Happy Chanukah day #2. Can we talk about astrology for a minute? (How’s that for a pivot?)
A couple weeks ago, I spent Shabbos with a friend and her friends. They knew each other from a learning program, and one of their teachers in the program had taught a class related to the four elements (a favorite topic of mine) and how they are reflected in the four Imahos, the four holy cities of Eretz Yisroel, etc, and in our individual personalities, as well. I got really interested in this class and had a lot of questions. One thing they mentioned was that their teacher had done birth chart readings for some students, and I was absolutely fascinated.
I started to do a bit of reading because I never really knew what a birth chart is. Basically, it is a snapshot of the position of the celestial bodies at the moment you were born. According to astrology, this moment imbues you with a unique profile of tendencies/strengths/weakness/powers etc., and when you learn about it, it helps you tap into your strengths and actualize your full power.
I emailed my friends’ teacher, who referred me to this site. I then discovered the book (which has a haskama from Rav Dovid Cohen shlit”a – going too deep into this topic did make me squeamish until I realized that it actually has a Torah basis) and interview that I shared last week. I haven’t read the book but I have listened to the interview, and days later, I’m still thinking about it. It resonated so deeply. I’ve been trying to articulate why.
It goes without saying that we are all unique individuals. But I think some of us have had a harder time than others finding our people, feeling seen and understood, maybe having the freedom to be who we truly are given our context (I’m one of those…). It resonates so deeply within me to hear that each of us is born into our unique power. It is who we are and who we can become. As Rabbi Pinkesz said in the interview, it’s a love letter from Hashem. The way He wants us to be. It is so deeply validating.
I’m debating whether to spring for a birth chart reading (my friends say noooo). But in any event, I need to read this book.
How do you feel about this topic? Are you fascinated, uncomfortable, skeptical, a combination?
(Photo credit: Aleksandar Pasaric/Pexels)
