Michael Laughrin's North American Jyotish Newsletter April/May 2007

[Guest guest]

Michael Laughrin's North American Jyotish Newsletter April/May 2007

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Contents

-- The Exaltation of Planets

-- Book and DVD Review: " The Elegant Universe " by Brian Greene

-- Book Review: " Science of Light " by Freedom Cole

-- Astrological Symbols of a Shamanic Journey: Rebirth in the Desert

 

Dear Friends,

 

I offer you this newsletter to enhance and deepen your experience of

Vedic Astrology. In these newsletters, expect to find a combination

of helpful articles, book reviews, Jyotish links and more. The

purpose of this newsletter is to educate and titillate the Jyotish-

loving public. The opinions given within are solely those of the

author.

 

In this issue, read an article inspired by my wife Mara, on why

certain planets are exalted in the places assigned to them. Deborah

Allison walks us through a transformational journey in the desert and

examines the astrological chart of this trip. Enjoy two book

reviews, " The Elegant Universe " by Brian Greene and " Science of

Light " by Freedom Cole. And meet my webmaster and newsletter editor.

 

Please visit my website at www.jyotish.ws at your convenience. The

best articles I have written in these newsletters are archived on

this site. I offer access to an excellent yagya program.

 

- Michael Laughrin (Michael)

 

" hi michael, thanks for the newsletter, enlightening as always. "

- a reader

 

Question: Can February March?

Answer: No, but April May.

 

 

The Exaltation of Planets

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By Mara and Michael Laughrin (Michael)

 

Note: A sample chart that accompanies this article is available at

http://www.jyotish.ws/materials

 

A few weeks ago, my wife Mara and I were talking about why different

planets were exalted in the places assigned to them. If we use a

natural chart, with Aries ascendant, we find the Sun exalted in the

first house. Why?

 

Well, the 1st house stands for the self and the Sun stands for the

self, so it makes sense that the Sun should have its greatest

strength there. Also, the Sun rules the 5th house, Leo, so the 9th

house from the 5th (the 1st) brings tremendous luck to the 5th house

of children and intelligence. Also, a child needs self-confidence and

self-sufficiency, both of which the Sun in the 1st magnifies. A truly

smart person needs to be a little arrogant, somewhat kinglike and the

exalted Sun indicates both qualities.

 

The Moon (standing for mother, happiness and real estate) is exalted

in the 2nd house of Taurus, the most fixed of Earth signs. Every

mother knows that her family will do better in life with good food

and plenty of money (both ruled by the 2nd house). Happiness, also,

is more likely with sufficient prosperity.

 

Next we come to Cancer, the natural 4th house. Jupiter, the planet of

tradition, children, religion and higher education, is exalted there.

Why? Well, offspring like to be close to their mothers (the 4th house

rules mothers). Also, the mother is the first teacher of religion and

tradition, so that also makes sense (Judaism says that the child is

the same religion as the mother). The 4th house rules education in

general and the 9th house (ruled by Jupiter) rules higher education.

In traditional societies like India, generally real estate and houses

are inherited so we see a further connection between Jupiter and the

sign of Cancer.

 

Mercury is exalted in its own sign of Virgo--the natural 6th house.

Mercury is the planet of accountants and bookkeepers and the 6th

house is the house of servants. Mercury also rules medicinal herbs

and cleverness and the 6th house rules sickness and health. We want

our healers to be clever, don't we? The sixth house also signifies

debt and green plants. Mercury's color is green and it rules gardens

and lush growth of plants. Mercury, the bookkeeper and mathematician,

comes to our aid concerning debts, interest rates, loans, etc.

 

Saturn is exalted in Libra, the natural 7th house. Now, the 7th

house, being the 10th from the 10th house, is also a career house and

Saturn is one of the primary career planets, ruling hard work,

discipline and long-term plans. Also, Saturn in the 7th aspects the

4th house of real estate and Saturn signifies land. Last but not

least, Saturn, signifying discipline, helps give marriage a chance to

last a long time with its cool energy and patience.

 

Mars is exalted in Capricorn, the natural 10th house. Mars also has

directional strength there so this position is a double whammy.

Definitely one needs courage and strength to get ahead in the world

of work and Mars stands for both of those. Also, Mars is the ruler of

the 1st house of the self. One must put one's whole self into the job

if one wishes to have a career and not just a job. Unfortunately,

there is a lot of backbiting, backstabbing, secrecy and treachery in

today's business environment. All of these things are ruled by the

natural 8th house, Scorpio, which is also ruled by Mars. It helps to

feel the undercurrents on the job so that one can be prepared for

what will happen next. The Scorpionic energy is of great assistance

in these matters.

 

Finally, Venus is exalted in Pisces, the natural 12th house of loss,

sex, and enlightenment. Well, it makes perfect sense that the

signifier of marriage should be in the house of raw sex and bed

pleasures. Also, Venus rules the 2nd house of family and money. Most

people spend most or all of their money on their families, so we see

the loss there. And in many, many cultures, families almost bankrupt

themselves paying for the marriages of their children so there is

another connection between the 7th house and the 12th house. If one

fully does his householder duties, it will vastly increase the

chances of moksha in this lifetime or heaven in the next life. The

loss of worldly luxuries suggested by Venus in the 12th house

indicates gain of the Absolute--the unseen base of all Existence.

Pisces, after all, rules the great, unbounded Ocean of Consciousness,

and Venus rules pleasure. The greatest pleasures are always

spiritual.

 

We hope that these ideas please you and that they have some validity.

 

 

 

Book and DVD Review: " The Elegant Universe " by Brian Greene

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Review by Deborah Allison (upgpf)

 

Until a few centuries ago, astrology and astronomy were one and the

same. Even Sir Isaac Newton, who discovered the laws of motion that

describe the movement of the planets very accurately, regarded

astrology as his primary motivation for exploring gravity and motion.

Now, although astrology and cosmology have gone their separate ways,

the grand story of the nature of time and space continues to evolve.

 

In our time, we often embed these new perceptions and instincts about

the nature of the cosmos in the equations of physics. This

mathematical language of reality describes our knowledge in abstract

ways that are no less wondrous than the old myths that have always

carried our beliefs and perceptions. And the advances in physics in

recent decades are indeed quite incredible.

 

The story of the growth of our knowledge of physical reality over the

last century is told with clarity, energy and humor by physicist

Brian Greene in his Pulitzer Prize finalist book " The Elegant

Universe " and his more recent work, " The Fabric of the Cosmos. " Both

are " compulsively readable, " as one reviewer put it. The books have

the same flavor of human drama and intellectual adventure that one

finds in " The Da Vinci Code " (with a considerably less frenetic

pace). Greene is an eminent physicist deeply involved in his subject

matter. He is also a gifted story teller. His excitement and sense of

wonder about the astounding and totally unanticipated discoveries of

the last 100 years are contagious and keep the books moving along.

 

As if that were not enough, Greene is also a terrific TV personality,

the narrator and central figure of a three-hour NOVA presentation

of " The Elegant Universe " on PBS a few years ago. The video or DVD

from this series contains wonderfully clear and often amusing visual

images and animations of modern physical ideas about the cosmos, as

well as common-sense interviews with many of the physicists who

originally discovered all this. As you might expect, the video is

even more approachable than the books. As in the two books, Greene

manages to tell a very clear and comprehensible story without using

any mathematics at all. For those who miss the math, he has provided

some of it in the extensive footnotes at the end of both books.

 

Many of the new developments in physics have come about as a result

of looking at extremes of space and time well beyond the human range

of experience. Greene starts with Newton, whose perspective was

distinctly human, and shows how Einstein thought through the ways you

would have to revise Newton's theories if you imagine that you are

traveling at nearly the speed of light. The revolutionary result was

special relativity, in which space and time are unified as four-

dimensional space-time. The next step, also Einstein's, was to extend

relativity to extremely large distances and masses--the universe, in

fact--where the dominant role is played by gravity. The result was a

second revolution, general relativity, involving a rethinking of what

gravity really is.

 

At about the same time, other physicists were examining the other end

of the spectrum--extremely small distances, masses and times--and

found a world completely at odds with Einstein's and our own

experience. Instead of smoothness and certainty, they found chaotic

turbulence and uncertainty in the mysterious world of quantum

mechanics. This dramatic and unresolved contrast (or even conflict)

in models of the very big and the very small played out over the next

half-century as physicists continued exploring the extremely large

and massive (the starlight that travels billions of years before

reaching us, and the expansion of the universe) and the extremely

small and dense (the center of the very early universe, where perhaps

time starts, and the center of a black hole, where perhaps time

stops, both a billionth of a billionth of a centimeter).

 

Today these two incompatible perspectives, relativity and quantum

mechanics, may be approaching reconciliation and unification in the

context of superstring theory and its offspring, M-theory, with

astounding consequences such as multiple life-filled dimensions in

our universe (as many as 14 dimensions at last count) and multiple

universes (infinite at last count). And this is physics, not

metaphysics!

 

Greene tells this whole grand story. Read or view it and enjoy.

 

" The Elegant Universe " by Brian Greene. 21st Century Books in

Fairfield, Iowa has this book in stock and on their website. Call

(800) 593-2665 or visit www.21stbooks.com. The video or DVD may be

available at your local. You can buy the video or DVD, or view it

online for free at: www.pbs.org

 

 

Book Review: " Science of Light " by Freedom Cole

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Review by Michael Laughrin (Michael )

 

" Science of Light " by Freedom Cole is an excellent new book based

on " Brihat Parashara Hora Sastra, " perhaps the most important

classical Jyotish text in existence.

 

Mr. Cole's new tome is a kind of translation of Parashara and yet, it

is much more. I find that I cannot put it down since it crossed my

desk about a week ago. The book is much clearer than Parashara

itself. Mr. Cole's writing style is lucid, interesting and deeply

insightful.

 

Every serious student of the Divine Science should have this book in

a prominent position in his Jyotish library. This book is, in my

opinion, the best volume on Vedic Astrology published so far in the

21st century. Every time I look at it, I find something new,

profound, and thought provoking and I have been swimming in these

Jyotish waters for 21 years now. THIS IS A MUST BUY BOOK!

 

The author is learned in Sanskrit and Ayurveda as well as astrology

itself. He divides his time between the United States and India.

 

The book can be bought through his website (www.shrifreedom.com) or

from www.Amazon.com. 21st Century Books in Fairfield, Iowa is

attempting to get this book--if you live in the area, stop by their

store or call them at (641) 472-5105.

 

 

 

Astrological Symbols of a Shamanic Journey: Rebirth in the Desert

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By Deborah Allison (upgpf)

 

Note: A chart that accompanies this article is available at

http://www.jyotish.ws/materials

 

Sometimes in a lifetime there are certain experiences one can point

to that initiated a shift that altered the very fabric of that life.

I experienced such a shift in the high desert near Zion National Park

in Cave Valley mentored by White Feather, a gifted Native American

Elder. Feather is an expert in the sacred sites, lay lines, vortexes,

petroglyphs, pictograms and caves in and around Southern Utah. She

chose to take me to a circular plateau around 7,000 feet high and to

a path leading to a birthing cave used for at least 6,000 years.

 

As we walked across the circular plateau en-route to the cave,

Feather spoke of the symbolism of the formations of rocks and

mountains that marked a sacred confluence of lay lines. The

formations clearly indicated the cardinal points with intermediate

formations outlining a complete circle. A peculiar species of sage

brush filled the area with its powerfully purifying scent. The

morning was crisp and crystal clear with perfectly calm air.

 

It was not a long walk to the cave but only an experienced eye could

find its well-hidden entrance. As we approached, Feather pointed out

the absolutely amazing formation of the rocks. Clearly visible was

the thigh, calf, ankle and foot of the Mother and we were to walk

into her birth canal itself which was the chamber of the cave. If

there were any doubt as to the symbolism, a huge and remarkable rock

phallus was erect and close to the opening of the passage.

 

As our eyes became accustomed to the semi- darkness, Feather pointed

out the unique pictograms that were unique to this cave alone. They

were triangular in shape and told the story of a transition from the

earth plane to that of the divine, facilitated by the flute players.

The pictograms clearly portrayed the transition symbolically, showing

the five-toed earth plane figures giving way to the three-toed ones

representing the spiritual realm. Portals were indicated and symbols

of the Milky Way were readily visible. In the section of the

pictograms clearly representing the passage through the portal was a

striking symbol of the planet Venus.

 

In the back wall of the cave was a shallow alcove and I was told that

this was the place for the initiate to sit. I can't really put into

words the feeling of sitting in that spot. My head brushed the top of

the alcove and I was completely enveloped in the Mother. Feather

performed the ritual that would facilitate my passage into the Elder

phase of life in which my work would be supported by this infusion of

ultimate and ancient wisdom. We stayed in silence for awhile and then

moved out of the birth passage and into the brilliant sunshine of the

day.

 

From an astrological standpoint, I had deliberately not chosen the

specific day or specific time for this particular ritual but

afterwards, I became very curious as to what the moment of leaving

for the Cave indicated. Upon returning to my computer, I decided to

check it out (see chart F1 at http://www.jyotish.ws/materials ). When

I pulled the chart up, I could only sit back and wonder at the

perfection and synchronicity of the cosmos.

 

As you look at the chart, you are compelled to look at Venus right in

the ascendant on exactly the same degree of the Rising Sign. Such a

position means that in almost every divisional chart, Venus will stay

in the lagna. Venus was the only planet singularly highlighted in the

cave and is, of course, an ancient signifier of fertility, ovum,

sperm, etc. Both Venus and the ascending degree fall in the nakshatra

of Bharani. The stars of Bharani form a triangle said to be depicting

the vulva or female regenerative organ. No other nakshatra is as

closely aligned with the birthing process itself as this one. The

cave pictogram figures are widely regarded as unique because of the

triangle formations echoing their link to the cosmic pattern of the

moment.

 

The very bright Moon waxing to fullness is in the 5th house, which is

the house of children and initiated spiritual practices. It sits in

the nakshatra of Magha, which is the asterism of the progenitors and

ancestors and also the throne room-the site of ritual and ceremony.

We stand on the shoulders of our ancestors and it is through us they

continue their influence. Magha stands for the matriarchal and

patriarchal lineages and the old traditions they implore us to

maintain. The Moon joins the Rahu/Ketu axis with the Ketu side

associating with the Moon. In Vedic Astrology, Moon and Ketu is an

indicator of the fiercer aspect of the Divine Mother.

 

Moon and lagna lord Mars simultaneously form a dharma karma adhipati

yoga of the 1st and 4th lords and a Chandra Mangala Yoga, implying

help from women that can result in prosperity. Since the Moon

simultaneously rules the 4th, perhaps the " women " can be the

matriarchal line, the Divine feminine or even mother earth as the 4th

represents land.

 

The soul indicator Sun is in the 12th house where it is aspected by

the 12th lord Jupiter from the 8th house-- a position that is implies

more than just a casual link. Links between the 12th and 8th houses

can carry the theme of moksha or liberation and the ability to

transform and let go.

 

Finally, a very powerful Saturn aspects back to its own 10th house,

indicating that the transformations of the day may play out in the

public arena.

 

As I moved out into the world in the subsequent days, I wondered how

the shift would manifest, how I would step into the new shoes. In the

swirl of details that is my life and all of our lives, I found the

age old rocks of the cave--their silence and their support--holding

my interior space, and I am at home.