Vedic astrology by Marianna Polonsky

What is Vedic (Jyotish) Astrology?

Vedic astrology is the divine science of Vedas. Vedas are knowledge that has been obtained by sages from god in the ancient India more than 5 000 years ago. Vedic Astrology is a very helpful tool on your path of life. Jyotish is translated as Light.

Indeed, it is a guiding light that helps us outwardly in difficult and tough situations and inwardly, revealing dark corners of our mind. It shows us how to be in tune with subtle beneficial forces and how to propitiate negative ones. It has great reserve of different remedial measures, which practically helps to improve your life and your mind.

What is Vedic Astrology?

Vedic astrology is rightfully called the "Vedic Eye" or the light. Its goal is to help a person understand his nature and God's will regarding his destiny and direct him to take the right action at the right time. Not everyone has an opportunity to have a consultation with Vedic Astrologist, and I am sure a lot of you would like to live your life in sync with divine rhythms, which are reflected in Vedic astrology. With today's newsletter I am going to introduce you how certain planets rule certain days of the eek. I will also tell you which activities are beneficial and not very beneficial certain days of the week.

This will not only help you feel the nature of a certain planet, but will also help you feel and adjust to cosmic rhythms and therefore increase your luck and save your time. Of course when you have serious issues I advise you to see Vedic astrologist in person, and I hope that this information will help you make your life more harmonious, easier, meaningful and therefore, pleasant.

Sunday

Sunday is ruled by Sun. It is a planet, which reflects our soul in the natal chart. Therefore Sunday is meant for spiritual goals and activities. This day is very beneficial for inner self-realization, meditation, and going to temple. Because Sun is the king, this day is beneficial to set goals for the week ahead, plan and spare your time wisely. When I was a little girl my Mom often said: "Without a Tsar in a head", this is how she explained the reason when something failed related to something badly organized.

Back then when I was a child I could not understand how an adult Tsar could not fit in to a head. But my Mom was very closer to the truth, (the Mom of astrologist). The Sun is our inner Tsar, which organizes other planetary energies. And this is why Sunday is considered the beginning of the week. This day because of quite strong concentration of spiritual energy is not very good for business, marriage, and conception. However it is quiet beneficial to spend time with the father, Tsar, or some authority figure. It is very important to spend time outside, especially in the morning. Preferably to greet the Sun by "Sun salutation" thus paying respect to a great light, bringing more health, and increasing positive energy of the Sun. And finally one of my favorite mystical activities in Sunday is reading a holly book "Ramayana". The fact that reading or listening of this book wonderfully enhances and strengthens Sun in your natal chart is just one side of the story. I would like to quote blessings, which are received by reading or listening a story about a great Rama: that person who listens to a story of Rama will get rid of all misfortunes as it gives longevity, victory, and power. A barren person may conceive, the one who needs recognition will receive recognition, one who reads it with faith will realize 4 goals of his life: Dharma (righteousness), arta (wealth), kama (pleasure), and moksha (liberation). This timeless piece satisfies all tastes, those who love thrillers, melodrama, philosophy, beauty of verbal expression, and most importantly, your will find Divine presence, this is why you can never get tired of.

Monday

The Moon rules Monday. Our mind, emotions, mother, home, feeling of happiness and satisfaction are represented by the Moon. Unfair to Monday, people who were not into Vedic Astrology viewed it as a day of hardship as this day is not beneficial only when you do not employ the Moon's energy.

Moon's energy is peaceful and calming and this is why hard work or stress is not recommended. On Monday, the yin, female energy, is very active and therefore every activity related to such energy is beneficial. Thus, this day is good for asking Divine mother because she is very kind - towards our prayers. This day is also good for activities related to house and family. Items for the household as well as getting a supply of groceries for the entire week will be very useful. Family gatherings, girls night out, treats, especially dairy meals, will pleasure the Moon. The Moon does not respond well to solitude, but calls for communication between souls. Do you remember this song?

Talk to me, Mother,

About anything please do

Up until starry midnight

Return my childhood…

This is Moon's energy. This day is blessed for communication with women, mothers, and girlfriends. It is good to spend this day with infants. Walking under the Moon, especially by the water is conducive to attract Moon's energy. My female friends and I really enjoy walks along the beach, under the Moon sharing our souls. After an evening like this we arrive home filled with peace, happiness, and joy. And who says Monday is a hard day?

This day is good for enhancing your health by massages, herbs, and water procedures.

Anything that pleases and restores our body is beneficial that day. Furthermore, it is beneficial to take care of your plants, because the Moon manages all greenery on earth.

Because Moon is connected to social medium, all peaceful activities connected to social life and communications are beneficial on Monday. In order to please Moon it is good to donate milk and to take care about others.

In addition, without a doubt the one who earns kindness of the Moon is the one who respects 7 mothers:

1. Your own mother

2. King's wife

3. Guru's wife

4. Mother earth

5. Mother (cow)

6. Mother Gang

7. The nurse

To attract Moon's energy, it is recommended to drink sweetened warm milk, with cinnamon, cardamom, and ginger. Moon is responsible for desire towards life (rasa in Sanskrit). Depressions, irritability, unwillingness to communicate - are signs that your personal Moon needs help. And finally a small Vedic secret as of thousand years ago: nothing pleases the Moon more than reading Chapters of magical "Shrimad Bhagavatam" which describes childhood of a little Krishna in a village. The happiest and carefree period of his life filled with games with friends, mischief with parents and his first love… You will feel how Moon's energy fills up your mind and heart, filling them with peace and happiness.

Tuesday

Mars rules Tuesday. Mars in our natal chart is responsible for energy, brothers, and friends. Mars is considered an malefic planet, as it cases fights, scandals, and accidents. That is why such special events such as wedding, conception, important purchases, and traveling are not recommended on Tuesdays. Any diplomatic meetings, negotiations or parties on that day are not conducive to the energy of that day along with passive relaxation. This day is good for physical activities, sports and competitions. It is very important that energy is not stagnant on this day.

This day is good for practicing martial arts. It is also blessed for mechanical work be it fixing a stool to fixing a car. For intellectuals, this day is good for research and studying math, as Mars is an engineer. If you need to have men's talk or even punish, then Mars day is the day. However, please keep in mind that Mars is a protector of Dharma and if using the force for not so honorable goals, but simply to displace evil intentions, Mars will react by sending an earned negative karma back to us. Just like a boomerang.

Reading chapter "Sundara Kanda" from Ramayana as well as "Mahabharata" is very beneficial. This will not only please Mars but also give you an understanding how to use Mars energy in your every day life correctly. For example, it says that there is right action, wrong action, and no-action. Wrong action and no action make Mars worse. Therefore it is very important to understand what the right action is and to take action. It is especially beneficial to surround yourself by people whom you share a common honorable goal.

Wednesday

Mercury rules Wednesday. Easygoing, witty, merry, fast speed, it fills this day with its juvenile energy. It is responsible in our chart for speech and communications. On this day it is easy to talk, to write, to learn, to teach and etc. Therefore, any activity related to education will be quite successful. Mercury is a planet of commerce, and any activity related to business, finance, business negotiation will be beneficial on Wednesday. However, we must admit this day is better for rather theoretical planning than anything of long-term nature. On a day of Mercury it is also good to practice healing, especially good for herbal healing. Wednesday is also good for treatment of the mind and nerves along with learning of Ayurveda, Astrology, and Psychology because according to Vedic writings most illnesses are cause by ignorance. According to Ayurveda if we do not clean or organize our mind, not even rare herbs will be of help long-term.

Because Mercury in our chart is responsible for ability of our intellect to discriminate between good and bad: passion, joy, ignorance, and then it is a very good day to practice those. Please note that ability to distinguish between good from bad is in guna of goodness, yet criticism and judgment is in guna of passion and guna of ignorance.

This day is quite beneficial for worshipping the sacred Tulasi tree. It is considered that if circumambulating respectfully 3 times you get rid of thousand of sins including killing, of course if you sincerely confess and are not going to repeat them again. I often recommend this simple ritual to my clients who come to me in a period of a very difficult karmic hardship.

Tulasi may be found in most of the Vedic temples, where it is worshipped or in the houses of people practicing Vedic knowledge. In my house I always feel the presence of it, as it were a very inspiring, joyous and holly woman.

Maybe this is why I feel happy and protected because I have an opportunity to come into contact with such a unique personality. Tulasi is not considered to be a common plant but a sacred personality presented in a form of a tree. In the morning it radiates with special joyous aroma, which is hard to catch and which purifies our consciousness and imbues us with gentleness, love, devotion and ability to serve honorable goals without which our life would be rather empty and dull.

Thursday

The most beneficial planet - Jupiter, rules Thursday. And this is why Thursday is considered your lucky day. However, there is one stipulation. This planet being a planet of a "Spiritual Teacher" or Guru of Dharma is beneficial for those people who follow the path of Dharma, righteousness, virtue, etc. People who are most fortunate on Thursdays most likely were virtuous and generous in their past life and this is how they were awarded with a good Jupiter.

For everyone with no exception Jupiter is a wonderful day to understand Divine order, which is called Dharma in scriptures. What is a right thing to do and what is not, what are my responsibilities in this life, how to be happy. All answers to these questions can be found in scriptures.

Therefore it is quite beneficial to read Vedas or other scriptures in your tradition, especially where Dharma is mentioned. It is also recommended to communicate with spiritual teachers, and to give them donations. Also, it is good to give a donation to Brahmins (people who bring and spread spiritual knowledge). Jupiter is connected to mode of goodness. Therefore all actions performed in goodness are beneficial this day. Charities, gifts, volunteering are great for Jupiter. A religious ritual, meditation, mantras, to cut a long story short, any spiritual practice increases guna of goodness.

Thursday is also great for material abundance. Any long term projects and some enterprises are good to start that day. Thursday is also good for legal cases/issues. Jupiter is a social planet, so I don't recommend spending this day alone. It is wonderful to get together with a group or society where people have common spiritual goals. It is called satsanga in Sanskrit. If you at least once had a feast in a group like this, you will see a big difference between the energy of casual gatherings, gossip, and heavy food and very light, sincere, and fun energy of satsanga. Satsanga is a holiday of real communication. It is very nice to give yourself and others a holiday on Thursday. And the most amazing thing - you can never get tired of them.

I have guests every Thursday who come to talk about Vedas, to listen to Vedic tales, to eat, to have fun, and one can never get tired of it. I cannot wait for Thursday to come, as these gatherings inspire me in a very special way. A lot of people complain that they are lonely, and that they don't have people who share common interests with them. Try at least once inviting guests and telling them something from scriptures or a Vedic tale. Jupiter will bless you as well as your guests for a week ahead.

Friday

Venus rules Friday. As this planet rules arts, so this day is great for any activity related to arts. Even if you are an amateur, do something nice to please Venus: sing, dance, paint, and make someone smile. Venus represents beauty and women, so it is wonderful to buy cloths, jewelry, and artwork. A woman should look especially nice that day. It is quite beneficial to dress elegantly, to decorate your house, to give flowers. It is the best day for dating, fun, relaxation, and receiving all pleasures of life.

To tell you the truth, life during Vedic times was in guna of goodness in comparison to modern fun in guna of passion and ignorance. Venus is responsible for love. The most important quality of real love is selflessness. It is very rare nowadays. But because it is so boring to live without real love, ancient scriptures foresaw special actions: for example, it was very nice to donate to cows. According to Vedas, a cow is a considered to be an animal from heavenly planets, which was sent to our sinful land to teach us unconditional love. Taking care of cows highly increases all Venus qualities. If you don't feel beautiful enough or don't feel loved or gentle this would be one of the most effective methods to improve the situation. A couple of years ago my friend went to India and brought me a brochure about shelter for cows with the address where donations may be sent. Because Venus rules my natal chart, Friday donations were just a tribute to my planet ruler. Gradually this humble ritual started bringing some incredible peace and bliss, which is priceless. While traveling around India I had an opportunity to visit that shelter. There was an atmosphere conducive to healing of any soul wound.

Saturday

Saturn, the slowest and the heaviest planet, rules Saturday. Therefore, it is not the best day for majority of social and materials things, moreover for business, as Saturn most often brings losses and opposition. The only exception refers to purchase of land and real estate as Saturn is connected to it. Saturday is a day when after a whole week we have to pacify and purify our mind, to prepare ourselves for the next cycle which will start with Sunday. Therefore it is nice to spend this day by yourself or in a group of people who have common goals. Everything which purifies and pacifies our mind will be beneficial that day: yoga, askesa, fasting, service to others, etc., limitations in speech, food, physical activity. It is a wonderful day for a retreat, any trips to nature, relaxation and meditation. To cut a log story short, we should slow down. If you have elderly people in your family, spend some time with them or give them some attention. In general this day is great to communicate with wise and elderly people. It is also very good to help someone in need: poor, orphans, disabled people, great to donate to monks. Read or listen "The greatness of Saturn", it will create the right state of mind for the whole day.

If you offended someone or didn't treat someone well, it is best to ask for forgive ness on Saturday so you don't carry this heavy weight over to next week.

Unfortunately, energy of Saturn is being underestimated and this day is not used the way it is supposed to be used. Fun gatherings, weddings and other fun events are planned for Saturday. It is quite contradictory to rhythms of nature, which gives us a special day for a very serious and deep understanding of our life for spending some time away from everyday communication and for real tranquility.

It is beneficial to wear something dark blue, blue, and black. Saturn is related to Mother Nature and spending some time in the nature gives an inexhaustible source of stability. It is very nice to spend some time in your garden. Mountains also give a great positive energy of Saturn. I live five minutes from the mountains and I have to admit that hiking gives us not only great physical exercise but also some mystical energy and strength, which helps us cope with everyday challenges which fate offers to us.

this article was translated by Sofia Ianovskya (my Facebook page...)