How Astrology Is Believed to Work


   
     Simply put, synchronicity means that at the time of a person’s birth there is a unique alignment of nature in the heavens, and that this
alignment of nature, signified by the exact position of all of the planets, sun, moon and stars, closely correlates (1) with the constellation of
lessons the person must learn in this particular incarnation and “classroom of life”, and (2) with the person’s behavioral predispositions,
inborn temperament, intelligence, aptitudes, attractiveness, adaptive capacity, and potential problem areas. According to this viewpoint
astrology imposes a uniquely different set of elastic limits upon each person. And through studying his or her natal chart a person can
arrive at a better understanding of what these elastic limits are and of what his or her life purposes are.
     Astrology is NOT deterministic in that each person is believed by astrologers to be fully capable of exercising free will and self-
determination up to the boundaries of his/her elastic limits. Of course, elastic bands break when they are pushed beyond their limits. And
like elastic bands, each person has his/her own unique set of limits. Nevertheless, each person chooses what he/she does and does not do
with each problem area or opportunity that arises in his/her life.
     More specifically, the alignment of nature (in the heavens) at a person’s birth is believed to constitute a direct reflection of that
person’s karma for this specific incarnation. In essence, life is comprised of an unlimited series of classrooms of learning. For each and
every soul, some of these classrooms exist on this (the mortal) side of the veil. And some (probably many more) exist on the “other side” of
the veil on innumerable etherial levels at the higher planes of vibration. The ratio of positive to negative (and/or neutral) learning
experiences which a person must undergo during any given incarnation or discarnation is simply a reflection of the karma which he or she
had worked up in his/her former incarnations and discarnations. The soul chooses the time, place, parents, and the circumstances of its own
birth for the lessons it must learn and for the progress it wishes to make during the course of the appointed incarnation. Hence, the model
posited by most contemporary astrologers for explaining love-shyness might look something like that which is indicated in Figure 3.
     In essence, karma is the first cause; and the synchronistic operation of astrology is nothing more than a manifestation of this first
cause (“karmic law”). Thus karma, with astrology as its overt and analyzable byproduct, gives rise to the genes and to the congenital
problems/advantages (such as malfunctioning or well functioning enzymes and hormones), which in turn give rise to such key factors as
native temperament, attractiveness of appearance, intelligence, gender, etc. These key factors all - entail a good, bad, or indifferent social
stimulus value. People respond to them in negative or in positive ways. Chronic love-shyness or its polar opposite is thus created. More
succinctly, it is created as a byproduct of the person’s underlying karma--the first cause.
     Karma is believed by Spiritualists and by astrologers to follow the immutable laws of the universe which are contained within the
universal cosmic intelligence or “universal God-mind” which, in turn, is contained within everything animate and inanimate.
     Thus astrological theory does not contradict or disagree with the principles of social learning and of behavior modification. Instead
it fills out the picture. Some people are born with a passive, withdrawn inborn temperament and/or they are born into a social group that
does not react favorably to passivity and/or to the newly incarnated soul (child) in his/her physical body. Rejection by others combined
with an unusually sensitive inborn temperament doubtless leads to a low self-esteem as far as functioning in purely sociable, social
situations is concerned which, in turn, leads to intractable love-shyness.