Are you or those around you feeling burdened or out of sorts lately? The answer may lie in current planetary positions. My Vedic astrology (or Jyotish) teacher uses the term “exaggerated” to describe planets that are in extreme conditions of strength or weakness. What we have now is multiple exaggerated and strong planetary placements. […]
The Celestial Messenger Communicates Via Snail Mail
The word ‘mercurial’ is defined on dictionary.com as: “changeable; volatile; fickle; flighty; erratic.” In Vedic Astrology or Jyotish, Mercury is considered a dual planet; it wants to pursue two paths simultaneously. It enjoys having the best of both worlds. After the Moon, Mercury is the fastest moving planet in the zodiac, staying in a sign less than a month. […]
Happy Maha Shivaratri
One night of each year in the Indian calendar is dedicated to worship of Lord Shiva. This holiday is known as Maha Shivaratri – the great night of Shiva. This is done on the 14th night of the waning Moon in the Indian lunar calendar in the month of Maagha. Typically, in Vedic astrology, the phase […]
Venus Visits A Luxurious Spa
House swaps have been gaining a lot of popularity over the last few years. You stay at my house and I’ll stay at yours. While it does foster a reciprocal relationship and grants one a change of scenery, there’s always the consideration of each occupant having differing personalities and styles. In the system of Vedic […]
The Red Planet Retrogrades
In Vedic Astrology or Jyotish, Mars, “the red planet” is considered somewhat of an anomaly amongst the planetary clan. It is the planet of action and always ready for battle. Mars, known as Mangala (“the auspicious one”) in Sanskrit, is the celestial warrior; adventuresome and fighting for a cause. Typically, Mars stays in a sign […]
Go Fly A Kite!
The saying “Go fly a kite!” takes on a literal meaning every January 14 inIndia. This date marks the holiday of Makar Sankranti, as it is called in the state of Maharashtra. Makar means Capricorn. The reason for the celebration is the entry of the Sun into the sign of Capricorn in Vedic Astrology. The […]
December 10, 2011 Lunar Eclipse
A lunar eclipse is occurring tomorrow. In a lunar eclipse, there is a full Moon which aligns on the nodal axis. In Jyotish or Vedic astrology and astronomy, each eclipse is given particular emphasis. In this eclipse, the Moon is in Taurus, as is Ketu, the South node of the Moon. The Sun and Rahu, […]
The Slow Mover Saturn Hobbles Into Libra
Om Sham Shri Shanaischaraya Namah Like the Jeffersons, Saturn is movin’ on up and there’s gonna be a whole lotta shaking goin’ on. We assess a planet’s impact by seeing what sign of the zodiac it’s in and what that means for us individually as well as those with whom we interact. The longer that […]
A Sacred Time for Honoring Our Ancestors
The Indian calendar is lunar based, unlike the Gregorian calendar. The observances during each month are usually spiritual or religious based and rooted in deep tradition. Today marks the beginning of weeks of Pitru Paksha (Pitt-true Puck-shuh), or Shraadh, which is a time dedicated to honoring our ancestors. It’s a time of remembrance and of […]
In a Debilitated State
In Vedic astrology, or Jyotish, we utilize five true planets (Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus and Saturn), the Sun, Moon and the North and South nodes (Rahu and Ketu). These are not the same as the nodes used in Western astrology. We also have twelve houses of the zodiac, from Aries to Pisces. Each occupies an arc […]