Astrology of Joy

Newsletter: 14/April/2025 Spiritual Patriotism and the Pitfalls of Tribalism

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Astrology Monday! Spiritual Patriotism vs Tribalism 🥳
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This Week’s Focus

Spiritual Patriotism and the Pitfall of Tribalism
Issue 15 Volume 8          14 April 2025
Providence has at all times been my only dependence, for all other resources seemed to have failed us.
~~ George Washington (1732 —1799), founding father, commander of the Continental Army during the American Revolution, and first US president
If you must realise unity with God, realise first your unity with the whole nation. Let this intense feeling of identity with every creature within this land be throbbing in every fibre of your frame.”
~ Swami Rama Tirtha (1873—1906),  self-realised yogi, mathematician, teacher, and poet
 

Dear Friend;

One of the greatest saints India has ever produced, Swami Rama Tirtha spoke of the need for “spiritual patriotism“. It’s a beautiful concept that reveals the transformation possible when we love our nation with all our heart and all our mind, for the distance between a lover of nation and a lover of All is very short.

Though Swami Rama attained the ultimate bliss, he lived and taught “practical Vedanta” and urged everyone to see God in the world as the world. Speaking fervently on spiritual patriotism, he said:

Tune yourself in love with your country and people. Be a spiritual soldier. Lay down your life in the interest of your land abnegating the little ego, and having thus loved the country, feel anything and the country will feel with you. March and the country will follow. This, indeed, is practical Vedanta.
 
These are strong words, perhaps even surprising to you. Can nationalistic pride support world peace and global harmony?

In today’s world, patriotism is often derided as an antithesis to the idea of a “global community”. In America, if you fly the stars and stripes, it is not uncommon to be labeled a redneck, right-wing nationalist. In the UK, showing patriotism and pride in your country has been in decline for a while, especially among 18 — 24 year olds where only 15% feel strongly patriotic (YouGov.co.uk). Not to be outdone, only 9% of Germans feel strongly patriotic. Are these trends a good thing? 🤔

In Vedic astrology, there is no “patriotic indicator” per se. However, when accessing a person’s horoscope, certain placements are more indicative of patriotic feelings and actions and, together, can reveal a person who takes pride in their country. Are you patriotic? In case you are having trouble deciding (😄), here are a few ways to determine your level of nation-pride. Look for these influences upon the fourth house (home and homeland), the 7th house (foreign residence), and the 12th house (exile whether self-induced or not):

Moon: as significator of home and homeland, can indicate emotional connection. This is especially true if your Moon is in the 4th house (home) or in Taurus (loyalty) or Scorpio (devotion).

Sun: the Sun’s influence upon homeland can indicate pride. Afflicted, it can indicate blindness to your nation’s faults.

Venus: Venus is a planet of contracts. Its influence indicates loyalty as a reflection of your contract to your country.

Jupiter: as a planet of unconditional love, Jupiter is more associated with being a “citizen of the world” though it can also indicate a strong yearning to uplift the citizens of your country. Jupiter is more closely related to the spiritual patriotism espoused by Ram Tirtha, Sadhguru, and others.

For enlightened souls, having national pride is a good thing, after all, it is nonsensical to be otherwise. Sadhguru was once asked if showing patriotism toward’s your country has any value? He replied, “How do you make a nation without investing any emotion into it?” “The idea of Nationhood,” he said at another time, “needs love and pride in the hearts of the people to make it a great Nation.”

Patriotism is not the final destination, but a waypoint on the road to establishing oneself in the global community as a conscious being. By loving your nation with all your heart, it is easier to make the step to loving the world. Paradoxical? Perhaps, but there is a simple reason for this…

…there is only love and nothing but Love. When you love anything unconditionally, whether it is your spouse, a wildflower, or your nation, you have unwittingly thrown open the door to the only Love there is, the divine Love of God. Your task is to make this a conscious experience, not an accident. 

 🤗

David 🔆

astrologyofjoy.com


In this issue:
  • Weekly Planning Forecast
  • Astrology of the World
  • Hero’s Journey: Free App
Revolution Special! If you would like to go over in detail the potential and possibility of the next six months for you personally, I am offering an hourly special: £45/hr online; audio recorded. Contact me here.

Astrology Monday

Weekly Planning Forecast
Suggestion: match the significations of the following dates to what you wish to accomplish. To plan important events further into the future, contact David for a Muhurtha reading which finds the best date(s) for your specific tasks or goals.

If your Sun is in Taurus, the bull…
20 APR — 20 MAY


The Sun in Taurus highlights an individual who is loyal, grounded, connected to the earth element, and who seeks security in their life. Since the Sun relates to your self-expression and identity, you tend to identify yourself through Venus, the ruler of Taurus. This means art, beauty, relationships, and win-win situations are important to you.

The Sun can never be inimical to our existence in astrology, but it can be troubled. Venus is an enemy to the Sun and can indicate too much identification with the world of objects whether it is a person or a thing.  Venus hijacks Sun’s emphasis on self-expression and attempts to define itself through the accomplishments of others.  A wayward Venus is not easily recognisable. As the ruler of external comforts and pleasures, it can become dependent upon another person’s creativity, their lifestyle, even their looks. As always, this is not about living a spartan existence; rather, it is about being aware of the tendencies and making adjustments. Depending upon another person or object may work while you have access to them, but sooner or later, that access is denied either by their choice, circumstance, or simply the passage of time. To this end, it is always best to embrace your own worth and greatness first — then bring others into your ‘bubble’. 

Fun Fact: Zodiac comes from the Greek zodiakos (kyklos) which literally means “circle of little animals” and is one indication of how astrological knowledge was shared between the cultures of Greece and India beginning in the time of Alexander the Great. For thousands of years before the Greeks, the Vedic culture used a 12-part circle which represented 12 aspects of the Sun (Adityas) and offer us some fascinating insights not gleaned from the Greeks.
 

If your Sun is in Aditya Mitra…

The Aditya that corresponds to Taurus in the Greek zodiac is Mitra which symbolises the dawn, i.e., the birth of the cosmos. An Aditya Sun is friendship and along with Aditya Vivasvan, Mitra relates to the throat chakra underscoring the quality of beneficial communication inherent in friendships. Mitra also works closely with Varuna as the upholder of truth as an expression of unconditional love. When we are established in unconditional love, truth is automatically protected because nothing can be taken or added to unconditional love.

If your Sun is in Mitra, God is emphasising through you the art of diplomacy, truth, childhood, friendships, and the creative potential of physical reality as a medium for learning what you need to fully develop. The stronger and less afflicted your Sun, the less work you will need to do to express yourself authentically. 
 

If you have a planet in Taurus/Mitra…

Moon: the Moon is exalted in Taurus. The Moon in Taurus indicates the potential of fulfilling your needs through Taurus/Venus (external world, possessions, effective communication, adherence to truth). If your Moon is troubled, these things will be met, but after much handwringing and emotional turmoil.
Mercury: in Taurus, the sign of communication and truth, Mercury does well. It offers the possibility of assessing your options and choosing what works for you.
Venus: in its own sign, Venus naturally supports material comfort and pleasures.
Mars: Mars is your will power and intention to do right action. Mars is not wanted in Mitra because it indicates strong opinions and inflexibility. In the home of Venus, Mars can find itself going down the road of sense gratification rather than what is for the benefit of all.
Jupiter: Venus is an enemy to Jupiter. Venus likes to party and though Jupiter seeks to maintain proper behaviour, in Taurus, Jupiter’s purity is tested by the allure and sensuality of Venus. A strong Jupiter withstands; a weakened Jupiter joins the party to its detriment.
Saturn: Saturn gets along with Venus as long as they are not in the same space. If Saturn is in Taurus and Venus is somewhere else, Saturn experiences some of the comforts and pleasures he typically denies himself. This softens your Saturn nature so you can be more playful.
Outer planets: If you have Pluto or Neptune in Taurus in your natal chart, I want to learn your healthy habits as they were both last in Taurus well over 100 years ago. Uranus was in Taurus from 1934 to 1941, but most recently from 2018 thru 7 July 2025. Uranus is the planet of authenticity. It is the power of Consciousness that seeks to force you to be who you really are. I say force because Uranus “shakes things up” as such theatrics and drama is often required to get us out of our comfortable bed. While in Taurus, this has come for many of you through outer circumstances connected to material comfort and pleasure and especially through relationships. The eclipses in 2024 (effective Feb thru May) were especially indicative of someone coming into our life to shake us out of our sleepwalk. Most often not pleasant, but most assuredly needed. If you missed out on experiencing such things, no worries. Uranus is still in Taurus for another three months. 😁
 
Important upcoming dates (2025)
JAN 12 thru summer 2026: Rahu enters Pisces joining Saturn and Neptune
     — Loss of boundaries; heightened creative expression
APR 9 — 20: close orb between Rahu/Saturn in Pisces
     — Making choices out of fear; supports organisation and systematic planning
APR 18 — JUN 16: Mars enters Leo
     — Aggressive work scenarios; energises authentic work and projects
MAY 25 — AUG 31: Saturn enters Aries, its sign of debilitation
     — Weakening of foundation; supports taking calculated risks
JUN 17 — AUG 6: Mars in Virgo
     — Taking on too many responsibilities; supports fitness programmes
SEP 1 — FEB 13 2026: Saturn in Pisces
     — Tendency towards fear-based decisions; loss of boundaries; strong creative ideas
FEB 14 2026— APR 12 2028: Saturn in Aries
     — Weakening of foundation; supports taking calculated risks
 
Astrology of the World
It can be useful to examine world events from the perspective of the astrology of the players involved, not just in understanding the forces behind occurrences, but in understanding the tendencies of our own mind. Human beings have similar inner challenges which mundane astrology can help us understand…

Disclaimer: I hold no party affiliation. I aim to offer you an unbiased perspective of world events through the lens of archaeology, astrology, and yoga.

Food for thought:
Is Donald Trump going mad… or is it just us?
Letting go tribalism and herd mentality


If you will recall in a previous issue of this newsletter, plotting an inauguration’s horoscope is a great technique in astrology to get a perspective on the energy that has been infused into a country through an election until the next election. An interesting aspect is that it is NOT the winner of an election who infuses their energy into a country but that the winner of the election best matches what is already destined karmically for that nation. For example, from the perspective of the 2025 US presidential inauguration horoscope, the individual horoscope of Trump was a better ‘match’ than that of Kamala Harris as to what would transpire in the United States from 2025 thru JAN 2029.

What does this mean?

The 2025 US presidential inauguration horoscope showed Saturn in the Aditya Dhata (Pisces). Saturn does not do well in Dhata because Dhata is the Aditya which relates to the mother who bears the pain and responsibility of birthing and raising a child. Dhata is the field that must be cultivated, prepared, and if necessary, healed before realising an abundant crop. It represents all the hardships that must be endured to do so. Saturn, however, is a planet of resistance. This is good wheere saturn’s resistance is wanted. However, in Dhata (Pisces), Saturn is afflicted and indicates an inability to bear the pain necessary to heal. It resists the medicine that will cure it because the pill tastes bitter.

From this perspective, it was Trump who would best initiate solutions that are necessary, but which reveal people’s resistance to change. In other words, many Americans, even many who voted for him, are not in a healthy state of mind to endure what needs to be endured in order for real progress to take place. Does this mean Trump is sending the country (and world) over a cliff? Not at all. It simply means that the world is not ready to take the medicine that will cure it of its ills whether this came from Trump or someone else. The world is exhausted. There was the pandemic, then the war in Ukraine, then Gaza, and climate change and on and on. This is not to say every aspect of Trump’s actions are not without risk or will even work. However, what IS certain is that we will never know if all we can do is resist and protest. 

This “mental and energetic exhaustion” comes into focus when we consider how the opposing side, whether in America or Europe, offer no alternative plan. Have you noticed this? The lack of any plan from the other side is deafening and a sure indication that the resistance is simply a knee-jerk, tribal response.

Abandoning the ability to think for themselves, most people vote as a tribe according to 1. family tradition 2. Party affiliation and 3. friends and social network. This is nothing new. These findings were found to be true in The American Voter, a seminal study made in 1960, and reaffirmed by a similar study in 2008, The American Voter Revisited. 

Tribal voting is counter to spiritual growth. Read what Sadhguru says about tribal voting in a May 2024 article in the Times of India:

“On the spiritual journey, before you can transcend your individuality, you have to first become an individual. When you are the consequence of many influences, you are not an individual. You’re a crowd. Crowds can evolve, but it is impossible for a collective to ever be enlightened. Enlightenment can only happen to an individual. Likewise, becoming an individual is the first step to becoming a mature voter. When people vote en masse, they have squandered the tremendous possibility offered by the secret ballot. Collective decision-making is feudalism. Unfortunately, many people cast their votes as groups, not individuals.

The political party has become the new religious allegiance. We talk of voting beyond barriers of faith, but for many, the political party has become the new faith. They do not consider the merits and demerits of any proposed policy. Instead, they vehemently oppose policies if initiated by the party they do not support, and unreservedly support every policy initiated by the one they support. Many are simply afraid of being ostracised by their friend circle. This is tribalism, not democracy.

People keep asking each other, “Are you right, left, or centre?” Taking a fixed stance on things is juvenile. Once you say, “We belong to this camp, so we will only vote this way”, there is no democracy left. A living democracy means that you evaluate your position each time and take a stand accordingly. This considered position, this flexible stance, is a strength, not a weakness.

Each represents a great possibility. Democracy is a tremendous tool of self-determination where people are the power and decide the destiny of the nation. This freedom should not be surrendered by refraining from casting your vote out of callous indifference or cynicism.
It is time to imbue both our spirituality and our politics with this spirit of responsibility and freedom. It is time to vote on the basis of consciousness, not conditioning. Let us make it happen.”

Spiritual patriotism does not mean you follow others like lemmings. It means you embrace your individuality with gusto and apply your brain as a wonderful tool to discern fact from fiction, information from misinformation, true intentions from hidden agendas. This is a spiritual process. As Sadhguru says, you cannot be enlightened unless you are first an individual. You have the capacity and the ability; you only need act.

☺️
Hero’s Journey
The journey of the hero is about the courage to seek the depths; the image of creative rebirth; the eternal cycle of change within us; the uncanny discovery that the seeker is the mystery which the seeker seeks to know. ~ Joseph Campbell, 

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AstrologyOfJoy.com
About David: Personally certified by Dr. David Frawley, author and founder of the American Institute of Vedic Studies, David has been a professional astrologer for over 30 years. David learned the art and science of Indian astrology while a ten-year resident in the ashram of a realised spiritual master. David guides clients throughout the world on achieving everyday fulfilment in their spiritual and personal goals, relationships, and wellbeing.

David served as editor of Isha Yoga’s European newsletter for two years, was Vice President of the Rosia Montana Cultural Foundation in Romania, and has a Masters in Archaeology (with Distinction), studying the challenges and issues facing contemporary society from the archaeological perspective. He also wrote and published a parent-child picture book with his brother, Steve (illustrator), about the life of Adiyogi, the first yogi. He currently resides in Burntisland, Scotland, where he serves on the board of the Burntisland Harbour Access Trust helping maintain public access to the historically significant harbour.
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