The Biggest Problem With NOT Learning Correctly:

Without a doubt the biggest problem that occurs when people oversimplify astrology or they do not learn things in the proper context, is they trade in the chance to have a nuanced understanding of their karma, for a harsh judgment.

You can tell when someone doesn't really understand astrology because everything they say or think is a series of black and white, good or bad, right or wrong statements. In other words, it's a lot of judgment, not interpretations. When in fact, astrology shows life accurately. Nothing in life is simple or black and white. No one likes being judged for what they do, and we should not judge others.

In this way, bad or lazy astrology is no better than bad or lazy thinking in general. I see people all the time justify not growing or developing in their life, judging others harshly, buying into fear based fatalistic “spirituality”, all validated in their mind by some degraded form of Vedic astrology that they are believing. Maybe it's because they are studying it themselves as one more way to try to figure themselves out, or they have this “amazing Vedic astrology friend” who is advising them.

Honestly, I don't care if people do this. I don't think it's the end of the world by any means. It is better that they are looking to something mystical and cosmic and getting some type of inspiration from it. But I mainly just see it as a huge, wasted opportunity, an opportunity to actually understand the subtlety and nuance of themselves, and of the cosmos itself. It's like going to a great Spiritual guru, and just asking them how to make more money or be famous. There's nothing wrong with that, but that spiritual guru holds the essence of everything you could ever want.

Do You Know The Value of the Teachings?
My guru Amma tells a story about how if you offer a child a handful of chocolate or a handful of gold they will take the chocolate, because they don't know the value of the gold. This is the same example. Rather than waste your time being titillated and entertained by astrology, thinking you are going somewhere with it, why not spend the same amount of time and drill down deeply into the truth of this science and penetrate to the very mystery of life itself. To the very mystery of you.

The evolutionary process is a core tenet of everything I teach, because it is central to life on earth. We are evolving whether we know it or not. Sometimes (usually) that evolution is through painful mistakes. But it does not have to be that way.

Vedic astrology learned correctly can help us immensely to evolve skillfully and consciously, not painfully and UNconsciously. The highest lessons of the planets can be seen as a progression from the debilitated positions, to the exalted ones. Regardless of where the planet is in the chart it will evolve according to these principles.

The Sun evolves from the qualities of Libra to Aries, where we learn to trust our own power instinctively, rather than look for it as "validation" in others.

The moon evolves from the qualities of Scorpio to Taurus, where we learn to trust our own heart, and know intuitively that our peace comes from things more stable, solid and less emotional and intense.

Mars evolves from the qualities of cancer to Capricorn, where we learn to be less emotional about our battles, and to choose them wisely and strategically, not resolve things based on emotion.

Mercury evolves from the qualities of pisces to Virgo, where we learn to be precise and detailed in our thinking, rather than blur all the details of the story together haphazardly, then wind up adrift.

Jupiter evolves from the qualities of Capricorn to cancer, where we learn our great teachings and gurus must be anchored in the heart, not in some external situation we're trying to control.

Venus evolves from the qualities of Virgo to pisces, where we learn to find happiness in all things, rather than a fussy unhappiness with people and every detail not lining up the way we want it.

Saturn evolves from the qualities of Aries to Libra, where we learn empathy, forgiveness and humility with others, rather than going it alone, thinking we can conquer our fears as an island unto ourselves.

Structuring a Reading Based on the "Planetary Currents" in Signs

Here is a good reading template, quickly compiled from these ideas. After you put together these sentences, from the template, then you can synthesize those ideas into a separate thought or idea. But this template can serve as a means to prompt these ideas forward.

1. (Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn) is the indicator of... (identity, feeling, personal strength, intelligence, faith, happiness, commitments),..

2. as this process evolves, you...
- learn to trust your own power instinctively, rather than look for it as "validation" in others. Sun
- learn to trust your own heart, and know intuitively that your peace comes from things more stable, solid and less emotional and intense. Moon
- learn to be less emotional about your battles, and to choose them wisely and strategically, not resolve/end things based on emotion. Mars
- learn to be precise and detailed in your thinking, rather than blur all the details of the story together haphazardly, then wind up adrift. Mercury
- learn that your great teachings and gurus must be anchored in the heart, not in some external situation you're trying to control. Jupiter
- learn to find happiness in all things, rather than a fussy unhappiness with people and every detail not lining up the way you want it. Venus
- learn empathy, forgiveness and humility with others, rather than going it alone, thinking you can conquer your fears as an island unto yourself. Saturn

3. It is in the sign of... (Aries ,Taurus, Gemini,..etc.)

4. This sign/channel show a path where...
Aries - your will and personal power focuses it and brings unexpected changes by activating high desires, expressed in a fiery, individualistic manner, externally, in the world.

Taurus - your connections and desire for happiness stabilizes it and also brings the feeling of servitude and struggle by activating high desires, expressed in a practical, tangible and psychological
way.

Gemini - your ideas about those energies connect it to the heart/intuition through high desires, and expressed in a flexible, light and active way.

Cancer - your feelings and emotions about those energies focus inward by seeking higher virtues, expressed in a feeling, emotional and an internal way.

Leo - your identity and personality focuses the energy on yourself by seeking higher virtues expressed in an individualistic, active way.

Virgo - your ideas about those energies connect to your responsibilities and sense of pressure, by activating a protective stance, expressed in a tangible and psychological way.

Libra - your connections and desire for happiness evaluate it by bringing unexpected changes by activating high desires, expressed in a flexible, light and active way.

Scorpio - your will and personal power focuses it by bringing struggle and the feeling of servitude by activating a protective stance (Tamasic), and expressed in an emotional, internal way.

Sagittarius - your beliefs elevate and shape it by connecting to the heart/intuition by seeking higher virtues, expressed in a fiery, individualistic and external way.

Capricorn - your serious and committed nature focuses it on greater values by activating a protective stance, expressed in a practical, tangible, and an internal, psychological way.

Aquarius - your serious and committed nature focuses it and gets confused by releasing your identity, but activating high desires, expressed in a flexible, light and external way.

Pisces - your beliefs elevate it and shape it by connecting to your responsibilities by seeking higher virtues expressed in a feeling, emotional and an internal way.