The Philosophy of Astrology

Astrology is a tool for understanding your destiny. Obviously, it is founded on the supposition that destiny exists. This is a very reasonable supposition, because every part of the universe moves like a pre-ordained mathematical clockwork that reeks of destiny.

But, why? Why does destiny exist? And why do you have a specific destiny?

Do we get our destinies by chance? Is it by chance that one person is born to become a successful hair dresser, while another is destined to be a ruined stock broker? Well, that wouldn’t make any sense at all, honestly, because destiny itself antithetical to chance. Destiny means things that are supposed to happen, not things that happen at random.

Look at the word itself, destiny. Do you see the same root in the word “destination”? A destination is “the place you intend to reach.” Destiny has intention. It is not allotted by chance. It follows a reason, a pattern, a law: cause-and-effect.

What is the cause of your destiny? Your freewill! Your free choices today determine the inescapable circumstances of your future. The decisions you made in the past, therefore, determine your present fates and fortunes. This cause-and-effect is a universal principle, but it is very well developed and explained in the ancient and classical Sanskrit literature of India, called by the term karma.

But there is another problem to address: A birth chart, the most essential tool of astrology, depicts the moment of birth; directly implying that we are we born with a destiny. If destiny is a result of our past freewill, why should we start out with destiny already determined?

The only answer is that birth is not the beginning of our existence!

We forget this. As soon as we are born, with each and every breath we identify more and more solidly with the body we inhabit, and forget that our existence extends above, beyond, before and after that body. Nonetheless our past extends beyond the date and time on our birth certificate and into a vast span of limitless time that even words like “ancient” cannot do justice.

Again, this is a universal concept, but the philosophical and spiritual traditions of India have really explored and explained this principle, “reincarnation.”

This sort of talk is a “trip” and “blows our minds” – which is great. But there are practical reasons I think it is the most important thing to get straight first, before going further into astrology or into a reading:

• Whatever happens to you – regardless if it’s something you prefer or dislike – is supposed to happen to you.
• It’s supposed to happen to you because you made some decisions in the past that require you to experience it.
• You require these experiences because they are instrumental in your evolution as a living being.
• The right way to approach you destiny then, is with open arms.

So: Never be afraid of your destiny.

We are an embryo in the cosmic womb. Our universal, loving mother is trying to mature us; trying to make us capable to be born into the real world. It is only smallness of mind that allows us to fear or hate some destiny our mother has allotted for our evolution.

Before you go further, stop here for a while. At the very least, spend a few deep breaths imbibing this concept into your understanding.

When you are ready to go further, always remember this: The wins and losses of this tiny lifetime are no more significant than scores in a video game. What is significant is that we use these wins and losses to make progress in the direction our universal mother is ushering us. Do not use astrology in an attempt to tinker with the ups and downs of an infinitesimal fragment of lifetime. Use it to help you embrace the ups and downs of this lifetime in a positive manner, as vehicles for evolution towards birth into the real, spiritual world of selflessness and divine love.

Online Gita Class

 

I would like to teach a 24-hour/session Bhagavad-Gita class online:

• 1 session for each of the 18 chapters,
• 1 extra session for each long chapter – 2 and 18
• 4 sessions free for discussion, and if possible to go into more detail on the Sanskrit of specific important texts

The important part now is to see how many people are seriously interested in taking the course. I’ve done group classes over Skype before for astrology and it is pretty easy and simple. The more students we get, the less the tuition per student. We can accept up to 12 students, and then the tuition per student would be $100.

If you’re interested in this, please ask around / spread the word and see who else might be interested. Once we get a significant list of interested students, we can sort out the schedule details with everyone and get started.

Interested parties should contact me by email, or, if you don’t have my email address, through my contact form. If you have questions or comments you can also comment on this post: Online Gita Class.

Thank you!

If The Tropical Zodiac Were Right, Everyone Would Be Using It

Follow the Leader

In my new book, 27 Stars, 27 Gods, there is a small section at the beginning explaining that the fixed stars (“nakshatra”) and the zodiac signs (“rashi”) are two different entities without a permanent connection, because the zodiac signs are anchored to solstices and equinoxes, which perpetually drift through the fixed stars.

A prominent astrologer complain to me about this statement. I’ll paraphrase the conversation here.

How did you come up with this opinion? With whom did you study Jyotish?

I replied with the info available here, explaining who my Guru is, and why it is unimportant. The actual importance is in the idea itself. He replied:

This heterodox idea - that the Indian system should use the tropical zodiac – vitiates the traditional jyotish system. It is not accepted by any astrological lineage (“sampradaya”)

I replied: As far as I have seen, there is no such thing as a real “astrological sampradaya.” There are only independent teachers, many of whom may have learned from older independent teachers, a few of whom may have also learned from even older, yet still independent teachers. In any case, even if I am to accept that there is such a thing as a bona-fide “astrological sampradaya” – even bona fide sampradayas gradually become erroneous and distanced from their origin. Hence in Bhagavad Gita (4.7), Krishna acknowledges the need to periodically reform them.

My article clearly shows that fixed stars being distinct from zodiac signs is not “vitiating” the tradition, it IS the tradition, established by the authorized cannons of tradition Surya Siddhanta, Bhagavat-Purana, Vishnu-Purana, etc. If a “lineage of continuous teachings” is out of sync with explicit statements in the texts that they are founded upon, those lineages are in need of reform.

He replied:

The English translations of those texts are flawed. Perhaps your theory is based on a flawed translation.

I explained that I understand Sanskrit and read the texts in their original language.

He finally replied:

If this idea – that the Indian system should use the tropical zodiac – was true, then all the masters of astrology in India would be using it.

I replied that this is a flawed logic, because there is a difference between “tradition” and “custom.” In Indian philosophy they are differentiated as shastra-pramaana (“tradition”) vs loka-pramaana (“custom”).

Tradition is defined by the founders of a school and preserved in its sacred/core textbooks, shastra. In astrology these include Surya-Siddhanta, Vedanga-Jyotisha, and pertinent sections of other Vedic literature like the Puranas, etc. Custom, on the other hand, is merely what happens in the course of time among the masses, loka.

Because the custom has an inherent predilection and momentum to diverge gradually from its original tradition – the guardians of tradition carefully maintain their sacred/core books (shastra) and encourage the intelligent among the masses to refer to them scrupulously. This maintains custom in sync with tradition for as long as possible. When it is no longer possible, a major reform is required – to bring custom back into harmony with tradition.

That is exactly what seems to be happening currently in the Indian astrological world. Custom has diverged from the definitions of its sacred texts, and has adopted a fusion of signs and fixed stars (a “sidereal zodiac”). I am a supporter of the reform movement, clarifying the difference between the fixed stars (nakshatra) and the zodiac signs (rashi).

I require your assistance and support. Please read the articles linked to from this post, do your best to comprehend it, and once you do – please also support this cause and spread this message.

Thank you,

Vic DiCara

www.vicdicara.com

My New Book is Available! 27 Stars, 27 Gods

27 Stars, 27 Gods

The Astrological Mythology of Ancient India

Over a decade of dedicated research! Over a year of writing and editing! With the blessings and guidance of a swāmī , a babajī, and a Sanskrit scholar, Vic DiCara presents you the world’s first accurate, simple and completely awesome explanation of the mythology and meaning within the 27 stars of ancient Indian astrology!

If you are an astrologer or a fan of astrology, you will be transformed by Vic’s radically clear and straightforward explanations of Sanskrit, Vedic mythology, and mastery of intuitive symbolism.

If you are a lover of India and her culture, you will delight in these deep revelations and rare expositions of familiar gods like Viṣṇu, not-so-familiar gods like Varuṇa, and nearly forgotten gods like Ajaikapāt.

If you are a spiritual seeker, you will discover the origin of the universe, the meaning of life, and essential clues in the eternal quest for the “fountain of youth.”

The 150 pages of this book are abundantly replete with exact references and footnotes to satisfy the scholars among you. The book is dripping with dramatic storytelling, filled with philosophy as clear and deep as a Himalayan lake, and precisely presents the perfectly useful astrological symbolism of the divine stars.

Check it out, and buy it!

What does “Gaja Kesari” mean?

Gaja Lakshmi (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Gaja can mean the following:

1. Elephant (of which there are 8 types recognized in Sanskrit)
2. Hence, the number 8
3. A measure of length (a sum of 8 units)
4. A musical measurement
5. A foundation of earth upon which a house is built

Essentially it means “elephant” the other meanings are derived from that essential meaning.

Kesari can mean (assuming that the spelling is keza in Harvard-Kyoto Sanskrit transliteration):

1. Hair
2. Tail
3. Mane
4. Perfume

Essentially it means “hair.” A lion has a mane, so it can be referred to as a kezari.

If the spelling is not kezari but kesari, the meanings are:

1. Same meanings of Hair / Mane / Etc.
2. Saffron
3. Sulfates
4. Filaments of plants
5. Gold

Essentially it means Saffron – which has a color similar to sulfates and gold, and is produced from the pollen in plant filaments.

Now, this yoga – Gaja-Kesari – is formed by Jupiter. Jupiter’s color is saffron. Therefore the main meaning of the term Gaja-Kesari in astrology is:

- A mound of saffron.

Saffron is a color of religious significance – so the “mound of saffron” suggests the traits of Jupiter become ample: morality, philosophy, charity, learning, etc.

Other possible meanings, “golden elephant,” “heap of gold”, are also useful as images to evoke the prosperity caused by the Gaja Keshari yoga.

Others, “Elephant-lion” or “hairy elephant” are not very useful!

Are we aligned with the “Galactic Center” Yet?

Hi folks.

I see and hear you out there, flooded with constant torrents of (mis)information and unable to find the needle of truth in the haystack of hype and hysterics. I feel for you, as they say. So I’ll take a little time out of my morning to try to explain a few things to you.

If it makes you pay more attention, consider this a message channeled from the Pleiades (Krttika) to you.

First, dig this:

The concept of a “galaxy” is relatively new. It’s not new compared to iPhone 5 and Nintendo wii.u, but compared to the history of astrology, human civilization, etc, its about as new as you get, as new as the iPhone 5, yes. The idea of a “galactic center” is brand new. Its not something in the Wikipedia of any ancient culture, Mayan or otherwise. So, its not something that would play a role in any ancient prediction.

So far so good? Let that sink in a little bit, then proceed…

The Sun moves through the stars every day. If we measure the complete circle as having 360 degrees, the Sun moves almost one degree every day. So that means in a year, about 360 days, the Sun has aligned with every single point in the heavens. In other words, wherever this “galactic center” might be, the Sun “aligns” with it at least once a year, every year, since the beginning of “time.” In other words, “galactic alignments” (a newly made up term, by the way) happen every year.

Still OK? Getting ready to throw away your tin-foil cap?

Alright, but this year – *****2012**** – is special, right? Because the winter solstice aligns with the galactic center. (BTW, the “winter solstice” in this context means the position of the Sun relative to the stars on December 21st, the Sun’s most southerly point in its yearly journey around the equator).

Right?

No.

There is a long span of years – decades – during which the winter solstice “aligns” with this new-fangled “galactic center.”

Well, isn’t that exciting – to be in the middle of those years!?

No, why should it be?

But it only happens every 26,000 years!

Lots of astrological things only happen every 26,000 years. In fact the astrological alignments of each and every minute of each and every hour of each and every day of each and every month of each and every year only happens once in the entire cycle of time.

English: Inti Raimi, the festival of winter solstice and the beginning of the year (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

But folks get hyper about Mayan calendars  The span of time covered by the Mayan calender ends during the period of time that the winter solstice is “aligned” with the “galactic center.”

Yay, except (a) calenders end all the time, (b) the Mayans didn’t live in a universe with galaxies in it, much less a galactic center. So what’s the big deal, exactly? And (c) why are the Mayan’s suddenly the new Nostradamus?

I used to laugh at fanatical Christians expecting the return of Jesus Christ. Shortly after he died, people started saying he was coming back. When he didn’t show up, they postponed the date. And he missed that one too, so they postponed again. And this just kept on going for 2,000 years. Now its a little bit out-of-fashion to say “Jesus” (at least in metropolitan areas), so now it gets repackaged with “Mayans” and “Astrology” – but its the same bullshit. (With all respect to Christ himself, I am calling the zealots expecting his immanent return, and subsequent apocalypse, to be lunatics. Christ himself gets all my respect)

Why are people interested in all this crap?

No, seriously, this is the really interesting part… Why are people interested in all this crap about the world ending?

Because their lives suck.

They want, need, a big dramatic end, a big dramatic change, because their lives suck and their nations suck, and their world sucks.

So they are just foaming at the mouth for an apocalypse  Just bring us an apocalypse and we are yours forever. We just want a freakin’ apocalypse already damn it, we don’t even care anymore if it comes from Christ or an “Indian”. End this freaking world – we don’t even care if it comes from a green Martian in a Flying Saucer UFO. We just need a fix – a goddamned break from this numbingly cold, boring, repetitious, meaningless pile of shit that we soak in day in and day out.

Well guess what, everyone – the world sucks because we suck.

It doesn’t suck because of alien lizards from Planet Z.

It doesn’t suck because something is fucked up in the stars.

It doesn’t suck because of a secret society.

It doesn’t suck because of your government.

It doesn’t suck because of your parents.

It doesn’t suck because of God.

It sucks because we suck – because after all, the world is nothing except us.

If my world sucks, its because I suck, and that is good news because I can actually change myself.

Stop asking Jesus Christ to send UFOs to pick you up from the top of a Pyramid a little bit after Y2K to rescue you from your humdrum existence. Just sit down in your room, be quiet, be still, stop listening to the tsunami of bullshit broadcast over the Internet, TV, and magazines. Shut your eyes. Sit up straight. Breath deeply. Calm your mind. Focus on your heart, and FEEL THE DIVINE in your heart. Commune with that divine every day, and your life will transform from black and white to technicolor.

You completely have it in your power to cause your own personal “apocalypse” and restart your world in a transcendental way RIGHT NOW. Stop asking someone else to be your savior, and save yourself.

Thank you.

The transmission from the Pleiades ends here, “my dear ones.”

- Vic DiCara

www.vicdicara.com

Fundamental Principles Working in the Birth Chart of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati

Fundamental Yogas of Astrology

The three most fundamental yogas of classical Indian natal astrology are those concerning the neighbors and direct influences upon three points: the Ascendant, Sun and Moon. When a classical astrologer picks up a horoscope, the first thing he or she should do is evaluate these three fundamental groups of yogas. In so doing, he or she figures out the baseline and foundation on which to construct the rest of the interpretation of finer details in the horoscope.

Let’s see this principle in action, in the horoscope of the great astrologer and sadhu, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati.

His birth data is February 6, 1874 at 15:30 in Puri, Orissa, India. We calculate the chart in classical Indian style, which uses whole-signs for houses, and the tropical zodiac (as defined in classical Sanskrit texts and as most likely was employed by Bhaktisiddhanta himself), using European glyphs out of personal preference…

Confining ourselves to the three key points defined above, What do we observe here?

Ascendant:

• Nothing joins it or flanks it on either side.
• It’s dispositor is the Moon, which means anything affecting the Moon is doubly significant (since the Moon is already significant on its own).

Moon:

• Jupiter joins it. That sets a scope for reading the horoscope towards Jupiter-themes: honesty, learning, philosophy, religion, morality, law.
  • The junction is in the 4^th house. Jupiter in the 4^th indicates heartfelt morality and inner happiness.
  • Jupiter in Libra. This shows a modern, forward-thinking, non-conformist approach to morality, religion, philosophy, etc.
• Ketu in the 2^nd. Classically speaking, we’re not supposed to care about Ketu or Rahu in these positions, but it is hard to ignore the spiritual, mystical indication of Ketu in the 2^nd from the Moon while Jupiter joins the Moon.
• Many Trines. Many planets are trine to the Moon, in its 5^th house (showing intelligence) and the 8^th house from the ascendant (showing mysticism and research). Venus is particularly aligned with the Moon’s degree, causing it’s 5^th house aspect to be at its peak. Venus is the Moon’s own lord and the lord of the Moon’s 8^th – showing great inner emotional contentment and peace, as well as a great capacity for research into unknown / mystical topics.

Sun:

Mars in the 2^nd position from the Sun: Ambitious, independent, and sharp.

Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati was extremely ambitious: he “took on the world” and formed a whole new religious/spiritual movement with a global focus, preaching even to the British during the British occupation, and sending missionaries to Great Brittan.

He was extremely independent: he divorced himself from the popular Hindu understandings of culture and religion, accepted a guru in a non-conventional way, ascribed his lineage in a non-traditional way, gave himself sanyassa, and never married, and was completely aloof from public opinion.

He was extremely sharp – his words were like arrows, and his intellect was like a razor.

This places Mars in the 9^th house. Passion for religion (a Mars in the 9^th house indication) becomes more fundamental and sure in the chart because Mars in the 9^th house is also in the 2^nd position from the Sun.

Mars in Pisces adds to the above that the character of the passion for religion is philosophical and learned.

Saturn, Venus and Mercury join the Sun, in Aquarius. This shows the ability to use language poetically when expressing esoteric logics.

Summary

In this chart we find a very big emphasis has to be placed on the Moon. Why? (a) It is the Moon, which always deserves emphases (b) It disposits the Ascendant, which has no other significant influences (except an aspect from Mars in the 9^th house), and (c) because it (joined Jupiter) is alone amongst the Kendras (4 central houses: 1, 4, 7, and 10).

We also have to very significantly emphasize our interpretation of Mars, a single planet that affects all three important points.

• It aspects the ascendant (with 47 out of 60 virupas)
• It perfectly aspects the Moon (60/60)
• It is in the 2^nd position from the Sun.

So we are inclined to use the symbol of “the Moon joined Jupiter in 4^th house Libra” as the baseline for the chart, the foundation upon which the interpretation of this horoscope should be constructed. And the first condition we blend this with should be “Mars in the 9th house Pisces.”

Doing that without knowing who Bhaktisiddhanta was, we would quite easily come to these accurate interpretations

• Religion and philosophy was the main focus of his life (viz Jupiter),
• He was detached from external sources of happiness (viz Jupiter),
• He was passionate, ambitious, and independent (viz Mars),
• And he was quite learned (viz Moon/Jupiter/Sun).

This serves as example of how to build the basic understanding of the person by looking for the most important conditions affecting the Sun, Moon and Ascendant. Only after this basic understanding is formed can one surely proceed into finer details.

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur on 29 March 1918 two days after taking sannyasa. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

- Vic DiCara

www.vicdicara.com