EYE ON ASTROLOGY: NEW LIGHT ON ZODIACAL SIGNS PART 1: ARIES-LEO
From our first glimpse into astrology from the newspaper, we became proud to pronounce our Sun sign and say, “I am an Aries,” and read about our transits. Â We are also fascinating by zodiacal signs but do we know their true meaning and power or shakti? Â The point of this article is that we get too attached to thinking we are one sign.
We are not just our rising sign or our Sun sign or our Moon sign but in the Vedic system, when we look at the Divisional charts or the Vargas, the rising signs there also reveal the depths of our personality around those issue of life.  So if our rising sign in the D-10 career chart is Pisces, it reveals that we may have  great talent and knowledge in business which is something we might not normally think about.  We also are many signs in the zodiac and are planets are scattered across all of the zodiac.
The article below is to help you learn a quick vocabulary for translating signs in your chart  and their power or shakti and to remind you that you embrace the entire universe and not just one small section of the zodiac. You are the Universe and Vedic astrology should help you embrace your infinity and not confine you into one small section of the sky.
Below is a quick table of key words and purposes and shakti or power that can help you translate zodiacal signs wherever they appear in your chart.  At some point we will need to write a series of articles about each sign but we wanted to give you a quick guide to help translate key and often unnoticed qualities and realize that whenever you have a planet place here it brings out  hidden shakti power of that sign and empower planets whether they are connected to Sun, Moon, Rising sign, Arudha lagna (or how we appear to others) or rising sign in any divisional chart rising sign(varga). For people who practice astrology, our challenged to  often to translate these abstract symbols into something deeper and expressive that our clients can understand.  Below is a guide for the shakti of each sign to help you translate.
ARIES: :  Key word for Aries shakti is creativity and it has the power  to dominate life.  Those of you knowing Bharani Nakshatra (Aries 13.20-26.40) can remember this very powerful creative energy.  Planets placed in this sign in any part of your chart create ego identification so that is part of the challenge with this sign.  Wherever there is a Aries, there is also  a dominant energy toward major activity in life.  Aries are actually very emotional because it is the sign before Taurus, where emotions are full.  I actually find many talented artists come out Aries particularly if they have Venus placed here as the sign brings out their creative talent.
TAURUS : The shakti of Taurus is it  that give power to bring wealth, social success, prosperity and enjoyment. For Vedic  lovers, it is connected to Krishna.  Key word to remember here is Blessings and it is easy to remember the blessings of Venus who brings material prosperity to us. Planets placed in Taurus in any part of the chart bring blessings but we of course have to consider all the other aspect of interpretation that we know as Jupiter in Taurus may bring blessings of teachers but will also bring problems with obesity.
GEMINI: Planets placed in Gemini anywhere in the chart need to be creative or they get stuck in idleness. Â Hence when you see a planet anywhere in the chart connected to Gemini, you need to recommend being active and focused and then the planet will blossom. Â This sign also may show the path or direction in life so it is a key signature in people charts for giving them focus for life purpose. Â Planets placed in Gemini anywhere in the chart may reveal the focus that the person needs to take to move forward in their life. Â Hence my Jupiter in Gemini, even in the stuck 8th house, gets activated when I teach and give wisdom and it fulfills my life purpose.
CANCER: The shakti of Cancer is to bring the blessings of Divine Mother or Gauri to our lives. Planets placed here shows our best friend, those who can provide healing and care for us. If you have Venus anywhere in Cancer or in any Varga chart then women, spouses and artistic expression provide healing shakti for that area of life. So if you had Venus in Cancer in the 9th house in your D-10 chart, then you might attract a female boss that actually supports you at work. Â The ways that you can use and translate this are endless.
LEO : The shakti of planets placed in Leo show what we know, naturally learn, read or where our hidden talents to express knowledge come out of. If you have Mercury in Leo then you have the power to express great knowledge and are a great teacher or speaker. Â Leo brings the blessings of Lord Shiva and the desire to transcend into the infinite and merge with the Universal transcendental soul, Shiva.
All blessing to my jyotish Gurus and particularly Sanjay Rath and Komilla Sutton  for their depth of understanding for these subtle principles and their continued love and guidance.
We will cover the other signs, Virgo to Pisces in Part 2 to be published on Saturday.
Note for my Western astrological friends:  The Tropical zodiac has its own validity based on the equinoxes and solstices that divide our year into four and the Greeks and ancient Medieval astronomers  developed a wonderful system based on it.  The Vedic culture was always more interested in fixed stars and while the tropical zodiac has it validity  as system, if you are a scientist or astronomer, you know that if you look into the sky today, the Sun goes into Aries on April 13th and not March 21 and that is the difference between the Vedic sidereal system and the tropical zodiac. I respect the depth of my Western astrological friends and some of my Vedic tropical friend to get into any debate here as each system has its own validity as a system.
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SNEAK PREVIEW PART 2 OF SCHOOLS OF KARMA CLASS:
My Spiritual Astrology: Schools of Karma class is 8– 2 hour talks and is now available for home viewing at your leisure. The class offers rich psychological insights into the planets, signs and karmic houses (6, 8th and 12th) as well as ways of understanding the rich tapestry of multiple meanings inherent in any placement.  There are two tapes available on You Tube to preview: The first is a two hour talk on the Secrets of the Zodiacal Signs. It is at:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbg_oS5gCIY&t=5s
I have posted another tape from the series on the Mysteries of the 12th House which goes into great psychological depth and offers some deep knowledge on the blocks to liberation and enlightenment. It is one of the best talks that I have given so please enjoy.
It is available on You Tube now:Â https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcXVZjXa4_4
Through Monday, if you would like to buy the entire class, it will be available for 149.00 on my website at
https://www.appliedvedicastrology.com/webinar-spiritual-astrology-astrology-karma/
This class is an ideal psychological and spiritual overview and good basis for my more advanced class starting on January:
https://www.appliedvedicastrology.com/webinar-register/vedic-astrology-live-webinar/
I will be speaking at the Sedona Vedic Astrology Conference Nov. 30-Dec. 3rd. E Register at www.sedonavedicastrology.com.Â
I will also be speaking in Chicago at UAC 2018 in late May on whether you can be successful in investing based on your chart karma. More details to follow.
