How to improve your well-being by working with planetary energies
One day, when we were moving the furniture away from the walls to fix water damage in the living room, our old dining table suddenly fell apart, the top had detached from the base. The Universe decided that this piece of furniture was no longer relevant in my life. It was a massive table, too large for our current dining area, and it was partially blocking the passageway to the kitchen.
But now, the table was completely unusable, because we could not even attach the top back to the base. A hundred of thin nails which used to secure together the table top and the massive bottom were now sticking out from the wood in different directions, making it impossible to reassemble the table without the carpenter's help.
Suddenly, we felt that it's time to give this table another life in another (bigger) family, who would gladly take an effort to fix it. We gave it away the same weekend.
In the following days, I got a sudden urge to study faster for my upcoming certification exam, so I can pass it sooner. By the time I passed that exam, I already had an exciting new idea in my mind that I could not wait to start working towards. And the only question looming in my head was “Why, why didn’t I do it sooner”?!!!
Really, why? It could be a coincidence, but also there are some subtle forces at work that tie up together by invisible threads the objects surrounding us and objects in our minds? In Vedic astrology, big massive items are governed by planet Jupiter. Jupiter has an ability to expand things. New opportunities, growth and good fortunes are also governed by Jupiter. Jupiter is that proverbial “open door” which opens when the other closes. Therefore, removing a large blocking item from my living room suddenly unblocked some passageways in my mind, a
nd suddenly I was able to see the new opportunity, and felt a significant push to follow it. The Universe once again confirmed its fundamental rule:
Our inner and outer worlds mirror each other.
And, as it also turned out, for me this was the first event of the Mahadasha of Jupiter, which started just a couple of days ago. Thank you the mighty and benevolent giant Jupiter! You opened a new opportunity for me immediately upon arrival. Isn’t Vedic Astrology amazing? Isn't the Universe amazing?
Manifestations of planetary energies are happening in real time
The main thing being illustrated here, is that we are able to observe manifestations of planetary energies in real time, on real things and events. As was already mentioned above, we can notice the influence of the planet Jupiter when we encounter massive objects. But also, it governs other things related to the idea of expansion:
expansion of knowledge - high education, textbooks, study materials, massive buildings, school transcripts, graduation halls, professors, travels to new or foreign places,
expansion of spirit - beliefs, religions, philosophies, spiritual and religious places, churches, ashrams, holy books, spiritual groups, priests, gurus, masses and ceremonies, weddings, pilgrimages.
expansion of consciousness - morals and principles, courts, judges, lawyers, court cases, attorneys, wills,;
expansion of family - heritage, traditions, heirlooms, family customs, crests, passed down legends, history.
expansion of material things - vast spaces and fields, massive trees, fatty elements in plants and organisms, oily and sugary foods, large animals-herbivores like elephants, heavyset body constitution, obesity, liver problems, large amount of money, gifts, inheritance, family estate, large lots of land, large buildings;
attributes of higher virtues - ceremonial robes, cerulean and velvety fabrics, soft or blue stones, oblong or pear shaped items, crosses, rosaries, church and legal court attributes, and tons (sorry for the pun) of other objects and subjects not mentioned here.
All or some of these “things” are present in your life. In one form or another, Jupiter works in everyone’s life, with bigger or smaller effects, and we can judge this effect by observing things that surround us every day.
For example, if you live in a small university town, especially one supplied with a long history, a big insanely beautiful Alma Mater building and cathedral, most likely that your life is influenced by Jupiter a little stronger than average. You should have more of a “scholarly” mindset, care less about mundane things of life, have adopted some strong principles, strive to see a “bigger picture” behind news and events, though you could be carried away sometimes by a theoretical concept while brushing off details that not aligned with it, and sometimes you are not up to dealing with real issues in life due to a unique Jupiterian fenomena of “spiritual bypassing”, i.e. “I am above it” attitude. So an old spiritual postulate “the inner world mirrors the outer world” always works in our life, and this allows us to take a peek into the magic that is happening around us every day.
Each planet is responsible for certain vital functions of our life
But where is the value in it, one might ask? How can it help me in my life, this knowledge about planets, about sensations they are producing, and the effect they have on my mind and on my surroundings?
Actually, there’s a lot of value in it. By observing items and sensations that come into our surroundings which are governed by a particular planet, we can judge how well this planet is functioning in our life. For example, if the energy flow of Jupiter in our system is currently weak or obstructed, we feel debilitating sense of “hopelessness” in life, we miss to notice good opportunities, often there is lack of goals and inspirations, we are down on luck, we become tangled in low-level materialistic beliefs, and also could be suffering from depression or haunted by fears.
According to Vedic Astrological science, every aspect of human life is governed by astrological “planets”. Planets are not just “rocks” that fly in space pulled by gravitational forces. In Vedic system, planets are living and breathing Divine Beings, with body and soul, and they are the sources of primal cosmic energies that govern our life. Vedic texts say that planets are created to help humans “to live through their karmas and fight demons”. By their divine nature, planetary energies are pure, and only we ourselves can misuse these energies due to inexperience or out of ignorance. But the more we learn how to use planetary energies intelligently, the more conscious and authentic our life becomes.
Planetary energies circulate in our body via the energy hubs called “chakras”. Every chakra transmits the energy of a particular planet. For example the Heart Chakra (Anahata) pumps the energy of Venus, while the Throat Chakra (Vishudha) - the energy of Mercury. This projection of a cosmic body (macrocosm) on our bodies (microcosm) is described and used extensively in Ayurveda and Yoga - sister sciences of Vedic astrology. When the planet in the sky becomes retrograde, joins with another planet or enters the next sign, the vibration of a corresponding chakra in our body changes as well, and we get the effect of the change immediately..
For example, a lot of people are anxious about the “Mercury retrograde” event. During Mercury retrogression period, our Throat chakra changes the flow of the energy, so we become a bit slower mentally, and more confused about absorbing and communicating information. We could find that it’s harder to study, we are less effective with expressing our thoughts, and we make more errors while working on agreements and documents. But not only that!!! All other objects governed by Mercury are being affected well! Vehicles suddenly need repair, electronics devices break, business deals run into issues, road signs point in the wrong direction. And if Mercury in someone’s life is naturally not very strong or even has some negative quality to it (meaning that this person needs to learn to work intelligently with Mercury in a current lifetime), they could get all the mentioned effects in full.
Here is a short description of functions related to each planet:
Sun - soul, ego, power, leadership, character, confidence, responsibility
Moon - feelings, perceptive mind, mental stability, adaptivity, memory
Mars - vitality, strength, courage, logic, discipline, defense mechanism
Mercury - knowledge, curiosity, awareness, intellect, communication
Jupiter - wisdom, goals, principles, beliefs, optimism, spirituality
Venus - joy, emotional connections, relationships, desires, self-worth
Saturn - caution, perseverance, endurance, survival mechanism
All matter in Universe is permeated with consciousness
As Vedic science teaches us, all matter in the Universe is permeated with consciousness, and this particular vertical of control is a one way of how this consciousness is executed.
A planet which governs a particular area of life is called “karaka” of that area. For example, The Moon is a “karaka” of motherhood, nurturing, caring, child rearing, feminine grace, unconditional love, compassion, emotions, acceptance, mental state, family, home, life habits, community etc. And also, it’s a karaka of all corresponding objects and sensations, such as food, drinks, fridge, pantry, water pipes and tanks (as the element of water governs nurturing love and emotions), kitchen, bathroom, nursery, meditation space, resting space, eating, sleeping, memory, milk, rice, ponds, pools and spas, night lamps, and many, many other things. The things which are governed by a planet called it’s “karakatwas”.
This phenomena of karakas and karakatwas is one of the foundational principles of Vedic knowledge. And the most hilarious thing is that this fenomena used widely in folklore and fairytales of different cultures, supplying much of their magic! For example, when a hero receives an ominous warning from the raven, he knows that some grave danger is ahead. But what exactly lies beneath this story? Ravens are karakatwas of Saturn as they are believed to have gained their wisdom by seeing through illusions of this world. Therefore, the raven's behavior was influenced by the activated energy of Saturn in that hero's life. Saturn also governs hardships, danger, delays, obstacles and reality checks. Therefore, when seeing the raven's alarming behavior, the hero understood at once that he must soon expect other events from the “Saturnian” package, like dangers, hardships and so on.
Fairy tales, prophecies and omens
In short, the whole mechanism behind omens, signs and prophecies which we are used to reading about in folk stories is based on the principle of planetary rulerships over their subjects. Whatever symptoms the Moon’s karakatwas show around someone, they would display how energy of the Moon is working in their life at the moment. For example, if someone often gets his food spoiled or pipes leaking, or has many people in their circles with troubled parent/child relationships, it could be a warning sign that the flow of lunar energy of this person is obstructed, and their mental energy is often used unproductively, which probably causes them distress.
On the other hand, if they often hear the news about children being born, someone’s recovery from illness, weddings or other happy family events, and relatives come to their house with homemade casseroles, it’s all sign of a good Lunar energy flow, and that soon they would expect good changes in the family, home or community.
The most important signals we need to pay attention to are odd, fairly unusual, or repeated events happening in our home, immediate workplace, or close surroundings. When we get on bad terms with one of the planets, or when the planet is about to execute a significant or karmic event, the energy of this planet in our field is changing, which affects karakatwa items or people around us. For example, if you get the light fixture in the living room broken, and also receive a notice from a taxman about some unexpected charges, and your father suddenly broke his hip, be sure that it is the Sun who is sending you serious signals. It is banging at your door and commanding you to take action to improve your social posture and reputation. All of these things - father, government, bright light fixtures are karakatwas of the Sun, and they simply reflect a change in your personal energy. Once the flow of the Sun energy in your body has changed, all karakatwas of the Sun started moving!
So here is a most mesmerizing, intuitive and authentic method of observing a living and conscious matter of life unfolding around you. Here you can find the stuff you’ve seen only in myths and fairytales, but never could pinpoint the meaning. This is the entrance gate to the first premise of the spiritual plane, where the illusionary world of hard matter starts to dissolve. Observe it, embrace it, enjoy it, meditate on it, and never never stop marveling at the greatness of the Creation.
Whew! I got carried away, my apologies. But I am really in awe of this phenomenon.
How the lists of karakatwas are formed
Astrologically, every “planet” (including The Sun, The Moon, Rahu and Ketu) are serving as “karakas” of particular subjects, functions, sensations and physical objects, which all are part of a common “theme”. For example:
Venus is a karaka of: grace, beauty, attraction, joy, cooperation, partnerships, fairness; - which leads to: theme of equality, appreciation, mutual respect, self-value and self-worth, fairness, true values;
- which leads to: value system, true cost of our wants and desires;
- which cover supportive items like: money, bank accounts, personal finances, fine garments, luxury items, beauty products, personal vehicles, jewelry, decor, intimate relationships, bedrooms, love, women and girls, fragrance, gardens, places of attractions, art, parks, cultural events, fragrant flowers … and many other things.
And when the energy of Venus in someone’s life changes, the change will resonate in all “karakatwas” of Venus around this person.
Many of the karakatwas were discovered during ages by observation by great rishis, this knowledge is interwoven with knowledge of ayurveda and sacred mythology of Creation.
That is why you can also find in different texts that Venus also is in charge over such things as autumnal crops, creeping plants, supple and blossoming trees, lima beans, jasmine, trees of watery places, honey bees, sour fruits, lotus, fig tree, flower, scents, fragrant garland, sour, saltish, acid taste, dark blue, variegated, multicolored, silky colors, octagon shapes, white color…. The list can go on and on..
So what to do when seeing warning signs or omens?
It's all about the flow. For the energy to work effectively, the flow should be strong and unobstructed. It is enough already that the planetary energy is modified by changes in the planetary movements. If the planet in the sky (visibly) slows down, becomes stationary, retrograde, direct, joined or aspected by other planets, combust, sets below the horizon or rises above it, the quality of energy changes as well. Planetary energy flows through our energy centers, creating a pretty large energy field. Because of this, our mere presence affects things around us. The environment around us responds to our energy. That is why, by observing our environment, we can learn a lot about ourselves. In fact, there is so much information, that it requires some serious skill to comprehend and absorb it all. But this experience comes with time, when along with the main theme come other smaller influences and subtleties. At first, it’s better to concentrate only on one planet at a time, specifically, on the planet of the day.
It is a known fact in astrology, that each day of the week carries the energy of a particular planet. Sunday is governed by the Sun, Monday by the Moon, Tuesday by Mars, and so on. In practice, this means that on Sunday the energy of the Sun is prevalent, therefore Sunday is the best time to observe the quality of Sun energy in your life. On Sunday you can ask yourself a question: “Am I happy with my place in life and my reputation? Am I working selflessly for those I am responsible for? Do I honor my duties above my personal desires? And then look around for signs from the Sun karakatwas. Promise, you will discover a lot of interesting things!
Sometimes you will find a lot of good things. For example,you are presented with honorary citizenship and a key from the town. Jokes aside, that would be a really nice demonstration of your Sun quality! But if not, just a beautiful oak beside your house is a good supportive feature as well. You are getting a good amount of sunlight in your living room? Good. Your front door and facade are welcoming and presentable? Nice. Your father recovered from illness? Great! You got your heater furnace upgraded? Your doctor gave you good news about successful treatment? Awesome! You helped a family of cats to get shelter or a home? This actually involves not only Sun but also Rahu (in some Indian systems, cats are karakatwas of Rahu), and that means that you are capable of dealing with the unknown and unexpected (these are Rahu features), and acting responsibly, a great quality!
But what if you encounter some not so great omens? What if you noticed that shiny gift of the great honor - the key from the town - started to tarnish? Or the great oak beside your house got ill? Your front porch or gates caved, the heater broke, your doctor moved to another city and no one can find your test results. Also, a new high-rise was erected which blocked all light to your living room. Well that is unpleasant. But signs are just signs. They call you to pay attention. See where you may not be using your Sun energy in the best way. Maybe you are putting yourself in trouble with authorities over simple carelessness and lack of attention, like procrastinating with maintaining documents or papers. Maybe you need to give more as a son or a father. Maybe you are overstepping your power at work, or the other way around, maybe you are burning yourself out, not able to delegate tasks? It is always useful to do a reflection, because obviously the most important change happens inside us. But on the outside, fixing the broken or unattended things would help to ease the energy flow, which would maybe help remove some mental blocks faster. At least, that is what Vedic astrology also recommends. Fix that furnace, put up a bright chandelier in the living room, cure the tree, visit your father. Keep your front entrance well maintained. File your taxes on time, learn to delegate at work. Join the Toastmasters or a leadership seminar. The most important thing is to understand that the Universe is filled with consciousness, and the consciousness moves all things together. All karakatwas of the Sun are moved by the force of the Sun. It’s not 100% exact of course some other forces are working in them as well, but their main operating force is the Sun. Therefore, they all respond to the changes in the Solar energy in someone’s vicinity.
A helpful instrument to put this method to practice
To use this method for active work with planetary energies, I created a guided journal, where you can keep your observations organized, and your goals in check.
In this journal, you will:
Write down your observations related to a particular planet on the corresponding day of the week. Information about each planet, it’s functions and karakatwas is in a journal;
At the end of each month make a conclusion - are you satisfied with how this planet performs in your life?
If you feel that you want the performance to be improved, determine remediation steps to take (there are some tips in a journal, but the final word is always yours).
Print out more pages to fill out as you need.
Enjoy the process as often as every day!
Please visit this link if you are interested to buy my printable journal:
Here is an initial reference list of planets, their respective days of the week and karakatwas. These collections can merely serve as a starting point to develop a skill of noticing the patterns of how each planet works in our life. The extended lists can be found in Vedas, scriptures, texts and on pages of numerous blogs published by Vedic astrology teachers and practitioners. The full list can never be complete, as life always brings new and modern things into existence. As with all great mysteries in life, there’s always more to be discovered. I wish you good luck and lots of joy on this exciting journey!
# | Planet | Day | Karakatwas |
1 | Sun | Sunday | Authority figures, government, king, commander, fame, prestige, award, promotion, father, physician, airspace controllers, country's capital, forest, mountain plateau, desert, rocky soil, temple, medical treatment, circular-shaped items, spotless appearance, gold and copper, ruby, wheat, saffron, x-ray equipment, fire, heat, horses, grass, thorny trees, strong tall trees, red and copper coloured clothes, red silk, coarse or thick threaded clothes, pungent taste (garlic, onion, pepper, ginger, etc), people of short stature, reddish hair, honey-coloured eyes, mental purity, heart, right eye, blood, fevers, bites, scorches... |
2 | Moon | Monday | Mother, caregiver, the public, females in general, femininity and beauty, pregnancy, child rearing, memory, emotional response, mental perceptions, the animal instinct, someone soft in speech, mentally unstable people, emotionally joyful news, laundry, bathroom, kitchen and pantry, food, drinks, meditation nook, artistic places, rivers, lakes, ponds, water tanks and pipes, fish and other water creatures, herbs, milky trees and rubber yielding plants, agriculture, hospitality industry, hotels, sailing, brewing, nursing, cooking, liquids, fresh water, milk, public commodities like groceries, breasts, left eye of the male and right eye of the female, fruits, honey, salt, milk, rice, pearls, silverware and silver jewelry, ear ornaments, nightlights, clear crystals, soft and velvety clothes, white silky garments, salty taste, round things, duo chromatic and opalescent things. |
3 | Mars | Tuesday | Man, brother, husband, warrior, soldier, enemies, thieves, military, one who awards punishment, commander, realtors, lean person, police department, surgery, engineering, slaughtering, mining, irrigation, hunting, smithery, engines, manliness, haste, controversy, anger, power (shakti), quarreling, harassment, anger, stubbornness, accidents, breaks, burnt place, coral colored soil, place of fire, land, hills, mountains, rocks, mines, deep red color things, weapons, training equipment, machinery, electricity, sports, defense, minerals, metals, hard substances, hard metals, spheres, sharp instruments, stone crushing, granite, military ammunition, wild animals, bricks, knifes, objects singed by fire, objects of torn shape, earthen pots, bile, cuts and wounds, muscle, teeth, bones, spine, fire, tin, eating meat, fracture of a limb, pain, bitter taste (cruciferous vegetables, cocoa, etc), bridge of nose. |
4 | Mercury | Wednesday | Merchant, professor, child, friend, lover, prince, attorney, appraiser of jewels, orator, mechanic, science, writing, consulting, diplomacy, mediating, humor, youth, intelligence, accounting, higher education, science of sound, verbal and logical (coded) languages, printing, publishing, counseling, commerce, research, sales, marketing, influencing through recitation of mantras, dancing, an amulet, versed in the legends, versatility, items with excellent proportions, sculpture, birds, mixed items, collections, fine ornaments, new garment, green robes, black silken fabric, ear ornaments, emerald, fruitless trees and plants, maps, notebooks, direction signs, pens, dust, wonderful buildings with architecture, pilgrimage, cunning, navel, neck, forehead, skin, lungs, shoulders, anemic, blood defects, Chamatkar bhashana (using knack while talking), mixed taste (mixture of 2 or more tastes) |
5 | Jupiter | Thursday | Son, grandson, grandfather, great grand-fathers, close friend, eldest brother, teacher, judge, noble, priestly, preacher, high morals, genius, happiness, guru, rishi, brilliancy, wisdom, acts arising from great indignation, understanding the minds or thoughts of others, gentleness, goodness, happiness, softness, wrath, impartiality, philosophy, morals and principles, education departments, literature, gods, penance, temples, helping others (charity), religious duty, movement in heaven, wealth, holy water, twice born, place of pilgrimage, great results, tantras, tower, palace, a beautiful mansion, a house granting all comforts, royal honor, chariot, throne, old garment, honor from the king, curd, fruits of Agnisthoma rite, sweet juice, treasure, gold, ornamentation, gems, Lapis Lazuli, Gomedha or hessonite, Cat's eye or lahsuniya, gold yellow topaz, guilded items, soft and pleasant stones, circular, swinging, yellow cloth, cloth not quite new nor quite old, saffron, neck ornaments, topaz, oblong shape, massive trees, sweet taste, coconut trees, sugarcane, betel nut, golden colored soil, a treasure house, Heavens, charming an audience, great long poems, North, wind, swinging on a plank or on an elephant, month, length, yellow color, infantry, cold season, second half of winter, large body, fat, physical health, thigh, phlegm, dropsy, liver and spleen, knee and digestive system. |
6 | Venus | Friday | Wife, marriage, woman, a handsome youth, daughter and daughter-in-law, gentleness, passion, beauty, love, loveliness, greatly respected and highly esteemed, ministers, servant, romantic, actors, artists, poetry, singing, enjoyment, deftness at writing poetry, literary composition, proficiency in art, fine arts, performing arts, entertainment, painting, flute, musical instrument, music, dancing, cinema, decoration for the stage, violin, amusement, laughing, buying and selling articles that contribute to beauty, places of attraction (like gardens), dramas, clubs, artistic houses, beauty parlors, visual media, music and women related fields, resorts, swimming, swimmer, courtesans, sexual pleasures, luster, love-making, ogling, aphrodisiacs, surapana (intoxicating drinks), adultery, pleasure places, income, vehicles, sealing authority, prosperity, royal insignia, eight kinds of wealth (all sorts of pleasures), auspicious events, bedroom, luxury, costly comfortable and beautiful beds, scents, valuable cloth, profitable assets, comforts, cosmetic items, vanity bag, luxury cars, banks, diamonds, head ornaments, blue black hair, youthful vigor, well-formed limbs, short stature, sharp-witted, attractive eyes, fondness for white garments, fashion, autumnal crops, creeping plants, supple and blossoming trees, floral plants, lima beans, jasmine, trees of watery places, honey bees, sour fruits, lotus, fig tree, flower, scents, fragrant garland, sour and acid taste (yogurt, sour foods), dark blue, silky colors, octagon shapes, white color, cough, scratching, phlegm, diabetes, semen, womb, ovaries, female progeny, venereal diseases, uterine, genital organs, urine, generative organs, semen |
7 | Saturn | Saturday | Manager, director, hunter, old person, scrawny appearance, dark thin haired, thin and bony figure, maid, servant, as servile duty, proof of witness, one representing the father, grandfather, laborers, workmen, service, karma, progress, works, business, promotion, work minded, Industrial places, factory, prison, corporation, institutions and organizations, hostility, imprisonment, sorrow, death, misunderstanding, misery, debts, punishments, fines, mean work, evil, cruelty, downfall, lost battle, wandering, worn out, hard-heartedness, unrighteous conduct, obstruction, wicked mind, exertion, cruel-hearted, misdirected strength, theft, fear, one losing his ego, indignation, exertion, sins, cruelty, troubles, death, destruction, pleadings, angry, bad habits, stubborn, delay, laziness, travels in forests, towers, mountain peaks, living by agriculture, wandering in the battle field, roaming in hilly areas, locomotive, old materials, ashes, black and blue color, tobacco, haunting woods, serpent world, working animals, dog, goats and the like, black grains, black gems, iron, lead, a spear, oil, wood, arsenal, rags, torn clothing, dark clothes, thorny trees, supple and weak trees, the black soil or the soil where iron can be found, filthy ground, ant hills, dirty clothes and house, ugly hair, bones, windy diseases, paralysis, dental diseases, tendons and muscles, skin, longevity, tall and lean constitution, one with disfigured limbs, old age, mental worry, defective organ, indigestion, smallpox, limping persons, hunchback persons, distress, ill health, disease, rheumatism, joints, astringent taste (apple, pomegranate, beans, sprouts, etc) |
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