Exploring My Connection to Astrology in the Light of Sufi Mystics & other Wisdom Traditions

"We come spinning out of nothingness, scattering stars like dust.

The stars made a circle, and in the middle, we dance." -Rumi

My Childhood and Astrology

As a child, I could always be found looking out the fourth-floor back window. Our apartment had a beautiful view. First, on the Garden State Parkway, then downtown Newark and hovering just behind, New York City shone in the distance. Mom loved that view, sitting there staring at the moon and black sky, and just underneath them set the Twin Towers in an ocean of lights and smaller buildings. The light pollution may have blocked out the stars, but the moon reflected the light of the Sun just fine. At night mom would point out the face on the moon to me.

I grew up watching my mom immerse herself in the beauty of the moon, stars, their cycles and the world of astrology. Ok, well with astrology, maybe it was more like reading the Sunday horoscope in the New Jersey Star-Ledger or other convenient publications.

Mom would often get intuitive hits and what she called a “funny feeling” so she read over horoscopes and paid close attention to her dreams to see if patterns emerge. I was always fascinated by the way she interpreted the patterns and their influence on our daily lives.

After enduring battles with tragedy, trauma, depression, and stress, she always found her way back to a sense of celebration. By focusing on the beautiful patterns of light just beneath the surface of life, the celestial thread of hope, and the inspiring beauty of the natural world, she discovered the fingerprint of God compelling her forward, offering relief, understanding, and the strength to navigate life's peaks and valleys.

I remember her sending horoscopes to my older siblings, and waiting to see what predictions, if any, had some use or truth to them. She’d buy us shirts with our astrological signs on them. Which I usually used to sleep in, lol. My mother's interest in astrology helped her cope with the challenges she faced, and her life, and death, has influenced my perspective on existing and the world around me.

Although I didn't fully understand the study of horoscopes and astrology at the time, or how mom's intuition connected to it, her subtle, but potent interest in astrology and all things mystical sparked my curiosity, inspired my poem “Celestial Bodies”, and influenced me to learn more about ancient and new age practices that related to astrology.

Celestial Bodies

I wonder if the Sun thinks of the Moon

The way I think of...

Can the Moon feel the Sun’s attention dance across the craters of its skin?

Is it soothing?

Its bright attention radiating, with and without agenda, from within?

Its ointment, a cooling aloe press, spread across even its darkest sin

The moon pushes and pulls back the ocean, as an ode of gratitude.

A whirling dervish, dizzy with bliss and devotion,

ecstatic by the Sun’s gaze

Caught in the highest heaven,

Sharing Dusk,

Sharing Dawn,

Sharing the Morning Star.

Even the shade

And at the deepest floor of the ocean, just above the molten core

they note their reflections upon the surface of the Earth.

I wonder if the Sun thinks of the Moon

The way I think of…

-Antwan Linton Penn

Studying Maharishi Vedic Science and finding my system

As I grew older, my passion for Celestial bodies, their influence, and astrology deepened and I began to explore different traditions and approaches. Today, I follow a system that integrates different wisdom systems called Cosmic Human Design, which I began to experiment with thirteen years ago in its original form “Human Design”, shared with the world by a man named Ra Uru Hu.

"Astrology is a language. If you understand this language, the sky speaks to you." -Ra Uru Hu

Ra stated that he received the understanding of integrating different systems from a mystical experience. His Human Design system combines astrology, the I Ching, the Kabbalah, and some aspects of Vedic knowledge. I study this system from a Maharishi Vedic Science perspective, a holistic system of knowledge that incorporates Vedic astrology or Jyotish as one of its aspects.

"Jyotish is the poetry of the cosmos, the language of the stars and planets that speaks to our hearts and souls." -Maharishi Mahesh Yogi

Through my studies, I have gained a deeper understanding, gratitude, and respect for the complex and interconnected nature of the universe, and how celestial bodies' movement can profoundly influence our lives. While I still appreciate and occasionally reference horoscopes in convenient publications, I now see them in a broader context and find great value in exploring the insights and wisdom synthesized through modern systems, ancient wisdom traditions, and western and eastern astrology.

With all that said it's important to note that these esoteric systems can be misused or misinterpreted by individuals who are not properly trained or qualified to use them. The systems are complex and require a deep understanding of their various components to be used effectively, and for a person to have an awareness and respect for themselves and others.

Because some individuals may use these systems without fully understanding their nuances, and because what's known largely depends on the perception of the person transmitting the information, and largely depends on the perception of the person receiving the information, it can lead to inaccurate readings, interpretation, or misguided advice. And also some individuals regardless of their position, status, or so-called rank and knowledge could just be shady characters. So while it is certainly true that individuals have unique characteristics and tendencies, it is also true that human beings are complex and dynamic beings who can change and evolve. So, it's limiting to suggest that an individual's chart from any of these systems is set in stone, which if you really understand, none of these systems would suggest. Astrology is suggesting a relationship between approximations and probabilities, which can be subjectively interpreted and influenced by “the observer effect”, by consciousness, and by personal beliefs, and although not scientifically validated, many have found it to be a useful tool for self-reflection and gaining insights into their lives. However, to truly extract the value, there must be knowledge of Self, and transcendent Self-awareness as a reference point from which everything else, all knowledge is filtered.

“Knowledge is different in different states of consciousness.” - Maharishi Mahesh Yogi

According to Maharishi, The flow of knowledge is divided into two banks, one representing the object and the other the knower. Both of these points of reference are critical, with the knower being the most important. This is especially significant because we know that knowledge reflects the knower. For example, knowledge has a different nature when the mind is sluggish and the knower is lethargic than when one is aware and energized, such as in the morning. Perception, cognition, and emotions all differ depending on the knower's condition.

What value does Sufi Cosmology place on Astrology

As I delved deeper into Maharishi Vedic Science and its principles, I noticed similarities between the value that the Vedas and Sufi cosmology place on astrology. Sufism is a mystical tradition that emphasizes the direct personal experience of the divine. It incorporates esoteric practices and teachings that seek to deepen our connection to the divine and the universe. From the mouths of the mystics, I’ll lightly explore some views that favored the connection between Sufism and astrology, how these two traditions have complemented each other, and our understanding of the cosmos and our place in it.

Astrology in the Voice of Sufi Mystics

Art and calligraphy courtesy of Sana Mirza

Throughout history, many scholars and mystics have looked to the stars for guidance and understanding of the world around them. Abu Bakr al-Wasiti, a 10th-century Iraqi Sufi scholar and poet, wrote, "The stars are the signposts of the celestial road, and the astrologer is the guide who knows how to read them." For al-Wasiti, astrology was a means of decoding the mysteries of the universe and understanding one's place within it.

In the Islamic Golden Age (8th-13th centuries), many Muslim scholars and scientists, including some Sufis, studied and practiced astrology alongside other fields of knowledge such as mathematics, astronomy, and medicine. Some scholars say that during that time astrology and astronomy were not separate. Some Sufi orders also incorporated astrological symbolism and cosmology into their spiritual practices and teachings.

Moreover, in some parts of the Islamic world, particularly in South Asia and the Middle East, there is a popular tradition of using astrology and divination to seek guidance and insights into one's spiritual path and destiny. Some Sufi teachers and practitioners may also use astrological charts or horoscopes as a tool for self-knowledge and understanding.

Abu Ma'shar al-Balkhi (787-886 CE), was a Persian astrologer and astronomer who also wrote extensively on philosophy and mysticism. He shared al-Wasiti’s belief in the power of astrology. He saw the universe as "like a divine book written in the language of mathematics, and astrology is the key to deciphering its secrets." Al-Balkhi believed that the movements and positions of the planets and stars were not random, but rather, they contained hidden meanings and messages that could be interpreted through astrological analysis.

Al-Ghazali, a renowned Islamic theologian, philosopher, and Sufi, also saw the stars as a means of understanding the world. He wrote, "The heavens and the earth are like two mirrors reflecting each other, and the stars are the letters written in the language of symbols." To al-Ghazali, the universe was a vast, interconnected system, and the stars were an integral part of it. By studying their movements and patterns, one could gain insight into the workings of the cosmos as a whole.

For Ibn Arabi, a Spanish-born Sufi mystic and philosopher, astrology was a means of spiritual realization. He wrote, "Astrology is like a ladder that leads to knowledge of the divine, and the wise person who ascends it with sincerity and humility will reach the summit of wisdom." For Ibn Arabi, astrology was not just a way of understanding the physical world, but also a means of connecting with the divine.

Ultimately it's about the Relationship

In conclusion, astrology has played a significant role in my life, and the spiritual and intellectual traditions of many cultures throughout history. Householders like my mom, scholars, and mystics from diverse backgrounds have seen the stars as a source of knowledge, wisdom, and guidance. Whether viewed as a means of decoding the hidden messages of the universe or as a ladder to spiritual enlightenment, astrology has offered insights into the mysteries of the cosmos and our place within it.

Although some Sufi scholars and thinkers of the Islamic Golden Age viewed astrology as a legitimate field of knowledge and a means of understanding the workings of the universe and the divine, it is worth noting that these views were not universal among all Sufis or Islamic scholars, and some voices rejected or criticized astrology as unscientific, contrary to Islamic beliefs and incompatible with Islamic beliefs and values. This leads me to conclude that although the study of astrology holds a major influence on my life, contrarily, the intersections between Sufism and astrology are not universal or essential to either tradition. Ultimately, the relationship between Sufism and astrology depends on the historical, cultural, and individual contexts in which they are practiced and understood.

From my perspective, there is a profound and transcendent truth that connects us with the cosmos. I believe the mystics across all wisdom traditions are connected to this same truth. This truth I find reflected in the intricate relationship between the Sun and the Moon, and the interconnectedness of all things in the universe. We see this in the way the Sun's rays illuminate the Earth, and in the way, the Moon's gravity affects the tides of the ocean. Every aspect of the universe is inextricably linked, creating a web of life that stretches across the cosmos.

If you knew that the cosmos are paying attention to you, how would you move through your life?

Would you consult them?

Would you celebrate them?

Would you twirl like a whirling dervish, dizzy with bliss and devotion, embracing every moment with a sense of awe and wonder?

Would you be filled with ecstasy and joy, grateful for the gift of life and the beauty of existence?

How would you express your gratitude for this transcendent connection to the universe?

For you, would this transcendent connection, not only be within but also, written across the stars?

“The moon doesn’t have a light of its own. And what is a son, other than the mother’s attention on him? I was an organ in her body, and now I’m a planet, a world of my own. Never minding, the comets rushing towards me, I see them.” Antwan Linton Penn

Regardless of where we sit on Astrology, and its possible connection to the divine and our lives, remember that every moment is an opportunity to connect with God, Nature, and the cosmos and express our gratitude for the gift of life. Whether we are gazing at the stars, feeling the warmth of the sun on our skin, looking for answers or simply breathing in the beauty of the natural world, we are part of something greater than ourselves. So let us cherish this ocean of connection, and move through life with a sense of relationship to it, wonder, gratitude, and joy.