The purpose of Vedic astrology and an evolutionary model

Vedic astrology sheds light on our shadows and helps us get rid of guilt and shame. Our goal as Vedic astrological counselors is to help people see how the planets are the puppet masters that pull the strings of our emotions and thoughts; then we can take a step back and stop blaming ourselves.

A good Vedic astrological consultation helps people remove blame from the planets and free themselves from self-criticism and self-punishment. Our anger is often related to a Mars transit, and our fear and depression to a Saturn transit. Understanding the causal relationship of a planetary transit or period can create a sense of transcendence for the mind and deep inner knowing.

This realization can create a moment of recognition, enlightening us to see that we are not our thoughts, emotions, or ego. In a sense, this is a Gyana technique, a contemplative practice that uses self-observation and insight to move from identification with the ego to direct inner awareness. It can free us from the slavery that normally holds us.

I have used this technique daily for years to create a mental buffer, knowing that the temporary shadow will pass. I still have to work on myself, but I can be kinder to myself and not beat myself up so much when Saturn afflicts me.

The evolutionary model: a modern metaphor

My evolutionary model of astrology was inspired by the classic movie Groundhog Day (Ramis, 1993). If you’re not familiar with the film, Bill Murray plays a weather forecaster who gets trapped in a nightmare where he relives the same day over and over again. Since he can’t die, at first he keeps making bad decisions: overeating, behaving recklessly, being rude. However, as the movie progresses, he takes up the piano, saves lives, becomes an incredible romantic, and the entire town admires him as a model citizen.

The film is a cinematic seminar on learning to be a kinder, more artistic, and more creative humanitarian. It becomes a metaphor for reincarnation and overcoming our negative past lives and our qualities of selfishness, addiction and bad education.

By examining our many incarnations (embodied in the planetary force and karma of our astrological charts) we can develop a plan to understand our evolutionary development. In my evolutionary model in Vedic astrology, I examine planetary dignity, house placement, and beneficial and malefic influences to determine whether, over the course of past lives, we have mastered the archetypal energies of the planet. Planets with strong placements and having a beneficial influence suggest lives in which different lessons are mastered, while weak planets with poor placements and affected suggest that more work is required.

Archetypal planetary models

These are some of the archetypal models of evolution that I have come to understand after years of working with these energies. If the planet is strong and has dignity, higher evolutionary lessons will have developed over many lifetimes. If you have a weak dignity, you have more lessons to learn about the archetype.

Mars: Are we willing to see the slippery layers of our ego that want to be right, look good, and be better than everyone else? Instead, move towards how we can help and serve the planet? A strong Mars placement, such as Aries or the 6th house, would suggest many lifetimes of mastery of service, while a weaker placement could bring out darker energies: sexual conquest, poor ego development, and boastful behavior.

Sun: Are we willing to grow into selfless service like the Good King, or get caught up in journeys of power and control to aggrandize ourselves?

Moon: Are we willing to become the compassionate Mother of the Universe, always nurturing and providing compassion for the benefit of others, or do we fall into cruelty and abuse? Do we get caught up in the whirlwind of our minds and emotions and forget the Divinity Within at our core?

Jupiter: Are we willing to act with justice, good judgment, and uphold moral standards, or do we fall into material wealth and corruption? Do we elevate ourselves by judging others to make ourselves feel better, creating a false sense of separation that prevents us from being compassionate?

Venus: Are we willing to be unconditional and loving in relationships and in the expression of beauty, or do we turn to criticism, judgment, and separation? Do we lose control of our senses due to addictions and overindulgence?

Mercury: Are we willing to support the world ethically with our material abilities and create abundance for all? Or do we get caught up in personal gains and corrupt business practices? Have we learned to communicate with sincerity and honesty, or do we spread falsehoods out of personal ambitions?

Rahu (North Node): Do we get caught up in corruption and unethical behavior for personal gain, or do we realize the futility of the material world and strive to allow our Kundalini to rise to the crown chakra and find the Divine?

Ketu (South Node): Do we realize the purpose of our existence – to unite with the Divine and help others through selfless service or spiritual wisdom – or do we get caught in the frustrating web of material success and feel that something is missing?

With the ego we can diagnose our deepest level of identity and existence. Very often the ego is distorted and imbalanced, which protects us from facing the harsh reality of who we are. At the deepest level, it blocks our Divine identity, one of the greatest obstacles to enlightenment. It continues to deceive us and keep us trapped in an illusion. It is important to be someone and have an identity, but at some point we have to get rid of all the false shackles of our masks that prevent us from realizing our Divine nature.