Jyotisha by Brendan Feeley
Jyotisha originated in ancient India more than 5000 years ago. It is a science which studies the effect of planetary influences on the affairs of both individual and cultural life. Jyotish, which literally means 'Light of God,' is an integral part of vedic philosophy, yoga practice, and ayurveda.
According to the seers of old, when God created the universe, He/She first created the planets to deliver the karmas to the souls in their journey through their various incarnations in this world. According to this viewpoint, our karmas are determined from our moment of birth, and our life circumstances are part of a program that we brought into the world and it is our task to respond to them. In this sense the word itself becomes 'A vale of soul-making,' and free-will simply means that we can choose to respond in a spiritual or materialistic fashion to those circumstances.
Vedic astrology is a science that tells us about the challenges that we are destined to experience in our spiritual struggle in the world, and also about the attitudes we are likely to manifest in our attempt to master our experiences. It is completely unique in its ability to time important life events, whether it be marriage, birth of children, career promotions, success or failure in business, education, health problems, or periods of intense spiritual practice and self-development.
Although Vedic Astrology it a wonderful predictive tool for determining the so-called good and bad years of our lives, as well as the circumstances in which they will arise, the real benefit comes from the insight we gain about ourselvesour dreams, hopes, and wishes, as well as the disappointments, frustrations, and obstacles. We too often underestimate the value of those everyday life experiences as an integral part of our spiritual path. Through the guidance from this wonderful subject, the spiritual meaning of those experiences becomes clear.