by Marilyn Muir, LPMAFA
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I have been watching the 2010 programs on astronomy and the universe. There are several awesome new series that update the wonderful earlier programs about our universe. I am continually astounded at the scientific theory of creation and expansion and the potential of where this is all leading us. I am an astrologer not an astronomer, although I love astronomy and study it to the best of my self-educated ability. To me, however, the two disciplines go hand-in-hand. Throughout most of human history, astronomy and astrology were always wrapped up as a single discipline. The relatively recent separation between the two occurred as the emerging scientific community distanced itself from its roots. Since I have written on this previously, I won’t repeat myself. For those who prefer simple explanations: astronomers measure, astrologers interpret.
Creationists espouse the one God or deity theory that the universe was created in the fashion of “and God spoke”, instantaneously and not very long ago in cosmic years, around 6000 years or so. Astronomers have a far longer and grander sweep of events that is exciting to watch and stimulating to think about. Currently the astronomical conclusion is that we did erupt from a single event because what was available for producing the manifest universe at that moment was really tiny, compact and very powerful. It is called a singularity and the working definition reminds me of a cosmic black hole. At this time and for whatever unknown reason, this singularity erupted into manifestation around 13.8 billion years ago with a fiery blast. The current scientific opinion (a work in progress) is that the universe will continue to expand until it runs out of steam, leaving a desolate, barren universe in the icy clutches of death. It was born in fire and will die in ice. That is a really dramatic description. I seem to remember a Jefferson Airplane song with that theme.
Once upon a time, entropy held the “end of the universe” title. Scientists thought we would expand to a point whereupon we would begin to contract until we re-entered that singularity (which was not understood to be a black hole at that time). The theory of entropy has given way to a used-up universe. Because of the circular nature of the cosmos, I personally think the entropy theory still has merit. The concept of a straight line extended into infinite space (expansion) and eventually curves back on itself to join the ending to the beginning point. That is how I see human evolution. Oh… before you get worried, we are not talking about current events. Such possibilities exist billions of years in our future.
If we are to look at the big bang of the scientists and the “and God spoke” of the Creationists, I really don’t see much difference in the general concept: one says general evolution and the other says divinity caused the sudden emergence of the universe. Of course, the 13.8-billion- and approximately 6000-year difference does present problems for reconciliation of the two. I have no problem with a “God of Creation” by whatever label you choose: First Cause, Creator, Grand Architect, Universal, etc. I do have a problem with countless examples of archeological and other scientific evidence being discounted versus human religious belief. Belief is emotionally based and evidence is intellectually based. I myself am a “doubting Thomas” and have concluded that some puny humans have somehow confused the dating process, but sincerely believe in their results.
Since my background is as an astrologer and seat-of-the-pants philosopher, I come down on the side of a creative impetus that set all this in motion. This is a creative impetus that may or may not be paying attention to the ongoing process and to which everything will return. To allow creation to do all this and then just let everything die makes no sense to me. What would be the point to creation itself even as just an experiment or a deity’s whim, if, when you get to the end of the process, nothing exists? That is simply not logical or sensible. I have spent over forty years studying the universe and its ramifications. As close as I can tell, and this is a conclusion on my part rather than a proof, the universe is purposeful. Why do I feel that way?
There are myriad rhythms and cycles that we all live within that may appear random but have an underlying order that becomes visible through study. The best example I have encountered for recognizing the order within seeming chaos is that of Grand Central Station in New York City. If you were high above and were to look through the ceiling at the activity within the facility on any day, it would look like thousands of ants moving in random and almost chaotic fashion. If you were to take a moment to study the melee, you would realize that each individual ant (person) is moving individually and purposefully based on their own personal motivation and intent. Some ants are entering the station, some are exiting, some ants are boarding trains, some are debarking, some ants are waiting for what is purposeful to them. At first glance it may appear random, but there is an organization beneath the apparent chaos – one that serves multiple purposes.
The universe is like that. Amazing activity, seemingly unrelated, with patterns – rhythms and cycles which become visible as patterns if you take the time to observe. Billions of patterns and experiences at any moment, but each within a predictable cycle and each serving some purpose, individual or collective, which is beyond our ability to fathom. What is even more amazing is that they seem to be interrelated on some scale or time frame that is again beyond our cognition. When we discovered electricity, we did not invent it. It had always been in existence; we just had not come to realization of what it was and what it did. We are still learning about that. The universe exists not only as the field for experience and the development of experience, but as a map for that experience as well.
Thousands of sky maps later, I have concluded that if you have reliable birth data, there is a pattern and rhythm that become visible and even interpretable. This is not always easy to perform. I have lots of experience and at moments I still struggle with understanding. We are so immersed in living our lives that we do not always recognize the connectedness between even parts of our own lives. An example will illustrate the purpose behind what appears to be random.
When I was a child, my mother thought I was going to take Broadway by storm. This was the 40s, the heyday of the child musical stars. I did stage, radio and early television, singing and tap-dancing my way to nowhere. Now fast forward to about age 35 and my first astrological television appearance. The director commented that I was an old hand at television because the camera and microphones did not bother me and I knew not to watch the monitor while I performed. I replied, “No, this is my first time.” On my way home, I connected the dots between those experiences. My years as a child wanna-be star had prepared me for a television show 25 or so years in my future on a totally different subject. If the television director had not asked that question, I probably would not have realized the connection. This is somewhat abstract, but it was my first experience in realizing there was an underlying order, a connectedness, a rhythm and a purpose to our experience. I paid more attention to seeming coincidence after that.
Due to my personal experience and the lessons learned by doing tens of thousands of sky maps for thousands of clients, students and for research, I no longer believe in coincidence. I have firmly come down on the side of our existence having purpose. Add to that the provable fact that our individual solar system produces approximately 26,000 years of completely individualized energy patterns before a repeat is possible. To add to that argument, during the time of the 26,000-year pattern, our solar system would have traveled billions of miles of its galactic spin, so an exact repeat of any energy pattern is not remotely possible. Each of us is unique just as each grain of sand and each snowflake is unique. The creative principle that set all this in motion valued individuality. Mankind, in its pompous assumption that generic humans are easier to deal with, seems to value sameness or a hive mentality. That sameness is directly opposed to the generosity of uniqueness provided by that which is universal by whatever name.
Each life is unique and individual. There is a purpose to our existence. Each sky map is unique and individual and belongs only to the person or the entity born in that moment of time. The sky map is literally a map of a moment in time and the energy patterns available at that moment. Even multiple births have slightly different maps. However, astrologers are still growing our craft so there is quite a bit to learn about fine-tuning those energy maps that are similar. If you study the sky maps provided by the universe (astrology) you can see rhythm, cycles and purpose to each existence. No, we do not always live up to our potential. Yes, we can and do make mistakes. Yes, we can and do miss opportunity. However, the universe has all the time and patterns necessary to teach us what we need to learn for as long as we need to learn it.
Know that you are valued enough by that which is universal to be a unique and individualized entity. There is no mistake. The universe is purposeful, not random or chaotic. Whether you stem from a scientific, religious or philosophical basis, there are order, rhythm and cycles to the cosmos, to an individual and to experience. Know that your life and your experience are purposeful. Seek to understand the purpose of your existence and your experience to make the most out of that existence and your experience.
Published on EZine online May, 2010, republished with slight editing.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.