My Relationship with Vedic Astrology

From a young age, I remember being fascinated by the universe — curious about what lies beyond it, and enchanted by the bright lights I saw in the sky.

I was deeply moved by the thought that the planets we see are just part of a vast, living universe, and that even this immensity is only a small fragment of infinity.

During dark nights around the new moon, I would gaze at the sky, mesmerized by the stars. It gave me a feeling that we are not alone — that these lights above are somehow alive.

I was often lost in the brilliance of the night sky, especially during my time in southern Crete, where the absence of city lights made the view even more spectacular.

My first introduction to astrology and palmistry came through books my parents owned. I read them eagerly, trying to apply what I learned to friends and classmates.

As I grew older, astrology faded into the background but never fully left me. Its presence was always there — like a quiet, wise friend offering guidance.

At around 25 years old, I traveled to India in search of something deeper — a path of self-development. That’s when I heard a voice within me, one that had been there since birth. It was calling me toward music.

I began studying Indian classical music in Varanasi, playing the sitar. Music had always made me feel happy — and now it was becoming the center of my life. I dedicated myself to it completely and feel grateful for those years of immersive study.

Though music consumed me, my inner connection to astrology quietly remained.

In 1999, a friend spoke to me about palmistry, and I felt immediately drawn to it.
During another visit to India, my music teacher told me about a friend of his, Margaret Mahan — a Canadian who spent long periods in India practicing astrology. I met her during a visit to my teacher’s home, where she was doing readings for his family.

I told her of my interest in palmistry, and she explained that it is one aspect of a broader science known in Sanskrit as Jyotish — "the light of God" — which includes astrology, astronomy, palmistry, and various healing systems.

She suggested I begin with the basics of astrology. Even though my music studies were intense, I gradually found space for astrology as well — learning how to prepare birth charts, study the planets and their meanings, and give readings to friends, whose interest gave me further inspiration.

What touched me most deeply was the light that this wisdom brought into my life. Suddenly, things made sense — relationships, events, timing — everything was part of a greater order. This knowledge offered a sense of calm and trust in life’s unfolding.

Looking at my own birth chart, I was amazed to discover that the Jupiter period (Mahadasha) had begun for me in the year 2000 and would last for 16 years.

In Vedic astrology, each planet governs a period of one’s life. Jupiter, the planet of the teacher, deep wisdom, and truth, is positioned in my chart at the seat of the mind — showing that when its time arrived, a deeper awakening would unfold. And indeed, that was when I began diving into astrology, delving deeper into music by choosing Dhrupad, a profound tradition of sound, and exploring instruments like the Surbahar (bass sitar) and Rudra Veena, to which I later dedicated myself.

Yoga, meditation, and a more ethical, conscious way of living also began to take root and grow stronger — offering the essential foundation to support this path.

I consider it a blessing to have crossed paths with important teachers during this Jupiter period. They offered a vast carpet of knowledge and truth — and I’ve been walking it ever since, trying never to step off.