Astrology of Yoga - Part 2

When we talk about ourselves, we tend to use as reference the titles, relationships, activities, and different personages we have taken on for the sake of experience. But there is so much lack of self-knowledge beyond these things, that it is no wonder it is difficult for people to connect with and feel loved, in and of themselves without needing validation or support from others.

For a truly holistic view of ourselves, we have to understand how our being manifests itself in our life.

Usually, our being expressing itself in four ways: our physical body, our heart, our mental conceptions, and our energy. So, our being is the sum total of our activities, our feelings, our thoughts, and our energetic will.

In this way, we can use any of these four tools to pursue and observe and eventually settle in our being or spirit.

The four ways are the traditional four paths of Yoga: through action (Karma yoga), through emotion (Bhakti yoga), through reasoning (Jnana yoga), and through our energetic will (Kriya yoga). All other systems of yoga are modifications or combinations of these four.

Just as we are a particular qualitative and proportional mix of each of the four parts of our being (we call this Temperament), likewise, the particular type of methods of yoga suitable to our temperament is a similar mix.

So how can Astrology indicate our mix, and therefore prescribe a yoga “formula” for each person?

Well, our energetic will, our driving needs and purpose – these are indicated by the Sun and Moon, the Lights in Astrology. If the Sun and Moon are in operative places and strong, then the life force of the person is very strongly ingrained into matter, and they are able to exert their will force efficiently (in the world), and most likely will live a long time. Kriya yoga is all about aligning our energetic will into the unification of the solar and lunar energies in the spine and brain.

How we go about acting upon that will and drives – that is indicated by Mars. Someone who has a strong and operative Mars is able to go after and conquer obstacles in the way of their goals. The path of action is well suited to such a person.

What is attractive to us physically, and emotionally in our heart – that is indicated by Venus. People with a strong and operative Venus are able to

How we think, reason, and apply our intellect – that is indicated by Mercury.

The Sun, Moon, Mars, Venus, and Mercury are what are called Personal planets in Astrology, and here is a reason why: these planets indicate the unique mix of the four portions of our being that we are as expressed in the world in this life.

The planets outside of these personal planets, Jupiter and Saturn, indicate how we integrate our personal being into society at large (positively via fortune and opportunities through Jupiter, and negatively via hard work and suffering through Saturn).

When traditional texts say something is “good”, they mean “can be effective in the world of matter”. When traditional texts say something is “bad”, they mean “is not effective in the world of matter”. Hence, planets that are in “good” condition represent strong cause-effect tendencies that are ingrained in the world of matter, that receive support and recognition for their involvement and hence are difficult to “give up”. A king on his throne is unlikely to give up the kingdom and seek out the heavenly kingdom.

However, planets that are in a “bad” condition do not receive support or recognition from conventional channels, and are in any case ineffective in achieving sustainably what they want in the world. Consequently, there can be various grades of depression, dejection, hopelessness, and apathy linked to these planets as they are not easily expressed or fulfilled in the world. However, the positive is that once enough of negative experiences have been accumulated) and the person realizes their dissatisfaction with the world via these planets, they can turn that planetary energy toward the Divine, and rely on the Divine for the support, sustenance and sustainability which the world denied them along socially acceptable means. Then, the attachments represented by such a planet are more easily given up or transformed into yoga practice, and the person can experience the cooling bliss of their being where there was before a raging fire of never-ending desires and dissatisfaction.

So basically, the more badly conditioned a planet is, the more easily it can be a turned around from that bad condition to be a path of access to the Divine. The only requirement is the person’s capacity to have faith enough to disregard their fear of “giving up” that planet’s agenda, and be persistent enough so that the Divine can replace that emptiness with wholeness.

An evaluation of the planets in bad condition in a chart provides a particular mix of the four yogas that suit that person at any point in time in their life.

To illustrate; if a person has Mars in bad condition, it is difficult for them to achieve in the world along conventional channels. But by relinquishing any desire to be accomplished in the world, and instead focus all their works for the Divine alone (Karma yoga), their anger and frustration is converted into spiritual force.

If a person has Venus in bad condition, it is difficult for them to sustain relationships in the world along conventional channels, and even the non-conventional channels have their own set of challenges. But by relinquishing any desire to hold onto, subjugate or perfect love all around them to suit them, and instead focus on loving the Source of power, joy, and perfection with all their heart (Bhakti yoga), their lust is converted into contentment and bliss.

If a person has Mercury in bad condition, it is difficult for them to analyze and objectively approach the world to understand it along conventional channels, and even the non-conventional channels have their own set of challenges. But by relinquishing any desire to try to understand how everything works as One, and instead focus on letting the Divine guide their understanding and thoughts by stilling their own waves (Jnana Yoga), their lack of clarity about life and matter is converted into wisdom as the Light shines forth unfiltered.

If the Sun and Moon are in bad condition, then instead of trying to be active and motive in the world of matter, they apply themselves in solitude and inner motive force to merge their solar and lunar energies together (Kriya yoga), they are able to impress upon matter the undiluted Will of the Divine through them.

In this way, a person can understand what mix of the yoga disciplines suit them best, and in any particular year, which are emphasized through astrological indicators.