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Destiny Books Inner Traditions International 2003 ISBN #089281085-8
Software:
software requirements: Yes, this is a book review. But I am going to start with the software - the CD that comes with the book. The book is written so that the reader can use the software to create their own chart, then use it as a study guide as the author goes through the explanation of the astrological houses and the planets involved. We are presented with three options when using the CD: download the program onto your hard drive, see a slideshow using Micro Soft Powerpoint or see a slideshow using a flashplayer. I tried options two and three, and they did not work. (And yes - I have flashplayer and MS Powerpoint on my computer!) So, I downloaded the program. The program takes a while to download - but does so smoothly. On the front of the book is a lovely red sticker that wants me to know that I am receiving $50 worth of free software with this book. What this $50 worth of software does is compute a Vedic Astrology chart once the birth data is added. The chart is lovely - and you can print it out. But that is virtually all that you can do. If you want full use of the program - and it does some lovely things - you have to upgrade! So, we head off to view the book. I am an extremely novice astrologer, having done hand charts in my youth (no computers back then!) with very basic interpretations. And since I live in the Western world, they were based on Western astrology. I am very curious about Vedic astrology, but have no idea what to expect (other than the fact that Western astrology is based on the relationship between the earth and the sun, while Vedic astrology places more importance on all of the planets as a group/galaxy). The author translates this to indicate that Western astrology shows us how we will react to a situation, while Vedic astrology shows how the situation arose, and the appropriate upayas (methods) for bringing things back into balance. Vedic astrology, as with Western astrology, shows the influence of the planets on our lives. It then goes further, in that it shows how our own actions can influence the outcome of how the planetary influences manifest in our lives. Vedic astrology came about in an effort to help people attain the four basic goals of life: kama (enjoyment of ones desires), artha (relating to material comfort), dharma (our life's work) and moksha (spiritual freedom). Both systems use the concept of twelve houses - in Western astrology, the houses are presented in a circular pattern. In Vedic astrology the houses are presented as a square. Both systems follow approximately the same meaning for the planets and the houses. (The first house governs the body, or physical things; the second house governs wealth; the third house governs creativity; the fourth house governs the mother; the fifth house governs children; the sixth house governs enemies; the seventh house governs marriage; the eighth house governs transformation; the ninth house governs the father; the tenth house governs career; the eleventh house governs opportunity, the twelfth house governs actualization.) Because of the difference in calculating the charts, the Sun sign, which is one of the most important parts of a Western astrology chart, will be moved back approximately 23 degrees. In my chart, this takes my sun from Capricorn to Sagittarius (as well as my moon!). OK - shock to my system, and I think that I will stay with Western astrology, as that is what I know. However - we have to remember that the interpretations of the charts will be somewhat different between Western astrology and jyotish (Vedic astrology). Mr. Bloomfield presents many charts - all very well done. It is easier to work with his charts, quite frankly, than it is to follow the text. He is verbose, wanders around more than a bit, and has presented us with 112 sample charts of notable personalities to use as examples. Examples are fine, but I ended up feeling that he had invaded these people's privacy in that at times he talks about issues that I believe are not exactly general knowledge. At one point in the book, he revisits the Challenger disaster through Christa McAuliffe's chart, and posits the question of whether the Columbia disaster (a US space flight where all aboard perished in an explosion) could have been averted with the use of Vedic astrology! 1 There were some high points to this book, amongst them the three main ways in which one can remedy issues found within a chart. They are: through the use of mantra's specific to the planets (there is a wonderful chart for this, with phonetics); wearing gemstones associated with specific planets (again, a wonderful chart is presented here) and through performing planetary fire rituals (yagya's). There is a short list of Vedic astrology resources at the end of the book, as well as a short list of the terms used in Vedic astrology. This is supposed to be a book for beginners. As a beginner, I found it hard to follow. Less examples and more straight talk would be the order of the day here. Because of the charts, and some of the explanations, this book could be used as a primary resource - a jumping off place for further study, if one was willing to dig through endless mush for the true meat of this book.
Bonnie Cehovet
1. page 88
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