Ayurvedic Astrology

Extracts from David Frawley’s (Pandit Vamadeva Shastri) book Ayurvedic Astrology, by David
Frawley.

All great ancient civilizations centered their cultures on profound systems of astrology,

connecting conditions and events on the Earth with cosmic influences deriving from the

stars. Whether it is India or China, Egypt or Babylonia, or the Mayas and Incans of

America, we find in each case an astrological foundation for their spiritual cultures.

Astrology and its measure of sacred time formed the basis of their calendars which,

looking to the heavens, sought to organize human life according to celestial forces more

certain than our merely personal desires and calculations. Even the ancient cultures of

Europe like the Greeks, Romans, Celts and Germans, had detailed systems of astrology, as

have all communities that recognize the sacred nature of the universe.

Similarly, all systems of traditional medicine East and West possess corresponding forms

of astrology, which are essential to both their theory and their practice. Notably,

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has the I Ching and Chinese astrology, while the

Ayurvedic medicine of India has Vedic astrology. Traditional European medicine going back

to the Greeks included western astrological traditions, which were part of pagan

traditions in general.

Connecting healing and astrology – or the practice of medical astrology – is one of the

deepest and most lasting investigations of our species. It is as old as all such great

ancient cultures and their astrologically based rituals to keep human life in harmony with

the cosmos. We have long looked to the stars and the heavens for guidance, grace and

healing energy, for understanding human existence in a deeper perspective in which we can

touch the eternal and the infinite. Today we are entering into a new planetary age, in

which ancient, native and traditional systems of healing and spirituality are once more

being honored. In this context an examination of the astrology of healing is relevant, if

not crucial for reclaiming that older and perhaps wiser heritage of our species.

Vedic Astrology and Ayurvedic Medicine

Vedic astrology is India’s traditional system of reading the stars, the planets and the

entire movement of time. It was originally called Vedanga Jyotish, meaning the study of

light (Jyoti) which a limb of the Veda (Vedanga). It was also called Jyotirveda, the Veda

or ‘science of light’. Ayurveda, which means the ‘science of life’, is the corresponding

Vedic system of natural healing for both body and mind. Both are living branches of an

ancient sacred science that arose in an older era in which humanity had a greater

intuitive connection with the sacred universe. Unlike corresponding western traditions,

their continuity, though shaken by hostile forces, has remained unbroken. These systems

are undergoing a renaissance today as we once more learn to look within.

Vedic astrology is an extraordinary predictive and counseling tool. There are many

wonderful stories of how Vedic astrologers can pinpoint specific events in a person’s life

with uncanny accuracy. Yet Vedic astrologers are not only good at prediction, they can

relate deep wisdom about a person’s life purpose, karma and spiritual path. I myself have

visited several Vedic astrologers in India who could relate the main events of my life, my

future development, and past and future life implications with extraordinary precision and

with notable wisdom. Some Vedic astrologers are thought to be psychics for this reason,

though they may be only describing what the Vedic birthchart can reveal to a trained

astrological insight.

Similarly, Ayurveda is a precise and comprehensive tool for healing physical and

psychological well-being, promoting optimal health, energy and vitality. There are many

instances of Ayurvedic doctors introducing changes in a person’s life, from simple dietary

or life-style modifications, to special herbs or internal cleansings that can literally

rejuvenate us, curing long standing and intractable health problems of various types.

Because of such occurrences, some Ayurvedic doctors are regarded as magical healers,

though they may only be employing practices based upon understanding the laws of nature

and the movement of the life-force, such as Ayurveda has taught them.

These two Vedic systems and their magic come together in the ‘Vedic astrology of healing’

or ‘Ayurvedic astrology’. Ayurvedic astrology shows us how to optimize both factors of our

health and our destiny, our vitality and our karma, so that we can realize our highest

potential in life, with our earthly life following the model of heavenly forces and their

consciousness-promoting outcomes. Ayurvedic astrology shows how we can heal ourselves

through the stars, bringing the energies of the cosmos into our lives so that we can once

more touch the universal light.

Ayurveda and Vedic Astrology

Ayurveda is called “the mother of all healing” because it embraces all forms of healing

including diet, herbs, bodywork, surgery, psychology and yoga. It accepts anything

internally or externally that promotes health, well-being and happiness. Ayurveda explores

the qualities and effects not only of foods, medicines and behavior but also of climates,

the weather and the stars (astrology).

Ayurveda provides an integral mind-body system of both diagnosis and treatment. First it

shows us our individual constitution according to the three doshas or biological humors of

Vata (air), Pitta (fire) and Kapha (water), as well as how this constitution is affected

by everything from genetics to environment and emotions. Then it outlines various

treatment measures to enable us to achieve optimal health and vitality. These range from

simple dietary measures to complex herbs and special purification procedures. Ayurveda

aims not only at the cure and prevention of disease but also at rejuvenation and

longevity. Beyond ordinary health care measures it has special methods to allow us to

achieve a higher level of vitality and awareness – a spiritual Ayurveda that is part of

the practice of Yoga.

Possessing a similar scope to Ayurveda, Vedic astrology contains all aspects of astrology,

including the reading of birth charts (natal astrology), mundane astrology (the effects of

astrological on society), astrological timing and forecasting (muhurta), and answering

questions (prashna). In addition to these usual astrological considerations, Vedic

astrology encompasses all forms of divination, including palmistry and numerology, of

which several Vedic forms exist. It also includes astronomy and meteorology, which reflect

karmic as well as physical forces.

As a form of natal astrology or the reading of birth charts, the Vedic system helps us

understand our personal lives in all areas, including health, wealth, relationship, career

and spirituality. Like Ayurveda, it has a broad range of treatment measures including the

use of colors, gems, mantras and the worship deities to aid in our greater well-being and

life unfoldment. These are called Jyotish-Chikitsa, the therapies of light or astrology.

Ayurvedic Astrology

Yet, though they have their specializations in many areas, both Vedic astrology and

Ayurveda have a significant overlap as well. Vedic astrology contains a medical system

based upon Ayurveda, while Ayurveda contains a system for the timing of disease and its

treatment based upon Vedic astrology. We can designate this combined usage of Ayurveda and

Vedic astrology more simply as ‘Ayurvedic Astrology’.

Ayurvedic astrology is the medical branch of Vedic astrology, adding to it the Ayurvedic

view of health and healing. It uses the language of Ayurveda to understand the effects of

the planets on the body and mind relative to health, disease and longevity. Ayurvedic

astrology also uses Vedic astrology as an aid to Ayurvedic analysis, diagnosis and

treatment, showing how planetary factors cause disease and balancing them can be an

important aid in any cure.

Ayurvedic astrology combines these two great disciplines, using Vedic astrology to plot

the influences of time and karma and Ayurveda to show how these relate on to our state of

Prana or vital energy. Combining these two great disciplines together, there is nothing

that we cannot treat or cannot understand.

Vedic astrology considers that the determination of physical and mental health is the

foundation of all astrological analysis. Whatever other indications may occur in a chart –

whether for career, wealth, relationship or spirituality – these cannot bear fruit if a

person has significant physical or mental impairments. Traditionally, the ascertainment of

longevity was the first factor to be examined by a good astrologer. This was not a matter

of simply determining how long a person was likely to live, but part of a general

determination of the vitality of a person, their energy to use the opportunities afforded

them by the chart. In this regard, medical or Ayurvedic astrology is usually the first

step of all astrological examination.

However, Ayurvedic astrology is not simply a physically-based medical astrology. It

reflects the psychological and spiritual dimensions of Ayurveda as well. It is concerned

with our well-being on all levels, which depends upon our connection to the Soul, the real

person or Atman within. In this regard, Ayurvedic astrology is concerned with healing

body, mind and spirit, using the tools of the entire universe, the foremost of which is

the light of the stars and planets. It expands the field of Ayurveda to its broadest

possible range.