Dear Friends,

Astrology has at various times been called science, scientific, logic-based, logical and as more and more technical and generally logical individuals got interested into astrology, from diverse backgrounds, the growing acceptance amongst the 'already converted' has been that indeed astrology is logical and anything that is illogical in astrology or seemingly so is not astrology! Pure Babylonian/Greek logic! If A is like B but not like C then B cannot be like C. However, even though an apple may be like an orange in its sweet acidic taste, even if the two are so different from a banana -- all three are delicious and fruits!

Astrology is the perfect example of a craft, a body of empirical/observed knowledge (or perhaps realized as some devotees choose to call it) that has strong appearance of logical correlations. Mars is the significator of courage and physical prowess and sure enough it is linked in the astrological reading/interpretations as being connected to those physical factors, so the link must be logical! But the primary axiom that mars is the significator of courage and physical prowess is the underpinning that no one questions! Likewise, the role of other planets and all this despite the very disturbing fact staring in our faces that a given planet is often given many different portfolios, in different writings of classical and contemporary astrologers!

If this does not disturb others, this discrepancy across the writings, then something is not just wrong but scarily wrong! Don't you think so?

In astrology, there has been the long-standing practice of explaining things retrospectively based on what seems a firm body of principles, unwavering for millennia, as touted by some proponents -- which must be weighed carefully against the reality that reasonably sincere, fairly well-read and reliable individuals have managed to do reasonably good astrology with very different parameters and basic rule-sets, despite the hue and cry raised by a few, very few vocal, influential individual jyotishis/astrologers who tried to make a case that only a narrow set of parameters can work in true astrology.

At one time, not long ago -- I too believed in that and was disturbed by my observations that seemed to indicate that such was not the case. Then came one 'forum' of revelation when such an individual with great track record of promoting very specific and narrow parameters (and "the rest of the world were sadly mistaken!" attitude) shared in public in one of 'those' moments that he always took a horoscope to bed and as he focused on the chart, did japam and gradually the chart revealed itself to him.

I had always been very wary of and uncomfortable with mixing intuition with logic when dealing with charts but here was one of the most logical, research minded teacher of many who did not stop at logic alone!

The meaning of spiritual purity being essential for a jyotishi-astrology made sense to me always and particularly after this confession/sharing. It also confirmed for me that astrology while logical and logic-based was not just that!

Thence began several years of more intense observation on the internet in different forums/fora and elsewhere to see if logic indeed played a large part in astrological delineations and readings, generally.

In its beginnings, astrology in India was always practiced in a beautiful milieu where logic and intuition/daivic rituals intertwinned and played a harmonious role in the help that was provided to the nativity, the seeker of his or her destiny!

Ashtamangala prashna is a good illustration of the same.

The modern obsession of reducing astrology to logic, science, discussions and cerebral dissections thereof is a case in point that brings to me the oft-repeated statement made once to me by my friend, brother Charles -- a very wise human being currently focused on western astrology. He said:

The bird of divination has two wings, logic and intuition. With one set of these gone, the bird cannot fly but only go round and round in meaningless circles!

Amen!

Comments welcome ...

Rohiniranjan