EYE ON ASTROLOGY:  BEYOND ASTROLOGICAL BY-PASSING

It’s a bit rough out there on the emotional and psychological landscape. Saturn/Ketu are still close and on top of each other still within a few dozen astrological minutes.  Sun is still in the emotionally stormy constellation of Ardra (Betelguese/Gemini 6.40-20.00) and Venus just went into that constellation today and stays there until July 15^th.  We will get an emotional lift when the Sun moves into the constellation of Punarvasu (Gemini 20-Cancer 3.20) on July 6th owned by Jupiter and connected to Aditi the universal mother bestowing blessings but still Mars is still channeling Saturn’s energy from the constellation of Pusyha and we have to really stay on top of spiritual practice to fight lethargy, depression, dejection and and  “why bother” energy.

My orientation with my columns is to help you see the emotional and psychological strings that are running your life.  The planets impact our thoughts and emotions most and if we understand what is happening we do not have to buy into the self-deprecation of Saturn or the rashness and anger of Mars.  We can catch the thoughts as they manifest, observe them, and banish them. Back in the 80’s I used to tell Saturn that he could go, that I did not need his fear and I would feel a sigh of relief.  We are more powerful than the planets if we are regular in our meditation and spiritual practices and we can be a master and not a vicitm and astrology was never intended to strike fear into hearts and make us very stuck.

Jyotish means light and the light of knowledge should free us from the grip of our thoughts and emotions but we have to be aware and observe. It was never intended to create fear or project darkness.

I find that astrology gets misused very much.   Sometimes on the Western circuit, it becomes a media type play to expect the next catastrophe.  This month we have the eclipses and Saturn opposing the Sun and Venus  and then both of them  moving toward Rahu but if you understand the influences, you do not have to be a victim.

Astrology and my columns are not meant to increase your fear and stress and anxiety levels.  Nor should they be used as excuse to hide undercover and stay inside.   You have a choice whether to be a victim of the planets and all the events in your life or see God’s helping hand guiding you with a bit suffering. But you are taken care of.

My post eclipse experience had me taking my 15 year old dog to the Emergency Vet for urgent care for his heart condition  but he needs it and he will get better.  After that,  I got a flat tire on the way to the airport to visit my Dad for his 97^th birthday  and missed my plane but I surrendered to the moment and I got all kinds of help and now have a new set of tire and a new flight this afternoon.   The past month of Saturn/Ketu has led to things breaking but then we have all these new and wonderful replacements (and new and wonderful bills also—lol).  There is still a loving and guiding hand there amidst the set-backs and the suffering.  Dig deep to find it and find a way to bring Jupiter an feel grateful.

Life is a mixture of good and bad events but we tend to blow up the 10% of the bad things in our life into 120% .  Do we really need that much sympathy and to push your victim agenda.  Do people want to hear about all your suffering?   What are you doing about it?   Are you finding the courage of Mars and Hanuman to change your life and take responsibility for the things that are not working in your life and push through them?    Astrology should provide a map to understand your hidden karma and your blind spots and awaken you to changing your life.   It takes courage but it has to be done.   We have junst  finished Part 1 of the Rahu/Ketu class and being ruled by Ketu and being in a Rahu period, I am realizing how much I need to wake up and change.  Are you willing to change your life?

END OF PART 1

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RAHU AND KETU: HEALING THE KARMIC AXIS

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Rahu and Ketu form the core of our desire for this incarnation and what we need to heal from the past. If we understand their depth and can heal the lessons they present, then we will have completed our purpose in this incarnation.  The signs, houses, nakshatras, planetary associations, positions in the Varga charts all reveal information about our core lessons in this life.   This course will attempt an in-depth look at deciphering their mystery and the healing that we need to learn to master their lessons.

Basic knowledge of Vedic astrology is required. The class is being geared to benefit basic astrological students as well as those with a more advanced background. Please email questions directly to Barry Rosen at barry@appliedvedicastrology.com.

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PART 2: BEYOND SPIRITUAL BY-PASSING

How many of you use astrology and our intellectual constructs to bypass the hard work that it takes to transform your soul and consciousness? Do you use astrology to over-intellectualize or blame the circumstances in your life? I have to admit that this happens to me much too often. My friend Kara coined the term, “Astrological Bypassing” and it struck a deep chord.

Astrological bypassing is rampant in our community. Do we blame the planets if we do something wrong or hurt another: “Oh it was Mars aspecting Mercury” or do we accept the responsibility for picking a fight or arguing and apologize. Do we find solace in knowing that Saturn going over our natal moon and creating depression or do we do something about it like mediation and yoga and service to transform it?

Do we avoid doing something because we are in a bad period or bad transit and does this avoidance prevent deep lessons. Sometimes a real challenging life situation does this for us in an intense dramatic way and helps us shift. It can be painful but sometimes it takes something dramatic to bring the necessary growth.

My colleague, Steven Stuckey, had some great insights in that do we use astrology to avoid the drama of surprise which often creates the greatest growth for us:

“I believe we need to be cast out into the unknown, so to speak, so that we don’t have any “idea” of what is going to happen next, so that something new (i.e. beyond thought) can come to us. Going into the ‘darkness’ is very important for spiritual life and sometimes we may not quite get there with total abandon, since we have become a bit too ‘intelligent’ for our own good, and know when a difficult transit, (which often brings a spiritual experience along with it) is going to leave orb. So the potential of the intensity of the moment, which is needed for transformation, can sometimes be lost.”

My own sense is that Jyotish throws “light” on our shadows and helps us remove the self-blame and the “self-shame.” If we can see that the puppet master and his strings pulling our emotions and thought,  then we can step back and stop blaming ourselves and this can create a moment of zen observation that enlightens us to seeing that we are not our thoughts and our emotions and our ego. In a sense this is a Gyana technique to free ourselves from the bondage that normally grips us. I have used it that way for years and it daily creates freedom because I know when it will pass and what is causing it. I still have to do the work on myself but I can be kinder to myself and not beat myself up as much.

Sometimes we get a bit too fated by what the stars suggest but for spiritual seekers and those involved in long-term spiritual practice, I suspect our consciousness is more flexible. My friend Juliana Swanson noted that: “When we wake up we realize we are multidimensional and at any given time there are many possibilities. There are unlimited possibilities seen in the fact that every astrological combination is good for something and bad for something and has a higher versus a lower expression depending on the consciousness of the person.”

Our consciousness is more powerful than the planets as the Divinity resides within us and we lessen that Greatness when we become a victim of the planets.

I am reminded of a seminal work, by Robert Augustus Masters, Spiritual Bypassing: When Spirituality Disconnects Us From What Really Matters. The work focuses on when spiritual beliefs allow us to avoid dealing with painful feelings, unresolved wounds and developmental needs in order to duck uncomfortable feeling in favor of more “seemingly enlightened activity.” On one level , I totally get the value of spiritual practice as a mean of transforming karma through meditation, service work and spiritual knowledge and it is a much healthier of doing so than through addictive behaviors that traditional are used to avoid painful feelings. Still, can we really become Whole and “enlightened” unless we look at our shadows? Still, one of my great teachers always reminded me that “mud is endless.” How do we balance the good of spiritual practice and spiritual organization which allow us to cope with psychological scarring with the necessity of digging into our wounds at times to transform, release and make them whole? There is a balance needed somehow.

In the end, for those on a spiritual path, Vedic astrology can create a deep transcendence an shed light on difficult situations and if we use that light to eliminate our shadows, we are can have immense growth. I suspect that ultimately I lean toward spiritual practice as a way to get through life without digging up the muddy waters. Putting our attention on our spiritual life and doing good for others gives us an opportunity to increase our awareness and let our mind focus on something more positive than the regrettable past and that allows us to live in the present moment with more joy and presence with a higher quality of life.

Yes the energy is up to create a lot of suffering in life but what are you going to do about it?  Are you going to become a karmi yogi and go help others and move beyond your own small problems or are you going to check out and wallow in “poor me.”   Use these precious months to wake-up, grown, transform and become a better person for the world.   Stop expecting that any politician is going to change your life for the better –only you can do that.  Help others with volunteer work rather than wait for funding for some project. Raise the money privately. There are a lot of great and generous people out there doing great things everyday. Turn off the TV and the news—its depressing and feeds the anxiety and hopelessness.  There are tons of good things happening everyday. You are in control of creating a bigger and better life and a better world and  you can do it. Use astrology to see your flaws and imperfections, be kind to yourself  but find the courage to change and create a better life for yourself– YOU CAN DO IT!

Wishing you a warm and wonderful and safe holiday weekend!

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