I have always been interested in astrology from a very young age. In 1993 I was introduced to Vedic Sidereal Astrology by and astrologer named Shambhu who was visiting Michigan from Hawaii. After having a reading with him, I realized the depth and accuracy of this method and wanted to learn more about it. I began studying with Shambhu one on one and also attended Vedic Astrology workshops and symposiums in the US and Canada. I began doing readings myself in 1996 and continue to offer them as a way for people to tap into their strengths, talents, and cope with the everyday struggles of life.
What is Vedic Astrology?
Vedic astrology is an analysis and forecasting system, based on astronomical data, that allows its practitioners to carefully assess and understand behavior, to measure the effects of the past, the influence of the present and the tendency of events to unfold in the future.
Vedic Astrology: The Ancient Knowledge of Behavior and Time from India
The oldest and most important scriptures in all of India, if not the world, are called the Vedas, a Sanskrit word meaning "knowledge. The Vedas are called "apaursheya" or beyond the realm of man and time. According to the tenets of Vedic philosophy, the Vedas were not authored but documented by seers or ancient wisemen called "rishis", who in a state of expanded awareness, cognized the mechanics of creation. Vedic Astrology comes from this ancient work (hence the use of the word Vedic). Jyotisha or Jyotish is the actual Sanskrit name for Vedic Astrology and means the "eye or light of nature". It describes the ability of an astrologer to view the mechanics of people's behavior as well as the projected cycles and outcomes of time and events.
The Purpose of Vedic Astrology
The purpose of Vedic Astrology is to avoid problems before they arise. The aphorism, "Pull weeds early" describes a major purpose of astrology. Another quote from India states, "If you want to get rid of a snake, get rid of it when it is really small". In fact, Patanjali, a famous Indian philosopher who wrote the "Yoga Sutras", stated that it was important to know how to "avoid the danger which has not yet come". A good astrologer uses the tools of Vedic Astrology to forecast the times to promote events in one's life or to pull back, recognizing the indications point to some obvious serious risk.
Vedic Astrology is not fatalistic
It is also important to know that good Vedic astrologers are not fatalistic, but point to useful and actionable indications or probabilities that certain behaviors might emerge or that specific events could take place over time. In spite of the debate about whether we have free will or not, it is important to know that the effects seen in an astrological chart are not required to happen as they stand. A motivated, sincere person, under the competent guidance of an experienced Vedic astrologer, or other self-improvement mentors, can make effective changes in their lives. Nature is basically benevolent and changes can be made for the better.
Vedic Astrology is Star Based or Sidereal --- Western is Season Based or Tropical
It is important to know that Vedic astrological calculations are different from what most of us have seen in the Western systems. Vedic Astrology is sidereal or based in reference to the stars. All its calculations are constantly adjusted for a back slipping motion of the earth called precession. The earth's axial spin retards or moves back about one degree or one day every 72 years, in relationship to a fixed star. The astronomy of the sky that you observe each night in our modern times is nearly matched to the zodiac constellations used in Vedic Astrology calculations.
In Western astrology, the planetary positions presented in their Zodiac do not represent today's astronomical positions. They tend to focus more on the seasons as markers of time. The Tropical zodiac remains unchanged from what was seen in the skies almost 2000 years ago by the ancient Greeks, Egyptians and Babylonians. The two systems are about 23 days apart (called the "ayanamsa") from where they mark the first point of the sign of Aries, which is the start of the circle of the zodiac (you have to start a circle somewhere). Again, this is due to that slow precessed, backward slipping of the earth. What this means, astrologically, that unless you were born somewhere between the 15th and 20th of the month, your Sun sign will most likely move back one sign in Vedic Astrology.
(from: http://www.vedicastrology.org/vedicastro.html)
