The Paths of Destiny: Introduction to an Ancient tool for Self-Understanding: Destiny series, #1

© 2018 Lilian Nirupa. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 08/23/2018

ISBN: 978-1-5462-4458-5 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5462-4459-2 (e)

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Dedication

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Part I The Maps of Destiny

The Jyotish tools for self-understanding

Part II What Am I Doing Here?

The cycles and timings as tools for our destiny journey

Part III Who Am I?

Part IV Understanding Our Destinies

How the Maps of Destiny describe famous personalities

Part V What Is the Purpose of My Life?

Jyotish as a tool for self-understanding in the light of spiritual psychology

Part VI Jyotish for Personal Guidance

Epilogue

Appendix

Additional Comments from 2018 Edition

Bibliography

Dedication

To my beloved guru and spiritual teacher:

Gurumayi Chidvilasananda

Acknowledgments

Many people contributed to this work along the years, but most recently I would like to thank:

My spiritual teachers:

The teachers and swamis of the SYDA foundation, who are the keepers of the flame of the Siddha Yoga tradition, who is my spiritual path under my beloved Guru to whom this book is dedicated. Also, the priests and teachers of the Christian Catholic faith, which is my own personal religion.

My Jyotish teachers and guides: Chakrapani Udall, Narendra Desai and many others from the American Council of Vedic Astrology (ACVA)

My readers and editors: Gay Gill, Kathryn Burton, Dr. Rudy Bauer, Barbra Harper,

Cameron Atkinson, Lora Lischer, Emily Goodwin, among many others for their dedication in revision and constructive criticism.

Introduction

Springtime is a time of renewal. Even if it’s not so clear in the Southwest, like I feel it here in the Northeast, April 1983 was, for me, a refreshing wave of hope, the rays of the sun shining again after a long winter.

I was coming out of a very difficult family and economic crisis. Due to a recent marital separation and lack of work in Phoenix, a job opportunity in Los Angeles sent me, alone again, into strange territory.

I made the trip through the desert at night and, as I left many fears and apprehensions behind, the sight of California felt like the light at the end of a long tunnel. It was past dawn when I finally arrived at Santa Monica and found my place. My new friends warmly welcomed me, as a member of our church in Phoenix had made all the arrangements.

On Monday I went to work, and for a couple of months I started to feel better. I missed my home and children bitterly, but I talked to them daily. And on the weekends, we had religious retreats in the mountains where I often found solace and inspiration. It was on one of those retreats that a new friend mentioned that Chakrapani, the astrologer of Muktananda, was in LA and giving readings on Vedic Astrology. I had read Muktananda’s autobiography, Play of Consciousness, and it had affected a major impact on my life. Actually, it was because of Muktananda’s inspired writings that I had rekindled my own spiritual life, first with the Charismatic Christian movement and then with the Emissaries of Divine Light — a Christ-centered church I had met and joined in Phoenix.

I had also heard of Vedic Astrology and its remarkable power as a tool for self-discovery and protection but had never found anyone to read my Vedic Chart. This opportunity looked ideal. I called for an appointment and continued for the next month to try to cope within my new situation. The pain of separation and the loneliness and guilt of having to leave my family to make a living were balanced by the support of my church and friends, as well as the sheer necessity of it all. But I felt acutely the need for guidance.

I remembered watching a movie called Mahogany in which the title song’s lyrics, Do you know where you’re going to? When you look behind you there’s no open door, sent darts of pain and anguish through my spine. My appointment with Chakrapani was scheduled for April 23.

In April, I watched another piece of my world crumble. The manager who had hired me for my LA contract fell out of favor with her superiors. She was demoted, and, in consequence, my own contract was cancelled.

That happened on Friday, April 11. I was crushed and hopeless. I hesitated all week about whether to cancel the appointment, which was expensive, but my intuition said no — to keep the faith.

On April 23, I went up to Chakrapani’s office in Santa Monica. He greeted me at the door and led me through a corridor. I left my shoes at the door. The fragrance of incense and a soft curry smell, so typical of Indian homes, greeted me with its flavor of exotic authenticity.

He led me to his office where pictures of Swami Muktananda and his guru, Nytiananda, were displayed as guardians of truth and grace. I felt this atmosphere to be a bit intimidating, but reassuring.

Then, after greetings, he began the reading of my chart. I remember his first words: You have such a passion for freedom — few people understand. What is more, you appear to be very compliant and you follow all the rules, but underneath you are extremely independent, and you manage to do exactly what you want. He laughed softly with that knowing attitude that people from the Far East use to celebrate our often-Western tendency to ignore our own subtle realities. I found that fascinating.

He continued, You seem to obey and say, ‘Yes, yes,’ but in the end you do exactly what you want. Then he smiled again. Is this true? I was amazed but had to say yes. A thousand memories ran through my mind. As a child, I was always the compliant one, the one who got excellent grades and followed all the rules. I always kept my opinions and convictions to myself and yes, they believed me, so I could get away with anything.

Wow, I thought, my mother would have not described me so thoroughly. Then he proceeded with a complete description of my life and character, again with remarkable accuracy.

In your next marriage, you will be happier, he said.

But I’m still married!

He seemed surprised. I saw a separation in 1981.

I was amazed again. Yes, in 1981 my husband and I had moved to Phoenix from New Jersey. It started as a business, which had failed while I was working and supporting the family. He stopped seeing me as part of the family and I became almost a stranger. We had never been compatible. I did not see it as a true separation, but in fact, the economic stress of the recession of 1982 forced the real separation. Despite this, I still visited Phoenix and sent money for mortgage, etc.

Chakrapani continued with the cycles of my life. He said the Vedic Astrology system has nine major cycles. According to the planet relationships, those cycles tend to alternate between positive and negative periods in a person’s life. In your case, however, they seem to consolidate into two major cycles — one difficult, full of struggles and disappointments; the next one full of success, world travels and abundance.

I wondered when this new time was coming. He did his calculations again — all by hand, as there were no personal computers then.

The time of change is April 25, 1983. He seemed quite certain.

But that is two days away! I almost shouted. And I don’t even have a job!

He looked at my chart again. Oh, job finding is no problem for you. Within two weeks you will find a job. I’m telling you that in the next cycle your world is going to expand considerably. You will travel around the world. And within three years your income will double, at least.

That was too much for me. I paid him and thanked him, but I was flabbergasted.

That night, a friend of mine and I talked it all over. We chose to watch a movie, The Year of Living Dangerously. My friend laughed that at least I could see my prophecy on film. But I wondered. He was so accurate otherwise.

On Saturday I picked up the Los Angeles Times and reviewed the ads section. I sent my resume to five places and called one. It seemed a perfect match. After a phone interview, I was asked for an in-person interview in downtown LA, just a few blocks from the job I had just lost.

The interview was scheduled for Monday at 2 pm. At about 1:30 that same Monday afternoon, I got a call. I got a copy of your resume, the caller started. I didn’t know who sent it to me, but you seem like the perfect fit for this job. It requires worldwide travel, though. A sweet California voice sounded encouraging.

My jaw dropped. Well, I already have another interview this afternoon. If it doesn’t work out, I’ll give you a call.

Fair enough. She gave me her number and hung up.

I left in a hurry and looked in vain for the place of my scheduled meeting. I couldn’t believe it. I knew the area so well. Finally, at 2:30, I called the second lady back. I can’t find the other place, is yours still open? It was, and I met my new manager at Computer Associates thirty minutes later.

The next day I started at CA. Within three weeks I was traveling internationally.

I went back to Chakrapani several times. This was a new world for me and his advice helped me immensely. Later, I took one of his rare classes on Vedic Astrology. I was hooked for life. And, yes, in the third year I got a new job, at three times my salary.

That was the beginning of a fascinating journey in which I later met Swami Chidvilasananda, Muktananda’s successor, whom I have followed for many years, until the present time.

Later, I realized that I had met my Guru exactly in the three-week period that Chakrapani had predicted a year before. It was the best thing that ever happened to me, and I realize that it was the means to fulfill the prophecy of these best years of my life.

The rest of this book is not about me, but about Jyotish, the science which Chakrapani used and I continued to study and practice for the last 35 years of my life. This I want to share in thankfulness for its adding much joy, understanding and constant discovery to my life and the lives of many others around the world whom I have been privileged to offer assistance with it.

Part I

THE MAPS OF DESTINY

The Jyotish tools for self-understanding

Understanding Our Destinies

The question of destiny is surrounded by mystery. Are we alone? Are we left clueless in the most important issues of our life, such as the four major questions: Who am I? What is the purpose of my life? What am I doing here? Who is my Creator?

Perhaps there is a plan for each of us, as hinted at in the Bible: Even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. (Matt 10:30)

And if such a plan exists, is it hidden from us or are we allowed to see what’s in store for us? The Bible describes early in Genesis, the Creator’s intent to leave lights in the sky for signs and for seasons. (Gen 1:14)

This book is an introduction to one of the oldest and more persistent methods to understand and decipher the maps of our personal destiny. It is an ancient science called Jyotish (Jyot = Light, Ish = God).

Jyotish — the Light of God — is part of Vedanta, the millenary Vedic philosophy of India, which deals with all kinds of knowledge. Jyotish is part of the Vedic treatises that deal with the eyes, the light and inner vision. Jyotish, the Light of God, is also the precursor of modern astrology, so it is also called Vedic Astrology.

Since time immemorial, men have tried to interpret those signs to develop an understanding of who we are in this lifetime and what God has in store for us along the journey. It is also significant that in the New Testament, the first people to recognize the Messiah were three Magi, who used the calculations of the star maps like astrologers. They also were consulted by the astrologers of King Herod when they stopped by the palace to ask for guidance.

The ancient sages of India, who knew Jesus and called him Issa (God), understood the famous star to be a conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter in Pisces, in addition to other astrological configurations. Saturn and Jupiter are related to soul development and Pisces is the sign of mysticism. This conjunction lasts for two years and would naturally presage the birth of children with deep spiritual qualities who would influence the public (sages or prophets). Since the prophecies pointed to the Messiah coming from Bethlehem, that was what the Magi were truly looking for.

At any rate, the Bible tells us that the recommendation of the King’s astrologers was that the Magi be followed and, when that did not work, to kill all the babies born in Bethlehem who were less than two years old.

That atrocity, whilst cruel and absurd, seems to confirm the speculation of the astronomical tradition of the story. The conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter in Pisces lasted for two years.

The ancient sages of India left us many teachings for understanding destiny. Specifically, they gave us a system called Jyotish — a word which literally translates as The Light of God — to provide guidance and direction for our earthly journey. But most of all, they incorporated within the Jyotish scriptures invaluable information concerning the structure and behavior of our hearts and minds. These methods of teachings and interpretation not only allow us to understand our own destiny, but also provide us with tools for a clearer understanding of both the visible and the most invisible aspects of our nature.

Like many other forms of scriptural knowledge, much of it is embedded in the poetic language of holy writ. Similarly, Jyotish information or allusions are often found in Sanskrit literature, in the books of mathematics, astronomy, psychology and history.

Jyotish Expansion into Western World and Culture

The Vedic tradition was maintained through oral transmission for thousands of years. More recently, about 3,000 years ago, these holy teachings began to be put in writing. Books formatted in small tablets called Sutras were written to contain this sacred knowledge. However, up until one hundred years ago, most of this sacred literature was still unknown to those who did not understand Sanskrit. More recently still, Vedanta was rediscovered and studied worldwide by specialized scholars, and the most famous books of philosophy and religion have been translated into Western languages. Most notably, the Bhagavad Gita, which is the Hindu Gospel, has over one hundred English translations.

People from all over the world went to India to get their destinies mapped and analyzed. But the Jyotish literature containing interpretation information was not translated until very recently. The last thirty years, however, has seen an explosion of the oriental traditions within Western culture in the form of yoga and meditation, as well as other tools and techniques for spiritual development. Jyotish was also rediscovered, and Vedic astrology organizations and courses have become more accessible to the English-speaking world. One can also find many references to it today on the Internet. However, most books published on the subject are technically complex and, since Jyotish is also called Vedic Astrology, it is mainly geared to lend Western Astrology another slant on an old science, and so is defined in highly technical terms and pictures.

But Jyotish, like the Hindu philosophy from which it originates, is very different from modern astrology. Jyotish is used for guidance and predictions, but it also contains information about the nature of human reality in its multiple aspects, which can only be found in the sacred lore of the ancient sages. Jyotish is their gift to us, offering, as the word implies, a divine vision into our souls and the meaning of our current journey. Because of its mystical as well as its scientific complexity, a true command of Jyotish is very arcane and difficult. The purpose