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Ayurveda & Jyotish |
| By Madhavi Rathod |
| Although I had family members who were trained in Jyotish, this vidya never sparked my interest during my youth. Then, while I was studying at the Ayurvedic Institute in Albuquerque, New Mexico, I met Hart de Fouw, who was teaching Jyotish. By briefly looking at my astrological chart, he had immediate insights into my health concerns at that time. This encounter started me on my path of studying Jyotish. My knowledge of Jyotish has proved to be an invaluable asset in my Ayurvedic practice, and vice versa. In earlier times in India, an Ayurvedic physician or a vaidya, was well-versed in Sanskrit, Yoga, Jyotish, Hasta Samudrika Shastra (Palmistry), and Vaastu Shastra (Vedic architecture). Two sciences which are inexorably woven together are Ayurveda and Jyotish. In my preliminary questionnaire for my Ayurvedic clients, I ask for their birth information. That provides me with additional insight into their health profile. It�s often difficult for people to be objective regarding their health patterns, so the chart offers an unbiased perspective. In Jyotish, we experience planetary cycles, called dashas from birth to death. The Sanskrit word for planet is graha. Graha means �to grasp or to seize.� The planets grab ahold of us during their dasha and exert their influence on us according to their nature and placement in a chart. By looking at a client�s dasha sequence, I can ascertain which graha is most influencing him or her at any given time. An astrological chart is a road map of a person�s karma, which includes how an individual manages his or her health and the type of ailments he or she may experience. There are astrological houses which are correlated to health. Additionally, supporting amsha (divisional) charts describe the person�s daily regimens, dietary and exercise patterns, chronic health ailments, acute health issues, propensity for surgeries, and the capacity for recovery.
The ascendant or first house of a person�s horoscope gives shape to a person�s physicality and vitality. While there is no substitute for pulse diagnosis in assessing a person�s prakruti and vikruti, the nature of an individual�s first house will certainly help define the person�s physical tendencies and Ayurvedic constitution. For example, if a person has a Leo ascendant, and Sun and Mars are in the ascendant, then we would certainly expect the individual to have Pitta predominant in their constitution. The person may be prone to Pitta disor-ders, such as hives, rashes, inflammation, and acid indigestion. We would also utilize other astrological considerations in this analysis. Each of the twelve signs (Aries to Pisces) and houses (1-12) of the zodiac corre-sponds to a particular bodily region. Aries and the first house represent the head and face. Taurus and the second house represent the throat, Gemini and the third house represent the shoulders and ears�and so the flow of the body goes�with Pisces and the twelfth house representing the feet. Careful interpretation on the part of a trained Jyotishi is required to know which body parts may create health challenges, and at what periods of time they may occur. In addition to the signs and houses indicating health issues, there are also the twenty-seven nakshatras or constellations of the zodiac. They are specific astrological indicators of what body parts may be prone to illness or injury. Each graha occupies a nakshatra. For example, Saturn transited out of Libra in November, 2014, where it was exalted, or at its strongest point, for approximately 2.5 years. Saturn is a graha associated with Vata disorders. Saturn was transiting a nakshatra called Svati from October 2012 to November 2013. The deity of Svati is Vayu, the wind god. Svati is linked to Vata disorders and is associated with the intestines and the chest. When I saw this transit for clients in a Saturn dasha or bhukti, I advised them about being extra mindful of Vata imbalances during this period and suggested remedies by which to pacify Vata dosha. For clients who have a planet natally placed in Svati, I always emphasize the importance of dinacharaya (daily routine) and pranayama (breathing exercises). Ayurveda also places great emphasis on the qualities or gunas that correspond with each dosha. Sun, Saturn, and Mars are dry grahas, whereas Jupiter, Moon, and Venus are wet, and Saturn is windy. If dry grahas primarily influence the ascendant, then the person may be prone to dryness; if it is mainly wet grahas influencing the ascendant, then the person may have issues with bloating or circulation of fluids within the body. This information can be used in conjunction with the correlations of body parts to each house, to determine which parts of the anatomy may be prone to specific health conditions. It�s quite common for clients to inform me that they follow a good diet. Yet, their questionnaire does not always indicate appropriate food choices, but often shows how their dietary habits are contributing to greater vikruti. The chart will usually provide support for whatever they have revealed (or omitted) in their questionnaire. The second house of a chart represents the mouth, and this is where an astrologer can discern the type of food that an individual eats. Dry planets influencing the second house will cause hoarseness, sore throats, gas, and even constipation. Vata will be aggravated accordingly. I can further investigate clients� dietary patterns by asking targeted questions to support what the chart is indicating. They may have left out a history of smoking or specific food cravings or a family history of a certain illness. With this additional information, I am better able to lead clients on the path to wellness. Both the astrological chart and the palm indicate dietary preferences. The palm easily can reveal when a person has become overindulgent. I advise clients accordingly on food combining, eating for one�s constitution as well as for the season, and often teach cooking classes on preparing meals for one�s current vikruti. Both Jyotish and Ayurveda deal with that which is unseen, but they manage to provide the information in complementary manners. Disease may not be apparent to the casual observer, but we can see what is indicated via the tongue, face, nails, pulse, etc. Similarly, a person may appear to be the picture of health, but the astrological chart can indicate where potential physical weaknesses lie, which would otherwise be unknown. In Jyotish, each graha is also correlated to a dhatu (tissue system). I determine which grahas are most likely to cause health complications and the timing of vikruti associated with a specific dhatu. Then, I make appropriate herbal suggestions to support that dhatu. Often I meet clients who have tried multiple healing modalities, both holistic and allopathic, with little success. In addition to ashta vidya pariksha (eight-fold examination) for these individuals, I survey their birth chart for supporting information. The chart can sometimes indicate that there has been improper diagnosis of his or her disease. This is often the case when the nodes Rahu or Ketu are heavily involved. Or, it may indicate that past treatment has not had the proper focus. It could also highlight when the person will experience an upswing in his or her health. The longer that I have been working with a client, and the better I understand the causes of his or her vikruti, then the more his or her chart will provide me with the ability to treat the individual at a deeper level. I can fine-tune his or her herbal remedies or suggest pranayama techniques or yoga asanas to improve his or her health, by utilizing what the individual�s chart reveals. The chart can indicate what would be a successful modality of treatment at a particular period. Using this information in combination with a thorough Ayurvedic assessment and an individual�s health history can provide the guide posts to a healthier life. The converse situation also holds true in my practice. Even if the client is just coming for an astrology reading, my Ayurvedic training is always with me. I can look at the client�s face and determine which organs may be working under stress. By studying an individual�s physique, speech, bodily movements, etc., I can determine his or her current vikruti. Health is often a primary topic of discussion in my astrology readings. I can make some simple suggestions to the client on how to improve his or her health, such as the types of foods to avoid or some Ayurvedic remedies which may be beneficial. There are many factors involved in health analysis for a Jyotish reading. I look at the three primary health charts (the shastamsha, the tajika ashtamsha, and the bhamsha), the chhidra grahas, the maraka sthanas, and the badhaka for health calculations. I also note what grahas are in dusthanas in the natal chart. And I examine all this in the context of the current and upcoming dasha/bhuktis. There are also various health pro-formas which I have learned over the years that I utilize heavily in my analysis. Some clients treat their health as an afterthought when they come for an astrology reading, because they have been blessed with perfect health so far. If adverse health is indicated in their chart in upcoming dashas or bhuktis, I advise them on how they can improve their vitality now. When people come for an astrology reading and want to focus the discussion on their finances, relationships, career, or family, I can also discuss how these issues may impact their health. An astrologer plays a key role in counseling the individual on how to objectively deal with the challenges or opportunities that present themselves. These challenges may include accidents, injuries, or severe mental stress. There are also timings indicated by an astrological chart which suggest an opportune time to commence certain health-promoting activities. Health-promoting activities include diet and daily regimens. This is especially helpful when Saturn is transiting or influencing the 6th house of daily routines. Ideally, if a person is prepared for periods where there may be low vitality, then he or she can augment vitality with Ayurvedic herbs and lifestyle regimens specific to his or her needs. Since Ayurveda is both preventative and curative, this guidance may be even more beneficial if applied when astrological periods deem that vigilant attention to one�s health is necessary. Another common subject in Jyotish readings is the issue of conception. Couples often experience issues with infertility and have tried Western methods, without success. By making the appropriate astrological calculations of the bija and kshetra sphuta, I can determine the likelihood of conception, impediments to conception (if any), and when there may be astrologically strong times to conceive. I further augment this by suggesting tonics which support shukra and artava dhatu (the male and female reproductive tissue systems). Knowledge of which bodily systems are weak or prone to illness can empower us to take better care of our lives with appropriate diet, counseling, and exercise. Each of us may face health challenges within our lifetime, but we can use the tools found in the Vedas to be proactive, rather than reactive, in maintaining our well-being so that we can lead a harmonious life each day. Madhavi Rathod's Biography
Madhavi holds a Master's degree in Finance and Marketing from Loyola University in Chicago. She draws upon her Indian heritage and combines her knowledge of Jyotish and Ayurvedic medicine to assist clients in realizing their full potential by guiding them to areas where they will be most effective in life. She may be contacted via her website: www.vedichealing.com |
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| Jyotish Star Copyright 2015 C. C. Collins - All Rights Reserved |