Last Updated on February 7, 2024 by astrologerbydefault

One of my acquaintances, who is on her 50’s and is an astrologer and tarot teacher herself, recently fell severely ill. Strangely she was being careless about taking her medication behaving like she had given up. When asked why, she calmly replied that she knows that she will die in the next 5 years and her body is breaking down in preparation and what is the point of medication. Not depressed but in calm acceptance of the reality.

I felt bad hearing this. Not for the impending death of course, but for the mindset. Astrology or divination does not mean fatalism. Yes, all have to physically exit this body, ‘die’ and sometimes bad things do happen. All this can be seen from the horoscopes but this ‘resigned to fate’ mindset was unbelievable.

I think that Life, till the very last second, is an opportunity. An opportunity to do good, to set things right, to repay debts and to progress on the spiritual path. Only while you have a body can you act. Of course in the pretatma/ spirit phase too, the jivatma/ soul is in motion and involved in several things, but this is more of enjoying the fruits of the actions you did when you were alive. You can perform action/ karma only when you are alive in a human body. The human life is immensely valuable, in several mantras and shastras too, its quite clearly mentioned that humans have advantages which even the devatas do not have. And who knows if at the last second something happens that gives me a tremendous spiritual jump? Life is Hope. And the deepest meaning of Hope for the spiritual seeker is this, “I will be free, I will see my true face, will know my true name and experience my own self fully!”.

Similar is a situation where a client comes in and in whose horoscope I can clearly see  a very negligible chance to conceive and have children. But I know the remedy to this, daily one repetition of Srisukta followed by the specific chant for Santaanlaxmi. अहिखग वाहिनि मोहिनि चक्रिणि रागविवर्धिनि ज्ञानमये । गुणगणवारिधि लोकहितैषिणि स्वरसप्त भूषित गाननुते ॥ सकल सुरासुर देवमुनीश्वर मानववन्दित पादयुते । जयजय हे मधुसूदन कामिनि सन्तानलक्ष्मि त्वं पालय माम् । If the client says these mantras with a positive intention she will definitely have one natural biological child. She may not have lots of children, but one child will definitely come. But it is the choice of the client whether to do it sincerely or not.

And of course ignoring medication or taking the remedies prescribed may or not change the broad events outlined in the chart. But they will definitely change the intensity of the event and impact the recovery time after. These will give a more comfortable and better adjusted life till then, allow for more happiness and a chance to act.

So does knowing astrology making you fatalistic? Calmly accepting the future as inevitable? No, and a big No.

There is this Sanskrit shloka, from a text on astrology, Phaladeepika, which says, फलानि ग्रहचारेण सूचयन्ति मनीषिणः । को वक्ता तारतम्यस्य तमेकं वेधसं विना ॥. It means, “the movement of grahas can only give indications of events to the ones who desire information. Who can speak with exactness on events except the one and only Creator?”

And then ultimately there is “free-will”. We humans do have a small but significant scope for free will. Some of us think of a future set in stone, they do not wish to exercise their free will. But we, followers of Sanatan Dharma, know the free will exists. Sri Krishna has himself said to Arjun after telling him the entire Bhagwat Gita, 18 chapter, 63 verse, the last words so as to say, “iti te jñānam ākhyātaḿ guhyād guhya-taraḿ mayā vimṛśyaitad aśeṣeṇa yathecchasi tathā kuru”. It means “So I have explained to you the very secret knowledge. Deliberate on this completely, and then do what you wish to do”. Thus Yogeshwar Krishna himself tells his disciple and cousin Maharathi Arjun to think over what has been told to him and do whatever he wants!

Thus do remember Free will does exist, destinies are not set in stone, your efforts are recognised and Use every minute of your life.

Astrology is not fatalistic.

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