Recently, and especially during Gandhi’s time when the British ruled India, there had been a kind of brainwashing of the modern Hindu mind. This has led to the misconception that somehow ancient and modern Vedic culture, which has its roots in universal cosmology and heavens, are just stories and myths influenced by religion. The result has been misunderstanding and a concomitant lack of interest in the true nature of spirit; especially for those influenced by western culture. This is a symptom of the gradual degradation of the Kali Yuga, so it is not surprising. However, if we dive deep into the spiritual practices of yoga, meditation and bhakti, listening to the great gurus, modern and of old, we will discover that the so-called myths of India are not just stories, but are based on reality itself. .
Knowledge of Astrology, the Nakshatras and the Moon are an important part of this understanding. We could not collect and absorb such high information only from myths and other inert sources. The source of the cosmos and the entities that design, maintain and control it are living and breathing, nourished by its truths. And so, as astrologers, are we. As a result, we can collect very important knowledge from astrology about our spirit and its permanence over time. With this knowledge and some faith in the system, we can begin to understand the reality of the Universe.
There have been few ancient, albeit important, astrological systems that use the Moon and stars for guidance. They were not only developed by the Hindus, but also by the Babylonians, the Persians, and the Egyptians. Since no one, thousands of years ago, possessed the technology or telescopes to survey the heavens, these cultures used only their eyes and sometimes specially constructed viewing sites, in addition to whatever geometric principles were known at the time. The famous Greek mathematician and astrologer Claudius Ptolemy (AD 100) was the first scientist to seriously study optics, but telescopes did not exist until around 1600.
Before this time, the skies and stars were observed primarily at night. On a clear night one could see and observe the planets and the Moon as they seemed to recede from each other in different parts of the sky. However, the stars, as part of the constellations, remained relatively fixed in space. Some stars could be observed for at least a century to change position relative to Earth’s precession. The Sun could only be observed during the day from sunrise to sunset through the ecliptic.
Although the Sun is obviously an extremely important luminary, the night sky holds most of the secrets in the development of astrology (and astronomy), indicated by the Nakshatras. The star mythology of many cultures was attached to or derived from the constellations of our Milky Way. Not only did the Greeks impose the signs of the zodiac on the constellations, but many thousands of years before that, the Vedic culture of India also had its Nakshatra stars.
There are 27 Nakshatras and 9 Lords of the Zodiac understood as Grahas. Right off the bat, this gives us a mix of 243 variations of influences. Any of the 9 planets in the chart can occupy a Nakshatra position. Many times, one Graha will join another in the same Nakshatra, so this variation adds to the analysis. We also need to understand the natal chart and use it as a primary source for our interpretation. However, an astrologer who has mastered the basics can put all the pieces of the puzzle together and should be able to weave the story of each individual chart. At the same time, it’s not that easy. Like an experienced dancer who practices the basics daily to warm up, we must, as astrologers, continue our study of the basics. In any case, astrologers need to study and research continuously. Many of these basic principles can be found in my course Western Vedic Astrology, Part I, The Planets as a Source of Spiritual Understanding. (FREE on You Tube – SirDavesTube/playlists)
In this course, we will take an excursion deep into our solar system as we explore the psycho-spiritual facets of astrology along with the north and south nodes of the Moon (Rahu and Ketu). Then we dive deeper and head to the outer reaches of our galaxy, within the constellations, to the homes of the Gods and Goddesses, where the Grahas themselves gain their astronomical knowledge. This allows us to get to the root causes and solutions of existence and how that affects everything in our lives and also in the lives of those with whom we share and have shared our lives.