|
 |
Feb 2004 *Light On Vedic Astrology* Newsletter
|
|
|
In This Issue:
|
February 4, 2004
|
|
|
|
•
|
The Astrology of Passion
|
|
|
|
•
|
Vedic Remedies & Shiva Ratri
|
|
|
|
|
•
|
New Improved Printable Ephemeris
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
•
|
Man Sentenced to Yoga by Texas Judge
|
|
|
|
•
|
The USA Chart & Namaste
|
|
|
|
Namaste friends,
This last month I really enjoyed seeing the final movie of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, "Return of the King." Wow, what a movie. There was one dialogue between Frodo and Gandalf that really stood out for me:
Frodo: I wish the ring had never come to me. I wish none of this had happened.
Gandalf: So do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All you have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to you.
That decision is our passion, what we must do to fulfill our life purpose. For Frodo it was destroying the evil ring. In Sanskrit it's called our "dharma" which is loosely translated as our "duty". But it also relates to what gives us the most meaning, fuels us. and helps us feel alive.
In Vedic astrology the houses that relate to our dharma are 1, 5, 9, which are also associated with the fire element. Fire relates to spirit and inspiration and someone who's committed to their dharma could be called spirited or inspired.
However, the word "passion" is also used to mean desire, sexual passion, or lust. This usage relates more to the kama or desire houses 3, 7, 11 which are interestingly opposite the dharma houses. These houses relate more to what we "want" to do, but the dharma houses relate to what we "need" to do to feel inspired.
Here's a short article I wrote on this topic that just got published this month in our local Maui Vision Magazine
DEVOTED TO OUR PASSION
There’s a lot of talk these days about living our passion and getting on with our life purpose. But what does it really mean? I was talking to a friend after the Deva Premal and Miten concert in December and he said, “Wow, now there’s a couple really doing their life purpose.” He admitted he was envious and feeling “less than” by comparison. That got me wondering. Is doing a public, influential work that makes us money really the yardstick to measure how successful we are in fulfilling our life purpose?
Astrology would say no. In India, the word “dharma” relates to our life purpose and the astrological houses related to dharma do not relate to work and making money. They relate to what inspires us, fuels us, and gives us meaning. They are associated with fire, not earth. To make money at doing our passion, blending earth and fire, is special. In Vedic astrology it’s considered an extra-ordinary planetary combination. Making money at our passion is perhaps something to aspire to but it’s not everyone’s “life purpose.” For instance, it took my sister a long time to discover that her passion is her flower garden. My uncle, a very successful CEO, answered “my family” when asked what his passion is. And he lives it. “May the beauty we love, be what we do” as Rumi wrote and may we find creative ways to express it more and more in this world.
“Don't ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go and do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive."
- Harold Whitman
|
|
|
|
|
January 22, 2004. Houston Chronicle
A judge ordered a man convicted January 14th of slapping his wife to take yoga classes as part of his one-year probation. The unusual sentence is the first of its kind and has received widespread media attention.
"It's part of anger management," County Criminal Court at Law Judge Larry Standley said of the ancient Hindu philosophy of exercise and well-being. "For people who are into it, it really calms them down."
Lee Cross, a 53-year-old car salesman from Tomball, explained that his wife was struggling with a substance abuse problem and that he struck her on New Year's Eve during an argument about her drinking.
"He was trying to get a hold of her because she has a problem," Standley said after the court hearing. "I thought this would help him realize that he only has control over himself."
The sentence came as a surprise to Cross, who was told to enroll in a class and report back to Standley on his progress.
"I'm not very familiar with it," Cross said of yoga. "From what I understand, it may help in a couple ways, not only as far as mentally settling, but maybe a little weight loss."
Darla Magee, an instructor at Yoga Body Houston in River Oaks, said she would recommend that Cross take a basic yoga class emphasizing breathing and including a variety of postures -- forward bends, back bends and twists. "Yoga can help us to get rid of many emotional issues we might have," she said. "It's a spiritual cleanse."
John Coon, director of the Yoga Center of Houston, hailed Standley's order as "progressive."
While this marked the first time Standley has ordered a defendant into a yoga class, he has tried other forms of "alternative sentencing." Nevertheless, the yoga sentence was unusual even for Standley. "This is not a regular condition I make on people who beat up their spouse," he said. "But he was not your typical serial wife-beater type, based on what was presented to me."
"If everyone did yoga, we'd have a lot less violence and trouble in the world. Everyone would just be calmer," Magee said.
|
|
|
|
|
There's typically a lot of emphasis by Vedic astrologers on the use of gemstones as a remedy, or what's called upayas, for planetary afflictions. Gems, I believe, can have a powerful effect, but there are many other powerful remedies that cost nothing and are underemphasized in my opinion - like doing spiritual practices such as meditation or chanting, going on retreats or pilgrimages, or attending spiritual events or religious festivals.
On Wednesday February 18th there is one such Hindu festival that is perhaps the most powerful of the year - Shiva Ratri or the night of Shiva. Ancient Vedic scriptures, like the Puranas, emphasize the value of attending a Shiva Ratri event and state that much negative karma can be mitigated by doing so. Shiva Ratri is timed to be on the dark Moon (14th phase called Chaturdashi) in the dark half of the year. Traditionally in India people stay up all night and chant and sing songs to Shiva - the destroyer of darkness.
This is a time for clearing out our own internal darkness and making way for the light. It's a time of purification, and releasing old baggage. It's likely that there is a public Shiva Ratri in your area but if not then if you can plan to do more of your own spiritual practices or fast at that time it will be helpful for you.
|
|
|
|
|
Native American Story:
One evening, an old Cherokee told his grandson about a
battle that goes on inside people. He said, "My son, the battle inside all people is between two wolves.
One is bad. It is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride,
superiority and ego.
The other is good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith."
The grandson thought about it for a while and asked,
"Which one wins?"
The old Cherokee answered, "The one you feed"
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
