Astrological Aromatherapy: ‘Essential’ Wellbeing by tapping into the Planetary day of the week you are

born on

The Sun, Moon and the Hindu Almanac or the Panchanga

Jyotish, is the Science of ‘seeing light’ or ability to ‘see’ with the light of Knowledge. Jyotish is also called the Hora Sastra. Hora is Sanskrit is derived from two words, ‘aho’ or Day and ‘Ratra’ or Night. Putting it together, it means the most primary two-fold division of time on the basis of day and night. And Sastra means Science.

Thus, Hora gives us the quality of time like the day is dominated or ruled by the Sun and the night by the Moon. So, putting it all together Hora Sastra gives us the “the scientific study of the quality of time”.

The Sun is your Soul, your Dharma, the righteous path and the Moon is your psyche, your emotional mind. The Luminaries along with the Lagna or Rising sign are three vital pillars upon which your life rests upon. Yet even before we have delved into any chart, the Ancient Sages were very perceptive of the starting point in the study of time and its quality. That is where we come to Panchanga or the Hindu Almanac or if you will the Indian Calendar.

Panchanga, a Sanskrit term, composed of Pancha five and Anga limbs. This broadly mean the ‘five organs of time’. The Panchang follows the transits of the Moon, its daily quality as it travels through the Nakshatras or the Fixed Star Constellations and the Moon’s daily interaction with the Sun.

The interaction between the Sun and the Moon is vital part of our life force on Earth. The placements of the Sun and Moon in our Natal Charts will impact on the qualities expressed by the Panchanga.

The Sun’s basic measurement of time on Earth is from sunrise to sunrise, as it traverses the complete round of the twelve Signs rāśis and hence all of the 27 Fixed Star Constellations. The Sun is the primary marker for demarcating the period into day and night, aho and rātri.

Panchanga is primarily used to determine Auspicious timing for Everyday Living. Calculations are based on interplay between Sun and the Moon, the angles they create between them. Symbolically, the ancient Vedic Sages, associated the Sun as the entire material work of the universe. The Sun is the Atma, eternal soul, our connection to the divine and Moon is the Jiva Atma, the living soul, our deep innermost connection with the Earth.

Panchanga 5 limbs or parameters

Areas of our Life

1.Vara or Day of the Week you are born on

Life Force, Life Energy for everyday living, Wealth, and fortune

2.Tithi, The angle between Sun and Moon

Marital /Long-term Relationships and patterns, Passions, Love-life

3.Half a Tithi = Karana Activity to sustain us, Work related, Society, Achievements

4.Nakshatras (27 Fixed Star Constellations or Lunar Mansions)

Protection from Diseases, Body Ailments, Emotional Nature, Psyche

5.Yogas/Combinations General Relationships, Company one keeps, Social Circles, Spiritual Connections

To know more on your specific combinations, please go to www.CircleofDivine.com/YourPlanets

Panchanga’s Key Limb: The Vara or the Day of the Week you are born and its origins

The Vedas are scriptural canons of Hinduism. The Vedas was organized around seven major ‘poetic’ metres or Chandas or verses in Sanskrit.

Cosmically, the Vedic Literature of which Jyotish is part of, is in form of seven chhandas or poetic verses. The seven chhandas or Sanskrit prosody are directly connected to the seven days vāra of the week and the hours horā of the day.

The chhandas in the form of seven horses pull the Sun’s chariot through its course in the skies, across day and night, the twelve

months, the Summer and the Winter Solstices. These seven chhandas or styles of poems and prose are gāyatrī, triṣṭup, jagatī, anuṣṭup, paṁkti, bṛhatī and uṣñik. For example, Gayatri metre was structured with 3 verses of 8 syllables (6x4).

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Material creations are associated with Rasas (tastes/flavours) as everything is defined in terms of the seven rasas. The seven rasas or flavours and chhandas correspond with each other as each chhanda activates a certain aspect/flavour within us. Each of these flavour is represented by the planet that rules the day of the week. Thus, each of these have a vibrational energy.

For example, the gāyatrī chhanda activates the sweet or madhur rasa. Mantras are set to the rhythm of these chhandas, which resonate to a

certain vibration within the chanter.

In the Vedic Literature, the Chandas were revered for their perfection and resonance, with the Gayatri metre treated as the

most refined and sacred. Even in the modern Hindu Yogic practices the Gayatri mantra form part of Yoga and hymns for meditation at

sunrise

What does it mean to be born on a Certain day of the Week?

This key planet that we are born under has a massive influence on our personality, character, our inherent energy levels for functioning day-to-day and overall well-being. Certainly, as a consequence it is the source of wealth and fortune. They reflect karmic and pranic energies.

From Jataka Parijata, one of Vedic Texts, states -

1. Birth on a Ravi vaar - Sun’s traits are: then ‘Honourable, reddish-brown hair, eyes and body are bestowed with the traits of Sunday (Sun)

2. Birth on a Soma vaar – Moon’s traits are: then Lustful, having a charming body and ever tender-hearted are the traits of Monday (Moon)

3. Birth on a Mangal vaar – Tuesday’s traits are: cruel and focused on bold words and acts

4. Birth on Budh vaar – Wednesday’s traits are: Worshipping the Deva and Brahmana (Rishis/ Sages) and good speech

5. Birth on Brihaspati vaar – Thursday’s traits are: Sacrifices, being beloved of lords/kings, good virtues and being celebrated.

6. Birth on Shukra vaar – Friday’s traits are: endowed with corn, lands and wealth, beloved of all and lustful mind.

7. Birth on Shani vaar – Saturday’s traits are: Predominantly dull-witted, dependant on food and wealth on others, speaking in an intoxicating way, cleverly avoiding their entire family.

To ascertain which Vedic day you belong to, the rule is simple. The Day begins at sunrise and ends at Sunrise of the next day. So, for example, if you were born in the UK at 5:30 am on a Saturday morning, and if the Sun rose at 5:45 am, then you are under the influence of Venus, and born for all Vedic purposes on a Friday. It will be Saturday after sunrise, the time before that belongs to Friday. If you are born in the Summer the same time, in the UK, the Sunrise may have been at 5.25 am, so then you are indeed born on a Saturday, thus making your Key planet Saturn.

LINK BETWEEN ESSENTIAL OILS (AROMATHERAPY) AND ELEMENTS in AYURVEDA

Ayurveda, is an ancient system of health and healing through extensive and very specific use of herbs. The properties of plant extracts and herbs are matched to one’s body type and one’s Astrological chart.Ayurveda is part of Atharveda, which in turn is one of the four Vedas. Vedanta or Vedas are the oldest canonical works hailing from ancient India. Aromatherapy, in the form of floral and herbal extracts and incense, has always been an integral aspect of Ayurvedic Healing.

There are references to Essential Oils or Attars by Varāhamihira, in his magnum opus Brihat Samahita. Varāhamihira was an Indian Astronomer, Astrologer and Mathematician who lived in the historic city of Ujjain, India and he was one of the celebrated ‘nine jewels.’ His Pañcasiddhāntikā is another body of work dealing with lost Astronomical knowledge, as well as Vedanga Jyotisha (Vedic Astrology, as we know today).

One of the basic principles of creation is that all that is created is destroyed and this represents a cycle of creation and destruction. The forces in the universe can be understood with the help of the five elements namely, Fire (Agni), Earth (Prithvi), Air (Vayu), Water (Jala) and Ether (Akasha). However, when analysed further we see that we can see four distinct phases in the cycle of creation namely the creation represented by Fire, consolidation or growth represented by Earth, degeneration represented by Air and dissolution represented by Water, which rules over the deluge and destruction (pralaya). The whole drama of creation and destruction happens under the well laid out cosmic rules and guidelines of the supreme creator, who is represented by the 5th element Ether or Akasha Ttava.

Each of these elements have strong associations with a planet.

The Sun and Mars are the obvious, the fire element. Mercury is Earth as well as Air element, Saturn is Air element, Moon and Venus, Water element and Jupiter the controlled of all elements is Ether or the Akasha Ttatva.

The main correlation between Vedic medicine (Ayurveda) and Vedic astrology (Jyotish) is found between the doshas and planets, where 3 celestial bodies correspond to each of the 3 Ayurvedic doshas.

VATA the Element is Air and the planets associated are Mercury (Wednesday Birth), Saturn (Saturday Birth), Rahu (North Node of the Moon). Saturn, similar to Vata dosha, is a cold, dry, and nervous planet that brings about completion or decline. Saturn indicates Ayus or the term of life in the birth chart.

Hence Essential Oils of Sesame are highly beneficial for Saturn and from the Wood family like Himalayan Cedarwood, Cypress,

Frankincense. In combination with Citrus Essential Oils like Bergamot, Mandarin, Black Pepper, and Grapefruit to name a few, will combine well with people born on a Saturday or Saturn’s child.

Born on a Wednesday thus ruled by Mercury, highly beneficial oils are from Blends coming from the herb, flower and grass family with a couple of Essential oils from the Arbour family. Peppermint, Sweet Basil, Fennel, Ginger, Lavender, Sage and Thyme. From the Arbour family, a solid Myrtle and a Cypress or Himalayan Cedarwood will be excellent. It will get them from being too mental and ground their thoughts and ideas. Control the ‘monkey mind’.

KAPHA the element is Earth and Water. And the planets associated with it is Moon and Venus.

Born on a Monday thus ruled by Moon, the essential oils are generally warm, spicy and invigorating, designed to wake you up from damp and cold lethargy. They contain vital oils from the Flower family, the herb, wood family such as Oils of Camomile (Roman and Blue), Camphor, Geranium, Ylang-Ylang (the divine feminine oil!) combined with Lemon, will keep lethargy and lull at bay.

Born on a Friday thus ruled by Venus, the Essential Oils should be Rose Otto, Bulgarian Rose, the very enriching and warming Cardamom. Melissa will stabilise the flow of the high Kapha or Water element.

PITTA element is fire and the planets associated are Mars, Sun, Ketu (South node of the Moon, akin to Mars).

Born on a Sunday, you are ruled by the Sun. Here the Pitta dosha, is hot and penetrating; governing digestion, combustion, and transformation. Pitta tends to get out of balance in situations of extreme heat, whether it be weather-related or emotions-related. Oils blends for balancing Pitta include sweet, cooling oils such as Jasmine, Neroli, Immortelle, Mysore Sandalwood, often with smaller amounts of soothing oils such as Ylang-ylang and Frankincense and some uplifting citrus oils such as Lemon or Peppermint. The combinations are designed to keep you calm, yet focused and alert.

Born on a Tuesday, you are ruled by the Mars and Ketu. Again, the fire element is strong. Key Oils are Rosemary, Sweet Orange, Patchouli, Lemongrass. Picking at least one Oil blend from the exotic Grass family such as Myrrh, Vetiver, Palma Rosa will blend well with the Herb family of Rosemary will promote calmness for the fire element and give it focus.

Finally, the Ether Element, Jupiter ruled if born on a Thursday. The Essential Oils are highly spiritual ones such as Spikenard, Mysore Sandalwood, frankincense, Rosewood. These activate the crown chakras and work really well in grounding visions.