A Practical Perspective to Astrology

Since time immemorial, mankind has often battled with itself whether the future is predestined or one is free to chart out one’s course of events at will, irrespective of one’s perception of life. Virtually every ancient civilization like the Aztecs, Mayans, Babylonians, Greeks, Egyptians and Indians, have dabbled into the question of one’s own existence by looking to the heavens since the days of yonder.

Although the first origins of Astrology can be debated, nevertheless it is an unwritten acceptance among eastern Hindu astrologers that foundations of Astrology was laid in the ‘Rig Veda’ in the Indian system that goes by the name ‘Jyotisha’. The earliest documented Indian texts that are still retrieved and referred to this day, date back to 5th Century A.D by leading Authors like Parasara, Vaharamihira, Kalyana Varma and Mantreswar on their magnum opus’s like Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra, Brihat Jataka, Saravali and the Phaladeepika. In fact, the first Indian astronomical text to arrive at the concept of the ‘weekday’ was proposed by Aryabhatta in 476 AD. These were authors who consecrated themselves in white and orange lab coats and embarked on a mission to delve into the subconscious of mankind which could not have been ordinarily perceived.

Astrology as a Science

Despite the never-ending raging debate whether Astrology is a science, or an art, or even entertainment, it is a question that needs to be attended to, with a scientific mindset before any judgement or conclusion is arrived at. As much as a scientific researcher spends years, putting any subject such as physics or chemistry to the test, Astrology is also to be subjected to repetitive tests to observe repeatable results before one wants to convince oneself.

An attempt to understand the science behind Astrology perhaps can be referred from a well known Eastern figure who spread Yoga to the West and in his Book, Chapter 16 of “Autobiography of a Yogi” by Paramahansa Yogananda. Just like you and me, Yogananda was equally skeptical and critical of Astrology and chided his Guru, Swami Yukteshwar for laying emphasis on Astrology. As Yogananda describes in his book, that in order to prove a point to his disciple, Swami Yukteshwar forewarned Yogananda of an impending liver disorder that would leave him in agonizing pain for 6 months. In response, an astrological remedy of using an armlet made of silver and lead alloy was prescribed that would reduce the suffering to mere 24 days. Going by the Indian tradition of never defying one’s enlightened guru, Yogananda duly complied, and sure enough the liver disorder commenced in a month’s time and ended on the 24th day of wearing the armlet as his Guru foretold.

What can we learn from Yogananda

In Yogananda’s own words, as quoted, “Charlatans have brought the stellar science to its present state of disrepute. Astrology is too vast, both mathematically and philosophically, to be rightly grasped except by men of profound understanding”. It is no wonder that half-baked astrologers today who attend a 3 month course and start a practice like a business, not only rob the peace of mind of the seeker but also bring disrepute to the subject as well as themselves.

Yogananda continues to quote “Astrology is the study of man's response to planetary stimuli. The stars have no conscious benevolence or animosity; they merely send forth positive and negative radiations. Of themselves, these do not help or harm humanity, but offer a lawful channel for the outward operation of cause-effect equilibriums which each man has set into motion in the past”.

" A child is born on that day and at that hour when the celestial rays are in mathematical harmony with his individual karma. His horoscope is a challenging portrait, revealing his unalterable past and its probable future results. But the natal chart can be rightly interpreted only by men of intuitive wisdom: these are few.”

But the key take away of Yogananda’s message for everyone is as follows, “The message boldly blazoned across the heavens at the moment of birth is not meant to emphasize fate, the result of past good and evil, but to arouse man's will to escape from his universal thralldom. What he has done, he can undo. None other than himself was the instigator of the causes of whatever effects are now prevalent in his life. He can overcome any limitation, because he created it by his own actions in the first place, and because he has spiritual resources which are not subject to planetary pressure”.

Therefore all is not lost and mankind can alter its future by the choices he/she makes

On this note, the foundation of Astrology is firstly, Mathematics and Astronomy without which the study of Astrology becomes futile. The Ancients were quite adept devising Vedic mathematics methods that allowed them to crack complex equations of algebra, trigonometry and calculus in the absence of computers.

Astrology as a Tool for Self-Improvement

Perhaps the most practical use of Astrology is its use to assess one own personality as to why we are, the way we are. Self-help books and pep talks by personalities though help identify causes but cannot address to whom each cause is applicable or an individual’s specific needs. It’s as though one has to figure out how one fits oneself into the contents of a self-help book instead of the other way around.

If one is keen on introspecting one’s own inner self, the position and dignity of moon in a natal chart gives the answers. The moon represents the mind, our emotions, our impressions, perceptions and how we react or respond to a situation. In the zodiacal heavens, as the moon traverses through its trajectory and into each zodiacal sign across our natal planets every 2.25 days like a clock’s dial, it shows how and why our mood changes frequently.

The Importance of Saturn in Astrology

Saturn can be termed as the King of planets and a bad ass who can turn a king into a pauper or a pauper into a king. The time old adage associated with Saturn is “Saturn delays but does not deny”. As once said by William Horman (c. 1440 – April 1535) of the early Tudor period and Author of the text book 'Vulgaria' , “Manners Maketh Man” and similarly so does “Saturn Maketh Character”. The harshness indicated by Saturn is so indifferent that he does not care what one’s race, religion, creed, beliefs, impressions, perceptions or past achievements are, but rather dispenses justice according the merits of one's actions.

The very nature of Saturn is to not make anything easy but teaches us the lesson of - Discipline Yourself and push yourself harder to achieve the impossible.

Often among eminent personalities like Mahatma Gandhi, Aurobindo Gosh, Plato, Socrates, Nikola Tesla, Steve Jobs and such similar personalities, Saturn is placed prominently and is so emphatic with its "madness in its methods" of causing poverty, debt, failures, humiliation, false allegations and everything else where even angels fear to tread. BUT, Saturn is also the chief significator of taking all the failures and humiliation and making men and women reach Stellar heights through various circumstances (Remember.. J K Rowling!!). All the world's glory and praise is no match for the name, fame and legacy that Saturn allows to be remembered when with a steady mind, one consciously works towards paying off one's karmic debts.

Saturn is the planet that represents “CHANGE”

If it wasn’t for this eonic entity, the world would be caught in a vicious circle and also Charles Darwin’s theory of Evolution would have failed miserably. To make way for the new, Saturn figures out how to take the shit of our past actions and turn it into our progress. The nature of Saturn is like a boot camp sergeant and no wonder 'change' appears to be painful.

Saturn's message is Simple - How High One Wants to Achieve Depends on the kind of crap and how much crap one is willing to take

References: [1], [2], [3], [4]