Meditation and Astrological Belief

Meditation is the process of achieving a state of clarity, calmness and inner awakening, by focusing on a single thought, through the elimination of external distractions. It is often said that work is worship, hence work can be meditative too. Being present in the moment, and completely absorbed in a single task is akin to being in a meditative state. Our inner thoughts are for this reason, of great importance, as they determine the spiritual energy that surrounds us.

The meditative state is one of progressive advancement. The more it is practiced, the deeper are the states that can be achieved. Brief spells of meditation promote relaxation, emotional balance, intuition and spiritual awareness. More advanced practitioners are able to achieve altered states of consciousness through which experiences such as astral projection and astral travel may be possible. Highly advanced meditation can bring about awareness of one’s spiritual energy levels, or ‘Chakras’.

In ‘Yogic’ practices, ‘Samadhi’ is a highly advanced meditative state, where a ‘Yogi’ retreats into a deep trance such that they detach from their physical being. Mastering this art is achieved by only a few Hindu and Buddhist monks. It is said that the energy levels of the ‘Chakras’ are their highest during ‘Samadhi’, and leads to the awakening of the ‘Kundilini’. The ‘Kundilini’ represents our unrealised spiritual energy that flows along the spinal column. Entering a state of both ‘Samadhi’ or ‘Kundilini’ awakening, allows a person to conquer their senses and physical limitations, including those imposed by the adverse influences of their horoscope.

Astrological Significance of ‘Chakras’

The body is said to possess seven ‘Chakras’ and these have a symbiotic relationship with eight of the nine planets in our birth charts. This is because energising a ‘Chakra’ empowers its corresponding planet, whereas strengthening a planet’s energy through a non-meditative means will increase the energy of the ‘Chakra’ it relates to. The commonality between astrology and the process of 'Chakra' balancing is that they both view the human system as a microcosm of the universe. The planetary relationships with the 7 ‘Chakras’ are:

Planets that Relate to Meditation

When considering the relationship between astrology and spirituality, it is important to remember that the planets are not just the celestial bodies we know, but that they also have mythological personifications. Hence the qualities and effects attributed to a planet, are aligned to the characteristics of their nature. The planets with a direct influence on the practice of meditation and spiritual belief are:

1. Mercury ☿ relates to logic and reason.
2. The Moon ☽ relates to emotions.
3. Rahu ☊ and Ketu ☋ are mythical planets that connect us to the universe and higher spiritual planes. Hence, an exalted Rahu and Ketu in the ascendant can also aid with spiritual learning and occult practices. Chanting the Rahu Mantra during ‘Rahu Kal’ is believed to help in gaining the blessings of this otherwise malefic planet. The corresponding day for Rahu and Ketu is Saturday, hence chanting a Mantra for these planets during ‘Rahu Kal’ on a Saturday is the best time to gain the blessings of this planet.
4. Rahu relates to illusion and irrational thought, hence if this planet adversely aligned in the 1^st house of the natal chart, it can induce hallucinations.
5. Ketu relates to the subconscious and intuition.
6. An exalted Rahu or Ketu in the 3^rd, 6^th, 10^th, 11^th and 12^th houses of the natal chart, aid in meditation.
7. Rahu in the 8^th house helps to increase knowledge of the occult.
8. A Rahu and the Moon conjunction helps to increase knowledge of the occult. This is true even when the Moon is debilitated. However, meditating and chanting at night is believed to be more effective in such cases.
9. Jupiter ♃ is the planet of positivity, good fortune and blessings and hence plays an important role in the practice of meditation, by providing guidance and wisdom.

Meditation and Houses of the Birth Chart

A strong 12^th house, or a prominent Moon, Ketu or Jupiter in the birth, or natal chart houses mentioned below, is indicative of a person's natural inclination towards meditation and propensity for spiritual insight.

1. The 5^th House: Governs concentration, Mantra practice, creative visualisation, and is a strong link to focused meditation.
2. The 8^th House: This house is associated with 'Kundalini' awakening, occult knowledge and the ability to enter into deep meditative states.
3. The 9^th House: This house represents spiritual teachings, religious practices and the ability to offer spiritual guidance.
4. The 12^th House: This is the house of spiritual enlightenment, the afterlife, spiritual salvation, transcendence and advanced meditation.

Using Astrology for Meditation

Vedic amulets or ‘Yantras’ are used to remedy many types of everyday problem. A person's birth chart can reveal which planets aid or inhibit our quest for improved spiritual powers. Hence the birth chart is a means of gauging the level of spiritual awareness that a person can achieve. The birth chart also helps identify the astrological amulets that can be used to heighten a person's spiritual strength. In addition to this, ‘Yantras’ that increase our level of consciousness in non-planetary ways can also be employed to promote meditative practices. Some amulets that are useful in this context are:

Mantras

The word Mantra is the combination of two Sanskrit words, ‘Man’, which means ‘Mind’ and ‘Tra’, which means instrument, hence a Mantra is “A tool to focus and control the mind”. Reciting a planet’s corresponding Mantra whilst in a meditative state, is highly effective in appeasing and empowering the influence of that planet. This effect is further increased if the person reciting the Mantra places that planet’s corresponding ‘Yantra’ in front of them. There are different ways to chant a Mantra for such a purpose and doing so mentally, has greater benefit than if done through vocal rendition.

Final Thoughts

Astrology impacts almost every major aspect of life, from the mundane to the esoteric. All Vedic practices are based on the same underlying principles, and hence share some form of common denominator. This is why astrological principles play a significant role in practices such as meditation, 'Chakra' balancing, pranic healing, yoga, tantra and Ayurveda.