Have you ever looked up at the night sky and thought there might be more to those twinkling stars than meets the eye?
Have you ever considered the cosmic significance behind the alignment of stars at the moment of your birth?
Have you ever wondered whether astrology REALLY offers a glimpse into who we are and what lies in our future?
Astrology (the ancient belief that celestial bodies influence human lives and destinies) has been a subject of fascination for thousands of years.
And that fascination continues today.
Despite all the technological advances and progress we’ve made in western science, open up a newspaper in the UK, for example, and you’ll probably see a page or two dedicated to horoscopes.
Do a quick Google search for ‘astrology’ and you’ll find a sea of links and opportunities to get a personal reading, download a free daily horoscope, a natal chart or get a daily, weekly or monthly forecast.
Despite a clear shift from astrology to astronomy (and from alchemy to chemistry) sometime during the 17th and 18th Centuries, astrology is CLEARLY still very much alive and kicking in the 21st Century.
The question is: Why?
What is it about this ancient art that captures the imagination?
And if it does hold some truth, then how are we supposed to use it to improve our lives?
That’s what we’re talking about today:
What astrology is and how you can best utilize it to lead a happier and healthier life.
And that’s all anyone really wants.
Astrology Basics
The science of astrology revolves around interpreting the positions of celestial bodies at the time of our birth.
They are said to shape our personalities and destinies.
The basics are pretty simple.
We all understand how the Sun and the Moon impact life on Earth:
The Sun provides warmth and energy, while we can see the Moon’s influence through tides and animal behavior.
But what about the influence of other celestial bodies like Mars and Jupiter?
It was a surprise to many to find out that recent astronomical discoveries suggest that the position of the planets not affects the earth, but also our lives.
Although astronomy has plenty of empirical evidence to support it, astrology doesn’t — but that doesn’t mean it’s not true.
The fact is, there are different types of astrology (such as Western, Vedic, Chinese and Mayan) each with their own idiosyncrasies and some being more accurate than others.
There is also Thai astrology.
Thai Astrology
There are plenty of ‘divination systems’ that claim to be able to tell us our past, present and future.
Many Thais (rich and poor alike) turn to divination for guidance on various aspects of life.
From career decisions and business deals to building projects and choosing auspicious dates for significant events, astrologers and other diviners are often highly sought after.
In Thailand you’ll find all the usual systems like Tarot, palmistry, psychics and numerology.
You’ll also find some more specially Thai things like revered ‘holy’ objects that people pray to.
The largest and most complex of all is astrology.
Thai astrology suggests that the alignment of stars at birth can reveal one’s life pattern, influenced by past-life karma — a personalized karmic map, so to speak.
It’s safe to say that any astrological tradition is extremely complicated.
Thai astrology is no different.
Thai Astrology: Long Journey vs. Quick Fix
As you may know from reading other posts, many years ago I completed my bachelor’s degree in Law.
It was very challenging indeed.
However, I have to say that the study of Thai astrology is easily as complex and challenging! Which is why most people never learn it to any significant depth!
The same thing can be said about Theravada Buddhism, which 95% of Thai people identify with if asked what religion they are.
Thai people know that if you want to be happy in life, you should follow the dharma — the Buddhist teachings.
(As you’ll probably already know, the aim is to reach a state called nirvana, where all suffering ends forever.)
But it’s HARD! Incredibly hard.
It takes a lot of patience and consistency over many, many years (lifetimes, even) to achieve that ultimate goal.
Naturally then, when life becomes overwhelming, chaotic and confusing people want to make sense of things as quickly as possible and find the simplest solution.
They want the easiest way out of their suffering, which is understandable.
That’s why, even when they live in a country where Buddhism is so strong, they turn to things like astrology to help them.
While it’s true that Thai astrology does provide a spookily accurate description of who you are and what direction things are likely to take, it doesn’t guarantee the future.
Nothing can.
What it DOES do is provide valuable insights into ourselves and our surroundings, helping us identify opportunities and challenges.
The Metaphor of The Map
We can use the analogy of a road map to explain this a little more clearly.
A roadmap tells you where things are and what obstacles are in the way, enabling you to have some foresight and plot a safe course to your destination.
Astrology works in a similar way.
For instance, if you know from looking at your map that there’s a dangerous river coming up if you carry on in the same direction, you can take measures to avoid it.
In the same way, if an astrological reading shows us that something undesirable is likely to happen, we can change our behaviors to try and avoid it.
For example:
Let’s say we’re alerted to the fact that a significant health issue is set to arise in the future.
There are several things we can do, such as change our diet and exercise more.
There are endless examples we could use — I’m sure you get the idea.
Astrology: The Unfortunate Issues
One of the main issues with any sort of divination practice is the practitioner.
Unfortunately, there are many fraudsters out there.
There are also those who don’t intend to read things incorrectly but do only because they haven’t mastered what is an incredibly complex science.
So, if you are interested in getting an astrological reading — whether it is a Thai-style reading or not — make sure that you check out the person’s background.
And, most importantly, don’t only rely on astrology to solve your issues — doing that can sometimes make things worse.
Regardless of our beliefs in astrology, one thing remains constant: The importance of living in the present moment and doing our best with the opportunities we have.
That’s the most important message I can give you. . .
The Power of RIGHT NOW
Do I believe in the power of Thai astrology?
Yes.
However, I believe in the power of our decisions in the present moment more.
It may well be the case that we each have some hugely significant events in our lives that appear in our astrological chart and are immovable (for reasons I’ll need to explain another time).
However, the rest of it is up to us.
Our actions in the here and now shape our futures far more than any alignment of the stars.
So, whether you’re an Aquarius, Aries, Libra, Pisces, Gemini, Virgo, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Taurus or any other zodiac sign, remember to do your best in the present moment.
That’s the ONLY place where true power lies.
And it’s the only moment you’ve got.
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