S2 #1 Meet Our Guru - 'Having your own realizations is way more important than taking on someone else's beliefs'

It is taught that the very first word of the first line of a classical text holds a particularly important position. And the very first sound, drink or bite in the early morning puts a stamp on the rest of the day. So we had to start this new podcast season with the most influential person in our Jyotish journey, our very own teacher and Guru Shivananda.

From skating and punkrock to meditating and 108 mantras - welcome to the journey of our Guru. Driven by a deeper thirst for Indian Philosophy and Yoga, he moved to the US in his early twenties to study Ayurveda with Dr. Vasant Lad at the Ayurvedic Institute. It was there he met Hart de Fouw who later became his Jyotish teacher for over a decade. After his retirement, he found his second teacher, Pt. Sanjay Rath, where he embarked deeper in the traditional path where it takes 5-6 years to study one classical text. For the past 20-something years he’s been seeing hundreds of clients and is also guiding a group of students (including ourselves). Jyotish to him is a science and art and he sees it as the most profound way to understand one's own path and lessons for this lifetime.

To us he’s not only a brilliant teacher but also a guiding force in our own journey through life teaching us how to surf the waves with an extra pinch of flexibility and discernment. Dealing with all our questions regarding starting a new business, calculating partner compatibility, dealing with health issues or broken hearts and so much more - each and every time he knows how to navigate us through life with more wisdom and humor. Teaching us which lenses and filters we are using to help face and digest reality.

Today we want to share a tiny slice of this Jyotish cake and his way of guiding people with this Science of Light, so you can have a flavor of his magic.

The line of topics discussed in this podcast:
- Moving from West to East through the wisdom of nature
- Finding the Vedic sciences in the early nineties
- Moving from Ayurveda to Jyotish
- The toolbox of Jyotish and how it supports  
- How does Vedic Astrology actually work
- How Jyotish plays an important role in his life (practically)
- The most important lesson(s) he has learned through Jyotish
- The most important pillars in a chart and why (and the question éveryone asks)
- What is free will and what is choice
- His most interesting reading and why
- What he answers when people are saying the influence of the planets on us human beings is bullshit or non-existent
- Why people should consider doing a Jyotish reading and when (timing is everything!)

Give it a listen (preferably on Thursdays, the day of planet Jupiter (aka The Guru) and learning higher wisdom) and we would love to hear your thoughts on this!

DISCLAIMER: The podcast content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek advice from your physician or other approved treatment regarding any medical condition. Never deny professional medical advice or delay the search because of something you heard in our podcast.