Know thyself — free the angel
As to spiritual influences,
As to spiritual influences,
should exert a spiritual influence upon the human world,
yet were you to reflect deeply upon this matter
you would not be greatly
surprised by it.
~ Abu'l-Baha ~
~ Abu'l-Baha ~
Dear Ones,
Just as celestial signs marked the advent of the great Manifestations of God — the Star of Bethlehem being the most luminous example — so too, every newborn may receive from the universe a subtle imprint at the beginning of its earthly journey.
… it hath become clear and manifest that before the revelation of each of the Mirrors reflecting the divine Essence, the signs heralding their advent must needs be revealed in the visible heaven as well as in the invisible.
This idea of a connection between the heavens and human life finds deep roots in the Baha'i Writings.
Some of the celestial stars have a clear and apparent material effect upon the terrestrial globe and the earthly beings, which needs no explanation.
~ Abdul'-Baha
In other words, some of the planets and stars within this vast organism of the universe exert profound mutual influences upon one another — possibly including the Earth itself. In line with this, string theory suggests that subtle threads interconnect the universe in a kind of divine symphony. Isn’t that fascinating?
We can therefore envisage that planetary forces may exert their influence on human beings, particularly affecting the nervous system, then the secretion of glandular hormones shaping both body and mind.
In fact, this idea of a cosmic imprint on the human body and temperament appears to rest on a long scientific and medical tradition:
In fact, this idea of a cosmic imprint on the human body and temperament appears to rest on a long scientific and medical tradition:
Hippocrates (5th–4th century BC) first introduced the theory of the FOUR TEMPERAMENTS — sanguine, choleric, melancholic and phlegmatic — linking them to the humors, the seasons, the elements and celestial movements. This foundational model was later systematized by Galen, integrated into holistic medicine by Avicenna, and further developed by Paracelsus. Remarkably reliable, it continues to be used today and still serves as the common basis for many later systems of personality and character analysis, including modern approaches such as the MYERS-BRIGGS Type Indicator (through the work of David Keirsey). This long tradition may help explain why Baha’u’llah invited us to consider the ancient knowledge concerning the influence of the stars on the physical world:
Thou hast, moreover, asked Me concerning the nature of the celestial spheres. To comprehend their nature, it would be necessary to inquire into the meaning of the allusions that have been made in the Books of old to the celestial spheres and the heavens, and to discover the character of their relationship to this physical world, and the influence which they exert upon it. Every heart is filled with wonder at so bewildering a theme, and every mind is perplexed by its mystery. God, alone, can fathom its import.Many advanced civilizations have disappeared over the millennia. We should not be surprised by this kind of high knowledge the Ancients possessed, some of which we are only now rediscovering through chronobiology, circadian rhythms and subtle electromagnetic influences.
In the twentieth century, this lineage continued through more systematic and empirical psychological observations.
In France, René Le Senne founded modern characterology, classifying individuals according to three measurable polarities (emotivity, activity, secondarity), giving birth to eight psychological types (nervous, sentimental, passionate, choleric, sanguine, phlegmatic and apathetic). Gaston Berger and others extended this approach by applying it to education, vocational guidance and personal development. In parallel, Louis Corman’s morphopsychology studied the links between physical structure and temperament.
Dr. Pierre André further explored the correspondences between planets, endocrine glands and hormones. According to his observations, subtle cosmic influences, acting through the nervous system and glandular secretions (in addition to genetic factors), help shape the child’s psychomorphotype. These influences would take full effect at the moment the umbilical cord is cut, when the newborn becomes independent and enters into direct resonance with the cosmic field of that time and place.
Today, anyone can easily generate a detailed birth chart using free and highly regarded tools such as Astro.com. While we do not endorse divinatory astrology, such a chart can serve as an interesting complementary tool for reflecting on the unique cosmic conditions present at the moment of birth.
By recognizing the possible common origin of these typologies — so well refined over the centuries — Socrates’ call to “Know thyself” may take on a deeper meaning, inviting us to consider them to better realize our potential.
What began as an ancient intuition about the influence of the stars, gradually evolving into a more rigorous exploration of our specific human terrain, calls for the respectful study of these approaches. Through education, conscious nutrition, prayer, spiritual effort and self-transformation, free will can enrich, balance or transcend these initial tendencies, the soul using this imprint as a tool without being bound by it.
Dr. Pierre André further explored the correspondences between planets, endocrine glands and hormones. According to his observations, subtle cosmic influences, acting through the nervous system and glandular secretions (in addition to genetic factors), help shape the child’s psychomorphotype. These influences would take full effect at the moment the umbilical cord is cut, when the newborn becomes independent and enters into direct resonance with the cosmic field of that time and place.
Today, anyone can easily generate a detailed birth chart using free and highly regarded tools such as Astro.com. While we do not endorse divinatory astrology, such a chart can serve as an interesting complementary tool for reflecting on the unique cosmic conditions present at the moment of birth.
In America, the biochemist Victor G. Rocine analyzed thousands of bodies and their ashes to establish correspondences between mineral dominances and morphology. These “chemical types” offered a remarkably rich empirical grid illuminating the said planetary imprint on the biochemical terrain of the newborn. Louis Turgeon, in Quebec, later illustrated this approach in La Face Humaine Analysée, providing 21 type portraits of striking acuity. For each type, their research associated specific dietary and lifestyle recommendations aimed at restoring balance. Interestingly, this concern finds a clear parallel in the Baha'i Writings, where Abdu'l-Baha states:Unfortunately, both Rocine’s and Turgeon’s key works on this system are no longer easily accessible today.
The outer, physical causal factor in disease… is a disturbance in the balance, the proportionate equilibrium of all those elements of which the human body is composed.
By recognizing the possible common origin of these typologies — so well refined over the centuries — Socrates’ call to “Know thyself” may take on a deeper meaning, inviting us to consider them to better realize our potential.
What began as an ancient intuition about the influence of the stars, gradually evolving into a more rigorous exploration of our specific human terrain, calls for the respectful study of these approaches. Through education, conscious nutrition, prayer, spiritual effort and self-transformation, free will can enrich, balance or transcend these initial tendencies, the soul using this imprint as a tool without being bound by it.
Whatever our individual convictions on this question, the quotations presented remind us that we are not isolated beings, but integral parts of an interconnected universe under the infinite wisdom of the Creator. It also evokes the deep spiritual mysteries surrounding the soul's initiation into its everlasting journey.
For a complementary reflection on man’s destiny from a Baha'i perspective, one may consult KNOW THYSELF III.
...another step toward our angelic nature.