Tag Archives: jyotish

2017 Transits for Leo

8 April, 2017 Mike Holliday (Santosh) Leave a comment

Rahu is in the first house for Leo natives. Rahu can quite self-involved in the 1^st house, especially in Leo which is already a self-involved sign. In the first house you may be the beneficiary of an especially intense and powerful personality at this time. This is a good transit to be asserting your individuality. If properly harnessed, this Rahu can awaken greater spiritual awareness and the necessary practice to further awaken the mind. This Rahu can, however, envelope a person in a cloud of illusion so complete that a person has no idea that their whole perception is just smoke and mirrors.

Ketu is in the 7^th house dispersing your awareness of the other. This can be difficult on your marriage, relationships, partnerships and those with whom you have or seek agreement. This Ketu will likely be more difficult on your partners than oneself since Ketu often just looses interest; though of course this can lead to a single swift event that has a dispersal effect. Ketu is also known as a cutter. Saturn is also looking at this 7^th house so there’s a very good chance that a deeper sense of commitment or responsibility could prevail. None-the-less there is a very good chance of relationship or contract disputes, which could affect your gains, friendships, and wider community networks. Since this Ketu aspects your 11^th and 3^rd house, there can be a spiritualizing effect since greed (11^th) and false ego (3^rd) and attachments (7^th) may all be influenced by Ketu’s cutting lack of interest.

Saturn is in the 5^th house encouraging a sense of responsibility for your children and productivity. With Rahu and Mars also aspecting this house it can also be a difficult time for your children or any student you have learning under you. If you’re follow a technical field, this could, on the other hand, be a very good time for your productivity. There could be gain thru long-term agreements and relatively conservative forms of risk (such as guaranteed interest accounts). However, with Saturn and Ketu both looking at the 11^th house, profits could be a little slow (quite likely relating to the frustrations arising out of the 5^th house). There is always two sides to everything, so when we consider the Saturn and Mars involvement with both the 2^nd and 11^th houses (the two houses of wealth) then we have to consider that it may be a very good opportunity for gain from chemicals, oil or toxins.

In doing this astrological writing project, there have been several indications along the way that the price of oil is very likely to climb this year, just as war is very likely to continue spreading before the world begins to move again towards peace.

Jupiter is in the 2^nd house diversifying your saving portfolio. He’s looking at the 6^th house which should bring some good advice in matters of dispute or ill health. For Leo lagna, Jupiter owns the 5^th house which is loss of obstacles. His aspect on the 8^th house (from the 2^nd) should bring a boon thru some unexpected event as well as opening you up to the confidential secrets of others. 8^th house matters should be positive for most Leos. The great Guru’s aspect on the 10^th house should be good for ones reputation and perhaps put you in some kind of advisory position during this Jupiter transit. This period in June might be especially good for career and reputational matters since the fast moving planets are also offering a beneficial influence on the 10^th. Venus, the owner of 10^th is in the 9^th (which can bring losses to the 10^th such as retirement, but it can also bring good luck and a spiritual/lawful reputation. The owner of 2^nd and 11^th (the wealth houses) is also in the 10^th infusing your career/public reputation with wealth, gain, popularity, and achievement of hopes. Moon’s aspect to 10^th can also be good for popularity.

If you have any questions, comments, or are interested in an astrology reading for self knowledge or remedial suggestions, please contact at holliday.michael@gmail.com

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Vedic Astrology

2017 Transits for Gemini

6 April, 2017 Mike Holliday (Santosh) Leave a comment

I’ve used a chart made for the full moon on June 9, 2017 to provide me with a framework for this horoscope, however, the emphasis is on the slower moving planets which can make this reading relevant for most of the first half of 2017.

Saturn is retrograde in Sagittarius (until June 20 when he will move back into Scorpio)
Rahu in Leo (until August 18)
Ketu in Aquarius (until August 18)
Jupiter in Virgo (until September 11)

The full moon is debilitated in the 6^th house. It could signify some difficulties for the women in a native’s family (moon suggests mother, 2^nd house rulership by moon suggests family member, perhaps a sibling of the mother 6^th house signification).

Sun is giving his seasonal effects of lost effort. This could result in expenses due to hobbies, travel, or communications. In some cases, Suns transit thru the 12^th house can give fines or other such losses to authority or father figures. Jupiter’s aspect put the losses to good use. He can also add a charitable disposition.

Mars transits thru the aspects of Ketu and Saturn in the first house (the early part of this month their degrees are in very close aspect). There is sure to be some emotional reaction and perhaps even physical ailment or accident. Mercury, the owner of first house is also in the 12^th house suggesting travel or isolation. Jupiter’s aspect on Mercury in the 12^th can also aid travel, or even a change of residence since it also owns the 4^th house. The 3^rd house owner can also suggest a long commute with much wasteful travel within your own area.

Saturn is in the 7^th house receiving aspect from Rahu and Mars; which could make for some very tense agreements and relationships, though the owner of 7^th, Jupiter, is relatively well placed in the 4^th house suggesting agreements for pleasure, or home. Such a Jupiter could suggest signing a lease contract for home or office space. Since Jupiter owns the 10^th house and sits in the 4^th, this could suggest an enjoyable period in your career (pleasure from career, or perhaps having a reputation for liking what you do). This 10^th lord in the 4^th house could also signify a period of working from the home or setting up a home office.

Saturn is aspecting the 9^th house which is likely to bring some discipline (Saturn’s 3^rd look), especially for home (Saturn’s 10^th look) and body (Saturn’s 7^th look). The Saturn Ketu combination in the 9^th house can bring health problems for the father and/or Guruji; but since the 9^th owner is in the 7^th, this can also manifest as some kind of partnership or agreement being forged with the father, guruji, or some institution of higher knowledge.

Ketu’s influence in the 9^th house can disperse ones belief system so that the deeper philosophy becomes unclear. This combination can make one question deeply the existence of god, higher principles, or the meaning or purpose of life.

Rahu in the 3^rd house will be supporting this state of weakened faith to assure your ego that you have everything under control. Rahu’s transit thru the third house can encourage great courage in our efforts, but sometimes Rahu is not cognizant of healthy limits. This Rahu can help get what you want, but there could be some unintended consequences that will have to be dealt with either immediately or at some future time.

Vedic Astrology

Saturn transit in Sagittarius 2017-18: Gemini rising or moon in gemini

26 January, 2017 Mike Holliday (Santosh) Leave a comment

For Gemini ascendant, Saturn will be in the the 7th house bringing our sense of responsibility into partnerships. For Saturn’s influence in the 9th sign, Sagittarius, please see my article regarding Aries ascendant (the first sign of the natural horoscope).

In any case, 7th house Saturn will bring his influence to 7th, 9th, 1st and 4th houses. As ruler of 8th and 9th houses he will bring these significations to the 7th house as well as those from whatever house he is in in your natal chart.

As 9th house owner, Saturn is a positive planet for most Geminis, and will his look on his own 9th house this could be a a period of luck and faith and some kind of higher knowledge regarding agreements and partnerships. We might make a partnership with our guru, our father, or some father like figure in our lives. We will in any case feel some responsibility for our agreements or contracts.

Considering the 8th lord in going into the 7th house, it could also be a time when secrets are revealed or perhaps secret relationships get their start. As the planet of responsibility, 7th house Saturn could signify marriage. It could also signify a partnership with someone older.

There are always subtle differences between the moon chart and the ascendant chart and this Saturn allows me to highlight this difference. Saturn’s aspect on ones natal moon can bring feelings of responsibility, patience, sadness or the feeling of being older; while Saturn’s aspect on one’s ascendant is more likely to bring some physical suffering, labourous responsibility, and a physical appearance of being older.

Saturn’s aspect on the 4th house will bring structure into the home, rules and perhaps some breakage due to age and wear and tear.

In regards to those near and dear ones, 7th house Saturn can bring problems to parents (mother or father), spouse, mother’s mother or ones self. Sun and or Moon charts would shed more light on the condition of your father and mother respectively.

In regards to your own physical health, Saturn can effect you health in general by his look on 1st house. Saturn is vata and vata is most prone to illness. He can also affect your chest and heart (4th house), groin (7th house), or thighs (tight hamstrings; 9th house). Dekkana; ascendant degree also has some say in this matter.

For those of you who are reading this along side your own vedic chart, you might also want to consider the ashtakvarga chart to see which value Saturn has in the 9th sign. This will give you some indication of Saturn’s ability to give results while transiting Sagittarius. The higher the number of ashtakvarga points Saturn has in the 9th sign will suggest more power to give results from Sagittarius. Also, Saturn will give stronger results in his transit when you are going thru some major or minor Saturn dasha. In any case, I’ll get into this another time. I just wanted to put it on the table for now.

What else can I say about this Saturn? Being 6th from 2nd, you could be held responsible for ancestral (or family) debts, or it could spell the end of a longstanding agreement that your family has been responsible for. You might not like to spend you savings at this time and it could be favourable for gain since Saturn is in the 9th from the 11th; this situation could also lead an older sibling to seek out higher knowledge. Though there may be impediments to their spiritual progress, Saturn is just the planet to give them the patience to succeed.

If you have any questions of comments regarding this Saturn transit or anything else in your chart, please contact me at holliday.michael@gmail.com. You can find more information about my astrology reading here: https://sleepingdogblog.wordpress.com/astrology-home/

Your support is always appreciated. Thank you for reading!

Vedic Astrology

Occupation thru the 10th house

9 August, 2016 Mike Holliday (Santosh) 2 Comments

This page has information on the 10th lord in the houses, the planets in the 10th house, the Navamsha of the 10th lord & miscellaneous rules relating to the 10th house.

The 10th house is the main house of career, public reputation and social leadership. The 6th house describes the kinds of duties we have to perform day to day. Traditionally, the 2nd house would show our family lineage which would have a strong influence on our main occupation at well. These are the karma houses, they answer the question: “What will I do?” I will go into more detail about these below, but before I do that I will just briefly go over some of the ways that the other houses affect your career since there are so many things to take into account for this important topic.

What we do is greatly influenced by what we believe. Some suggest that karma is the wealth of our dharma. What we do shows the value of what we believe (9th house). This tells us the importance of the Dharma houses (1st, 5th & 9th houses) in determining career. 1st house shows the foundation of our career – reputation. 5th house show’s the sudden and unexpected events in our career that happen by circumstance (right time, right place). We seek sanctuary from our careers in the 9th house; however the beliefs and higher knowledge of the 9th house forms the foundation of the 6th house service we perform.

Most people who are concerned about career are also concerned about gathering some fruit from that career, so, we have to consider the kama trine (3rd, 7th & 11th houses). This is what motivates us. In the third house we are willing to leave our comfort zone and make an effort to appease our inner narrative. Although the 3rd house does not ring with the light and the truth of the 9th house, this inner narrative and the stories we tell ourselves are of great importance in our lives regardless of their truth or falsity. The 3rd house also shows the obstacles we will face in our career. The 7th house shows the way we honour our agreements and our negotiating style and is especially important for business people, counselors or others whose careers involved contracting their time or negotiations. The 7th house also shows our reputation with our career. The 11th house shows the value of all that 10th house activity as well as our connections in the marketplace.

Within the moksha trine (4th, 8th & 12th houses) the 4th house showing foundation education is the natural partner to your career. This shows the basic education necessary to maintain your position in society. The 8th house show gain from that career and position in society including bonuses, perks, health benefit plans and the like. Of course it’s also famous for hidden and unearned wealth. The 12th house shows how our a career allows us to reach out to the world. This shows the mentality of our boss or the company we work with.

For medical astrology see my page on medical astrology (diagnostics).

10th Lord in the Houses

General rules

The 10th lord in the 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th, 7th, 10th, 11th houses are generally good for career. In the 6th house can also be good. Much depends on the condition of the 10th house and the 10th lord.
Special yogas and beneficial aspects will raise ones social stature.
The sign in the 10th house shows the general field in which you will be known and recognized.
Afflictions will lower our stature.
The 10th lord in the 6th 8th or 12th house can give troubles from authority, government, boss.
In the 3rd 6th or 9th there may also be enmity, sudden shock or loss related to career.
- - The 3rd house is upachya and one may face many obstacles early. Due to the messaging content of this house you will likely face some opposition in your career.
- - The 6th house is an upachya house so one needs patience; it’s the house of servitude so one needs humility. This can bring recognition for public, community, social service. One needs to release themselves from the expectation for results. (Gita Remedy)
- - The 10th lord in the 9th house is a special case. House of luck and fortune will take us away from concerns about social leadership except in temple or university setting where the focus becomes knowledge which is higher than the structures of social governance.

10th lord in the 1st house: Can give fame and rise by perseverance, you can be identified with some pubic institution or be self employed. Often give leadership ability or being identified with those in leadership. Your personality provides a strong base for your career and you could work in fields related to psychology or the physical body. May also provide for figurehead positions.

Any conjunction between 1st and 10th lords can be very beneficial. If this occurs in the first house they may be pioneers in their field and found an institution.
Any kind of benefic aspect to the 10th lord in the 1st house can give top position of power, authority and leadership.
Malefic aspects can bring some kind of disgrace or humiliation.
If exalted, moolatrikona or with a very powerful planet your public reputation and good works will be remembered even after your death
10th lord with Sun in the 1st house is likely to give an independent profession or self employment.
… with Moon and the 1st house may give social recognition thru your career
… with Jupiter can give career in law or as a priest. Jupiter in 1st house in general gives education, status and honour.
… with Mercury one may work in communications or other outreach work. May be fickle in career matters.
… with Saturn in the 1st can make a good accountant, beaurocrat some other relatively dry career.
… with Rahu or Ketu in the 1st can give computer work, secret service or spying

10th lord in the 2nd house: This is good for banking, finance, investing, record keeping & storage related careers. One may be a speaker or singer, a cook, a hair stylist, a dentist. The career may follow the family business and it could involve historical knowledge and languages. This is typically a very strong position for wealth and social recognition.

10th lord Venus in the 2nd house can give a sweet talker, sales and service. Those working in economics, finance, investing, deal making. One may be the face of he company. 10th owner Venus can also be in Aquarius in the 2nd house.
Mercury here will like banking and counting and will be very interested in communications
Technical planets (Saturn, Ketu, Mars) can give knowledge of linguistics and grammar, knowledge of languages or even the technical language needed for programming and such things.
Jupiter often gives a lecturer and good likelihood of following their family line the law, real-estate. This can be very powerful position for those with Gemini rising.
Affliction to the 10th lord in the 2nd house as well as to the 10th house can give losses to or the end of the family business

10th lord in the 3rd house: Crafts, engineering, media, writing, marketing, sales, public relations, scheduling, programming, data entry, dealing with social conflict, much short travel, writing reports and holding meetings. Frequent job changes are possible.

Mars here can give a military or engineering career. This can be a very empowering placement for success.
Saturn commercial business, setting regulation, law, very tight schedules, bureaucracy, executive careers.
Conjunction with the 3rd lord can give boom prosperity during dasha of 10th lord. Swift career rise and many promotions. If 10th lord is also in 6th, 8th, or 12 from karakamsha this will not be the case; instead there will be a slow rise with many obstacles.

10th lord in the 4th house: Education as a parent or teacher. Police, security, defense sector (3rd house is more offence). May work with cars, roads or transportation generally. Real estate, home building, or even nation building (civil infrastructure). Career may follow the seasonal rhythms of the area like a farmer. May work from home and get pleasure from ones career.

If the 10th lord is strong it gives universal respect, royal honour, politics, land or property ownership
If the 10th lord is eclipsed, afflicted, or conjunct the 8th lord it can give loss of lands; sudden loss of position.
Mercury can give wealth thru business and trade.
If 4th & 10th lord are in exchange one can be a successful politician or minister.
If 4th, 9th & 10th lords are beneficial and related to each other in some way head of state; high authority.

10th lord in the 5th house: Excellent placement for the performing & creative arts and other centre stage roles like politics, literature. You may be known for speculation, gambling, gaming, or children. Career could be somewhat volatile like 3rd house following unexpected boom and bust cycles much like celebrity culture. There may be many changes in your career.

If 10th owner Sun goes into the 5th house Pisces private life may become public shining a light on your personal dramas and romantic encounters. Known thru the tabloids. You may be known for being in the centre of shocking sudden unexpected events
If 10th lord in 5th house is in a trikon house in Navamsha one may become the head of an orphanage or remand home.

If the 10th lord is afflicted in the 5th house one will suffer professional blockage, inability to settle on a profession, or lack of recognition from superiors.

10th lord in the 6th house: Doctor, lawyer, judiciary, prison, hospital, military service, criminal activity. All kinds of service to the underprivileged. One may be comfortable working for others. One may receive little respect in their career; public servant or servitude. May have wield more responsibility that you are entitled to, or hold your position without having the necessary credential. May undergo great debts in order to attain your position in society. The greatest remedy for this position is studying the Bhagavad Gita so as to understand that you are responsible for giving your best service, however the results of that service are in gods hands. z

With Sun here suffer from an overbearing boss which may lead to great success and central roles in the clinic, the courtroom.
Saturn can give very strong social service, though one may also be known for health problems or chronic conflicts.
Mars will defeat ones enemies them thru aggressive action (exercise, surgery, military, in the court room).
Mercury can give a career communicating about illness and obstacles. Court reporter, medical writer, or reporter.
Venus here gives law and advocacy. One may work with addictions, divorce.

If 6th and 10th lords are in a friendly angle they may perform beneficial service, have a good professional life, have good relations with subordinates, may attain a position of authority without much financial benefit.
If 6th and 10th lords are enemies one may have inconsiderate boss, blemished professional record, poor monetary stability. Further association with Rahu can bring disgrace, criminal activity, imprisonment.
If 10th lord is afflicted here one will likely suffer troubles, transfers, career enemies, fear in professional life, perhaps even legal trouble.

10th owner in the 7th house: Diplomacy, brokerage, advice, negotiation, contract attorney, work spouse, social or spiritual career, may work in a partnership, good position for successful, may be known as a crusader whose advice is sought.

With benefice influence it may enhanced career prospects after marriage, one’s spouse may be helpful or you may work in partnership,
If afflicted, one may be known for improper relationships, contracts, or negotiating tactics.

10th owner in the 8th house: Mining, minerals, managing confidence, advisory, law, astrology, research, secrecy, tantra, wills, insurance. Sudden falls from leadership, unexpected rise in position. May undergo a great change in your life due to what you do for a living. Emergency room, trauma care or careers related to death.

Jupiter here can give a mystic, spiritual teacher, confidential advisor. He can also cause ones fall through disgrace, superstition.
Mars can give emergency medical technician; especially in Virgo.
If conjunct Lagnesha can give work accident.
Afflictions can give “working under the table.”

10th owner in the 9th house: This can give positions of leadership in the judiciary, university, temple space. This position can have some drawbacks in regards to our career life and can keep us away from any kind of position of leadership or recognition from society. On the other hand, this can be a silver spoon in our mouth at birth and all we need to do is follow in our fathers footsteps (this can be our birth father, our mentor, our priestly adviser). Gain from the marketplace.

Jupiter here is likely to give very high education with advisory, leadership an mentoring roles.
Venus can be problematic for career, but good for bhakti spiritual practices and temple culture. May be a messenger for the temple.
Saturn can give heavy duties and responsibilities in the field of law or religion. Can give renunciation and priestly, fatherly duties.

10th owner in the 10th house: This will give strong results related to the sign and planets involved. Excellent position for providing some kind of social leadership and recognition throughout the community. Planets placed here often signify policy makers or trend setters in their fields.

Sun here will give a leadership position in the creative arts, politic, speculation, games. What you do in the public sphere is likely to be well known to people. May bring some of the harsh glare of he paparazzi into ones life.
Moon will bring more popularity from the public for your nurturing, protective or educational leadership in society. Career and recognition will likely wax and wane following the natural course of the tides (of opinion, of the ocean, of the seasons, of the waterways) Moon will bring many well wishers into our life.
Mars here likes to cook, cut and engineer things

10th owner in the 11th house: This is a good position for recognition and leadership in the marketplace and among the masses.

Moon here can be good for fame. Profits and popularity will wax and wane.
Mars will make one known for their activity in the marketplace. Business.

10th owner in the 12th house: may relate to meditation, retreat centres, hospitals, prisons, ashrams, bed rooms, behind closed doors, foreign (people, places & things), and imagination.

Moon here can give shipping; import-export.
Mars will give a lot of activity behind closed doors, in emergency rooms, prisons, very active structured retreat centres. Can give workplace affairs.

Planets in the 10th house

Sun in 10th: gain from government, vehicles, strength, fame, leadership. pomp and show celebrations, father profession, social service, political or social science.

Aspected by a good Mars can give rapid advancement and/or a career as a judge or minister.
Aspected by a good Saturn can make corporate or government executive. A poor Saturn will bring hardships and delays into professional life.
In Scorpio this could signify a doctor

Moon in 10th: frequent rise and fall of career, enjoys the pomp and show, public recognition and success in elections (malefic influence can bring public scandal). Trade of household articles, import/export of luxury items related to comfort and pleasure, rare and novel items. Sea faring, nursing, cooks (providing nourishment), hawking, advertising, education, housing.

Benefice Mars can make one a manager or coach. Malefic Mars can bring heavy losses.

Malefic Saturn conjunction can bring difficulties in trade.
Afflicted moon brings reversal, downfall, or opposition by the public, scandal (the more strongly placed is the 10th lord, the greater will be the scandal).
beneficial influence on the Moon in 10th will make one popular and can give success from public election, leadership and all other ventures carried out in the public sphere.

Mars in 10th: Auspicious placement for mars can give sudden rise and often makes one a “self made man.” A cruel king praised by others. Known for courage and adventure. As raja yoga planet he can give high distinction in police or military. An influential person, sportif, commanding, manager, obeyed, popular. Gain in agriculture, land deals, fire, energy, construction, engineering, sculpture, draftsman, dentist or work with steel. Could be a manager or salesman or dentist. May face defamation.

Beneficial relationship with Mercury can make a craftsman, tradesman or engineer, sculpture, mechanic, surgeon, ect
Afflicted by a poorly placed Mercury will give a lower skill labourer, iron smith, butcher tanner, bath or laundry attendant, furnace-man.
Afflicted by Saturn can give business failure, very hard labour, vindictive, resentful, skeptical.
Beneficial relationship with Saturn can give chemistry, army, technical skills,
Beneficial relationship with Jupiter can give executive management plus advisory skills enterprising, courageous, good instincts.
Affliction by Jupiter in some way can make a person known for being self-deceptive, wasteful and overly enthusiastic.
Afflicted Mars in the 10th can give public defamation.

Mercury in 10th: Earns from teaching, arts and crafts, music, writing, working with the courts. Banking sector, astrologer, analysis, occultist, electrician, psychologist, math, clerk, newspaper vendor, postal service, commissions.. May have several occupations. Sweet spoken and pleasure loving, high learning, knowledgeable, wealth, property, honour from king.

If alone (without aspect or conjunction) = exporter, wholesaler, distributor, commissions agent
Good aspect = adaptable; bad aspect = difficult fluctuations.

With a beneficial Sun one may be involved with printing or publishing or even medicine.
With a beneficial Mars one may be a construction, (cutting measuring), land broker, commercial and enterprising work.
With a beneficial Saturn one may be involved with land business, administration, or chemistry and science. Rules based repetitive communication.
With a beneficial Jupiter one may be an astrology or philosophy professor, an intellectual, thinker capable of profitable ventures. Known for a lot of different activity (forms of social leadership).
If Mercury is exalted or in his own sign one will have success in language, business, excellent memory, speech, mathematics, linguistics, brokerage, writing, finance. They will be very whitty.
If Mercury is poorly placed in enemy sign with malefic influence one is likely to be known for their “antics” foolish activities which obstruct everyone including themselves.
In fire signs gives mathematics, teaching, clerk in engineering department.
In air signs gives clerk in survey department or post office.
In earth signs gives business, commissions, travel agent
In water signs gives editor, printer, publisher, news papers or stationary.

Jupiter in 10th: High official of the state, excellent conveyance, performs public ceremonies, recognized and renown, banker, professor, philosopher, insurance, strategy maker, acts are beneficial to society, secure, influential, important position. Gains wealth (5th look on 2nd house), owns a large spacious building (7th look on 4th house), always seeking good health (9th look on 6th house).

If conjunct Sun wealth thru father is likely; dutiful, righteous
If conjunct Moon wealth from mother and lots of nourishment and emotional awareness.poorly placed this can give very emotional style of leadership.
If conjunct Mars one may receive wealth from enemies (from husband if woman). Management and executive decision making.
If conjunct Mercury one will receive wealth from friends. Very intellectual career.
If conjunct Venus one will receive wealth from the wife for a man (from women for females). Shirley blessed in advisory roles, dealmaking, style.
If conjunct Saturn one gets wealth from servants workers. May go into public service; their career (leadership) will be their life. Working continually.
Afflicted by Mars gives legal trouble, heavy losses
Afflicted by Sun or Moon gives little social success, or publicity; many changes and travel
Afflicted by Mercury makes one minor clerk, grocer, advising on mundane matters.
Benefic Mercury involved with Jupiter here will make a good judge, minister, ambassador, philosopher, councilor, trustee, professor.

Venus in 10th: Trade related to jewels or luxury items, hotel, beauty, pleasures, art, music, entertainment, sex. Occupations that involve storage, acquisition, appearance, beauty, deal making, negotiations, activity that brings people together. Gain from government, farming or women. Stylish clean person. May be a widely celebrated personality. Likely to rise in status.

If afflicted with malefic influence one my have trouble from government, face limitations be of insignificant status, receive support from authority & face disrepute.
Good aspect of Sun, Jupiter or Moon will give social distinction, honours, financial success
Good aspect by Mercury will likely give a love of art, music, painting, eloquence, composition, stagecraft, officers, printer, decorators, druggist, bar tenders, travel.
If in Aries, Gemini, Leo, Libra, Sagittarius, Aquarius this can give science, mathematics, astrology

Saturn in the 10th: Very prudent person. Prime Minister or chief of city or village, judiciary, public service, social work, electronics, mining, petroleum, cleaner, security guard, peon, factory worker, slave, menial worker, hard work. Long slow career; steady advancement. My gain from agriculture or maintain status in foreign land. Careers which are known to be dry and cold. Long hours

If in Pisces one may take a spiritual direction renounce the world.
If in weak or enemy sign once may be cruel and provide miserly service.
Influenced by favourable Mercury can make a government official, land surveyors, managers, lawyers, scientist, geologist, architects, mining engineer, employment requiring care, skill, patience and great effort.
Afflicted by Mercury will give menial jobs like coal handler or gardener
In Aries, Leo, Sagittarius, Gemini can make a teacher, administrator, occult scientist.
If in Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn, Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces, Libra, Aquarius one may be a renunciate, a writer, an astrologer, or preacher.

Rahu in the 10th: Gives a strong desire to get out into the world. Work may involve foreigners, outsiders, migratory. Police, railway, insurance, bank. Does not tolerate hindrances.

If well placed Rahu in the 10th can be sensual, extravagant, affluent, killer of enemies, fond of drama, battle, successful in business, diplomacy, a ruler, success in lawsuits, skilled in writing or publishing. Can allow a person to rise beyond their credentials. Which may precipitate a fall.
If poorly placed this Rahu can be a clever thief, characterless, quarrelsome, dishonest, miserable, inert, indifferent, unfortunate,

Ketu in the 10th: Ketu may not be too concerned about “the real world” of the 10th house (as parents everywhere call it). This can be a very nice spiritual placement as one may reject artha (material) for moksha (liberation).

Ketu in 10th is not good for business, but one may find success in a foreign land if it’s in a movable sign.
If poorly placed Ketu here will give lowly habits, no support from parents, opposes all good activities, fraud, failures, faces unfavourable public and market conditions, economic changes and depressions. Good for baba-ism.

Miscellaneous rules of influence

Technical planets: Mars, Saturn, Rahu, Ketu

Jupiter in 1st, 4th, or 10th gives good wealth.

In Virgo ascendent, Saturn rules the 5th and 6th houses; this Saturn is in the first house often makes a teacher.

“Should a benefic occupy the 10th house and the 10th lord is in full strength, occupies and angle or a trine position identical with it’s swakshetra or exaltation sign, or if the lord of ascendent is in the 10th house, then the native will be revered by all, widely celebrated, inclined to virtue. He will be fortunate like a king and enjoy longevity.”

If 10th lord is in any way associated with a malefic including malefic varga = humiliation.
If 10th house has more malefic aspect = imperfect in performance of duties.
10th house hemmed by benefics = respected person (if also aspected by benefic will earn a great name).
Rahu or Ketu influence on 10th house = order or exercise of cruel duties
10th lord in the 6th, 8th or 12th house is said to give trouble from the government.

For Business:

more benefic aspect on the 10th , Mercury in the 10th, Lagnesha in 10th,
Lord of 10th in Kendra, trine or 11th house with benefic aspect
Lord of 10th in own sign associated with benefic = respectable businessman

Navamsha of the 10th Lord

It’s also said that profession will be related to the Navamsha occupied by the 10^th lord. I’ve summarized from Mantreshwara’s Phala Deepika as translated by S.S. Sareen.

If 10^th lord is in….

Sun’s Navamsha: fruit trees, mantra, cheating, gambling, lies, selling wool, medicine, work with metals, service to the king, or renunciate.

Moon’s Navamsha: water products, pearls, coral, transacting agriculture, cattle, garments, voyage to holy place, or service under young women.

Mars’ Navamsha: metals, warrior, cook, land, gold, weapons, making trouble, tourism, spying, theft, keeping company of evil men.

Jupiter’s Navamsha: from Brahmins, deities, state favour, recitation of Purana, study of Sastra, preaching, giving religious instruction, lending money.

Venus’ Navamsha: from women, cows, buffalos, elephants, horses, 3 forms of dancing, thru silver, scents, milk, ornaments, silken finery, royal association, own poetic talent (writing).

Saturn’s Navamsha: roots, fruits, hard work, thru attendants, rogues, from menials with no scruples, adulterated food grain, as porters, base occupations, sculpture, wooden materials, butcher, executioner.

Additional rules relating to Navmasha

If the Navamsha of the Atmakaraka is associated with the Sun = government or public business
If planets in their exaltation occupy their depression Navamsha, Raja Yoga’s become futile
If exalted Sun is in depressed amsha = prince becomes a beggar

Dashavatara: Vishnus Avatars (1-6: satya yuga; 7: Treta yuga; 8: Dwapara yuga; 9,10: Kali yuga

1. 1. Matsya: fish; Ketu
1. 1. Kurma: tortoise; Saturn
1. 1. Varaha: Boar; Rahu
1. 1. Narasimha: Half man, half lion; Mars
1. 1. Vamana: a boy; Jupiter
1. 1. Parashurama: Warrior with axe (first brahmin/kshetriya); Venus
1. 1. Rama: ideal hero; Sun
1. 1. Krishna (also Vishnu or Balarama); Moon
1. 1. Buddha (also Balarama, Vithoba, or Jagannath); Mercury
1. 1. Kalki (appears in the end to defeat all enemies);

Spiritual Path of the 9th house

Sun: worship sun god, Ganesha, Shakti, Gayatri mantra

Moon: Shavite, bhakti marg, Rudra

Mars: Begging

Mercury: seller of herbs and medicines in garb of Monk or Tantric

`Jupiter: True saint, gyana yog

Venus: Vishnavites

Saturn: Tantrics, Aghoris (can give severe penance).

Planet: Hindu God – Christian God

Sun: Shiva – Holy ghost

Moon: Parvati – Virgin Mary

Mars: Kartikeya – Crusaders

Mercury: Vishnu – Pope & Saints

Jupiter: Indra – Jesus Christ

Venus: Laxmi – Angels

Saturn: Brahma – –

Rahu: Durga – –

Ketu: Ganapati —

To have a receive a personalized reading of your natal chart you can e-mail me at holliday.michael@gmail.com

Donations to support my work and studies can be a made here

Vedic Astrology

Jupiter Transiting Virgo: Results for Virgo Ascendant or Moon in Virgo

7 August, 2016 Mike Holliday (Santosh) 4 Comments

When Jupiter transits Virgo, he will be showering the very being of Virgos with his blessings. Of course, Jupiter’s blessings are not quite as pure for Virgos as is the case with several other ascendants. It’s long been recognized that Jupiter looses his first face when he comes into ownership of two kendra houses. It’s not that he reverses his face of benevolence, he just falls into helping like a normal man rather than like a saint. His wisdom can also become blunted.

In any case, Virgos should find their health strong while pleasures of the home and of the spouse are likely to relate to their personality. This may be especially true for women since Jupiter is known generally as the karaka for husband as well as being the 7^th house owner which gives him an especially strong influence on such matters. In regards to some other general areas of life signified by Jupiter are children as well as the fat which is on our body. Since the first house affects our body, it’s possible that there could be some general expansion of the body. Children are also signified by Jupiter. It’s interesting that for Virgo natives, he rules the 4^th house of the chest as well as the 7^th house relating with the groin area while looking at the 5^th house of children (and the stomach) as well as the 9^th house relating to the thighs).

I would expect this Jupiter in Virgo transit to give favourable results to most Virgos, however there are many factors which need to be considered within your own chart as well as regarding the transits of all the other planets. Saturn, for instance, is also aspecting the 5^th and the 9^th houses which could suggest responsibility in these matters just as easily as it could represent delay or sorrow. And perhaps Saturn will give better results to these houses since, as 5^th house owner looking at his own 5^th house as well as his friends 9^th house, he may have more welcome in operating in these fields than Jupiter who is not liked by either Saturn or Venus. Much of this again depends on their functioning in your own chart and the temporal relationship they have in your life.

I want to go back to this weight gain I mentioned with this combination. In many traditional societies, weight gain is looked upon favourably as a sign of prosperity. Even today I can recognize prosperity in my friends by the girth of their waist. It’s a luxury that we can seek to remain thin while still feeling secure that we will not starve. So, since you may show the signs of outward prosperity, there is also some likelihood that you will have it in your life as well.

Jupiter will be looking at your 9th house can bring some activity to your higher beliefs. Some meeting with a teacher is likely. This teacher could just as easily be a landscape, a temple, or any other sublime use of the senses. The 9^th house also suggests some kind of pilgrimage travel, but Rahu currently transiting your 12^th house and Jupiter’s previous position in the 12^th house likely had a more powerful effect on travel and thoughts and feelings of being distant from your self (1^st house). In any case, perhaps his Leo transit started you to expend your time and energy on some charity or education and now with Jupiter looking at the 9^th house you will have the opportunity to gather the spiritual and religious fruits of that expenditure.

The 5^th house represents spiritual practices rather than spiritual beliefs. With Capricorn in the 5^th house Virgo natives can have a very practical way of thinking. For this reason they can be good at science and administration and they will always work hard to come to some solution. With both Saturn and Jupiter looking at the 5^th house, this suggests a good time for spiritual practice, education, and your creative production in general.

Vedic Astrology

Jupiter transits Virgo 2016/2017: Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer

25 July, 2016 Mike Holliday (Santosh) 4 Comments

On August 11 Jupiter will move from Leo to Virgo. Of course Jupiter likes his friends sign of Leo more than Virgo who is ruled Mercury who does not particularly like him. This means that many of the significations of Mercury make it difficult for Jupiter to do his job. Jupiter’s main job is wisdom; Virgo’s mains jobs are obstruction, argument, service and duty. There is a reason why Jupiter is the guru and Mercury is the student. When the guru comes down to stay in the house of the student, he feels somewhat restricted: his wisdom is questioned and debated and comes out in an argumentative style, his presence in Virgo can invest things like crime and medicine with wealth, he can help people to recognize some higher truths about disease and illness, but he can also expand illness making one worse or even coming up with new ones. Depending on how he is placed in a chart, he can increase the gravity of a situation or invest one with wealth and knowledge about the situation. This is a good position to promote seva yoga; the yoga of service as Jupiter can readily recognize the higher wisdom of such work.

This transit will not be entirely negative since Jupiter will be away from Rahu and the malefic gaze of Saturn. He will be away for the shadowy, corrupting influence of Rahu, as well as the somber slow moving and scientific Saturn. In many ways this suggest that these will be better days for higher knowledge in this world despite the argumentative tone.

The sign placement of a planet is but one small signification of it’s effects. The next step is to consider this transit from your own rising sign or ascendant; which is what I will cover here. The next step is to consider the placement of the transiting planet from it’s natal position in your chart as well as from each of the other planets. Dasha periods are also important as it has been said that the transits have no power to act outside of the dashas. Astrology is inexhaustible, these articles hardly even amount to even the tip of the iceberg. If you have greater interest in understanding where you are in your personal dasha cycles, or if you are just looking to understand your place in this world to a greater degree, please contact me for a full reading.

Aries rising or Moon in Aries

Jupiter will be moving from the 5^th house of creative intelligence to the 6^th house of duty, service and medicine. For Aries ascendant, Jupiter rules the 9^th house and the 12^th house. This means he will bring the indications of these houses into the 6^th house. Jupiter transiting 6^th house is likely to be good for doctors, lawyers, anyone in the service industry as he has the power to bring both fortune and lose to diseases, illnesses, obstacles and arguments. On the negative side of things, Jupiter can increase debt, illness and a greater number of obstacles and enemies.

From the 6^th house Jupiter aspects the 10^th, 12^th, & 2^nd houses. As ninth house owner he is likely to share his fortune with these houses even though he does not have great power to to action from Virgo. Therefore, you could see expended duties in your career (10^th house): this could mean promotion or it could just mean more work, he may also broaden your reputation. Jupiter’s look on 12^th house could influence some foreign travel or an increase in night time activity. His look at the 2^nd house could enrich your family, allow more wisdom to flash forth in your speech and the way you present yourself to the world. He could also increase your appetite for sweets in this position.

Taurus rising or Moon in Taurus

For those with Taurus rising, Jupiter is the owner of more difficult houses: the 8^th, which is the house of death; and the 11^th which is considered a sin house in Vedic astrology. Jupiter will be transiting Virgo in the 5^th house. This is a good position to gain from your creative potential and for any research projects you may be working on.

Jupiter in the fifth house aspects the 9^th, 11^th and 1^st houses. These results are likely to be mixed regardless of Jupiter’s power in your personal chart. Although Jupiter tends to carry wealth and good fortune with his aspects, for Taurus rising natives he also carries with him the sudden events and unknown worlds of 6^th house as well as the greed and mass mentality of 11^th house. This could bring some sudden 3ven into the lives of a nativities in your life who are signified by the houses receiving some effect from Jupiter: 5^th house children, 9^th house father/Guru, 11^th house friends, or the 1^st house of self.

Gemini Rising or Moon in Gemini

Jupiter will be in the 4tyh house for Gemini natives. This suggests that some expansion will come into the home environment and you are likely to gain pleasure from contracts, partners, spouses, your career and occupation. You may gain some reputation for enjoying what you do.

Since Jupiter is in an adversarial sign, it’s likely that the changes in the home will not be entirely satisfactory. This can almost be said about Gemini natives in general since the sign of Virgo in the 4th house suggests changing homes or one can feel duty bound to the home. Some ambivalence and passivity can come into there home environment suggesting that Gemini natives can adapt to almost any kind of home environment. It should be said that Jupiter’s wisdom does not work well in this kind of environment. Of course the results will depend on Jupiter’s situation in your personal chart, but some possibilities for this Jupiter could be getting a new room mate, a new baby, or perhaps your relationship is getting ready to move to the next level and you are considering moving in together. Jupiter’s rulership of the 7th and 10th houses can bring both the work and the spouse into the home making a home based business a possibility as well.

Of course, there can be difficulties with this position, very little in life is 100% good or 100% bad. Most events have such mix of the two that only ones own perspective can separate the good from the bad. From the 4th house, Jupiter looks at the 6th, 10th and 12th houses. Of course his look at his own house in the 10th should be beneficial for your career and your reputation, but those looks at the dussthana houses 6 and 12 could be wild-cards depending on your personal dasha period and other factors in your chart. Jupiter’s 6th house look could bring unexpected wealth as easily as it can bring unexpected expenses (especially combined with his 12th house look. This 12th house look can increase expenses, but it can also contribute to spending on education or charity that can be more or less welcome. In any case, this 12th house look is likely to bring some good Karma that may find some unexpected benefit later on. These looks to the 6th and the 12th houses could also influence foreign or over-seas travel. It should be mentioned that such travel was traditionally not considered to be a good thing unless it was connected with the 9th house which suggests some higher knowledge from traveling or more specifically, pilgrimage travel.

As a final note, this Jupiter is in a good position for the mothers and spouses of Gemini natives.

Cancer Rising or Moon in Cancer

With rulership of the 9th house, Jupiter has full power to provide higher knowledge and good fortune for Cancer natives. However, as 6th house owner such higher knowledge could come thru obstacles, duties, illnesses and other challenges.

When Jupiter goes into Virgo, he enters the 3rd house of efforts, courage, and younger siblings (those who you are just a step ahead of in life somehow). It’s commonly said that Jupiter in the 3rd house bring noble efforts and certainly some expansion of effort. You are likely to be courageous in this period without being reckless or breaking an laws (Mars and Rahu are more likely to encourage such over the top efforts). With Jupiter in this position it’s more likely that you will be more inventive, forward and persistent in your efforts without causing offense to anyone. As 9th house ruler, Jupiter can bring good fortune to your efforts suggesting that anything you put your effort towards in this period will be successful.

From the 3rd house Jupiter looks at the 7th, 9th and 11th houses. This is likely to bring an expended view to your relationships, your higher knowledge, and your gains and friendships. It’s likely you will meet more knowledgeable and educated people during this transit of Jupiter. Current relationships could become more serious, or perhaps your own view of relationships and partnerships could become expanded and you may be considering multiple partnerships. Jupiter’s aspect on ninth house should bring benefits to your father, guru or teachers of higher knowledge (mentors can also be included as a modern guru). I believe it’s his look upon the 11th house that will interest many of you during this period of slumping economy. This 11th house look should expand your income perhaps thru a raise, some secondary income, or perhaps even thru pure luck as Jupiter is ruling the 9th house of luck.

To be continued………

Post script: If you are interested in a deeper understanding of your own astrology chart, your own life, past, present, future then you can contact my via e-mail and provide me with your date, time, and place of birth and I will get back to you shortly.

I am an independent philosopher, traveler, astrologer. If you would like to see more articles in the blog space you can donate by following the link below or request an astrology reading by donation (average donation is $150, but I do not hold anyone to a minimum). My duty is only to serve and pray.

Sincerely,

Mike Holliday

Holliday.michael@gmail.com

Alternative Health & Yoga, Philosophy, Vedic Astrology

Tantric and Astrological means to Self-Relaization

16 May, 2016 Mike Holliday (Santosh) Leave a comment

Part 7: How do we prevail?

“Aath pinde, tat brahmade

[As the world is inside, so it is outside.]”

(Manduka Upanishad)

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Self knowledge, the equal of universal knowledge in most of India, is one of the most prized areas of knowledge. Various sciences and systems have been created just for this purpose. One of the oldest branches of knowledge in India is called Samkya. This is a dualist and materialistic branch of knowledge that sought to map out and categorize the various elements of existence that allow us to have this human experience. After some time, many of the philosophers and rishis began to understand that there was more to life than meets the eye. The material designations of Sankya are fine they said, but something was clearly missing since all this matter is inert, insentient and incapable of the complexity that we see in life. So, the rishis and philosopher looked deeper and eventually expanded the categories of tattvas to include several higher elements that connect us to a divine well-spring of power that infuses matter with sentience.

So, anyone wishing to follow the philosophical schools of India should have some cursory knowledge of the tattwas as outlined by Sankya as well as the more subtle tattwas as outlined in Tantra. In this section I wish to share some of the notes I have made regarding the tattwas. I cannot claim this as original work, but since it’s an area of study that I find myself continuously coming back to, I’ve come to believe that a basis in this knowledge is necessary for the more intellectually minded self seeker.

The Bhagavad Gita has said that there are four kinds of people who worship god: 1. the distressed, 2. seekers of knowledge, 3. seekers of wealth, 4. people of knowledge. In his summary of Chapter 7 of the Gita, Abhinavagupta wrote that, “Pure devotion is the wish fulfilling tree by means of which one may fulfill hopes proper to be desired by the sadhaka.” (p186) And elsewhere it has been said that knowledge is better than practice, meditation is better than knowledge, but renunciation of the fruits of action is better than meditation.

Spiritual inclination is grace! Spiritual effort is grace!

Part 8:

Tantric Upayas: Mean of Liberation

“Whatever act I may have performed without knowing its good or bad consequences or knowing the proper order of its performances; whatever act I may have performed without concentration or with any other lapse of my intellect; all of that, O Shambhu, you who are compassionate, forgive me, your miserable and ignorant devotee. Through this strota I surrender myself to you and let me never again become the abode of misery for no good reason.” (Abhinavagupta p264)

So with all of this in mind we can then then use these clues about our true nature to help lend us the faith and knowledge that we all need to begin or continue our spiritual practice. In tantra the means to self-recognition are said to be four-fold; these can be understood as both different stages of practice, as well as different means that can be used in different circumstances. The point of any Tantric sadhana is to efface the ego while cultivating a sense of universal love and oneness with those (and that which is) around you.

Ultimately we all have to accept that this comes only by grace, but a touch of that grace seem to already apply to those whose aim in life is spiritual. In any case these are the four means of liberation.

Shambhav-upaaya: Philosophical and mental means of liberation. Iccha-shakti; method of will. Theory of reflection. A kind of direct perception or pure understanding that form is merely a reflection of the Supreme. There is no method here other than being established in your own will; seated in the self; seated in the heart or however you want to put it. Matrkachakra: this is the awareness of pure thought without constructs; in other words sound. Pratyahara: this is spontaneous absorption which comes only by grace. When one is established in the self what need to be done. Abhinavagupta described pratyahara as, “When, like a turtle which withdraws its limbs on all sides, the yogi withdraws his senses from the sense objects, then his wisdom becomes steady.” (Gita 2/58) We expect our saints to be living at this level of awareness. Accords with the dream sleep when the mind dwells in the throat.
Shakt-upaaya: Contemplative concentration of void. (ex. Gap between two thoughts) Jnana-shakti. Uninterrupted awareness. Discovery of reality of void thru subtle means of conscious awareness. Practices that involve the mind and various higher levels of consciousness. Spiritual teachers are perhaps expected to be practising here. Accords with the dreamless sleeping state when the mind dwells in the heart.

Anava-upaaya: Depends on breathing (uccaara), sense organs (karana), and mental concentration (dhyana). Concentrate on space between inhale and exhale. One pointed concentration with any sense organ (ex. Trataka). Dyana without form like mantra. Dyana with form like yantra. Devote yourself to God thru puja, japa, homa, study of the scriptures. All the practices that make use of the organs of sense and action. This of course is where most of us are trying to practice and learn. Accords with the waking state when your mind dwells in the navel.

An-upaaya: No method. Only remain aware that nothing has to be done. Abide in one’s own self. Surrender your actions to God. This is the back up plan. This is perhaps the practice of the average person. Accords with the 4^th state when the mind dwells in the head.

All of the methods we use for self-recognition and self-improvement will fit into one of these categories. For most of us we can only apply an-upaaya. We’re busy completing our karma, we’re engrossed in what we’re doing and that’s ok. We just have to remember that nothing truly needs to be done; we just have to be. For many people, this isn’t enough, we want to go deeper and try to understand and perhaps perceive the subtler aspects that are indeed ensuring that everything will be ok in the end (or it won’t and that’s ok too). We want to apply some upaaya, some means for greater self awareness; we want to apply ourselves and improve our organs of sense and action (anava-upaaya); we want to use study scripture, practice various forms of meditation and yoga that can help get us or keep us in touch with some divine that we all sense is a part of our lives. We generally feel pretty good about ourselves doing all of this until someone reminds us that nothing really needs to be done. At which point we stop doing so much and sit and do it all in our minds: conscious awareness; subtle awareness; shakt-upaaya. We have to do something so we continue, but we try to keep in mind that the doing doesn’t really matter so much; it’s not really part of the job profile of the individual self the individual soul that is still a part of the universal self that we’re all trying to get in touch with has made many of those decisions (after all, astrology clearly teaches us that the universal self is taking care of most of the doing down here on earth). The individual self can, however, move it’s awareness around and put it where ever it likes. (The oldest texts on yoga talk about entering other bodies.) Some say we are to put our awareness on prayer, others say to look for pleasure and satisfaction in life, a few other dare to claim we should focus on combining the two. All would perhaps agree that we should first have some idea who we really are. In the end, grace is our only hope. By grace some people become seated in themselves and there is nothing more to be done (shambhav-upaya). When we withdraw our senses from the objects of sense we experience the pure taste of whatever flavour we have inside of us; we get that pure flavour we crave on account of the wheels of energies that are operating inside of us.

“The withdrawal of the vital channels (pranayama), the conquest of the elements (dharana), freedom from the elements (pratyahara) and the separation of the elements (Svachinanda).”

(Shiva Sutra 3/5)

“…he who constantly tries to discern the spanda (vibration) principle rapidly attains his own true state of being….” (Stanzas)

Vijnanabhairava it the classical text outlining 112 methods of Tantric and Yogic methods of union or self-realization. Some suttras give very specific instruction, others leave the door wide open for you to follow what comes natural to you: a word, an object, a thought, anything at all; fix your mind on it and don’t let it waver. “The expansion of consciousness that takes place when one is engaged in a single thought should be known as the source from whence another arises. One should experience that for oneself.” (Stanzas 41) Or find that point between two breaths, two thoughts, or two actions and try to rest your mind there. Meditate on being both the perceiver and perceived (the subject and the object). Then establish a state of awareness of that which links the two. Become fully aware of the state of perceiving, free from both subject and object. Abhinavagupta has described it as a bird swooping down upon it’s prey. That moment moves fast and we must be swift.

Much of the Vijnanabhairava teaches a kind of concentration or focus, when we can take this power of focus and put it where we like, then we can do what we want. Of course we also have to have he self knowledge to know if we have the various abilities of mind sense and action to get that thing. This is why yoga seems to focus so heavily on health, exercise, learning and study; because if we’re strong healthy, flexible and knowledgeable we will be able to access and heighten all of our natural abilities. If we have looked at and studied the self merely by observing the various faculties of the self we will be more comfortable in our bodies, our minds, and the circumstances in which we find ourselves. This comfort allows us to take our awareness away from the body, mind and circumstances and focus instead on those higher aspects of ourself that reach throughout the cosmos rather than remaining trapped in our tiny worlds of suffering and woes. Contemplate each tattva respectively and disattach from it: from least pervasive to most pervasive; from the elements, up thru the senses, mind, intellect, maya and consciousness itself. (See chapter on tattva’s.)

Anything that brings us closer to recognizing and realizing that we are that universe can be considered a means to liberation. Many of the Indian sciences have their own upayas depending on which parts of us we are focused on healing and getting into touch with. But every upaya also affects the whole. So if you’re following Ayurvedic diet to heal your body, that healing is also bringing more awareness of your soul. But of course everything must be followed in balance or you get some excess or deficiency.

In regards to healing, we can often look at to the activity of the senses to see if what is happening on the inside is the same as what is happening on the outside. Food, acupuncture, the clothes and ornaments we wear, the the people we associate with and the activities we perform can all be used to heal. It’s all a kind of worship and ritual. Swami Laxmanjoo made a point when he said that worldly life is pragmatic, worship should be appreciated as theater: art for arts sake. In the Stanzas on Vibration it says: “Constantly attentive and perceiving the entire universe as play, he who has this awareness is undoubtedly liberated in this very life.” With equal gusto it has been advised to ignore the cycle of birth and death; the cycle of life is higher, only it is eternal. If we live for an eternity there is always time and reason for healing and self recognition. It’s cautioned, however, that while participating in sense enjoyment, we are to be enjoying the bliss of self, not the pleasure of the sense object.

“The subject is said to be the lord when, in the midst of phenomena, (he experiences them) as his own body. (But he is) a fettered soul when, sullied by karma etc., (he experiences) conflicts (klesha) in the midst of diversity generated by maya.

(Ishvarapratyabhijna)

Part 9:

Jyotish Astrology Upayas

“the City of Eight consists of the inner mental organ along with the senses of knowledge and action. Others say that it is [also] made up of the five breaths, the five subtle elements, desire, karma and ignorance.” (Tattvaprakasha)

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Jyotish astrology, as the science of light, also seeks to engage the subtler perspectives and provide upayas for self recognition. Astrology acts as the mirror of the individual self and suggest remedial measures for helping you to realize your connection with the universal self. For anyone with any experience with Jyotish astrology, we often find that our limits in the material world are much greater that we at first suspected. The extent of our fettered is almost unimaginable, but still we get this wonderful experience of free will. So how do we explain this contradiction between our experience and the knowledge.

Astrology is of course an ocean of a science, and the astrologer merely a pearl diver. The ocean is vast, and the diver is just one small simple man. The client has his or her chart (the ocean) and the astrologer also has his own chart, which is but a wet-suit compared to the ocean. If both charts are favorable, the client will receive a good reading and go away happy and receive the fruits he or she expects to receive. Perhaps the person will even get a glimmer of the divine forces to which are inseparably linked. If, however, just one chart is not favorable, many things can easily go awry. The astrologer can have a bad day and miss something, or the data might not be quite right, or the client might not understand correctly. In any case, it’s always our own fate, we cannot blame others for our misery.

Traditional healers generally maintain that they do not actually perform any healing. The client comes (we always hope) with that healing already inside of them. The healers job is merely to point them in the direction of healing. The healer is just an instrument of healing. This is why such a variety of scientific and non-scientific methods all work to heal; because it’s not the method which is providing healing, but the patients own life force. Astrologers need to impress upon people that what they generally decoding for them is what they have inside of themselves; and not necessarily some outside force. There are no upayas that can bring you anything you don’t already have inside, all they can do is help you to reach the highest and best potential of what you already have.

From an astrological perspective, what is outside of us and outside of us are merely reflected versions of each other that are constantly acting and interacting together. We get a combined effect of the reactions that are produced. We often say that an astrology chart is like a pathology report. The astrologer is like the doctor who interprets that report. The client doesn’t really need to know the details of the report, what the client needs is the remedial measures.

In truth, most people know themselves fairly well. They don’t really need an astrologer to tell them about themselves, what they need are ways which will help them understand the interconnectedness of everything. Giving specific selfless service is said to be one of the best ways of overcoming or understanding our suffering. When we serve those who share our suffering or represent our fears then we dissipate that negative quality; life become just a little bit lighter.

Meditation and any spiritual practice in general can been good, but even these things can be fine tuned with astrology. Of course gemstones are easiest for most people with a few extra dollars, but without grace, I can’t imagine the effect to be as strong as with some practice which can include service and ritual, but also tapas, worship, mantra, the study of scriptures and other such engaging practices.

What is important to remember is that “Identification with the City of Eight is bondage.” This may come as a surprise to many people who have been taught to identify with their own inner soul, rather than with their body, but these lessons of the City of Eight suggest that even the deepest essence of our individual soul is binding, as of course it must be, since freedom is not an individual experience but rather a universal one.

Part 10: The Goal

Meheshwar

Somewhere within all of this is supposed to be some goal. We want something for all of this work performed. What exactly we want is not easy to describe. Many words get used such as enlightenment, self-recognition, self-empowerment, freedom, liberation. Many other describe as self-improvement or self-betterment. We are not, after all, merely doing this for our health. So what should we expect? The truth is that we should not expect anything. Of course everything is always changing so there will be change, but fundamentally nothing will change. You will still have the same fate and karmas to perform. As Krishna said in the Gita: “we cannot avoid action, not even thru non-action.”

What changes is our awareness? By gaining deeper more focused awareness we are able to recognize how we are ourselves the universe. This is self-recognition. We come to recognize the eternal subject which is ourselves, as well as the relationships of that subject with the various objects of the world beginning without own body. We are not this limited individual self, we are the universal self in part and in whole.

Some beliefs bring people to an emptiness once the individual self has been over come, Tantra promises a fullness like a pot boiling over. The fullness is the dynamic interplay between subject and object, the movement and change of the world. To be aware of this is said to be freedom. The practice of yoga is the practice of being aware of all those things that connect us with ourselves and the other (which is who all the gods essentially represent) We should be aware of consciousness, breath, energy levels, rituals, mantra and worship. Expanded awareness is the only goal and these are the tools (our body and this world) This is the same awareness which shows us that there really is no distinction between fate and free will.

This is a big concern for many people who feel as though they are being led thru life like a draft animal. Many people who hear about astrology feel like this whole concept of astrology somehow interferes with their free will. Most people is this world are very attached to the ignorance they call free will. This common idea that we are the body and thru the body we can do what we like thru free will is a very narrow and ignorant perception of freedom and will. If we start to recognize that we are all of this, only then will we recognize the place from where that freedom and will arise.

We recognize our free will when we are aware of that all of this is emanating from the free will of that Shiva which is inside of us; that which which is us. Freedom is exercised on the levels between Shiva and maya, not on the level of our minds, bodies and senses. These things are merely the tools for exercising that freedom. Of course once a choice is made, we have to live by the karma of that choice. As soon as an individual soul takes a body, the time and place of that activity becomes crucial for the rest of ones life. This is of course the time and place of our birth and first breath, and whatever karma is given to us at that precious moment will determine the extent of the work to be do in this life. The trick is to recognize all of this and maintain that awareness that we are Shiva, we are the chooser, and have chosen to experience all of this. What is inside is outside so we have as much power inside of ourselves to affect events in our lives and this world as the Sun and the Moon have to affect the life cycles of this universe. It’s a fully reciprocal relationship between ourselves and the world. The more we recognize this, the more harmony comes into our lives and the world. The truth to life and freedom are vast; they range far beyond the mundane details of life. We can be sure, however, that everyone will play their role and each of us will get that taste we most crave; the quality of that flavour will be up to us.

Mike’s Sleeping Dog

Tag Archives: jyotish

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