Please Use Astrology Positively --nice thoughts Dr. Satya

[Guest guest]

Nice to see you here Dr. Choudhary, your thoughts are clear and very

well-written. I've been hanging out here for a couple of days

defending Dina.

 

It seems he built the nest and someelse laid the eggs.--This is very

unjust and we should support the one who is righteous especially when

he has to face the Sanjay-camp and the former ISKCON-camp.

 

Couldn't Sanjay do better than collect people from an organization

who's in the news for heinious crimes like child-abuse, child-rape,

chil-molestation, assault with a deadly weapon, etc. etc.

 

I'm hoping some day SJVC doesn't turn into a cult.

 

MD

 

 

gjlist, "Dr Satya Prakash Choudhary"

<satyaprakasika> wrote:

> Aum Namah Shivaya

>

> Dear all,

>

>

> I hardly post here and hence most of you may not have heard of me.

> Those who visit some other lists, may know me. Does not really

matter

> because it is not going to matter much as far as the contents of

this

> post are concerned. At the outset let me clarify that I AM NOT

TAKING

> ANYONE'S SIDE or getting involved in what SHOULD HAVE BEEN an

> internal matter of an organization. I respect all, from the novice

to

> the adept. And I love anyone who does any good work to make this

> world a better place, or spreads the Light. I am going to restrict

> myself to a few general observations and comments.

>

>

> 1. We cannot be judgmental about others just because they don't

> fit into our definition of so called `purity', or `spiritual

values'.

> Such things are relative and partly based on conditioning and

> individual choices. Drinking, smoking, eating meat are not the

> yardsticks to measure a person's level of thinking or spirituality.

> Good if someone is a vegetarian or refrains from alcohol etc. Just

> because I don't smoke or drink, doesn't make me a wee bit superior

to

> anyone. If vegetarian diet is what is the ultimate yardstick, a

> monkey should be the greatest Yogi, or an elephant! Swami

Vivekananda

> ate beef when he was in the US, and meat when he was in India. That

> does not reduce his greatness or the relevance of his message. But

> that need not be taken as an approval either!

>

>

> 2. It is not uncommon to meet Indians (or even from other

> nationalities) who are judgmental about certain things (all

external

> stuff which need not necessarily reflect the internal state). All

> ideas of a particular country or religion or group being great, are

> our own misconceptions that reflect our lack of exposure to life

and

> people, and our own narrow tunnel headed vision of life. Let's

accept

> one thing. WE ARE ALL HUMAN BEINGS! No one is a god or holier than

> others. I have met enough good people everywhere and from all

> countries. No one religion or country has a SECRET formula to

Moksha

> or the Truth. Like JK said, "Truth is a pathless land". No religion

> or church or group or path can claim it exclusively.

>

>

> 3. Our own perceptions keep changing from time to time. And if

> someone is fixed, all it means is that he is stagnating. Life is a

> flux, where we constantly keep learning. What I am sure of this

> moment, cannot be definite for ever. So where does the idea of one

> being a GURU arise at all? I beg your pardon but the whole idea of

> Gurudom is an egocentric game. What matters is not the human gurus,

> but Guru Tattwa. And that Guru Tattwa, that SPIRIT keeps

manifesting

> through everything all the time. Being open to this continuous

> learning process is what matters really. In reality we are all

> seekers. If someone knows it all, what is he doing here? So we

cannot

> take anyone as infallible. True and genuine gurus are RARE. In fact

I

> personally believe that the term Guru is applicable only to those

> rare exalted spiritual souls who can guide us truly, not to others

> who are groping as much as anyone else. In areas like Jyotish,

Yoga,

> Philisophy, the term used for someone who teaches a student is an

> ACHARYA. If someone is hell bent on using the word Guru loosely, so

> be it. Call your teacher a Siksha guru, with the stress on SIKSHA,

> not on Gurudom.

>

>

> 4. Let there be no illusions about big money in Astrology. No

> astrologer makes big money really. This is one of the most

> frustrating fields (east or west) as far as money is concerned. A

few

> have made name, fame or money not because of astrology, but because

> of their individual talents and good PR skills. Those who are good

at

> programming, or creating concepts, or writing seem to have done

> fairly well. But as I said it is largely because of their

individual

> talents, skills and efforts. They would have made it anyway in some

> area. So forget some Big money being involved in astrology. Sorry

> folks, those looking for such avenues are better off spending their

> time elsewhere.

>

>

> 5. There is nothing wrong if someone chooses to charge for a

> reading. It is his personal choice. You don't like it? Just don't

go

> to him. At the same time don't create a big scene about spiritual

> values being lost. What do you expect the poor astrologer to live

on?

> Air or ether? I am not a professional astrologer. I did readings as

a

> part time thing when I initially came to Australia for my Masters.

I

> needed to do some work and decided on that because that was one

thing

> that I knew well and enjoyed doing. And to me one should be able to

> enjoy his work or take up work that he enjoys. Yet I was very

> liberal, did free readings too, etc even then. Today I don't need

to

> anyway because my business and medical backgrounds give me far

better

> avenues. Yet occasionally I still do readings freely when I find

> time. If someone does astrology professionally let it be. It may at

> least bring some responsibility and professional attitude hopefully

> (?). And if someone likes to do it as a service, let it too be. One

> just cannot be judgmental about these matters. Well it is my

personal

> choice that I do not wish to take money for any lesson or reading,

if

> at all I do. Probably because my stomach is full! You talk of

> astrology being introduced as a full-fledged subject in the

> Universities. So what do you expect those graduates and PHDS to do

> when they come out? Do free service? Beg? Or live at someone else's

> mercy? If that is the case, no one will eventually take astrology

as

> an option in the university. You don't have a problem if I charge

you

> a couple of hundred dollars for a medical service. Then why expect

> the poor astrologer to do free service and die of hunger! For that

> matter Ayurveda (the Vedic counter part of Medicine) is also an

> Upaveda, while Jyotish is a Vedanga. Move with the times. How

> judgmental and hypocritical can we be?

>

>

> 6. As for judgments based on someone's chart, it is highly

> unethical to do that. To the best of my knowledge (and I have been

> with some good traditional astrologers in both South and North

India,

> as well as in many spiritual centers and ashrams), it is not common

> for curses in someone's chart being discussed openly. Since someone

> claimed that it was perfectly normal in the Indian setting to do

so,

> I am speaking. NO it is not at all common or considered right in my

> opinion. And most importantly astrology is not meant for such

things.

> It has far better purposes.

>

>

> 7. There are two ways of doing astrology, like anything else.

> Positive or negative. We are here to help people, to give them

hope,

> to counsel them, guide them, to inspire them to be happy and

> peaceful, not to condemn, criticize, or pull down anyone's

> confidence. For that matter any student or teacher with enough

> experience knows that astrology is quite SUBTLE and the

manifestation

> of every astrological combination varied in each chart. The best of

> us could be right 70 to 80%. So how can anyone pronounce with

> certainty anything about past life and such things, which cannot be

> proved? And if understanding the roots of a problem is our main

> concern, if seeking the resolution for a negative karmic pattern,

is

> the main motive, there are better ways in which this can be done.

> Those who are familiar with psychology know how such pronouncements

> can affect a person. This is negative astrology. Anything that is

> restricting or binding cannot be good or healthy in the long run,

> whether it is a relationship or an astrological reading. Truth

> liberates. It sets us FREE. One should prove by predicting on the

> HERE and NOW.

>

>

> To me astrology is just a TOOL, a MEANS, not the end. It gives us a

> method to understand a person's mind, karmic patterns and mental

> complexes. Our life events are a result of our karmas both previous

> and current and the natal chart helps to identify the predominant

> karmic patterns- our prarabdha. There are many psychological and

> spiritual forces at work at any given point of time, some of which

> are conflicting. Even our various thoughts, desires and motives are

> often conflicting. Are they not? Life is often quite complex with

its

> myriad colors, expressions and attractions. The natal chart is a

> reflection of those myriad influences. SHOW ME ONE CHART THAT IS

> ABSOLUTELY IDEAL. No, the ideal or `perfect' simply does not exist!

> Since all charts are a mixture of positive and negative factors

> (karmas), the focus should be not on the `SINS' and `CURSES', but

on

> a positive resolution of those mental complexes. Negative

> pronouncements serve no purpose. They may even strengthen the deep-

> rooted complexes, if they are truly a reflection of a karmic

pattern.

>

>

> Talking of sins and curses and too many mantras is not a good idea.

> Any remedial measure should aim at a change of consciousness, which

> is at the root of the repeated karmic patterns. What is the use of

> feeding crows and penances, when one remains petty minded and

> arrogant? All knowledge is only to make life better, not to depress

a

> person. I strongly object to the use of astrology to condemn,

> criticize, or assassinate someone's character. Assimilation and

> Harmony, not Condemnation and Criticism! Long ago we had fought

each

> other with stones, then simple tools, then bows and arrows, guns,

> planes, nuclear weapons, and now ASTROLOGY! I request all not to

> reduce astrology to one more WEAPON TO FIGHT. Please let astrology

be

> what it is really- THE BEST OF LIGHTS (Jyoti: Light; Ish: Lord or

> Best). Let the Light of Knowledge remove the darkness of ignorance.

> Let it show the way to Wholeness, Love and Peace.

>

>

> LOVE AND PEACE TO ALL,

>

> Satya

>

> Note: This is a request and general message to all, not aimed at

> anyone. Please move on guys, and don't dwell too much on the past.

> There is a wonderful poem by the great poet Kalidasa in Sanskrit,

> which I am typing below for all.

>

>

> Listen to the Exhortation of the Dawn!

> Look to this Day!

> For it is Life,

> The very Life of Life.

> In its brief course lie all

> The verities and realities

> Of your Existence;

> The Bliss of Growth,

> The Glory of Action,

> The Splendor of Beauty;

> For Yesterday is but a Dream,

> And Tomorrow is only a Vision;

> But Today well lived makes every

> Yesterday a Dream of Happiness,

> And every Tomorrow

> A Vision of Hope.

> Look well therefore to this Day!

> Such is the Salutation of the Dawn....