Can Astrology be part of our spiritual journey or does it simply reinforce our ego?

Sometimes we hear people saying astrology cannot be part of a spiritual path because we are focusing upon our ‘ego’ and that it simply reinforces the ego. Having contemplated this suggestion my conclusion is, this is a fallacy for several reasons.

I feel from a metaphysical perspective it is impossible to say that ‘this’ is spiritual but ‘that’ is not? For example, when we see a great oak tree growing in a forest does it makes sense to differentiate between the unknown vast spiritual intelligence of the universe, which some call God and others Consciousness and so on, and the very essence and substance of our oak tree? Surely this intelligence grows the tree, and the very material from which it is comprised has its source within this field of intelligence?  And in just the same way we arise from this same field of intelligence. Even though unlike the tree we move around in the world and perhaps possess a more complex body/mind we too are utterly interdependent with the wider world. In truth all of our different aspects do not exist apart from the broader ‘spiritual field', they are ‘it’ too! That there is nothing which is not 'God'? Or as a teacher of mine once said 'Its  all as God as it gets!'

You could say our physical body, our psyche, etc. are simply patterns of certain frequencies of vibration within the greater field, all of which are centered around a sense of ‘me’ within this lifetime. We can perhaps liken this to a whirlpool in a stream which exists for a while, as the stream of water (or Life) continues to flow through us. Eventually the whirlpool inevitably releases its distinct form into the stream perhaps going on to form another whirlpool further down the mountainside. In this way perhaps we can see our sense of ego, along with all our other facets, as embodiments of 'Flowing Life', Whereby, as many of the greatest sages tell us, all of life, including our ego, provides different perspectives or viewpoints from which Life experiences Itself.

 If the above is taken to be true, then far from distracting us from our spiritual growth, our unique personality and sense of ego are embodied 'spirit' contributing to the totality of experience. And when we take the time to explore the way in which our unique psyche functions, and grow in self-knowledge, this increased self-awareness expands both our own and the collective consciousness, something so very central to the spiritual path. It can heal old wounds, giving us different choices for the future. It can lay bare the so-called shadow side of our being, so we are not doomed to be forever unconsciously driven by it. Difficult circumstances, once seen from a wider perspective, can lead to the growth of wisdom and compassion.  The potential for transformation becomes more available to us.

Ultimately, we cannot dispense with the ego as such, otherwise how do we find our way home? And if each one of us constitutes a unique viewpoint on the world, then we can celebrate difference. When Grace comes calling and we are fortunate enough to experience being the stream rather than the whirlpool for a while, even then we will return to our former self, and whilst transformed to some degree, our ego remains.

So no, I think astrology helps us evolve, helps us expand our consciousness and can even help us to see which kind of spiritual path suits us best. And that ultimately each of is simultaneously both an individual and the whole, both of which we can truly celebrate.