This Vedic hymn has great significance, especially for this talk. What this hymn means is that everything is the Universe: it is not only that everything is interconnected with everything else -- it is the fact, individually, from the smallest atom to huge chunks of matter, everything has the same energy and power, the same spirit and the same Life-force. That means we are as connected to the Universe, as the universe is connected to us. Individually, we are a Life-force; the Universe itself is also a Life-force. That means we are interconnected, there is nothing in this world that is not connected to each other. It also means that everything in the universe has the capacity to influence everything else. That means that there is nothing that does not interact with everything else. As above, so below.
This is really the Vedic philosophy. That is why this Vedic philosophy indicates that everybody in this world has come from the same source, that it is connected to the same energy and has an interconnection to everything that exists in the world. That is why astrology works, that is the theme behind astrology. Even though astrology indicates that the planets influence us from above, the reality is the planets do not do anything. They only indicate the influences, which we create in our lives. And because they were created in the past, they are coming to us in the present. They act as an intermediary force. Just like a thermometer, which indicates a fever in us, it just measures the fever but does not cause the fever. The planets, which exist in the sky, indicate our existing karmic tendencies. So the misconception people have is that the planets "cause", when they only indicate.
So what happens is, we are born at the specific time when our karmic tendencies correlate with the planetary movement in the sky. That means our karma finds a time suitable to experience Karma in this life according to the movement of the planets in the sky. They act as agents, not as creators. This is the most important thing to understand. Our chart is only a blueprint of what our karmic tendencies are that we have to experience in this life. Therefore, the knowledge of that helps us. We know that some people are brilliant, some people talk a lot, some people are analytical, some are very creative: many tendencies exist in people. Some are happy, pleasant, some are angry, these are all the tendencies indicated by the planets, but they only reflect what is in us. Or to say it another way, we are born at a time when the energy of the planets acts as a chemical force, which creates a product like us. According to the chemistry, we express our tendencies. Each person is different, because each chemical combination is different. That is why no two people are alike in this world. Each one is different. Nobody thinks alike; everyone’s Karma is different. The understanding of astrology tells us what we have to experience in this life, and how we can deal with it.
Now, what is Vedic astrology? It indicates the tendencies of the planets. It is the science of tendencies. "Science of tendencies" does not mean that it will happen. It means that it can happen. What is the difference? It is the willpower of the person. We have the willpower and that willpower, if we are able to use it, is the way out of all that is happening to us. If we want, we can change our destiny. We are not fated to suffer. Planets do not say that. They just show that this is how it is likely to go. Whether we want it to go that way or not, that is the decision we have to make. When we are able to make a decision we are able to take action. That is why, when I read Vedic charts to clients, I say to them, “by using the willpower, by making effort, and by gaining the grace of God, we can change the direction of our life.” That is really true, because if we are fated, why should we bother, why do we just go along with that. We are not fated, we are beings of free will, we have the power to change the pattern of life in the way we want for good or bad.
