Category: astrology

  • Newsletter: 17/March/2025 Wargames? Trump, Zelensky, Putin, Starmer, and… St Patrick!

    Newsletter: 17/March/2025 Wargames? Trump, Zelensky, Putin, Starmer, and… St Patrick!

    Astrology Monday! War games? Trump, Putin, Zelensky, Starmer and… St Patrick! 🥳
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    This Week’s Focus

    Shamrocks, Good Luck, and Jupiter
    Issue 11 Volume 8          17 March 2025
    The Lord is greater than all: I have said enough.
    ~ Attributed to St Patrick, 5th-century Romano-British Christian missionary and bishop known as the “Apostle of Ireland”

    Image © Saint Patrick, Handmade Greek Orthodox icon
    I believe luck is preparation meeting opportunity. If you hadn’t been prepared when the opportunity came along, you wouldn’t have been lucky.
    ~ Oprah Winfrey, American talk show host, television producer, actress, author, and media proprietor

    Dear Friends;
    Saint Patrick at first glance seems an odd choice to be associated with good luck. A quick review of his life and one might wonder if luck had not abandoned him at an early age. Born into an important Roman family living in Britain along the English Channel, Patrick was kidnapped at 16 and sold into slavery in Ireland. There he spent six years as a shepherd in isolation and hardship until he managed to escape. Luck still seemed to avoid him as he nearly starved, was forced into slavery again for a brief time then finally made it back to his family. Eventually he was compelled to go back to Ireland to spread the gospel of Christianity to the Celts while suffering being robbed and beaten, enslaved, and at one point bound in chains awaiting execution. 

    It is said Saint Patrick used the shamrock, the three-leaf clover, as a means of explaining the Holy Trinity (Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit) to the Celts perhaps with the intention to circumvent the Druid symbolism of the shamrock for the three forms of Danu, the goddess of fertility and wisdom. Danu was embraced as a mother reflecting qualities of nurturing and responsibility; a maiden to reflect beauty and the potential for new life; and as an old lady to symbolise wisdom and guidance. The Druids also associated Danu with the moon cycle, so the Druids would pray to a different aspect of Danu depending on the current moon phase. In line with this, the Druids carried these shamrocks around as a token of good luck or fortune.

    In Vedic astrology, Jupiter is the planet of good luck and good fortune. Yet, when you dive deeper, you discover that Jupiter is the good luck arising from a state of surrender to the divine which allows the seeming separation between ourself and God dissolve. This is not really ‘luck’, but a natural consequence of surrendering one’s will to the will of God.

    I once heard my guru say “when you have grace, even your mistakes are perfect.” What may seem like a bad choice at the time, is later be revealed as the perfect thing to do when we are aligned with grace. We have all had situations where we look back and think, “If I had not done that, life would have diverged in a terrible way.” This is grace in action, albeit, unconsciously. When we align ourselves with our inner Jupiter, even unconsciously, the grace bestowing power of God, our life is lived as an expression of God’s Love. Of course, doing so consciously allows our actions to be of maximum result.


    Jupiter, the grace bestowing power of God
    Jupiter represents the all encompassing, undifferentiated Love of which we are all part. This love is unconditional and free from the prejudice of upbringing, education, and societal influences. Jupiter is our intention that no matter what we do, all life should benefit. So how is it we find ourselves no longer aligned with grace? How is it that we find ourselves once again in survival mode where we have imprisoned our sensibilities and good intentions in lockdown?

    In astrology, our pain body is symbolised by Saturn. A healthy Saturn embraces pain as a means to consider better alternatives. When afflicted, however, Saturn symbolises attachment to pain, that self-defeating, twisted perception that seeks to feel alive through pain. In such individuals, Saturn has become so dominant that in order to feel alive, they will sabotage grace and good fortune. 

    Saint Patrick never looked upon his years as a shepherd in isolation as a misfortune. He never pointed his finger at his cruel master. On the contrary, Saint Patrick looked upon these years as the period of life in which he drew close to God. It was during this time that he dedicated his life to his spiritual unfoldment. Though the pain of Saturn was a part of his life, it was his Jupiter’s aspect upon his Saturn that allowed him to embrace misfortune as a stepping stone to his greater Self. 

    His Jupiter consciousness allowed him to surrender to a higher will and his surrender unlocked the storehouse of grace. Grace is ever-present and always available. By energising our Jupiter, the unconditional Love for all beings, for Life itself, we find that grace is not even sought; rather, grace finds us.


     🤗

    David 🔆

    astrologyofjoy.com


    In this issue:
    • Weekly Planning Forecast
    • Eye on the Globe
    • Hero’s Journey: Free App
    • Available Consultations

    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.

    An opportunity to transcend your self-created identity
    From Pisces to Aries: Spring Equinox: 09:01 20 March (GMT)

    An article by Sadhguru on the importance of the equinox
    In the yogic tradition, the equinox is the day when one has the best possibility of transcending the limitations of one’s physical longings. Prejudice essentially arises in our minds because we are overly identified with something. If you are too identified with being masculine, you will have a masculine prejudice. If you are too identified with being feminine, you will have a feminine prejudice. The equinox is considered a day when one can be free of prejudice. 

    If you want to know the intricacy of life in its full depth and dimension—not living somehow and dying—if you want to know it all, it requires attention to everything. If you simply close your eyes and sit, you must know which day of the year it is, even if you have been kept in a dark room in sadhana for 12 months. Not by marking it on the floor like Robinson Crusoe. That is the way of a prisoner or somebody who is trapped.

    If you are conscious, just by feeling the way it is, you should know which time of the day, month, and year it is. That means you as a life are in perfect sync with the larger dimension of life. Modern physics is clearly telling you that everything pulsing within your body is in some way a reflection of the cosmic pulse. If this is just a small reflection of everything else, if you see clearly, you must see everything in the reflection.

    If you hold a mirror to the mountain you can see the mountain in the mirror. It is just that the mirror should be clean, not uneven or covered with muck. You can see the world through your two eyes, which are so small. In the same way, you do not have to become a huge piece of life to reflect the cosmos within you. It is just about alignment. 

    The equinox is the time to become unprejudiced. The fundamental process of prejudice is that you get identified with your body and thought. From identifying with the body to identifying with the thought is a many-fold promotion into corruption. The moment you are identified with your thought, you are a lost case because you have fallen out of Creation and reality into your own illusory rubbish. Once you fall into your own nonsense, you are free to drive yourself crazy whichever way you want. 

    The equinox is a day to bring balance, to not be identified with this or that, not even being a man or a woman, not even being human or another creature – just to sit and throb as life. 
    This Week
    This forecast is a quick look at what is affecting your self-image, self-confidence, and self-worth for the next 7 days. For a more complete and personal look at all the amazing aspects of your astrology, contact David at astrologyofjoy.com.

    Quick read:
    • Sun enter Aries 20 MAR
      • Sun in Pisces was about letting go false identities as someone small and unworthy and is instead about cultivating your inherent worth. Aries is about locking in on your vision and bringing it to fruition through clarity, leadership, and vision. This month (thru 19 Apr), embrace your dream with wisdom and courage.
    A little more…
    Mars is still being blindsided by being in Cancer and having a close aspect from Saturn. This can create confusion in your ability to discern the way forward. Saturn hijacks Mars’ will and points it in a direction of either embracing actions only because you want to look good in the eyes of others or in avoiding what you should be doing because it is uncomfortable. In both cases, the will is being used to protect itself instead of moving forward leading to frustration. Hint: get a second opinion from a third party you trust, but who is not personally affected by your choice.

    And a little more…
    • Saturn-Neptune-Rahu (North node) in Pisces
      • Be watchful of making choices out of fear. Saturn and Rahu are edging closer to one another indicating a tendency to choose survival over living. Short-term gains can mean long-term trouble. Carefully, weigh the possibilities, then choose the way forward that best ensures long-term success and joy.
    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
     
    Retrograde Register
    Keeping you abreast of the current retrograde planets and their significations
    As viewed from Earth, when planets appear to go backwards they are said to be in retrograde motion. Astrologically, the significations of such planets become more internalised. They also become more powerful and will increase challenge or triumph depending upon your horoscope. For an in-depth examination of how retrograde planets are currently affecting your day-to-day goals and activities, David offers a Retrograde Reading for £35 for a 60 minute online consultation.

    Retrograde Significations
    Highlighting the current retrograde planets
    • Mercury retrograde in Aries (15 MAR thru 29 MAR then into Pisces)
      • Mercury is your ability to survey available options and keep trying until one works. This is a good thing. It means if you should fall, you’ll get back up again.
    • Venus retrograde in Aries (2 MAR thru 27 MAR then into Pisces)
      • Word to the wise: Venus is not the planet of unconditional love; that honour goes to Jupiter. Venus is conditional love that can find a universal quality when you allow your Jupiter selflessness to lead the way. In Aries, you can redirect the Venus/Mars passion into good works that benefit others. This will also have the added benefit of keeping you out of trouble.😄
    Eye on the Globe
    Viewing world events through the lens of Vedic astrology, yogic science, and the archaeology of now and the knowledge that “things are not always what they seem”.
    Disclaimer: my personal political affiliation is Independent. I vote for candidates left, right, and centre based on long-term trends and what is needed to ensure the wellbeing of society. 
    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…

    This week:
    Strong Jupiters, galore! Then what’s missing? 🤔

    Jupiter needs a healthy supporting cast

    No man is an island, entire of itself;
    every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main.
    If a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as well as if a manor of thy friend’s or of thine own were: any man’s death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind, and therefore never send to know for whom the bells tolls; it tolls for thee.

    — John Donne (1571 — 1631) English poet, scholar, soldier, church cleric; from the Meditation of the 17th Devotion: Devotions upon Emergent Occasions.

    How interesting!
    On the world scene, I have discovered something interesting: as to the major players I have looked at, all of them have a strong Jupiter regarding placement. Jupiter is the sincere desire to do good deeds for the good of all. If this is true, then where is the obstacle within each that makes the way forward so treacherous?

    Let’s take a look at some of the major players using the Aditya zodiac, the original Hindu zodiac before the Greeks brought their animal symbols and called it zoidiakos. I also found strong Jupiters in JD Vance and Emmanuel Macron, but due to time and space constraints, I did not include them in this quick study.


    The horoscopes  

    “Ultimately, if you’re not doing what you love, you’re not going to be fulfilled. Sure, to make money, you have to be tough, you have to have some smarts and a little luck would help, but the bottom line is: You have to love what you do.”

    Jupiter: well placed in Libra, the Aditya Vishnu. Vishnu relates to the laws of humankind and Jupiter here represents swift, powerful action for the benefit of all.

    Biggest obstacle to realising Jupiter’s potential: Jupiter is unconditional love, yet, is being heavily influenced by a troubled Mercury and Venus: Mercury causes one to seek love outside of oneself and Venus tricks one into thinking shallow pleasures will bring fulfilment.

    What can help offset Jupiter’s obstacles: Trump has an amazingly strong Sun that helps him to be unconcerned with public opinion. However, you wish that he would be a little more concerned. If he can learn to be more diplomatic and less caustic, he would gain more support with what he is trying to accomplish. His vision is honourable, but his crude manner makes him a target of the Left and makes it much more difficult to realise his vision.

    “I am not a politician. I am just a simple person who has come to break down this system.”
    ~ Volodymyr Zelensky

    Jupiter: well-placed in Gemini, the Aditya Varuna, the all embracing love that leaves no one out.

    Biggest obstacle to realising Jupiter’s potential: Mars is the vehicle by which Jupiter realises its potential. Zelensky has a terrible Mars that causes a deep mistrust in his capabilities so he seeks to prove himself, but Saturn’s strong association indicates this is ultimately frustrating. This is an indication of war because of the tendency to prove to the world he is a strong leader. This troubled Saturn/Mars is apparent in his short stature (a Saturn affliction) and the way he dresses (in military (Mars) fatigues) and in his recent failed attempt at appearing decisive and strong at the Whitehouse. 

    What can help offset Jupiter’s obstacles: Adding to Zelensky’s issues is poor self-esteem indicating a tendency to focus on his short-comings and live through the beauty and grace of his wife. His best planet is Mercury. Although it harms Jupiter and Mars, it is relatively unscathed in his chart. Mercury is the power to seek alternatives when we fail at one. It gives flexibility, adaptability, and a certain amount of humility as we saw after the Oval Office spat where he later came back to the negotiating table and worked out an agreement with the US. As a fun fact, a friendly Mercury often indicates a person with good humour: Zelensky was a professional comedian.

    Nobody should pin their hopes on a miracle.
    ~ Vladimir Putin


    Jupiter: well-placed in Taurus, the Aditya Mitra representing friendship, integrity, and honourable action. It works well with Jupiter in Varuna (e.g. Zelensky) indicating a genuine concern for the welfare of others.

    Biggest obstacle to realising Jupiter’s potential: Interestingly, Putin experiences the same afflictions as both Trump and Zelensky with the added challenge of a terrible Sun — self-esteem and self worth. This may seem surprising, but many of his impulsive, cold-blooded actions, even murdering opponents, arises from an intense feeling of insecurity. With his Saturn/Mars indicating war like Zelensky, it is no wonder these two were unable to resolve their differences. It also shows how the war in Ukraine would never be resolved if they had to rely on each other. The two are perfect mirrors for each other’s weakness. And who should come into the picture and begin to break ground towards peace? Donald Trump, of course: his Sun (self confidence) is off the charts. Hint to end the war in Ukraine: keep Putin and Zelensky separated!! Let others do the negotiating.

    What can help offset Jupiter’s obstacles: Putin needs to be influenced by someone with a strong, honourable vision of what can be possible. His Sun is the only real planet that can help guide his Jupiter, but his Sun is terribly weak. This means he needs a strong father figure (Sun) who can tell him there is another way besides war. That person, of course, seems to be Donald Trump. Trump’s sky-high Sun gives him the vision and the confidence to pull it off. I can assure you this is why any progress has been made up to his point.

    I was a human rights lawyer for 20 years, I believed those values of dignity, equality and non-discrimination were a given. believed the only question in my lifetime would be – how much further do we extend those values? I did not think in my lifetime we’d actually be having an argument about those values.
    ~ Keir Starmer

    Jupiter: well-placed in Pisces, the Aditya Dhata, associated with healing and bearing the responsibilities of making the world a better place.

    Biggest obstacle to realising Jupiter’s potential: Keir Starmer’s chart is so bland it’s funny. Yet, he has a place in the peace process in Ukraine as an inoffensive mediator. At the same time, his biggest affliction is a Mars/Saturn aspect that represents trying to fix the problems of others that are not his to fix. The image that comes to mind is the Grandma who means well, but who is actually making things worse. Again, the Mars/Saturn aspect can indicate war, though in Starmer’s case it would not occur from his aggression, but from being pulled into a war through his attempt to “do the right thing” even if it wasn’t.

    What can help offset Jupiter’s obstacles: Keir Starmer’s Sun has a great aspect from Jupiter indicating his sincere desire to build something good and everlasting. Unfortunately, it suffers from a strong Saturn aspect revealing how Starmer focuses too much on rectifying everyone’s perceived pain and not enough time on the abundance and joy of life. This is fascinating, but his best course is similar to Putin, to be with a strong father figure Sun. Again, we see Donald Trump’s influence from the reversal Starmer is showing in defence spending (aka, Trump’s peace through strength) and the need for more fiscal responsibility. He has also been quick to disassociate himself from heavy-handed attacks on Trump.

    Prognosis
    As much as many people hate to say trump is right, only Trump has been able to bring the two sides together. Until trump, it has been war and more war. Escalation has been the plan for the past three years and that only leads to what no one really wants except the military industrial complex: WW III.

    As we can see from the astrology, we are dealing with major players who harbour deep wounds and issues. Incredibly, Trump has come onto the scene and offers a real chance for peace because he thinks outside the box. Moreover, he is a businessman, not a politician, and would much rather see nations making money off each other.  Most of all, his personality fits neatly into what both Zelensky and Putin lack. In a strange way, Trump is their therapist.

    Now… if only someone would put Trump on the psychiatrist couch and help him deal with his terrible Venus. Or better yet, have Sadhguru go to the Whitehouse. Is it farfetched? I saw Sadhguru and RFK Jr, Trump’s Health and Human Services secretary, have a wonderful 2hr conversation at Sadhguru’s ashram in Tennessee several years ago… stranger things have happened.
    😉 😄
    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, 

    Be with self-realised masters of human potential… 

    Finding a spiritual teacher is a personal matter and there are as many gurus as there are human temperaments. Here’s a “no-fee” chance to get to know some of the ones I can personally vouch for having spent time in their company…

    A Guru is one who dispels your darkness. He is able to throw light on dimensions that are not yet in your experience. ~ Sadhguru

    Free and low cost programmes and discounts…

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    Launched by Sadhguru this past Mahashivratri, Miracle of Mind is a free app to download that empowers you through a daily 7 minute meditation. For more information, follow this link.
    Consultations

    Become an Astro Affiliate! Receive 20% cashback on any referrals.

    Visit astrologyofjoy.com/special-offer for more information.

    What is the Astrology of Joy? It’s a tool for finding your bliss and living a joyful life. It’s a gentle “push” to get you back on the right track. Based upon the time-honoured system of astrology practiced in India for thousands of years, Astrology of Joy is inspired by David’s four decades living in ashrams, seeking truth, and learning from enlightened beings who taught, “You are more than a body and a mind. You are That!” 
     

    Recommended Schedule

    1. One-time Natal in-depth overview:
    £95… 2hr online reading. Optional: £29 add on eBook.
     
    2. NEW! Varshaphala (6-month Solar return)
    £95… 2hr online reading. Optional: £29 add on eBook.
     
    3. Rahu/Ketu Elemental Reading
    £79… 2hr online reading. Optional: £29 add on eBook.

    4. Specialised Consultations:
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    • Relationship/Compatibility
    • Career/Finances
    • Health and Wellbeing
    • Spiritual Development
    • In-depth examination of any area of your choosing
    5. Muhurta Consultation
    Auspicious date determination for wedding, pregnancy, business start up, surgery, etc
    £29 per month analysis; £60 for three month analysis. Months do not need to be successive.
     
    All readings are recorded as an MP3 file for your continued reference.
    Financial concessions available.

    For more information, visit astrologyofjoy.com/consultations.


    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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  • Sun-Sign Forecast: Libra 2024

    Sun-Sign Forecast: Libra 2024

    Sun in Libra!
    Your forecast for the next 30 days 

    The Sun has entered Libra and will be there until 23 October. The following represents an aspect of the energy you can expect to encounter during the next 30 days. For a more complete look at all the intricate aspects of your astrology, contact David at astrologyofjoy.com.

    Libra Sun-Sign
    Happy Birthday, Libra! Work shows possibilities of recognition that helps improve your confidence. The big challenge this month is keeping those pesky pigeons from the past at bay. Don’t feed them and watch them fly away!

    Scorpio Sun-Sign
    Reaching your creative potential begins with accepting yourself first and foremost as a spiritual being. Being attached to past stories hinders this acceptance. Focus on the story now and watch your heart come alive.

    Sagittarius Sun-Sign
    Settling old issues around teachers, mentors, and the father opens new vistas that can help increase your income. Be cautious in communication, but in creativity, open the door wide and turn your vision into a reality.

    Capricorn Sun-Sign
    The pot of karma is simmering. If you want to make sure it becomes a tasty soup, put those ideas you have about work and activity into action. Right action makes every recipe delicious and makes everyone want to come back for more!

    Aquarius Sun-Sign
    Relationships get a boost when you look for the hidden possibility within them. Remain confident, and let your natural grace and charm lead the way.

    Pisces Sun-Sign
    Like the Pisces symbol of two fish going in different directions, there are two energies at play. One is health: take care to remain true to what you know is good for your body. The other is mind: seek the stillness and the angels of mysticism will reward you.

    Aries Sun-Sign
    Watch for old flames or old stories dragging your relationships down. Better is the possibility that what HAS been dragging your relationships down can be resolved when you stop thinking and simply observe. Become the witness and you’ll become a ‘seer’.

    Taurus Sun-Sign
    Insight into health matters can benefit you greatly. Be sure the home is a healthy place to live and not part of the problem. Home should be a refuge and a place of rejuvenation. Do what you can to make this happen.

    Gemini Sun-Sign
    The desire to create can actually interfere with creating when we unconsciously allow our past to corrupt the desire mechanism. Step back and watch the breath, then create what is born. Stillness is the womb out of which the world began.

    Cancer Sun-Sign
    Creative ideas around work and activity help bring contentment and a feeling of security. Allow past connections to home and childhood inspire you, not trap you. 

    Leo Sun-Sign
    There is a strong spiritual current moving through your creative mind allowing for creative solutions. For support, make the home your castle, but don’t get stuck behind its walls. Nature beckons and promises good health.

    Virgo Sun-Sign
    Communication remains strong and even puts on a teacher’s vestment. I think you have something to share, Virgo. Are you sharing it? Don’t let past experiences colour the road ahead. 

  • Today’s UK Election: Does It Matter?

    Today’s UK Election: Does It Matter?

    Today, Brits will go to the polls to elect their next government. Will it be a landslide victory for Labour (liberal) as most everyone predicts or will the Tories (conservatives) rise up from the dead and, like the ailing-but-still-alive Monty Python character from 1975’s Holy Grail who protests being thrown out with the dead, shout “I’m not dead!” Perhaps the upstart Reform party will make their mark as a force to be reckoned with in future elections. Yet, after the dust has settled at the polling stations, will it even matter? 

    Elections come and go and somehow it seems that “the more things change, the more they stay the same.” Or do they? Following on the heels of this election and the US election in November, Saturn’s dance with the North node in January and its debilitation several months later combined with stronger than usual solar activity points to a period of global instability and disturbance. Is this saying that no matter who gets in, the world is in trouble?

    As an astrologer, I regard the approaching storm as a “done deal”, a fait accompli, if you will, simply because steering challenging planetary alignments towards a greater good requires a higher consciousness free from fear, hate, greed, pride and all the other human foibles that arise from the pain of separation, the primal wound. Do any of you trust the world’s leadership to make choices that are truly for the benefit of all? What about the world’s populations? Will we vote from a place untouched by our own conditioned mind?

    Since time immemorial, exalted beings like Jesus, Buddha, and myriad other great ones have walked this earth and though they have offered solace to the weak and weary, their presence seems to have done little to stem the tide of hate and aggression which has plagued every known period of human history. Does this mean we throw up our hands in apathy as many of us already do and sigh, “What’s the point?” Does not the Game of Life still ask us to play the game to the best of our ability? 

    What does this say about the coming elections in the UK and USA?

    It seems we are between a rock and a hard place: simply voting from familial and social conditioning as most do will empower the forces of ignorance and inflame an already increasingly chaotic world. Our vote matters, but, as with everything else in life, only if we vote consciously. Too often we lead with our emotions and fail to see that, as Sadhguru suggested before the 2020 presidential election, “Don’t vote for the good man; vote for the capable one.”

    Life is always more than what we see and it’s our duty to find out.

  • Sun-Sign Forecast: Cancer

    Sun-Sign Forecast: Cancer

    21 June — 22 July

    Your monthly horoscope according to your birth sign (Sun-sign).

    This month, the Sun entertains Cancer where it is joined by Mercury and Venus. Cancer is the zodiacal sign relating to the subconscious and represents the seat of emotion. Cancer embodies the feminine and speaks of the importance of home both outside in the world and within our own being. This month, use the higher aspirations of your Sun to help you identify your natural talents and proclivities.

    Cancer Sun 🥳
    Happy Birthday, Cancer! Conscious manifestation requires both the masculine and the feminine. Just like a baby is born from the union of masculine and feminine, allow the Sun (masculine) to warm your emotions (feminine) and create a perfect opportunity to find your authentic self, especially through home and family.

    Leo Sun
    Does self-denial make you feel uneasy, Leo? No need to panic; this month, redirect your personal goals towards the greater good. Do this willingly and you’ll discover that the greater good is actually your greatest fulfilment.

    Virgo Sun
    This month, Virgo, increased income opportunities come through shining your light where important and influential people meet. To paraphrase Marcus Aurelius, where your talents meet the needs of successful people, there you will find your calling.

    Libra Sun
    Eleventh house Sun in the tenth bodes well for work opportunities and projects. Relationships have always been important to you, Libra. What about the relationship you have to abundance and wellbeing? This month, learn from someone who has a great relationship with wealth, beauty, and good health.

    Scorpio Sun
    Work this month can be positively influenced by a teacher, mentor, or guide. Know of anyone? If not, then seek to be nourished by the feminine. Better still, seek the advice off a wise woman who can guide you towards your abundant self and, along the way, help you reconnect to your innate spirituality — her real purpose.

    Sagittarius Sun
    The field of good luck and good fortune is fertilised with right action. This month, have the courage to peer into the dark corners of your mind and shine a light on those debilitating detours you take that sabotage your peace of mind. Life is in the details, Sagittarius, but remember to slow down. Haste makes waste.

    Capricorn Sun
    Successful relationships are built on love and sustained when doing what is needed supersedes personal intent. Just as in the art of negotiation, the art of relating means you both win. Seek the higher ground, Capricorn, and you’ll avoid sinking into the mud and getting stuck.

    Aquarius Sun
    Healing comes to you this month when you allow the light of relationship to illuminate a path to sound health. Find someone who will inspire you to greater heights of fitness and wellbeing. This includes emotional wellbeing, too, Aquarius.

    Pisces Sun
    For the past year and a half, you have been hesitating to spread your wings and fly. Like the movie character Forrest Gump when he broke free from the leg braces, now you have an opportunity to return to your old glorious self. Run Pisces, Run!

    Aries Sun
    Home is where the heart is, Aries, but it is also where the paintbrush lives. Turn your home into a temporary artist’s studio or writer’s hut and find your creative Self. No need to throw out the furniture; just throw out your old ideas of creativity. And while you’re at it, get rid of those pesky I can’ts”. Like the ad says, just do it.

    Taurus Sun
    Home and family take on new meaning this month affecting your short term goals and plans. That’s okay. There is a gem hiding in there somewhere. Seek and ye shall find and when you do, everyone benefits.

    Gemini Sun
    Staying on schedule with your individual goals will get a boost when you communicate your ideas gently, but with firm resolve. It’s a balancing act, of course: too little and others won’t take you seriously; too much and they’ll think you are self-absorbed, but you are NOT self-absorbed are you Gemini?

  • Astrologer’s Mailbag:                               Is Suffering Inevitable?

    Astrologer’s Mailbag: Is Suffering Inevitable?

    This month’s question comes from India: Is suffering a necessary part of life? Must we suffer in order to learn our lesson and grow?

    A well-known astrologer friend once said to me, “Pain is inevitable; suffering is optional.” What he meant is that though life invariably has pain, whether we suffer that pain is up to us. Suffering is always a product of identification with the body or mind. Identify with your unlimited nature, and suffering is no more.

    However, the questioner here is alluding to those emotionally painful situations when it was our own actions that lead to suffering. Often we hear from someone, “I needed to go through this in order to learn such and such…” as if given their state of mind at the time, there was not even a snowflake’s chance in the desert they could have chosen a different path. This is just a clever way to avoid responsibility.

    Suffering is self-inflicted. In an attempt to escape the primal wound of being separated from God and all its transmutations, we leap unconsciously into the lap of hope and desire only to fall into the abyss of suffering. Blind leaps are made with blind faith, and only darkness and despair shall they find.

    As spiritual seekers, we must ask ourself if we are a pack animal that needs to be beat into submission by Life in order to move forward, or are we a human being who can objectively examine the motivations and intentions behind our actions? To say we were simply lost in the moment ensures that such ‘forgetfulness’ will happen again.

    Suffering is not necessary in order to learn that which we need to learn. All we need is an awareness of why we are about to do what it is we are about to do. This in itself can save us countless days and nights of untold suffering. In order to have this kind of awareness, we cultivate each day virtues like vigilance, equipoise, and a commitment to dharma, living a life true to our nature.

    Living a life true to our nature is the solution to every problem and issue. Our true nature is a direct link to God. It is the ‘divine plan’ emblazoned within us at the moment of creation and when we are aligned with this plan, though pain is still a possibility through the body, suffering is not.

    Suffering is a result of deviating from our authenticity. We deviate because of past wounds that masks our true nature and makes us believe fulfilment lies elsewhere in the objects of our fantasies and imagination. Simply familiarising yourself with how these wounds manifest in your life will help tremendously in navigating the waters of desire which become shark-infested with compulsions, obsessions, fears, and all the other modifications of the mind that bring misery.

    “The unexamined life is not worth living” is a famous quote attributed to Socrates. I always tell my clients: never regret the choices you made in the past, but closely examine the trials and tribulations that brought you to your knees: you will likely realise how choices better attuned to your true nature would have averted the situations that caused you to suffer. This is good; this is learning from your mistakes. Only a stupid person or one who fails to contemplate their life experiences repeats the same thing while expecting different results… .

    Taking Socrates’s cue, if we consider thoughtfully why it is we make choices that lead to suffering, we will discover a multitude of deeply buried pain and hurts that caused us to believe something about ourself that was not true. This caused us to initiate or undertake actions that ultimately proved detrimental to our joy and peace of mind.

    The whole premise of astrology is that we can avoid much suffering simply by being aware of the tendencies of the mind. Indeed, I have known many people who averted suffering during particularly vulnerable periods by simply being vigilant to the tendencies which could drag them into challenging dramas and painful circumstances.

    If you would like a Vedic astrological consultation that alerts you to the pains and hurts specific to you, visit this link.