This greatly respected and widely practiced system of astrology is a fundamental part of India’s rich cultural tradition. Yet it has only recently found acceptance in the West, following the enormous popularity of hatha yoga and the growing emergence of teachers of Vedic philosophy and spirituality. Like hatha yoga, ayurveda, and various forms of meditation, Jyotisha originates from the Vedas, or the spiritual texts of India. It is, in fact,a Vedanga-a limb of the Vedas.

A good astrologer perceives a person’s life experience by noticing how planets assert their influences on that person. Like people, the planets each have a unique, multifaceted personality. Just as we relate to each person in our lives in a singular way, so the planets relate to us. Through a horoscope, we can see the patterns of these rich relationships. We can begin to identify the lessons each planet offers us. This helps illuminate our lives, bringing us more clarity, greater insight, and ultimately a freedom of will that might otherwise elude us.

The fine line between destiny and free will becomes much more easily traversed through Jyotisha. This ornate system helps us to see what we can change in life and what we likely cannot change. It gives us the ability to choose to view our circumstances in new and perhaps broader ways. Jyotisha gives us an opportunity to affect our fate through awareness.

Outer light is represented by the planets, the luminary bodies that orbit the earth and shine upon the backdrop of our solar system. The practice of Jyotisha employs both astrology and astronomy, and much of its body of knowledge comes directly from observational astronomy. But Jyotisha is equally a reflection of the inner light that shines within an individual. It is the astrologer’s job, through horoscope interpretation, to help illuminate a person’s sense of their own inner light.

Ultimately, at its finest, jyotisha synthesizes these two types of light. It links intuition and scientific calculation, combines the left and right side of the brain, marries the masculine and the feminine. The result is a complete system that speaks to every aspect of life.

Just as we relate to each person in our lives in a singular way, so the planets relate to us. Through a horoscope, we can see the patterns of these rich relationships.

We can begin to identify the lessons each planet offers us. This helps illuminate our lives, bringing us more clarity, greater insight, and ultimately a freedom of will that might otherwise elude us.

The fine line between destiny and free will becomes much more easily traversed through Jyotisha. This ornate system helps us to see what we can change in life and what we likely cannot change.

It gives us the ability to choose to view our circumstances in new and perhaps broader ways. Jyotisha gives us an opportunity to affect our fate through awareness.