Jyotish is about working with the energies of yourself as depicted in your horoscope. Energy can be balanced, transmuted, made to change its direction, it can be intensified or its perceived negative effects ameliorated. But how? For doing anything with energy you need two things, first and all-important is your Intention and the second is the yantra-mantra-tantra, i.e. the tool, the words to activate the tool and the knowledge to use the tools.

I had written about remedies earlier too, but there was a question on gemstones so writing some more.

If your Intention is strong enough you don’t need yantra-mantra-tantra. You can work directly with your mind, real enlightened Gurus do this, the words they utter is ‘ashirwad’. it comes true. But most of us are quite low level in this sense and so we need to support our intentions. Always remember, what works is your Intention, you manifest your thoughts, and the yantra-mantra-tantra help by powering and focussing your intention.

So you can use the following,

Beej mantras – recited on the day of the week of the concerned planet, 108 times a day. The easiest and best method. But you need to have the time and pronounce the mantra correctly. Its very soothing for the mind so try it with the Gayatri mantra sometime if you feel like it.

Homa – If you have some background of doing yadnyas e.g agnihotra, or it appeals to you, you can do a homa using your chosen mantra for general health or as a planetary remedy and use the vibhuti. Vibhuti that we make however has a time-limit to its potency. I have seen that it lasts for about 15days. (Vibhuti given by enlightened Gurus has no time-limit on potency). And the effect of doing the Homa in the house is fantastic, it clears out the negative energy and makes the house very light and pleasant.

Making talismans – you can stuff this vibhuti in a silver locket and wear it. This lasts for quite some time and when it loses its potency it gets lost or just breaks on its own! It is quite effective.

Gemstones – These always work. If you get a good astrologer to recommend it. Generally the yogkarak planets for the ascendant sign or the 1st, 5th, 9th house lords are good enough, so are recommended generically. And then they also tend to scare their clients, rather than presenting the remedy as an enabling tool. Next you need to find a good jeweller to locate a genuine gemstone. And you need to charge it with their mantras, either yourself or through the astrologer. See gemstones are energy batteries, they store energy and your body uses this battery to recharge itself. For an average person, depending on the quality of the gemstone, if you do the initial puja with full intention it will work as your battery for quite a long time. You can do your mantra puja on the gemstone then once a month or get your astrologer to do it for you at intervals. But it should be done with the intention of recharging it so that it helps you. If you are scared or dubious of the remedy itself, it will not work. Your intention is the main thing.

I have been using gemstones in rings and in navgraha pendants since my college days and they always work because I do the mantra pujas and keep on recharging them. If you work in energy or you are a tantrik or a Jyotishi you need lots of backup. (Update, since the June 2020 solar eclipse, I have stopped using all gemstones, do not need them anymore.)

Gemstones are by far the most expensive remedy not everyone can afford them, so I hesitate in recommending them for general clients, I have written on this earlier too.

• These are just energy batteries, if you don’t charge them with your intention and mantras they will not work.
• If your astrologer recommends a wrong stone, it will not work.
• Now this, most astrologers will recommend a stone from your birth chart, its fine they will work. But for planets like Saturn, Rahu and Ketu the transit charts and the ongoing dashas should also be considered. These are rarely life-time stones! Even for the other planets, it is possible that you are required to wear them only during certain transit periods not for the life-time. But generally professional astrologers do not recommend to this level.
• Artificial or lab-created stones or glass will not work, your jeweller has cheated you then. They have to come from the earth to work.
• And finally if your Intention is not clear, or if you are scared of your own energy, nothing will work.

Crystals – or secondary gemstones – these also work. But as the quality is quite low you will need to wear larger crystals or recharge them very frequently. However these are very useful can be used to make grids, for cleaning out a space, etc so use them! I often use these.

Gold, silver or copper metals are great at absorbing energy, Recite your planet’s beej mantra over your jewellery and wear it! I recommend this kada/bracelet made of silver/copper/gold, it is expensive but I feel that spending money on the kada is more effective than spending the same amount on a gemstone, if you want you can resell the precious metals for the same price at least. (Gemstones have no resale value and you cannot wear gemstones worn by other people.)

As a remedy, you can use water or even food, recite the relevant mantra over it and eat it! The Prasadam that we get in temples works on this principle. You can do this at home too.

So if you choose a remedy, remember your mind is the main thing. If you intend your wish it will be done. If you are scared or scoff at it, it will not. The energy of your thought is all important the rest of it, yantra, mantra, tantra is all the supporting system.