Understanding Astrology 5: Is life controlled by fate or do you believe in free will?

Understanding Astrology 4: How can as... Understanding Astrology 6: What are s...

Understanding Astrology 5: Is life controlled by fate or do you believe in free will?

Humans have been debating this question since the beginning of Time and no doubt will continue to do so! No-one has as yet come up with a definitive answer, leaving each of us to make up our own minds regarding what the balance may be. My own view, (hardly original!) based both on life experience in general and the study, teaching and practice of astrology in particular, is that life is a blend of both.

In Old Norse, the word for ‘fate’ and ‘genitals’ is the same: through genetic inheritance we know there is much that we cannot change. Personally I believe that the factors determining how much free will we can exercise are down to the degree of self-awareness we are able to achieve – and the degree to which we are able to take responsibility for our own lives and avoid blaming other people – or worse still the planets! – for what happens to us in life.

Astrologers’ job is to plot the entirely predictable unfolding patterns of the planets as they weave their multi-coloured energy threads through space/time. It is now possible thanks to sophisticated computer technology to calculate an individual’s birth chart – from their date, place and vital TIME of birth – at the touch of button. We could also, if we had sufficient time, take an average life span of eg 80 years, then from the birth chart plot the weave of the threads of an individual’s birth pattern in relation to the huge pattern of the Big Picture. Thus we could reveal from birth to death how the unfolding larger planetary pattern correlates with the threads (or energy patterns if you prefer) of our small individual lives.

From this reality arises the inevitable question: Can astrology predict my future?

Respected academic and astrologer Dr Richard Tarnas answered this question by stating that ‘…Astrology is archetypally predictive, not concretely predictive…’ In other words, we can accurately describe the essential core meaning of a particular planet eg Venus or planetary combination eg Venus conjunct Uranus, but can never know or predict exactly either the full range of ways the planet can manifest, or how its combination with another planet or planets will work out.

Imagine you are having a reading (hopefully with a well qualified and experienced astrologer!) and the astrologer spots that in your horoscope the planet Venus, planet of relationships and the Arts, is having a transit of the planet Uranus in, say, a year’s time. That is, Uranus in the heavens up there will then be a the same degree of the zodiac – eg 25 deg Taurus – as your 25 degrees Taurus Venus in your natal chart down here.

Uranus demands new, unusual experiences and dislikes any form of restriction or constriction, so good astrological advice in this situation would suggest that either you, your partner (Venus in your chart refers not only to you but any key relationship in your life) or both of you are best to take some steps to let some freedom and space into your lives together. This would diminish the risk of relationship break-up, and enhance opportunities to make your joint lives less routine and more adventurous.

This simple example shows how the essential meaning of a pattern can be predicted, but NOT its precise outcome …that depends on our choices rooted in our levels of awareness understanding, and willingness to set our sails to the prevailing winds of our lives with astrology as our guide.

In this way, astrology well and wisely practised can help you to arrive at a respectful, constructive relationship with the dynamic between Fate and free will in the leading of your life.

******

P.S Here is an interesting in-depth discussion between me and astrologer/therapist Ana Isabel on the topic of ‘Fate, Free Will and Family Fate’ which you may enjoy. We certainly enjoyed the exploration…