Scientific Viewpoint on Astrology
Many believe that faiths like astrology are superstition, some believe astrology is magic which can get favours from gods and then there are some who believe it is science. Before looking into what astrology is, let’s look into what superstition and magic are. Starting with superstition, something which may or may not exist and you don’t know anything about it on rational or logical basis, is superstition for you. It means for you, astrology may or may not exist but as long as the core elements behind functioning of astrology are hidden in mystery and no logical explanations are found, it is superstition. Many people find it easy to believe things or phenomena which have physical existence and which have clearly defined mechanisms. They feel uncomfortable with anything and everything which doesn’t have physical existence and which works behind the curtains of mystery.
If something certainly exists according to your belief or experience but you don’t know how such thing works and you are not even able to find out how it works, through books, videos, internet and other sources of information, it is magic for you. Something that certainly exists according to your belief and you either know how it works or you can get to know through various sources of information, if you wish; it is science for you. Through this article, let’s try to understand some basic facts about astrology, as these facts may help us look at it like science instead of magic or superstition.
Human body as well as the entire human existence which includes human body but which includes so much else which is not the physical body, is vast. The entire existence of a person is vaster than the ocean. When it comes to the ocean, we have so far been able to explore only about 5% of it. When it comes to the entire existence of a human; we have probably not discovered 5% even; through normal science of today. Astrology, Spiritualism and other faiths like them; they work through the deepest cores of human existence. Through the methods of modern science, they are likely to be the last ones to be explored; or very likely; they may not be explored by them at all. This is because more non-physical and minute an entity is; more difficult it is to find and explain.
For instance, we can find and dissect the heart and we can tell so many things about its working. However when it comes to capture or see love generated by the heart; we are almost helpless. Even till this day; we may not have any scientific method of proving physical existence of love; but most of us strongly believe it is there. There are many other concepts or phenomena like love; which may not be known and controlled through scientific measures. For example, there is no scientific method to create love for someone and there may probably never be one. This is because, love operates on the basis of a science which is far different from the science of today; and hence they don’t exist on the same plane. It is like your native language is English, you don’t know anything at all about Hindi, and you try to understand something written in Hindi. Love has its own language which is the language of heart and you may not be able to understand it through the language of science, which is the language of brain.
In simple, love is too deep for science to understand and create. Phenomena like astrology, spiritualism and other similar ones also have their own languages and they may not be understood with the language of present day’s science. We can choose to say love is no science as long this statement comes from our brain. However, we can also choose to say love is the science of heart, emotions, faith and intuitions. Likewise, spiritualism is the science of faith which operates on the principal which is the exact opposite to that of the brain science. The brain sciences operates on the basis that whatever proves itself or whatever can be proven, exists. Faith operates on the principal that whatever you truly believe in will start existing.
For science, existence comes first and belief comes later. For faith; belief comes first and existence comes later. Since love operates on the basis of faith; that is why you are able to believe that a complete stranger can be trusted and he will prove good for you. If your faith is pure; he will prove good for you; no matter how bad he may be for other people. Through scientific methods; you need to wait till you have proof that this person is good. Going this way; you may find anything but love since you are testing this person on scientific basis which means through logic. But remember; love doesn’t operate on the basis of logic and it operates on the basis of emotions and faith. So in order to generate love; you simply need to avoid using logic or to be precise, you need to trust your emotions and faith only; which means your heart only.
When it comes to astrology, it is the science which also operates in a language which is different than that of the normal science; just like love and spiritualism do. Astrology is a science which is part logic and part faith. It means in order to understand astrology, you will need to learn this language and you may simply not be able to fully understand it if you use logic or brain only; which forms the basis of normal science. Apart from logic, you are going to need faith also since deeper phenomena like love, astrology and spiritualism can’t be understood or enjoyed on the basis of logic alone; and you need substantial amount of faith to enjoy them and to benefit from them. Let’s now try to understand some basics of this science, which can be explained logically; though you will still need some faith to grab and digest them.
Human body is nothing less than an entire universe and in fact; it is much more than that. A subconscious mind is attached to each soul and it remains with it throughout its journey. Whereas the soul is untouchable and unaffected by any good or bad karmas and all other things, the subconscious mind keeps records of all such things. It means your subconscious mind has records of all your good and bad karmas from this life as well as from all your past lives. The subconscious mind also has records of all your personality traits, habits, liking, disliking and all other such attributes which make you, you. Based on the collection of all these things that your subconscious mind has; it generates an invisible energy field around you; and this energy field is called your aura. Your subconscious mind and your aura share a relationship similar to that of a star on the inside versus the star on the outside. It means a star like our Sun generates energy field from within, based on what type of energy or fuel it has. If the kind of fuel or energy it has inside changes; the kind of aura or energy field it generates will change too.
Now we know that aura is generated by subconscious mind and subconscious mind is a collection of so many good and bad things, qualities, karmas and other concepts. Let’s now try to find out what connects all these attributes to Navagraha (nine planets in Vedic Astrology). Starting with karmas, whenever we engage in a good or bad karma, the pending result of such karma is marked as an impression, by one or more than one of the planets among Navagraha. Each one of these planets has a karmic account which is stored in the subconscious mind just like all other things. Taking an example, when you serve your father very well and you cause him the happiness he deserves; the positive energy raised by this karma is claimed by Sun, since father falls in the domain of father. This positive energy gets added to Sun’s account in your subconscious mind. Likewise, when you trouble your father, the negative energy raised by this karma is claimed by Sun and it gets added to Sun’s account in your subconscious mind. Whereas the positive energy gets added as a karmic reward; the negative energy gets added as a karmic debt. The rewards will bless you at appropriate times and the debts will trouble you at appropriate times. The same thing happens in case of all other planets among Navagraha and they keep storing their positive or negative energies through your good or bad karmas.
Apart from karmas, we raise energies through our interests, inclinations, resolutions and other things. For example, if you are trying to improve your speech, communication, handling skills, flexibility and other such things; you are trying to promote the energy of Mercury inside you. This promoted or additional energy gets deposited to Mercury’s account, stored in your subconscious mind. Unlike the energy generated by karmas; this energy is free from positive or negative attributes since you are merely promoting an energy and doing so is not judged good or bad. Later on, when you use these improved skills ruled by Mercury; positive or negative energy will be added based on whether you use such skills for good purposes or for bad purposes. Therefore, the energy added to a planet through promotional attributes gives it physical strength whereas the energy added to a planet through karma gives it benefic or malefic nature. It is like when you become a scholar, you are mentally or intellectually stronger. However, such strength or gift doesn’t define whether you will use it for good purposes or for bad purposes. The usage of this gift will decide whether you are a good person or a bad person. This is how the strength and application of energy are different.
Similarly, you may strengthen other energies in your aura; like you may strengthen Jupiter’s energy with conscious efforts to operate more and more on faith; than on logic. If you practice more and more logic, you will keep strengthening Mercury whereas if you practice more and more faith; you will keep strengthening Jupiter. Likewise, by giving more and more value to emotions, you promote the energy of Moon. By giving more and more value to discipline, you promote the energy of Saturn and you can do the same for all other planets among Navagraha. Looking at the third method, through other attributes like your resolutions and desires, you provide more strength to specific planets. For example, if you keep desiring more and more for women; you promote the energy of Venus in your subconscious mind. If you keep desiring more and more to be a warrior; you promote energy of Mars. If you keep desiring more and more for spiritual growth, you promote the energy of Jupiter in your subconscious mind. The difference between the second category and the third category is that through attributes in second category like trying to improve or cultivate some trait; you are actually doing something; whereas through attributes in third category; you are only aspiring to do something and not actually doing it. Hence the second category will provide more strength to an energy than the third category.
This keeps happening in many other ways and as a result; your subconscious mind stores the energies of different planets with different strengths as well as with different functional natures. Let’s assume this is your first life and after doing so much; you die. With the death of your physical body, the conscious mind attached to such body dies too; but the subconscious mind remains intact; attached to your soul. The system of nature then processes it from multiple dimensions. The first dimension is that of your qualities and learnings where the system of nature doesn’t have much say. It means if you have cultivated intelligence with dedicated effort; the system of nature simply can’t change it and you will remain intelligent for the next life also. Likewise, if you have more faith, logic, emotions or other such attributes; they will be forwarded to next life, without any alterations. Astrologically, it means that the strength given to specific planetary energies by you through your conscious efforts can’t be changed by the system of nature.
The second dimension is that of your good or bad karmas and nature rules this domain. You have no say in it and the results of these karmas will be decided by nature and nature alone. It means if you were intellectual and you used your intellect to trouble others; Mercury is likely to be strong and at the same time malefic for you, in the next life. As a result; you will remain intellectual in next life also; but you may have to face a number of problems despite such intellect or due to such intellect; where the type and quantum of such problems depends on the remaining energies in your subconscious mind. The process goes on and finally, a suitable birth is chosen for you, which can give you all the strengths and weaknesses you had already achieved and which also attaches probabilities of various types of good and bad things happening to you; during different times in your life. Similarly, the probabilities for all resolutions, desires and attributes are also attached. With all this, you are reborn.
Technically speaking, you have only got a new body but all else that defines you remains the same as it can’t be changed by anyone or any system but you. Hence a carry forward equation of energy has been given to you, where such equation is stored in your subconscious mind which emits it as your aura. Based on the fruits of good and bad karmas of past life; the good or bad events or situations you are going to face in this life may be different than those in the past life. But remember, you are not the events or situations and you are much bigger than them. It means though the system of nature can decide the good and bad you may have to face in this life; it can’t do anything to change the real you. As already mentioned; no entity in the world can change you but you. When you look deeper into the karmic fruits also, you will find that even in this domain; nature doesn’t have its own discretion; and even this aspect is controlled by you. It means nature is bound to give you good results for good karmas and bad results for bad karmas. Since you are the doer of such good and bad karmas; only you are the decider of all the good and bad happening to you; in the deepest sense.
Knowing this much; it is now the time to introduce horoscope. A horoscope is a graphical representation of your aura or that of your subconscious mind and it features all the good and bad; strong and weak, loved and hated; deserved by you or wanted by you; in form of planetary energies as well as other energies like those of zodiac signs and nakshatras. A horoscope is divided into twelve bigger zones which are called twelve houses where the central zone is called the first house or ascendant. An ascendant is the core of your aura and any planetary energies registered in this zone have special significances. Each zone or house deals with different sections or significances and the placements of various positive and negative planets in different houses as well as in different signs and nakshatras, give a detailed picture of each and every section of your aura or your subconscious mind. This equation is studied by an astrologer to draw probabilities for future, to guide you about your strengths as well as your weaknesses; to guide you about future as well as to repair some probabilities lying in future through remedies, if they are going to cause serious problems for you. Let’s take an example to understand this concept in a better way.
Suppose, Aquarius is the ascendant rising in a horoscope, benefic Mars is placed in third house in Aries, a malefic combination of Saturn and Ketu is placed in fifth house in Gemini, Rahu is placed in eleventh house in Sagittarius, a benefic combination of Sun and Mercury forms Budh Aditya Yoga in seventh house in Leo, malefic debilitated Venus is placed in eighth house in Virgo, malefic debilitated Moon is placed in tenth house in Scorpio and malefic debilitated retrograde Jupiter is placed in twelfth house in Capricorn. The third house deals with profession, efforts and courage among other things and the presence of Mars in this house in Aries suggests that the native is courageous and he may not be afraid of taking risks, whenever he finds rewarding opportunities. The combination of Saturn and Ketu in fifth house in Gemini suggests problems related to children, those related to spiritual growth and problems related to morality. It means that the native may not think much about right or wrong and he may do what he thinks is right.
The combination of Sun and Mercury in seventh house in Leo blesses this native with intelligence, communication skills, business skills and authority among other things. Debilitated Venus in eighth house indicates problems related to marriage, mother and father; among other problems. Venus is the general signifier for wife and well as for women in general; and it represents fourth as well as ninth house in this horoscope; which means it represents mother and father also. Malefic debilitated Moon in tenth house in Scorpio indicates problems in the field of profession; attachment to risky, secretive and thrilling professions; and problems related to mother. Rahu in the eleventh house in Sagittarius suggests this native’s desire for more and more financial incomes, company of immoral or criminal minded people and other things. Malefic debilitated Jupiter in twelfth house indicates spiritual interests, spiritual growth and twisted moral values due to which the native may not bother much about right or wrong decided by society or law. The sign of Aquarius in the first house indicates the native is intelligent, flexible, able to adapt to circumstances just like air adapts to any shape and form; and some other quality traits.
Based on these facts; the native is likely be bold and courageous, he is likely to engage in his own business, he is likely to engage in professions which may not be legal or moral and he is likely to consume alcohol as well as various types of drugs. The native is likely to have a troubled marriage as well as problems related to children; like he may not be able to live with his children due to disturbances in marriage as well as due to professional complications. The native may also engage in spiritual practices like meditation and he may witness higher experiences in this domain. At the same time; he is likely to face court cases and even imprisonment; primarily because of his profession, which may be illegal. The native may lose his mother at an early age unless her own horoscope is strong enough to protect her life. He may also have a troubled relationship with his father and he may choose to stay away from him. Though a horoscope is vast and this explanation doesn’t justify even 1% of this horoscope; it gives a general idea of how horoscopes work.
Looking at it from karmic angle, the native might have spent a lot of time in the field of spiritualism and paranormal, during his recent past life; as suggested by Mars, Jupiter, Rahu, Venus, Saturn and Ketu. The native might have been a Tantric who might have worshipped fierce gods and goddesses, he might have achieved power through them and used it at his own will. To start his journey in this field; he might have left his house, leaving a dissatisfied father and troubled mother behind; as suggested by Venus and Moon. During his journey; he might have developed desires for women and he might have left the journey incomplete, in order to enjoy women. However, he might not have been able to enjoy his relationships with women as he might always have had this regret that he had to sacrifice his spiritual and paranormal growth for women. Hence he might have developed a subconscious hatred for them though he might have physically been with them. This divided life explains the debilitation of Jupiter in twelfth house which says native was corrupted from spiritual path; and the debilitation of Venus which says women were the corruption, which he realized later. Hence he kept needing them and hating them at the same time.
The same tendencies are carried forward in this life also though the playground is different. Here again, the native may choose to engage in fierce or dark professions which allow abuse of power, and luxuries like alcohol and women. In this life also, the native may have strong spiritual tendencies and he may try to advance on this path; every now and then. However, the distractions around him; especially women may lead him away from this path, time and again. This way, he keeps enjoying women in physical sense and he may keep hating them even more on subconscious level; since they are the distractions. In reality; women are not distraction and his own mind is. This is why Jupiter is debilitated as this native has chosen women over spiritual growth. Hence nature is giving him a fair chance to finish his incomplete business with women and then go back to spiritualism again. If this native consciously focuses more and more on spiritual growth and other traits of Jupiter; his horoscope may change for this life as well as for next life. If he doesn’t do that and keeps living this dual life; the same equation may be carried forward to the next life; with different situations and different playgrounds.
Let’s look at the remedial measures to improve this horoscope, which means to improve the subconscious mind of this native, which means to improve his aura. The gemstones are either not helpful in this case or they should not be used. For instance, the gemstones for Sun, Mercury and Mars can be recommended but all these planets are already strong in the horoscope and hence they may not need extra energy. Looking at Poojas, the Poojas to strengthen as well as pacify; Saturn, Jupiter, Venus and Moon are required. This is because all these planets are malefic and they can’t be directly promoted through gemstones. Hence they need to be pacified as well as strengthened at the same time. Rahu and Ketu need to be pacified through Poojas as well as through donations. Venus is a special case as the thought may cross the mind that strengthening Venus along with Jupiter may cause conflict between material world and spiritual world; though that is not likely to happen in reality. As Venus gains strength, this native may start having better opinion about women and instead of engaging with many women as well as subconsciously hating them at the same time, he may settle with one women and get out of this push pull type of equation with women in general. As that happens, the native may feel relaxed and free from distractions. This may help him focus on his spiritual goals and the added strength of Jupiter can help him more in this field.
When a planet becomes very weak, like debilitated Venus in this case, it becomes unable to protect its significances as well as to assign proper value to its significances. Venus not only stands for women in a man’s life; but it also stands for the kind of value he attaches to such women. When Venus is weak or afflicted; the native may not be able to assign proper value to women and in order to balance this problem; he may keep engaging with more and more women. By doing so, he is trying to find a decisive opinion about women, though all this is happening on subconscious level. It is like, if you don’t know how to do a thing naturally, you try to master it through repetition. However, when Venus gains strength and it becomes healthy; fewer experiences are sufficient to form opinion about women or assign value to women. It is like, you don’t need to repeat something in order to master it; when you have already learnt it by heart. Repetition indicates lack of natural skill in most cases as natural skill doesn’t need repetition. The same goes for Jupiter where more strength will enable it to have clearer vision on spiritual path, so that the native is not distracted easily. Similarly, empowering Moon will create emotional balance; which will strengthen the personality of this native, even more.
While explaining this horoscope, many aspects like the placements of planets in various nakshatras, their Navamsha or D9 placements, the running times and some other factors have not been mentioned. This has been done to contain this example within limits so that it doesn’t become too lengthy. A horoscope is a very big event and even through a book of three hundred pages; it may not be possible to explain half of it. Hence we have focused on the main energies so that the basic working of planets and other energies in a horoscope may be understood.
As already mentioned, astrology is part logic and part faith. This horoscope and any other horoscope can be analysed logically, native’s personality traits can be explained, probabilities for future may be drawn, the native may witness those probabilities turning into realities and he may logically believe astrology is a science. However, when it comes to fields like past life of the native as well as carry forward of karmic equations and relationships from past life, of which he has no conscious memory; faith is the only way. Astrology can’t take him back to his past life and show him how everything started or happened and the native simply needs to keep faith. Logically thinking, if an astrologer is able to predict, guide and reshape your present life; the chances are high that he is right about your past life and other such things which can’t be proved by logic.
Himanshu Shangari