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Vedic Astrology Vedic Astrology

Vedic Astrology Vedic Astrology, or Jyotish (joe-tish) as it is known in India, relates to the knowledge of the celestial bodies and the influence they have on our past, present, and future. As the name suggests, Vedic Astrology is derived from the Vedas, the most ancient of India’s sacred texts and one of the oldest collection of written wisdom in the world. The word Jyotish comes from the Sanskrit root, Jyot, meaning light. Jyotish, then, is the study of the effects of light on human beings. It relates to astronomy, the science of the course of the heavenly bodies, and astrology, the study of the impact and effect that planetary light has on our lives. Vedic astrology is part of a larger holistic system, which includes Ayurvedic medicine and Vedic palmistry, designed to enrich and promote an individual’s physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual wellbeing. Many North Americans are familiar with the Western system of astrology, known as tropical astrology. While there areobvious similarities between the two systems, there are several key technical differences, such as how birth constellations and zodiac signs are determined. Because of these differences, specifically the wobble effect, planets in your eastern chart will often be found in the preceding sign to the one in your western chart. For example, if you were born in late March, a western astrologer would consider your Sun to be in the sign of Aries. An eastern astrologer would consider your Sun to be in the sign of Pisces. The priests and holy men of ancient India were highly reliant on the pinpoint accuracy of Jyotish. It was believed many Vedic rituals and other religious ceremonies were effective only if conducted at the precise time constellations were moving through their most auspicious cosmic positions. Over the centuries, Jyotish became an indispensable tool used to benefit all aspects of human endeavors, from declaring war, to harvesting crops, to performing marriage ceremonies. ButJyotish is far more than a tool for foreseeing and planning future events—Vedic astrology is not about fortune telling, it is about mining and using information about our place in the universe to grow and prosper. A solid understanding of the science of Jyotish provides us with a detailed blueprint of all possibilities open to us as a result of the placement of constellations at the time of our birth, as well as the potentials and pitfalls we face due to our natural predilections and proclivities and the accumulative effect of our past, present and future actions. Jyotish offers us profound insight into our psyches and psychological makeup. When practiced wisely and with knowledge, Vedic astrology allows us to exercise our free will to both enhance the positive effects our stars have on our lives while minimizing negative ones. At The Birla Center, we specialize in Hast Jyotish, more commonly known in the West as Vedic palmistry. Hast is the Sanskrit word for hand and, as mentionedearlier, Jyotish is the study of how we are affected by shifting planetary light. So Hast Jyotish could be described as the study of the impact and influence planetary light has on our lives as revealed in the lines, signs and mounts of our hands. Studying Hast Jyotish provides us with a diagnostic tool with which we can gauge the level of harmony within the trinity of body, mind, and heart. This valuable information helps us determine what steps to take to restore or create balance within this sacred trinity of consciousness. In short, Hast Jyotish embodies a vast source of ancient knowledge enabling us to behold the divinity within our souls, develop our strengths, avoid potential hazards and live happier, heathier and more fulfilling lives. By combining the practices of Jyotish with Hast Jyotish (Vedic astrology with Vedic palmistry), The Birla Center team is able to provide our clients with a highly detailed assessment of how and why they have arrived at where they are in life andsuggest steps they can take to get where they want to go. Specifically studying an individual’s astrological chart provides us with a comprehensive understanding of their potential, and studying the features of the hand indicates to what degree the person is taking advantage of the positive influences of their planets and stars. With this knowledge, we work with the client in making adjustments to their thoughts and behavior that will help them achieve their particular goals. Because handprints are taken over the course of several visits, we can see how changes in thought patterns and behavior are reflected in the changing lines on the hand. The hands enable us to interpret and measure an individual’s progress and the degree to which they are successfully realizing their potential. Phillip: A Study for Change Phillip is an excellent example of how Vedic astro-palmistry can teach us about ourselves and help us to change for the better to improve our lives. Phillip’s astrological chartreveals an individual with tremendous potential, but that potential is not reflected or confirmed in his initial handprint. In Phillip’s chart, we see that Saturn is exalted in the sign of Libra in the 8th house. This position indicates a great potential to search within oneself for the truth—it is a sign represented by the alchemist, who possesses the ability to synthesize experiences and extract a deeper meaning from life; the ability to transform the raw ore of existence into a golden consciousness. Saturn represents the wisdom, coordination and discernment needed to fulfill our destiny. But in Phillip’s initial handprint, we do not see any activity on the mount of Saturn, specifically a “love of truth line”, which indicates that Phillip is not utilizing his natural gifts or living up to his potential. Whenever a vertical “love of truth line” appears on the mount of Saturn, it confirms that we are transforming our experiences into wisdom through openness and self-examination.However, if the line is absent, we are either not aware of, or have not made an effort to cultivate the seeds of our Saturn potential. By studying the chart of Phillip, we know he has outstanding talent in fields related to the 8th house–that he possesses the ability to dig deeply in to the heart of a matter and to peel away layers to discover hidden treasures. This suggests he could have great success in is such careers as theoretical science, investigative journalism, criminal investigation, archaeology, astrology and palmistry. Phillip’s first handprints, taken in 1975, clearly show he has no “love of truth line”. However, in handprints taken in 1985, we see that Phillip has developed a very strong “love of truth line”, which indicates that over the course of a decade he had developed the qualities of Saturn related to structure, focus, discipline, and the search for truth. The new line confirms that Phillip made a conscious effort to explore and fulfill the great Saturn potentialrevealed in his chart. In Phillip’s case, he began searching for a deeper meaning in life after taking up an intensive study of Vedic palmistry and astrology. His passion for seeking the truth led him to yoga and meditation. As his thought patterns changed and his “love of truth line” developed, Phillip became a much sought-after consultant and teacher of astro-palmistry. His main goal in life shifted from day-to-day survival to Samadhi, the heightened state of awareness in which we experience a mystical union of soul and Spirit with the cosmic consciousness. What Phillip can teach us is that through an awareness of our chart, we can be aware of our potential and if our handprints do not confirm the materialization of that potential, we can take action to manifest the beauty and success that, subconsciously, already exists within us. Vedic astro-palmistry is a quick and amazingly effective tool that can tap into that unconscious potential and teach us how to manifest it in our lives.