Ashtanga Yoga Crete
Vedic Astrology - Jyotish.
Astrology has been a part of our daily life since the time of its creation until today.
Through its view we can see various issues about the approach in our daily life such our bodytype, certain needs for our nutrition, habits, etc.
Through Jyotish, Vedic Astrology combined with the view of the wisdom of Ayurveda
we create a more beneficial routine for our yogic practice and health.
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Vedic Astrology, Ayurveda and Yogic practices are all connected as a holistic science.
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Astrology has been misunderstood as a way to predict or offer 'solutions'...
We seek and get benefited from advises of a beneficial 'source', but the solution
comes out from our proper practice, proper use of our precious time in a human life.
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A Vedic science approach through Jyotish can be like a visit to a good friend of ours,
or a doctor, so we can get some advices.
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Wisdom of Jyotish applied with a proper lifestyle can be very helpful.
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About Jyotish.
Astrology has deep roots in the past and is one of the arts known to man since ancient times.
Over the years this art flourished in various traditions, such as Greece, Egypt, Persia, India and several more.
In India from antiquity until today this art is transmitted from teacher to student combining theory with practice,
after all semi-learning in an art like this can adversely affect humans.
A classic story that gives a picture of nature from the seven basic planets that Vedic astrology deals with is as follows :
The Sun and the Moon are the two main planets and rulers in this universe, a couple where in the various subjects it expresses, it represents the ascetic and female sexes.
As the main rulers in this universe they owned it and are represented by the signs of Leo (Sun) and Cancer (Moon).
At one point Mercury, which expresses communication, asked the Sun to have a point of its own in this universe, so he took the sign next to the Sun, the virgin.
Asking accordingly from the Moon, she took the zodiac sign next to her twin. Seeing this, Venus, where she represents desire, asked for a corresponding space and took the sign of Libra next to the Sun and Taurus next to the Moon. Mars where it expresses the action, took similar action here and took the sign of Scorpio next to the Sun and Aries next to the Moon.
Jupiter, where he expresses wisdom, considered that a similar share belongs to him, so he took the sign of Sagittarius next to the Sun and Pisces next to the Moon.
Seeing the above events, Saturn as practical and realistic, but also slower in his action, asked for a share and took the last two zodiac signs that were left free, the Capricorn next to the Sun and Aquarius next to the Moon.
The nature and characteristics of each planet are many of course, but with stories like this here we can start to have an idea of the nature and character of a planet.
A planet when in good condition on a chart, without harmful effects and with a strong nature, can yield the maximum of its quality, while conversely it can increase its inverse harmful properties.
We place great emphasis on the status of each planet for each horoscope, in order to strengthen our beneficial planets and appease the harmful ones, where they differ in each person.
Vedic astrology deals with the above seven planets and two more where they are called Rahu and Ketu, and is the northern and southern nodes of the Moon.
To have an image of the influence and relationship of these planets in our lives, we draw the horoscope where there is a map with 12 houses, and they correspond to the 12 signs.
Based on the time, date and city of birth we find the zodiac sign that rises at the time of birth so we have the horoscope representing the first house on a map and then we place the planets in the different houses on the chart depending on the zodiac signs that are also at the moment of our birth.
A chart is like a whole universe in itself expressing nature to each of us.
The horoscope expresses our life in everyday life, the Moon our inner world, the Sun the nature in our soul, as well as each house on a chart creates another universe with its corresponding interpretations in our life.
In Vedic astrology, although there are many different traditions and approaches, it is common to take the position of the horoscope and the position of the Moon seriously.
Although when we refer to the signs we have in mind 12 of them, Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius and Pisces in Vedic astrology there are 27 constellations (Nakhastras) where among them the Moon orbits within 27 days.
Knowing the constellation that the Moon is in when we were born we can calculate the times when we will have a strong influence from every planet in our lives where in total this time we call Vimsottari Dasha lasts for 120 years in a human life.
During this period each planet strongly influences its own time, such as the Sun for 7 years, the Moon for 10 years, Mars for 7 years, Rahu for 19 years, Jupiter for 16 years, Saturn for 19 years , Mercury for 17 years, Ketu for 7 years and Venus for 20 years.
The era we call Vimshottari dasha is one of the reference systems, (probably the most common in use) of time in human life, while there are several other similar systems.
Knowing the corresponding season we are going through on our chart we can give ‘light’ to the corresponding point that makes it relevant.
For example in the age of Jupiter comes the virtue of wisdom most relevant in our lives, and if Jupiter is the ruler of the fifth house where he expresses the apprenticeship, the right judgment, in this age these virtues will be more intense in our lives, while there are many details in giving an accurate example since it depends on the relationship that each planet has with our map, what it symbolizes to us, the situation it is in and several other factors.
Examining the situation of each planet, its relationship with our chart, its friendly or not influences, which houses it rules, how strong and effective it is or not, which seasons its influence will be strong, what happens to the 12 houses on a chart, where the planets are currently in the universe, and with some more parameters we will be able to have a clear picture of our being, to 'read' in more detail ourselves, to see the different eras and how much we will be able to to benefit from them.
Birth chart - Kundli.
An astrological chart consist of 12 houses.
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In each of the we have one of the 12 signs (Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Pisces).
Taking into account the sign that rises at the time of birth,
(given the time, date and city of birth) we define it as an
ascendant in the horoscope, and we call it in Sanskrit ‘Lagna’,
where it shows the first house of the chart.
Each house symbolizes different characteristics in our personality such as character, our way of working, body type, to name a few of them.
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In general, the first house shows our character in general, our personality, our appearance.
The second house shows our family, our money transactions, our food.
The third, our abilities, our younger siblings, our short journeys, our efforts.
The fourth the mother, our feeings, the place that we where born, our place of residence, our material goods.
The fifth, our creativity, way of thinking, mind, children.
The sixth, our heath, diseases, enemies.
The seventh, the spouse, collaborations.
The eight, the chronic diseases, occult sciences and knowledge.
The ninth, our teacher, the higher knowledge and education, the higher truth.
The tenth, our career, our image in society, our father, our reputation.
The eleventh, the older brothers/sisters, our material benefits.
The twelfth, the distant places, the end of some situation, the enlightment.
The above is general information, while there are even more parameters, such as in relation to our body and its various diseases.
The first house shows the physical structure of the body, appearance, head, hair.
The second house, the face, right eye, nose, teeth, tongue, lips and death.
The third house the right ear, neck, hands, psychological strength, courage.
The fourth house the chest, heart, pneumonia, cough.
The fifth house the stomach, heart, knees, pregnancy.
The sixth house the intestine, waist, kidneys, general diseases.
The seventh house the urinary system, intestine, uterus, ovaries, sperm.
The eight house the genitals, longevity, hemorrhoids, death, chronic and incurable diseases.
The ninth house the knees, arteries, upper legs.
The tenth house the knees, spine, back.
Eleventh house, legs, left ear, left arm, muscles in the calf.
The twelfth house the left eye, left shoulder, heel, disturbed sleep.
In a more complete analysis of the twelve houses and placing the planets on a chart we have a complete view of every subject, which will occupy the human mind and body, every subject in iife.
There are many details here until a clear answer comes out, such as what is the state of a house, its ruling planet, what is the state of all the planets on a chart, what seasons will have the strongest impact and to what extent.
In daily life.
To have an example about the use of Vedic astrology in our daily life we could think of a weather forecast that we follow in order to have a better idea about how we will be behaving in the coming days.
If for example it shows that it is going to rain and be cold, there is nothing that we can do to stop it, or change it, but we can keep an umbrella with us, a warm jacket so we can protect our self's.
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Vedic astrology as well as its name in Sanskrit is Jyotish, which translates as ‘the light of God’ can always be by our side in our lives
as a good friend who knows us well to give a good and useful advice where we have to apply it, otherwise nothing can be done if these tips remain in theory.
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Thus the use of Vedic astrology goes hand in hand with various practices such as Yoga & Ayurveda.
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The questions that can be asked to an astrologer have no limits such as for example, what is our relationship with parents, friends, partner, co-workers, what profession suits us, about children, what will our relation be with the above, when is the right time to start something, or also to leave something, when the mind is clear for serious decisions, as well as for health issues like when they will come to the surface, what we should pay attention to and any issues and questions that may come to our mind.
Someone can visit an astrologer once in a lifetime and get benefit for a lifetime, while he can visit whenever he feels he needs this help, so there is no issue here, it is personal to everyone.
An analisys of a birth chart.
A visit to an astrologer can be likened to a visit to a trusted friend who knows us well and is willing to give us helpful advice. We could also see it as a visit to a doctor to have a good diagnosis of our issue, and get some prescriptions for its management.
Whatever example we give, what is important to emphasize is that first we ourselves are 'open' to receiving information so that we can receive and apply it accordingly, as also examine these information through the time whether are working or not.
A visit can be made for various reasons, such as health issues, social, emotional, professional, family, or anything that could occupy our minds in everyday life.
We need to know the time, date and city of birth in order to prepare our astrological chart.
About time, the more accurate we are, the better we can calculate the different times we will encounter in life.
If we do not have the above details accurately, our chart can be calculated with the help of the shape on our palm, face and body type and approaching various events in our lives to see if they agree with reality.
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My relation with Vedic Astrology.
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From a young age as I remember my childhood years, I had an interest in what is in the universe, behind it and with everything bright I saw in the sky.
I was touched in a special way by the idea that there are various planets visible to the eye, some beyond and even the thought that all this vast universe we are in is a small piece of an infinity.
In the dark sky on the days around the new moon I remember my self gazing up and being enchanted by the spectacle, which gave me the felling that we are not alone here but these lights are something ‘alive’.
I was enthusiastically lost in the infinite lights of the sky and especially when I was in southern Crete where the spectacle was even richer since there was no lighting from the city up there.
My first interest about astrology and palmistry were through some books that my parents had and I read them with great interest while trying to apply them to my environment, to friends and classmates from school.
During my teenage years as I grew up I did not deal with astrology but I always had its form and idea in my life and daily life as a good friend of mine who advises me wisely.
At around the age of 25 I was in India looking for something to develop as a human being, I heard a voice that was in my soul from the moment I came into this life, and that was the my relationship with music.
Starting lessons in Indian classical music playing the well known string instrument the Sitar in Varanasi, northern India, I experienced moments of happiness, as music was always making mw feel happy.
Music has been and is evolving more and more as probably my best friend so I was very happy in those years that I dedicated my life to these studies, while now I feel grateful that I had this opportunity.
Since at that time music was my whole world, I did not have in mind that I would take time for something else, while at times I noticed that my interest in astrology was also deep in my being.
Around 1999 a good friend of mine talked to me about the art of palmistry and I was thrilled with the idea.
The same year on my next visit to India, my music teacher told me about a friend of his who knows how to read her palms.
Margaret Mahan is from Canada and spent long periods each year in India learning and practicing the art of astrology. I met her one day while doing horoscopes at my music teacher's family.
When I expressed my interest in learning the basics of palmistry she told me that this art is a part of what is called in Sanskrit as 'Jyotish', which means the light of God and includes palmistry, astronomy, astrology, and various healing techniques that benefit man, so she suggested that I start with the basics in astrology.
Very soon I found myself with the very intensive time studying music at that time to include the study in astrology step by step, such as preparing an astrological chart, studying the nature and influence of each planet there and in for a while I was designing and interpreting the horoscopes of my friends and acquaintances in my environment, where their interest was another inspiration.
What was very impressive to me at that time was the 'light' that illuminated my life through the wisdom that I discerned, as for example I understood why some of my relationships with the environment were in the form they had, because something happened in life a specific time and every detail, which in the end this knowledge offered a truth in my every step, which inspires a calm knowing and coexisting with it.
Looking at my own chart I felt a grandeur in the cosmic laws of the universe when I saw that the period of Jupiter began for me in 2000 and would last for the next 16 years.
In each chart every planet has its role and in mine Jupiter is the planet that symbolizes the teacher, the deep knowledge and truth and this planet is at the point of operation of the mind which shows that when its time comes I will influence as appropriate, which as soon as that time came I noticed that I started my apprenticeship in astrology, went deeper into music and choose the Dhrupad style, a very deep approach to sound with musical instruments similar to it such as the ‘bass’ Sitar called ‘Surbahar’ and the Rudra Veena where I dedicated my life later.
Also practices such as yoga, meditation and an increasingly ethical daily life where I would support the above choices became more and more solid in my daily life, offering the appropriate 'foundations' needed in it.
I consider it a great fortune and blessing to get in touch with important teachers in my life where it all started at the period of Jupiter , who offered a vast 'carpet' of knowledge and truth, inspiring me to 'walk' it carefully without stepping out of it .
Starting astrology classes with Margaret Mahan for a few months in Varanasi, I was soon able to calculate astrological charts and look at her palms.
By reading a palm we can see the state of the planets, and how much they agree with the interpretation of the chart, while we also observe the physiognomy on the face and body to confirm the corresponding characteristics on the chart.
For the next year I often had the opportunity to read the charts from friends both in India and in Greece, until it soon became known to my environment with an acceptance that seemed familiar like water flowing in a ditch effortlessly.
The next year when I returned to India I found myself in a friendly house where someone practiced Vedic astrology. When he looked at my chart he suggested I go and meet his teacher, where we soon went to his place.
The meeting with Ram Kumar Mehrotra seemed quite familiar and I would say as if we did not need to say anything further, it was self-evident that I would learn with him. At that time when the period of Jupiter had just begun and also Jupiter was in a very favorable place in the sky those days, the sign was obvious that I would come in contact with a teacher where I would go deeper and start a long apprenticeship.
I was happy with my already teacher Margaret but since she did not live in Varanasi we could not have frequent contact which I would have preferred, it seemed next to develop contact with a teacher who was close to where I lived.
Starting my apprenticeship with Ram Kumar Mehrotra, the ‘papuji’ as he was called asked me to stop reading astrology books where I had already read some of the most important texts in this tradition. I took some notebooks with which I wrote daily notes dictated to me by my teacher's son, Ashish.
This continued for that year, so on my return to Crete I studied these notes, which reported basic information such as the effect of each house on the map, the planet responsible there, the various planets on the map, the seasons them, etc.
At that time I came closer and more familiar with the place I was learning. It was a big old house, upstairs where my teacher, his father, Vashudev Mehrotra, and various other family members lived, such as his brother who was also an astrologer helping his father draw the charts.
On the ground floor was a temple of Rama in the form of a child and in front of the temple is the office of astrology where at that time it was operated by my teacher's father. A very special form of man where he inspired me a lot through his experience, knowledge and attitude.
He was very old and had many, many years of experience in this field. Basically the whole family has been practicing astrology for several years, from father to son, with my teacher's son being the fifth generation.
In this area there was very good knowledge in practice, what happens in each period and phase of life, what advice to give, as well as the appropriate treatment.
As far as I remember there was a lot of people queuing and waiting in this office, as well as people who came from other cities for this reason, who were waiting to ask some questions to get the appropriate answers.
The energy of the place was very special since everything is done in front of a temple, where practices are given, such as writing the name of Rama 500 times a day for a few months, following a strict vegetarian diet and a similar daily routine.
At the end he brought the texts, which were stored around the temple, also creating a powerful energy from the concept of ‘sadhana’, the spiritual practice of each practitioner.
The idea of what is happening in that place gave me a lot of inspiration and created the corresponding awe in my being, that something spiritually strong is happening there, which filled me with joy every day that I left with my new notes.
Sometimes I spent time with my teacher's father, where every phrase, especially around astrology, had a sense of truth, stability and confidence, like the steps of an ‘elephant’.
Returning to Greece, I continued to practice astrology to friends and acquaintances, without any financial benefit (which lasted for a few years) and I experienced great joy and mental satisfaction through the help I felt that this science offered.
The next year when I returned to India, I learned that the whole family was in the hospital because of my teacher's father who was being treated like that and I went there to visit.
As soon as I saw my teacher's father and greeted him in a short time he passed away and it seemed like a sign that I was the last to say goodbye to him.
After that day something changed and I experienced an even bigger and warmer welcome from my teacher's family, where I began to feel somehow as a member of the family, which became more and more intense.
From this visit to India and for the next 7 years I spent endless hours with my teacher, either in his office where I was daily listening to the way he advised people, or at his house, or in our frequent walks around the ghats of Varanasi. talking, and listening to him, but also in the various cafes of the city.
Basically we spent a lot of time together every day, and I have many nice stories to remember from those moments.
Based on the notes I had written from now on, the practice was to learn in many different ways, either by listening to him speak to me, or by speaking to people.
Sometimes there was a time when we did not say anything as a lesson, and there he would ask me what I see on a map, what I suggest, where in this way I imagine he saw my evolution.
When at some point it was appropriate, and that wherever we were, he would say to me a phrase that would have the essence of a year of lessons I would say…
It is not enough to read a chart alone, but to keep in mind what to suggest, when to say something, how certain it is. A small detail changes the whole picture of the interpretation.
Practical and substantive experience is very important in an art like astrology, while semi-learning is very dangerous.
One day I remember looking up some information about a chart in a book and when I asked my teacher why this approach is so it did not seem logical to me, he told me to look at what profession the author of this book does, which when I looked at it I saw that he was an academic, not an astrologer.
He then reminded me that it is easy for someone to gather information from here and there and write a book, but that does not mean that, practical experience is what counts in essence.
After a few years I went to a bookstore with my teacher and he suggested I get some astrology books where I enjoyed them.
He told me that now that I had a base, I was able to read and discern what is not useful.
When a communication base was created with my teacher about how a chart works, what a planet emits and how it affects a horoscope, how to read a palm and pay attention to each physiognomy, how to make the counseling approach from there on our communication and apprenticeship was done through practice, mainly listening to him.
In the years that I have already been involved in astrology I feel fine and grateful for this contact with the cosmic laws in the universe and an opportunity to offer my service to this world through this art.
I have seen people who have benefited from this art and it gives me joy and appetite to be available to whoever wants it.
m a . t's easy.