psychologically astrology

Rudraksh is the seed of the tree, Elaeocarpus ganitrus. Different species of Elaeocarpus give different sizes and shapes of the seed. These seeds are one of the most important tool in your spiritual path. You can use 108 Rudraksh seeds strung together as a jap-mala. It is used for japa, reciting a mantra 108 times.

Rudraksh are also worn on the body. Sadhus wear rudraksh  strings on their wrists, arms, waist, heads etc. Rudraksh should never be worn below the navel though. Men and women, living a householders life, both can wear rudraksh though there are some rules which should be followed. You should wear it after having a bath in the morning and removed before sleeping. Do remove when going to the toilet. And for women please do not wear it during the 5 days of the monthly cycle and during pregnancy. It should be removed if visiting a house where sutak or naatak period is being observed. (Sutak is observed is a house from the day someone dies till his 13th day tarpan is performed. Naatak is observed in a house from the day of the birth of a child till the 12th day when its naming ceremony is performed.)

Rudraksh is not just a seed, its a highly charged object of power. And this seed resonates with such power that its aura is always golden-silver. When you wear it your aura color also improves and your chakras move faster in the clockwise direction. “Rudraksh” is a Sanskrit word thus cannot be translated exactly but has to be experienced. Sanskrit words have several meanings and the intention of the speaker and the listener gives the appropriate meaning. “Rudraksh” to me means, “the origin of the soul”.

‘Rudra’ means terrible, roaring, vibrating, untamed, fierce, origin, shiva etc

‘Aksh’ means soul, snake, wheel, depository, sense organ, perception, vehicle, court of law, support etc.

The more familiar meaning of “Tears of Shiva” is also so misunderstood. Shiva did not cry! Shiva means the pure truth. When your kundalini in a state of dhyan reaches the anjya chakra (third eye) you being to remember the real you. Your memory of your own pure self is now experienced. “Water” in Sanskrit also means the soul memory or the experience. So “tears of shiva” is the memory of your own real self which you experience when your third eye is active. This is the pure Advaita itself. So wearing a Rudraksh channelizes these terrible energies of the pure truth. If you are not ready for them they will harm. (This Shiva is not the Shankar, who is the personification of the Tamo-gun, post here.)

But all of us have a built-in system of self-preservation. If you are not ready for the rudraksh you will not be drawn to it in the first place.

Wearing a rudraksh on a body is not just fashion. This is an object of immense power and wearing it all the time is a commitment, just check out what this commitment means

1. You have invited the energies of Shiva, pure truth, into you. These are highly positive energies swirling in clockwise motion. Now if you go near or generate negative/anticlockwise energies you will suffer a backlash. This is the reason that menstruating women cannot wear rudraksh for 5days. During these 5 days your body is undergoing destruction and your chakras are actually rotating anticlockwise.
2. You now have to be aware of your actions, mental, physical, emotional and spiritual at all times. Example, you cannot lie knowingly or even unknowingly, and neither can you listen to lies. See, it’s so difficult!
3. Now your conscience is in charge. Your higher self /Antaratma is now active and is scrutinising every aspect of you at all times. You cannot do anything against your Dharma/ Conscience.
4. You cannot eat rajasic or tamasic food, so no non-veg, no onions/garlic, no alcohol and no addictions.
5. And when you wear it remember that you are now on the path to the ‘Origin’ the Parabrahma and will be leaving Mahamaya and her worldly attractions behind. You are on the path to Moksh. You will be made to leave your attraction to your wife/husband, child, job, food/drink, your body everything that you see either by choice or by force. If you are not internally ready, wearing a rudrakhsh will bring you internal unexplained sorrow.

So I would advise you to wear your Rudraksh only when you are doing your spiritual practice, puja, yagnya, jaap, dhyan etc. Remove it after you have finished and keep it in your altar or puja ghar. Wearing it all the time in this materialistic world of ours is practically not feasible.

I have a Rudraksh tree in front of my house and collect the seeds every year. A single tree can produce the different mukhi seeds. There are several classes of rudraksh seeds on sale, the number of segments on the seeds surface can be from 1 to 27, thus the seeds are called 1-mukhi to 27-mukhi. The various mukhi seeds can be used for different balancing purposes in your sadhana. But remember that the Rudraksh will always be a spiritual tool. If some astrologer tells you to wear a something-mukhi rudraksh for material removal of obstacles or material wealth, it’s time to say bye to that astrologer. But if you know how, using these various mukhi rudraksh can help you on your spiritual path.

You can also dowse with your single seed rudraksh pendant. It works perfectly as a pendulum. It can be used to check out the auras and the energies of food, water, the house, a person and also be used to clean them out.

If you do decide to wear a rudraksh the best option is to buy a 108 beads jaap mala from a reputed dealer. The chances of fakes is thus limited. If you want to buy a single bead for a pendant, the 5-mukhi / 5- faced seed is the best, as it is easily available, less chance of getting cheated. Any rudraksh seed will work equally well 5 faced is the most common. Astrologers may try to fleece you and make you buy a rare rudraksh, (other than 5-faced). Very frankly an average person does not need these. Remember these are tools, you need to use them. Their use is highly specific and unless you know how and are capable of performing the specific tantras and pujas there is no point in wasting your money.

Now how to wear, a very simple process. Remember Intention is everything. So be grateful to the Universe, Parabrahma, Sadashiva. You should wear it on a Monday morning in the bright half of the month/shukla paksh. Wash it with Ganga water or purified water then apply sacred ash/bhasma or vibhuti or kesar/saffron on it. Hold it in your cupped hands and recite your favourite Shiv mantra over it. “Om namah shivaya”, mahamrutyunjaya, kalabhairavastak, which ever you want, either once, thrice or 108 times. Wear it and be aware of yourself.