Vedic Astrology

According to the science of astrology, planets represent certain forces or energies, and in fact, do emit certain magnetic and electric charges that influence the lives of human beings. It is a group of systems, traditions and beliefs which hold that the relative positions of the heavenly bodies and some related details can provide information about the personality, human affairs and other terrestrial matters. Contrary to its mainstream impression, the horoscope is actually a map of the heavens at the time and place of our births which shows the positions of the planets and their relationship to us. Astrology is the science that understands and makes sense of the combined influences of these stellar alignments on the human being.

There are a number of traditions in astrology, some of which share more or less similar features due to the intertwined astrological doctrines between cultures. Some traditions were developed in isolation holding different doctrines, but they too share some characteristics due to similar astronomical sources and basis.

The main traditions used by modern astrologers are Hindu Astrology, Western Astrology and Chinese Astrology. Vedic Astrology shares a common ancestry with Western astrology as horoscopic systems of astrology. Meaning, both traditions focus on the casting of an astrological chart or horoscope (or other representation of celestial entities) for an event based on the position of the Sun, Moon and planets at the moment of the event. But, Vedic astrology uses sidereal zodiac, which links the signs of the zodiac to their original constellations, instead of using the tropical zodiac like that of Western astrology.

Vedic astrology started in India since times preceding the Christian era. Like all other traditions, it was not experimentally contrived, but was rather perceived through enlightenment and divine visions by the ancient sage, Parasara, who is considered to be the original author of the Vedic texts. The Vedic astrology assumes the law of karma, which states that a human being lives and works within certain boundaries created by the actions performed in a past lives. Therefore, it is generally considered predictive in nature meaning it can show when the results of such prior actions and decisions will come to augment or influence the present life. It also puts weight on the spiritual development of the individual and how one’s quality of life can be improved by means of practicing a better living and higher thought.

People in western countries and of western influence have recently been interested in this branch of astrology. Its collective trends toward advancement in consciousness offer different ways in giving meaning to the challenges of life. And given that all people of all cultures are usually caught-up with the different spiritual hang-ups in one form or another, this branch of astrology is becoming rapidly known as a very effective tool in providing clarity and direction to resolving the dilemmas of life.

Getting To Know Jyotish Astrology

Jyotish astrology (derived from the Sanskrit word jyotisa meaning light, heavenly body) is the Vedic system of astrology. It is also sometimes called as Indian astrology, Hindu astrology and Vedic astrology, interchangeably.

In a closer look, Jyotish astrology is the study of the planets, the stars and the horizon. Jyoti means light that shines down from the heavens as the divine principle of life. The suffix -ish means best or the wisest. Thus, the word jyotish can be literally translated as “the science of light” or “the wisdom of the heavens”. It is a Jyotish belief that each time a soul reincarnates, consciousness is brought into that lifetime. By observing the movies of the heavenly bodies through time and space, the wisdom of the heavens is applied to each incarnation to encourage the soul to develop to its fullest potentials.

This is a profound and a mathematically sophisticated form of astrology rooting from the ancient Vedic tradition of India. It describes how planetary movements and patterns during the time of our birth give clues in making us understand our life’s meaning. Through a careful analysis of these cosmic factors, Jyotish astrology can help realistically evaluate our strengths and weaknesses. By forecasting the changing trends and periods of our lives, it enables us to make more evolutionary choices. It provides practical measures to help lessen whatever difficulty we may have and provide confidence to manifest our true destiny and create success, happiness and harmony in all aspects of our lives.

Although it is our common belief that astrology describes the result of our karma from previous lifetimes and its influence on our present lifetime, it doesn’t imply that the Vedic astrology teaches determinism. In contrary, Jyotish astrology believes in the existence of freewill. You see, our everyday life is an interplay between fate and freewill – our fate or karma is the effect of our previous decisions, thus the exercise of freewill. Our fate creates a particular situation where we are bound to exercise our freewill. So believing in astrology does not necessarily make you naive of reality but instead, makes you a more educated individual.

Believing in the stars and the roles that they play in your life is not wrong for as long as you do not peg all your decisions and your life blindly and solely on them. Some people believe in God, some believe on miraculous figures on a banana tree and some believe in ancient Vedic tradition. We all have our own personal greater beings that we look up to, if not blame. What matters is that we do not lose what we have in the present because we worry too much about the stars and the past.