I've developed a fairly unique system of astrology, based on my personal exploration of ancient texts on this divine science. I'd like to tell you a bit about it.

Basic Philosophy

First of all, I absolutely do not believe that you are controlled by stars and planets. Humans are the "adults" of this world, so we have freedoms. With freedom comes responsibility, which is why adults are held responsible for their actions. What many perceive as "fate" or "destiny" is really the universe holding us responsible for how we have used our freedom.

I absolutely do believe in reincarnation. It is merely the "Law of Conservation of Energy" applied to the energy of our souls. For many lifetimes we have used or misused our freedoms, and that's why we start this life with a certain "destiny" already in place.

The configuration of heaven and earth when you are born reveals your initial destiny for this lifetime.

Why? I really don't think it is because the planets and stars somehow influence us with rays, gravitons, waves, or whatever. Instead, I believe it is because our compassionate mother, the universe, wants to communicate to her children and guide us via the movements of her body, the stars and planets.

Basics of Astrology

There are three major parts to the sign language of astrology:

The planets
The "zodiac" - the space the planets travel through
The "houses" - how the planets and zodiac relate to a particular place and time on Earth.

The Planets

What's a "planet"? As far as astrology is concerned, a "planet" is a light up there in the sky that, unlike other lights, has freedom to move. So, in astrology the Sun is a planet, and so is the Moon - because they are lights in the sky with freedom to move amidst the thousands of other lights that seem to be eternally fixed into their positions. And of course there's Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn.

There are other important points that are derived from these seven. Two of them are especially important: Rahu and Ketu, the eclipse points, often called "the north and south nodes."

Neptune and other space-stuff you can only see with telescopes are not a part of my system. After all, my basic philosophy is that astrology is sign language from our universal mother. I don't think it's reasonable that she would communicate through planets that you can only see with modern technology.

The Earth is not a light up in our sky, so it's not an astrological planet either.

A while back I produced a few videos about the planets. You might watch these if you are interested in more details.

Zodiac Signs and Stars

The planets move in relation to both heaven and earth. Their movement against the stars of the night sky is their heavenly movement, while their earthly movement is their motion through the seasons created by the interplay of the Sun and Earth.

I measure the heavenly movements of the planets against a system of 27 or 28 stars (nakshatra). This is a "sidereal" zodiac. Their seasonal movements I measure in terms of the more familiar 12 signs (rashi). This is a "tropical" zodiac. So, my system of astrology unites sidereal and tropical points of view.

If you are interested, I've produced a very detailed paper describing the authenticity and soundness of my system: Reconciliation of the Tropical and Sidereal Zodiacs.

Twelve Houses

The twelve zodiac signs fuse with the earth via the eastern horizon, to create twelve distinct zones ("houses") in the sky. The sign that rises in the east creates the first house. The rest of the signs create the rest of the houses, in sequential order. So, if Aries rises, for example, it defines the first house; Taurus defines the second; Gemini the third; and so on. This method of defining houses is very ancient, and full of mystical relevance and logic. These days it's called a "Whole Sign House System."

Each house pertains to a different topic. I have honed a very clear, simple and powerful way of understanding the topics of each house. If you are interested in learning about this in more detail, you could watch my video on the twelve houses.

Less Basic Stuff

There are several other things that I do differently than the majority of others. Aspects - the way in which planets influence each other from a distance - is one. I use ancient Indian definitions of planetary aspects. But few even in India know that these definitions are degree specific.

My calculation of time phases (dasha) also follows the most traditional standard (vimshottari). But few traditionalists even realize that the unit of time used to measure these phases is a "year" of 360 sidereal days (359.017 common days).

Many astrologers do yearly solar returns (varshaphala). I am one of the few, however, who adhere fully to the original Persian ("tajika") system.

I calculate a planet's dignity not by sign alone, but by six or more subdivisions of the sign (varga-vimshopaka). And I calculate a planet's potency by six categories of factors (shad-bala). Other astrologers also leverage these essential techniques of the ancient science, but the details of my calculation formulae are fairly unique and well thought out.

Remedies

It is very popular for modern Indian astrologers to recommend gemstones as a way to somehow side-step your fate, or something along those lines. I do not subscribe to this at all. And, to be clear, neither does any ancient authority of astrology.

Fate is created, after all, as the responsibility you bear for your own freewill. It is a real and practical thing. And this is why I feel that real and practical advice and knowledge is the best "remedy" for the challenges we so often face in life. When appropriate, I sometimes also recommend the meditations, mantras and good deeds clearly and specifically recommended by the ancients.

Most people, perhaps especially among Indians, consult astrology to get a better idea of what is going to happen to them, and when. I admit that it is important and useful to answer this question, and I certainly try my best to do so for my clients. But at a certain point I must ask, "why?" What is going to happen to you is going to happen to you, if you know about it beforehand or not. I think a better question to approach astrology with is, "Why do these things happen to me?" Understanding the "why" behind your karma is a most important key to becoming liberated from it.

Services

I hope to develop good, honest, long-term relationships with those who I teach and those whose charts I read. It is an honor to be able to work with the great, ancient and divine science of astrology and I try to conduct myself as befits that honor - without being too stuffy, distant, or weird. =)

Speaking of services, here are the pages for my readings and classes.