A just-released Columbia University Medical Center Study demonstrates a connection between birth month and the likelihood of contracting different illnesses. This is, of course, interesting from an astrological perspective, although not as much so as it might seem to a casual observer. Only the Sun, which is one of many celestial bodies involved in astrology, returns to (virtually) the same position each day in different years. Other planets will be somewhere entirely different today than on this date a year or two or twenty from now. So, while it’s interesting to note evidence of a sort of cosmic connection between health and the Earth’s annual phases, the specific connection to astrology, quite ironically, isn’t so precise as many trying to discredit the study seem to fear.
I’ve found it amusing to come across an unusual amount of talk (regarding a major study from a respected institution) about various concerns and objections to these findings. I may have read that correlation doesn’t equal causation more today than I have in a very long time, and I’ve also come across some rather dramatically phrased warnings that people are, basically, just reading way too much into this. The extent of concern among many Americans who consider themselves scientific thinkers about the possibility that somebody might point to this study as a way to legitimize astrology is both humorous and unfortunate.
It’s unfortunate, because mysticism and science should be working together, as they do rather seamlessly in many Eastern cultures. Those who are so quick to insult the intelligence of and attempt to delegitimize anybody who even remains open-minded towards astrology would never say that almost everybody in India or Japan is an idiot; such a xenophobic ad hominem attack would be rightfully condemned. Yet, almost everybody in those nations believes in the very things that are so often called idiotic or (if a nicer word is being used) superstitious in the West. I’m sure most American “scientific thinkers” are familiar with the transitive property.
The reality is that much of what we call “mystical” or even “psychic” is simply going to be called scientific in ten, twenty or fifty years. This study is a perfect example of the melting of those borders. It doesn’t fit into many “scientific” people’s worldview, so it seems threatening to them; however, the study was done by an Ivy League medical center, not some fly-by-night group of eccentrics. And more and more studies that find a way to merge mysticism and science are almost surely going to emerge in short time. Whether it’s astrology, NDEs or past-life memories, we’ve reached the point where many members of the scientific community, often with credentials from the Ivy League or top international universities, are dedicating themselves to this sort of work. In that sense, the dam may not have broken yet, but it’s certainly sprung a leak, which makes the endgame quite predictable.
In this instance, the determining factors may not be specifically related to astrology. If I’m going to accuse those instinctively arguing against some astrological connection of simply reacting in accordance with their biases, I want to be careful not to do the same thing myself. We don’t really know why different months seem to have specific lifelong health impacts. However, the holistic idea of health being naturally connected to the Earth’s yearly phases seems like common sense to me and, I’m sure, to practitioners of Eastern medicine, mystics of all sorts, and even just regular people who live in a manner that’s more in touch with nature than the average 21st-century Western lifestyle.
I would love to see this sort of large study focused on subjects from a single year, so that all the planetary positions (instead of just the Sun) would be consistent for each date for the participants. Then we could easily see if there’s a relation between astrology and health in this manner. Unfortunately, I think that study is unlikely to be funded anytime soon, at least in the US.
In the meantime, I wonder if astrologers will be able to run their own smaller studies, or even sift the data from this study and find patterns. I’ve long been curious (and even a little suspicious) about astrological placements and combinations related to health and physical appearance. It seemed to me that if such indications were as precise as many astrologers claim, it should be relatively simple to provide proof. But maybe it’s just that nobody cared enough to try proving it yet; after all, it’s not like astrology studies get much in the way of funding. And maybe, someday, this study will be looked back on as a key factor in changing that.
