The saying “Go fly a kite!” takes on a literal meaning every January 14 in India. This date marks Makar Sankranti: the kite flying holiday in India in the state of Maharashtra. Makar means Capricorn. Sankranti implies a movement or change of location. The reason for the celebration is the entry of the Sun into […]
Predictions for 2013 in Vedic Astrology
Since the world did not come to an end today, let’s take a glance as to what the future may bring. We have some major planetary movements happening. Here is a sampling of predictions for 2013 in Vedic astrology. The big shift happening momentarily is that the nodes, Rahu and Ketu, are changing signs on […]
The Astrological Significance of 12/12/12
One of the limbs of Jyotish or Vedic astrology is muhurta, or selecting an auspicious time to inaugurate an event. Much of the population is eagerly awaiting 12/12/12. It has significant implications numerologically and it’s the last time we will ever have three repeating dates for day, month, and year. However, the astrological significance of […]
November 28, 2012 Lunar Eclipse
The November 28, 2012 lunar eclipse will be the last eclipse of the year. A lunar eclipse occurs when the full Moon is aligned with one of the lunar nodes (Rahu or Ketu). A full Moon happens whenever the Sun and Moon are opposite each other in the zodiac. The nodes are always directly opposite […]
Diwali 2012
Today is the festival of Diwali 2012 (dee-vaah-lee) or Deepavali (deep-uh-vaah-lee) – the Indian festival of lights. Deepa means light and avali means a continuous line. Diwali celebrates the return of Lord Rama back home after a 14 year period of exile. The residents of Ayodhya (I-yo-the-yah) celebrated his homecoming by lighting rows and rows […]
Astrological Predictions for the 2012 Election
These astrological predictions for the 2012 election are offered from the viewpoint of Vedic astrology or Jyotish. The planet having the greatest impact on the election is Mercury, which is turning retrograde on Election Day. A retrograde planet is moving closer to the earth and thus exerts more of a gravitational impact. What’s vital is […]
Cardamom: The Health Benefits of this Exotic and Aromatic Spice
You’re biting into a rice dish or a dessert at an Indian restaurant and your tongue encounters an unfamiliar object. It’s a light green three sided pod with a thin outer cover and some black seeds inside. This delightfully aromatic spice is cardamom. Found in seed, or pod, and powder form, cardamom’s camphor like flavor […]
Saturn Enters Svati Nakshatra
Om Sham Shri Shanischaraya Namah Vedic astrology, or Jyotish, is a lunar based system, as opposed to the solar based system of Western astrology. Vedic astrology emphasizes the zodiac sign in which the Moon resides, and more so, its nakshatra or lunar constellation. There are 27 nakshatras (phonetically nuck-shut-ruhs) in Vedic astrology. Each is associated […]
Navratri Festival Commences October 15 (or 16), 2012
In the Vedic calendar, immediately following Pitru Paksha, the time for honoring our ancestors, comes a much more joyous celebration. Tonight (October 15, 2012) marks the beginning of the month of Ashwina in Vedic astrology and the first of nine nights of the Indian holiday of Navratri (also spelled Navaratri). The prefix nav means nine and raat […]
The Great Benefic Jupiter Retrogrades in Taurus
In Vedic astrology or Jyotish, planets can be classified as natural benefics or natural malefics. Benefics are the planets which possess the capacity to deliver results which we deem as favorable. Malefics can bring forth experiences which we would prefer not to experience. The benefics are Venus and Jupiter, Mercury, (when it’s with other benefics), […]