Contents:

        1.  The Ascendant
      2.  The Moon
      3.  Moon's Nakshatras
      4.  Rahu & Ketu, the Moon's Nodes
      5.  Dasa predictive system 
      6.  Transits
      7.  Astrocartography

    1. The Ascendant
     In Vedic Astrology, the sign (constellation) rising above the horizon at the moment of birth defines the person’s fundamentals and is an indicator of profession. Such basic traits as appearance, personality, character, fame, health and vitality are determined here. How the person is received in the world is the outcome of these influences. This position is called the Ascendant, and it locates the first house, also called the rising sign.

     The Ascendant sign, being fundamental in Vedic Astrology, is roughly equivalent in importance to Western Astrology’s Sun Sign.

2. The Moon      As noted in the brochure, the Moon is the primary planet in the Vedic system.  The Moon brings all life into the world and nurtures it. The Moon is consciousness.  It indicates how one perceives and interacts with the world.  The Moon symbolizes emotions,  discernment, memory, common sense, and also peace of mind.  Other distinct Lunar influences are for: healing, females, pregnancy, mother, dealings with the public, happiness and contentment and romance.      In India, where the hot Sun scorches crops, the Moon is seen as a cool and moist influence, promoting growth and giving comfort.  Wherever the Moon is placed indicates a special or fundamental life area.

Looking at the Moon’s overall disposition in the birthchart, including its Nakshatra position (defined next), can reveal the deepest Vedic insights about the life, penetrating to the soul-level.

     While the Nakshatras of the other planets are often analyzed, the Moon’s is as fundamental to the birth chart as its primary role in Vedic Astrology. In India, a priest will ask about a person’s Lunar Nakshatra, not their Sun sign, or even their Ascendant sign.

4. Rahu & Ketu, the Moon’s Nodes       Rahu, and its companion Ketu are unique planets to Vedic Astrology. These hard to understand Eastern symbols are basically intensifying influences. Malefics Rahu and Ketu, are the Moon’s Nodes, the astronomical points calculated to pinpoint eclipses, and as they block the light, Rahu and Ketu are called the shadowy planets. That they normally move backward, called retrograde motion, is indicative of the Nodes’ unique natures.      The Vedic mythology is that Lord Vishnu, in giving out the potion for eternal life, Amrita, to the planets, left the room just long enough for a serpent to steal the vial, drinking some of the liquid. Alerted by the Sun and the Moon, the only planets that could see the shadow serpent, Lord Vishnu quickly returned to cut the demon in two with a sword, but too late to deny the halves’ immortality. In this way, the Nodes entered into the planetary system and became great enemies of the Luminaries. They attempt to swallow up the Sun and Moon in eclipses, but the light always returns.

     This story illustrates the malefic powers of the Nodes. Rahu, the upper part with a brain, signifies our manifestation into the world and thereby gives insatiable conscious cravings and intensified earthly desires, which can never be fully satisfied. Rahu, then, is also an intoxifying influence. Ketu, the mystical brainless bottom half, intensifies by dissolving materiality into spirit, creating insight and perception. Ketu is unconscious desires, and while it is a superlative mystical influence, its otherworldly energies can also bring the most devious and weird effects into the real world. Wherever the Nodes are placed in the chart is an area of intensification, and this can be useful, harmful or both.

   5. Dasa Predictive System
     This is the predictive technique for which Vedic Astrology is famous.  Dasas, routinely called planetary periods, are intervals during which the person’s life corresponds to the energies of individual planets in rotation. The rotation is determined by the Moon’s position at birth. The primary Dasa planet periods range from six to twenty years. These total one hundred and twenty years, which Hindus believe to be the natural life span. Obviously, some early Dasas are critical, and others occur too late in life to be meaningful.  Dasas are like the river's current, giving the underlying thrust to the life.

     Dasas, then, are like a second birth chart. Their rotation dictates planetary influence activations - when the planetary karmas will play out.  For example, during a Moon Dasa, the person’s perceptions and emotions are heightened, great life benefits may be realized and dealings with the public can be fruitful. The birth chart, then, can be compared to a house with a dozen rooms, and the Dasas indicate when the lights in each are turned on. Think of driving down a street with identical homes at night; the various lighted rooms individualize the houses.

     Subperiod Dasa planets are shorter intervals within each Dasa that flavor, or color the primary planet. Up to five Dasa planets can be considered, but interpretation is highly complex and is only used to predict the exact interval an event is influenced to begin or end.

     While Dasas are the primary influences used for accurate predictions, Transits (defined below) and other Vedic techniques add influence to Dasa planet effects.  

   6. Transits

     Transits describe ordinary occurrences such as marriage, illness, home purchase and childbirth, as compared with deep soul-level influences.  As Dasas are like the river's current, transits are the weather acting on the surface.

     Slow-moving benefic Jupiter’s and malefic Saturn’s passages in today’s sky across the birth chart houses and planets add practical information to the Dasa predictions.  The transits of other planets are used for highly time-specific predictions.

     Thus, when transiting planets influence concurrently with Dasa planets, event likelihood is greatly increased.  Some karmic actions, such as accidents, can be predicted with near absolute certainty, often to within a day or two, sometimes even to the hour.

    
     7.  Astrocartography
     Astrocartography was developed in the U S 1970s by Western (Tropical) Astrologers.  The concept extends the principle that planets are strongest in the four angles of the chart: the Ascendant (self), the Descendant (others), the Midheaven (public) and the Nadir (foundation).  Astrocartography is a secondary interpretation which follows the Life Reading interpretation of birthchart planets and Vedic cycles.

     Plotting the planets’ angular geographical positions (lines) at the time of birth thereby shows where the planets are most powerful.  As Astrocartography is an astronomical measurement, it works regardless of the astrological zodiac applied, whether the Western Tropical Zodiac (based upon the spring equinox) or the Vedic Sidereal Zodiac (calculating actual celestial positions).  In fact, astrocartography seems particularly potent in the Vedic mode, for by adding astrocartography’s space to Vedic Astrology’s time, the person’s karmas are illuminated multidimensionally.

Two kinds of astrocartography lines are considered.  The first is the birth lines, described above.  Although these lines are sometimes straight north to south, indicating longitude, they also curve, which relates to the earth being round.  Birth lines influence up to 700 miles on either side of the lines (called orb) in a diminishing manner.  The second line type is crossings, where birth lines cross each other, generating influence east to west in a latitudinal direction around the entire world.  These crossings influence around the world, have a smaller orb of about 50 miles and are about one half as powerful as birth lines.  Obviously locations where birth lines cross are the most influential places of any on the globe.  The map to the right displays Doug Riemer's Astrocartography lines near his Sedona, Arizona home.

      As the planets’ birth lines and latitude crossings indicate where the planetary karmas are most potent, they spotlight karmic intensity areas in the Vedic chart and its attendant planetary cycles (Dasas and transits).  This means that when a person lives or visits an area spotlighted by an astrocartography line, the person's planetary influences are maximized.  Similarly, other people who were born on or who reside on a person's astrocartography lines bring those planetary influences to the person.  Please note, since the earth is two thirds oceans, most lines do not cross land areas.

     For example, if the person has a good Sun (power) in the 10th house of career, living on a Sun birth line would promote career.  If the Sun is also active in the person’s planetary cycles, career development becomes a primary life focus in that location.  If there is also a Sun birth line crossing a Moon (public influence) line anywhere on that same latitude, career gains and influence upon the public would increase.  The location where these two lines intersect each other would, of course, be the most impactive.  These career influences would also come forward when the person is in contact with individuals born on or residing on those lines.

Sedona Links

Electra Jung's Western Astrology insights are enhanced by her superlative sensitivity with Tarot Cards.  Contact Electra at [email protected].  

www.Haizen.com  Haizen Paige is Sedona's dean of Western Astrologers and an emerging expert in Vedic Astrology.  There's no one better at relationship issues than Haizen.

www.jananda.net  Jananda, Sedona's foremost clairvoyant and healer, connects with your soul level issues, often via contact with loved ones who have passed on.  E-mail Jananda at [email protected] or call him (928)203-0810

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Other Metaphysical Links 

Astrology and Horoscope Portal www.astral.ws  An informative resource for a wide variety of astrological information.

www.Healingems.com  is the website for the recommended Vedic gemstone dealer.  Jack Hauck, proprietor, is located in Phoenix, Arizona and serves clients nationwide.

Jeffrey Armstrong, a seasoned scholar of Eastern thought, has recently published a must-read text on Vedic philosophy as it relates to Vedic Astrology in God/Goddess The Astrologer.  Learn more about this fascinating book by visiting www.JeffreyArmstrong.com 

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