Astrology manifested in the inner vision of the ancient sages and Ṛṣis of Bharat. These yogis and enlightened beings were able to see beyond the realm of names and forms. They could feel and express the subtle reality that exists behind cosmic phenomena. As such, they perceived the primal powers of cosmic intelligence in the planets and stars (the macrocosm), and worshipped the cosmic powers within themselves (the microcosm) as powers of their being.

By concentrating intensely on the Sun and other planets, they understood the movement of the life force in their body, and by meditating on the life force, they also came to understand the movement of the Sun and the planets in the heavens. Through this technique called saṃyama , they could unravel the secrets of the universe. They brought down their understanding into a system of Vedic science, which became known as Jyotiṣa: the science of light.

Parāśara was one such sage. He is known for being the father of Jyotiṣa. He wrote the magnum opus Bṛhat Parāśara Hora Śāstra, which systematically explains the theory of predictive astrology. According to history, he is the grandson of Vaśiṣṭha and also father of Veda Vyāsa, who wrote the great epic Māhābhārata. The depth of his astrological knowledge was so great that one evening while crossing a river in a boat, he casually looked at his favorite stars in heaven and suddenly realized it was an exceptionally auspicious moment. He concluded that if a child were conceived at that moment, he would be an expert in the scriptures. So he told this to the lady rowing the boat and requested that she marry him. She agreed and the son born out of their spiritual union was Veda Vyāsa!

By observing the movements of the celestial bodies through time and space, the science of Vedic Astrology can be applied to each human incarnation to encourage the soul to develop to its fullest potential.

'The moment the consciousness enters the body, the energy level of the cosmos at the time of birth gets printed in that consciousness. Your inner space gets a print of the cosmic energy level and the position of the nine major energy centers of the solar system.

The astrological planets are not only astronomical, they are energies. A particular energy of push and pull exists between them. The different energy positions clearly decide the cosmic energy level during the time of birth. Based on that, Jyotiṣa will be able to predict the course of life. Understand, not exact incidences because you have freedom. You have freedom to decide whether to sit here or not, to read this or not.

The major course of life- if you will get enlightened or not can be predicted. Principles can be predicted, not policies! Having an idea about your horoscope will give you intelligence and acceptance in your life: intelligence to take decisions and the acceptance to bear the inevitable things. According to me, a seeker should have a basic knowledge about his horoscope.'

Jyotiṣa can help one to read his destiny. But what is actually destiny?

There are only two types of destinies:

The first one is destiny as defined by a dictionary: destiny lived within the boundaries of the ego, with its own expectations, hopes, desires, successes and failures. It is constantly changing. Because it evolves under mind's law, it is mechanical, accidental and coincidental. This 'destiny' is lived in the dimension of the mind, so it has no existential reality in itself. It is nothing more than a reproduction of one's past in the present, which conditions the future in a mechanical way.

The other destiny is existential and ultimate; it is the flowering of consciousness into enlightenment. Understand: the only thing predestined in the scheme of life is that man is meant to evolve to reach enlightenment. The rest is just incidental; it happens for no other reason than to teach and mold the being towards seeking enlightenment. Living enlightenment is all about making conscious choices, free from the unconscious push and pull of the saṃskāras.

The further you wander from your center, the more you lose yourself in your periphery, the more you are subjected to incidents and accidents. Whereas, when you live enlightenment, you are centered, you are within your boundaries, you are aware. You become predestined, because your predestination is to reach enlightenment; your destiny is to become more and more aware. Then you become the agent of your fate, and you move beyond grahas' influences. This is how you come to terms with your karmas.

For that to happen, a simple understanding of the forces at work in you can help clarity manifest in your daily routine. In addition to this, you can follow a couple of guidelines to keep your body healthy with the science of Āyurveda and raise your energy level with yoga, the use of gemstones, rudrākṣa beads, mantra chanting, and a basic knowledge of your psychological tendencies coupled with the ancient Vedic wisdom expressed by the great enlightened Masters.

All these remedies will bring lucidity about your mental set-up and support for eventually dropping your conditionings, unclutching from your mind and emotions and fostering your intelligence and energy to live enlightenment.

The grahas are energy centers, energy fields that planets exert in the universe. Each of the nine main grahas in Vedic astrology has a specific energy field that creates specific effects on our planet Earth. For example, the moon has a strong impact on the movements of the sea and on plant growth; it even influences the mind of human beings. In the same way, the major energy centers produce an effect on living beings and influence their potential at birth, their mental set-up and, therefore, the course of their destiny. In Jyotiṣa, grahas are often referred as the agents of the karmas for which the soul took birth. Human personality and life have their counterparts in the structure of the cosmic physiology, represented by the grahas and the nakṣatras.

There are nine grahas (nine influences or 'planets') in our solar system: the Sun (Sūrya), the Moon (Candra), Mars (Mangal), Mercury (Budha), Jupiter (Guru), Venus (Śukra), Saturn (Śani) and two nodes called Rāhu (ascending lunar node) and Ketu (descending lunar node). These represent archetypes. Sūrya, for example, represents consciousness; Candra represents the cosmic mind; Budha represents the cosmic intellect, etc.

Most of the calendars of the world have been set by the Sun's and Moon's movements (measuring the day, month and year) and were of great importance for agriculture, because the harvest depended on planting at the correct time of the year. But the Vedic tradition uses a system of 27 nakṣatras to calculate months. The nakṣatra is the constellation in which the moon sits in the heaven at a particular time. In each month, the full moon sits in a particular constellation, and the Vedic month will have this nakṣatra'sname.

Each nakṣatra falls under the rule of one, sometimes two grahas. Each graha is assigned three nakṣatras. For example, if the child is born when the moon sits in Aśvini nakṣatra, his birth star will be Aśvini, and his sign will be Aries (called mesha in Sanskrit), ruled by planet Mars (Mangala). Bharaṇi and Kṛttika, the two next nakṣatras, also fall under the lordship of Aries sign. All three will therefore have similar characteristics and will influence the child's mind and consciousness at the time of birth, shaping his destiny.

'I worship the Moon, who has the color of yogurt, seashell or snow, who arose from the ocean of milk, whom Śiva wears as a crest jewel on his head.'

• Veda Vyāsa

Dynamic: How we feel and respond

Key Words: Receptivity, sensitivity, imagination, memory, nurturing, sympathy, compassion, influence

Sign: Cancer

Color: White

Gender: Feminine

Cakra: Svādhiṣṭhāna, Anāhata

Temperament: Sattva(pure)

Governing deity: Pārvati

One day, Gaṇeśa was given a lot of sweets by his devotees. He swallowed all the sweets, then he went back home, riding his mouse. It was sunset and in the darkness, the mouse suddenly stumbled over a snake. Gaṇeśafell to the ground.

He had so much eaten that his over-filled stomach burst and the cakes poured out.

Gaṇeśa collected and replaced them in his widely open belly. He caught the snake that had caused the disturbance and tied him around his waist. Looking at this funny occurrence, the Moon started laughing.

Gaṇeśa was very annoyed and thought she had offended him. Resentful, he removed his right tusk and threw it at the moon's face. At the same time, he put a curse on her, so that she would stop shining at night and disappear from the sky. At that time, the story says that the moon was full every night.

Since then, with the moon being missing, there was neither moonlight nor twilight. Nobody could sleep, because the sun was bright even nightly. Without the moon, the gods found heavenly life as unbearable as men found life on earth. So, they rushed to Gaṇeśa's house, supplicating him to manage the situation.

He complied with their urgent requirement, but decided the moon would not be allowed to shine brightly every night as she did before. Henceforth, she was sentenced to wax and wane, alternating a shining fortnight and a dark fortnight, with each of these periods ending either by the full moon or the new moon.

'The moon is phlegmatic. She is learned and has a round body. She has auspicious looks and sweet speech, is fickle-minded, and very lustful.'

• Bṛhat Parāśara Hora Śāstra

Symbol: The crab

Element: Water

Ruling Planet: Moon/Candra

Ayurvedic constitutiok: Kapha(earth and water)

Healing stone: Pearl

The symbol of cancer is a crab, an animal whose carapace covers a soft belly. In the same way, the native protects itself from the outer world and tends to be secretive, shy and discreet.

This sign stands for the four states of consciousness in which we live, symbolized by the moon: Jāgrat (wakeful state), Svapna (the dream state), Suṣupti (deep sleep) and Samādhi (deep meditation). The moon is a changing planet; it waxes and wanes, and its movements are representative of the principle of time and space in the Universe.

Those born under Cancer operate in the inner world with a strong emotional nature, as well as the outer world, as it enjoys being active.

Its natives are often uncertain of their power and potential. They need to build up self-confidence. They are friendly, caring, show sympathy; they are nurturing and have motherly qualities. They like to be surrounded by people, with whom they can share their feelings and affection. Often, they become too emotionally sensitive and dependant on others. They can become much attached, which can make them nervous and weak. Their imagination and visualization is powerful and receptive; they have the power to create and realize their dreams.

Very talkative, the sign will be honest in its relationships and unbending once it has made up its mind to something. Once cancer feels confidence about himself, he will show pro-active behavior, initiative and power to shine over others like the moon, and can have great influence over masses.

Nakṣatras: Punarvasu, Puṣya and Āśleṣa

Punarvasu is 'the star of renewal'. It represents new beginnings and a life mission to carry forward successfully. The sky is the limit for this nakṣatra! It reflects purity, truth and strong moral values and confers 'the ability to gain wealth and abundance'.

If you are born under Punarvasu's auspices, you will have many friends, you will enjoy reading sacred texts and scriptures, and will possess gems, jewels and ornaments. Your spirit is able to rise from the ashes, and your approach to life is very optimistic and curious; you may be childlike and playful at times. You will have a good height and an oval face.

You are generally calm but tend to get into disputes to exhibit your intelligence. This may give rise to arguments with other family members. You are good natured; even when you go through difficulties you will always help others. Easily contented, you are self- controlled, though occasionally indecisive.

Be careful not to over intellectualize life, and therefore become too critical. Your mental vacillations do not allow you to be in the present moment, and this nervousness compels you to speak when you should keep silence.

You will have abilities to work in the publishing field, the entertainment area, or as a teacher, as well as in fields that include dealing with social groups and the public. Great potential in the communication field can be developed here.

The moon in Puṣya nakṣatra is supposed to be the most auspicious of the twenty seven nakṣatras. Its basic temperament is dharma, or the seeking for right action, and it has the 'ability to create spiritual energy'. All forms of spiritual practices are encouraged here.

The star shows tranquility, absence of agitation, faith in oneself and fullness of life. This attitude can happen because the native inherently has faith in the divine and his own self. It flowers into a good inner stability, and enables the person's creativity and productivity to bear fruit. There will be great activity and dynamism under this nakṣatra.

You are able to control your desires, and are popular because of your sympathetic and compassionate nature. You are learned and fond of doing charitable work. You may be a little fat, liking to eat and nurture yourself. You also have this latter tendency towards others and like to take care of them physically and emotionally.

But stubbornness and selfishness can be shown. You can be quickly shaken by others' criticism, and may doubt yourself. This can paralyze you in life. Therefore, you should learn to become independent of others opinions. Using your wisdom and studying the teachings of enlightened Master will help.

Generally, Puṣya natives are well placed in society; they can be rulers, directors, food merchants, teachers, psychologists or priests, and often they will be masters to others.

Āśleṣa is an intense nakṣatra that stands for 'the entwined', symbolized by a coiled snake. The serpent is a symbol of divine wisdom, procreation and prosperity, as well as poison, danger and trouble. This lunar mansion denotes the challenge of being addicted to pleasures. It shows a dual attraction towards enlightenment and the seeking of the truth on one hand, and a life immersed in the outer world and comforts on the other.

When your moon sits in Āśleṣa's constellation, you may have very penetrating eyes. You may be complex and misunderstood because of your contradictory character. You may at times be very spiritual, thoughtful, austere, silent and independent; then on occasion, show rude selfishness, dishonesty, cunning and aggressiveness. You cannot bear humiliation, which can lead you to hide many things to others.

It is hard for you to forget the past. Strong temper can be seen here also; you should learn to control your diet and not to eat too much when you are upset about something. Be aware of food poisoning and poor diet and take care of your nervous system. You could be good at writing, astrology, studying mystical sciences and may be attracted to politics, or work with animals.

Āśleṣa people would benefit by cultivating gratitude and courage to welcome life as it is, rather than how they dream it to be.

There are 7 major energy centers in our body, called cakras in Sanskrit. They are directly connected to our emotions and impact different aspects of our personality and the way we relate to ourselves, others, and to Existence.

Each planet resonates with a particular energy center in the body. The watery energy of the Moon is connected to Svādhiṣṭāna cakra located below the navel region. Its energy can sometimes imbalance the cakra, especially when the person has too many fears! Svādhiṣṭāna flowers when you face your fears, and stop fearing them.

First of all understand that all small fears are mere projections of the ultimate fear of death. Second, don't resist the fear in you. Just keep repeating to yourself that you are scared and go through it, that's all! You will soon find that the fear is no longer there because you saw it through. Start doing this every time you feel fear.

When you consciously work on this, you will understand that what you call fear is nothing but your response or reaction to an incident or thought. Depending on how you respond, you can claim that you did not have fear or had fear. And, with more and more awareness, you can respond towards fear without fear!

Remember one thing: No one can claim to be fearless. One can only learn to handle fear without fear, that's all.

In a birth chart, many influences have to be considered to find out one's body type. Consulting an experienced Ayurvedic doctor will help you to understand your body constitution.

Generally, the Ayurvedic doṣa (body constitution) related to Cancer is kapha.

If you experience symptoms such as lethargy, a feeling of heaviness, nausea, chills, looseness of the limbs, coughing, mucus discharges, breathing difficulties and a tendency to sleep too much and high cholesterol, you may be suffering from kapha imbalance. Other symptoms can be inertia, congestion, stagnation and circulation problems. There may be a tendency toward obesity and boredom, depression, apathy, laziness, and mental dullness may be present.

If you are easy going, forgiving, physically strong, stable and reliable, slow to anger, active and positive minded, have a strong immune system, full of mental resolve, rational thinking, endurance, adaptability, long term memory, then your kaphais balanced.

Here are some of the common characteristics of people who have predominantly kapha body constitution:

• ❍ Relaxed disposition, slow paced
• ❍ Loving, forgiving, compassionate personality
• ❍ Stable nature, reliable
• ❍ Faithful
• ❍ Physically strong and heavy and large body, enduring constitution
• ❍ Slow speech, good memory power,
• ❍ Large watery eyes
• ❍ Prone to heavy depression
• ❍ Gentle, self sufficient
• ❍ Excellent health, strong resistance to disease,
• ❍ Slow to anger, greedy, envious
• ❍ Tend to hold on to things, possessive of people, money
• ❍ Physical problems generally include colds and congestion, sinus, headaches, respiratory problems including asthma and wheezing, hay fever, allergies, and atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) and constipation.

Kapha people are prone to lethargy, sluggishness and overweight. Therefore, they need activity and stimulation more than the other types of constitution. Daily exercise is a must for them. Getting out of the house, walking and actively seeking new and different experiences, breaking their routine is also valuable. They should learn to be receptive to useful change, renounce impediments to progress, implement life solutions and choose foods, mental attitudes, behaviors, exercise, relationships which can help them to balance kaphacharacteristics.

Kapha people should consume little fried or fatty foods; avoid icy drinks, sweets or excessive amounts of bread. Butter, ice cream, cheese and milk should be avoided; they are among the worst foods which aggravates kapha. The consumption of salt should be kept in check, as it creates water retention in kapha body types.

They should enjoy plenty of fresh vegetables, raw fruits and salads. Pungent, bitter, and astringent tastes decrease kapha influences. Black pepper, ginger, cumin, chili, and some other spices provide the pungent taste; bitterness is provided by some green leafy vegetables like lettuce, endive and some green vegetables and beans provide the astringent taste, like cucumber and unripe fruits.

Moon natives can be benefitted through techniques which boost their body, enable them to let go of their emotions, and counter their mental stagnation. Cancer people should do more active forms of meditation, including mantra chanting or meditation combined with activity. Yoga and the practice of rituals are also excellent techniques for them.

Keep a picture of THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM's eyes in front of you.

Total Duration: 41 minutes.

Step 1-Duration: 10 minutes - Sit in vajrāsana (kneel and sit on your heels). Place your hands on your hips. By doing this, you are establishing a connection between the upper and lower parts of your body. Chant 'hoo' for as long as possible with each exhalation. Begin again with each inhalation, holding the chant as long as possible as you exhale. Visualize clearly a white light rising within you, going out from the top of the head and circling back into you.

Step 2-Duration: 21 minutes - Continue sitting in vajrāsana. With the hands on the hips, bend down at the hips to touch the forehead to the ground. Continue to chant the 'hoo' sound in this position. Continue to visualize clearly a white light rising within you, going out from the top of the head and circling back into you.

Step 3-Duration: 10 minutes - Open your eyes. Through your third eye, look at Master's third eye in the picture. Clearly visualize a beam of light from Master's third eye entering your third eye.

This meditation is tantra-mantra-yantra, all three put together:

Mantra means using the body physically to get the desired effect sitting in a particular posture and chanting.

Tantra means using the body and mind together to get the desired effect adding the visualization of white light.

Yantra means using an external object to get the desired effect using the picture of Master's eyes.

Nithya Dhyaan is a formula and technique that works on all the components of your being. Whatever your birth sign may be, it awakens the cosmic powers within you and makes them available to your being to excel in all spheres of life.

This is a five-step technique. Allow seven minutes for each step. Keep your eyes closed throughout the meditation.

Sit in vajrāsana (kneel and sit on your heels). Place your hands on your hips and breathe chaotically, without a repetitive rhythm. Just focus on your breathing; let your entire being become the breathing.

Continue to sit in vajrāsana , form cin mudra with your fingers (with the thumb and forefinger forming a circle and other three fingers outstretched), and place your hands on your knees, palms facing upwards. In this posture, with your mouth closed, produce the sound 'Mmmm…' from inside

your body, as loudly and lengthily as possible.

You may continue to sit in vajrāsana or sit crossed legged if you wish. Keep your fingers in cin mudra position. Now, bring your awareness to each cakra one after the other, from mūlādhāra cakra (root center) to sahasrāra cakra(crown

center). Feel each cakra completely as if your whole being has become that energy center.

In this step, carry the understanding with you that your thoughts are unconnected, irrational and unclutched. Don't try to create thoughts, don't try to maintain thoughts, don't try to destroy thoughts or react to them. Just sit and watch them. Understand,

by your very nature, you are pure being and bliss.

Now, connect, relax and rest into the universal energy. Just sit in a very deep and passive way, feeling one with the whole, God,

or your Master. Listen to the Guru pūja mantras and feel their vibration in you. Express your gratitude with reverence.

You will find further details on the benefits of Nithya Dhyaan; along with the meditation instructions, in the comprehensive booklet and audio CD called Nithya Dhyaan- Experience bliss.

Swimming proves to be good for this watery sign. Whenever he or she is free, the native can spend time near rivers, lakes, sea shores, as water brings relaxation to this watery sign. Also, gentle yoga postures which work on svādhiṣṭāna cakra, as well as Sūrya Namaskār (the ancient Sun salutation), can be practiced by all natives!

• To blissfully enjoy the benefits of any asanas, make sure your body is warmed up, the spine loosened up and stretched out before entering the postures.
• Lay on your stomach.
• Arms beside you, palms facing upwards, keep the chin forward.
• Inhale, sweep your arms into the air, simultaneously lifting your legs into the air.
• Exhale, bring your arms back down beside you, resting your legs on the floor.
• Just remain in this position on the floor with your eyes closed. Visualize for a few moments, your body doing the posture.
• Open your eyes and repeat ¹alabh¢sana 5 more times.

S¦rya Namask¢r S¦rya Namask¢r

S¦rya Namask¢r (the Sun salutation) is called the king of asanas. It is a sequence of 12 postures, each symbolizing a sign of the zodiac. This sequence of asanas has the amazing ability to activate the best characteristics of your birth chart by bringing energy to your body, a clearer thinking through emotional balancing, and a restored health, thereby enabling you to express your intelligence and uniqueness. It is a technique to experience a conflict-free life, fulfillment and eternal bliss.

Its practice awakens the body's innate intelligence to produce energy from the sun. It is designed to access the etheric energy all around you. When performed facing the East in the first rays of the morning sun, along with the appropriate breathing technique and the mantra, the effect on the individual mind, body and spirit is incomparable.

It is said that the daily practice of S¦rya Namask¢r is enough to work on the whole body organs, cakras and mind for the whole day.

A mantra is a composition of syllables, words or sentences that, when repeated with awareness and visualization, has a powerful and penetrating influence on the mind. Before each repetition of S¦rya Namask¢r, one chants the corresponding mantra, which is a glorification of the Sun. This simple method leads us to the experience that the outer Sun symbolizes the shining intelligence in our inner sky. We come to understand our connectivity to the cosmic energy that pervades all the grahas. The characteristics of our sign get activated to unfold its inherent potential.

• Au¼ hr¢¼ mitr¢ya namaª Salutations to the friend of all
• Au¼ hr£¼ ravaye namaª Salutations to the shining one

Salutations to the one who induces activity

• Au¼ hrai¼ bh¢nave namaª Salutations to the one who illumines
• Au¼ hrau¼ khag¢a namaª Salutations to the one who moves swiftly
• Au¼ hraª p¦¾´e namaª Salutations to the giver of strength
• Au¼ hr¢¼ hira´yagarbh¢ya namaª Salutations to the golden Cosmic Self
• Au¼ hr£¼ mar£caye namaª Salutations to the Lord of dawn
• Au¼ hr¦¼ ¢dity¢ya namaª Salutations to the son of Aditi, the infinite Cosmic mother
• Au¼ hrai¼ savitre namaª Salutations to the eternal benevolent mother
• Au¼ hrau¼ ark¢ya namaª Salutations to the one who is praiseworthy
• Au¼ hraª bh¢skar¢ya namaª Salutations to the one who leads to enlightenment

To blissfully enjoy the benefits of any asana, make sure your body is warmed up, the spine limber and stretched out before entering the postures.

• Stand with feet slightly apart. Bring hands together into prayer position in front of your chest. Keep your eyes open during the practice of the ¢sanas. Chant the corresponding mantra loudly.
• Inhaling, gracefully sweep the arms up over your head and gently arch the spine backwards.
• Exhaling and bending from the hips, sweep the arms forward and down so the hands touch the floor close to the feet and the forehead comes in close to the knees. Bend the knees to allow for greater ease in doing this.
• Step the right foot back as far as you can and as you inhale, lift your heart center up.
• Step the left foot back and assume the plank position with spine, neck, and head in a straight line, hands placed directly under your shoulders.
• On the exhale, lower the knees, chest and chin to the floor assuming a¾°¢nga namask¢r. Point the toes.
• Inhale, raise the head and chest off the floor by engaging the lower back and gently pushing with your hands. Keeping the elbows bent at a 90-degree angle, come into bhujang¢sana.
• Exhaling, push with your hands, raise your hips into the air and back and assume the downward dog pose. Push your heels towards the floor.
• Gently look forward at your hands and step the left foot forward as far as you can, close to the hands. Inhale, lift your heart.
• Step the right foot forward to meet the right hand. Bend your knees if you need, exhale, and bring the head in close to the legs.
• On an inhale, sweep your arms up over your head and gently arch the spine, saluting the Sun.
• Exhale, bring your arms down and your hands back into prayer position in front of your chest.

Nithya Yoga is THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM's unique offering to the world, helping the practitioner to be in the state of yoga every moment. You will find further details on the benefits of S¦rya Namask¢r in the book titled: Nithya Yoga - The Ultimate Practice for Body Mind and Being.

This book comes with a unique energy bead bracelet which beautifully combines semi-precious stones with rudr¢k¾a beads- enhancing and radiating the properties of the stones. This bracelet attunes you to the Universe and contributes to destroy sufferings related to negative karmas. It is specially blessed by THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM, the enlightened Master of our times for the fortunate ones who wish to receive the blessings of the Universe! Enlightened Masters are said to be the manifestation of the Cosmic Energy, which radiates through the 9 planets. It empowers you to expand your inner intelligence into Living Enlightenment!

Jyoti¾a uses different gemstones (also called birthstones) to strengthen the planets energies.

Gemstones are the finest and purest consolidation of minerals that exists, formed under extreme heat and pressure inside the earth. Stones are crystals of clear and purified minerals that are also found in the human body.

Because of their mineral quality, they are agents of electromagnetic energy, which influences the electromechanical nature of the human body. When a stone is in contact with the skin, it starts working on the physiology and the energy level of the body, as well as the pranic layer of energy.

Pearl represents the moon in the natal chart. It has a powerful effect on the mind and gives mental peace. It is beneficial for:

• Balancing emotions and mood swings
• Concentration
• Stress
• Intuition
• Combativeness
• Persons exposed to frequent cough and cold,
• Problem in marriage
• Lung diseases, breast problems
• Reproductive disorders
• Calcium deficiency
• Dysentery, diabetes
• Cancer,
• Eye deficiencies

Today, scientific experiments have verified the intrinsic properties of the rudr¢k¾a. These are: dynamic polarity, bioelectricity, and paramagnetic and diamagnetic propertiesall of which effectively control

Part 2: Punarvasu-Pusya Aslesa Naksatras - Moon in Cancer_English_part_2.md

hyperactivity, eliminate stress and bring beneficial effects on body and mind.

Rudr¢k¾a beads are emblems of Lord ¹iva, who is believed to be at the very core of the centrifugal force of the universe, representing Brahman or the cosmic Sun: the aspect of creation which continually dissolves to begin a new cycle of creation, preservation, dissolution and recreation of the Universe. Therefore, wearing rudr¢k¾a attunes one with the cosmic energy that destroys karmas and confers spiritual liberation. It cannot have an adverse effect on the wearer because of its auspicious signification and can be worn by anyone, irrespective of his or her moon sign. Rudr¢k¾a beads have immense benefits:

• They protect against negative planetary positions and enforce the positive effects of the birthstone which you wear
• They keep, foster and protect one's own energy
• They can tap into energy fields to restore energy in the wearer.
• They stimulate an individual's consciousness and sub-consciousness
• They stimulate the mind, sharpens the intellect, gives power and opens the third eye
• They ensure peace of mind and harmony of relationships
• They help to cure dangerous diseases such as epilepsy, cough, and small pox and heal poisonous wounds
• They actualize Master's blessings into your life

Navagraha P¦ja Navagraha P¦ja

The Navagraha p¦ja is a Vedic prayer which produces tremendous positive energy, and helps everyone to gain courage to face any situation in life.

This ritual traditionally performed for the nine planets, brings solace to the person's mind, and dilutes any negative influences

which can be felt during certain period called *'*Navagraha doºa'; when the planets are not in proper alignment, influencing the person negatively. Due to these, people fall into depression and certain low moods. This period

may last for some time, depending on the power of the planet.

However this can be averted with intelligence. Navagraha p¦ja is conducted to connect oneself to the cosmic intelligence, to avert any hindrances and to bestow tremendous peace and contentment in life. This p¦ja is a collection of prayers and rituals performed to the planets in the form of deities.

With the blessing of these nine planets, the person is helped to attain good health, prosperity, knowledge and enlightenment.

Homa is a fire ritual, and an intense spiritual practice which becomes a powerful meditation technique when performed with devotion. During homa, one invokes the cosmic energy and visualizes it in the fire. Offerings to the planet deity through the fire are made at the same time.

Through the mantra chanted and the purification effect of the fire; the body, the space in which the ritual happens and the people attending the prayer are benefited, and the planetary effect decreased.

When this homa is done as a personal spiritual practice, the energy is brought from the nirvanic to the physical layer of the body through all subtle energy layers, healing the person and raising his level of energyallowing him to transform his destiny.

Navagraha p¦ja and homa services are available in all THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM Vedic Temples throughout USA, and THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM Dhyanapeetam ashrams throughout Bharat.

In this mantra, Aum is the primordial sound and is the representation of ¹iva's energy, the male aspect of the universe. Actually, Aum is the cosmic sound that pervades the grahas, their movements and their effects on us.

The B¤jamantra (seed sound), Hr¤m, has no linguistic meaning but encloses a powerful vibration which attunes you to the primordial energy from which the grahas originate: the female energy, ¹akti.

Nithyananda means Eternal Bliss and invokes the truth which is our true nature, and the nature of our own intelligence. It is the p¦r´a m¦la mantra (the complete mantra) because it represents a straight path to both ¹akti (success in this world) and to ¹iva (success in the cosmic world) which is 'enlightenment'.

Namaªa means 'I surrender' my ego to Existence, to the Master. Thus this sacred mantra awakens the completeness and fulfillment inside us and balances the male and female energies which exist inside every one of us.

The repetition of this mantra is a powerful technique which can be performed throughout the day as you go about your daily routine. It can also be uttered aloud 108 times every morning. The number 108, which is a multiple of 9, has been sacred since time immemorial. That is because the number 9 is the limit of all numbers: 0 to 9 is all one needs to make up an infinite amount of numbers. Therefore, 108 symbolizes and connects you to infinity.

Its beautiful sound should be pronounced clearly and as loudly as possible and from the navel region.

Eventually, this mantra will replace your inner chatter and create silence in your mind. Your whole being integrates itself towards enlightenment which leads you out of the dynamic of karma and planetary effects.

Be aware as you meet people, you may be attracted to activities or relationships which look bright and promising, requiring lots of your concentration and effort… but may turn out to be a waste of time. It could be that everyone is talking about you or that everyone is turning to you for solutions. Is it really necessary to invest all your energy in the attention you are getting? Are you doing the right thing? Are you fair to everybody? Are you straight in your dealings with others? Beware of a covered cunningness which often creates division. This cunningness knows to express only through calculation. Calculation is alright for arithmetic but not for the being…

One should better face the problem instead of running away to hide in one's room, to do useless things which will not help you to grow. Only intensity will help to fight your inertia. After all, problems are not eternal. When we are depressed, we feel we will be depressed for ever- No! It is not possible. You are constantly changing, people are constantly changing, and problems are also constantly changing. Nothing is fixed in Existence. What is required is a little patience to wait for things to move, and a little courage to face situations without making big problems out of them. And lo, within no time, the whole thing is forgotten!

Even though the overwhelming emotions you experience feel real, they are still nothing else than a story you are telling to yourself. Amongst so many thoughts happening in you constantly, you are unconsciously choosing to clutch thoughts that have the same color of confusion. Feeling this confusion is one thing, but reacting confused is another thing. Don't take major decisions when you are in low mood or you may regret it. Simply relax from the dream. It will pass, nothing else needs to be done.

On our way to enlightenment, we come across beautiful phases where we get to integrate smoothly the teachings of the Master through actual practice. Life is stretching all kinds of cards towards you. Which card you pick up is playing a major role in the way you will integrate yourself. Understanding, discrimination, and perseverance in your awareness are the Master Cards Existence is offering you. To move towards love, that is your true nature; work intensely with those three cards throughout the month.

Your altruistic nature is always ready to serve your community. But how do you help? A smile on your face is the answer! No need to prepare long discourses about how the world needs to change. Let your smile overflow to bring a smile on everybody's face. Never put up a smile and try to bring it to others in the name of service, or you'll be just imposing your ego onto others. First flood all your problems with inner healing and clarity, then do service. Understand yourself, the world and God… then Live Enlightenment!

Candra (Moon god) as represented in Tiruvannamalai Ashram (Bharat). Around the Moon stand the other 8 Navagraha deities (deities associated with the nine planets), along with their Navagraha trees (trees associated with the nine planets), to bless all with abundance. The circle of deities is placed around the main deities of the temple, Sri Anandeshwara and Anandeshwari; located near a powerful energy field of 1008 ¹iva lingas radiating ¹iva's cosmic energy in an extremely auspicious atmosphere.

Nak¾atra: the constellation in which the moon sits in the heaven at a particular time, commonly called as 'birth Star'

Vedic sciences: refer to a number of disciplines found in the Vedas, a large body of texts originating in ancient Bharat, among the oldest sacred texts

§g Veda: an ancient Hindu sacred collection of hymns, one among the four canonical sacred texts of Vedic tradition known as the Vedas

¡ryabha°a: one of the first astronomer and great mathematician of Bharat, born in 476

Copernicus: (1473-1543) the first astronomer to formulate a heliocentric cosmology, which displaced the Earth from the center of the universe

Galileo: (1564-1642) Italian physicist, mathematician, astronomer and philosopher. His achievements include improvements to the telescope and important astronomical observations

Yojanas: a Vedic measure of distance used in ancient Bharat, between 6 to 15 km (4 and 9 miles)

§¾i: a sage through whom the Vedic hymns flowed, a "seer" able to reach states of higher consciousness

Yogis: a practitioner of various forms of spiritual discipline, as yoga

Par¢ºara: author of many ancient Hindu texts and important astrological texts, known as a traveling Master

B¨hat Par¢ºara Hora ¹¢stra: a prominent astrological scientific text, written as a recorded dialogue between Par¢ºara and his disciple Maitreya

Vaºi¾°a: R¢ma's guru, a great §¾i who had complete knowledge of the whole cosmos and the gods

Veda Vy¢sa: a sage of ancient Bharat, compiler of the Vedas and great epics like the M¢h¢bh¢rata

M¢h¢bh¢rata: one of the major Sanskrit epic of Bharat and philosophical scripture, depicting a great war that happened in Bharat, written in 250 000 verses

Sa¼sk¢ras: engraved memories, memories stored in the subconscious part of the mind. They are continually interfering with our decision making process

Grahas: energy centers, energy fields that planets exert in the universe, generally assimilated to 'planets'.

Karmas: the collection of unfulfilled experiences and actions that stay in us and constantly pull us to fulfill them

¡yurveda: a system of traditional medicine native to the Hindu Subcontinent; ayus, meaning 'life', and veda, meaning 'related to knowledge' or 'science'

Yoga: literally union, union of the individual self and the divine Self, often taken to mean Hatha yoga, which is one of the components of yogasana, relating to body postures

Rudr¢k¾a: a large broad-leaved tree whose seed is traditionally revered and used for prayer beads, or mala, mainly growing in foothills of the Himalayas up to South-East Asia

Sanskrit: language of the §g Veda and of many scriptures, as well as mantras

Mantra: a sound, a formula, sometimes a word or set of words, which because of their inherent sounds, have energizing properties, an approach to spiritual evolution

Unclutching: understanding that each thought is completely independent, unconnected to the precedent; which leads to disengage oneself from the mind, resulting in experiencing the no-mind state

Sv¢dhi¾°¢na: second cakra, means 'where the Self is established', the groin or spleen energy center

Sattva: a state of mind in which the mind is steady, calm and peaceful

P¢rvati: consort of Lord ¹iva, mother to Ga´eºa

Ga´eºa: the very revered elephant god who removes obstacles

Kapha: One of the three doºas or attributes of the body in ¡yurveda, related to the element of water and earth; the structure and lubrication of the body

Vajr¢sana: common yoga and meditation posture, where the person sits on his heels

Cin mudra: palms upraised with thumb and forefinger forming a circle and other three fingers outstretched

Guru p¦ja: form of worship offered to the master

Asana: body postures performed in yoga, literally means 'seat'

Nitya ¢nanda: eternal bliss

A¾°¢nga namask¢r: prostrating to a deity or master by lying on the floor with all eight limbs of the body touching the earth

Bhujang¢sana: 'cobra posture' in yoga, in which the head and chest are raised while lying down

Pranic layer: the second layer of energy of the body, related to prana or life energy

Lord ¹iva: rejuvenator in the trinity also means 'causeless auspiciousness'

Brahman: the unchanging, infinite, immanent, and transcendent reality, the Divine Ground of all matter, energy, time, space, being, and everything beyond in this Universe

B¤ja mantra: refers to the single syllable mantra used to invoke certain deities

P¦ja: a ritual made of different offerings related to the deity propitiated

Navagraha doºa: literally means 'planetary defects' or inauspicious alignment of planets

Homa: ancestral Vedic fire ritual

Nirvanic layer: seventh subtle body that we have and last layer of energy which is the space where one experiences intense bliss

Physical layer: the gross body made of flesh and bones

Aum: the primordial cosmic sound from which the whole Universe emerged

¹akti: energy, intelligent energy, considered feminine aspect of ¹iva

J¤van Mukti: the state of achieving liberation from the cycle of birth and death during one's lifetime

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