By — Shyamal Sinha
 Why I Believe in Astrology (But Not Horoscopes)Dearest Parmarth family,One of the most common questions I receive in the evening sacred satsang at Parmarth Niketan is whether I believe in astrology. Vedic astrology, or jyotish, is deeply ingrained in Indian spiritual and cultural tradition. Yet most people from outside of India are naturally skeptical of what can seem to be pseudo-science. So I want to share the truth with you as someone whose live has bridged science and spirituality, the east and the west. First of all, yes I believe in astrology. Not the “If you are an aries, you will meet a tall dark stranger this week” nonsense in newspapers. In fact, I used to play a game of covering the zodiac signs in the horoscope section of the daily paper with my finger and laughing about how every horoscope could apply to everyone. That’s not astrology; that’s low-skill creative writing. But here’s what changed my mind completely: Our bodies are roughly 75% water. The ocean –with its billions of gallons — has high and low tides that can differ by 30 feet, caused entirely by the moon’s gravitational pull. If the moon can move entire oceans, how is it scientifically possible that it doesn’t affect us since we are also water? The scientist in me couldn’t ignore this anymore. We’re made of the exact same five elements as everything else in creation: earth, water, fire, air, space. If lunar and planetary positions create different tides in the Atlantic versus the Pacific, why wouldn’t they create different effects in you versus me, or in you this year versus last year? It’s not about fate or absolute predictions. It’s about influence, impact, probability and cycles. Real astrology uses mathematical equations based on your exact birth time and location to calculate how gravitational forces might be affecting your personal “tides.” When expert astrologers do this work properly, they’re essentially doing physics we don’t fully understand yet. It’s the difference between astronomy (which we accept) and astrology (which we dismiss), when they might be measuring the same forces through different lenses. Watch here to see my detailed explanation for why even the Stanford-educated scientist in me takes astrology seriously. I’m all for extra information to help us live healthy, strong, happy and impactful lives. Astrology is a powerful tool of information when used correctly. With love and peace from the holy banks of Mother Ganga.Click here to watch! With love and peace from the holy banks of Mother Ganga, In Sacred Service,  Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswati |
