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Vedic Astrology Simply Put By William R. Levacy While clients want direction, they don’t necessarily want to follow it. Fundamentals of Vedic Astrology Whatever auspiciousness or inauspiciousness one has earned in the last birth due to one’s various deeds will be known through the science of astrology, just as the lamp throws light on the articles in darkness. — Varahamihira The Purpose of Astrology Astrology is the study of karma, which is action and reaction, in terms of the past, present, and future. It observes the interplay of beings within the field of space and time. Astrology works to identify behavior, forecast outcomes, and suggest preventive measures via a systematic process. It bases its high rate of predictability on a specific set of measurements derived from the celestial mechanics of astronomy. Astrologers endeavor to uncover the correct times to undertake events for maximum effect, or to identify those periods in which it might be better to avoid action in order to avert a negative outcome. Astrology draws on the mathematics and observations of astronomy, and it uses these scientific tools as a means of analyzing and measuring behavioral patterns over time, as well as forecasting trends. Astrology was most likely the first statistical analysis tool. Today’s social scientists do a lot of forecasting or trend analysis using statistics in a field called predictive analytics. Using esoteric processes, such as data mining and the like, these modern tools deliver results that parallel those of Vedic astrology techniques. Analysis is performed on the data of current and past conditions to draw reliable and valid conclusions. This enables users of the analysis to perform more effective action moving forward. The insights gained by the analysis also helps its users understand how others might be inclined to behave in terms of their characteristics, skills, interests, and attitudes. So astrology’s founders were, in a sense, cosmic statisticians of celestial and terrestrial events. In addition to their original cognitions of nature’s operations, they gathered data and took many measurements over the millennia, designing astrology as a predictive system. All this knowledge was embedded in classical texts and within the principles and practices of the craft of astrology. As forecasters, astrologers have learned to effectively approximate or calculate events in advance, through the analysis of astronomical data, in conjunction with specific astrological principles. At first glance, the principles related to the structure and origin of the skies above might seem to be different from that of the world below. However, at their core the functions of the stellar regions were found to be similar in function to the patterns of nature on the Earth. The impulses that drive human behavior are, in essence, the same as those that impel the dance of the planets. The skies above, with their celestial denizens, and the creatures below walking on the ground were related enough to permit inferences between the two. They were singing from the same songbook ... the song of life. The Role of the Astrologer Astrologers are the sentinels of time. They help their clients understand their past actions and how the results of these events will potentially unfold over time. How well this happens is also in accord with the context of a person’s environment, the level of their reasonable expectations and desire to change, along with the “good credit” or punya (poon' yah) they have built up to the current time. In order to identify special events in a client’s life and determine how their behavior might unfold over time, the astrologer creates a horoscope, or birth chart, which is a map of what the sky looked like for a person’s time and place of birth. The astrologer is trained to match patterns of basic horoscope models to what they see in the birth chart. The database and rules from which they draw their knowledge is thousands of years old. In our modern times, the astrologer most likely uses a software program to calculate the horoscope, such as is included in this book. This program computes the position of planets in signs and houses of the zodiac and identifies the interaction of the planets in the chart. Following prescribed astrological principles and procedures for forecasting the future, based on past patterns, the astrologer analyzes the birth chart or horoscope. The astrologer informs clients, hopefully in a truthful yet comforting manner, as to the possible direction of future trends and events. They alert these clients, without alarming them, on how to avoid or reduce dangerous life events. Without too much cheerleading, the experienced astrologer helps clients understand how to promote positive actions at the appropriate period of time. Development of Consciousness—The Key to Good Astrology After some time, astrologers come to realize that they don’t do astrology as much as they become astrology. While no one in this material world can predict anything with 100 percent accuracy, seasoned astrologers are able to harvest much of the phalita dasa (pahl' lee tah dah' shah), or “fruits of time,” contained in the birth chart. They’re able to do this in proportion to the advances they’ve made with their cognitive abilities and intuition. Vedic astrology is a state of consciousness as well as a set of principles, and one of the benefits of being a Vedic astrologer over time is the development of consciousness that comes from constant attention to the practice. As we know, what we put our attention on grows stronger over time. To put our minds on the universality of time in the past, present, and future creates a state of boundlessness in the mind of the knowledgeable and dedicated Jyotishi. Some of these advanced states of awareness are called trikala gyana (tree' kah lah gyah' nah), the “knowledge of the three times,” deva drishti (drish' tee), or “divine sight,” and most important, Jyotish mati pragya (mah' tee prahg' yah), or that state of mind that sees the light and is the light. Any serious student of Vedic astrology knows it’s good to receive diksha (dihk' shah), or “initiation,” from a bona fide guru and practice daily meditation to improve creativity, mental clarity, and to free the mind and body of stress and strain. Meditation helps develop the average astrologer into that class of Jyotishis who have a higher level of intuition and insight into the secrets of determining behavior over time. The Role of the Client Skilled astrologers understand that while clients want direction, they don’t necessarily want to follow it. In this regard, the responsibility for the outcome of the session transfers to the client. One of the first tasks of a person seeking an astrological consultation is to locate a genuine Vedic astrologer. Getting a good referral from someone you know will help ensure that you have a good session. Once you have arranged your session and are interacting with the astrologer, it’s important to put forth your questions in a respectful and positive manner. Doing so will help you attract and keep the attention of the astrologer. You wouldn’t want to insult your doctor right before surgery; likewise, a positive interaction with the astrologer will enable you to have a fruitful consultation. Also, when you decide to engage in an astrological consultation, you’ll want to do a readiness review. Ask yourself how prepared you really are for change and how reasonable your expectations might be about that. Many clients come for direction, but they don’t necessarily want to follow any advice. You need to determine whether you believe that change is really possible or not, and that you’re ready to change now. If you don’t do anything differently, or introduce new behaviors, then nothing much will change for you after your astrology session. You have to really assess what you’re willing to exchange for a new future. If you want a new crop, you have to plant new seeds ... and you have to pull those weeds early! Vedic Principles Underlying Vedic Astrology Vedic scholars tell us that there’s an underlying field to existence called Brahman, which comes from the Sanskrit root brahm, meaning “to expand” or “to grow.” The basic nature of Brahman is to expand ananda— “joy.” He is joy and wants to be more of himself. Out of the unity or wholeness of Brahman springs forth all the diversity of life ... and everything loops back to that in the grand lila (lee' lah) or “play” of nature. All the Gopis (goh' pees) or “cow maidens” want to come back to Krishna, the original cowboy! In the Vedic theory of manifestation, Brahman sits at the foundation of life and is sometimes considered as the sound Om, the Shabda (shahb' dah) Brahman, or “first sound of life.” From this first word or creative vibration is generated the three basic operations of prakriti (prah' kruh tee), or “nature,” called the gunas (goo' nahs). Guna means a “strand of rope” in Sanskrit and signifies how nature is “tied together” at this fundamental level of manifestation. The gunas are originally in a state of balance, but when divinely irritated or stirred, they start the interactions of creation. First, there is sattva (saht' vah) guna, which signifies the quality of goodness and the maintenance of balance in life. Sattva guna is represented by the deity Vishnu, who is called “The Preserver.” Second, life is manifested through the agency of rajas (rah' jahs) guna, which give us energy and spurs us on to engage in activity. Brahma represents the quality of rajas. The third guna is tamas (tah' mahs), which represents stability, stillness, and cessation. Shiva, the Destroyer and the Lord of Silence, represents tamas guna. After the three gunas are stirred up, they combine further to form the five basic bhutas (bhoo' tahs), or “elements” of life. The elements form a common strand of five threads. These weave in and out of all Vedic systems, such as Jyotish, the Science of Time; Ayurveda, the Science of Health; and Vastu, the Science of Space. Each bhuta has a planet associated with it, as shown in the following table. The planets carry the characteristics of these elements, among other things. For example, Mars is a fiery, aggressive planet indicated by its association with the element of fire. The gunas combine and the elements develop from them as manifestation progresses. In this process, the elements combine further and we experience the formation of the planets, called the grahas (grah' hahs), or “graspers,” in Vedic astrology. Ether/Akasha (ah kah' shah): Jupiter represents creativity, ingenuity, and mental agility. Fire/Tejas (tay' jahs) or Agni (ahg' nee): The Sun, Mars, and Ketu represent energy, aggression, and executive ability. Earth/Bhoomi (boo' mee) or Prithivi (prih tee' vee): Mercury represents focus, dedication, and devotion. Air/Vayu (vah' yoo): Saturn and Rahu represent mobility and a mental orientation. Water/Apa (ah' pah) or Jala (jah' lah): The Moon and Venus represent emotions, intuition, and flexibility of mind. The planets are the key to astrology. As you start examining a chart, you’ll see that the building blocks, or basic components of chart interpretation, are as follows: • Planets • Signs • Houses • Interactions and modifications of planets aspecting each other in signs and houses Your initial task as an astrologer is to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses (quantity of influence) and the favorableness or unfavorableness (quality of influences) of the planets in their natural state and judge how their basic nature is modified in response to where they’re located in signs and houses, and how they interact and are modified via their aspects (the angular space or distance between planets).
Adapted from chapter two of Vedic Astrology Simply Put, by William R. Levacy. Published by Hay House, it is available at retail and online bookstores.
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