Excerpt from pages 36-38, Astrology Decoded: The Secret Science of India’s Sages, Vish Chatterji MBA, Mandala Publishing, Oct. 29, 2024

Ayurveda, Yoga & Vedic Astrology, The Three Sister Sciences of the Vedic Knowledge System

As validation of the power of human intuition, the entire Vedic knowledge system was cognized by the ancient sages of India known as the rishis. These enlightened seers lived fifteen thousand years ago along the banks of the Indus River, at the base of the mighty Himalayas. Men and women of this Indus River Valley civilization sat in deep states of meditation for hours on end, for generations and millennia, each going deep into their own consciousness and discovering and perfecting a system of universal consciousness for humanity. These insights were debated, collated, and codified into an oral tradition where knowledge was passed down from parent to child to grandchild in poetic verses numbering in the tens of thousands. About five thousand years ago, these teachings were finally written down in a series of texts known as the Vedas. Though numerous world cultures have developed systems of human self-development and spirituality, none are as ancient, as comprehensive, or as integrated as the Vedic knowledge system. It is from this elegant body of knowledge that Vedic astrology emerged.

A fundamental tenet of the Vedic knowledge system is that we have three layers of consciousness to our being, which are often referred to in the West as the body, mind, and soul. These everyday terms derive from the Sanskrit sthula sharira, sukshma sharira, and karana sharira, which mean physical body, subtle body, and causal body, respectively.

Our physical body consists of our physical anatomy, which includes our bones, muscles, joints, and organs. The animation of our being comes from the subtle body, or energetic layer, which has its parallel system of subtle anatomy through which the prana life-force energy flows (referred to as chi in East Asian traditions). This is also the layer in which our emotions, thinking, intellect, and sense of ego reside. The deeper, more profound layer is our causal body, and is often referred to as our soul, our deeper consciousness or higher self, as described in the modern literature around spiritual intelligence. This soul layer is often accessed by practitioners of spiritual and religious traditions, a layer through which we connect to our innate divine intelligence. The Vedic knowledge system correlates each of these layers of being to specific systems of personal development that help align, integrate, and activate these integral parts of our being, enabling smoother sailing through life.

Focused on the physical body, the system of Ayurveda, the mind-body medicine system of the Vedic tradition, helps us identify our unique psychosomatic disposition to favor the right lifestyle, diet, herbs, exercise, and medical interventions to balance our physical well-being and heal us from disease. At the deepest soul level, the systems of yoga help us to connect to our deeper nature and innate spiritual intelligence.

The mind serves as a junction point that connects the soul and body layers. Within this coupling layer, we create and experience the ups and downs of life and interpret our very existence and sense of self. It is from the mind layer that we make choices, experience emotions, and exercise our will to shape what we can in our physical world. From the mind, we experience and influence our very destiny by making our choices and decisions. Vedic astrology is the sophisticated system that targets this junction point of body, mind, and soul and helps us deeply understand our human manifestation to better navigate life’s journey.

• Website: https://www.vishchatterji.com/
• Order Book Here