Ghanshyam Singh Birla
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Sister Margaret : The Girdle of Venus and the Power of Forgiveness

I met Sister Margaret two decades ago at a conference she helped organize promoting forgiveness and reconciliation to achieve peace and harmony between people and nations. A vibrant woman in her late seventies, she believed forgiveness bestowed a double blessing, benefiting both the forgiver and forgiven—and she was living proof of the effectiveness of that philosophy.

When World War II broke out, Sister Margaret was a young Catholic nun working in rural Japan. She was arrested by Japanese soldiers and spent four years in a brutal internment camp. She suffered great deprivation and witnessed many atrocities, but never allowed her heart to be hardened by bitterness or hatred. After the war she stayed on in Japan to care for orphans, treat the wounded and help rebuild the country. Before returning to North America, she spent years travelling throughout Asia bringing aid and comfort to the poorest of the poor.

When our paths crossed, she was in the midst of performing an act of personal reconciliation and forgiveness. She’d invited former Japanese soldiers—her onetime enemies and captors—to attend her peace conference, and she embraced each and everyone of them with kindness and warmth. When I asked her why she did it, she replied: “Ghanshyam, we all struggle with darkness, but we are also all children of God, touched by Divine light. It is our job to let that light shine from us and help it shine in others. If we make that our mission in life we’ll all be better people, and this world will be a much better place.”

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Sister’s Margaret’s altruism and spiritual wisdom moved me deeply; when I studied her hands I wasn’t surprised to find a beautiful Girdle of Venus hovering above her heart line.

The Girdle of Venus has been described as a divine smile permanently stamped on our hearts as an inspiration to others. Ideally, it forms a gentle arc in the upper region of the palm linking Jupiter, Saturn, Sun and Mercury, the four mounts housing our highest forms of energy. The Girdle’s close proximity to the heart line reflects a deep capacity for empathy and an intimate connection with the spiritual realm. It also reveals a powerful creative energy that compels us to express the beauty and love within our soul. Many artists, humanitarians and those devoted to serving God possess a Girdle of Venus.

A broken Girdle of Venus, however, reflects pent-up passion and blocked creativity, which can develop into feelings of insecurity, over-sensitivity, moodiness, frustration and erratic or self-destructive behaviour.

Sister Margaret lived into her nineties and never stopped working to create international and interpersonal peace, harmony, understanding and forgiveness. Her handprint, with its remarkable Girdle of Venus, is a lasting testament to a beautiful life, well-lived.

If you would like to develop or repair your own Girdle of Venus, give us a call at 866-428-3799, or complete the form to book a consultation. We’re here to help.

 

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Ghanshyam Singh Birla

Tuesday’s Auspicious Full Moon in Capricorn - Guru Purnima

This Tuesday is a very special and auspicious day in Vedic culture known as Guru Purnima, which always falls on the day of the full moon (Purnima) in the Hindu month of Ashadha (June–July). This summer that occurs on July 19th, with the full moon in Capricorn opposite the Sun in Cancer.

Guru Purnima is celebrated in sacred memory of the great sage Vyasa, the ancient Guru who compiled the four Vedas and wrote the Mahabharata, often referred to as the Hindu Bible. It is a day dedicated to honoring our teachers and Gurus with pujas—prayers, devotional ceremonies and rituals of homage and reverence.

The Sanskrit word "Guru" is translated as "dispeller of darkness." Hence, the Guru dispels the darkness of ignorance and sets us on the path to enlightenment. Guru Purnima is not only a day when seekers of enlightenment offer their Guru gratitude, but also a day to receive that Guru’s blessings.

Not all of us in the West have Gurus, but that does not make this day any less significant. Guru Purnima is a day for acknowledging and venerating whatever belief, philosophy or teaching we hold dear to our heart. It is an excellent occasion to set time aside to meditate and offer prayers of gratitude to everyone and everything that helps us grow in mind and spirit, and to reaffirm our commitment to seeking truth and wisdom. If you have yet to embrace an intellectual or spiritual discipline, Guru Purnima is a perfect day to search for one.

The full moon of Guru Purnima is a period of high, positive energy that hugely magnifies the benefits and rewards of meditation, prayer and acts of devotion and gratitude. So on Tuesday, lets make a special effort to be thankful to all the teachers and guardian angels in our lives, and be joyful knowing that they will return our appreciation many times over with countless blessings.

Happy Guru Purnima!

 

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Ghanshyam Singh Birla

Conjunction Alert: Mercury & Venus in Cancer!

Mercury and Venus are friends, but they don’t have a chance to enjoy each other’s company when placed in the same sign of Cancer, beginning July 11th and lasting until July 25th. That’s because Cancer is ruled by the Moon, which is not friends with either Venus or Mercury. In fact, the Moon can bring out the worst in the two planetary amigos.

Mercury—the mythological, wing-footed messenger of the gods—is the planet of intellect. It reflects the subtler aspects of our nature; our wit, humour, spontaneity, curiosity and the ability to communicate thoughts and ideas with effortless grace. In short, Mercury is light and transcendent—it is meant to soar.

But Cancer is a water sign and its ruler, the Moon, relates to our deepest emotions. So Mercury traveling through Cancer is like a bird flying underwater—our intellect is submerged in emotion, making it difficult to think logically or clearly express ourselves. The emotional force of the Moon can overwhelm Mercury’s objective intellectual characteristics and the tug-of-war between intellect and emotion takes a toll on our overall wellbeing, leaving us physically and mentally drained, inarticulate, irrational and confused.

Venus is the planet of love—it is divinity in the flesh, giving expression to our passion for life in all its forms, from our appreciation of nature, the fine arts and the art of conversation, to our enjoyment of food, drink, entertainment and the pleasures of sex. It also reflects our sweeter qualities—our capacity to love and be loveable, considerate and kind.

But when Venus is in the Moon-ruled, watery sign of Cancer we can be swamped by emotional needs and preoccupations, becoming moody and over-reacting to perceived slights and minor setbacks. It’s tempting to seek solace in anything that feels good or gives us comfort. We may lash out in anger, become lost in our fantasies and daydreams, overindulge in pleasure-seeking and become so irrational, selfish and reckless that we ignore the needs of others and neglect our own health.

The conjunction of Mercury and Venus in Cancer can sneak up on us unexpectedly, robbing us of our discernment, objectivity and good judgement.  So, for the rest of the week, keep things in perspective and remain objective and rational—count to ten before letting a lovers’ quarrel become a breakup or divorce; call a cab instead of ordering another drink, don’t quit your job because your boss annoys you. Seek out things of true value rather than quick fixes or instant gratification by adopting a devotional attitude—give to others and don’t be angry if others aren’t giving to you; appreciate what you have instead of pining for things you desire.

Turning inward can make this conjunction a period of positive growth—channeling deep emotions into meditation connects us with the lasting pleasures of spirit, which is the route to emotional stability and lasting happiness.

If you are having trouble during this turbulent conjunction, give us a call at 866-428-3799, or click here to book a consultation. We are here to help.

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Ghanshyam Singh Birla

Exploring Jupiter and Discovering Ourselves

It’s an historic week in planetary exploration. NASA’s Juno spacecraft—launched from Earth five years ago to explore Jupiter—has entered Jupiter’s orbit and will soon be beaming back pictures for scientists to study.

Jupiter is by far the largest and most influential planet in the solar system. Its gravity is so powerful it not only affects the orbit of every other planet in the system, but for billions of years has been pulling Earth-bound comets into its own atmosphere, repeatedly saving us from total annihilation. So exploring Jupiter’s mysteries is a very big deal. As NASA’s Juno team leader put it: “It is not only going to help us better understand Jupiter, it’s going to help us better understand the universe around us and our place in it.” And, as it so happens, understanding ourselves and our place in the universe is also Jupiter’s role in Vedic astrology and palmistry.

The ancients named Jupiter, Guru, which means the dispeller of darkness. It’s an excellent description because a well-balanced Jupiter enlightens our heart, mind and spirit. As the first mount in the sattwic realm at the top of the palm (the highest level of consciousness), Jupiter reflects our awareness of being part of a greater whole, and our realization that we have a purpose in life beyond survival.

Jupiter is a benefic planet and, when positively expressed in either our hand or natal chart, is associated with optimism; generosity; joviality; kindness; magnanimity; ambition; open-mindedness; leadership; loyalty and a sweeping sense of justice and fairness. A strong Jupiter reflects a strong sense of personal identity and a desire to achieve great things . . . and achieve them with style and grace—a person with positive Jupiter energy tends to be a bon vivant with a refined appreciation for food, wine and the opposite sex. With all that going for it, it is little wonder that Jupiter is considered the planet of good fortune.

But Jupiter has a negative side. If its placement in our chart is under affliction, we can be egocentric to the point of utterly disregarding the needs of others; be prideful; domineering; destructive; selfish; wasteful; self-indulgent and ruthlessly ambitious.

In the hand, an overactive Jupiter can push us to dangerous extremes in a self-centred bid to gain and maintain power, prestige and material comfort. An underactive Jupiter indicates a lack of self-confidence, low self-esteem and a belief that we are incapable of accomplishing our goals.

Whether we search for it in our natal charts, in our hands, or with a little NASA spacecraft named Juno, the information Jupiter has to offer will shed a powerful light on our place in the universe and our purpose in life.

To learn how you can channel your Jupiter energy to find your purpose, become more motivated, reach greater heights in your career or just learn to relax and enjoy life, give us a call at 866-428-3799 or click the link to book a consultation. We are here to help.

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Ghanshyam Singh Birla
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Love in the Grocery Store

Several years ago an elderly woman named Candice strode into my office.

“Mr. Birla, look at my hand!” she demanded haughtily, thrusting her right palm across my desk.

“I am a 70-year-old widow and was faithfully married to the same man for 50 years . . . why are there two marriage lines on my hand?”

“My dear, your second union line suggests a new love is coming into your life,” I said with a smile.

“At my age?” she snapped. “Don’t be ridiculous Ghanshyam!”

“Love is ageless, Candice. Have you met anyone recently who has touched your heart?”

Candice admitted that a gentleman had been attempting to woo her.

“It started in the grocery store; we bumped carts in the frozen food section. He apologized, but I ignored him.

We kept running into each other at the store. He was always sweet and I always rebuffed him, even though he was charming, handsome and a widower like me. Then one day he touched my hand at the checkout counter and invited me to dinner.

“How dare you! Your wife is still warm in the grave, yet you flirt with every woman you see!” I yanked my hand away and told him to leave me alone. He continued being nice to me . . . and I continued to be mean to him. Eventually he gave up and I confess, I miss the attention.”

Candice had short fingers and flared nails. Short fingers react impulsively without considering the long-term consequences of their behavior; flared nails make us quick to lash out, especially when feeling provoked or threatened.

“Candice, did your husband complain about your prickly nature. My sense is that he supported you financially and that he was sickly . . . was your love bound up in feelings of dependency, duty and resentment?”

“It’s true. I depended on my husband and had to care for him . . . he always complained that I was intolerant, impatient and critical.”

I explained that a short Jupiter finger reflects an inferiority complex and a need to prove we are as good or better than other people. This comes across as arrogance when it’s really an attempt to hide feelings of inadequacy. Her short Jupiter was fueled by a large Mars negative—the accumulation of emotional hurts and dashed hopes that are often expressed through bitterness.

“Candice, your nastiness is defensive, but has become ingrained behavior. Your two union lines indicate you have a second chance at love. But you must learn to love unconditionally—be humble and accept affection with gratitude. Practice this consistently and you will re-program your samskaras—the desires, impressions and experiences we carry from one life to the next.”

When I saw Candice a few months later she told me that she’d taken my advice. When her supermarket gentleman asked her for a dinner date, she happily accepted and they soon began dating.

If you would like professional guidance regarding your love life, we’re here to help. Give us a call at 866-428-3799, or click the link to book a consultation.

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Ghanshyam Singh Birla

Guru Chandal Yoga: The Meeting of Jupiter and Rahu

If you’ve been feeling lately as though your thoughts and emotions are being pulled in opposite directions, you are not alone.

The current conjunction of Jupiter and Rahu in the constellation of Leo has landed all of us in the midst of a planetary power struggle.

Rahu and Jupiter exude very different forms of energy, and when they draw close together, as they do in a conjunction, sparks begin to fly. Jupiter, a benevolent planet known as the Guru (the dispeller of darkness), represents our higher selves: selflessness, magnanimity, compassion for others and nobleness in thought and deed. Rahu, a malefic shadow planet, represents our instinctual need for self-preservation and the fulfillment of our personal desires.

In Vedic Astrology, the conjunction of Jupiter and Rahu is referred to as Guru Chandal Yoga. Chandal is a derogatory term representing how our nature can sink to the lowest level to satisfy our own self-interests. It is important to see how these two divergent forces, like antagonistic roommates, can learn to work together. While opportunities may present themselves, we must not lose our sense of humanity and sound judgment. Rahu can lure us by fueling our ambition with promises of wealth and power and a rapid boost in our status and career.

From June 21st to July 14th, Rahu and Jupiter are in close conjunction where they are separated by just a few degrees. This can be a turbulent time, a time of great temptation to act solely out of self-interest and personal gratification. The results can be minor disturbances in our equilibrium, or they can be devastating—broken families, a break down in international relations, a surge in terrorism. But it doesn’t have to be that way!

We can take advantage of the Jupiter/Rahu conjunction in Leo. If we unite Rahu’s intensity for personal satisfaction, career advancement, and the fulfillment of desires with Jupiter’s benevolent magnanimity, we can realize all our ambitions without alienating those closest to us or sacrificing wisdom and spirituality. The gains we pursue will benefit everyone and the pleasures we seek will be found in the shared companionship of friends and family. The most important thing to remember is that gains acquired by Rahu—when used solely for self-interest—are fleeting and ultimately unsatisfying, but the benefits of Jupiter, incorporating the welfare of all, are profound and last an eternity. So during this Guru Chandal Yoga, be careful what you wish for and wish for what’s best for everyone.

If you want to explore ways to benefit from this Guru Chandal Yoga give us a call at 866-428-3799 or click the link to book a consultation. We are here to help.

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