Jyotisha [Vedic Astrology] is a powerful, timeless system which offers objective insight and personalized strategy to help you move forward in your life journey. 

It is wise counsel that is meaningful, personal, adaptable and always uniquely designed to you. The experienced jyotishi takes the timeless science and art of astrology and brings it alive, reading a map of your karma and helping you direct your free will toward your own highest potential. 

What is Vedic Astrology?

Vedic astrology analyzes planetary influences on all aspects of an individual’s life. From your health, career, family, personal relationships, your astrological chart reveals key information about the challenges you will face, timings and the gifts/ strengths you have to work with. 

What makes Vedic Astrology different from Western Astrology?

The greatest difference between Western astrology and Vedic astrology is how the position of the planets are measured along the belt of the stars called the zodiac.

Western astrology employs what is known as the tropical zodiac, which is based upon the seasons and fixes the beginning of Aries at the time of the Spring Equinox. Essentially, this system takes the first day of spring (around March 21), as the entrance of the sun into the first degree of Aries—regardless of where the sun actually is against the backdrop of the sky.

Vedic astrology instead uses the sidereal zodiac, which corresponds to what is observable and measurable in the sky. 

The sidereal zodiac is star-based, and measures the actual astronomical position of planets against the backdrop of the fixed-star constellations. In this system, the sun’s entrance into Aries is marked by the sun passing through the observable fixed stars of the constellation of Aries.

So you might be wondering, what is the difference between the tropical and sidereal zodiacs? While these two measurements of the sky coincided more than 2,000 years ago, a difference in measurement has accrued since then of about 24 degrees. This difference is caused by a phenomena called the “precession of the equinoxes,” which makes it so that the point of the vernal equinox drifts back slowly in relation to the fixed stars, due to a slight tilting of the earth’s axis which occurs each year. 

While two millennia ago the two zodiacs overlapped, now there is almost one entire zodiac sign of variance between them!

Without further ado, 5 reasons why you should work with A Vedic Astrologer.

1) Clarity in Life’s Purpose 

Our future is determined by two things, according to the Vedas: destiny and free will. I once heard Jyotish Blaine Watson describe them as one and the same.

Destiny refers to the various situations we encounter in life, while free will is how we react to them through thought and action. How we react creates further karma, which then determines the future set of situations we will be destined to face. In other words, our destiny is created by our free will. Working closely with a Vedic Astrologer will allow you to gain guidance in how to direct your free will in accord with your cosmic destiny pattern. You will feel deeply supported as you discover wisdom about your life when it comes to love, work, family, children, money, health, or spirituality by learning how each of these themes are attuned to you and ultimately how to help your life unfold in its highest way

2) Learning how to work with big cosmic, planetary energies. 

Just as the moon affects the ocean’s tides, so do the rest of the planets affect our day to day lives. Each planet operates on a spectrum. For example take Saturn. This planet is often thought of to be the most challenging planet, but he is the planet of truth, as Saturn presents us with challenges, we are then allowed to work through them and release them. Saturn also allows us to see “where am I living in attachment?”

All of the planets operate off of our relationship to the challenges we are experiencing. When you work with a Jyotisha, they will show you how you are tuned into the aspects of the planets, and this is how you evolve your expression of who you are in the world. 

3) We learn what the 4 Vedic aims of life are. 

Also known as The Purusharthas, these 4 aims are the inherent values of the Universe. The Purusharthas are the blueprint for human fulfillmen, or can be thought of as the 4 goals of life.. Working with them helps you create a satisfyingly balanced, meaningful life at the deepest and most holistic level. They offer a way for evaluating your life and make good decisions. Knowing your goals brings meaning to your spiritual practice. First is Dharma.

“Better your own Dharma though imperfect than the Dharma of another done perfectly.” - Bhagavat Gita 

Dharma means truth or living a virtuous life. On a grander scale, it refers to the cosmic law or rules that created the Universe from chaos.

On an individual level, you can think of Dharma as your true purpose in life or the ethical basis on which you live your life.

 It is also:

• Being conscious in your actions, words, and thoughts.

• Having compassion and sensitivity to the needs of others.

• Being awake to the existence of the Divine within you.

• It is your self, your identity, your purpose. 

Ultimately, Dharma leads you to remember who you really are. A good Vedic Astrologer will be sharing your chart in the context of helping you understand your dharma. 

Dharma also brings stability and order, a life that is lawful and harmonious, and the striving to do the right thing, to be virtuous, to be helpful to others, and to interact successfully with society. The great Indian text, The Bhagavad Gita says, “The greatest dereliction of Dharma is to desert the helpless in their time of need.”

Traditionally you would work on Dharma by studying sacred teachings from the examples of highly evolved people, reflecting on and following what satisfies your heart, and listening to your deepest inner feelings.

When working with a Jyotihsa, they will help you explore questions like 

“What is my purpose, 

How can I serve?” 

Right now you could silently ask yourself these questions and listen to whatever answer arises, without evaluation or judgment.

Second is Artha. 

Although it literally translates to desire or pleasure, Artha is the security of having the material comfort you need to live in the world with ease. While some people think that to be spiritual means to be poor, Artha is not about rejecting the world, but being content with the things you own. It’s to live skillfully in a world of material objects that exist for your benefit.

Artha is one of the basic human dignities—to have enough assets to live on and care for your family, without hoarding or being greedy. Artha guides you to ask the question, “What do I see as truly valuable?”

Third is Kama. Which can translate as desire, kama is so much more than that. Its socialization, connection, resonance.  All beings, in some way or another, are seekers of joy, and should pursue such joy without harming themselves, or others. To successfully practice Kama, you must ask, “Are my pleasures aligned with my life’s purpose?” The Upanishads tell us, “As is your desire so is your will, as is your will so is your deed, as is your deed so is your destiny and You are what your deep driving desire is.”

The fourth and ultimate goal is Moksha. Moksha means “liberation,” and relates to people’s spiritual development once we really come to know our true nature as divinity. 

While things like enlightenment, and freedom from the cycle of birth and death may sound intangible or impossible goals; its important to think of Moksha as living with a deeper alignment. Its when we are in touch with our emotions, our feelings, and our unconscious feelings. It is to be content, sensitive, and empathetic. To feel in touch with the oneness of life, however fleeting those moments are. 

The ancient seers who developed Vedic Astrology possessed deep wisdom, but they were also practical. They sought to solve the age old problem of human suffering by providing tools such as Yoga, Meditation, Ayurveda and Vedic Astrology, to assist us in our desire for fulfillmnet and happiness.

Vedic astrology allows us to more precisely understand our own nature and destiny in order to navigate our lives in fulfilling these four goals. Ultimately, however, it’s about helping us in our spiritual development to achieve the final goal of moksha. By studying our horoscopes, we can better comprehend what energies are affecting us, and how we can best respond to those energies, and what can help us with our spiritual growth.

4) Vedic Astrologers live with a strong foundation of spiritual practice, keeping their minds clear and open, to serve as advice givers.  

Vedic Astrologers have actually developed their skills over lifetimes (meaning not just their current one). Additionally it’s important to note that the techniques of Vedic astrology require many decades of academic study and training. Even then, its practice is so nuanced and in-depth, complete mastery is near impossible. 

Beyond its technical aspects, Vedic astrology is ultimately a spiritual science, and therefore requires a certain level of intuition that is generally only present in those who maintain certain standards of spiritual practice. In order to read your chart and then give advice on how to best approach life’s obstacles from a spiritual perspective, your Vedic Astrologer lives a life where a strong standard of spiritual discipline is maintained. 

In fact, the astrologers of ancient India were considered to be great sages who were honest, humble, magnanimous, detached, and treated all equally. Their main purpose was to help guide individuals on the path of spirituality. 

Although Western Therapy has greatly changed the landscape of what people think of when it comes seeking counsel or advice, Vedic astrologers are still out there who maintain a unparalleled standard of spiritual integrity when it comes to seeking counsel.. 

5) Your whole entire life is Karma. We learn how to cut through the stories of our mind, of society, and work with our karma by coming into deep connection with ourselves.

Society turns us into productivity machines. But Vedic wisdom holds us to such a higher standard, and Vedic Astrologers are here to remind us of that simple fact. 

Vedic astrology is the map of our karma.

The philosophy that informs Vedic astrology includes important knowledge about the laws of karma: why we act; the kinds of traces our actions leave in the world; how our actions are an expression of our conditioning; how our conditioning can be of varying intensities or strengths; the relationship between fate and freewill; the mechanism by which suffering arises; how suffering can be reduced, and how the process of spiritual development unfolds to reveal our nature as pure consciousness. 

The interpretation of your Vedic birth chart is a way to shine a light on your conditioning so that you may ultimately act with more awareness. 

The chart becomes a mirror to see ourselves and our place in the world more clearly. The greatest possibility of Karma is to be here for service.