Validation or justification?

I would like to share with you a reflection that has been on my mind for several weeks about the tools available to facilitate self-knowledge in these times. But first I would like to say that I declare myself a person deeply fascinated with the concept and exercise of personal development. I feel that each and every one of us is our own masterpiece. Our piece to refine, to polish, to nurture. Beautiful.

This fascination began to take shape when I surrendered to following one of my passions since I was a child: astrology. I have always been aware of everyone's sun sign; in fact, I was one of those who read horoscopes religiously on Sundays and looked for compatibilities between people. Totally curious. But it wasn't until a couple of years ago that I enrolled in my first formal course. There I learned about my moon (emotional world and childhood) and my Venus (tastes and values). This knowledge opened my eyes and gave me a clarity I had never had before. It was to stop living my life blindly and finally have a map to follow my path. I then enrolled in various courses to continue learning about classical astrology as well as psychological and evolutionary astrology. The more I learned, the more fascinated I became. Since then, I have been wondering why this science had not become more widespread, since it provides so much information and can help so much. Well, the time has come.

Currently I am not only still studying astrology, but but I also started to investigate Human Design (HD), a methodology that is also blowing my mind because it adds granularity to what astrology delivers (HD also has an astrological component, by the way). Anyway, all these tools give you your signature, either your signature in relation to the stars and planets when you were born, or the energetic channels that were activated in you at the time - or before according to DH. - All of this results in the person you are and the life you are currently living.

Personally, for me there is a before and an after finding these tools. They have given me self-validation and clarity. Their concepts and alignments have explained SO much about myself that I am deeply grateful to have them in my life now. But concretely, the only thing that changed is that I saw something outside that I already felt inside. I stopped seeing some areas of myself as a problem and started to simply accept myself and work on them without the shame, guilt, frustration that they caused me. I also shone a light on the strengths and talents that I have and that I had not really been developing. I found a reason. And that brought me peace.   

Like me, many other people are also in this: people who would not have the life, the jobs, the partners, etc., if they had not discovered these methods (or others) to validate and liberate themselves. Allowing themselves to live to the fullest, both in their light and in their shadow, celebrating every aspect of themselves.

Now, having said that, I also see something in the use of these tools that makes me wonder: while they validate us, sometimes they can also be used to justify us. Y aquí quisiera aclarar con un par de ejemplos. En redes sociales sigo a "influencers" with whom I share this passion and I usually like their content, but when they say things like "I am (sun in) Aries and I go fast, I get bored, I want to do it my way, I am independent... etc."; or again, "I am a Projector with Ajna and Throat defined so I come to guide and share my truth and that is why I do not follow the rules of society... etc., etc., etc."

Yeah, ok, to each their own in their own space, but lately these kinds of statements leave me wondering: could it be that we unwittingly use self-knowledge to justify our actions/words?, could it be that we use it to "control" what others might think about us?, or that we are falling into what is scientifically known as "confirmation bias", where I select only arguments that reinforce my opinion or my action for my own benefit?

There is no way of knowing for sure whether this is accurate or whether it happens subconsciously, unconsciously, or consciously. But I think it is good to look at it from the outside, to question it, and to see what happens. How they trigger certain opinions or discomfort in us. That's where my reflection comes from in this occasion.

Anyway, what do you think about this, are you familiar with these tools, what have they given you? I would love to know.