Basic Chart Reading Skills

Ancient Indian Astrology Classes

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Basic Chart Reading Skills

Contents
Introduction ..................................................................................................................................................3 Tripod of Life ................................................................................................................................................3 Case Studies ............................................................................................................................................. 4 Jala Missing .......................................................................................................................................... 4 Two view points ...................................................................................................................................... 5 The Touch of Akash .................................................................................................................................... 5 Destiny and Choice Rasi and Bhava ........................................................................................................ 6 Case Studies ............................................................................................................................................. 6 Guna Grahas and Aspects of Life ............................................................................................................... 6 Case Studies ............................................................................................................................................. 6 Karmic Purpose Study of Nakshatra ....................................................................................................... 6 Case Studies ............................................................................................................................................. 6 Timing Tool Jeeva Sarira Principle ......................................................................................................... 6

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Basic Chart Reading Skills

Introduction
I just completed a weekend workshop titled How to read a Vedic Chart? This course was 4 hours of lecture and hands-on for advanced scholars of jyotish spread over 2 days. The title by itself is audacious and may raise many eye-brows in the jyotish community. Something which cannot be mastered in years and years of strenuous training is being claimed to be given out in a weekend this fact itself will be strongly criticized in the jyotish community. I am completely aware of this and thus this introduction. No seminar or session can ever teach any individual all the rules to see natal charts. The reason is actually very simple. Every chart apart from being a few boxes drawn on a piece of paper showing certain cryptic figures denoting planets present in some of those boxes cannot completely represent a living human being. Every human being brings with him/her a set of genetic makeup, lifestyle, values, principles and experiences which are distinct and unique. No set of rules in jyotish can be generalized for each and every chart. However, the finesse of a jyotish depends on selection of which jyotish tool can be applied on which charts. This workshop focused on very basic analysis tools that can be used for chart analysis. This article is not exhaustive of the complete course but rather gives snippets of what was discussed.

Tripod of Life
Atma [Soul], Manah [Mind] and Sharira [Body] are three legs of human life. The Human Body is composed of Physical Body, Astral Body and Causal Body. Sharira can be composed of only the Rasis. Each Rasi has a dominant Tattwa in them. The Tattwas are Agni Fire. The lack of it causes loss of purpose. Jala Water. The lack of it causes loss of sensuality. Vayu Air. The lack of it causes stress. Prithvi Earth. The lack of it causes loss of practicality. Akash Ether. The lack of it causes lack of wisdom or consciousness. There is not a single Rasi which has the predominant Tattwa as Akash indicating that by default all human beings born on this plane of existence are ignorant. In a chart, we first find out the Rasis occupied by Sun, Moon and Lagna. These rasis can have maximum of 3 predominant Tattwas. We will have to see which Tattwa[s] are missing in the person by default and that becomes the first flaw[s] in the individual. We will then need to study the Lord of that Tattwa in the chart to carefully see what the situation of the Tattwa Lord is. It will say something very discreet about the native.

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Basic Chart Reading Skills

Case Studies
Jala Missing Ammachi

We see that the tripod of life [Sun, Moon , Lagna] in Prithvi and Vayu Tattwa signs showing lacking of Agni and Jala. Mars is in Agni rasi Vargottam and Sun is with exalted Mercury in Rasi and in exalted Navamsa. Venus is in Agni rasi and with Mars. Moon is exalted in the 8th rasi in Taurus. Jala Tattwa is a flaw in this chart resulting in lack of relationships, pleasures and sensuality. As we all know that Ammachi never married. Her work is her life and her love for humanity has always engulfed her life. Maharshi Mahesh Yogi

We see that the tripod of life [Sun, Moon , Lagna] in Agni and Prithvi Tattwa signs showing lacking of Vayu and Jala. Saturn is in Jala rasi and aspects Lagna. Venus is in Agni rasi and navamsa. The

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Basic Chart Reading Skills

flaw is Jala to a greater degree and Vayu to a lesser degree. Maharshi never married and his health [Vayu] was always fluctuating. Swami Vivekananda

We see that the tripod of life [Sun, Moon , Lagna] in Agni and Prithvi Tattwa signs showing lacking of Vayu and Jala. Saturn is in Prithvi rasi. Venus is in Prithvi rasi and exalted navamsa. This creates emphasis on Jala. Swamiji at one point in his life wanted to get married. Swamiji burned himself and did not take rest until his mission [Ramakrishna Mission] took a solid form.

points Two view points

There are some texts which praise the fact that Lagna, Sun, Moon are in the same kind of sign [odd/even, same Tattwa etc.]. There are always two view points on things. I call it the Jupiter view point and the Venus view point. Jupiter viewpoint is the viewpoint of the Deva Guru Brihaspati who wants to make someone an Indra. In this view point, the strengths are extolled and the weaknesses are ignored or rejected. There is yet another view point; this is the view point of Asura Guru Shukracharya. Here more than what is good, the focus in on what is lacking and thus the maximum attention is given to balance and balancing.

The Touch of Akash

The only element that is not predominant in any of the Rasis is Akash. Akash Tattwa is represented by Jupiter and this stands for Dhi in the chart. Association of Jupiter with the Tripod of life is essential to tie wisdom and consciousness to an individual. If, however, the association is not direct and instead of linking Lagna, Sun and Moon, Jupiter is connected with Lagna Lord, Rasi Lord of Sun or Rasi Lord of Moon, it shows that some other person will have to set the individual to the right path of life. Abraham Lincolns chart, which was discussed in the class, is a classic example of how important the touch of Jupiter is in a chart.

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Basic Chart Reading Skills

Destiny and Choice Rasi and Bhava

Everything available or unavailable to us is seen in the Rasi chart and yet personal choices are seen from the Bhava chart.

Case Studies
Ammachi, Maharshi and Mahatma Gandhis charts were discussed to explain the difference between Bhava and Rasi charts.

Guna Grahas and Aspects of Life

Satwa Guna Grahas Guru, Ravi, Chandra are most important grahas giving Dhi and the two legs of the tripod of life. Rahas Guna Grahas Budha, Shukra are the most important grahas in material life giving wealth and pleasure. Tamas Guna Grahas Shani and Mangal give longevity, sorrow and property, aggression respectively. We study these grahas individually to get knowledge of various aspects of the charts. For example, a common question is asked about profession. This is seen from Saturn, the giver of karma. We have to check the Varna of the rasi in which Saturn is placed and that would give some indication of the profession of the individual.

Case Studies
Charts of Ammachi and Maharshi were discussed following this model.

Naksha Karmic Purpose Study of Nakshatra

A simple rule published in the Saptarishis Astrology magazine was discussed. The Maha Dasa Lord at birth when taken back to the birth chart should give some indication on the purpose of birth.

Case Studies
Case studies were discussed to show the working of this principle.

Timing Tool Jeeva Sarira Principle

The Maha Dasa or Antar Dasa Lord is discussed in the light of Jeeva Sarira Principle. The body is the Lord and yet the results will be seen from what lies within [the soul]. This is the study of the Nakshatra Lord of the Maha Dasa Lord taken to the Rasi [or other divisional charts]. This theory was discussed in detail with case studies. ~ Guru, AIAC Wednesday, July 25 2012 5 PM CDT Chicago, IL

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