Published in the Biblical Bulletin 8 (Spring 1979): 1-2 and in The Reporter (Lansdale, PA) 111, no. 146 (18 April 1981): 17.

Biorhythms: theNew Astrology

Robert C. Newman

In the past two or three years, the “science” of biorhythmshas been sweeping the country. For25¢ you can have your own biorhythm reading for any day of your life.  For $20 a computer will give youreadings for a whole year. For $10you can buy a little hand calculator to figure out your own readings.

What is this “science” of biorhythms?  Early in the 20^th century,two German doctors claimed to have discovered that human behavior is stronglyinfluenced by three rhythms: aphysical cycle repeating every 23 days, an emotional cycle of 28 days, and anintellectual cycle of 33 days. Ineach of these cycles, a person is supposed to be strong (physically,emotionally, or mentally) in the first half and weak in the second.  These cycles are all supposed to startoff from zero when you are born and continue without variation to the day youdie. Thus calculation of yourbiorhythmic status at any time is relatively simple if your birthdate is known.

In addition to giving information about your “good days” and“bad days” for physical, emotional or mental activity, it is claimed that an“critical days” (when one or more cycles are switching from strong to weak orvice versa) you are especially prone to have accidents.  Much of the popularity of biorhythms isbased upon claims that knowledge of this “science” has significantly cutaccident rates in some industries.

In spite of such claims, however, there are severalsuspicious features of biorhythms which are immediately obvious.  Why should the cycles start atbirth? A baby is alive for monthsbefore he or she is born. Inaddition, some babies are born prematurely, others come many days overdue.  What evidence is there that all peoplehave the same length cycles? Thereis hardly any human trait that is exactly the same for everyone.  And what evidence is there that thelength of any of these cycles is unchangeable throughout life?  Very few of our personalcharacteristics remain the same as we age. Yet if any of these cycles differs by even a few tenths ofone percent from exactly 23 (28 or 33) days, then the usual calculation will beworthless for anyone more than twenty years or so old.  By then, the peaks of each cycle willactually come were you calculate valleys! To make any really valid use of biorhythms, you would have to have avery thorough and expensive physical examination to find out (if indeed it ispossible to find out) where you are in each cycle. An elaborate checkup would be needed every year or so tomake sure of the exact length of your cycles and to see whether or not their lengthsare changing.

As a matter of fact, recent studies in this country indicatethat biorhythms as popularly calculated are worthless for predictingperformance. Thus, Reggie Jackson,right fielder of the New York Yankees, hit three home runs in his last three atbats to win the 1977 World Series on a “low day” in his physical cycle!  A study of the batting performances of70 major-league baseball players during the 1975 season showed no connectionwith their high days, low days, or critical days. Similar research on 205 carefully investigated autoaccidents in which a driver was clearly at fault likewise showed no linkbetween accidents and critical days. The same result was found for an analysis of 400 mining accidents.

Are there some lessons here for us?  Yes. Don’t run off after every fad tht comes along.  “Test all things; hold fast to thatwhich is good.” Mankind, it seems,has a great thirst for security. Sometimesthis involves dabbling in occult forms of divination, such as astrology, Tarotcards, seances or ouija boards. For others, there is an unbalanced emphasis on making money, winningfriends, gaining power, or even just trying to stay healthy.  God wants us to concentrate on doingHis will, and He in turn will provide us with the only real security there is. Where else can one truly find that “all things work togetherfor good,” that even when we fall, “underneath are the everlasting arms”?