How Astrology Helps You Achieve the Freedom to Accept Your Destiny

Karma and Destiny

A person’s birth chart reveals many things about them and the past, present, and future events in their life. Both mathematical calculations and intuition come into play when Vedic astrologers make predictions. The Hindus call this divine science ‘Jyothish’ which means ‘the light of “Ish”, where Ish is Ishwara or God. The Sun is the source of the light in the material world. In the spiritual world, the source is “God” or “Self”. Many people believe that Astrology is all about fortune-telling and predictions, but Vedic astrology is actually more about Karma and Destiny. To Vedic astrologers, the Sun represents the Soul, and the Moon represents the Mind. Other planets, too, influence our lives. Our desires or attachments create Karmic bondages or knots. Only when these knots unravel can the Soul be free of the birth and death cycle. Most people go through life unaware of these karmic bondages. But if you take your horoscope to an astrologer, they will be able to identify them and explain how they shape your Destiny in this lifetime. Several enlightened masters have described the connection between Karma and Destiny. Here is a quote by Sri Ramana Maharshi: Whatever is destined not to happen will not happen, try as you may. Whatever is destined to happen will happen, do what you may to prevent it. This is certain. The best course, therefore, is to remain silent. Karma is nothing but actions or deeds. They can be good or bad. Destiny is the sum total of the events that happen in our lives. The two have a connection. Almost every religion talks about Karma and its consequences. Here are some oft-quoted lines related to Karma: Reap what you sow. What goes around comes around. The sins of the fathers are visited on the children. So, right from the ancient period, wise people have been conscious of the link between Karma and Destiny. Karma works without bias in the universe. It is like an absolute law that binds the material world. All things that are transient in this universe are bound by the law of Karma.

Vedic Astrology and Spiritual Growth

The ancient sages of India came up with a tool to guide human beings so that they could grow spiritually. This tool was Vedic Astrology. A person’s birth chart contains clues about their past life karma, their current level of spiritual development, future opportunities and challenges, etc. A good Vedic astrologer can study the birth chart and easily identify the karmic bondages of a person. They can then guide them on the proper actions and remedies to take to achieve freedom from such bondage. Astrology, when used only as a predictive tool, is mechanical. It just binds you more to Karma, which is not spiritual. Those with a spiritual mindset use Vedic astrology to make sense of and transcend the Mind or the material world. For those who live more within than without, astrology can help them to understand how the external world controls the Mind. Moonlight is a reflection of the light of the Sun. In the same way, the Mind reflects the light of the Soul. In Vedic astrology, Sun represents the Soul, and the Moon represents the Mind. The positions of the planets in the birth chart reveal what we need to do for spiritual development. If your Sun, for instance, is present with many planets in the same house, there is a strong chance that you will turn inward. But your material life may lack stability, so you may explore spirituality. All the other planetary radiations lose their potency when they are close to the Sun. The Mind plays a key role in our journey toward self-realization or spiritual progress. It can both obstruct or help spiritual development, so we should observe it carefully. For this reason, Vedic astrologers also examine the Moon chart.

Karmic Bondage and Liberation

When your Mind yearns for something or rejects something, it creates bondage. Grieving about something, holding on to something, feeling pleasure or displeasure about something – all these create bondage. Liberation is possible only when the Mind does not do any of the above. In bondage, the Mind can be tangled in one of the senses. A liberated person’s Mind will not be tangled in any of the senses. So says the Ashtavakra Gita. It is hard to free oneself from attachments or desires. Only a strong or pure Mind can do it. If we don’t understand what we need to do, the Mind will continue to churn out useless thoughts. Even thoughts are actions that have consequences. In a way, Karma results from thoughts. So it is important to have control over our minds. In this respect, we can use Vedic astrology for self-improvement. When we are not in control of our senses, external factors may make the Mind produce more thoughts. Planetary radiations are also external factors that can affect our thoughts. So mental strength is key to taking control of our senses. The knots of the heart are loosened by Jnana (Knowledge), and the knots are knit more by Karma. So how can they be reconciled? They are so very diametrically opposite. Darkness and light cannot be brought together, so Jnana and Karma cannot be brought together. Therefore one ought to do all the Karmas as best as one can, as enjoined in the Vedas until one’s heart and mind are purified. – Srimad Devi Bhagavatam (Devi Gita)

How to Accept Your Destiny?

The ability to accept things can open up the Mind’s potential. Acceptance helps personal growth. As time passes, one begins to relate the events mentioned in the birth chart to their personal experiences. There is no need for blind faith. One can rely on logic and experience. The fact is, Astrology can aid self-reflection and personal growth. When you seek guidance from astrology, you will begin to understand and accept the notions of Karma and Destiny. It does not happen in a day. But slowly, the events in your life and the experiences you undergo will validate what your birth chart says. When we begin to understand our Karma, we gain the freedom to accept the notion of Destiny. We see how our Karma has led to our Destiny and how it is inevitable. At this point, your spiritual journey can begin, and you can start the process of shaping your Destiny.