Factoring in 'birth at conception' by Paramhansa Yogananda/Sri Yukteshwarji

As commonly calculated today, an astrological chart is drawn for a person according to the time and place of birth; even a slight inaccuracy in this data affects the accuracy of the chart. Further, one is actually “born” at the moment of conception, when the soul enters the first cell of its new body. One’s karmic pattern has already begun to unfold at that instant. The intuition of wise men, such as my guru Sri Yukteswarji, who was masterful in astrology as the divine science it was intended to be, knows how to factor this “birth at conception” into calculating a horoscope.

 

In any case, it is not the stars themselves that control the happenings in man’s life, but rather his individual karma that, when ripe for fruition, is affected beneficially or adversely by the electromagnetic vibrations of the heavenly bodies. The relation of the stars to the human body and mind is very subtle. The astral forces radiating to the earth from the heavens interreact with those in the spinal centres that sustain man’s body. Ignorant man does not realize how body and mind are changed through his good and bad actions, and how his actions affect — positively or negatively — the centres of the spine. Persons whose bodies and minds and material environment are out of order, the result of transgressions of spiritual law, have inharmony between the energies in the spinal centres and those radiating from the twelve signs of the zodiac.

 

The true science of astrology, therefore, is mathematics of one’s own actions, not the mathematics of the brainless stars. Karma governs the stars and one’s destiny, but karma is governed by one’s will power. What is to be does not necessarily have to be. Man’s free will and divine determination can change the course of events in his life, or at the least mitigate adverse aspects. One whose body and mind are very strong is impervious to adverse astrological influences; there may be no outwardly observable reaction at all, even when evil vibrations may be radiating from negative configuration of the stars. But if body and mind have been weakened by wrong eating, wrong thinking, bad character, and bad company, then the stellar rays have the power to activate latent harmful effects of past karma.

 

On a cosmic scale, the combined karma of groups of individuals — social or racial groups, or nations, for example — or of the world at large, constitute the mass karma of the earth or portions thereof. This mass karma responds to the electromagnetic vibrations of the earth’s cosmic neighbours according to the same laws that affect each individual, thereby inducing beneficial or malevolent changes in the course of world and natural events. A store of good mass karma from living in harmony with divine laws and forces blesses man’s earthly environment with peace, health, prosperity. Accumulated bad mass karma precipitates wars, diseases, poverty, devastating earthquakes, and other such calamities. During times of prevalent negative vibratory influences, the individual must thus contend not only with his personal karma, but also with the mass karma affecting the planet on which he lives.

 

Therefore, it is beneficial to follow certain astrological injunctions, based on the mathematical or orderly nature of the unified cosmos — if such advice is received from Self-realized sages, and not from the superficial professional caster of horoscopes.

 

Horoscopes tend to influence and paralyze the free choice of man’s inherent divine-will-to-conquer. Further, intuition is needed to read correctly the messages of the heavens and to interpret their significance in relation to one’s individual karma. For guidance and support it is far better to appeal to God and His angelic agents. Why look to the mute stars? From them man can receive neither sympathetic response to his plight, nor personal succour in the form of divine grace.

 

When one is following God’s path, to give too much thought to such lesser sciences as astrology is a hindrance. The highest way to create the right influences in one’s life, the yogi’s way, is to commune with God. All stars bow down before the presence of God.

 

By meditation the yogi reinforces the positive spiritual power in the cerebrospinal centres that are acted upon by the planetary influences. In this way, the yogi harmonizes body and mind with the universal laws and God’s divine cosmic agents who govern them.

 

Contact with the devas by attuning the consciousness to these higher forces in meditation elevates man, who may thus avoid the fructification of evil karma; misfortune can be greatly lessened, while the liberating effects of good actions are enhanced. Man and his astral preceptors in higher realms, by mutual communion, can find great good and control destiny.12 Eventually, by constant contact with spiritual forces, the devotee comes into harmony with the Supreme Creator, Organizer of all higher and all lower beings.