As we examine what lies ahead for Jyotish, or Vedic astrology for May, 2015, it is helpful to look retrospectively at the past month. With so many planets strong during the month of April, we experienced the catastrophic earthquake in Nepal, a volcano eruption in Chile, and violence and unrest in Baltimore. Two strong natural […]
Doshic Imbalances in Ayurveda
The goal in Ayurveda is to maintain our prakruti, or our inborn physiological constitution. This is the amount of Vata, Pitta, and Kapha doshas with which we were born. Yet, we all are prone to doshic imbalances due to both internal and external stressors. Doshic imbalances in Ayurveda are due to a variety of factors: […]
Vedic astrology for April, 2015
Jyotish or Vedic astrology for April, 2015 begins with a total lunar eclipse which coincides with Shri Hanuman’s birthday. April is an exceptional month; there’s a great deal of planetary strength for five of the nine planets in Vedic astrology, following the eclipse. Strong planets can provide underlying support for our intentions and actions and […]
What’s a dosha in Ayurveda?
One of the most commonly used terms in Ayurveda is “dosha”. There are varying contexts in which it is currently used, as it can indicate both health as well as an imbalance. So what’s a dosha in Ayurveda? Literally, the word dosha means “fault”. It’s often used in Hindi or Gujarati without the final -a […]
Spice Up Your Love Life With Ayurveda
India brought us the science of Ayurveda and it has also brought us the Kama Sutra. Ayurveda declares that the emotions of the cook play a significant role in how we digest our food and how satisfied we feel. Ayurveda categorizes six tastes, or shad rasa in our diet: sweet (madhu), sour (amla), salty (lavana), […]
Vedic astrology for March, 2015
Vedic astrology or Jyotish is a vidya (an ancient occult science). The vidya dances with us daily and shares its light with us. We have the capacity to fully participate in this dance or sit on the sidelines. Yet, the dance is ongoing, whatever we choose. Planetary strength continues to be a key theme in […]
Relationship Astrology
In all my years of practicing Jyotish or Vedic astrology, the top two topics that people want to discuss in a Vedic astrology reading are the honey and the money. Usually it is the honey that takes precedence. Tina Turner asked, “What’s love got to do with it?” Well, everything and then sometimes nothing, when […]
Astringent Taste in Ayurveda
We conclude our journey of the six tastes, or shad rasa, with the astringent taste in Ayurveda. Astringent is comprised of the elements earth (prithvi) and air (vayu). Astringent increases Vata and decreases Pitta and Kapha doshas. The virya, or energy of the astringent taste, is cooling. The vipak or post-digestive effect of astringent is […]
Makar Sankranti 2015
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 […]
The Pungent Taste in Ayurveda
As we continue our journey through the shad rasa (six tastes) in Ayurveda, we will explore the taste that garners either a love or hate reaction: pungent. The pungent taste in Ayurveda is comprised of the elements of air (vayu) and fire (agni). Pungent increases Vata and Pitta doshas and decreases Kapha dosha. The virya […]