DESTINY PATTERNS AND VEDIC ASTROLOGY
By Marty Cottler, Ph.D., Vedic Astrologer

Have you ever wondered why our lives turn out as they do? Why does life frequently unfold in ways we don’t anticipate? How come important events happen when they do? Oftentimes, we are left feeling like we’re wading in an ocean where unseen currents carry us away, creating unforeseen results. We can term these currents “destiny-patterns”.

Sometimes we’re literally swept off our feet by destiny-patterns. Like falling in love – we usually don’t preplan with whom or when we fall in love. We’re swept away by the tide of attraction. Wouldn’t it be great to know when we can form a relationship that has “staying power”, or when we can attain more success and prosperity? Vedic Astrologers help us answer these questions. Vedic Astrologers identify the destiny-patterns in different areas of our lives, evaluate how and when they will affect us, and recommend what we can do about them.

Here’s a little history about Vedic Astrology. The Sanskrit word for Vedic Astrology, Jyotisha, translates as “the knowledge of light”. Jyotisha is one branch of the Vedas. The Vedas are the source teachings of Indian culture and of a universal spirituality. Their origin predates recorded history (at least 5,000 years ago). At first, the information we now call the Vedas was cognized by Rishis (“seers”), who passed on their wisdom by telling it to the next generation. The oral tradition continues to this day, although a portion of the information is written down. The Vedas pose questions and answers to our ultimate concerns about life: birth and death, poverty and prosperity, suffering and happiness, consciousness, and the eternal. The Rishis developed six branches (Vedangas) to help us understand the Vedas. Vedic Astrology is one branch created to help us see our way through life with greater clarity.

Vedic Astrology is a system used to assess, forecast, and improve the quality of our lives. Vedic Astrologers interpret the observed conditions of the cosmos at the time of our birth to gain insight into the destiny-patterns influencing us. This information is viewed in context of what the birth-chart reveals about our daily lives. Our sense of self, relationships, education, career, finances, health, and spirituality are all intertwined with our likes and dislikes, and with our destiny-patterns.

Relationship compatibility is especially important, since all components of life involve relationships. Vedic Astrologers can analyze a person’s relations with family-of-origin, partner/spouse, children, in-laws, friends, neighbors, teachers, students, employers, employees, business and financial partners and endeavors, and so on.

A central assumption in Vedic Astrology is the existence of free will, without which all helping disciplines would be useless. Many of us in the West misuse the term "karma". Karma is mistakenly viewed as our fate, something we are stuck with. From the perspective of the Vedas, karma means both action and reaction. Destiny is not predetermined. It is determined by our actions, which we can change by using our free will.

The purposes of a Vedic Astrology consultation are to use our conscious free will to learn more about the destiny-patterns influencing our lives, and discuss and implement measures that may help lessen suffering and enhance well-being. The ultimate goals of Vedic Astrology are to help us lead lives more in harmony with our deepest nature, and enhance our awareness of the light of consciousness.

And here’s a little info about me. During my teenage years, I discovered the writings of J. Krishnamurti and became interested in Eastern spirituality. About the same time, I also developed an interest in psychology, and focused on that subject in college. In 1981, I earned a Ph.D. My studies focused on integrating humanistic and transpersonal psychologies with psychoanalysis, and applying these approaches to psychotherapy.

The Western framework of psychology was never “enough” for me, and I continued to learn more about Eastern spirituality. During the 1990s, I spent about a year at Ammachi’s south Indian ashram. It was there I first encountered Vedic Astrology. I was amazed that someone who definitely did not know anything about me could tell me about my life – past, present, and future – by looking at a diagram that contained symbols which made no sense to me! From that moment, I felt compelled to understand how a two-dimensional diagram (a birth-chart) could reveal four-dimensional information about another person.

My subsequent Vedic Astrology education and training has resulted in certification by the American College of Vedic Astrology, and Council of Vedic Astrology. I provide consultations, and also tutor and teach in Grass Valley, CA. For additional information, please visit www.sierravedic.com .

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