In modern Western society, we are prone to view life as linear, progressive, and scientific.

In other words, we believe only what we can see, hear, or touch (i.e. verify and understand). We also tend to assume that anything beyond these parameters is hocus pocus (i.e. god, ghosts, spirits) and those who ‘believe’ in such things are, at best, deluded. 

This is the mainstream worldview. We are loath to change it. No, it isn’t so much that we refuse to change it but that we usually don’t even realise it’s there. 

It is especially dangerous for those who consider themselves to be spiritual in some way. Often,, spirituality is used loosely as synonym for that which is ‘good’. Ask those who consider themselves spiritual what they mean by that, and often enough they can’t answer. Usually, however, they can speak at some length about what spirituality is not – i.e. harming others or pursuit of selfish gain. Either way, there is little or no consideration of that which cannot be reduced to energy and matter.

Christopher Warnock, a traditional astrologer and celestial magician, has coined such a worldview as atheistic materialism.

He suggests we’ve adopted this worldview because it allows us to meaningfully confront that which we can’t understand. He further suggests that such a worldview is incapable of spirituality, in any positive sense. Worse, it is the slippery slope to nihilism, which he defines as believing our lives to have no inherent value, meaning, or purpose. Inevitably, this leads to depression and despair (reflected in rising rates of suicide and declining life expectancy).

What is a viable spiritual solution for those wishing to partake in spirituality but are unwilling to embrace contemporary organised religion (which requires faith rather than belief)?

Watch this space as I explore Warnock’s new book, The Celestial Way: The Spiritual Path of the Stars and Planets (to be continued).