Solar Eclipse -- Vedic Astrology Analysis

The May 20 annular solar eclipse in Taurus  (in Scorpio in Western Astrology) can be seen in the following ephemeris (location: Central Virginia):

                   Sun           Moon        Mars         Merc          Jupt              Venus          Sat             Rah

5/20/12    5°Ta21'   24°Ar36'   16°Le17'    26°Ar29'    0°Ta40'    29°Ta34'R   29°Vi46'R   11°Sc01'

5/21/12    6°Ta19'    6°Ta24'    16°Le37'    28°Ar34'    0°Ta54'    29°Ta22'R   29°Vi43'R   11°Sc01'

Taurus – Stability

Sun in Taurus – Sun signifies self and also activity. When placed in Taurus it leads to persevering activity but can also cause one to be overly cautions

Moon in Taurus – Moon, which signifies the emotional mind as opposed to Mercury, the intellectual mind, is exalted in Taurus. This leads to steady emotions but may also cause one to be overly self controlled.

Jupiter in Taurus – I find that Jupiter is the planet of expansion and spirituality. In Taurus it leads to expansion of spiritual, humanitarian and philosophical studies while staying within fixed philosophical and religious views (the Taurus effect). In Taurus it can also cause one to be lethargic and stagnant and self-indulgent

Venus in Taurus – Venus is comfortable in Taurus; in own sign it feels like it is home, able to take its shoes off and prop its feet up. Venus in Taurus leads to well-developed love and prosperity but may also result in one spending too much time in leisure.

Yogas – Yoga in Sanskrit means “union”. In Vedic astrology yoga as planetary combinations or conjunctions. As you can see in the ephemeris above, several planets find themselves toether in Taurus over the May 20-21 window.

Sun + Moon – This conjunction results in high spiritual capacity, and the ability to fore go the world for enlightenment.

Sun + Jupiter – Active wisdom

Sun + Venus – Activity beauty

Moon + Jupiter – Gaja Kesari Yoga – an auspicious yoga that helps one overcome obstacles and reach the fullness of expansion.

Moon + Venus – Imagination and beauty

Jupiter + Venus – Expansion of beauty.

Geomagnetic Risk Analysis

This eclipse marks the second major storm, tide and seismic risk factor this month. Every eclipse is similar to a SuperMoon, although generally less potent. So expect increasing chances for damaging storms with high winds and heavy precipitation (we have already had a good dose here in Virginia and looking at the weather forecast for the next week more is on the way starting on Sunday). The eclipse also results in a moderate to severe risk of seismic activity (magnitude 5 and up) and volcanic eruptions.

The geomagnetic shock window caused by a solar eclipses typically usually extends from seven days before to seven days after the exact alignment The shock window for the May 20 eclipse began on the 13th but extends into the 30^th because Moon will be moving southward, crossing the celestial equator on the 29th.

The eclipse will be visible over parts of Asia, the Pacific Ocean and western North America. Consequently the risk of geomagnetic action resulting in storms and seismic activity are higher here. My astrolocality mapping indicates other target zones including the longitudinal zone through west Africa and Western Europe (including the UK) in the western hemisphere, and New Zealand in the east. Central America, the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic coast of North America fall under a horizon arc target zone. This arc target zone crosses southern Greenland and just touches Iceland on its way across Russia, the ‘stans and into India. While these won’t be the only locations for the storm and seismic activity during the May 20 eclipse window the risk level his higher in these areas.

The Best Bread in the World

Yesterday was bread making day at our house.  Ernie, our almost 11 year old son, is the family baker and because I was an apprentice baker in high school oh so many years ago, I am his assistant.  Its fun for him to tell dad what to do for a change.  Ernie bakes the best bread in the world.  Here, after a lot of tweeking and practice, is his recipe.

Oh, but first, the flour.  Ernie has tried all of the different brands of flour that we find in our local grocery stores and Ernie asserts that King Arthur Flour is by far the best (they didn't pay me to say that).  My taste buds agree.  King Arthur Flour costs a little bit more, but it is well worth it.  If you haven't tried it then give it a try.  Anyway, here is Ernie's recipe:

Ingredients:

• 2 C warm water
• 1/4 C sugar
• 1 envelop active dry yeast
• 2 C King Arthur's whole wheat flour
• 1 T salt
• 1/4 C vegetable oil
• 4 C King Aruthr's unbleached all-purpose flour

Total time:  3 1/2 hours (but most of the time you can be off doing something else)

Steps:

1. Combine water, sugar and yeast in a large stainless steel bowl
2. Cover and let stand 5 minutes until bubbly.
3. Add 2 C whole wheat flour, cover and let stand for 10 minutes until bubbly.
4. Stir in salt and vegetable oil
5. Stir in 3 C of unbleached all-purpose flour
6. Add 1 more C of unbleached all-purpose flour, a little at a time, until the dough starts to hold together and is no longer sticky.  You may not need all of the 4th C of flour.
7. Sprinkly your work surface with flour and coat your hands with flour.
8. Turn the dough out onto your work surface and knead the dough for 5 minutes (Ernie's favorite step).  Sprinkle more flour on the doough as needed if it starts to get sticky.
9. Let the dough rest while you clean the bowl out and then coat it with vegatable oil.
10. Knead the dough for 3 more minutes and then place it in the oil-coated mixing bowl.  Move the dough around so that it is completely coated with oil.
11. Cover the mixing bowl with a clean kitchen towel, place it in a warm location, and let it raise until it has doubled in size (about an hour and a half . . . this is when Ernie and I sit down togther with good books).
12. Gently deflate the dough (don't knead it again) and turn it out onto a flour-covered surface.  Cut the dough into two piece and form into loaves.  Ernie likes to make one round loaf and one oblong loaf.  No need to use a loaf pan; artisan bread is cool.
13. Place the loaves on a greased baking sheet and cover the loaves with plastic wrap.  Let the dough rise for 30 minutes (a good time to take the dog for a walk).  Set the oven to 375 degrees F so that it is hot when the 30 minutes are up.
14. Remove the plastic wrap, carefully slice the tops of the bread if you wish, and sprinkle yummy seeds on top as well (optional).  Place the bread in the oven and bake for about 30 minutes.  The bread is done when the crust is golden brown and the loaves sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.
15. Cool the bread on a rack
16. Slice and eat when cool . . . try not to eat it all up in one afternoon.

Core Shamanism -- Part 6

The last time that I wrote about practical shamanism I wrote about journeys into the lower world.  Let's go the other direction this time.  Recall that in a journey to the lower world shamans travel down through an opening in the earth.  Not into the dirt, but into another dimension or world. 

In the shamanic cosmology the universe is divided into three regions, the lower, middle and upper worlds.   In an upper world journey shamans use smoke, a tree, a bird, a vine, a sunbeam or rainbow, the wind or anything else that will take them up into the sky.  Some shamanic practitioners view the Pole Star as an entry point into the sky.  Other view the stars as holes in the "great tent" of the sky.  Twilight and sunrise are viewed by some as a crack between worlds.  I encourage you to develop your own cosmology and shamanic view of the universie.

In any event, if you are going to journey to the upper world you will have to ascend.   I ofen let Spirit take me up or down by sitting in my canoe on a river, during trance state, and rather than paddle the canoe I let the current take me.  Sometimes it takes me to the shore and I do a middle world journey, sometimes a whirpool appears in the middle of the river and it takes me into a lower world journey and sometimes (to be honest, my favorite times) my canoe with me sitting inside of it falls over a waterfall.  However, rather than screaming down the waterfall my canoe lifts me up and we fly to the upper world.  Aren't trance states wonderful?

You are not traveling into the sky.  You are traveling to the upper world locate on the other side of the sky.  You might ask you power animal to travel with you or you may meet your power animal at the entry to the upper world.  Your power animal will conduct you through your experiences in the upper world.  You may meet your spirit guide or other higher-vibrational beings in the upper world.

Use druming like you did in your journey to the lower world to help induce the trance state, and to bring you back to ordinary reality at the end of your journey.

The Purposes of Life and Vedic Philosophy

            The four purposes of life, according to the Vedas, are Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha.  Dharma is the fulfillment of our right purpose in life.  This is often associated with the selection of the most appropriate career.  However, it is more related performing right actions to fulfill one's purpose.  We will see how Vedic astrology can help you identify your dharma.

Artha is the achievement of goals.  It is related to the acquisition of the material resources needed to fulfill one's dharma.  After all, you can't realize your life purpose if you spend all of your time eking out a living.  An analysis of specific houses, signs and the planets that affect them will help you understand your ability or struggles in achieving your goals.  Kama is the realization of desires and emotional and sensory happiness, and Moksha is freedom, liberation or spiritual growth.  Again, Vedic astrology can help us understand our paths towards Kama and Moksha.   Astrology needs to be able to help us find the answers to these questions if it is to be useful in our lives.  Vedic Astrology gives us profound insight into our Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha.

            The teachings of the Vedas can have a profound effect on our world view.  When we learn to see things as they really are and use them according to their true potential we are able to take "right action".  There is a big difference between doing the "right" thing and doing things "right".  We like to define "doing things right" as being efficient in life and "doing the right things" as being effective.  We often find ourselves efficiently doing the wrong things or doing the wrong things right.  An understanding of Vedic astrology can help us have an effective and fulfilling life.  We eventually come to recognize that we are not the body . . . the body is only a vehicle for the expression of consciousness.  In fact, we are not even our minds.  They too are just an expression of our consciousness.

Intro to Vedic Astrology

I thought that I would share some excerpts from a book that I am writing on Vedic Astrology.  This is from Chapter 1 . . .

Astrology is the divine science.  People have looked to the sky find their connection to the universe since the beginning of time.  Turning to the stars they have looked to find answer life's most difficult questions:  Who am I?  Why am I here?  What should I accomplish with my life?  Why is this happening to me?  After thousands of years many of us are still asking the same questions.  We are driven to find our own answers and astrology is still most appropriate science to direct our search.

            Millennia ago sages in India asked these same questions.  The inspired answers that they received resulted in the development of Vedic Astrology.  Chances are good that you are more familiar with Western astrology than with Vedic astrology.  Western astrology is sometimes known as personality astrology because it does a very good job of identifying peoples' personality types, or as tropical astrology because the placement of the signs is determined by the vernal equinox.  Vedic astrology is better known for its predictive value.  In addition, Vedic astrology is closely tied to Ayurveda, the traditional medicine of India.  That means that Vedic astrology is also a useful tool for understanding current and future health issues.

A Short History of Vedic Astrology

            The inspired answers the sages received millennia ago were passed down orally until sometime between 5,000 and 6,000 years ago when they began to be written down in the Vedas.  The Vedas are the written documents (scripture) of divine origin that contain the knowledge that was heard from the Cosmic Intelligence.  The four vedas are know as the Rig Veda, Sama Veda, Yajur Veda,  and the Atharva Veda.  The Rig Veda is considered to be the oldest book in the world and has passages that refer to dates before 6,000 B.C.  Sometimes called the "Book of Cosmic Law" it addresses the science of mantra.

The Sama Veda develops the science of mantra into the science of sound and music.  Sound and music are essential for transforming the mind and emotions.  The Yajur Veda is the science of action and provides the foundation for practices like yoga and meditation.  Finally, the Atharva Veda contains mantras related to treating diseases as well as names of plants used for healing it provides the foundation for Ayurveda.

Both the Rig Veda and the Atharva Veda contain information relevant to Vedic Astrology.  For example, the Rig Veda includes a system of astronomical calculations including twelve signs and a 360 degree circle.  The Atharva Veda also contains information about the Sun, Moon, and nakshatras or moon signs. Later sages like Parashara, Agastya, Brighu and Vashishta wrote large works on astrology called horas.  The rules and techniques used by modern Vedic astrologers are derived, for the most part, from the horas.

Next time I'll post about Vedic philosophy and the purpose of life.  Hope you enjoy . . .