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Jyotish Star of the Month |
By Juliana Swanson |
Juliana Swanson: Thank you for taking the time to meet with us today, Paddi. Let�s start with where you grew up.
Paddi: As a young and very perceptive Aquarian mind, I thought deeply about the religious stories and �rites� that I learned and lived with in the first five years of my education. I struggled with the nuns, who for the most part were quite mean and terrible at cooking. The nuns would parade around the table, forcing us to eat food that made me gag; and lunch was always served in a basement on long tables. It was horrible! This was the early stage of an intense, lifelong relationship with food. Juliana: How does an �intense, lifelong relationship with food� show up in your birth horoscope? Paddi: My second house is loaded: with Mars and Venus, both in Leo. For those of you with a western background, Pluto is placed there also, and issues around emotions and eating formed part of my beginnings. Juliana: And what were some of the benefits of your early religious environment? Paddi: Clearly, an awareness of praying and being connected to a deeper source began at a very early age. I preferred hanging out with the priests over in the building next door and would go as often as I could. I found it tranquil and peaceful. They would continue with my Christian education. I loved those times. By the time I left Christ the King Elementary in Whitehorse, Yukon in 1965, my parents were only 25 years old, and we listened to the newly successful Beatles on the radio! Life was good! Juliana: Did you get to travel much outside the Yukon Territory?
I loved spending time with my dad. We always shared a love of nature and adventure. He took me deep into very remote parts of the wilderness, on a regular basis, as a child. This initiated my fondness of hiking and boating, and of being in spaces of extreme tranquility. My father would, oftentimes, leave me completely alone, in remote areas, in the middle of the forest (quite literally in the actual middle of the forest!). These were cherished moments in time, to sit and ponder life. Moments in time that brought to light immensely profound realizations. To this day, I spend as much time as possible in nature: hiking in the mountains, jungles, or beaches. Juliana: Seems that your parents were very young when they had you. Paddi: Yes, but they both seemed to have an interest in metaphysics. My mother read works by Edgar Cayce, Lobsang Rampa Jane Roberts, and Linda Goodman; and my father delved into Rosicrucian literature. Reading came easily to me, and so I devoured the vast selection of titles made available to me. By the time I was 10, I had read them all! This was the official start of my studies in esoteric and metaphysical subject matter. I loved to ponder all that I was absorbing in these books, and I loved receiving epiphanies. I distinctly recall the moment I heard the message that I was going to be an astrologer: I was walking home from school, and was in grade 2! (an unusual choice for a Canadian child growing up above the 60th parallel). Juliana: How does a 7-year-old know she is going to be an astrologer? Paddi: I attribute it to reading Jane Goodman�s western astrology books. They provided a solid foundation of understanding, and somehow triggered a lifelong calling and study (or should I say several lifetimes-long). The age of 7 was a very significant period in my life. I had my first intense spiritual awakening coupled with a very deep longing to know God. Within my external environment, I was allowed to go into the church, at any time, as it was on the same block as my school and I would. I could sit quietly there. Miraculously, from that point in time onwards, great teachers have just shown up in my life. I still can�t believe some of the instances! How they show up and how I am drawn to sit and study with them for a few years at a time, is baffling. For example, when I was 28 and my children were small, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar was in my vicinity for a few years. In fact, we brought him to Whistler for a four-day seminar. I had no idea of his prominence, but became aware immediately when his weekend very easily drew 200 people! Juliana: And astrology teachers too?
Juliana: You are a Neo-Vedic astrologer. Please share what this means for you, for our readers who may not understand. Paddi: I am not sure what else to call it after ten years as a practicing western astrologer and then moving into Vedic astrology, for what is now 12 years. I�m not from the great culture that gifts us the great wisdom of the Vedas. I am a westerner, and a yogini, but very clearly Vedic. This source of knowledge has captivated my heart on so many levels. As it passes through me, it is distilled on its way into the world, and expresses itself as Jyotisha, or Vedic astrology. �Neo-Vedic� is such a great term, don�t you think? I feel so happy for those who were able to go straight to Vedic astrology! That�s how it is now, which is a good thing! Juliana: Tell us more about your exciting career path please! Paddi: Astrology has been a common thread throughout my life. I knew at seven years old that this was my fate. I have had complete trust in that fact and its process; there has been no rush. Being a wise astrologer requires life experience, something my wise teacher Shambavi describes as sadhana. No matter what we know, we have to live out our karma and learn our lessons. For me, I knew I would arrive when it was time, but in the meantime, it�s safe to say there was a lot of learning and preparing. Yes, there have been a few parallels in my professional life. I went to university originally, loved political philosophy, and sought to be a lawyer. I abandoned that idea when I felt the need to have a career linked to a more spiritual lifestyle. At the age of 23, I enrolled in the Canadian College of Massage and Hydrotherapy. This was the first school in Canada. During the 10 years that I worked as a therapist, massage therapy went mainstream in Canada. It was really cool to be a part of this movement. I believe I had to experience that in order to have the patience to help Vedic astrology become rooted in the West during my lifetime. Juliana: And you also were involved in another capacity in the business world, in British Columbia as I recall hearing from you before. Paddi: In 1989, I relocated both my children to Whistler, British Columbia. My daughters are still there and I also call it home. In the early 90�s, Whistler began to expand very quickly and after 10 years in massage, I needed a change. I ventured into real estate and learned about business; it was pretty easy during that time. Many of my clients were the original developers who were cashing out of Microsoft. They could afford beautiful ski chalets, and I specialized in the high end. I do have Jupiter in Libra in the 4th and Mars and Venus in Leo, and so have a love for design and a love of business. After five years in the real estate industry, I was invited to open a spa in the CP Hotel, and in 1998, was a partner in an Ayurvedic spa that was immediately ranked in the top ten in North America! I went back in: learned and practiced the Ayurvedic treatments. It was fun! Juliana: And yet you also had time for a personal life while doing all that? Paddi: Yes�in the meantime, I also remarried and had three stepchildren, which brought the total to five children under the age of seven. Raising five children in Whistler, I think, also falls under the heading of �work�! Juliana: Are there other astrologers in your family? Paddi: Not in my family of origin�they do not understand me at all (I am the black sheep!). They have no idea of my accomplishments in this area. Having said that, the very good news is that my own daughters do show an interest in astrology! My youngest is studying to follow in her mama�s footsteps and begin a tradition which belongs to this profession, as it is passed down in family lineage. In this case, it is beginning. This brings me great joy! Juliana: Which teachers have inspired and mentored you along the way? Paddi: I was extremely fortunate to have so many of the greatest teachers that currently walk the earth. So blessed! Maybe the greatest teacher I had was the naga sadhu who met me at the very place where the Ganges River comes out of the ground in Gomukh. There, an enlightened Being met me and was with me for an hour. This hour changed my life in some way. What was beautiful is that there were no words spoken, only the deepest nonverbal communication I have ever experienced. Juliana: India itself has been a teacher too, no doubt? Paddi: Visiting the sacred sites in the Himalayas and the temples of India taught me a lot. I sat in the cave where Ganesha is said to have lived; it is a few steps away from the petrified leaves of the Mahabarata, which is in itself a living temple. There was a Vedic priest there who held the light and chanted. This area is in a small village called Mana, on the border of India, China and Tibet, and looks down onto the Indus Valley, where the ancient Vedic sages lived. Spending time at the ashram in Tamil Nadu with Sri Narayani Amma in mediation, in puja and in japa, also caused tremendous experiential learning. There have been so many teachers in so many places: some I have spent a few years with and others just moments in passing. I see teachers in so many forms. I love that nimitta is part of Jyotisha because I see signs and lessons in small synchronicities of nature and life every day. Juliana: And your Vedic astrology teachers? Paddi: I have nothing but respect for all of my teachers during my formative education in Jyotisha. Sri Dennis Flaherty has been my main professor (I took my certification course through him). I feel blessed to still be close to him: we both sit on the Board of Directors of the Council of Vedic Astrology. I owe so much to him: I have a hermit-like nature and he draws me out of this predisposition and gives me tasks to perform. Sri Vamadeva David Frawley is infinitely supportive. I have the deepest of respect for him also. Chakrapaniji, James Kelleher, Sat Siri Khalsa, Jay Boyle, Joni Patry, Brendon Feely, Komilla Sutton, Andrew Foss, Dr. Suhas Kshirsagar, Edith Hathaway, Naliniji, Christina Collins, Dennis Harness, Bill Levacy, Gary Gnomes, Ronnie Gale Dreyer, Jaya Sekar and you Juliana Swanson! Thank you for offering this type of interview, thank you for this opportunity. I hope I have not forgotten anybody, but those were my original Jyotish teachers. Juliana: Wow, thanks for putting me in that esteemed group! I also honor all of these great teachers along with you, dear Paddi! And now, please tell us, how do you combine your work with Vedic astrology and the healing arts? Paddi: That is a great question. I view all of my life experience and studies as different medicines in my medicine bag. I will never stop learning. Most recently, my travels and studies have taken me to the South-American healers called shamans. Juliana: Can you give us a little peek into your process? Paddi: My only intention is to be as clear a vessel as possible, in order for the accurate interpretation of the chart to come through me. This is done in such a careful and thoughtful manner. People very often call when there is some form of healing that needs to occur in their life: physical, emotional, or spiritual. I find myself offering suggestions on herbs or homeopathy, acupuncture, massage, nutrition, superfoods, teachers, or yoga. In addition, I refer a lot of people to experts in these fields as well, or just introduce them to somebody I might know in some other part of the globe that could help them along their way! My extensive business background allows me to coach in that area as well. The work is hugely rewarding. Juliana: What�s your �secret� in chart interpretation? Paddi: A good question. I seek to understand the chart without any judgment. I seek to have the ear of the client, to ensure they understand the message correctly, while I remain full of compassion. There seems to come a point in the reading, which can be early on or even near the end, when it all comes together and I receive a clear message on how best to advise. Once this floods through, I feel complete and the reading is usually done. I also try to help what is immediately causing stress in one�s life, before moving deeper into the actual study of one�s chart. I have a Pushya Sun and an Ashlesha Mercury and Lagna: mothering comes naturally. Juliana: What advice would you give that could be helpful for students of Vedic astrology?
Paddi: I am now and have been consulting in and teaching astrology full time for the past four years. It�s wonderful. I feel blessed to be able to finally be ready to practice this art full-time. I have also jumped on the technology wave and work internationally via the Internet. This allows me to keep in touch and connect people all over the world. I get a kick out of that. I also drop in on certain cities and give week-long availability for private personal readings. This works well for me, as I love to travel. Juliana: What is it in your natal horoscope that points to your love affair with Vedic astrology? Paddi: Well, I have a great chart for being an astrologer. My lagna is Cancer, with Sun and Mercury in the first house, which creates a genuinely compassionate and sensitive nature. Moon is in the aloof Aquarius (Purva Bhadrapada) in the eighth house (the house of astrology): I love to hide from the world and do research and study! Ketu is in Pisces, in the ninth house, and the lord of the ninth is in Sagittarius. All of this most certainly helps! Juliana: Your life and work seem very full! Paddi: Life has had to be full in order to gain all of this wisdom. Since I have known that my profession into old age would be astrology, I have never been in a hurry. The more life experience and wisdom one has only results in being a more compassionate human. Juliana: And what of family life? Paddi: I married twice. My children are grown and still live in Whistler. I have spent half of my time in Whistler for the past nine years, usually the summers. I adore hiking in the mountains and being close to my girls. The winters have been on the beach. I love to swim and have fallen in love with the Mayan Riviera, where the jungle meets the Caribbean: Tulum has been a favorite spot. Wherever I am, Yoga is a daily practice. I love travel and adventure, so there are also side trips to other countries and continents! Juliana: You also like to teach meditation and you have an astrology blog. Tell us more about all this too, please. Paddi: I opened and ran my own mediation center, called Mayaveda, in Playa del Carmen from 2009 to 2011. In 2011, I was convinced to begin a blog and thus became involved in social media. This works wonderfully for me because of my love of travel and international networking. Now, no matter where I am, if I have Internet, I can work. My Aquarian Moon loves the Internet and computer technology! I also post weekly on my Facebook pages at 1) Paddi Moore and 2) Yoga for the Soul. And, you can see my blog at www.vedicastrologyblog.com Juliana: Paddi, thank you for this amazing interview. You are a divine inspiration and your seva is very much appreciated in the Vedic astrology community. Paddi: Thank you to you too, Juliana, and thanks as well to Christina Collins and the rest of the Jyotish Star team for the opportunity to highlight my work to your reading community! It is an honor and a great pleasure to be considered among this sacred group of illustrious �Jyotish Stars� who have been my teachers. Thank you! Paddi Moore Biography
I began to meet spiritual Gurus. They would just show up in my life in the most unusual places. This has not stopped to this day. I studied political philosophy in university, but there was always a side course going on in metaphysics. In 1982, I graduated from Canadian College of Massage and Hydrotherapy. By 1987, I passed my exams in Western Astrology from the Astrological Faculty of England. My passion for learning, healing, astrology, and service exists to this day. Over the course of 40 years, there has always been a passion for learning spiritual nutrition, yoga, Ayurveda, tantra, Feng Shui, meditation, homeopathy, herbology, quantum physics, business, politics, charity, and stress management. I enjoy the ancient classical foundations as well as new advancements in technology. Once freed up of daily parenting, I travelled on a spiritual yatra (pilgrimage) to the Himalayas and participated in pujas in all four of the sacred sites of the Vedic tradition. I was lucky enough to have a great Master meet me at the very base of the Ganges River, at 15,000 feet, an experience I hold dear to my heart. I was guided to the village of Mana on the border of India and China where I found myself meditating in the cave that Ganesha is said to have lived, alongside a small temple made of the petrified leaves of the Mahabharata. This village looks down onto the valley where the Saraswati River once flowed and the home of the Vedic sages. I felt at home I now focus solely on this profession. With the coaching of Dennis Flaherty, David Frawley, Chakrapani and too many others to mention, my intention is to help create a solid foundation for Jyotisha within North America. My mission is to make sure that serious students of yoga understand that their practice is only part of the Vedic wisdom and intrinsically linked to Jyotisha. This is a lifetime mission of passion for Jyotisha! To this end, I travel to and engage yoga studios in Canada, the USA, and Mexico. In addition, I regularly blog on my website at http://vedicastrologyblog.com/ and regularly contribute to a column in Vancouver Lifestyles Magazine at http://www.vancouverlifestyles.com Thank you! �Jyotisha or Vedic Astrology is the blueprint of your soul. When you come to this planet you bring with you information about the journey of your soul; your strengths, weaknesses, and the timing of the unfolding of your karma. Your Vedic astrology birth chart will give you this information. It is a sacred scientific mystical language that helps you understand yourself and your relationship to others as well as the grand cosmos in which we live.� Paddi Moore Namaste, Paddi Moore JyotishVishharada CVA Jyotish Kovid CVA Jyotish Medhashri ICAS |
Juliana Swanson Biography
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