Have you ever wanted to find the best timing to embark on an enterprise?

Or understand which career is best suited to your talents and temperament? Or what are your partnership or marriage prospects? We all have wondered why sometimes things fall right into place whereas at other times everything is a struggle. Or why do we have an instant connection with someone, whereas another relationship, no matter how close, is a constant challenge. These are just a few questions that Vedic astrology or Jyotish as it is called in Sanskrit, sheds light upon. This ancient art of psychology and behavior analysis and forecasting events comes to us from India and is an invaluable tool in helping us make informed decisions in life.

Imagine that at the time of your birth, we took a thorough snapshot of the sky indicating the placement of planets, constellations, specific stars, and the patterns that they formed in the heavens. This becomes the blueprint for the heavenly influences operating in your present life contributing to your physical, psychological, emotional, and spiritual characteristics. While this snapshot is static and shows your inherent traits and the karmic influences that you have brought with you in this lifetime, your existence is full of changes, transitions and growth. Your horoscope is the reflection as seen from the earth, of the planetary positions when you were born, and becomes a dynamic evolving chart by virtue of the continuous transits of the planets in the sky. Various other techniques are used in Jyotish to look at how the heavenly bodies affect you on a day to day basis. While we are all subject to the past karmas (law of action and effect) that we bring into our lives and the new karmas that we create in the existing one, we also have the power of choice, which comes with self-awareness, the most powerful tool that we possess to promote change and self-growth. It is here that Jyotish can help us to better understand ourselves and the energies operating in our lives so that we can make the choices that are most supportive of our growth.

While Western and Vedic astrology have many things in common, they also have a number of differences which you can read about here.

Yatrika Shah-Rais is a professional Vedic astrologer with long years of experience in reading charts of clients from around the world. She also holds a certificate in Ayurvedic counseling. She approaches her practice with reverence, humility and integrity.

“I remain in the present, right now ⎼ using the catalog of the experiences of the past and a planning book for my future.” Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami