Kaleidoscope July 2014 Edition by Meetu Sehgal

KALEIDOSCOPE DESTINY AND FREEWILL

July 2014

“We can control our lives by controling our perceptions.” ~ Bruce H. Lipton “God isn't about making good things happen to you, or bad things happen to you. He's all about you making choices--exercising the gift of free will. God wants you to have good things and a good life, but He won't gift wrap them for you. You have to choose the actions that lead you to that life.” ~ Jim Butcher “You can’t change the past. You can’t even change the future, in the sense that you can only change the present one moment at a time, stubbornly, until the future unwinds itself into the stories of our lives.” ~ Larry Wall

Table of Contents From the Editor's Desk ........................................................................................... 4 Are Our Lives Predestined? .................................................................................... 6 Demystifying Concept of Destiny .......................................................................... 12 Fate and Freewill from an Astrologer's Perspective .............................................. 14 The Riddle of Destiny and Freewill ....................................................................... 20 Freewill: Genes At Work ....................................................................................... 22 A Thousand Cages ............................................................................................... 24 The Crossroads ..................................................................................................... 28 12th House in Astrology ....................................................................................... 30 How is Jupiter going to Effect you This Year? ........................................................ 33 Tarot Predictions July 2014 .................................................................................. 36 Right Shapes for Right Fengshui ........................................................................... 44 Fengshui Queries from Readers ............................................................................ 46 Astrological Queries from Readers ....................................................................... 47 Crystal of the Month -‐ Apatite .............................................................................. 48 Thought for the Month -‐ Destiny & Freewill ......................................................... 50 Beautiful Prayer -‐ Guru Purnima Mantra .............................................................. 51

From the Editor's Desk Dear Reader, This month’s theme for Kaleidoscope is Destiny and Freewill. It has been a debatable issue ever since we can remember. Our lives seem to be controlled by an invisible force, yet we talk about having a freewill and the ability of choice. Some on the path of enlightenment say that we are cursed to have a choice. Exercising freewill means having a choice, choosing to do or not do something. Having a choice is a responsibility that comes with its own fair share of dilemmas. “To be or not to be” was Hamlet’s dilemma and so it is with many of us when we need to make a choice, especially if it has the potential to alter our course of life ahead. Some people choose to be fatalists (yes, “choose to be”) because as a human being you always have a choice whether to be a victim of your situations or to be a master creator of your life. To explain the terms destiny and freewill in simple terms – Destiny is a result of your actions in the past. Freewill is your ability to choose your thoughts, words or actions in the present. Your actions, thoughts and words in the past have created your present situations. There is nothing you can do about it now. But the point of power or change is in the present because you can choose how you respond to these current situations. Your responses in the present will create your destiny in the future. Simply put, life is 90/10 principle – it is 10% of what happens to you and 90% of how you respond to it. And that 10% is determined by your responses and reactions to situations in the past and so on. Then again, there is the question of mishaps and accidents. “Did that person choose such bad things to happen to them?” the answers may not be simple, they may be most uneasy and uncomfortable if answered intellectually because it may sound cruel, but the fact is your ever powerful being/soul, which is a fragment of the creator himself/herself chose to be born in a particular way, to a particular family at a specific time and chose to have some events in its life which would serve as alarm bells in case the soul forgets its chosen path in its human incarnation. Even right now you are choosing to think particular thoughts, speak particular words and sentences and act in a specific way. If it seems impulsive or not under your control right now, it is so because you are acting from your sub-‐conscious (programmed) mind rather than your conscious (creative) mind. The only way out of this rut is awareness which can be achieved through meditation and contemplation. In this edition of Kaleidoscope, we explore more such areas and perspectives about destiny and freewill. You can send your feedback and suggestions

to meetu.sehgal@ezinekaleidoscope.com. You can also connect with us on Facebook and Twitter. With Grace and Light -‐Meetu Sehgal Meetu Sehgal, a Tarot Consultant and Holistic Healer, is an MBA from Delhi University. With more than 8 years of experience in Tarot Reading, she is known as a “Tarot Healer” for her in-‐depth tarot counseling sessions which are insightful as well as empowering. You can reach her at meetu.sehgal@gmail.com or www.divineinnovations.org She also teaches Osho Zen Tarot, Reiki and other holistic sciences.

Are Our Lives Predestined?

Question -‐ Are Our Lives Predestined or Not? Osho: This is not a personal problem, it is a philosophical question. Our lives are both predestined and they are not. Both yes and no. And both answers are true for all questions about life. In a way, everything is predetermined. Whatever is physical in you, material, whatever is mental, is predetermined. But something in you constantly remains undetermined, unpredictable. That something is your consciousness. If you are identified with your body and your material existence, in the same proportion you are determined by cause and effect. Then you are a machine. But if you are not identified with your material existence, with either body or mind – if you can feel yourself as something separate, different, above and transcendent to body-‐mind – then that transcending consciousness is not predetermined. It is spontaneous, free. Consciousness means freedom; matter means slavery. So it depends on how you define yourself. If you say, ”I am only the body,” then everything about you is completely determined. A person who says that man is only the body cannot say that man is not predetermined. Ordinarily, persons who do not believe in such a thing as consciousness also do not believe in predetermination. Persons who are religious and believe in consciousness ordinarily believe in predetermination. So what I am saying may look very contradictory. But still, it is the case. A person who has known consciousness has known freedom. So only a spiritual person can say there is no determination at all. That realization comes only when you are completely unidentified with the body. If you feel that you are just a material existence, then no freedom is possible. With matter, no freedom is possible. Matter means that which cannot be free. It must flow in the chain of cause and effect. Once someone has achieved consciousness, enlightenment, he is completely out of the realm of cause and effect. He becomes absolutely unpredictable. You cannot say anything about him. He begins to live each moment; his existence becomes atomic. Your existence is a river-‐like chain in which every step is determined by the past. Your future is not really future; it is just a by-‐product of the past. It is only the

past determining, shaping, formulating and conditioning your future. That is why your future is predictable. Skinner says that man is as predictable as anything else. The only difficulty is that we have not yet devised the means to know his total past. The moment we can know his past, we can predict everything about him. Based upon the people he has worked with, Skinner is right, because they are all ultimately predictable. He has experimented with hundreds of people and he has found that they are all mechanical beings, that nothing exists within them that can be called freedom. But his study is limited. No Buddha has come to his laboratory to be experimented upon. If even one person is free, if even one person is not mechanical, not predictable, Skinner’s whole theory falls. If one person in the whole history of mankind is free and unpredictable, then man is potentially free and unpredictable. The whole possibility of freedom depends on whether you emphasize your body or your consciousness. If you are just an outward flow of life, then everything is determined. Or are you something inner also? Do not give any preformulated answer. Do not say, ”I am the soul.” If you feel there is nothing inside you, then be honest about it. This honesty will be the first step toward the inner freedom of consciousness. If you go deeply inside, you will feel that everything is just part of the outside. Your body has come from without, your thoughts have come from without, even your self has been given to you by others. That is why you are so fearful of the opinion of others – because they are completely in control of your self. They can change their opinion of you at any moment. Your self, your body, your thoughts are given to you by others, so what is inside? You are layers and layers of outside accumulation. If you are identified with this personality of yours that comes from others, then everything is determined. Become aware of everything that comes from the outside and become non-‐ identified with it. Then a moment will come when the outside falls completely. You will be in a vacuum. This vacuum is the passage between the outside and the inside, the door. We are so afraid of the vacuum, so afraid of being empty that we cling to the outside accumulation. One has to be courageous enough to disidentify with the accumulation and to remain in the vacuum. If you are not courageous enough, you will go out and cling to something, and be filled with it. But this moment of being in the vacuum is meditation. If you are courageous enough, if you can remain in this moment, soon your whole being will automatically turn inward. When there is nothing to be attached to from the outside, your being turns inward. Then you know for the first time that you are something that transcends everything you have been thinking yourself to be. Now you are something

different from becoming; you are being. This being is free; nothing can determine it. It is absolute freedom. No chain of cause and effect is possible. Osho -‐ Your actions are related to past actions. A created a situation for B to become possible; B creates a situation in which C flowers. Your acts are connected to past acts and this goes back to the beginningless beginning and on to the endless end. Not only do your own acts determine you, but your father’s and mother’s acts also have a continuity with yours. Your society, your history, all that has happened before, is somehow related to your present act. The whole history has come to flower in you. Everything that has ever happened is connected with your act, so your act is obviously determined. It is such a minute part of the whole picture. History is such a vital living force and your individual act is such a small part of it. Marx said, ”It is not consciousness that determines the conditions of society. It is society and its conditions that determines consciousness. It is not that great men create great societies. It is great societies that create great men.” And he is right in a way, because you are not the originator of your actions. The whole history has determined them. You are just carrying them out. The whole evolutionary process has gone into the making of your biological cells. These cells in you can then become part of another person. You may think that you are the father, but you have just been a stage on which the whole biological evolution has acted and has forced you to act. The act of procreation is so forceful because it is beyond you; it is the whole evolutionary process working through you. This is one way in which acts happen in relation to other past acts. But when a person becomes enlightened, a new phenomenon begins to happen. Acts are no longer connected with past acts. Any act, now, is connected only with his consciousness. It comes from his consciousness not from the past. That is why an enlightened person cannot be predicted. Skinner says that we can determine what you will do if your past acts are known. He says that the old proverb, ”You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink,” is wrong. You can force him to. You can create an atmosphere so that the horse will have to drink. The horse can be forced, and you also can be forced, because your actions are created by situations, by circumstances. But even though you can bring a buddha to the river, you cannot force him to drink. The more you force him, the more impossible it will be. No heat will make him do it. Even if a thousand suns shine on him it will not help. A Buddha has a different origin of action. It is not concerned with other acts; it is connected with consciousness. That is why I emphasize that you act consciously. Then, every moment you act, it is not a question of a continuation of other acts. You are free. Now you begin to act, and no one can say how you will act. Habits are mechanical; they repeat themselves. The more you repeat something, the more efficient you become. Efficiency means that now consciousness is no

longer needed. If a person is an efficient typist it means that no effort is needed; typing can be done unconsciously. Even if he is thinking about something else the typing continues. The body is typing; the man is not needed. Efficiency means that the thing is so certain that no effort is possible. With freedom, effort is always possible. A machine cannot make errors. To err, one has to be conscious. So your acts have a chain relationship with your previous acts. They are determined. Your childhood determines your youth; your youth determines your old age. Your birth determines your death; everything is determined. Buddha used to say, ”Provide the cause, and the effect will be there.” This is the world of cause and effect in which everything is determined. If you act with total consciousness, an altogether different situation exists. Then everything is moment to moment. Consciousness is a flow; it is not static. It is life itself, so it changes. It is alive. It goes on expanding; it goes on becoming new, fresh, young. Then, your acts will be spontaneous. I am reminded of a Zen story.... A Zen master asked his disciple a particular question. The question was answered exactly as it should be answered. The next day the master asked exactly the same question. The disciple said, ”But I answered this question yesterday.” The master said, ”Now I am asking you again.” The disciple repeated the same answer. The master said, ”You do not know!” The disciple said, ”But yesterday I answered in the same way and you nodded your head. So I interpreted that the answer was right. Why have you changed your mind now?” The master said, ”Anything that can be repeated is not coming from you. The answer has come from your memory, not from your consciousness. If you had really known, the answer would be different because so much has changed. I am not the same man who asked you this question yesterday. The whole situation is different. You also are different, but the answer is the same. I had to ask the question again just to see if you would repeat the answer. Nothing can be repeated.” The more alive you are, the less repetitive. Only a dead man can be consistent. Living is inconsistency; life is freedom. Freedom cannot be consistent. Consistent with what? You can be consistent only with the past. An enlightened person is consistent only in his consciousness; he is never consistent with his past. He is totally in the act. Nothing is left behind; nothing is left out. The next moment the act is finished and his consciousness is fresh again. Consciousness will be there whenever any

situation arises, but each act will be made in complete freedom, as if it is the first time that this man has been in this particular situation. That is why I answered both yes and no to your question. It depends on you, whether you are consciousness, or whether you are an accumulation, a bodily existence. Religion gives freedom because religion gives consciousness. The more science knows about matter, the more the world will be enslaved. The whole phenomenon of matter is of cause and effect: if you know that given this, that happens – then everything can be determined. Before this century ends, we will see the whole course of humanity being determined in many ways. The greatest calamity that is possible is not nuclear warfare. It can only destroy. The real calamity will come from the psychological sciences. They will learn how a human being can be completely controlled. Because we are not conscious, we can be made to behave in predetermined ways. As we are, everything about us is determined. Someone is Hindu; someone else is Mohammedan. This is predetermination, not freedom. Parents have decided; society is deciding. Someone is a doctor and someone else is an engineer. Now his behavior is determined. We are already being controlled constantly, and our methods are still very primitive. Newer techniques will be able to determine our behavior to such an extent that no one will be able to say that there is a soul. If your every response is determined, then what is the meaning of the soul? Your responses can be determined through body chemistry. If alcohol is given to you, you behave differently. Your body chemistry is different so you behave differently. At one time, the ultimate tantra technique was to take intoxicants and remain conscious. If a person remained conscious when everything indicated that he should be unconscious, only then would tantra say the man was enlightened, otherwise not. If body chemistry can change your consciousness, then what is the meaning of consciousness? If an injection can make you unconscious, then what is the meaning? Then the chemical drug in the injection is more powerful than your own consciousness. Tantra says it is possible to transcend every intoxicant and remain conscious. The stimulus has been given, but the response is not there. Sex is a chemical phenomenon. A particular quantity of a particular hormone creates sexual desire. You become the desire. You may repent when your body chemistry has returned to its normal level, but the repentance is meaningless. When the hormones are there again, you will act in the same way. So tantra has also experimented with sex. If you feel no sexual desire in a situation that is totally sexual, then you are free. Your body chemistry has been left far behind. The body is there, but you are not in the body. Anger is also just chemistry. Biochemists will soon be able to make you anger-‐ proof, or sex-‐proof. But you will not be a buddha. Buddha was not incapable of

anger. He was capable of it, but the effect of feeling anger was not there. If your body chemistry is controlled, you will be incapable of being angry. The chemical condition that makes you feel angry is not there, so the effect of anger is not there. Or if your sex hormones are eliminated from your body, you will not be sexual. But the real thing is not whether you are sexual or not, or angry or not. The real thing is how to be aware in a situation that requires your unawareness, how to be conscious in a situation that happens only in unconsciousness. Whenever such a situation is there, meditate on it. You have been given a great opportunity. If you feel jealous, meditate on it. This is the right moment. Your body chemistry is working within you. It will make you unconscious; it will make you behave as if you are mad. Now, be conscious. Let there be jealousy, do not suppress it, but be conscious; be a witness to it. If there is anger, be a witness to it; if there is sex, be a witness to it. Let whatever is happening inside you happen, and begin to meditate on the whole situation. By and by, the more your awareness deepens, the less possibility there is of your behavior being determined for you. You become free. Moksha, freedom, doesn’t mean anything else. It only means a consciousness that is so free that now nothing can determine it. Source : from Osho Book "The Psychology of the Esoteric" Quite literally, sustained meditation leads to something called neuroplasticity, which is defined as the brain's ability to change, structurally and functionally, on the basis of environmental input. For much of the last century, scientists believed that the brain essentially stopped changing after adulthood. But research by University of Wisconsin neuroscientist Richard Davidson has shown that experienced meditators exhibit high levels of gamma wave activity and display an ability -‐-‐ continuing after the meditation session has attended -‐-‐ to not get stuck on a particular stimulus. That is, they're automatically able to control their thoughts and reactiveness.

Demystifying Concept of Destiny

You don’t know who is driving your car. It is always you. But if it crashes you would like to believe it is because of someone here or beyond. Destiny is something that you have been creating unconsciously. You can also create it consciously. You can rewrite your destiny. All that we are doing in the form of spiritual process is just that. You decide where you want to go, taking the next course and destination. It is in your hands. If you can touch that core in you, if you can for one moment, experience that the source of creation is within you and shift your whole focus to yourself, you can rewrite your own destiny. All the time your focus is scattered, because what you consider as ‘myself’ is your house, your car, your wife, your child, your pet, your education, your position, your power and your other identities. If I strip you of all these things, including your body and mind, which are just accumulations, you will feel like a nobody, yes or no? So what you call ‘myself’ is spread around you right now. When I say ‘you’, it is you, not this carpet, not this wall, not your child, not something else. When I say ‘you’, it’s just you. If it shifts to this, you can rewrite your destiny whichever way you want. Right now, what is ‘you’ is spread out; you are a scattered being. You’re not an established being; you are a scattered being. You still have to gather all this mess, put it aside. Then it becomes you. You still have not become you; you are a crowd, isn't it? The crowd's destiny is always predestined. Once you become an individual – individual means, it comes from ‘indivisible’. It cannot be divided anymore; it is this. It cannot be here and there. Once you become a true individual, your destiny is yours. I want you to understand this. Why in the spiritual process people who are in a hurry for spiritual growth are not getting into marriage, children and relationships, is because the moment you have a wife or a husband, you cannot help it, ‘me’ gets identified with the other. Otherwise, they will not let you live, isn't it? Once you get identified with things that you are not, when that which you accumulated becomes you, in your experience, you get scattered. That is how deep the bondage with the body is. It is the source of all attachments. You don’t have to go on searching for non-‐attachment somewhere else. You don’t have to go about distancing this and that in your life, but once you get scattered, your destiny becomes predestined. Whichever way your karma, it just goes that way. If you become an individual, the significance of Sanyasin or Bhramhacharya is just this: shifting your whole focus to you. When I say ‘you’, it is just ‘you’, not

even your body or your mind. If you are unable to be like that, you just choose one more identity. When you say ‘you’, make it ‘you and your Guru’. You attach yourself to the Guru without any hesitation, because you have no entanglements from the other side. You can get as entangled as you want with him; he is not going to get entangled. The moment you are ripe, you can drop it. With other relationships, it is never so. If you get entangled, even if you want to become free, the other will not let you go. Either you can rewrite your own destiny or, if such awareness does not come, we can very easily rewrite destiny if you can just give yourself to me. So don’t worry about the predestined thing. You just create a longing to grow, to dissolve, to know. What has to happen will happen. Why are you worried about all those things? Once you become an individual, your destiny becomes yours. If your destiny is in your hands, will you choose bondage or freedom? What would you choose? Freedom, because the very longing of life, the deepest longing of every life is to become free, to become free from the very process that we refer to as life or death, to become free from that itself. So once your destiny is happening in awareness, the next step will just happen by itself, because life within you has the intelligence to choose freedom, not bondage. Only because your destiny is being created in unawareness, you go about weaving bondages around yourself. -‐Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev

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Fate and Freewill from an Astrologer's Perspective

“It is in your moments of decision that your destiny is shaped.” ~Anthony Robbins The debate on fate vs. freewill has gone on since man learned to walk on his two feet, especially by scientists, philosophers, psychologists and astrologers. So I really wanted to compose a well-‐organized, lucid and conclusive analysis of this horribly complicated subject. What emerged was more a flow chart of various random thoughts. As an astrologer I have brooded over this quandary for 20 years and come up with a fuzzy, easily challenged, barely-‐workable concept of what to tell my clients when they want to know their future. Because what they are really saying in essence is: if I know what fate awaits me, I can prepare for it and therefore don’t feel so powerless and anxious. For by fate we understand that something or Someone other than yourself is directing the events of your life over which you have No control and are therefore helpless. If you assume this Someone is a kind, generous, attentive God you can sit back, relax and enjoy the flight but most people can’t say that about their own parents leave alone an unseen, invisible type entity. If you fear this Someone could be a power-‐mad, cruel, unfeeling Darth Vader replica, you are probably busy popping valium or frantically trying to pranic breath yourself to a lesser degree of anxiety. And then you want to know exactly how much control does this Someone have over your destiny anyway? The difference between Destiny and Fate is, usually fate is seen as something that happens to you and destiny is what you do with what happens to you. Free will implies you know what you are doing, have a clear plan and think you are totally on it. (evil grin called for here). Okay so what are the situations that are generally deemed as Fated: 1. Our Birth. We do not have any say in when, where, how we are born and to whom.

We don’t choose our parents, unless you believe in the idea that when you are still in soul form you have a meeting with your mates and decide all the circumstances of your current life. But since most of us have no memory of such a meeting, we can disregard it for now. And no, even if you consider induced births, doctors usually don’t care about auspicious moments. 2. We don’t choose our siblings. 3. We don’t choose our country and tribe of birth. 4. We don’t choose our gender or race, or even our sexual preference. 5. No choice in when you will die or when someone else in your life will die. 6. No control over which soul will come in as your child. 7. To some extent you can’t say which part of the world you will live in even after you are all grown up and have a job and family and think you have the ability to choose. 8. You do not choose your special gifts-‐—Mozart did not choose to start writing music from age 4! Thousands of venerated and celebrated artists, writers, musicians, finance wizards, athletes, thinkers and so on are just born with exceptional talents. 8. People who have a significant impact on your life, or the one you marry or have a long term relationship with. I know this sounds debatable but I am convinced these people who are crucial in various stages of your life don’t come by just accidentally. 9. Critical illnesses and chronic health conditions. So what you may notice is that it is the most important facts and those that come by in your early years of your life that can be pencilled under Fate. And you’d think that by and large everything else could fall under Free Will. But if the distinction were so easy, there wouldn’t be any debate would there. For instance, a friend’s husband, a motorbike enthusiast and actually a driving instructor has over the last few years bought two bikes he absolutely loved. The first time he got knocked off it by some driver and so sold the bike. The second time soon after he bought the bike he started getting sciatica pain and so had to sell this bike as well. On the surface it all seems like things that he simply did out of choice, doesn’t it but this pattern has shown itself in different variations in his life. What I know is that he has a subconscious belief instilled since childhood that he shouldn’t, is not entitled to having things that he loves. He is over 65 years old so you can see how resilient these beliefs are and how hard to eradicate. So was his

will really that free and he just happened to have a road accident or did he somehow make it happen? The sciatica clearly seems like something out of his control, therefore fated but could it be an impediment generated by his own mind? There is no disputing that our minds are incredibly powerful and capable of manifesting our most secret beliefs. So could some of what we term fate/free will be driven by our subconscious mind? As my favourite psychologist Carl Jung said, “until you make the unconscious (subconscious) conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate.” Sub-‐conscious by definition is something below your conscious awareness. So unless you notice a pattern in your behaviour and analyse it and clarify it and get the necessary insight which helps you to modify your behaviour, you keep repeating the same basic scenario in various ways. Since not many people have the interest or even the wherewithal to spend their lives examining their behaviour, does it mean that even our own Subconscious then is really God’s arena? Another person who keeps coming to mind as I mull over this subject is the South African athlete Oscar Pistorious. Both of Oscar’s legs were amputated below the knee when he was 11 months old (this in my mind is really, indisputably fate). And he went on to become one of the fastest men on the planet, winning dozens of trophies and gold medals in the Paralympics and an extraordinarily inspirational figure as he turned his fate into destiny. And then in the early hours of February 14, 2013 he shot and killed his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp and was charged with murder. Oscar claims he mistook Reeva for an intruder——the prosecution is claiming it was in a state of murderous rage that he shot the woman hiding in the bathroom in terror after they had a row. It’s easy to feel outraged on Reeva’s behalf in this situation but I am thinking whether it was a moment of insane rage or a case of mistaken identity, it is still a catastrophic tragedy for both of them. Not just Reeva but Oscar’s life as he knew it, is over. On the one hand, the fact that Oscar chose to pick up a loaded gun and chose to fire on the bathroom door and therefore killed Reeva makes him fully responsible. On the other hand, it’s no coincidence that his birth chart shows a dominance of planets in Scorpio, ruled by the planetary deity Pluto and the chart on the 14th of February has Saturn in a most prominent position. Saturn and

Pluto are the two gods most associated with Fate whether in Vedic or Western astrology!! These gods have no interest in which shirt you choose to wear in the morning. You are your own master when deciding to watch football or cricket—in other words, you are free to choose all the mundane, minor events of your life but they Will have influence over the life-‐changing events. So although Oscar may seem to be acting on free will alone I have no doubt he got some help from the gods. I haven’t read Oscar’s life story but my suspicion would be that early in life, some hubris, some belief or fear was wound up like a coiled spring on this landmine of a heavily fated chart. As an astrologer one can see that charts and lives dominated by these two deities are more fate-‐driven than other charts. Both Saturn and Pluto are gods who govern very significant and life changing events in your life. A quick and simple description of the natal chart is: It is the placement, on a pre-‐designed template, of the stars and planets that were in the skies at the moment you were born, in the exact location of your birth. The idea is that the external situation, the outside, the Above, mirrors what is within, what is internal and what is Below. The natal chart is then akin an architect’s blue print, a blue print of your own life. An architect considers the plot size, celestial directions, your own needs as an individual, as a family, as a corporation before he begins drawing the plan of a building and—before he decides where to place the sewage lines, the living room, the kitchen, the balcony and a hundred other details. Then he places all of this on a large sheet of paper and hands it to you to build on it. Similarly, I believe there is a fantastically imaginative architect whom I call God, who has come up with the blue print of our lives. So when we are still in soul form we sit in a meeting with Him and with our soul group and choose one of the myriad blue prints on offer. Then we incarnate and begin to build a house/life on that plan. As in the architectural plan of your house you may not be able to alter the direction of the sewage pipes but you can decide whether you want Hindware or Grohe fittings in the bathroom. You can’t choose the position of the walls but you can choose whether you want them cream and orange! You can have full freedom to choose the kitchen cabinets and the floor tiles and the hundreds of other details of your life. So when you come to an astrologer for a reading of your individual life plan she would want to see which deities are the most dominant and in which area of

your chart. For although Vedic astrologers stop at Saturn as the last planet in their charts, western astrologers add others like Uranus, Neptune, Pluto (Yes we all know about Pluto being demoted by the scientific community but most astrologers are not impressed with that) and Chiron. So e.g. when I see Pluto conjunct your Ascendant (a critical point in your chart) it is like seeing him or the Indian counterpart, Rudra/Shiva standing in the foyer of your front door. I can see that every time you come in and out of your flat you have no choice but to bow to this all-‐powerful god who controls and watches your movements. I can infer then that gradually you become more and more fearful, you try to make yourself invisible so he can’t see you, you try to find ways to appease him, you feel increasingly powerless and therefore start feeling angry yourself. I can see how this deeply hidden well of rage keeps releasing wisps of steam from a pressure cooker into your daily life—why you constantly feel weepy and irritated and why you keep self-‐sabotaging yourself. Only when I have fully understood who and what you are dealing with, can I come up with a strategy on how to work with this god. Maybe you can’t change the position of your bathroom but you don’t have to place your bed directly in it’s path. If I saw the god Saturn conjunct your Ascendant, I’d say you would still have a fearsome, strict authority figure monitoring you but there would be some scope of negotiation. Saturn was a Titan so he did understand human limitations and as long as you play by the rules, he will actually reward you. Saturn, like Pluto, has an unforgiving reputation as lord of karma and why people in India are quick to drop a few coins into the metal lota (vessel) carried by his henchmen wandering around the streets every Saturday. So again I’d see that life hasn’t been very easy for you and that you’ve had to really work hard for everything in your life and therefore have become a bit hard and judgmental yourself. If it were to see the Moon in your foyer, in it’s own sentimental sign Cancer, I’d say she might greet you every evening with a glass of warm milk and honey and ready your bath and meal and fuss over you and comfort you. Even if occasionally this feels claustrophobic, much easier to deal with no? You may question why would any soul in his right mind select a chart with Pluto the lord of the Underworld as the reigning deity. I only have a personal theory about that. I believe each one of us has a purpose, some task to fulfill that God can’t do himself and wants us to do for him. So some brave souls volunteer for very hard and heroic and horrifying duties in their lives—say like the girl Nirbhaya who was gang-‐raped and murdered on December 16, 2012 in Delhi. To believe that what happened to her was a random act of violence by some evil men or an instance of brutal fate renders her in my mind, even more helpless than she would have felt that day. It is only due to the public outrage after her murder that the useless Congress government was forced to change some of the laws regarding crimes against women. It was only after Nirbhaya, who even in deathbed wanted to testify, that more and more women have been galvanised

into disclosing such crimes against themselves. I know, this explanation is trying to make sense out of a senseless act but without any meaning incidents like these would feel even more unbearable and powerless. There was a time when I (still heavily influenced by Ayn Rand) believed that I was fully responsible for my life and therefore for every single painful thing that happened to me. There was no one helping me nor could I ask anyone for help. While I held this belief, for a good 20 years, I felt mostly miserable, chronically anxious, abandoned and unworthy. The day I sensed god’s presence in my life again, I trembled with a tremendous, liberating sense of Relief! I wasn’t alone and I didn’t have to do everything alone and there was someone very capable taking care of all of us. So in conclusion, I am actually glad that I can’t read and predict your future or mine fully or with total accuracy. Prometheus, the only Titan who could foretell future was tied to a rock and had his liver pecked out by eagle every day. But in giving the gift of fire to humans he gave us imagination, intuition and most importantly Faith which I feel is quite sufficient. -‐Neo Pachisia Neo Pachisia has been in the healing field for the past 20 years. She has trained in Psychological Astrology, Shamanic work, Energy Therapies. She has taught and held workshops and has clients all around the globe—she lives in Brighton and Goa. Her current favourite Rumi quote is “Don't be satisfied with stories, how things have gone with others. Unfold your own myth.” She can be reached at neospace12@gmail.com/www.healwithneo.com

The Riddle of Destiny and Freewill

Famous philosopher Rousseau wrote, "Man is born free and everywhere he is in chains”. I feel life is like a seesaw of freedom as well as chains that are invisible limitations of our own thoughts, lack of opportunities, fate, time or what we call destiny. When I see successful and powerful people around me I see they are free to do most of the things that a poor person can only imagine or fantasize. Normally we relate somebody's good fortune with his past lives good Karmas or Fate, luck or Destiny. Same fact is accepted in worst, helpless condition of somebody poor or suffering from physical or mental/emotional sickness. Some say everything in the world is predestined and no one is responsible for what happens. Though most of the time, I focus on nurturing positive thoughts and meditation to enjoy abundance. But still the about role of destiny in our life cannot ignored. Life’s unresolved questions cannot be solved like 2+2 (4). The whole tradition of Indian as well as western philosophy could not reach a definite ultimate answer. I feel so good when I feel free to choose my clothes, my mobile model, and places to visit, subject of studies, career and even friends. I feel education and knowledge brought free will, determination and power of decision in my being and life. I feel the remote control of my life is in my hands. Life is cool. But sometimes I ponder over the questions, “I did not choose my family and relatives?" (Though the Karma theory throw light on this) I do not have the freedom to choose most of the people I meet or deal in my day-‐to-‐day life. I did not choose my classmates or teachers. When some friendships were broken and I felt rejected and cheated, that too was not my free will or choice. When I look around the less privileged people around me, I feel that living a miserable life is not there choice. People who are physically or mentally handicap is also matter of Karma and destiny rather than Freewill. So, man is born free but still in chains of fate. When all these thoughts and feelings come to my mind I feel very helpless and limited. I feel like a puppet in the hands of destiny. The individual is merely driftwood on the waves. It is ridiculous to fight against the relentless law of destiny. As far as my own observation and experience of life is, “circumstances do rule over the world and you can not escape from your previous Karmas and destiny." Circumstances could make a beggar into a king, or king into a beggar’s the question is, "Is a human being free in his choice of action or are his actions preordained by forces beyond his control and opposed to his will?

After these gloomy thoughts, there is still a silver lining. Still nature is not that cruel towards us, as we are also gifted with Free will and freedom, even though it’s paradoxical. We have free will to choose our actions, moral values, our reaction against any action. My knowledge, awareness and consciousness brings me freedom. So, I am not merely a puppet in the hands of destiny. I am free to choose or not to choose. Without free will morality has no meaning. Then all the best things about people-‐ bravery, compassion, and charity have no meaning. If everything is determined then a rapist can be no more blamed for his evil actions and also then a social worker cannot be praised for her charitable deeds. What then of our actions of freewill? My point of view is that the major role of destiny cannot be ignored but still I have free will to change my life from right here and now. I cannot change the actions or karmas I performed in my past (in previous lives and also this life). I have to reap that fruit of actions I sowed in my past. I cannot escape from that. At the same time I have free will to choose my quality of actions (karma) from NOW.I also have free will how I take things and how I control my reaction leading to further action. For example if somebody is rude to me; it is in my control whether I choose to reciprocate with same rudeness or remain calm and not get disturb. Thus I may choose to multiply the chain reaction of negative behaviour by fighting or stopping it there by remaining calm. The choice of my reaction to the situation is thus my free will. Same way if I’m prisoned because of some action. My body is under restriction, this is my destiny. But my thoughts, imagination, mind, soul and my reaction to that cannot be restricted. This is my freewill. Therapies like Reiki, Yoga, meditation helps to reduce the effects of negative karmas and bring good luck. -‐Prathma Prathma is a Reiki & Karuna Reiki Master. She is practising and teaching Reiki & many other healing Modalities for last 15 years. As she is an expert in Reiki, Magnified Healing, Past Life Regression Therapy, Theta Healing, Angel Therapy, EET and EFT. Master Prathma has also taken meditation sessions in Leading IT companies in Pune (like KPIT, Mansoft & Sungaurd). She also works as a Student Counselor in Gems International School, Batala and is a Tarot and Angel Card Reader. You can reach her at (M)09815489756, prathma.healingzone@gmail.com, http://prathmahealingzone.com/

Freewill: Genes At Work

Destiny and freewill are two different parts of the same coin. I say this because life throws at us so many unpredictable moments, for some of which, we are completely unprepared. We are caught off-‐guard and then in the height of despair, blame it all on our destiny. If something gets stolen, we resign to fate claiming that this was meant to be. How often do we blame our own carelessness or lopsided attitude? Maybe one in ten times. As I write this piece I am reminded of my maternal grandmother, my memories of her are pretty scattered as we were in our early teens when she passed away suffering for long of uterine cancer. She was a woman of strong will and had the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen. My grandma was free spirited woman. Deeply religious and ritual abiding, she believed in letting people live their life as per their own choices. She had lived hers like that. Even in the face of cancer never once she gave up her dignified stance. She was always well dressed and deck up in her gold jewellery. My grandma was a freewill person and loved to rain down choicest expletives on us in Chhattisgarhi, when we irritated her in the summer afternoons. We chased after her, begging her to part with her ten paisa coins so that we could enjoy a peppermint or a tamarind rind or buy a kite or some such trivial thing and she would keep cursing us lovingly till at the end she divided the money amongst me and my cousins. She never believed in destiny and that was the reason she fought for her life tooth and nail till the last minute before she left us. Grandma was a pillar of strength in her family. She was an anchor to which all her children were tied. It was destined for her to die suffering but in her mind, she never wavered once. She did not succumb to blaming her destiny for her suffering. Never once did she say “this was meant to be”. She was a movie buff. When she was young, she with her brood of children would hire a cycle rickshaw to one of the 3 movie theatres and watch a film, all by herself. She was self assured and independent, which was at that age, way ahead of her time,

especially in a small town of Chhattisgarh. Another of her activity which showed her free-‐spirited nature was playing cards; she would either play rummy with my grandfather or spend her afternoon playing cards with all her children and grandchildren. Her love for betel leaf could be seen from her tobacco stained teeth and her luxuriously decorated and always full betel leaf box. On some days, she would sit in one corner with a betel nut cracker and effortlessly cut chunks of whole betel nut into tiny chewable pieces. During the winter months, her evening ritual was to light up the “Sigri” and keep herself warm. She was least bothered about the smoke or anything else affecting anybody. My grandma never regretted the way she lived and enjoyed life free of feeling destiny’s burden. She had a life and she loved it dearly. In her death also, she kept smiling. She was fully aware of her last moments. She never feared anything, hence was not troubled by anything. A simple woman who had always loved her family, always believed that life has to be lived on your own terms, never once giving up when faced with challenges; my grandma is and always will be a source of inner strength for me. Freewill is a choice. If you choose to be independent then your inner strength automatically builds up and allows you to do things, you would never think you could do. There are times when destiny has a role to play but being free of that thought gives a whole new rigour to live life like my grandma lived. -‐Susmita Shroff Susmita Shroff is MBA (Finance). She is a homemaker and freelance mentor. She writes for pleasure and is a voracious reader. She is currently pursuing a creative writing course.

“I learned again and again in my life, until you get your own act together, you’re not ready for Big Love. What you’re ready for is one of those codependent relationships where you desperately need a partner.” ― Bruce H. Lipton, The Honeymoon Effect: The Science of Creating Heaven on Earth

A Thousand Cages

“Storms of emotion attain a different level when Even your own nerves are unaware of it” Life is like a painting which covers most aspect of it in color which gives a loud applause to it. Nude pictures with no blue, green and red tinctures of color to support do not reflect any color to your eyes. Best aspect of this painting is a surprise color .When you sprinkled this surprise color, it provided a life to this painting. We all are bounded by thousand cages around us. But we are unaware of it. Most of us do activities which we are not meant to do. Our desires are suppressed. It’s More like an open cage .You know that you can get out of it but it’s you, just you Who is not willing to fly? “A page full of dots become a blessing When a child joins those dots and it Becomes a concrete picture and you Gaze at that picture, wondering, how it Happened? It’s because a young, innocent child is free and rules on his own emotion without being governed by others. There are no CAGES around him/her. Once you know how to tackle with cages, step by step, your wings will start to flutter and that is the Time when your FREEWILL will govern you. This FREEWILL will then act like a LOOKING GLASS which you spotted unknowingly .And when you saw your reflection in it; you knew how beautiful you are! Because this reflection is free of those burdens which the cage has created around you. There are no lines of worries .This looking glass sets a new destiny for you.

This destiny is a handmade destiny. You made it. It is your own brand of product. The nature around us is the best example of how cages confine your life to NOTHINGNESS. Do you see the Sun? It governs on its own. There are no cages around it. It shine and provide light to millions and crores.But once! Yes once in a while, there comes another body to interrupt its freewill. It’s the eclipse. Yes! This is the time when a cage is built around it and darkness surrounds. This is the time when it is not ruled by its own desire. Colors of life disenthrall its fluidity only when we are free to choose these colors. Forced emotion envelops heart and never set it free. This envelope is a curse. It can only result in doom .A little bit of control is okay as it control our ill-‐desire but a complete control ruins your own brand of creativity. Once you are free to open this envelope, you will see a letter which tells how your own set of desire was erased previously as you never tried to open this letter. A little bit of attempt is all it takes to write this letter again and pot ray a real you! A THOUSAND CAGES CREATES A THOUSAND YOU! BURN THESE CAGES! LET THE AIR BREATHE IN LET YOUR HEART, MIND AND SOUL SET A NEW DESTINY FOR YOU! -‐Alokita Jha Alokita, 21, is a student of Psychology at Banaras Hindu University. She completed her schooling from Carmel Convent School, Gwalior.She loves scribbling anything and everything that strikes her mind. And she blogs frequently at shemaunder.blogspot.in. A hardcore feminist, she can be reached at alokitajha@gmail.com

Artist: 1Josephine Wall

-‐Susmita Shroff Susmita Shroff is MBA (Finance). She is a homemaker and freelance mentor. She writes for pleasure and is a voracious reader. She is currently pursuing a creative writing course.

-‐ Dr. Pallavi Mishra Dr. Pallavi Mishra has been a lecturer in physics before taking charge of Amrapali Media Vision as CEO. She has been regularly writing poems, articles for various print & electronic media. She has also written lyrics for films.

The Crossroads

The character that Parikshit Sahni played in the movie 3 idiots is closely symbolic to most fathers, or I should rather say; symbolizes a major chunk of families in our society. “Mera Beta Engineer Banega {My son will become an engineer)” was the destiny that was chosen for a new born no older than a few minutes. Well sure it was the free will of the father but would it really define the child’s destiny? Of course, if you have seen the movie, you would know that later in the movie the father learns an important lesson about his son’s own destiny. It was a lesson for the father as much as the son; to accept and fulfill his destiny. Follow his heart’s desire & to choose the calling of his heart, his free will and shape his own destiny. I hope this sheds enough light on Free will and Destiny for us to differentiate between the both. So let’s try to understand -‐ do free will and destiny depend/relate to each other? Throughout our lives we are at crossroads and we feel, gauge, calculate and decide on the path would want to pursue. Sometimes we just do things involuntarily and at times the same things might need due diligence before we step forward. Our feelings guide our steps, our mind controls the pace of our flight and our senses maneuver us through the hurdles. When we are grounded and the feelings are not going haywire and we are at peace with our wants & needs, our heart leads us. Our free will is where it takes us and that brings us to OUR destiny, which would certainly then be a beautiful one. Of Course, free will and destiny are related. But is that all to it? As a child the theory of relativity always fascinated me. The feeling, I had when I saw moon following my car was always so mesmerizing and that of the trees and roadside stalls passing by at great speed, were so exciting. The feeling of being

followed by the moon and leaving the bystanders afar was not comprehensible to the mind but was nonetheless a very enjoyable. Years later the feeling was explained through a few Laws of Physics. The knowledge of cause and affects, actions and reactions was scintillating for the mind but the heart never was at ease. For it was searching for its Destiny. “What am I destined for?” used to be a constant question that rose from the heart and resonated in every cell in my being looking for an answer. And then one fine day while I was watching Kung Fu Panda, a particular statement struck me. “Nothing is in our control, we can plant a seed where we want, nourish it and take care of it, but it is the free will of the seed to sprout and the destiny of that seed to be able to grow to a fully grown tree”. Scientifically speaking, given the same environmental conditions all seeds would grow to be a strong tree but then why does it happen that one in 4 seeds sown, grows and the others wither away. I wondered if my destiny was solely in my control. How do I exercise my free will to blossom and reach MY destiny? If I was to follow my Free will, would my destiny, always be the one chosen by me? Nah, there is more to our Destiny than we comprehend. Is it complicated? So let’s simplify it. Life is not happening TO YOU, it is happening FOR YOU and BECAUSE of YOU. We build our lives with what we attract into our life, by how we feel about life and what we are intrinsically. We have the power to shape our lives and flourish it. But what shapes our destiny is not a free willed soul living in fear and doubts, it is the Free will of a Free Spirit floating in Love and sailing on Faith. When we start living out of Love and Faith, nothing seems daunting and everything is desirable. We don’t question our now to be in accordance with our presumed Destiny. We just surrender our self with Love and faith and follow our Heart. This, my dear readers, is the dawn of the destiny that you will shape happily. Without Love, Faith and Surrender, Our destiny will not be that of ours but that of our Fears and we would never be able to relate to the outcome as our destiny. -‐Maniesh Jain Where the Mind Goes, the Body Must Follow Almost everyone has heard of the mind-‐body connection. But they often reduce it to simple notions about positive thinking or "You're only as old as you think you are." In reality, everywhere your mind goes, your body must follow. It's not a choice. Through a flood of chemical messengers, every thought you have is sent to your body. Therefore, your mind is playing the major role in aging. The good news is that it can play the major role in reversing aging. -‐Deepak Chopra

12th House in Astrology

The House Of Losses/Hidden Talents

12th house in astrology is referred to as the house of losses. Losses can be of money, health or any other thing which is controlled by the planets or the sign in the 12th house. 12th house also indicates difficulties, impediments, confinement, restraint, solitude, secrets, settlement in foreign countries, relations with foreigners, bed pleasures, left eye, left ear and most important hidden talents. Various planets placed in this house bring about specific effects in the life of the native. If the native is able to understand this, he can make requisite changes in his life style and minimize the ill effects of the concerned planets. Sun in the 12th House:-‐It is not a good position for the Sun. It can bring about legal implications in the professional life of the native whether he is in a job or doing business. Native is not able to earn much by speculation, landed property also faces some kind of interference from the government. Education of the native and the progeny also suffers. Native is successful after lot of hard work and struggle. Offering water to the rising Sun is a good remedy for this position of the Sun. Native may not have good relations with the father or the father may not be alive or the role of father in the native’s life is negligible.

Moon in the 12th house:-‐ This is not again a good position for the Moon. Native may be addicted to drinking, relations with the spouse may not be good. Native may be jealous, fickle minded and may suffer from mental disturbances. Mental conditions like epilepsy can be predicted from such a position of the Moon. Native’s mother is not kindly disposed towards the native and can be a source of pain and loss. Native may drift into extra-‐marital affairs. Mars in the 12th house:-‐ The presence of Mars in the 12th house leads to the “ Manglik Dosh” but this dosh is a weak one. Native is prone to injury and bleeding. Native can face some kind of investigation in life, termination of services, loss of property etc. On the positive side native is supportive to the spouse and helps in the progress of the spouse. Native is likely to spend money in charity. Mercury in the 12th house:-‐ Mercury in the 12th house is again a difficult position. Education of the native is effected due to various reasons like lack of facilities, lack of funds or due to low level of intelligence. Native needs constant prodding and guidance even for small tasks. Native is not able to keep accounts and lacks clarity in writing and communication. If Mercury is strong then the individual has exceptional intelligence and makes a mark in the field of marketing and communication. Jupiter in the 12th house:-‐ Leads to losses of money and property due to carelessness of the native or by misconduct of the people around him. Native’s superiors tend to take advantage of the native. Native’s progeny may be harmed. Jupiter hampers the education of the native by adversely affecting the memory of the native. Native may suffer from ailments of the digestive system, respiratory system, liver, kidney and may face fluctuations in the glucose level in the blood. Venus in the 12th house:-‐ Venus in this house makes the native pleasure loving and greedy. It gives a third angle to marriage. Natives are weak willed and give in easily to pressure. This is an important point which should be considered at the time of marriage. Saturn:-‐ Native is likely to be short in height somewhat dark in complexion. Native has a snobbish mentality and thinks himself to be superior to others. He is capable of telling lies which nobody can doubt. Native tends to spend much more than his pocket allows. He would easily borrow money from his friends and would hesitate to help his friends. They do sometimes help their relatives and friends but always expect appreciation in return. Bank balance of the native is always fluctuating. Saturn being in 3rd position from the 12th house makes the native hardworking. Rahu in the 12th house:-‐ Native is well built and is impressive in appearance. They tend to spend money on charity only to achieve name and fame. If Rahu is accompanied with malefic planets the native has a fear of imprisonment. If Rahu is alone the penalty is less severe.

Ketu in the 12th house:-‐ Native has to face a lot hurdles in life but they are able to do so with ease. They rise in society in status and wealth. Forever In Gratitude To Her Divine Grace! -‐Archana Sharma Archana Sharma is an M.Phil in Life Sciences and practises in Astrology, Numerology and alternative therapies. She is currently pursuing research in Medical Astrology. You can contact her on 09871153164 or archana7sharma@gmail.com The Earth takes about 25,000 years to move in retrograde motion, through the 12 constellations, and it spends roughly around 2,000 years to travel through each zodiacal sign, and these periods are known as the “ages”. Time itself is divided, and the dates are generalized and each sign varies in size and so we cannot know the precise date when one age gives way to another as there can be as much as a 500 year overlap. An overall view suggests the astrological ages of the signs work much differently and that there is a blending of the two signs, an adaptation of two worlds as the astrological age progresses, but also a general chaotic state between the old order and the new. The Ages often influence events, mostly relating to growth, culture and new symbolism presiding over a particular time, meaning it ushers in a new development cycle. The shift of signs occurs slowly, and some astrologers believe we are already in the Age of Aquarius others believe that there is no definite date and the debate rages over the starting and ending points on the astrological ages. Also, many believe that the astrological ages works in pairs and so the age of Pisces is also influenced by the sign of Virgo. Here is a rundown of the astrological ages through the signs and corresponding changes. Leo: The earliest age, which astrologers can speculate. The major events listed in this sign are global warming and end of the ice age. Cancer: The age of “The Great Mother”. Mankind began to build dwellings, settling down into homes, and place of habitation, with permanent villages used for protection showing great tenacity and strength sharply aligning with family values, domestication. Gemini: Gemini represents the age when writing first appeared on stones. The sign rules over communication and it was a sign of the times that man was to develop intellectually during this course. Cont…

How is Jupiter going to Effect you This Year?

Jupiter is the largest planet of the solar system and is approximately 48, 51, 14,000 miles away from the earth. Jupiter revolves around the Sun at the rate of 8.2 miles per second. Jupiter takes around 1 year to shift from one zodiac sign to the next. Jupiter is a natural benefice and is generally auspicious for all. However, its transit has specific effect on each moon sign (rashi). Jupiter has three aspects from where it is placed. This year Jupiter has changed its transit from Gemini to Cancer. Jupiter was transiting the sign of Gemini till 18th June 2014 and from June 19th it is occupying Cancer and will remain in it till 14th July 2015.Jupiter is exalted in Cancer and its transit will have different effect on different signs. It may be challenging for some and auspicious for some other. Given below is general synopsis of the effect of transit of Jupiter in the year 2014. Aries For Arians Jupiter occupies the 4th house and from this position it aspects the 10th house of career and position in society, 12th house of loss, expenditure, foreign travel etc. also aspects 8th house of inheritance, occult knowledge and disease, death etc. This transit is not good as it is likely to cause loss of wealth and income. You will have to work harder in business and job. Your expenses will be much more than your income and you may have to spend your past savings also. It will be difficult to acquire house and property. Your mother’s health can get affected. You are advised to offer water in which turmeric has been dissolved to the banana tree. Taurus For this moon sign Jupiter occupies the third position. This will bring about an improvement in life conditions, promotion in work, aims and ambitions will be fulfilled. There will be improvement in relationships and the marital life will be

harmonious. Natives are advised to light a lamp of clarified butter in a Vishnu temple on Thursday all throughout the year. Gemini For Geminis Jupiter occupies the second house and from there it aspects the eight house the sixth house and the house of career. This transit will be favourable for general life conditions but profits will be much less than the last year. Natives are likely to become lazy while there enemies will become active. Natives are advised to keep their life organised and keep an eye on enemies. They are also advised to look after their health. They are advised to do pranayam and study The Gita daily. Meditating and contemplating on the shlokas of The Gita will be give them the right perspective on life. Cancer For Cancerians this transit is most beneficial as it will augment income and will help the natives to come out of debt. There will be a rise in fortune and the natives will be able to get desired success in all ventures. Religious travel and religious activities will keep the native occupied for most part of the year. There will be a definite improvement in the health and their aura will exude brilliance. They are also advised to keep yellow flowers at their place of work and surround themselves with yellow hues. Leo For this sign Jupiter occupies the twelfth house and hence is not a very good transit for them. Income will be markedly less and they are likely to face unwanted arguments and litigation at place of work. Profit from land and property will be much less. However, they are likely to have good relations with government officials and this will help them to come out of many problems. They are advised to help the needy specially those people who are suffering monetary crunch. Virgo For this sign Jupiter occupies the eleventh house of fulfilment of desires. This Jupiter transit aspects their house of creativity, children, the house of short travels and the house of spouse & partnership. They are likely to have success in all ventures especially in those areas where they had already begun work in the last transit. Monetary gains are assured and there will be good harmonious relationships within the family. Natives are advised to offer turmeric and water to the banana tree. Libra For Librans Jupiter occupies tenth position. From this position Jupiter aspects their house of savings and family and house of mother, comforts and property. These natives will have increase in income, health will be better, there will be promotion in job and they will be able to overcome problems easily. There is likely to be marriage or birth of a child in the family. Natives are advised to offer jaggery and grams to lord Vishnu on Thursday. Scorpio

For this sign this transit of Jupiter is very beneficial. This is a very good time as all problems seem to dissolve, enemies are subdued, children do well and there is likely hood of good news all throughout the year. Natives are advised to donate camphor and ghee on Thursday throughout the year in a Vishnu temple. Sagittarius For this sign this transit is not good. There will be a decline in the income comfort and health. Natives will have to face problems time and again. Savings will be much less. Natives are advised to offer yellow cloth with money to the priest in a Vishnu temple. Capricorn For this sign the transit is average. Natives will be able to get success only after hard work. There is likely hood of monetary loss in this transit. However, relationships among the family members will be good and keep the native encouraged. Natives are advised to offer green grass to cows on Thursday at least once a month. Aquarians Aquarians are likely to get a raise in job and profit in business. Natives are likely to acquire new clothes jewellery and other items of comfort during this transit. They will be able to put in good effort to achieve desired results. They are advised to offer turmeric and sandal to Lord Vishnu daily. Pisces For this sign the transit is extremely good and they will be able to achieve success with little effort. There will be all-‐round improvement in their life conditions. Natives are advised to offer saffron and sandal to Lord Vishnu and apply the same to their forehead daily. Forever In Gratitude To Her Divine Grace! -‐Archana Sharma Archana Sharma is an M.Phil in Life Sciences and practises in Astrology, Numerology and alternative therapies. She is currently pursuing research in Medical Astrology. You can contact her on 09871153164 or archana7sharma@gmail.com

Tarot Predictions July 2014

Aries (March 21 to April 20)

This month is about endings and new beginnings both personally and professionally. There may be confusions and hesitations regarding taking some actions or decisions. However, if you look at the larger picture it will become easier to take the right decisions. Focus on service, on how best you can serve everyone and the answers will become clear to you. Let go of fear and go ahead fearlessly. Work and Finances: This is a good time to switch jobs or change careers as your intentions are manifesting into form quickly. If you have been looking for a job, you are likely to get one suited to your skillset this month. Financially, this will

be an average time. Love: Relationships that have been strained will be resolved. It could mean that the old sour relationships could become better or if it is in the highest good of both the people, the relationship will come to its natural end. Take things in your stride as they come, as better things are on the horizon but not yet visible. Health: Health will be average. Your laid back attitude can cause some trouble so it is time to gear up and get into a fitness regimen. Message from the Angels: If you get nervous about something, focus on service. Put your entire intention on answering the question “How can I make or do it for the highest good of everyone?” and the Law of Attraction will automatically take care of your needs.

Taurus (April 21 -‐ May 21)

You may feel under pressure from different aspects of your life though the fact is it is more of your own making than anyone else’s. Learn to take things easy this month as too much planning into the future is futile. Learn to look at the larger picture and live one day at a time. This will keep the stress at bay and also help resolve the on going confusions and dilemmas. Work and Finances: Work related travel is on the cards this month. Old pending projects will come to a completion and new projects will bring in increased money inflows. The work environment will be supportive. Finances will be good this

month. Investment in property will be fruitful. Love: Allow space and understanding in your relationships. Look at the situation from other person’s perspective too. Having too rigid expectations from your loved ones or future partner can be a recipe for disaster. Health: Health will be good overall. Some minor issues may trouble this month which are most likely provoked due to emotional turmoil. Spending time in nature will be rejuvenating. Message from the Angels: Align your actions with your heart’s true calling so that they match your values and inner knowingness of what’s right for you. That’s the path of success and satisfaction.

Gemini (May 22 -‐ June 21)

This month will be about relationships and emotions. If this is an area of challenge for you, remember this month to listen to your heart, that still small voice inside which guides you, nudges you to take decisions that at times may seem illogical but guide you in the right direction. Find time for yourself and your loved ones. When heart is happy and at peace, every success counts. Work and Finances: Work situations may not go as per your plans. Don’t fret or get tensed about it, as things need to be worked out on a personal basis with your colleagues or bosses or business partners. Financially, this is an average month.

Love: Relationships need nurturing and care this month, as you will need to listen to your heart more than your head. You have been working really hard but find time for your family as well. If you need to take any decisions regarding commitment, heed to that inner voice. Health: Health will be average. If the doctor’s reports don’t seem satisfactory, don’t hesitate to take another opinion. Heal your emotions along with the physical body for complete health rejuvenation. Message from the Angels: Visualize success. See yourself doing well in your situation and have faith in a positive outcome. As you align your thoughts with what you want instead of what you don’t want, life becomes easy and exciting.

Cancer (June 22 -‐ July 22)

This month is about learning to handle your emotions well otherwise mood swings could throw you off balance before you even know it. Stay open to learning and receiving as this month you are likely to learn something new and exciting, tending more towards the spiritual aspect. Love life would be the center

of attention, however, be centered and grounded as much as possible. Decisions taken in the heat of emotions can be a recipe for disaster. Work and Finances: Work will be good. You will receive opportunities to work as a guide or mentor for others. Opportunities will be abundant and you will be generally happy about the work situation. Financially, this is a fruitful time. Love: In relationships, you may feel like an outsider not knowing what to do or say next. There is nothing lacking. It will be upon you to take action towards creating better relationships. Don’t assume until you know. Health: Health will be average and you will need to follow a diet and exercise routine which feels right for you. Don’t be careless with your health. Message from the Angels: The energy of crystals supports you this month and helps with your present situation. Use crystals that feel right for you. Clear quartz, rose quartz, aquamarine and watermelon tourmaline will be of immense help this month.

Leo (July 23 -‐ August 21)

This month it may seem like you are having to deal with so many different areas of your life that nothing seems to be making sense. You may feel exhausted and tired. Take a break from all that is going on to get a fresh perspective on things, then work on making them better. Any problems in life are just a sign of lack of harmony within you. Meditation and spiritual practices will be helpful at this time. Work and Finances: Work will be good but if you are experiencing any challenges, it is time to look at things from a new perspective. Don’t push hard in a direction if things are not working. Patience is the key to all problems. Finances will be average, control your expenditure. Love: Relationships can pose challenges this month. Contemplate and do a reality check abut your relationships. Ask yourself if this is what you really want. If there is something that you need to let go of, do it this month, especially if you wish to move on in life. Health: Health will need to be taken care of as overwork and exhaustion can be a problem this month. Find the right balance in your professional and personal life and learn to create healthy boundaries.

Message from the Angels: Angels are helping you lovingly to speak your truth. Anytime you feel your throat sore or throat chakra blocked, sing and express yourself creatively. Taking a salt-‐water bath will also help.

Virgo (August 22 -‐ September 23)

This month you will be in a contemplative mood. The emotions will be running high. Learn to manage your emotions or you could end up taking some wrong decisions about work and in personal life. If you pay attention to everything others say, it is a perfect recipe for failure. So listen to your heart, calm yourself, get grounded and centered. Long walks in green areas would be beneficial. Work and Finances: You may feel undecided about a choice of job or projects to take up. However, if you stay stuck in this limbo, there is a chance that you might lose both the opportunities. Take the tough decision. There is no point in delaying it. Financially, this is an average time. Don’t lend or invest money this month as it is likely to get stuck. Love: Relationships hold lessons inherent in them. If you are going through a difficult relationship, spend some time with yourself contemplating it, learning what this relationship has to teach you. As soon as you do this, you will know how to resolve it for the best. Health: Health is good, however, you need to be gentle with yourself. Don’t push yourself too hard when you body demands rest and nourishment. Message from the Angels: This month angels are assisting you in manifesting your dreams and desires. Use your spiritual gifts and natural abilities to attract your desired outcome.

Libra (September 24 -‐ October 23)

You have been running after a goal or in a mechanical routine for some time now. In all of this you may have missed the larger picture. This month, stop and take a good look at your journey and where do you want to go. Re-‐assess your plans, chalk out more beneficial ways of reaching your goals even if that means starting afresh. This month, the bulk of your attention would be on your work. Work and Finances: There are likely to be unexpected challenges in the work and professional area. It will force you to take a fresh

new perspective about your work. Be open to change, as it will be beneficial. Love: Relationships need more stability. You may face some mood swings this month that can cause some strain with your loved ones. Spend some quality time with your family to strengthen the bond and re-‐ignite the passion. A heart-‐to-‐ heart communication can also be a passionate act. Health: Health will be good except for occasional health issue such as backache and issues with digestive system. Stick to natural remedies instead of immediately popping the pills, as the issues are more to do with changes in life circumstances than something in the body. Message from the Angels: Archangel Raphael, the healing angel is with you supporting your healing work whether it involves healing yourself, your situation or someone else. If you are planning to pursue a career of healing or medical profession, this healing angel will assist you with the right courses as well as finances.

Scorpio (October 24 -‐ November 22)

This month, the focus will be on socializing and get-‐togethers. Sharing of ideas will spark a new phase of growth in your life. Professionally this month will be fruitful, personally, there are likely to be some issues with loved ones. Speak your truth and don’t be afraid to open up your true self. Work and Finances: Your work will be appreciated and rewarded by your seniors. However, there is a caution against being moody as it could create problems with the quality of your work and not being able to meet deadlines. Finances will be good this month. Love: If you are facing any strains in your relationship with your partner, look at things from their perspective as well. Don’t be too controlling about the relationship, when you let it flow, it takes on a beautiful quality. However, if you are the one being pushed around, stand your ground and speak up. Health: Health will be in as good a shape as your state of mind. Meditation and spending some time in nature will be rejuvenating. Message from the Angels: Express yourself and awaken your psychic senses through the magical power of music and movement. Flow with the music, sing, dance, paint and create. As the energy flows freely through your body, it flows even more freely through your life.

Sagittarius (November 23 -‐ December 24)

This month, the focus will be more on professional life than on personal life. You have been working very hard on your professional projects, sometimes even at the expense of your family and your health. Success in your ventures is assured, however, it will be a long drawn process. In this journey, don’t forget to pay attention to things that really matter like your family and health. Work and Finances: The project that you have been working on will be a success but it will come after some struggle. The work environment this month may not be very congenial, create healthy boundaries and don’t let anyone step on your toes. This is likely to get better towards the end of the month. Love: Handling relationships this month will be much easier. You will receive help from different sources to manage your day-‐to-‐day life and chores. Take time off with your family to unwind and reconnect with them. Marriage bells are likely to ring for those who are single. Health: Health will need care as you may face issues with your throat and back. Avoid exposure to extreme temperatures and keep stress levels low. Message from the Angels: Choose only positive thoughts and words to describe your home, career, finances and present situation as your words are rapidly manifesting into form and determine your outcome.

Capricorn (December 23 -‐ January 20)

This is likely to be a month of success for you where you will reap the rewards of your past efforts. There is no need to hurry as you receive whatever you deserve at the right time. Weigh the pros and cons before you take any decisions. Family will be supportive. Inheritance issues are likely to go in your favour. Work and Finances: Change or shift in work/job or career is on the cards. Moving towards a project or career that is more suited to your abilities and interests will improve your satisfaction and productivity. Embrace this change with open arms. Finances will be good. Investment in property will

be a good idea at this time. Love: Your relationships are experiencing a change in the depth and quality. Instead of resisting this change, flow with it. Approach your relationships with awareness as you did when you had just met your partners. It will recreate the magic in your relationships.

Health: Health will be good and will support you in all your ventures. Soak in sunlight and vitamin D by taking up outdoor activities this month. Message from the Angels: You are a light worker and your words and deeds teach about love. Use your abilities as an earth angel to heal and touch others lives in a loving way.

Aquarius (January 21 -‐ February 19)

This is a time for you to learn to let go and understand the world from a point of view of detachment. With so much going on in life right now, you may feel over worked, especially with so many demands being placed on you from both professional as well as personal front. Delegate work, prioritize and choose what’s important for you instead of picking up everything and not being able to complete anything. Work and Finances: You will need to have an out of the box thinking for your work as the demands and work pressures increase this month. Be careful of who you put your trust in. be aware of your mood swings as they can affect your work. Love: Let bygones be bygones. Don’t stick too much to the past relationships or events. Moving on will be the best gift you give yourself and those around you. Present relationships hold more meaning than you can imagine. Spend some time with them. Health: Health will be average as you try to cope with the increasing demands on your time. Don’t push yourself too hard or pick up a new activity. Be gentle in your workouts. Message from the Angels: Powerful, loving and wise spiritual teachers are watching over and guiding you. Pay attention to their ideas and messages that you receive repeatedly though physical and psychic senses.

Pisces (February 19 -‐ March 20)

This month will be about realizations as you find new perspectives into your everyday life. You have been running after a goal or in a mechanical routine for some time now. In all of this you may have missed the larger picture. This month, stop and take a good look at your journey and where do you want to go. Re-‐ assess your plans; chalk out more beneficial ways of reaching your goals even if that means starting afresh. Work and Finances: Involve yourself in activities with other people in sharing your ideas and your work, as this will benefit you individually as well the

organization. Financially, this month will be average. There will be no lack however, expenses will also be high. Love: Love relationships will be good, but there will be lack of satisfaction, as your expectations don’t match the reality. Awareness of your partner’s perspective and what you want out of this relationship will help you handle your relationship better. Health: Health will be good. This is a good time to take up a more rigorous workout routine, as it will be beneficial for your body and mind. Message from the Angels: Your angels want to help you with this situation, however, they require your permission before they can intervene in your freewill choices. Don’t forget to ask openly and freely. With Grace and Light -‐Meetu Sehgal Meetu Sehgal, a Tarot Consultant and Holistic Healer, is an MBA from Delhi University. With more than 8 years of experience in Tarot Reading, she is known as a “Tarot Healer” for her in-‐depth tarot counseling sessions which are insightful as well as empowering. You can reach her at meetu.sehgal@gmail.com or www.divineinnovations.org She also teaches Osho Zen Tarot, Reiki and other holistic sciences. Cont… Taurus: The Taurus age closely aligns with the time of the Egyptians and identification with wealth, beauty, and possessions. Beautiful structures were built for permanence, such as the Pyramids and also the polarity with Scorpio influenced the obsession with death, the concern with the afterlife and developing techniques in embalming, mummification, that were established along with tombs and artifacts. Aries: The age of Aries focused on the war-‐like nature of the times, with the Greeks. A powerful focus on the strength of the body, physical fitness and sport dominated, it also relates to courage, bravery, and the great adventure. The Mars relation with iron in astrological rulerships and the making of swords from this metal marked the time.

Right Shapes for Right Fengshui

In Fengshui each element is represented not only by a specific colour but also by a specific shape. Hence in order to do right Fengshui , right shape of the cures is equally important. There are five elements in Fengshui and each is represented by a specific shape. Let us begin with the elements one by one. Fire Stars and triangles are specific for this element. Light fixtures and cures of the shape of stars and triangles are ideal for the South and South West of the bagua. This element can be further enhanced by using the colours-‐yellow, purple, red and crimson. Do not display a star or a triangle shaped cure in the North, North West and East. Earth This element is represented by a square shape and earthy and brown colours. Display these shapes in the North East, South West and avoid it in the North and the South of the bagua.

Metal Circular shape is associated with this element. Display cures of this shape in white and gray colours in the North, West and North West of the bagua and avoid it in the East and the South West. Water This element is assigned the curvy or a flowy shape which is true to its nature. Cures in shades of blue in curved or wavy shapes can be displayed in the North, South East and East of the bagua and should be avoided in the South, South West, North West and North East of the bagua. Wood A rectangular shape is assigned to this element. Cures of green and brown colour in rectangular shapes can be displayed in the East, South-‐East and the North East and is best avoided in the North, South West and North East of the bagua. Forever In Gratitude To Her Divine Grace! -‐Archana Sharma Archana Sharma is an M.Phil in Life Sciences and practises in Astrology, Numerology and alternative therapies. She is currently pursuing research in Medical Astrology. You can contact her on 09871153164 or archana7sharma@gmail.com What's in a Calabash? A Calabash or a Wu-‐Lu as it is called is symbolic of longevity and health. Wu-‐Lu, as such, is a dried gourd believed to hold the elixir of health and longevity. • A Wu-‐Lu when placed in the eastern sector of your living room or the dining room brings about good health of the whole family. • Hanging a Wu-‐Lu in the car prevents accidents as it absorbs poison and kills shar chi’ (negative energy) and thus acts as a protective shield. • If a person is prone to sickness, a Wu-‐Lu hung in the bedroom or by the bedside prevents occurrence of health problems. • Place or hang a set of Wu-‐Lus on both sides of the bed of a person suffering from long drawn sickness.

Fengshui Queries from Readers

Question:-‐ What is the Peach luck formula and how can I use it to attract love in my life? Answer:-‐ Peach luck formula is an interesting cure used to attract love, life partners or like minded friends in your life. There are 3 main steps to it:-‐ 1. Identify your zodiac sign which is an animal in Chinese astrology. 2. Check the peach blossom luck animal chart. This chart will tell you which animal to choose for your personal application of your peach luck formula. 3. Display your peach luck animal in the corresponding area. Keeping beautiful figurines of the appropriate animals in the right direction aesthetically is very important. Do not neglect them after placing them rather strike a rapport with them and take proper care of them for best results. Forever In Gratitude To Her Divine Grace! -‐Archana Sharma Archana Sharma is an M.Phil in Life Sciences and practises in Astrology, Numerology and alternative therapies. She is currently pursuing research in Medical Astrology. You can contact her on 09871153164 or archana7sharma@gmail.com

Astrological Queries from Readers

Name – Shobit. D.O.B-‐ 20 October 1986. T.O.B-‐ 4 A.M. P.O.B-‐ Moradabad. You are a Virgo ascendant and your moon sign is Aries. Ketu occupies the 1st house and Rahu occupies the 7th house. Sun, Mercury and Venus occupy the 2nd house, Moon is in the eighth house, Jupiter is retrograde in the 6th house, Saturn occupies the 3rd house and Mars is in the 5th house. You are running mahadasha of Rahu and antardasha of Jupiter. Mercury your lagnesh is with debilitated Sun in the 2nd house. This weakens your Rajyog. Jupiter lord of the 7th house is in the 6th house hence your business is not likely to do well. At present you are in a job and if you continue doing so you will not be able to do well. You should start a new venture after 24th October 2014 which is likely to flourish. Transit of Jupiter this year will prove beneficial for you. You are advised to donate an idol of Vishnu made in gold in a Vishnu temple. Forever In Gratitude To Her Divine Grace! -‐Archana Sharma Archana Sharma is an M.Phil in Life Sciences and practises in Astrology, Numerology and alternative therapies. She is currently pursuing research in Medical Astrology. You can contact her on 09871153164 or archana7sharma@gmail.com

Pisces: The age of Pisces was when the birth of Christ came into age, and Christian scribblings drawn onto the walls, as well as the development of Christian qualities such as being kind, charitable, and forgiving. The Nuns, monks, and priests flooded this age, and great sacrifices were made. Aquarius: The Archetypal image of this age symbolizes the advancement of technology, the “computer age” as it is commonly called and characterized by man at his most intelligent, marked by an age of Science. In The Aquarian Science answers most of our questions, dissecting every part of man’s existence in an intellectual framework. The sign, possesses such attributes as freedom, political revolution, and the ability to reason.

Crystal of the Month - Apatite

Free will is exerted in manifesting and Apatite is a crystal that helps manifestation. Whether the goal be as mundane as weight loss or profound as in enhancing psychic perception and opening up one’s consciousness, whether it be materialistic as in manifesting abundance or devoting oneself to environmental activism, organic farming or altruism of any kind: Apatite has been credited with assisting with bringing one closer to desired outcomes. Michael Gienger says that Apatite helps with apathy. It encourages liveliness and helps with exhaustion. It helps us find a balance between extreme activity and inertia and is claimed to be beneficial for autistic and hyperactive children. It calms aggression and irritability. The word Apatite comes from the Greek word meaning “to deceive” as its various colours cause it to be confused with many other minerals. The name is ironic because Apatite actually puts us in touch with ourselves. It is a calcium phosphate mineral that can be yellow, blue, green, grey, colourless or a mix of two colours. Blue Apatite is linked to the throat and third eye chakra and associated with enhancing psychic ability and group communication. It improves inner vision and the ability to learn from dreams. It has an uplifting and hopeful energy. Yellow or Golden Apatite is termed as “one of the purest crystals of the yellow Ray” by Robert Simmons, who links it to “the vibration of mental clarity, strength of will and manifestation.” (The Book of Stones, 43). This manifestation can be of prosperity and increased courage and charisma. He cautions that someone who is already overconfident might become too assertive for others’ liking if they wear golden apatite. It is good for business people, sportspeople and anyone who needs to develop their will power in a competitive environment. This Apatite is associated with the solar plexus which is the seat of self-‐esteem and will power. It is also the chakra associated with digestion and though all Apatites assist weight loss, probably green and yellow ones do it the best. This is achieved through hunger suppression that this stone is credited with but also because of its positive effect on metabolism and energy levels. Needless to say, a crystal can just aid lifestyle changes, helping us in our journey of making sensible eating choices and exercising regularly and not replace our own agency or volition. That

said, it is true that Apatite can help make exercise more effective. For weight management goals this crystal can be combined with amethyst (to fight addictions), with citrine (for digestion, sunny disposition and motivation), with Calcite or Fluorite for clear sighted goals and methodical progress, with Sodalite (for metabolism especially regulation of fluids), amber, quartz etc. One’s intuition is the best guide. However, crystals cannot replace regular medication especially when a person has been diagnosed with a metabolic or hormonal disorder. And yet, together with the help of intent, crystals and sound medical guidance one can progress towards improved health and fitness. Apatite is also a healer of bones and joints (its phosphorous content allies it with the skeletal system) and helps in the absorption of calcium. It balances underactive as well as overactive chakras. Green Apatite, the heart chakra stone is a great stress reliever and is beneficial for the heart. It helps with communication, social networking and environmental issues. Apatite used with other stones enhances their effect. This might be because of its reputed ability to speed up results. Apatite can help us make new friends and renew our zest for life. Eason calls it the “bones of earth” and a premier earth and natural healing stone (The New Crystal Bible, 251). Apatite inspires us to hope and to develop the motivation and the drive to manifest the life we want on all levels: physical, material, natural, emotional, spiritual. It is simultaneously mysterious and otherworldly as well as being pragmatic as it urges us to move ahead with positive changes. -‐Namita Sethi

Benefits of Rose Quartz Love Stone: Attracts unconditional love, heals emotional wounds and pain, release unexpressed emotions, improves relationship, trust and harmony Health: heals depression, chest and lung problems, B.P. and encourages fertility Good Luck stone: Creates calm and peaceful environment

Thought for the Month - Destiny & Freewill

This has been a very thought-‐provoking concept for me personally. It is definitely debatable as there are two thoughts that go hand in hand. One is that if everything is destined then why do we have to think and apply brains and work towards making a living? Another is that it’s freewill and a man makes his own destiny by working towards it! For me-‐it’s a mix of both.

Consider the first thought-‐if you are invited for a buffet dinner; the sumptuous meal is set for you! Will it all be fed to you directly in your mouth on its own? Wouldn’t you make an effort to drive down/walk-‐up to that place, put it in your plate and eat it? Let’s look at another thought – if a man makes his own destiny then why don’t we have all hard working people making fortunes? There are some basics with which people are born; but not everything is fixed. Think about it this way-‐ you have a bank account in your name with a debit card which is issued every year. No matter how many times it is issued; it will reflect the same bank account. This bank account is your soul and the debit card is your physical body that will change periodically. So you have some credit in your account and you are issued a new debit card. You are now free to add to /withdraw from that account through your debit card. But, you have a choice of when to credit or debit the account at your freewill. Also, there will be situations and these are your testing times which will test how wisely would you use them? At the end of the day, this balance will have to be nil to attain Moksha. This balance is what we call as karmas. Destiny is not by chance but by choice! It is the choice you make to take a chance that can change your life! These chances are given to you by your own destiny and karmas of the past & present from which you decide your future. All this is inter-‐related; so next time whenever it’s a difficult phase. Think wisely. …Create a better future! Love & Peace, -‐Neha Khanna

Beautiful Prayer - Guru Purnima Mantra

The full-‐moon day (purnima) in July is the auspicious (Purnima) day when Guru Purnima is celebrated by worshipping our Guru, the spiritual master. A qualified spiritual master is essential to learn self-‐realization. Bhagavadgita (Ch.4.34) asks one to learn the truth through a Guru or spiritual master, inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-‐realized soul imparts knowledge as he has seen the truth. A real Guru imparts gynana (true knowledge) and teaches how to raise one's consciousness beyond material physical boundaries. In essence there is only one Guru. There cannot be two Gurus -‐ inner Guru and external Guru. Guru is one who treads along the path of Truth. He is truth himself. Gurur-‐Brahma Gurur-‐Vishnu Gurur Devo Maheswara; Guru Sakshat Param Brahma Thasmai Sri Gurave Namaha. (Guru is Brahma, Guru is Vishnu, Guru is Maheswara. Guru is verily the supreme Brahman. So, salutations to the Guru.) You are the embodiment of Divine Trinity -‐ Brahma, Vishnu, Maheswara. Hence, Guru is not separate from you. You are everything. Let your concentration not waver. Let it be steadily fixed on your goal. Be he a student, a celibate, a householder or a renunciant, the goal is one and same for all. Contemplate on the principle of So-‐ham that your inner voice teaches. Say Aham Brahmasmi (I am Brahma). There is nothing wrong in this statement. Some people have a mistaken notion that to say so, is a sign of egoism. In fact, that is not ego at all. It is your right. To think that you are a mere human being amounts to demeaning yourself. You are the embodiments of God. Develop such faith and become God. There cannot be any bad qualities in God. So, you should lead a pure, steady and selfless life. See good, speak good and do good. You should be an ideal to everybody. No benefit accrues from worship if you do not purify your heart. This mantra celebrates and venerates the guru inside us that leads us to light. Chanting this mantra on the day of Guru Purnima is considered especially auspicious.

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