In 1995, my Rahu dasha ended and the week my Jupiter dasha started a series of unexpected events led me meet my guru, Amma, the hugging saint. Jupiter is called Guru in Sanskrit because any spiritual karma that is due in the horoscope awakens with more ease during the dasha periods of Jupiter, the planet that is the giver of divine grace, wisdom, and higher consciousness.
Just as scientist today can map a person’s unique genetic code, ancient yogis of India came up with a way to map a person’s psyche and as a result the trajectories of the events of their lives through the Vedic horoscope.
Jupiter the benevolent and wise mentor presides over our highest potential and highest purpose. It is said that wherever there is Jupiter there is a crowd. As such, across cultures the most prized quality that a human being can attain is wisdom.
All of us rarely have a true encounter with the people and events in our life because past events and memories shape our current perceptions by creating a filter through which we interact with the world. Our mind is like an “anticipation machine” that continually prepares itself for the future based on what has happened in the past. It often prejudges in coming experiences and forces us to assume the outcome before it occurs, as it has already decided what is good and bad .
Jupiter, also called Guru in Sanskrit, is considered the greatest benefic in the horoscope, as he bestows happiness, peace and good fortune. His influence on any planet, sign, house or dasha, can help us reduce or overcome our difficult karma, as well as embrace what we cannot change.
Enough about Saturn. Truth is we can talk about Saturn all day but the primary impulse of all human beings is attaining happiness – and the planet for this job is Jupiter. So what can the Vedic horoscope and modern scientific discoveries about the brain teach us about achieving happiness and peace of mind?
In Vedic Astrology, the ease or difficulty with which we acquire “happiness” is to a great part indicated by the factors related to the Fourth House and Fourth Sign of Cancer.
Read MoreSeveral years ago, when I started my Saturn Dasha, I was facing many challenges and a mountain of responsibility and work. My life was changing pretty dramatically and I was resisting the changes.
As the term “Yogi and enters deeper into the English lexicon, I have come to accept that this word is often being used to describe someone who enjoys doing Asana Yoga a lot!! While, I welcome this exalted word into the English, I am concerned that if we embrace this revered ancient word with so little qualifications the true qualities of a Yogi, that are every soul’s higher aspirations, may also get lost in the process.
One of my favorite authors, Anis Nin once wrote “We don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are”.
The moon in our horoscope indicates where we are most at “home” and is thus our own unique filter through which we see things. Everything that we come into contact with passes through our moon/mind and is processed into feelings, which drive our actions.
Read MoreSade Sati is a challenging transit of Saturn only because we have been conditioned to avoid “negative” feelings, thoughts and experiences at all costs. Astrologically, in this period our natal Moon, which is our emotional filter, comes face to face with the pragmatic and sober karmic task master Saturn, who wants us to face the the limits of the personality.
