Ghanshyam Singh Birla

2022 The Year Ahead

 

2022: What to Expect in The Year Ahead

By Ghanshyam Singh Birla, Vedic Palmist-Astrologer

 

To help you better navigate the year ahead, Ghanshyam has drawn up a chart for the New Year forecasting the trends we can expect in 2022.

For the past couple of years, our attention has been intensely focused on the 4th house representing “home” in all its manifestations—the comfort and security of our home, the happiness and warmth of family, changes to our dwelling place, including renovations, restructuring, buying and selling and the nurturing figure of our mother. On a global scale, the 4th house reflects the stability of our homeland, Mother Earth, the world and our familial connection with all of humanity. The year 2022 will shift our focus to the 5th house of love and creativity.

Like last year’s chart, the ascendant Virgo is at a powerful 15 degrees. However, while last year Mercury, the ruler of Virgo, was sitting in the 4th house debilitated in Sagittarius, this year, Mercury is sitting comfortably in the sign of its friend, Capricorn, in the 5th house. This awakens our creativity to express in any form that inspires us—creating children, books or art out of love and giving a sense of pleasure.

Additionally, the ruler of the sign Capricorn, Saturn, is sitting with Mercury in the 5th house. When the planetary ruler of a house is sitting in its own sign, in this case Saturn in Capricorn, it assures, or almost guarantees, our productivity and provides us with a depth of well-intentioned longing to rise and shine with joy, poise and prosperity of spirit. That positive planetary energy makes 2022 a great year for planning, creating, restructuring and, above all, for seeking higher wisdom. In fact, because of the influence of Saturn in its own sign, 2022 is a perfect time to develop spiritually through prayer, meditation and quiet self-reflection, all of which will promote a sense of wellness and feeling of peace, affection and love.

But will we have the strength and courage needed to turn a new page in 2022 and begin anew? The answer is a resounding yes! In the New Year’s chart, Mars, the warrior planet, is sitting in its own sign of Scorpio which, thanks to Mars’ placement in the 3rd house, will enable us to cultivate bravery, self-assurance and resolve. Additionally, Ketu is conjunct Mars in the 3rd house which, on one the hand, can help usher in long-awaited social reform. On the other hand, it requires the use of discernment and wisdom to determine the best course of action for us to take, both as individuals and as a society. Of course, not everyone agrees on what the best course of action is when it comes to such things as personal freedoms or climate change, so we must be careful to avoid misunderstandings as a result of miscommunication that could bring complications into our life.

Thankfully, Jupiter in Aquarius is sitting in the 6th house, which means God’s continuing grace will help us realize excellence in our physical, mental and emotional being. Jupiter in the 6th protects us from wandering into the wrong environment or associating with people who use negative, disruptive or violent means to get their way, be it invading the Ukraine or throwing a PTA meeting into chaos.

Nevertheless, we must be vigilant in maintaining inner poise at home because the Sun is in the 4th house, which as we know is the house of home. And while the Sun is happy to be in the 10th, house, where it can shine its light on the public events, it can be too hot and intense for the 4th house, relating to our home, roots, homeland or any place we consider a private sanctuary. So, it is extremely important to maintain our inner poise and persist to remain centered in the face of everyday changing circumstances, including our relation to Mother Earth and climatic uncertainty.

Another aspect of the 2022 chart we should be aware of is that it contains a challenging Kal Sarpa yoga, which means all the planets are on one side of the chart. This creates a polarity that can leave us feeling either imbalanced or very focused—the choice is ours. Many famous individuals who have changed the course of history had Kal Sarpa yogas in their birth charts. Consequently, it’s important for us not be thrown off balance. Indeed, the chart of 2022 suggests this is an ideal chance for us to make great strides in our evolutionary journey—to positively transform our lives no matter how much confusion, panic or upheaval is swirling around us.

How to Make the Most of 2022

But how do we remain calm and centered, especially when the world seems to be turning upside down? Well, a sure-fired method is starting each day with a morning meditation. This works even better when combined with a 15-minute recitation of the Lord Ganesh mantra (Om Ganesha Rinam Chhindhi Varenyam Hum Namaha Phat. Ganesh is, of course, the Vedic deity who removes obstacles blocking our path to success and happiness.

While meditating, remember to focus on the third eye, the point between the eyebrows known as the Christ consciousness center. The third eye connects us to our superconscious; it is here that our prayers are answered—where solutions to our problems appear to us. And it is where we cultivate peace and joy. Indeed, one of my favorite Bible passages—one that gives me a deep sense of assurance—is Revelations 3:20, in which Christ promises his followers they can reach him anytime by focusing on their third eye. “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.”

Have a safe and blessed 2022!

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Guylaine Vallée

Myth Buster: A Short Life Line

By Vedic Astro-Palmist Guylaine Vallée

Myth: A short life line means a short life.

Fact: Not necessarily…

 

People often associate the life line with how long they are going to live. The truth is, the life line has more to do with the quality of our life than with the number of years we live. It reflects our motivation to lead a long, healthy and happy life.

The length of the life line is something everybody wants to know about because everybody thinks it will tell them how long they will live. What I can tell by looking at a life line is how a person is living their life—and that can determine how long they’ll live.

The ideal life line encircles the Mount of Venus. A long life line suggests we will live a long life because we love being alive and want to live as long as possible to accomplish all the goals we have set for ourselves. A long, deep and unbroken life line also tells us that we are doing everything we can to be healthy in both body and mind because being physically and mentally fit gives us the longevity we need to enjoy life to the maximum while fulfilling our dreams.

Please keep in mind that a long life line doesn’t mean our life is always going to be a bed of roses. Like everyone, we will likely face our share of challenges, hardships and tragedies. But because we find meaning and purpose in life, we have strong convictions and a belief system that will get us through tough times.

On the other hand, a short life line often suggests we need to try a little bit harder to envision all the wonderful things we can accomplish by living a long life. It could be we are not taking advantage of the opportunities life has to offer us.

The best thing about the life line is that, with a small change in attitude, we can grow it longer! Neuroscience is just starting to catch up with what the Yogis of ancient India knew to be true eons ago, that the brain is capable of growth and change at any age! We have thousands of handprints that verify when you change your thoughts and behavior, your life changes . . . and so does your life line. So don’t worry if you have a short life line – you can always make it longer and stronger, which is exactly what our client Sabrina did!

 

Sabrina: Building a New Life

Take a look at the differences in Sabrina’s life line in her “before” and “after” handprints. The “before” print was taken right after the breakup of her marriage. She was an emotional wreck and thought she would never be happy again. Her hopelessness and despair are reflected in her short, shallow and broken life line.

Ghanshyam encouraged Sabrina to begin a regular meditation practice to strengthen her focus and concentration in order to develop her destiny line. Why? Because a strong destiny line would provide her with both a long-range vision and a positive outlet to channel the passion of her emotions.

In her “after” handprint taken a couple of years after her initial consultation, we can see that Sabrina’s life line has not only grown, but is much stronger, deeper and more defined. This reveals a renewed passion for life. She has made a conscious decision not to let her sadness defeat her. She embraced her independence and began a new career. She was happy and content within herself and looking forward to one day falling in love again.

The moral of Sabrina’s story is this: When we channel our life force positively and appreciate the privilege of being alive, our life line will grow and our life will improve.

 

AUTHOR

Guylaine Vallée is a teacher and consultant at the Birla Vedic International. In her 36 years as a professional Vedic palmist, she has helped thousands of clients improve their lives and has inspired tens of thousands lecturing across North America and through her many radio and television appearances.

 

It is not too late to join Guylaine in her weekly webinar:
The 90-Day Mounts Challenge:
Unleashing the Power of the Planets in Your Hands.

Click here for more info.

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Guylaine Vallée

The Downside of Fidgeting

A Restless Body Equals a Restless Mind

By Vedic Astro-Palmist Guylaine Vallée

It’s difficult not to notice a fidgeter—those of us who just can’t seem to sit still, who seem compelled to be constantly rapping their fingers on a desktop, tapping their toes under the dinner table, swinging their arms for no apparent reason, shaking their legs, twiddling their thumbs, cracking their knuckles, or a dozen other disruptive habits that are part of the fidgeter’s repertoire.

While fidgeting can be a minor (or major) annoyance to anyone who doesn’t fidget, it is, for those who do fidget, a sign of an imbalance in the body’s three energy systems of body, mind and heart. Fidgeting indicates a chronic mental restlessness, preoccupation, emotional edginess, anxiety, worry, agitation or fear. In short, when we fidget, we are physically expressing our disquietude of mind—we are not at peace and, therefore, we are separated from our inner peace.

According to Ayurveda, the Eastern system of holistic medicine, fidgeting is often created through an excess of energy from the planet Mercury, and Mercury’s related element, ether. The condition itself is referred to as “Vata derangement”, which can drain our life force and give rise to a slew of physical and psychological ailments.

A healthy presence of Mercury in our chart and in our hand endows us with the ability to understand the meaning of all we hear; it allows us to intuit what our heart (and the hearts of others) are whispering to us, and, if we are truly attuned, to be able to listen in on the mystical messages of the Universe floating in the ether.

However, an excess of Mercury energy overloads our system, it is like watching 500 television channels at the same time with the volume cranked to maximum.  Eventually all that noise fills our mind with such relentless static that we can no longer hear our thoughts or listen to our heart—and that is enough to make anyone fidgety.

 

Remedy:

We can cure fidgeting by developing stillness in both body and mind. Meditation, mantra and mudras; regular and restful nightly sleep; calming exercises such as yoga and Tai Chi; and a healthy, natural diet will go a long way in helping us curb excessive Mercury energy and overcome restless fidgeting.

So, the next time you feel the urge to twiddle your thumbs or tap your toes at the dinner table, try doing the Mercury mantra and mudra instead. How to do it? Join the tip of your thumb with the tip of your little finger and silently recite: Aum Budhaya Namaha. You will see that you instantly calm down.

 

AUTHOR

Guylaine Vallée is a teacher and consultant at the Birla Vedic International. In her 35 years as a professional Vedic palmist, she has helped thousands of clients improve their lives and has inspired tens of thousands lecturing across North America and through her many radio and television appearances.

 

What’s New: Come as a Guest to Our First Webinar Session

This Fall, Guylaine will be hosting a weekly webinar:
The 90-Day Mounts Challenge: Unleashing the Power of the Planets in Your Hands.

Click here to be our guest for the first webinar session on September 22nd

 

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Guylaine Vallée

The Man in the Golden Slippers - Part III

By Vedic Palmist-Astrologer Guylaine Vallée

 

When I first arrived at the Birla Center 30 years ago my mind and my hand were a mess; my thoughts and emotions were all over the place. My chitta (mind stuff/feelings) was constantly ringing in my head like a broken fire alarm, and my vrittis (volatile mental waves and emotional whirlpools that disrupt our equilibrium and erode our peace of mind) were whirling around like crazy—I was mentally unfocused, unable to concentrate and subject to frequent mood swings.

Luckily, Ghanshyam is a proficient and profoundly astute Vedic palmist—he analyzed my palm and identified my problems with the skill of a topnotch x-ray technician. “Your mind is fluctuating and you need to calm it—you might want to read Patanjali . . . the wisdom of the Yoga Sutras will help you to concentrate . . . to calm your thoughts and channel your energies.”

Once again, I took Ghanshyam’s advice, and once again that advice was spot-on. Granted, I found the language of the Yoga Sutras to be a bit challenging (modern translations help with this), but I found such deep meaning and multiple layers of life-changing information in those pages that I couldn’t stop reading. And the impact of that information really was life changing. I began concentrating on my thoughts, started monitoring my mind for fluctuations, examining my cognition and perception to test the factuality and validity of everything I had previously assumed true. I applied the same analytic method to my memories. This helped me get rid of a lot of old, false knowledge and ego attachments that had been holding me back. The words and actions of others that once caused me so much pain and agitation suddenly came into true perspective, and when they did, they lost their sting and they no longer bothered me.

As my powers of concentration improved, I was better able to focus my thoughts on understanding myself—and I was able to fully direct my mind to achieve two of my immediate goals—the successful study of Palmistry and learning English. (Some of my Grade School teachers use to smack my wrist with a ruler when I didn’t pronounce an English word correctly. This planted a negative memory (samskara) in my mind and created a mental and emotional block for me when it came to learning or speaking English. Anytime I tried to say something in English my ego revolted and my vrittis went haywire!)

However, with greater concentration, my thoughts became more neutral, and once my actions were no longer dictated by my vrittis, I was able to get my ego under control. I became less reactive and more proactive, which allowed me to get a handle on my imagination. Instead of letting my imagination lead me into worst-case-scenario thinking and panic attacks, I learned to steer it in positive and creative directions. I managed to override the negative memories of my wrist-smacking teachers and master English by carrying a pocket dictionary with me and concentrating on learning one new English word each day. And by concentrating completely on my studies, the secrets of palmistry opened up to me!

Finally, to reinforce and bolster the gains I was making, I made sure I got a deep and restful sleep most nights instead of lying awake staring at the ceiling until dawn worrying the sky was about to fall. What a difference it made! Once my mind and my moods settled down, I enjoyed a much, much greater state of mental and emotional calmness, and Ghanshyam remarked on how pleased he was with my new calm and happy state of mind. “You are making real progress!” he smiled. He was especially happy that, after only a year at the Birla Center, I was proficient enough in both English and the practice of palmistry to do consultations in English-speaking Toronto with great success. My ability to concentrate quickly paid off in huge, positive dividends!

All of this, as to be expected, was reflected in my palm. In my “before handprints”, taken during my very first consultation with Ghanshyam, you can see that my head line is shorter, ditto for my heart line. This was expressed in my mental and emotional turmoil. But in my “after handprints”, taken months later, my head line has grown considerably longer. And not only did my head line grow in length thanks to my calmer and more focused mind, my heart line developed three prongs—a sign that I was accessing Chit, that tranquil state of consciousness in which we meet our true self and are inspired by the power of Sat! I began to feel the sweetness of my soul in all my thoughts and deeds.

 

AUTHOR

Guylaine Vallée is a teacher and consultant at Birla Vedic Center. In her 35 years as a professional Vedic palmist, she has helped thousands of clients improve their lives and has inspired tens of thousands lecturing across North America and through her many radio and television appearances.

Guylaine is the author of The Happy Palmist: My Joyful Adventure in Vedic Palmistry, co-authored with Steve Erwin, award-winning journalist and author of The New York Times best-selling memoir Left to Tell.

 

WHAT'S NEW: This Fall, Guylaine will be hosting a weekly webinar:
The 90-Day Mounts Challenge: Unleashing the Power of the Planets in Your Hand.

Click here for more info.

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Guylaine Vallée

Auspicious Full Moon in Capricorn - Guru Purnima

 

Saturday, July 24th, 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 with the full moon in Capricorn opposite the Sun in Cancer.

Traditionally, this day is reserved for prayers, rituals and pujas to honor our teachers and gurus. The word puja comes from Sanskrit and means reverence and homage where a fire may be lit in their honor. Guru, or dispeller of darkness, refers to a spiritual guide who enlightens us through his/her knowledge and teachings. This day is auspicious as it also commemorates Veda Vyasa, the author of the Hindu epic Mahabharata.

It is a day to acknowledge and honor whatever belief, philosophy or teaching we love and, if not doing an actual fire ceremony, we can take some time to meditate and say a few prayers in gratitude, reaffirming our commitment. We can examine how our beliefs are impacting our life and how to make the most of them. If we have not embraced any discipline, Guru Purnima is a good day to consider one and begin.

This is a very auspicious time to embark upon cultivating healing powers, intuition, deep introspection and a sense of dedication to what we hold near and dear to us. This full moon provides the opportunity to connect with your teachers, gurus and “guardian angels” to seek their blessings. In turn, we can show gratitude by offering our love, devotion and commitment.

The practice of meditating on the full moon helps bring fulfillment in all aspects of our life. This is a time of high energy. It is a good time to reflect, as often we might be out of touch with our emotions. This is a very potent time to practice the fine art of devotion. So, find a passion or a noble cause to dedicate your heart to.

Happy Guru Purnima!

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Guylaine Vallée

The Man in the Golden Slippers - Part II

By Vedic Palmist-Astrologer Guylaine Vallée

Excerpt from The Happy Palmist: My Joyful Adventure in Vedic Palmistry

 

Ghanshyam looked down at my prints and began pointing to various lines with his pen.

“Look here. Your destiny line is fragmented, your Sun line is barely existent, your thumb lacks distance from your Jupiter finger, and your Mount of Jupiter is depleted and your Venus lacks balance.”

I was lost in the details, not understanding a word of the technical aspects of palmistry. I did not know at the time that we all have a dominant hand (the one we write with) that reveals our conscious mind; it denotes where we currently are in our life and what we want to achieve, and a non-dominant hand that reflects our subconscious mind; it denotes where we have been and what we have experienced—let alone that how we hold our thumbs reveals our level of willpower and self-confidence. The flood of data was dizzying, but when Ghanshyam finished his initial analysis his conclusions were painfully accurate.

“You have 12 flaws that are blocking you—they are undermining your spiritual growth and making your destiny unclear. You feel uncomfortable in the world and have closed yourself off—and that is making you unhappy.”

Then, in quick succession, he wrote down 10 of the flaws on my handprint sheet, in the space between the dark, inky images of my two palms.

  • No decision
  • No willpower
  • No direction
  • No discipline
  • No motivation
  • No inspiration
  • No one point of view or single mindedness
  • No meditation
  • No exercise
  • No intellectual and/or spiritual work, which will give you hope, trust, joy, faith and a sense of identity

 

Ghanshyam’s pen hovered for a moment and then, at the top of the page, he added what he said were my greatest flaws of all: no faith in myself and no self-confidence.

“You have a good head line, great intelligence; I’m sure you will find success in your career. But,” he said, shaking his head, “you will probably continue to feel the same sense of emptiness.”

He tapped his pen against my print, in the center of my left palm.

“Your destiny line suggests you could find something that gives you happiness, but not until your early forties.”

Oh my God, I have to live like this for another 20 years? I could not imagine the misery of such a long, unhappy life.

Tears were streaming down my face. Ghanshyam, who had been very calm and respectful through the reading, slid a box of tissues toward me.

“Don’t be upset, the lines on our hands aren’t carved in stone—this isn’t fortune-telling. Our palms show us what we need to change in our life to find happiness. When we make those changes, the lines on our hands will change. Real palmistry is not about prediction, it is about prevention, about growth!” he said with that same smile he had greeted me with.

“But my question for you, Guylaine, is this: Do you want to change, or do you want to stay like you are?”

“I want to change, Ghanshyam,” I sobbed.

“Gooooood! Then you will change!” he announced happily, throwing his arms open and letting out a booming, hearty laugh. “That makes all the difference!”

He fixed his gaze upon me again, disappearing into his own thoughts for a few moments. Then he returned to my sheet with his pen and wrote “12 MONTHS” above my handprints.

“You have a mission in life; you will be of service to many people. But your mission won’t begin for another year, not until you’re ready.”

My heart was pounding so hard, all I could hear for a few seconds was a steady thud, thud, thudding in my ears. Then, all I heard was the echo of his words: You will have a mission in life; you will be of service to many people.

Ghanshyam’s words were a balm on my aching soul.

He suggested steps I could take to “open myself up” and prepare for what life had in store for me. He explained that certain gems and metals correct imbalances in the body’s energy system and promote spiritual growth. He gave me a list of precious stones to buy and suggested I read Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda. Ghanshyam pointed to the picture of the man in the orange robe above his desk, whom I now felt had been watching over me since I had entered the room.

“Paramahansa’s book could help you a great deal,” Ghanshyam said. Then he suggested we meet every other week for five more sessions.

“We will devise a program together that will help you to develop trust and confidence in yourself and make the changes you need to bring great joy into your heart and find peace of mind. And then you’ll see, Guylaine—your life will fill up with friendship and trust and love! How about that!”

Ghanshyam had delved deep into my heart during our hour-long session, and when he walked around the desk to give me one of his enormous hugs that I would come to love, I wanted to jump into his golden slippers.

“Don’t worry, everything will be fine,” he promised.

This man I had never met before, who came from another continent and a different culture, had just touched my heart like no one else had ever done.

I was certain that my life was about to change. As I left his office I felt something I hadn’t in a long time—I was happy . . .

 

Part III: Continued next month.

 

AUTHOR

Guylaine Vallée is a teacher and consultant at the Birla Vedic Center. In her 35 years as a professional Vedic palmist, she has helped thousands of clients improve their lives and has inspired tens of thousands lecturing across North America and through her many radio and television appearances.

She is the author of The Happy Palmist: My Joyful Adventure in Vedic Palmistry, co-authored with Steve Erwin, award-winning journalist and author of The New York Times best-selling memoir Left to Tell. Guylaine is the coach of the 90-Day Challenge programs.

WHAT'S NEW: This Fall, Guylaine will be hosting a weekly webinar: The 90-Day Mounts Challenge: Unleashing the Power of the Planets in Your Hands. Click here for more info.

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Guylaine Vallée

The Man in Golden Slippers - Part I

By Vedic Palmist-Astrologer Guylaine Vallée

Excerpt from The Happy Palmist: My Joyful Adventure in Vedic Palmistry

 

On the morning of my appointment, I woke up with more excitement and enthusiasm than I had felt in months. Could this be the day I finally discover what I’ve been searching for?

I wore my most colorful clothes from Paris, including my electric blue leather pants that went so well with my bleached, pixie haircut. My outfit’s pièce de résistance was a transparent plastic purse with a huge plastic fish inside—a one-of-a-kind Paris original!

The Palmistry Center was across town in the Montreal neighborhood of Westmount and during the long ride on the Number 24 bus I thought of questions to ask the palmist, all of which I forgot the moment I arrived at 351 Victoria Avenue and saw the sign: The Birla Center for Hast Jyotish.

When I opened the door, an alarm chimed with the sound of songbirds, whose sweet singing followed me up the stairs into the reception area, fragrant with the soothing aroma of burning incense. I felt as though I had just climbed up to heaven.

A woman with long, black hair named Lydia met me in the lobby and led me to a sink, where she used a little rubber paint roller to coat my hands with black ink. She then pressed each of my palms onto a sheet of blank, white paper. And there they were: my handprints. I had no way of knowing that I was looking at my two new best friends—friends that held the secrets of my past, the path to my future and the key to unlock them both. When I saw my prints for the first time, I was shocked at how crooked my fingers were and how big my hands looked. I felt a little exposed, knowing that my hands—and all they might reveal about me—would soon be scrutinized by the eyes of an expert.

Back from Paris

This is it, the moment of truth.

I washed the ink from my hands and sat down to wait for my reading. A few minutes later, Ghanshyam walked into the room. I was struck by how dignified he looked in his beige Nehru suit—and a pair of golden slippers! I was amazed someone could be confident and comfortable to wear slippers to work. He had a thin, black moustache and penetrating brown eyes that lit up like birthday candles as he welcomed me with a warm smile.

Oh my! He looks even more beautiful than before, I thought, feeling a powerful surge of déjà vu. Guylaine, don’t be silly! This is the first time you’ve ever seen him!

“Hello, hello, helloooo! It is so nice to meet you!” Ghanshyam said in a sweet, lilting East Indian accent. He took my hands in his and shook them with such genuine affection—it felt like a reunion with a long lost friend. He radiated with an honest-to-goodness kindness that put me instantly at ease.

“Please, come with me, my dear.”

I followed him into his office, which was dominated by an armoire filled with books about palmistry and astrology, many of them worn by age and use, bearing titles in languages I did not recognize. A large portrait of an Indian man wearing an orange robe hung above Ghanshyam’s desk. The man’s face was serene and his eyes were half-shut in a trance-like state. His arms were raised with open palms, as though he were bestowing a blessing upon me while I took my seat.

A translator joined us for the session, as Ghanshyam spoke no French and the extent of my English was “How are you today?” She informed me that Ghanshyam practiced Vedic palmistry, a form of traditional Indian palmistry that originated in the ancient Hindu scriptures known as the Vedas.

Ghanshyam placed the paper with my handprints on the desk, next to my astrological chart, which he had drawn up before my arrival. I had been unaware that astrology was related to palmistry, but I learned they are twin sciences and that hast jyotish is a phrase combining two Sanskrit words—hast, meaning hand, and jyotish, meaning light. So hast jyotish described the light from our planets being reflected in our hands.

After studying my chart and making all sorts of notes and scribbles on my prints with various colored pens, Ghanshyam looked up at me. His brown eyes shone with such intensity I felt he was staring into my soul.

“Let’s begin, shall we?” His voice had the tone of a compassionate doctor who had examined a patient’s X-rays and had both good and bad news to deliver.

“You are on a mission to find God and you have been on this quest for a long time,” he said, “but you haven’t made a spiritual connection. You’re miserable because you are stuck in one place and have no direction, which has made you feel lost and alone. You can’t decide what to do, and that has left you without any meaning or purpose in your life. Does that sound right to you?”

I was too overwhelmed to speak. He knew exactly what I had been feeling for the past decade—as if he had known me my entire life. I nodded.

He looked down at my prints and began pointing to various lines with his pen . . .

 

Part II: Continued next month.

AUTHOR

Guylaine Vallée is the author of The Happy Palmist: My Joyful Adventure in Vedic Palmistry, co-authored with Steve Erwin, award-winning journalist and author of The New York Times best-selling memoir Left to Tell.

Guylaine is the coach of the 90-Day Challenge programs.

And don’t miss Guylaine’s webisode every Wednesday on the Birla Center Facebook page.

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Guylaine Vallée

The Pure State of the Heart

By Vedic Palmist-Astrologer Guylaine Vallée

(Excerpted from The 90-Day Heart Line Challenge)

Understanding the five states of the heart, described by Sri Yukteswar in his book, The Holy Science, has helped so many of my clients find love, and has helped me so greatly in my own life, that I have dedicated a chapter to exploring them in The 90-Day Heart Line Challenge. I really believe this will give you a deeper insight into the evolution of the heart, will inspire you as much as it has inspired me, and will help us immeasurably in our quest to expand our heart and create a love-filled life!

As we enter the Pure State of the Heart, our connection to the spirit of pure love within us deepens and our defense mechanisms, blockages, and sense of separation from others melt away. The personal needs and desires that have distanced us from our heart will simply evaporate, allowing our heart center to fully open.

Sri Yukteswarji refers to the pure state as the Clean State of the Heart, for we have cleansed our heart of all that has held us back from the complete expression of unconditional love. In this state, we feel a complete union with God, the universe and every other human heart. We understand with absolute certainty that we are all connected—we are not an individual wave in the sea, but an integral part of the vast ocean of humanity, and that humanity is an integral part of the infinite Cosmos.

We realize what Vedic philosophy has always asserted, and what quantum physics has only recently discovered—that all matter is an illusion. The only thing in our lives that is eternal is the energy of which we are comprised, which continually changes from one form to another, and carries our consciousness beyond space and time.   In essence, reality is not what we see, but a great endless oneness of being through which all life is interwoven.

As Joni Mitchell sang in the 1960s, We are stardust . . .  we are billion-year-old carbon. So, within this carbon-based human body, our consciousness—our soul—is boundless, infinite and eternal. We embrace this truth in the Pure State of the Heart, where we experience a perfect, loving communion with all other souls.

Of course, the Pure State of the Heart is one not easily achieved by us mere mortals. Loving perfectly is a process—it is a journey we are on throughout our lifetime, and likely, throughout many lifetimes. But it is the only journey that really matters.

One individual who exemplifies this journey is Sister Margaret, who was a client of Ghanshyam’s several years ago. Ghanshyam wrote about this remarkable woman in an article, and I think the story speaks for itself:

 

Sister Margaret’s Purity of Heart

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 every one 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.”

Sister Margaret’s altruism and spiritual wisdom moved me deeply; when I studied her hands, I wasn’t surprised to find a three-pronged heart line, which is pretty rare. It indicates we can be known for our loving, compassionate disposition with tremendous spiritual insight used for the welfare of humanity. Especially when all three branches are of equal length, this origin denotes talent, success and possibly even name and fame.

Additionally, Sister Margaret had a beautiful Girdle of Venus hovering above her heart line. The Girdle of Venus has been described as a smile permanently stamped on our hearts. It makes us an inspiration to others.

Ideally, the Girdle forms a gentle arc in the upper region of the palm linking Jupiter, Saturn, Sun and Mercury, the four sattwa mounts that reflect our noble intentions. The Girdle’s close proximity to the heart line reflects a deep capacity for empathy. It also reveals a powerful creative urge that compels us to express the beauty and love within our soul. Many artists, humanitarians and those devoted to serving others possess a Girdle of Venus.

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.

In Sister Margaret’s words, we are all “touched by Divine light. It is our job to let that light shine from us and help it shine in others.” To develop a Pure State of Heart, we must light up our lives with love.

Click here to find out more about The Self-Paced 90-Day Heart Line Challenge

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Johanne Riopel

Sarah Kirton of MysticMag talks with Guylaine Vallée, Vedic Palmist, Teacher and author.

Guylaine shares about her journey becoming a Vedic Palmist, studying under Ghanshyam Singh Birla. She chats about helping her clients find their best path throughout life, and even potentially changing their destiny through right action.

Read the interview here: https://www.mysticmag.com/psychic-reading/interview-guylaine-vallee/

Guylaine is the author of The Happy Palmist (https://birla.ca/en/product/happy-palmist-ebook/), which delightfully recounts her life journey from an autobiographical perspective.

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Guylaine Vallée

Mona’s Devoted Heart

By Vedic Palmist-Astrologer Guylaine Vallée

(Excerpt from The 90-Day Heart Line Challenge)

The Five States of the Heart

In his masterpiece, The Holy Science, Sri Yukteswar tells us that, as we evolve toward the expression of perfect love, we must progress through “Five States of the Heart.” Successfully passing through each state brings us a step closer to our goal of perfect love, a step closer to clearing the clouds from our heart, and a step closer to the power of the Infinite within us. This month, we discover the fourth state: The Devoted State of the Heart.

 

The Devoted State of the Heart

The fourth state of the heart, the devoted state, is all about oneness, about achieving unity between our heart, head and soul. We reach this state by maintaining our detachment to external circumstances; by being steadfast in our quest for a more spiritual awareness and expansive expression of love; and by connecting our heart and our intuition—establishing a deep sense of unity with everything and everyone.

In the Devoted State of the Heart, we no longer feel torn between following what others want us to do, what we think we should do, and what our soul is intuitively telling us is the right thing to do. External circumstances will no longer confuse or drive us; we are freed from the dual nature of life and, in all things, act from a singular motivation, which is love.

MONA’S DEVOTED HEART

My client Mona is a good example of someone striving toward the Devoted State of the Heart. A highly skilled physiotherapist, Mona was universally loved by her patients for her devotion, gentle manner, care and kindness. She was also a devoted wife and mother, had many good friends who relied on her advice and understanding, and, despite her hectic schedule, always made time to volunteer at a number of charitable organizations. All of these wonderful aspects of her personality are recorded in her ideal heart line, which has equal, upward-curving branches originating on her Mount of Jupiter.

Although constantly giving to others, Mona’s biggest concern was not giving enough of herself and letting other people down. Her long heart line naturally made her set high standards for herself, particularly in how she treated and related to those around her. Those high, idealistic expectations caused her pain whenever she thought she’d disappointed someone or felt disappointed in herself. It didn’t have to be a major event or glaring transgression. Just detecting a trace of disappointment in her husband’s voice when she called home to say her client was in distress and she’d be late for dinner would deeply disturb her. Not because her husband was unreasonable, but because she held herself to such lofty standards, she could not bear the thought of hurting him in any way, or of having him think she was being inconsiderate.

I told Mona that being so hard on herself could end up making her feel miserable. She had to accept she was doing her best, and to trust that her good intentions and motivations were what mattered most.

Even with a beautiful, long heart line like Mona’s, which expresses profoundly deep-rooted, loving convictions, we need the support of an equally balanced head line, otherwise there will be imbalance between our thoughts and feelings. In Mona’s case, her head line is too straight and unbending, leading her to put too many idealistic demands on herself and others. Her inflexibility was causing her destiny line to stop at the head line, a sure sign she was overthinking how she expressed her love, and creating problems where none existed. I encouraged her to “let go and let God”—to be more yielding to what her heart was telling her and not be dictated to by circumstance or expectation. Doing this would allow her destiny line to push past her head line and beyond her heart line, enabling her to be less hard on herself or disappointed with others when they failed to live up to her high expectations.

Click here to find out more about The Self-Paced 90-Day Heart Line Challenge

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