiac sign, there’s no doubt that your soul is anything less than old.
You may not always show it in your words or emotions, but you’ve experienced things and lived a full life in a short amount of time. For you, experiences and growth are the backbones of who you are, and it’s all leading up to the legacy you want to leave behind.
What makes you an old soul is your belief that there is much more to life than just what happens on this earth. Not everyone will understand what you mean when you share your wisdom, but that’s just the price of having a very old soul.
Pisces (February 19 - March 20)
Pisces, your soul is ancient — far older than any other zodiac sign. Because you're the last zodiac sign of the 12, you're the polar opposite of Aries, whose soul is as young as an infant’s.
Your wisdom, intuition, and creativity all work together to create the higher being that is you, Pisces. Not everyone understands you, but you don’t really want everyone to understand you, anyway.
You're very in tune with your spiritual side, and you're constantly in a transformative state that all other zodiac signs wish they could be in. You may not realize it, but everyone looks up to you in some way or another, thanks to your ancient soul.
Emily Ratay is a full-time writer living in Pittsburgh. She's passionate about the environment, astrology, and feminism, and plans to write a non-fiction book in the future.