Gold Star Astrology

Jyotish is one of the 3 primary Vedic sciences (which are; Yoga, Ayurveda, and Jyotish).   The origins of Jyotish can be traced back several thousand years to information contained within the Vedas, which are ancient texts explaining the workings of human existence & universal law.  There’s one universal law that describes how moving planets can have an effect on our life, which is called “the law of correspondence”, that states:

“As above, so below – As within, so without”

This universal law tells us that a shared principle creates similar behavior, regardless of separation in space.  The Milky Way, the solar system, and an atom all behave in similar ways because of a shared principle.  So as planets in the solar system move and interact with each other in the sky, the corresponding forces within our body & mind, at an atomic level, will behave accordingly.  This is also called quantum mechanics in modern day, western science.

Each of the 7 Vedic planets (called “grahas” in Sanskrit) represent an energetic force that corresponds with some aspect of our body & mind.  Jyotish is the science of identifying the force, analyzing the relationship, and explaining the evolutionary process.  It’s a tool of self-discovery and a system of personal development.  This is a science that puts the details of life into perspective and shows us the bigger picture of who we are and how the world works.  What a huge relief it can be to see & experience that everything is unfolding exactly as it’s supposed to!

If we take the Sun for example, it represents the archetype masculine principle.  The Sun doesn’t absorb, it emits light & heat.  All energy that moves from within our body & mind out into the environment will behave in accordance to our personal relationship (karma) with the Sun.

We call the Sun’s energy “solar”, and our soul is the true authentic self, seeking expression through our presence and behavior.  If a person has a powerful Sun in their birth chart, it won’t allow them to modify their personality traits in search of security or acceptance, it’ll force them to express their authentic truth unapologetically.  If another person’s Sun has a difficult placement or inimical influences, they will find it more challenging to express their true essence, which we often experience as self-doubt and indecision.

Human beings are not designed to fit into a “one size fits all” spiritual journey.  Each person has a unique background and constantly fluctuating needs.  Jyotish allows us to adapt to these changing circumstances and align our individual purpose with the universal rhythms of life.

The unifying purpose of all the Vedic sciences is self-realization, to break free from the illusion of physical existence and become aware of our true nature as a spiritual being.  With the help of Ayurveda, we are able to maintain a properly functioning vehicle for the spiritual process.  Yoga gives us the practices to align our body & mind with spirit.  Jyotish gives us the blueprint and timing for what is happening in our life, and why.

The first mention of Jyotish comes from the Rig Veda (the oldest text on the planet), in a section called “Vedanga Jyotisha” describing the correct timing for rituals & ceremonies, yet each of the 3 primary Vedic sciences (Yoga, Ayurveda, Jyotish) operate under shared principles.  These principles are described in the philosophies of Vedanta & Samkhya, which reflect ideas that emerged from the study of the Upanishads.

We can usually trace an outcome to an action, then the action to a thought(s) or idea(s) that lead up to it, but tracing thoughts or ideas to their source/origin is where people often get lost.  Samkhya philosophy gives a roadmap for the entire process of manifestation.  According to the ancient seers & sages, “karma” is the source of thought patterns (called samskaras), and many of those tendencies are imprinted on your mind at the moment of birth.  Your astrological birth chart is a blueprint & schedule of your karma ripening in time.

What is karma?

The word karma is used improperly in modern day society.   Karma relates to actions and the results those actions create in the future, but it’s much deeper than that.  For example, we are born at a certain day at a certain time in a certain location from the sperm and egg of two individuals that have taken actions in their lifetime that resulted with a baby.  We’re born as the byproduct of their actions, history and genetics.  That’s our karma at birth.  We also create karma every moment of every day because we’re taking action in the world and those actions are creating future outcomes.  Karma isn’t “bad” or “good”, just like gravity isn’t “bad” when you fall over and hurt yourself or “good” when your body stays on earth instead of flying into outer space, it’s just the natural order of things – a universal law – something that we call “dharma”.

What is dharma?

The word dharma doesn’t have a perfect translation in English, but it refers to truth, cosmic order, and the way things are supposed to be in nature.  When someone is asking about your dharma, they’re asking about what you’re uniquely designed to contribute to the world or accomplish in your life.  But ALL universal laws are an example of dharma because they represent the way things are supposed to be.  Space, gravity, electromagnetism, planets & moons orbiting the solar system, and everything that was “discovered” rather than “invented” is an example dharma.

Other than the fact that Jyotish is designed to fit seamlessly together with Yoga & Ayurveda as we navigate the spiritual process, the most fundamental difference between western astrology and Jyotish is the method of calculating planetary positions:

• In western astrology, the sign of Aries begins where the Earth crosses the vernal equinox (which marks the first day of spring in the northern hemisphere) because western astrology was designed as a calendar to stay in alignment with the cycles of changing seasons.
• In Jyotish, the sign of Aries occupies the same space as the constellation that you can look up and observe in the sky. It measures objects using the Nakshatra based sky, which represents the “spirit” aspect of spirit taking form.  Space is the formless, unmanifested, pure essence of nature that’s seeking expression through physical form.

At the time western astrology was implemented, sometime around 500 A.D., the vernal equinox and the constellation of Aries occupied the same section of the sky.  However, as time marches forward, the observable sky and the seasonal equinoxes are slowly drifting apart (due to something called “precession”).  The current rate of precession is 1 degree every 72 years, and the separation between the equinox and the observable sign of Aries is 24 degrees, almost one full sign.  In Jyotish we call this distance the “Ayanamsha”.

In addition to the zodiac calculation, another big difference between western astrology and Jyotish is the timing system.  The methods of prediction in western astrology are mainly based on progression, meaning the interaction of planets in the living sky with their placement in the birth chart.  While this is relevant and insightful, Jyotish can make highly accurate predictions using the birth chart alone.  The placement of the Moon at the time of birth provides a predetermined schedule for certain karmas to ripen (or life lessons to occur).  If you picture your life on earth as a day at Universe-ity, the Vimshottari dasa represents your class schedule.  This a deeply profound and accurate way of untangling what’s happening in your life and what the planetary professors were/are trying to teach you.

Traditionally, Jyotish uses the “whole sign – whole house” method to determine astrology houses, whereas western astrology mainly divides the area between the Ascendant and the Midheaven, which varies by the latitude of the place of birth.  In Vedic philosophy, actions originate from thought, and thought originates from karma, where the house represents the actions, the sign represents the thought, and karma is stored in the planets.  To evaluate an outcome, Jyotish will investigate the house/sign and the ruler of that sign in the birth chart to determine whether there’s ease or difficulty in the process of thoughts becoming things.

There are several other strategical differences in chart evaluation, but this covers the main concepts.