Today we celebrate the birth and appearance day of Śrī Gaṇeśa, the elephant-headed deity of the Vedic pantheon. Gaṇeśa is perhaps the most well-known and the most popular in the modern world and is believed to be the easiest and quickest to please and gain blessing from. Gaṇeśa is the lord of beginnings and is worshipped before starting any important endeavor to remove obstacles.

Today we celebrate Kṛṣṇa Janmāṣṭamī, the birth day of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa was born during the 8th phase of the waning Moon. Kṛṣṇa is one of the ten primary incarnations of Viṣṇu, the all-pervading force of "is-ness" that exists everywhere in all things eternally. Kṛṣṇa is the avatāra of the Moon and therefore of compassion, tenderness, and love. Happy Kṛṣṇa Janmāṣṭamī!

The transit of planets through the zodiac impacts each person differently. Even thought the planet may be in the same sign, it will move at a unique distance from your natal ascendant and moon in your birth chart. Classical Vedic astrology texts teach that the transit of Venus in the 6th, 7th, or 10th house position is inauspicious and can be troublesome for activities related to the natural significations of Venus such as women, automobiles, warfare, and travel.

On, April 19, there is a Solar eclipse from 6:34pm-11:59pm happening in Aśvinī nakṣatra in the sign of Aries. Vedic tradition teaches that eclipses are excellent times for spiritual practices. Eclipses effect everyone differently according to their birth chart. Eclipses happening in inauspicious houses require remedies for physical and mental protection.

Each syllable of language is a seed. Seeds sown in specific sequences become spells or mantras. The Sanskrit word mantra means “protection of mind”. Mantra is an ancient tool that can be used by anyone to access the vibrational potency of sound for mental protection.

My teacher once said: “Saturn wants you to experience the reactions of your actions right now, so you don’t have to endure them later.”

All planets are teachers. Each planet has skills to bid us. The house is the classroom – the area of life the planet presents its lesson.