Astrology Reloaded - Let me respond

To read Astrology - k(no)w future?

My father, who was an Allopathic physician, was a believer in Astrology.

When I was in my 8th standard, I was scheduled to take an exam on a Wednesday afternoon.  My father told me to leave home before 12 noon, as on Wednesday, Rahukalam, considered inauspicious period, falls between 12 noon and 1:30 p.m.  I chose to ignore his suggestion and started from home during Rahukalam.  While crossing a side road to take a bus, a cycle-rickshaw turned abruptly into the side road and it's iron folding rod tore my shirt pocket and injured me on my chest.  Since I didn't have enough time to go back home and change, I went and wrote the exam in my bloodstained shirt with pocket hanging out and the cut injury visible to all.  From that day, I too started believing in astrology.

My first day classes of 11th standard were scheduled to commence at 9:30 a.m. on a Monday morning but my father told me to reach the school before 7:30 a.m. as Rahukalam on Monday falls between 7:30 a.m. and 9 a.m.  This time, I chose to listen to him and reached the school before 7:30 a.m.  The principal, who had a good impression of me due to my active participation in many of the school events, was surprised to see me in school so early.  When he asked me, I blurted out something about my father and Rahukalam.  He shook his head, mumbled something and walked away visibly annoyed.

I even changed my name to C S Muralidharan and my signature strokes for a brief period believing in numerology and graphology.  Later, I changed back to the original.

So, when did I change?

When I started studying material presented by Stephen R. Covey.  

In his book, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, he narrates how he chanced upon a book in a college library in Hawaii and how a single paragraph from that book powerfully influenced the rest of his life:

"Between stimulus and response, there is a space.  In that space is our power to choose our response.  In our response lies our growth and our freedom."

This paragraph had such a profound impact on me.

I realized that, by invoking astrology or even God, I am assuring myself that I am not responsible for what is happening in my life.

There is a Tamil saying, "Theethum Nandrum Pirar thara vaaraa" which may be translated as "Good or bad stuff are not received from others" which essentially means, "I am responsible."

Since then, I consciously started to avoid situations wherein I am exposed to astrological predictions.  I stopped buying the daily-sheet calendar from Rani Muthu as, when I tear a sheet, I unconsciously note whether it's a good or a bad day as they give out various information about Rahukalam, Yamagandam, Ashtami, Navami and so on.  I tore off my Jathagam (Kundli) and the Naadi Josiyam booklet.  I change channels or walk out of conversations whenever they discuss astrology.

Some of these beliefs are so deeply entrenched into our minds that we struggle to breakaway from their clutches.  Even now,  there are days when I hesitate a moment before starting to drive out of town between 4:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Sunday afternoons as, time and again, my father had either advanced or delayed our starting time to avoid this supposedly inauspicious period.  The moment I realize this, I ignore my hesitancy and continue on the journey.

One thing that I am happy about is that I haven't passed on these beliefs to my children.  They will not go through the transition pain that I am going through.

Some of my friends who believe in astrology put forth two perspectives to validate their belief:

1. We all accept the fact that tides are the rise and fall of sea levels caused by the combined effects of the gravitational forces exerted by the moon and the sun, and the rotation of the earth. (Source: Wikipedia).  If the sun and the moon can have such impact on the earth and the seas, why can't they have similar impact on human beings?  Why can't other planets, stars and the galaxies in the universe have similar impact on us?
2. While astrology is a proven 'science', it sometimes fails in its predictions because of the inadequate skill levels of its practitioners and also because of unscrupulous elements misusing this 'science' to make some quick money.

Let me address the second perspective before I touch upon the first one.  Even for a moment we assume that astrology is a science; how does one evaluate the skill levels or scrupulousness of its practitioners?  Is there any global benchmark or assessment tool?  Not really.  A practitioner is believed to be skillful if some of the predictions come true and not, if some of them do not. Their belief in astrology is so deeply entrenched into their minds that they are willing to ignore all evidences contrary to their belief system.

Now, let's look at the first perspective.  I totally agree.  Everything arounds us do exert a certain influence on us - people, animals, birds, insects, microorganisms, plants, trees, environment, moon, planets, stars and galaxies in the universe.  We have seen, time and again, that our paradigms were formed due to genetic, psychic and environmental influences on us.  

Having accepted this perspective of influence, let me bring to your attention that they are all still just the stimuli.

Now, what about our responses?

Are we going to react, in a conditioned manner, to all those stimuli and perpetuate the vicious cycle of cause and effect? or

Are we going to exercise our freedom to chose our response in the space between the stimulus and our response?

What is this space?

When we react, we react from our stored memories which are nothing but thoughts from the past and thoughts about the future.  When we do not react, we see things as they are.  We slip into the present which is the space.  This space is so constricted due to our constant thinking.  The moment we stop thinking, the space is rediscovered.  The wider the space, the better the response.

Years ago, I read this verse in a display board near the Pambatti Siddhar temple in Marudhamalai (the board is not there anymore):

"Naalum kolum yen seiyum Namachivayam nambul irukkayil."

This may be translated as, "What can a day or a planet do when Lord Shiva is within us."

In Hindu mythology, the subtlest depictions of Lord Shiva is space.