How to learn Astrology?
A checklist of resources for beginners to advance students of Astrology
Do we need a Guru to learn Astrology? Not quite so. No one can ever have enough knowledge of Astrology to qualify as a Guru. At RationalAstro, there are no Gurus but only students keen to dive in the ocean of Astrology.
Basic Requirements to learn Astrology-
To learn Astrology online or offline or through any mode, we should adopt a rational and scientific thought perspective. Further, we need to be sincere and a passionate seeker who is ready to walk alone.
Anyone having average inclination in academics can learn Astrology. But, it is important to have patience, discipline and consistency.
Learner Vs Practitioner
To learn Astrology as an academic pursuit and practicing Astrology are different activities. We can spend years in learning the subject. Yet, to be a competent practitioner of Astrology, a significant factor is intuition. Intuition gets developed through a good understanding of Human Psychology and behavioral sciences. A practitioner of Astrology should have spiritual inclination, inner peace and contentment.
Important Caution while we learn Astrology
When we start to learn Astrology, unsuitable combinations in our chart worry us. But as we keep learning, we learn that these negative combinations are actually not a problem. Besides, please be aware that a planet in a rasi or in a house does not signify much. Other attributes such as drishti, strength, yogas, dashas, transits etc matters a lot. There is nothing harmful or negative / positive in any chart. It’s the contrary interpretations which are the problem. For instance, if we see Mars in 1st, 2nd, 4th, 7th, 8th and 12th House in a Rasi Chart, we may conclude that there is Mangal Dosh. But, as we delve deeper in Astrology, we learn that there is more to it. In most horoscopes, the Mangal Dosha gets cancelled by ten exceptions given by Rishis.
Take Criticism in Stride
If we decide to learn Astrology, it is also important to remain unfazed by criticism. There are certain people who would criticize Astrology even without studying it. Sri B.V. Raman, a renowned astrologer, in one of his books, narrates an unusual instance. Great Astronomer Edmond Halley, once entered Newton's room. Seeing a few books on Astrology in the room, he started criticizing Newton. But, Newton interrupted him by saying “I have read the subject, you have not”. On similar lines, we should appreciate criticism from other students of Astrology. But, we should ignore opinions of people who haven't read Astrology.
The practitioners of Astrology should not play to the galleries while making predictions. Predictions are nothing but intuitive interpretations of the Astrologer. The Desh, Kaal and Patra of the Astrologer plays an important role in analysis of horoscopes. It is quite possible that an Astrologer reads the horoscope correctly. But he may faulter on the interpretation of events. The genuine astrologer must remain unfazed by criticisms owing to such mis-interpretations. The quality of the predictions improves with time. To learn Astrology , it is important to work on our self-awareness. Our intuition increases when we are more self-aware.
Elementary Resources
Astrology is a continuous body of knowledge evolving for thousands of years. As a result, there are ample resources and books available to learn the subject. The following resources and books can serve as a good starting point:
1. "Jagannath Hora" version-8 (latest) freely available at www.vedicastrologer.org. It is the most comprehensive Astrological software ever produced. Kudos and respects to the dedicated work of Sri P.V.R. Narasimha Rao, the author of this software. This software has given direction to thousands of interested learners from the World.
2. There is a button to download a free e-book on Vedic astrology by Sri P. V. R. Narasimha Rao. We can learn astrology predictions through this book. The book concisely explains the fundamentals and the basics of Astrology.
3. There is another button to download MP3 Classes of Sri P. V. R. Narasimha Rao which he takes at Boston, USA. The classes exhaustively cover the practical application of astrological principals. It is one of the best resources to learn the subject.
We can learn vedic astrology free from the above three resources.
4. The "Brihat Parasara Hora Shastra" (BPHS) by Maharshi Parasara. (Volume 1 and 2) is the Bible of Astrology. One may follow the translation of BPHS by Sri R. Santhanam.
Books by Shri B V Raman
5. Besides, the following astrology books authored by Sri B. V. Raman are a must-read. Sri B V Raman was a great astrologer of the 20th Century:
a) How to Judge a Horoscope, Vol. 1 and Vol. 2
b) Astrology for Beginners
c) A catechism of Astrology
d) Bhavartha Ratnakar
e) Graha and Bhava Balas
f) Hindu Astrology and the West
g) Hindu Predictive Astrology
h) A manual of Hindu Astrology
i) My Experiences in Astrology
j) Planetary influences on Human Affairs
k) Practical Horary Astrology
l) Prashna Tantra
m) Muhurtha or Electional Astrology
n) Astakavarga system of prediction
o) Studies in Jaimini Astrology
p) Three Hundred Important Combinations
q) Astrology in Predicting Weather and Earthquakes
Other Resources & Best Books to learn astrology
6. Various Resources and best books to learn astrology are as under:
i. Brihat Jataka by Varahmihira translated by Sri B. Suryanarayana Rao
ii. Know about Astrology by Dr Shanker Adawal
iii. Practical Horary Astrology by Gayatri Devi Vasudev.
7. On the remedial Astrology part, one of the best collection of Vedic Mantras is the ‘Mantra Pushpam’.
8. Websites of Shri P. V. R. Narasimha Rao & Sri Sathya Sai Baba Book Trust are good resources for mantras.
9. Every Sunday, a new vedic mantra gets posted at RationalAstro YouTube Channel. The link is - https://youtube.com/c/RationalAstro. One may subscribe to the channel for regular updates.
For the most part, the above list would be enough to start a journey to learn Astrology. We should not be casual in reading these books. We need to understand and absorb their content. Moreover, we need to keep revising and applying the knowledge to various horoscopes.
Blessings of Maa Saraswati
For any learning-related activity, it is auspicious to invoke mother goddess Saraswati. One of the best ways to do this is by listening to or recitation of Saraswati Mantra. Traditionally, we recite this Mantra before we undertake any learning activity. This mantra prepares the mind for intense learning and enhances concentration. It is especially beneficial to young children in education and academic pursuits. Please commit a few seconds and have a listen:
🙏 Om Tat Sat 🙏
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