4/16/2014

1

Doctor of Vitalistic Healing

Session Three: More on planets and houses, spagyrics

Set Intention

Core healing practice Meditation (Shamatha)• We must develop clairvoyance, intuition, big vision to become help others/develop the heart of compassion.

• Because our minds are numb and constantly distracted, we need to practice meditation to settle our mind.

• It makes the mind much more powerful because the mind is not bound, chained, to ordinary thoughts.

• When intuition becomes big and very broad, it is so easy to understand the workings of the universe. (dependent arising)

• You can train in meditation, if you keep on doing it, then it comes naturally just like driving a car. You can do it while talking, doing other activities.

• If meditation is not good enough, you may feel stress trying to guard it.

• With mind training we won’t be bound by concepts such as one, many, past, present, future, existence, non existence. We must become used to the non conceptual state.

• It is not about stopping thoughts. That is not possible. It is the entanglement, getting caught by the thoughts is what will bind you.

• When the thought comes, you are not trying to stop that thought. The point is not getting carried away by that thought.

• As you train yourself again and again, you get the hang of it, you won’t necessarily be so panicky, which leads to a higher stage of meditation. Then enlightenment is possible.

• Extracted from teaching by Dzongzar Khyentse Rinpoche teachings in Germany , 4/9/14.

• Please listen to Tulku’s teachings if you haven’t already!

4/16/2014

2

Brahmi, Gotu Kola• Brahmi = centella asiatica,

Saraswati, knowledge

• Gayatri

• Aim bija (9th house of higher learning)

• Made at noon (directional strength) on Sunday with Sun exalted in Aries

• “brain food”

• Known to enhance mental ability. Supports and improves comprehension , memory and recollection.

• https://www.etsy.com/shop/shaktiherbalalchemy

Brahmi

• Medicinal Uses Gotu kola has been known for centuries, valued for treating leprosy and tuberculosis; relieving the pain of rheumatism and arthritis; to increase brain capacity; and for longevity, often being called, the elixir of life. A legendary saying, in reference to gotu kola was: ‘2 leaves a day, keeps old age away’. In Sinhalese culture, they valued the herb to strengthen and revitalize worn out bodies and brains; eating 2-3 leaves a day to bring about a gradual return to health and strength, provided that the body is exposed to the sun, for a time, each day. In Ancient China, the herb was a principal ingredient in an elixir called ‘fo ti tieng’, a mixture that was called the fountain of youth. Many herbalists have called gotu kola: the finest of all herb tonics. It appears, they say, to have no equal in the treatment of general debility and decline. Digestion is strengthened (no doubt aided by the bitter properties) and food better utilized, with the process of overall metabolism, increased. Gotu kola has been called ‘a pharmacy in one herb’, offering impressive benefits. In India, gotu kola is a traditional remedy for skin conditions, wounds and bruises.

4/16/2014

3

Houses- a review

• 1st- body, head, health, self, intellect, birth, name, fame

• 2nd- wealth, family, food, sustenance, eyes, speech, mouth, throat

• 3rd- mating, initiative, courage, weapons, brothers, desire/wish of guru, (7th from 9th) short journeys, arms, hands

• 4th – home, property, mother, vehicles, education, mind, heart

• 5th- children, speculation, mantra, favorite deity, intelligence, awards.

• 6th- enemies, battles, short term disease, 6 weaknesses, celibacy. Grahas placed here indicate our weaknesses according to the chart.

• 7th- marriage, spouse, sexual partners, business partners, clients, rebirth

• 8th- longevity, chronic illness, inheritance, debts, loans, end of marriage, occult studies

• 9th- moral conduct, fortune, father, teacher, boss, travel, higher education, holy places

• 10th – karma, career, material accomplishments

• 11th- friends, gains, income, 11 rudras

• 12th – liberation, sleep, unconscious, meditation, giving, charity, marriage, secret enemies, long journeys, hospitals and ashrams.

• http://varahamihira.blogspot.com/2004/10/12-houses-of-zodiac-from-bphs.html

4/16/2014

4

Motion and direction of planets

• Motion is relative to the size of our perspective.

• Cosmic/Divine perspective– we’re just a tiny speck, grahas are stationary

• We view motion of the stars from a geocentric perspective.

• We’re going to study two geocentric concepts: speed of planets and retrogradation.

Fast grahas-direct motion

• Planets that are moving fast are rajas guna, like a horse with blinders can only see what’s ahead of them.

• Fast grahas are attached to time, afraid of time. The word for fast in Sanskrit is Vita, also means scared.

• Shukra and Budha are closer to the sun and have a faster orbit, so they are the most rajasic planets.

• The faster the perceived motion, the more illusion, the more rajasic.

• This is the normal motion, following Surya the giver of Dharma. The luminaries are always direct.

• Slow the rajasic planets down with big long mantras.

4/16/2014

5

Retrograde Grahas• Planets when retrograde are following Rahu, which is

always retrograde.

• In Jyotish we use mean nodes rather than true nodes, Rahu and Ketu must always be retrograde.

• Retrograde grahas in a tamasic state.

• It’s like they are in a time warp, they forget the importance of time and do the same thing over and over again, due to strong desires from a previous lifetime. LET GO!!

• We try aimlessly for things that are unimportant, when we could be sitting stationary and meditating.

• It is worst when a malefic graha is retrograde as it already is tamasic– creates a mess.

• Retrograde grahas need astra mantras, mantras with weapons which are very powerful.

Stationary grahas

• When a graha appears stationary, it is in its most sattvic state, as this is the divine view.

• It brings us stationary thinking, like a renunciate. Desires are gone, we can sit and meditate.

• Time becomes very long, even eternal.

• Surya and Chandra are never stationary, Brihaspati is the only sattvic graha that can be stationary, which is why Brihaspati is the most sattvic of all grahas.

• The best time to start meditation on Vishnu is the two times per year when Brihaspati is stationary.

• Jyotish came from very stable Brihaspatis– the Rishis themselves.

4/16/2014

6

Houses of Strength

• Directional strength of planets–planets are stronger in certain directions based on their element.

• Fire element planets are strong in the south (10th

house)

• Water element planets are strong in the north (4th

house)

• Air element is strong in the west (7th house)

• Earth and Ether planets are strong in the east (ascendant)

• Draw the chart with the grahas in their positions of strength from Aries lagna, then Libra lagna.

Strength of Moon

• The strength of the Moon is seen from its light. However, this is a measure of its beneficence and not really strength.

• The Moon has Kapha(Ayurveda term) dosha and Väta dosha. Kapha means phlegm while Väta means wind.

• Kapha is maximum in full moon (pürnimä) while väta is maximum in new moon (amävasyä).

• Check the moonday of your moon! (tithi)

4/16/2014

7

Houses of suffering according to planet (marana karaka sthana)• A planet can have death-like suffering in a certain house, and it is

put to its ultimate test.

• Sun suffers in the 12th house, the giver has to keep giving.

• Moon suffers in the 8th house of chronic disease.

• Mars suffers in the 7th house, the celibate warrior in the house of relationships.

• Mercury suffers in two places:4th (as ruler of natural 3rd) and 7th (as ruler of natural 6th). In the 4th he’s a little boy who doesn’t want to go to school, in the 7th he’s getting married.

• Jupiter suffers in the 3rd house, the priest is in the house of copulation.

• Venus suffers in the 6th house of celibacy.

• Saturn suffers in the first, the worker who is in the place of the king.

• Rahu suffers in the 9th house of dharma.

• Ketu suffers in the 3rd house of copulation.

• Jhora shows this!! Right click on chart.

Suffering Houses (DUSTanas) from ascendant

• 6th house of disease, enemies, disputes (healing and service)

• 8th house of chronic illness, upheaval, (transformation, personal growth)

• 12th house of loss, death, dissolution (spiritual liberation)

• Draw your chart and indicate the houses of suffering.

4/16/2014

8

Houses of BADhak - obstruction• The ascendant/lagna has a house of obstruction, or

badhak house.

• The planet that rules the house, and planets inside the house, are called badhakesh, or obstructers. They cause hidden problems/obstacles in all areas of life, so it must be understood for health and other life problems.

• The natural obstructer is Rahu. The hardest obstacles to deal with are those we can’t see.

• The obstructer is adrista, which means that which you cannot see. The disease cannot be known. It is called the hand of God. If the obstructer is bad, the whole chart suffers. If the obstructer is strong, well placed, beneficial, and calm, it is good. A debilitated angry obstructer is not good. If the obstructer is debilitated he will destroy you. His anger is tremendous. You humiliated somebody and this humiliation will come back on you.

How badhak house is determined

• Moveable (Rajas) signs – badhak house is the 11th, Aquarius (owned by Rahu) in the natural zodiac. Rajas signs are made even more Rajas by the 11th house, house of gains. Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn

• Fixed (Tamas) signs –Asc. moves one step forward, Rahu steps one step back, and the badhak house becomes the 9th house of dharma.

• Dual (sattvah) signs–Asc. moves one sign forward, Rahu steps back one sign, badhak house becomes the 7th house of kama.

• Draw your chart and locate the badhak house and badhakesh for your ascendant.

4/16/2014

9

Trike houses – 3,6, 11• Our creator put 3 seeds of error in us- represented in the chart

by houses 3,6, and 11. These cause our rebirth.

• 3rd house shows deva dosha- mistake of devas (desire)

• 6th is rakshasa dosha – mistake of evil spirits (hatred)

• 11th house shows manusia dosha- human mistake (greed)

• These are our three failings, the reason for our creation.

• Flaws of the 3rd, 6th, 11th house– enjoy, fight, gain

• Kama and artha houses

• These are the strong signs for Rahu in the natural zodiac.

• “Klim” takes you out of the trike state

• Where 6th lord goes shows immature unwise decisions.

• 6th house is stomach, what are you seeking to digest?

• If no planets in these houses, take the lord.

Remedies for the 3 seeds of error

Type

of error

House weakness remedy result

Deva 3 desire Dama

control

Detach

Ment

Rakshasa 6 fighting Daya

mercy

Free

from

fears

Manusia 11 greed Dana

donate

Bliss

Ananada

4/16/2014

10

Mantras for the Trike houses

• 3rd house – to protect the body

• Om Namo Narayanaya

• 6th house –to protect the mind

• Om Vishnave Namah

• 11th house – to protect the soul

• Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya

6th house mantras -- sattvic planets give

blessings here.

Sun Ego, power Om namah Shivaaya

Moon Lack of

compassion,

mind as enemy

Om Gauryai namah

Mars anger Om Skandaaya namah

Mercury materialism Om Vishnave namah

Jupiter God

complex?Om Gurave namah

Venus lust Om Lakshmiye namah

Saturn intoxication Om Vishnave namah

Rahu delusion Hrim Chamundayai vichay

Ketu destruction Ganeshaaya namah

4/16/2014

11

Offerings by planet and house

Tattva Devatā Upacāra(offering)

Graha Planet Bhāva (House)

Agni Fire Sūrya, Āditya, Prajāpati

Dīpa(Light) Sun, Mars 1st

, 8th

(Mars) & 5th

(Sun)

Jala Water Devī Naivedya (food & water)

Moon, Venus 4th

(Moon), 2nd

& 7th

(Venus)

Pṛthvi Earth Gaṇeśa Gandha (sandal paste), food

Mercury 3rd

& 6th

houses

Vāyu Air Śiva Dhūpa (incense) Saturn 10th

& 11

th

houses

Ākāśa Space Viṣṇu Puśpa (Flower) Jupiter 9th

& 12

th

houses

Table: Pañca devatā

Upachaya (Growing)Houses

• 3,6,10,11

• Air (Shudra varna) and earth (Vaishya varna) signs in natural zodiac, owned by Mercury and Saturn and Rahu

• Places of strength for Rahu (3,6,11)

• Malefics do well here as they take from others to cause gain by domination (Mars) creating greed (Rahu) lying (Saturn)

• Any planets in these house give you the chance to create more karma. They are the “free will” houses.

• Can represent growth, potential for improvement.

• May be more negative early in life and better later for 3rd and 6th house.

• The more planets you have in these houses, the more free will you have. Is this “good” or “bad”? Be extra careful!!!

4/16/2014

12

Other kinds of houses

• Maraka (killer) houses:

• 2nd (sustenance) and 7th (rebirth, desires)

• The 2nd and 12th houses are also significant as they are on either side of the lagna. Malefics there cause strain, benefics protect and give happiness.

• The house where the ascendant lord is placed is called Paka lagna. Ascendant (Lagna) is intelligence, paka lagna is applied intelligence.

• Check and see where your ascendant lord is placed/Paka lagna. That shows the direction of your intelligence. Examples.

Remember this:

• Quadrants support. (1,4,7,10)

• Trines nurture. (1,5,9)

• Dustanas (suffering houses) trouble. (6,8,12)

• Trikes (3,6,11) create and destroy.

• Upachayas grow. (3,6,10,11)

• The Lords of houses in trines to lagna are its friends– look at their placement in the chart for a quick evaluation.

4/16/2014

13

Breast cancer AK=Moon

• Badhakesh

• Suffering planets

• Atma karaka

• House of the breast

• Moon

• Lord of house of breast

• Significator of house of breast

• Planet to strengthen and remedies

Adrenal cancer AK= Saturn (see Maandi and Gulika)

l

4/16/2014

14

Lung Cancer AK = Mercury

• Badhakesh

• Suffering planet

• Atma karaka

• Lord of ascendant

• Moon

• Lord of house of lungs

• Significator of house of lungs

• Trike house, seed of error

• Human (manusia) error

Autistic child AK= Saturn

4/16/2014

15

DID and UC AK= Mercury

Ulcerative colitis and colon removed

4/16/2014

16

Making spagyric elixirs

• Now that we understand some things about our astrological chart, we can choose to make a spagyric from a plant we resonate with

• Every spagyric you make is a journey for you.

• Study some plants and post your results on the list!

Studying plants

• Culpepper: 1652 http://www.bibliomania.com/2/1/66/113/frameset.html

• MargaretGrieve1931

• http://botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/mgmh.html

• Matthew Wood

• http://www.woodherbs.com/Indispensable.html

• Paul and Micah

• http://al-qemi.com/store/

4/16/2014

17

Doctrine of Signatures

• Habitat

• Color

• Shape

• Texture

• Scent

• Also Latin or common name, myths, folklore

• Prisma material medica

• http://www.naturasophia.com/Signatures.html

Qualities of elementsrelates to qualities of plants – See Matthew Wood

4/16/2014

18

PARACELSUS 1493- 1541

Hermetic Vitalism

• Understand the anatomy of medicines and the anatomy of diseases, a concordance exists between the two. (law of signatures)

• A great sympathy existing between the planets and stars and the organs of the human body (see Culpepper)

• A certain plant, posessing certain powers, may induce certain similar vital powers to become active in certain organs if the plant and organ are related to the same “star’.

• All organic functions are caused by the activity of one universal principle of Life (Archaeus)

• The Archaeus is of a magnetic nature and attracts or repulses other sympathetic or antipathetic forces.

• All diseases, except such as come from mechanical causes, have an invisible origin.

• A physician should be a servant of nature, and not her enemy, he should be able to direct and guide Her in her struggle for life, and not throw fresh obstacles in the way of recovery.

• Favorite remedy- Hypericum perforatum. The veins upom its leaves are a signatum, being perforated they signify that this plant drives away all phantasmata (illusion, delusion)existing in the sphere of man.

• Spagyrics (Greek) “separate and combine”

Melissa Lemon balm– relationship to bees.• The word Balm is an abbreviation of Balsam, the

chief of sweet-smelling oils. It is so called from its honeyed sweetness It was highly esteemed by Paracelsus, who believed it would completely revivify a man. It was formerly esteemed of great use in all complaints supposed to proceed from a disordered state of the nervous system. The London Dispensary (1696) says: 'An essence of Balm, given in Canary wine, every morning will renew youth, strengthen the brain, relieve languishing nature and prevent baldness.' John Evelyn wrote: 'Balm is sovereign for the brain, strengthening the memory and powerfully chasing away melancholy.' Balm steeped in wine we are told again, 'comforts the heart and driveth away melancholy and sadness.‘

• Nicholas Culpepper, an astrologer herbalist of seventeenth century stated lemon balm was an “Herb of Jupiter and under the (astrological) sign Cancer, and it strengthens Nature (the body) much in al its actions.”(20) Culpepper re-iterated lemon balm’s uses as described by Pliny, Dioscorides, and Avicenna, a Muslim herbalist and philosopher of the ninth century. But Culpepper also added lemon balm could be used to “…open obstructions of the Brain; and hath so much purging quality in it…as to expel those melancolly vapors from the Spirits and Blood which are in the Heart and Arteries.

4/16/2014

19

Alchemists Laboratory

Two primal principlesMercury- moon Yin night silver ,

silver water (mercury), quicksilver

Sulphur –sun Yang day gold

Chaotic water, aqua spirit, spiritus

mundi

Non created fire

Abysmal water, House of the

Mother

fiery, radiant, burning, masculine

Divine water, universal solvent,

menstruum, corrosive

Word of God above the waters

Eternal water, water that produces

trembling, volatile

Dragon’s head, dragon biting its

own tail, ouroboros

So below As above

Great sea of the philosophers Original energy

spirit Soul, consciousness

4/16/2014

20

Three primal principles

Sulphur

Sun

Mercury

Moon

Salt

Earth

proton electron neutron

Essenti

al oil

spiritus Purified

plant body

Soul

Pingala

Spirit

Ida

Body

Shushumna

Psora Syphilis Sycosis

Medicine Buddha

• Bile = anger = pita

• Wind = desire = vata

• Phlegm = ignorance= kapha

4/16/2014

21

The three essentials• Sulfur– essential oil, consciousness, character,

intelligence, burns, giver of life, light

• Mercury- life force, universal in each kingdom, alcohol in plant world, go between, volatile, trickster Rajas

• Salt – the body of the plant, fixed

• Grape has the highest vibration and is the best universal mercury for plants

• Consciousness of plant manifests in the oil, life force in the alcohol

• Plant dies and “gives up the ghost” in the alcohol. Death and fermentation are necessary for new life

Spagyric

• To separate and reunite

• Separation of 3 essentials

• Purification

• Recombine

• Solve et coagula

• Dissolve the crystallized structures to coagulate the energy

• Return to original state

4/16/2014

22

Solve et Coagule• In the plant world, mercury is ethyl alcohol

• Created by fermentation and distillation

• Mercury has a universal character, so grape alcohol is often used. This must be rectified by distillation from wine.

• Spagyric remedies are made using the natural energies of the stars, so astrology is used to determine the correct time for each step of the process.

• At the correct astrological time, spiritus (95% grape alcohol) is poured over the raw, dry plant material.

• This tincture is allowed to mature, heat and vacuum speed up the process.

• Sulphur, essential oils, are dissolved by the spiritus.

• The plant body is the salt which must be purified by calcination. (burning)

4/16/2014

23

Prima materia

Ora et Labora

4/16/2014

24

• In breath – sidereal vapor, generative

• Out breath – spiritus mundi, nutritive

• Central fire, center of earth. More subtle aspects radiate up to vegetable world, then animal world. This is why plants are medicinal for animals.

4/16/2014

25

Sun Surya

• Source of light and energy

• Pitta (fiery)

• spine, soul, willpower, energy, overall health and vitality, sight, ego, identity

• Rosemary, sunflower, ginger, tonics, warming herbs; ginseng, pungent

• Fevers, inflammations, bone problems, eye problems

• Stomach, digestion

• Aurum metallicum

4/16/2014

26

Moon Chandra

• Kapha when full of rays, Vaata when dark

• Rules fluids in the body, especially blood, emotions, hormones, and consciousness

• Swellings, milk and lactation, emotional disturbances, breast and chest diseases; lack of boundaries

• Cycles, changable emotions, motherliness, subconscious, fertility, childhood, family, intuition, relaxation

• Clary sage, lotus, Valerian, hops, oat straw, saline flavor

• Argentum metallicum

Mars Mangala

• Pitta, fiery, fever, inflammation

• Motor nerves, physical energy, haemoglobin, immune system, courage

• Accidents, injuries, surgeries, burns, head injuries, male generative force, weaponry, fights and warfare, power, rules bhu loka, anger

• Beginning and end of serpent power (Aries/Scorpio)

• Head, external sex organs, anus

• Garlic, cayenne, echinecea, cat’s claw, bitter

• ferrum

4/16/2014

27

Mercury- Buddha

• Tri dosha

• Discrimination, reasoning, speech, communication, skin, respiration, digestion

• Hermaphrodite

• Nerve problems, asthma, assimilation (6th house), stuttering, obesity, envy

• Sense of smell

• Mercurius vivus

• Gingko, Bacopa, licorice, lobelia, mixed flavors

Jupiter - Guru• Strong magnetic field, power of Akash,

hearing

• 13 moons

• Transits one sign in one year sattvicplanets define day, month, and year

• Liver, largest organ of body, gall bladder, pancreas (sweets) Kapha (phlegmatic)

• Intelligence and wisdom, memory, joviality, fat, expansive, cheerful

• Overindulgence, obesity, diabetes, laziness

• Thighs and feet

• Turmeric, Melissa, olive, grapes, fruit in general, sweets

• Thursday

• Stannum

4/16/2014

28

Venus Shukra

• Kapha ; ojas

• Devotion, love, rejuvenation, desire, relationship, beauty, taste ( 2 kinds)

• Neck, kidneys, ovaries, testes, pancreas, hormones, semen, urination

• Elixir of immmortality, mrtyunjaya

• Cancer and auto immune diseases

• Cimicifuga (black cohosh); vitex agnus castus; shatavari; acidic flavors

• cuprum

Saturn• Lead, plumbum metallicum

• Capricorn and Aquarius, knees and claves

• Saturday, vaata (windy), sense of touch

• Air element, sense of touch, takes away pranas, death, cold, dry and hard, breaks bones

• Farthest away from sun and slowest moving, last planet visible to naked eye

• Rheumatism, calcifications, chronic wasting diseases, suffering, depression, dementia, forgetfulness, intoxication

• Muscles, labor, restriction, contraction, lameness,

• Conium (hemlock), symphytum (bone set, comfrey), astringent flavor, alcohol and mind numbing drugs

4/16/2014

29

Homework

• Look at 10 charts and check for all of the factors we have studied about signs, planets, houses. These can be the same charts you have been looking at. Your own chart is most important!

• Draw the charts by hand and label everything. In this way you will learn quickly. See Jhora features for help.

• Research 3-5 herb friends of your choice and choose one or two you would like to make into a spagyric. Share your info on our Yahoo list.

• Continue your spiritual practices!