SimplifyAstrology

2021: As astrological overview

As humanity awaits for the calendar to change and embrace the new year, 2021 will needless to say, will carry some unfinished business from 2020 and effects of that will be felt by people the world over at least for the first 6 months of the year! At times people will be left wondering whether 2020 really ended or not!

I will not be getting into details for every moon sign, simply because the potency of individual charts and their contextual realities matter a big deal to deduce the intensity of the impact that they will face- whether good or bad! In this short piece I share with you, what I think matters in general for all of us and things that we must watch out for and take note of!

2021 will be yet another year having the firm print of Rahu, Saturn, Jupiter and Mars, their interplay and the effects that they manifest based on the houses that they are transiting and the planets and houses that they aspect while doing so. It will be very not easy to find individuals with charts that experience only the positive energies of these transits. having said this, based on where the weakness is and what the vulnerabilities are people will have to work extra hard to ensure proactive measures are deployed to safeguard and protect the bhavas (houses) and their significations, sur enough if there are planets that are presents within these bhavas- their intrinsic strength too needs to be take into account. If the transits seem to be beneficial- the extent of the positive impact will depend on the inherent strength of the bhava, bhava lord and the planetary association in the natal chart as well, likewise should it be a negatively impacting transiting, how negative it will get, will have to be evaluated in a similar way!

The transit of Rahu through Vrishabha (Taurus), Mars transiting through Mesha (Aries) and later through Virshabha (Taurus)- alongside Jupiter’s transit- the Atichari gati (Rapid transit) through Aquarius between April 2021 and September 2021 will be something to watch out for in general. People who have their moon sign as Vrishabha- will feel the intense impact of Mars transit over their natal Moon and Rahu as that happens and based on the disposition of Individual charts- the impacts can be positive or negative, eitehrways they will be amplified and intense! and will be in the areas which are signified by the bhava over which the transits are happening (the placements of that bhava lord and other planets in the said bhava too will have to be factored). If the malefic influence as a net effect is more- the transit will be a challenge, likewise if there is benefic impact on the said bhava in a given chart- there can be positive developments in the proportion of the benefic influence.

The period between mid-Jan until Mid-April will be a one dotted with severe developments the world over, social unrest, struggle for livelihoods will continue until Jupiter moves back into Capricorn and resumes normal direct motion – first in Makara (Capricorn) and later as it moves ahead into Kumbha (Aquarius). A greater sense of order, and progress will be restored as Jupiter enters Meena (Pisces) around mid-April 2022!

The months when Mars transits over Rahu will be intense and the world will see some negative incidents, a major travel incident/accident and rise in violence targeted at societies cannot be ruled out. A few incidents may be outright explosive and will cause much anguish and will result in changing the geo-political narrative yet again! There will be rise in cases of health issues across societal segments which are vulnerable as Mars transits over Rahu and society will also perhaps see some big news developing pertaining to psychotropic substances.

The global weather systems will continue being what they are- intense and severe- people will continue to blame “climate change”, the fact being the planet too is alive and what is certain is change! Floods and water related natural calamities will see a rise especially as Jupiter transits Kumbha (Aquarius). Mars transit over Rahu will trigger some sudden and explosive natural events as well- Volcanic eruptions and Earthquakes rank high on the list of possibilities after a relatively quieter 2020 on that front!

Due travel precaution while travelling and only purposeful travel will help a lot- especially until mid-April. The pandemic will continue to linger on through 2021 with pockets across societies, around the world seeing sudden rise and sudden fall all through the year!

All in all 2021 will be yet another eventful and dynamic year- as humans we make a choice to learn and progress or fail and regress, that choice is what will help individuals either create simplified pathways ahead or end up complicating their stories!

I leave you with these thoughts for now, will be back soon with another article, until then stay safe and hope and pray you have a Happy 2021, irrespective of the challenges that come your way- remember- the choice resides with you to your own happiness!

For astrological consultations , get in touch with me through my Contact us page!

Mars and it’s weird ways!

If anyone were to ever ask me about a single planet that one should always be weary of, I would without doubt doubt point my fingers to this wonderful, hypnotic, deadly and intense planet- Mars! Whether Mars is placed well in your chart or not so well, really doesn’t matter because once every few years, as Mars decides to play the role that Mars is designated for, that role will be played to the full with complete intensity and melodrama that goes with it! Sure enough, as the sages said, aspects, dashas and other things will matter too, but the fact remains that there is nothing that can stop Mars when it decides to become one wrecking ball and it has the singular potency to yank an individual out of their comfort place whatever that may be- family, profession or even as fundamental as wanting to cherish values and belief systems of staying and being a human! Add to this some more malefic aspects by Saturn or Rahu coupled with a weakened Moon- you have a recipe for untold misery and disaster either for the individual or for others through that Individual- whose Mars has crossed the line to a point of no return!

No matter where Mars is placed, whether it is a yogakaraka for that chart or whether it is with a friendly planet or in the sign or nakshatra of a friendly planet- none of this matters in the sense that Mars always will give a problem with regards to one of it’s signification based on the house that it occupies- even if it is a functional benefic- when it acts like a benefic- it’s potency to harm may get reduced but it does not stop completely! Likewise when Mars aspects the 4th, 7th and 8th it causes much upheaval and churn with regards to the bhavas that it aspects and if there are planets therein then the whole aspect needs to be carefully weighed in terms of how much and to what extent the malefic impact of mars will play out! You may want to ask, doesn’t Mars provide positive results- well it does but what will you do with something positive that is built on a foundation of strife and churn? Let me explain!

Say you have Mars is the 9th house, it has the 4th aspect on the 12th house, 7th aspect to the 3rd house and 8th aspect to the 4th house! Irrespective whether mars is a benefic or not, it will unleash what it can, or should I say Mars being Mars- will end up creating rifts, fires, chaos and incidents with potential to burn down the very significations and essence of the houses that it aspects- to what extent- how deep and wide will that will depend on the holistic status of the chart- but it will makes it’s scar felt! When you have these kind of aspects- impediments to gain spiritual bliss, having a friend circle which seems more virtual then real and a home which seems to be there and not from time to time! How helpful this will be or how harmful it will get (for you or for others’), depends on the total picture of the chart and sure enough a function of transits and dashas as well!

Well, to sum it up- Mars is not all that benevolent as it may seem or someone may tell you, it will wreck when it aspects, the only thing to be ascertained is the extent of that wreckage, it’s not about “if it will”, it is about, “how much it will!” It has the potency to destroy a few significations of the house that it aspects, if not all and that is what is the key learning for one and all- any pursuit to build or rebuild what is been wrecked by mars as a signification, will only make it collapse each time one tries to build it over and over again! The learning point and the smart way is to know what Mars doesn’t want you to have and then sacrifice that for the greater good of your life and of the people around you!

I leave you here with these thoughts, do check upon your Mars and see what it is trying to suggest! The earlier you know that secret, the lesser the clutter and wreck that you have to eventually deal with!

Ciao for now, will be back soon with another one! Until then stay safe and stay electric!

Decoding wealth.

My practise over the years, has brought me some clarity when it comes to decoding and deciphering wealth as we refer to it in the times we live in! Join me here as we take a sneak peak into why charts look wealthy but the individuals almost always seem to struggle for it on an ongoing basis- whether they have it or not- struggle is a given!

As I have mentioned in my earlier write ups too, the whole art an science of astrology was arrived at during an era and a period where the interpretation of wealth was in as many forms and dimensions as one could think of! Take a cue from the “AshtaLaskshmi Stotram ” where the divine grace of the mother is personified and revered through eight elements or types of manifestation of wealth! This is the real essence of decoding wealth through charts, when one seeks help of astrology for the same, sure enough not many would be keen to know it from that angle – either for lack of ability to comprehend or simply because the kind of times we live in, where everything and anything round wealth is only decoded to the limit and value of cash and liquid assets!

Well, given the limitations of a blog and having shared with you (above) the fundamental premise and observations that I have seen through my reading of charts through the years- liquid wealth can and should be deduced through and through Mercury alone! Sure enough, you may want to deduce the inter planetary play of aspects and all of those given principles of astrology to ascertain planetary strengths and ability to bestow the promise, but the crux remains that if Mercury is weaker, even if you were to acquire wealth, the same will not remain the way you desire to for the simple reason that accumulation, sustenance and ability to store wealth are not all the only space that Mercury alone can provide!

When other benefics are stronger and show more promise of giving comforts to an individual in their charts, one should be absolutely clear that the comforts promised will largely be around the nature and the tatwa of the planet that is under consideration! Consider if Jupiter is favorably place and promises to offer comforts- these will be in the form of an eminent father, iconic teachers, acquisition of unfathomable knowledge and wisdom- all of these which may or may not come with fluid and liquid wealth in equal measure-unless and until there is a promise for that from Mercury! Likewise for Venus- Venus when good promises opulence, class and comforts- does not mean that you will be able to have wealth in liquid form to enjoy them- but you will enjoy them nevertheless owing to some benefic aspect of a Venusian engagement- through the benevolence of some form of feminine energy- Mother, spouse, Sister, Aunts so on and so forth- how well this manifests and for how long sure enough depends on other aspects of an individual’s charts!

Well, to keep it really short and sweet, unless in a chart Mercury holds a promise, the ability of the individual to have ready and easy access to liquid cash will always be a stress and even as others benefic offer comforts, they will do so in a way which is indirect- say one may not get the funds to buy a product, but will actually get access to that product through the association and aspect of the other benefic planet depending on who they are and what way they are engaging in a chart! Mercury and wealth indicated by it, even if potent goes astray unless tat is checked and balanced by other benefics and hence the old adage of creating value systems and always having wealth at perhaps one of the lowest levels of value systems when it came to the vedic way of leading life in the bygone eras back then! The wise perhaps realized then, the challenges that liquid money/ assets brought about with them and how that would have altered the social construct across levels even in those simple societies!

The true essence of assessing the wealthiness of an individual through their chart is to benchmark the soul level spiritual wealth and progress of the soul more then anything else, sure enough not many people in today’s age are keen to know about that, but the fact remains engraved in the charts that we see, one may have a lot of wealth and yet be miserable and one may be a pauper yet be at peace and one with the almighty- all of these instances are nothing else but what the charts whisper and unless we make it a point to spell those secrets, people will ever be caught up fighting the ghosts in their minds and pursue wealth while neglecting the real wealth that they themselves are- only if they were able to realize the richness of the soul that they are!

Ciao for now, will be back soon with another article, until then stay safe and stay wise, make every penny count and make it worthy of the soul that you are!

Decoding transits and their impacts.

We are simply tuned in to wait for the big transits every few years and expect magic to happen- when at times what gets played out may be more sinister and nightmarish then what it would have been before! Join me here as we try to understand what is possibly a more easier way to decode transits and read through their impacts and why they always don’t measure up the way you are told they will! So here we go!

Often we have people left wondering why a transit did not help the way it was supposed to and rather why did it compound a problem and complicate matters rather then resolving them! Well at times even astrologers end up exposing their vulnerabilities (nothing wrong with this, as long as they learn where they mis-stepped) and this further compounds the problem! Through my limited experience, I have picked up a few things and this is what I wish to share with your over the next few paragraphs!

To begin with, sure enough all the great classics stay as they stated and there is no reason to doubt or suggest anything adverse or contrary to the great sages and masters of vedic astrology! It all however starts with being able to decipher and decode what has been said in the context of the times that we live today and this is very very fundamental and critical!

Not all benefics intend to do what they suggest- You see Jupiter may have multiple significations and which one of those will prevail and which will go missing largely depends on the strength of the planet, the karaka that it happens to be (according to Jaimini) and also the lordship of the nakshatra and the sign that it occupies! Sure enough sounds boggling but that is the simple fact, unless any planet is in it’s highest level of comfort to bestow all that it can, it will not and will only be able to do only as much good as allowed by the limitations of the sign- lordship of the sign- the nakshatra- it’s lordship and the not to forget the operating dashas, antardasha and the plethora of aspects that a chart may have! hence even if you have a benefic Jupiter transiting the fifth house (let’s assume it’s own house/sign) for some it may indicate completion of higher education, yet for some it may signify getting a child and for yet some others it could be completing that vital academic research!

The confusion and chaos around wealth- Well the great astrological texts were written in an age when the definition of wealth was quite different- when it comes to today’s time- no matter what the “yogas” say, it is very important and vital that when charts are read- one takes a holistic and contextual look at the potential of the chart to manifest what it holds! Being rich can be as simple as being born into a family with a net worth value of “x” at the time or birth and then raising it to “x+y” through the life time or it could be going from “x” to “<x” and then bouncing back to “>x” all in a span of few years to a few decades and that is really the story for the majority of us, for only a few charts will have – what I call as holistic potential in terms of the planetary avasthas, operating dashas and transits to bestow unprecedented wealth the way the classical tests were written!

Deciphering impact of transits from natal moon in the chart- What I have come across through my practise is that even if the planets are benefics, as they transit the 4th, 8th or 12th from the Moon, there are more challenges presented depending on the bhava that they are transiting through and the play between that bhava lord, the moon and the transiting planet! Needless to say the impacts get muted or amplifies on the extent of the benefic/malefic impact and what the holistic grade works out to! This is one reason why many a times a very benefic period passes off as ordinary as it can get and at times from no where severe challenges begin to come up! This is a classic problem and further gets complicated for harts wherein there is greater amount of discord between the D1 and D9. When this play happens between D10 and the other primary charts, one can witness highs and lows of income and business as the planets move and engage with each other!

Set expectations right from the context that they come in from- Many a time people want to hear things what they want to- they are being human and nothing to blame them, but as students of astrology, it is upto us to help them understand what the planets really whisper and why even the most potent looking yoga in a chart may eventually turn up to be just a fleeting phase of a few months and not give anything more then a lottery of a few hundred rupees! The rise of an individual chart or the extent that a chart can all needs to be checked holistically and comprehensively factoring in all the critical elements that go on to impact and effect the promise as shown in a chart! You see, an individual may have a great chart with a great potential but if a sibling or a member of the family has something else that is glaring and showing u angles of distorted fortunes-if that bit is missed out- there will be a big divergence in what is inferred and what actually plays out ion the individuals life!

I leave you with these thoughts here and urge you, as a student of astrology to reflect upon these aspects too; whether you are an astrologer or a student or an individual seeking guidance through this great art and science! Charts tell the secrets, all of them, what is needed is the eye, a mind and a potent soul that can connect and unlock those secrets!

Ciao for now, will be back soon with another article!

Simplifying Planetary Exchanges

Another interesting topic among students and followers is the space around exchange of planetary houses (that is when planets seem to switch houses between them- like Mercury being in Taurus and Venus being in Gemini or say Mars being in Capricorn and Saturn being in Aries or Scorpio so on and so forth!). The approach to decoding the impact of these kind of planetary exchanges in a chart is really simple and calls for a complete holistic understanding of the planets under consideration in totality alongside the overall promise of the chart under study!

To begin with, one needs to see the bala (strength) that the planets have, the Jaimini karaka they represent, their association with the lagna lord and their association with the Sun and the Moon in the chart (sure enough their strength too will matter). You see, the panchavargeeya bala of the planets (who are in exchange) will go on to show the intensity and the impact of the exchange if I have to put in plain speak, the Jaimini Karaka they represent and the Bhava they are in (the house that they are in) goes on to then spell out how the play will commence and what all things will get impacted/ manifested). The relation with the Sun and / or the Moon signifies the pivot from where the manifestation will happen- whether things are manifesting from soul level or if they are arising from the mind and the material plane – more to do so with the desires owing to a fleeting mind- Moon signification.

As long as the planets are natural friends or temporal friends (based on the chart) and they are placed in houses/bhavas which are strong (have strength) and the natural significators of those bhavas are benefic and provide strength to the planets in the exchange- the results are often benefic and reinforced and more so during the beneficial transits and dasha/ anatardasha of the planets in exchange. When one of these houses or both of them are impacted by malefic planets based on the intensity of that aspect, there will be a proportional increase in delay or difficulty with regards to what is being promised by the planetary exchange! Likewise when dashas/antardasha of malefic planets operate and if they have a correlation with the planets in exchange (through conjunction or aspect) there will be problems/delays and reduction of the benefic impact of the planets in exchange!

When planets bring about an exchange with regards to the nakshatra lordship, the relationship of the nakshatra with regards to Moon and the the engagement of those nakshatras with the ones’ that are in action (through transits and dashas) will be crucial to take note of! Nakshatra works at the very basic level of the construct of an individual, hence even in the same lagna one finds different personalities walk the planet, even while the Moon is in the same sign, you have completely different levels of approach, attitude and discernment at play- ditto for other planets and what they signify! Hence when it comes to an exchange at Nakshatra level it primarily is bringing forth the underlying core construct at the soul level and something that is essentially inseparable and an intrinsic part of who the person has evolved to be! This is what it is!

To summarize, one needs to evaluate the whole space of planetary exchange at a very fundamental level, like everything else in astrology and then alone arrive at any specific conclusions or predict from thereon! Anything done without paying heed to the complete contextual settings of planets, bhavas, transits, dashas and nakshatras will only paint a part of the whole story which may not always be very accurate or helpful!

I leave your here with this shorty article and will be back soon with another one! If you want to know if you have a parivartan yoga in your chart and if you want to have an analysis done, reach us by completing our form on the Contact Us page on the website.

Ciao for now, will be back soon with another one!

Simplifying Planetary Aspects

I share with you here, what I have observed through my practise and sure enough, classical texts have their ground and there is no reason for debating or doubting what the great seers have written, the fact remains that as individuals, we are only able to understand and decipher a limited amount of the vast subject that astrology really is! Even in these modern times, we have had great scholars and legends who have spent their lives focusing only on a specific aspect of the subject and that too has always created a micro universe of applicable rules and governing principles- this perhaps is what makes Astrology so sublime, fluid and challenging! Today I share my observations about planetary aspects as I have seen them play out and sure enough, given the limitation of a blog, I will keep it is crisp and as simple as possible!

Unlike normally it has been thought, Jupiter can be as deceptive as any other planet and sure enough it may not cause any impediments like the other malefic planets, but it has the potential to stall it’s goodness and benefic virtue and leave an individual at the mercy of the malefic in the chart! This can get further compounded if Jupiter looses its strength or potency to do good by getting debilitated or is further under the influence of malefics in other divisional charts! Hence judging Jupiter only by analyzing it and suggesting it is a first rate benefic only because it is either in Cancer, Pisces or Sagittarius and associated with the 1,5, or 9th house can be a mistake! Likewise when it comes to Mars, even though it can be a Yogakaraka, given the basic nature of what Mars signifies, the houses that it aspects, it will create a clinical severance in the signification of the houses that it aspects, irrespective whether it is good or bad and more the malefic it is , greater will the be the impact felt on the signification of the houses that it aspects!

Like Jupiter and Mars, Saturn too brings in considerable restrictive manifestation to the signification of the house that it aspects, the only difference being, that It allows the house occupied by it to develop, albeit slowly with time and after taking an individual through the detour of life!

Sun’s seventh aspect too can be a handful, based on which house Sun is placed and what house it aspects, based on the other interplay of planets on that house being aspected, either that house will be managed or will be presented with ever going strife and conflict! As for Sun, so for Moon, unless the aspect has the necessary strength and benevolence of the other planets, lords of the aspected house and the house itself- there will be an ever going waning and waxing of the signification of the house that is being aspected by the Moon!

Venus in a very unlikely way, plays its influence in a very subtle and sustained manner, often leaving people wondering whether there is any impact at all! No matter what people say or think, when you look beyond by the yesteryear and count the number of times you have made it out even in the toughest situation, in all probability it would have been because of the benevolence of Venus or Jupiter and more of Venus- because , Venus operates when and where Jupiter stops owing to it’s high moralistic pedestal! Venus brings in a soothing impact on the house aspected by it and tends to make it shine and stand out at least in some aspect of the signification (sure enough depending on how well Venus is placed in a chart!) Venus is the invisible hand of God, which blesses, guides and heals all the time without people noticing it!

Rahu (and as some schools of astrology also factor Ketu) aspects are as tricky and as self asserting as Rahu himself! Well, some believe Rahu propels and accelerates materialistic hoarding while Ketu drives one towards detachment and spiritual path, sure enough, but one must never forget that the manifestation of the type of hoarding and the type of spiritual path is almost always indicated by the lords of the signs that Rahu and Ketu occupy! Needles to say if there is an interplay between Rahu/Ketu and the Moon or the Sun and if the Moon is weak, individuals have to face testing times as and when the nodes decide to pull up a trick because the ability of the mind to discern and the conviction of the soul both get dampened proportionally to the strength that Rahu/ Ketu derive! Rahu, as I have seen, through its aspects tends to increase the signification of the houses that it aspects and in a way as to help the individual, while Ketu seems to curtail and restrict the significations of the houses that it aspects making the individual slog more and toil more to earn those significations!

Irrespective of whatever the classical texts say the D1, holds the promise of the potential and shows streaks of success and reasons of failures, the study of all other Divisional charts is futile (unless the D1 has been studied comprehensively and in good detail); simply because all of them are eventually derived from the D1!

I leave you here with these thoughts for now and will be back soon with another piece! Until then stay safe, stay wise and even as you know your planets, know your aspects, for they equally matter, if not more or less! Human Beings are but the net result of all the interplay of the planetary engagements in the D1 chart and not the sum total! That’s the secret!

Ciao for now, will be back soon with another piece!

How Planets really Influence and Manifest.

A lot has been written and discussed about how planets do what they do, being where they are and how they are (the lordships, the stars that they are in and the dignity that they have). To that add the elements of the transits and operating dashas you have a wide range of permutations and combinations to decipher what actually is getting played out in the chart of an individual. Well, I have written earlier about this space, so you may want to know what is new here, well the new part is about knowing why planetary transits and dashas don’t seem to lay out the way they should and what is the hidden secret on why some charts spell a few things that never come to see the light of the day and why some incidents take place which perhaps are never factored- this is a space beyond of what an astrologer can be- nothing to doubt anyone’s competence but this is the space where astrology melts into the Universal supreme force! So join me here as we unravel this space and move ahead!

Sure enough, great texts and scholars have written and discussed a lot around the different aspects of astrology, in this article I share with you, some observations that I have come across through my years of learning and trying to unravel this space.

The first part that I want to discuss here is, the concept of “yogas”. Scholars have talked about deciphering yogas- but I have come across instances where the yoga doesn’t manifest the way it does, sure there are classical explanations involving the strength of the planets forming the yogas and so on and so forth, but then are also those cases wherein even in the best cases nothing manifests as it should or is indicated- so why does this happen? Hold you thought here, as we answer this later with all the other questions!

The other concept is of planetary aspects- few have the 7th aspect, few have the 5,7, and 9th aspect and yet some other have aspects like 3,7, 10th and 4,7 and 8th. but even as they aspect, even if they are well placed, are a benefic and at times even if they are malefic and ill placed, the results are paradoxical! This can be experienced even when you factor in the nakshatras occupied by the planets and the relationship of those nakshatra lords with the planets that occupy them. So what is that can be the probable cause as to why things don’t manifest even as the charts show all of this?

Well to answer both your questions above we need to quickly understand the origins and the Vedic Way – from where the genesis of astrology has been! You see, the Vedic times and since then, Jyotish as part of the Vedanga was an essential study to decipher the potential of people – read Rulers/ Emperors and Nobility back then- all because their well being ensured the well being of everyone and everything that dependent on them! Importantly unlike today’s time when astrologer’s are only consulted when people hit a barrier, back then astrology was essentially a tool to moderate and align individuals to what their exacting potential was and thereby played a vital role to ensure that the yogas too were empowered enough and the dashas, transits too were able to bestow as much as they could and should, simply because the individual was already aligned to the path that would enable those yogas and dasha instances to manifest! Think about it! This is why Astrology was held in so much of high esteem back then, not only because you could foretell the future- so to speak- but rather astrologers were consulted much early on to seek alignment to what the Universe had already conspired for the individual!

The real challenge starts when this early consultation and alignment goes haywire and individuals begin to walk down a path which is not meant for them and when that happens, one sees hardships and set backs and then even after coming back to astrologers, the only thing that remains to be done is build the ability to deal with the challenge, for the real solution is by then a lost case and if that manifestation is something really central to the Soul, it all but calls for another life ti fulfill what has been missed out simply because at some time a path was taken which was not meant to be!

When you begin to think about all the individuals that you have ever met, either as an astrologer or if you have been that individual who has visited and consulted astrologers to no end and not finding that essential missing part of the puzzle- the chances are you know now, why it was that way! Simply because the astrologers arrived late on the scene or the path was taken the way it was not meant to be- you may surely ask- isn’t this too not shown in the chart- well, it is- but that is where the problem is – even the individuals who consult an astrologer- rarely want to know why they have landed up where they are- for all that they want is a quick fix and well that hardly leaves any real work for a real astrologer nor does it help the individual!

So does this mean, that people can’t backtrack and re-align themselves? The answer is a Yes and No- yes, if they have not walked a long way ahead and they have been lucky enough to find that astrologer who knows what real alignment to the stars means and NO if the individuals have walked astray far too long and far too much- then what remains is only a life filled with aimless wandering- celebrating all that comes ones’ way- at times meaningful and most of the times- meaningless!

Astrology and it’s essence has always been about aligning the soul to the journey it is supposed to undertake by deciphering what the stars foretell. Too early too much doesn’t help and neither too little, too late! Timing is of the essence and the astrologer and the individual who are able to understand this secret of Jyotish are alone able to harness it’s benevolence to the maximum!

I leave you with these thoughts here, if you are an astrologer, you can reflect to revisit the charts where you figured this out and perhaps if you are an individual – grab that coffee and take that effort to realign before it gets too late! Astrology is nothing more but the star whispers and the universal energy that seeks your soul to a path- You align You rejoice- You deviate, You enhance the challenges for your soul’s journey!

Ciao for now, will be back soon with another article, until then, stay wise, stay aligned and stay in the NOW!

Astrology doesn’t fail, Humans do!

Many a times, I have been asked why predictions don’t come the way they were said, they will, or why wasn’t a major event not seen, even as other finer aspects were picked up! Join me here, to understand quickly and easily, why astrology is not the one that fails us, but rather, it is we, “humans” who end up failing ourselves most of the times!

To begin with, one needs to understand the construct of the astrology, coming in somewhere between 5000-10,000 years BCE, it was a formidable tool, part of the Vedas, and like other scriptures/ texts in the Vedas all aimed to uplift and enhance the value for the lives of the people at the soul level! This is the essence of astrology- soul level value enhancement that offers progressive guidance to accomplish what the soul must! Whether that happens within one life time or takes many, is an altogether different subject matter!

In the ancient world- at the cross roads of mythology and ancient kingdoms and seers, astrology was a way to keep the people who mattered the most in the society aligned to what may unfold as the stars foretold! This you can call it as perhaps the first form of Early Warning System- based on intense mathematics, study of astronomy- all of that done mentally- simply goes to demonstrate the sheer genius that even Raj Jyotishi’s ( The King’s astrologers) would have been! Sure enough there would have been times when they would have failed and that would have lead to impacts on a bigger level- there are replete examples in history where astrologers warned kings if impeding doom and the ignorance of the rulers ended up costing them their kingdom! Cut to today’s time, what do we see?

Astrology in today’s time has become a miracle tool to address what can’t be explained and more often than not, few astrologers try to play on the fear and anxiety of the enquirer and that’s where things begin to start go wrong! You see everyone wants to be happy, everyone wants all the material happiness and everyone wants everything and everyone! Even science will tell you, that is not how it works and never did it ever work that way in any historical existence of humanity! This overbearing urge of the enquirer to just hear that they will be successful, rich, famous, happy without understanding the real context of what’s happening and why things are unfolding as they are, supported by few astrologers, who too rush in (possibly missing some vital technical details or perhaps ignoring- they alone will know!), we set up astrology’s failure through improper interpretation, compounded by the detrimental value system of the current times that we are in! Let me explain!

Consider, a business person, comes to you and says the person wants to realize the dream of being “number 1..2…3″ whatever and have USD”xyz” so on and so forth, a knowledgeable astrologer will see the chart and know what the trim level is- what is that the soul has, wants and where it is headed and owing to that journey, what will unfold and whether these desires expressed align with that path or not! Now, from this path how the astrologer deals with this case, whether he chooses to align to the great teachings of the Vedas, Principles of Astrology to share what the Light of astrology says or does the astrologer decide to adopt the cryptic diplomatic silence to keep the enquirer engaged for long for multiple visits, multiple tools, techniques, remedies so on and so forth…is what goes to either etch the prudence of astrology or failure of the humans involved in it!

Through my limited experience, I have had fair share of revisiting people with same grudge, even after I have told them during the first instance, this is what your soul is and this is what it is, you come 1000 times, I am not GOD I can’t change…live with it, be grateful for what is and make the most of what you are! This approach ensures that the credentials of astrology are safeguarded, sure enough for that moment in time, the enquirer may have doubts on my abilities, but when they come back in a few months, years or as in some cases after a decade and say, “You were Right”, that makes everything worth it! Sure enough, if you are a wise person, like with any other subject, when you not know a part of the technicalities, you do say, “I don’t know”. It is when these finer aspects of common-sense and selfless approach (which is so much needed for the puritan science of astrology) are applied that astrology shines brighter and as an astrologer you are able to perform the divine duty of guiding that divine soul- not the person!

When humans fail, owing to pressures ranging from, “I want to hear this” “I want you to say this”, “I want you to suggest a remedy , else I am not going!” things start to falter and then there is no end, in that moment, sure enough you may sound an expert, wise and all that, but when things begin to go downhill or in a directions which was not suggested by you and when people come back to you, asking “Why” and “What” that’s when you make astrology vulnerable- because the reason is an enquirer, is seeking astrology and not the astrologer- unless you have connected at that soul level and get a sense of that divine journey that the soul is treading!

Sure enough, remedies help, mantras, tantra’s, chants, gemstone’s, each one of these has a unique place and purpose in the grand scheme of things, they will help, support the soul as long as the soul is progressing on the path it must- astrologer or no astrologer- if the soul has deviated and set itself up for delaying its karmic obligations by taking a detour- nothing else helps- you, see if you are supposed to cross a signal point on which your route is plotted and the signal is always green, but you never arrive there, because you went to take a short cut (remember free will- 33.33%) and that route will eventually arrive at this point- this life time or next all depends on how complicated that short cut ends up becoming for you! Yes, an astrologer can see this, perhaps even warn and tell, but nothing will change- that is the essence of being born as a human- some lessen their karmic debt and few add on! The pull to stay on this plane of life- is far tempting and unless you are an old soul- you will want to keep coming back and enjoy more and more and there is no limit! I will write about the age of your soul some other time! So what’s the takeaway?

Simple and clear, Astrology never failed, nor will it ever. It is humans at the either ends of the equation who fail, either for not being able to decipher the nuances rightly or by not wanting to walk the path that the soul wants to! As wise astrologer hence knows at the very first instance- when to way, what to say and when to hold that golden silence- for the wise astrologer knows- no amount of words will sway this soul for it has decided to come back and delay it’s obligations for now!

Astrology is all about nourishing your soul, enriching it, empowering it and propelling it on the chosen path through the solutions that it can provide- the cure of an illness is not about the medicines- it’s about the relation between the doctor and the ill person- as long as the willingness to align, change and adhere is there, even the astrologer will take the effort to cure even the most perplexing problems- but the adherence by the enquirer is what makes the difference!

I leave you here with these thoughts, do reflect and will be back soon with another one! Until then keep your soul illuminated within to guide you through the chosen path that you walk! Stay wise and Stay blessed!

Knowing Rahu-Ketu!

I had written earlier about what my perspectives about Rahu is, I just wanted to write a short piece today, highlighting few important aspects and things that I felt may unfold in the coming months ahead as Rahu- Ketu make the move.

On the mundane front, the world is heading for a tight corner in multiple ways! Sure enough, this is not the end of the world prophecy for a shadow planet, rather it is more to about the extent and depth of chaos and confusion that will be unleashed in the times ahead. You would have seen the first day of a kindergarten class right? Well amplify that by a million times and that’s how crazy the whole ecosystem is going to be and needles to say, people who will be entrusted to manage- will be wondering why they even chose to lead in the first place!

Especially as it comes to India, transit of Rahu through the first house, Ketu in the seventh- that axis will signify fog- chaos- mistrust and a challenging period ahead! Public unrest’s, protests, strikes, owing to Rahu’s aspect on Saturn will be evident and general public anguish across societies will be evident (this will be also seen in other nations of the world as the economic crisis starts to worsen)! Financial and economic situation in India will continue to be in a tight spot for a longer than usual period which will further necessitate government to implement unforeseen restrictions and steps to manage the situation for the nation’s good! Relations with neighbors will be anything but cordial, transit of Mars over Rahu will cause flare ups and Ketu in the seventh signifies that there could be an axis of adversaries plotting something to hamper the well being of the state and try to fault the nation into taking some overzealous action compounding the complexity even further! Security matters will take precedence for the larger part of this Rahu transit and will be evident by policy and practice.

As Mars arrives in Taurus- expect sudden developments-indicative of natural calamities, travel related incidents, industrial accidents related to chemicals and oil sector. Transit of Mars through Taurus alongside Rahu will be perhaps a very testing period and even the masses will have to exercise caution while travelling and in public places. Since Jupiter and Sun will not be very helpful during the time when Mars is with Rahu- special care and attention is called for taking care of the health and safety of world leaders, business tycoons and people who hold eminent positions!

Staying with global politics, US elections will see more drama than you can find on an OTT platform! There will be a lot of attempts to manipulate and influence the elections one way or the other and closer to late September- mid-October more and more of this attempts to rig will get exposed and the elections results will be again very close and indicate a fair chance of re-election of the current presidency. Extra care will be required for the health and safety of the President during the time running upto the election post mid October as Sun enters Scorpio.

Rahu will again amplify significations related to Venus (as transiting Taurus) and you will see more unknown aspects being unearthed related to people from the art sector. It surely will give a boost to wellness and spirituality pursuits, but here too, Rahu being Rahu- in the crowd of Gurus- connecting with the real Guru will be a fortune experienced only by a select few- even as others soak in to the illusion that others present themselves as!

Advancement in technology, especially pertaining to healthcare, sure enough will grow rapidly and new age gadgets and gizmos will once again begin to make a bee line with more aggression than ever before! A lot of emphasis will be on the aspect of wellness through technologically deployment and societies will begin to experience first hand what was seen only in movies a few years back! This will be a good period for eminent scientists to arrive on the scene with some clutter breaking discoveries and inventions! New rules of the game will get written and will help humanity at large!

As Jupiter enters Capricorn- once again there will be more of questioning of the authorities by the working class and thereby again lead to pockets of disruptions!

Rahu transit coupled with Mars will also create health issues related to acidity, blood pressure, migraines, heart burns related to stress etc. especially when the 4th, 5th, or 6th house are getting impacted by some way (placement, aspects, association of the lords of the houses etc). Needless to say every chart must be checked individually to deduce what the exact health issue could be and whether it will manifest and if yes, by what intensity!

All in all, a hectic timeline ahead, as they say in aviation- turbulence ahead, tie up your seat belts, stow away the trays (all that is not relevant and important – keep it away for now!) and yes, pray as much and as long as you can! If you are in India now, buckle up for some intense learning through the next 18 months and youngsters forged by this time will emerge as victors in their own life as they go on to write the future of the nation- as they will know what mistakes to avoid then!

Soak in all that you can and very very importantly, don’t believe all that is said and shown, use your wisdom to see what is hidden in plain sight, for that is the real power and essence of Rahu! To know Rahu use your mind, not your eyes!

Ciao for now, will be back soon, as I have something to share! Stay wise, stay safe and always know- what is within is what manifests around!

Symbolism,Rituals and Mantras.

With the arrival of Janmashtami, Lord Ganesha we celebrate the ushering in of the festive season that goes right until Holi early next year, but what is it about all these deities, the elaborate process involved and the chanting of hymns, slokas and sacred texts, it does something for sure, but what and how? Join me here as I share with you my reflections on these fascinating facts about elements of symbolism, rituals , mantras and tantra that go on to shape the vibrant pathways that we get to choose from! You too will perhaps know why the ancient sages were as wise as they were and how that wisdom still continues to shape and align us to the path of righteousness!

Hinduism is replete with symbolism, everywhere you see, whether it is the form of the deity, the vatsu of the temple complex, the selection of offerings, the timing of the prayers, etc etc. One interesting fact is the concept of the “Vahana”. Unlike what normally people think that they are the vehicles for the deity to travel- the real reason is much more philosophical and in depth and the whole thinking that it’s just about a mode of transport is where many go wrong! I will share with you a few examples to help you understand and then you can too, explore your journey by observing the deity you follow and appreciate the symbolism coming from the Vahana of the deity to you!

If you see Lord Ganesha, the Vahana is the Rat, now one hand we have Lord Ganesha who is the personification of purity, justice, compassion, who overcomes obstacles and challenges, an element of The Rudra, Brahma and Vishnu all embodied within one powerful deity, not to forget the Brilliance of Intelligence! So what is a Rat (Mooshaka)- which perhaps personifies everything opposite to what the deity does, doing here? The Rat stands for destruction by carelessness, recklessness, being a pest, being a trouble creator, being a self-centered, selfish, low thinking, slyness and every other negative aspect you can think of – its the darkness of ignorance, its the fear of the unknown (which again comes from ignorance). So why has Lord Ganesha chosen the Rat as the Vahana- why does he sit or ride one? Well the fact is that Vahana not only means what it does literally, but when you split this word- Va-Hana: It means to stop, arrest, prevail over the vices that are around and this the essence of symbolism across all the deities you can think of! Let’s speak about Goddess Saraswati- even in the Saraswati Vand ana there is definition of the grace, simplicity and elegance, not much ornaments, a book , a musical instrument (the most difficult one to master among)and she is seated on a Lotus with a Swan around or at times on a Swan- Swan which represents, beauty, a swan gets easily distracted, attention keeps fleeting always. The Swan is majestic and opulent, always craving for attention and wanting to be the centre of attraction! the Lotus signifies that no matter how detrimental your surroundings are, no matter how adverse your situation in life- as long as you leverage on the power of wisdom, knowledge with humility and do away with ignorance, arrogance you will be able to blossom into the most beautiful soul that you can be!

So you see, here too, through symbolism, what is been conveyed is that the pursuit of Knowledge and Wisdom only happens to be fruitful when you are steadfast, ready to be humble, simple, elegant, persevering but not ego driven, ignorant or arrogant, reflecting inwards at all times and pursuing what the truth is, not at all being distracted by commotion, praise or brick bats that come your way, a person who is able to devote this way to learning and knowledge is who understand the real truth of singularity of the universe and all that there is!

Likewise for Lord Shiva, Nandi- the resemblance of power, strength, brute force is made to wait and wait and wait in front of Lord Shiva- who is the personification of patience, endurance, power and destruction. Here this relation signifies the importance of the fact that power is only relevant till it resides within you, once you unleash it outwards your power is at the mercy of the external world and you loose all that makes you who you are, this relation also signifies the value of patience, devotion and fact that when one life form enhances the threshold of patience others too will follow, and even the most aggressive, restless creatures can be made to align once you, yourself are aligned and achieve that level of poise and calm! It also sends the message that no matter how big or powerful the adversary may be- a calm poised mind is the ultimate weapon that can subdue even the strongest of the enemies!

You, see this is the true essence of symbolism among deities and their vahanas- and this is just one aspect, just imagine how many such symbolism’s you may come across if you were to spend a day in a temple complex that is possibly a few hundred years old! It is no wonder that at the time when the great vedic texts were written possibly the grandeur and the symbolism would have been even more detailed and intricate to educate and instill values of compassion, righteousness and collaborative existence among the people living in those societies! If this is the open secret that is everywhere for us to see, as far as symbolism is concerned, what about rituals and mantras etc? Read on!

Rituals, mantras have been perhaps the greatest gift that humanity has received and fortunately has been able to preserve! If you ask me in modern parlance these are the Always ON- WIFI connection with the supreme universal energy- GOD- depending on the deity you choose you are offered a pathway through the bundle of rituals and mantras to keep moving on that pathway to achieve your final destination of knowing the One Truth and experiencing it, either in the human form that you have now or perhaps in another form or a state of formlessness- who knows! You may ask if GOD is one then why so many pathways and why so many different rituals, let me explain in a very simple manner! Say you walk into a room and there is a fan, a light, a TV, an oven , a fridge, an AC and you want to say switch on the TV, what you do next is hunt for the switch and keep trying the switches until you strike the right one that turns on the device that you wanted and that is when you feel contentment and your happy! Likewise the soul feels content once it has tapped into the pathway that it so desires and the moment that happens, you will know it too! You arrive at a stage of life- where even the most pressing problems seem to stay sublimed around, perhaps not going away, but not harming you either and that divine grace is what you get when your approach is aligned to the soul’s desire and your have hit the right switch! Does this mean that other switches don’t work or are not for you, certainly that’s not what it is, as you go through your life, at different times you will have to switch on and switch off some switches and make new pathways and leave old ones and thats how the progress of your soul will be! When you are in a house, you may need the fan now, not two hours later, you may not need the light in the daytime, but at night you would, you may need the Oven only twice a day, likewise tapping into the right pathway at the right time and for the right duration is the essence of being spiritual and progressing on that pathway! You may want to ask, what happens if you don’t switch on anything, what happens if you always keep everything on, well either ways, your soul will end up sapping its energy either by being overwhelmed by an overpowering spiritual experience or being deprived and challenged at every breath to live even the normal times in extraordinary discomfort- this is like you have a fan but won’t put it on and would like to be bitten by mosquitoes! This is why the process, method and the laid down principles of the wise sages matter so much!

Rituals, mantras, tantra all of these are those pathways which were deciphered by the sages and recorded as to what purpose they serve and what is the right way to walk on each of those pathways. You see if you are on a broad pathway of bhaktimarga- the rules are simple- more about compassion and unfailing devotion to every life form and object around you as you see GOD in everyone and everything round! This is as simple as that, but just take a pause and think the empowering thought within this! Likewise you have other routes and methods, some are easier, few tougher, but all eventually serve one person- progress the soul to its final destination! So why is that GOD doesn’t seem to listen?

Well, just look at what we end up doing! We go to a Shiva temple and offer prayers to the Nandi! Sure enough Nandi has it’s own relevance but in front of Lord Shiva? This is like you go to visit a person at his residence and strike a conversation with the caretaker, sure he too is human and nothing to look down upon- he too is a soul- but will he be able to solve your challenges for which you have to meet the person of the house? Likewise we go to a Ganesha Temple and end up worshiping the Mooshaka! Seriously? you are asking all the negative influence to come to you? Sure enough there is a mythological story around it- that is what the point is – that was a story – because ancient people could only understand verbal narratives and the only way to understand verbal narratives was through story telling and that is the fact even to this day and that’s why even if you forget all that you learnt, you never forget, “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star”!

So if you go to your deities house and spend more time appreciating the caretaker, sure enough how do you expect your solutions to arrive, because you just ended up spending more time where you shouldn’t, like many other tings that we end up doing in our so called busy lives!

So, finally a few words, before I close this blog, no matter what religion you choose and what pathways within that you adhere yourself to for realizing and connecting with the Supreme Power, as long as you understand the deep rooted philosophy that is all over in the symbolism, rituals and mantras, you will end up almost every day hitting the wrong switches for the things that you need! It is only when you truly connect, understand in depth the sense of the symbolism of the deities, what they are saying to you, through the way they have assumed forms, through the rituals laid out for them, and the slokas and the empowering words that connect with them that you will sense a space of eternal bliss, calmness and oneness with the almighty and even as you go through your routines of life, rest assured once your back at your home, you will hit the right switch and GOD will serve you right by enacting what HE must!

I will leave your here with these thought, spend some time thinking about your favorite deity, understand the philosophy, symbolism, rituals and mantras and use it to progress your soul! Mythology is like the chocolate wrapper for spirituality! It only aims to ensure we are glued and fascinated, because the chocolate of spirituality surely enough replenishes the soul but its challenges tire the mind!

Ciao for now, will be back soon again with another article! Until then, hit the right buttons and be rewarded for what comes through!

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