The Temple of Universality - Tucson, Arizona

                              FOLLOW THE STARS

     A 5/20/2001 talk at the Temple given by Rev. Nora Allen

"Keep your feet on the ground and your eyes on the stars." This advice is given to all seekers of truth. I've been teaching the seminary astrology classes the past year and we've been doing just that.

Some people remark, "I don't believe in astrology." To that we reply, "That's fine, but the stars believe in you." We may not believe in science, history of mathematics, but they exist. Some of the first astrologers in history are the "three wise men" who followed the star to Bethlehem. They were called "NIAGI". We know them as Zoroastrian priests, holy men steeped in the ancient mysteries and high magik.

The Bible is sprinkled with references to the planets and constellations. In Genesis 1:,14-16, "Let there be fights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years." He also made the stars.

Job, the big whiner of the Bible, asks in chapter 38 verse 31, "Knowest thou the ordinances of heaven?" And Luke 2:25 says "And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars". Perhaps it is wise and prudent to become aware of the great celestial influences. And to learn the natural laws that govern us and our world.

One of my favorite astrology stories involves Swami Yogananda. In his book, Autobiography Of A Yogi, he tells how his teacher Sri Yukteswar (shree-yuk-te-swar) did his horoscope and told him he was destined to earn a college degree, become a swami and teach in America. None of this was a part of his conscious plan except to become self-realized. He did enroll in college, but he spent most of the next four years at the feet of his teacher. Come testing time his scores were below passing. He ran crying to Yukteswar and lamented, "You said I'd pass. I didn't."

The next morning his friends ran to him exclaiming, "They have posted new scores on the board." This time the passing score had been lowered (for the first time in something like 800 years) and he received his degree. When he ran to Sri Yukteswar to tell him, his reply was, "Better the little mind of men should change than that God would have to rearrange the sun, moon and stars."

A friend and mentor, Rev. Phyllis D. Harrison of Camp Chesterfield, Indiana, is to my thinking the best astrologer in the country. She's also a great spiritual phenomena medium. She has an interesting background: As a very young woman she was in Korea and involved in the final peace process. On her way back home she stopped in New Delhi, India for a short tour. She was walking down the street, stepped into a hole and broke her leg. This happened in front of a Buddhist Temple. The monks took her in, ministered to her and she stayed for two years. Buddhist nuns came and stayed with her at the monastery and the monks taught her astrology. She loved it there and wanted to stay; but they told her it was not in the stars for her to do that.    She was to go back to America where         she would marry a man, whose initials, were so and so, she would have a certain number of children and she would be a great spiritual teacher. She did all of this... none of it did she plan... "it just happened", she said.

Phyllis D. Harrison asked some questions of her Buddhist mentors about reincarnation and astrology, here is some of the information that she received:

I asked how we are to know which particular lesson we have to learn in this lifetime? I was reminded that each soul, having perfect free-will, chooses for himself the lesson to be learned and one way we can get an indication of the lessons we have chosen for this lifetime is to be found in our astrological sun sign at birth. I was told that this was only one of the lessons we had chosen for ourselves, but that it was an important one.

I asked why, if we were to learn lessons based on past mistakes, we didn't remember our past lives in detail, so that we could more easily correct our mistakes. I was told that the soul does indeed have perfect memory, but that the conscious mind, being mortal, simply hasn't the capacity to handle the shame and guilt we would feel if we remembered each and every sin we had committed in past lives.

I was told that this forgetfulness of past mistakes is a blessing given by God to his children. "I had asked how we could know when a specific karmic lesson had been learned, and was told that it was, again, an inner knowing. That only I could know my true motivations and thus only I could know when I had honestly learned a lesson."

"All these things I was taught and one other - that we are not permitted to know the spiritual level of any other person. You are not on a higher level than I, I am not on a higher level! than you - we are all on the spiritual path - and that leads to God."

Rev. Phyllis D. Harrison asked her Buddhist mentors what type of lessons each astrological sun sign had chosen to learn in this lifetime and was told:

If I had been born ARIES - I would be given opportunities to learn to make the best use of my energies. I would learn to focus, direct and control my energies. I would learn that only by finishing everything I started would I ever know the satisfaction of accomplishment. I was also told that I would learn not to put those I loved on a pedestal; that I had to allow others the privilege of making their own mistakes.

If I had been born a TAURUS - I would have to learn to walk the fine line between having possessions and being possessed by them. I would have to learn that I was in this world to collect experiences, not things! I would learn that I was born with the ability to get whatever it was that I truly desired and that, therefore, I had to be very sure of what I did want because I would surely get it and be forever more responsible for it.

If I had been born a GEMINI - I would have to learn the lesson of communication. I would have to learn what to communicate, as well at what not to communicate. I would have to learn not to simply reflect someone else's views but to have the courage to think things through for myself and to stick with what I know is right, whether it's popular or not. I must learn to "stand up and be counted."

If I had been born a CANCER - I would have to learn the lessons of emotional control. I would have to learn that until I was master of my emotions I would just be a puppet on a string, being pulled this way and that way by conflicting emotions. I would learn that at times we can show our love for our children best by not holding them too closely. I would learn to be concerned with criticisms but not devastated; to be happy about praise, but not ecstatic.

If I had been born a LEO - I would have to learn the lesson of true humility. I would have to learn that real humility is real inner assurance. I would have to learn to be so sure of who I was and what I was; that I could afford to step back and let my brother go ahead of me, since I could be first whenever I really wanted to be.

If I had been born a VIRGO - I would have to learn the lessons of true service. I would realize that whether I liked it or not, this was to be a lifetime of service and that how I gave the service would determine the effect it had. I would learn that five minutes of willing, grateful service would help me more than a lifetime of grudging, resentful service. I would come to realize that the one person we find it hardest to give service to is the very one we must serve!

If I had been born a LIBRA - I would have to learn to accept people as they are without trying to change them. I would learn to recognize the true God-head in others and not try to force my ideas on them. I would learn not to be judgmental since I would come to realize that we are, each of us, on different paths. And since I would have to accept the fact that what is right for me is not necessarily right for others, I would have to be willing to give them the freedom that I demand for myself.

If I had been born a SCORPIO - I would have to learn the lesson of sharing my strength instead of imposing it. I would learn that I was so strong in myself that others would tend to believe that I was always right and would follow my lead. I would learn that this was a very real danger to my own development as my ego would creep in and take over. I would learn that strength is rarely wisdom.

If I had been born a SAGITTARIUS - I would have to learn that I was born to search for truth. I would come to know that accepting second best or compromising with the expedient or with the popular would not answer. I would realize that only while on this search for truth would I be able to find love. I would accept the fact that this would be essentially a lonely fife - with God, not man, as my constant companion.

If I had been born a CAPRICORN - I would have to learn the lesson of taking responsibility. I would come to realize that I am, indeed, my brother's keeper. It would be shown to me that I could succeed only insofar as I was willing to help my fellow man succeed. I would learn that if he failed because of lack of compassion or real help on my part that I too had surely failed.

If I had been born an AQUARIAN - I would have to learn the lesson of tolerance. I would have to learn to see that being tolerant of only those who had the good sense to agree with me was a sort of intolerance in itself; a kind of a stigmatism of the Soul. I would have to fight as hard for my brother's right to his beliefs as I would for my own. I would have to learn the lessons of the cycles of life and that it is indeed true that what you sow is what you reap!

If I had been born a PISCES - I would have to learn the lessons of experiences. I would come to realize that I could not be a complete, perfect reflection of god until I had mastered all the lessons of all the other signs. I would learn to deal with criticisms of my seeming restlessness and irresponsibility, knowing that I had to do all things, and be all things so that I might finally come to know God.