Astrology is the art of observing and interpreting the relationships between heaven, earth and man. These relationships are by no means static, but open, dynamic and changing throughout life as well as moment by moment. Astrology reveals the result of our past actions (karma), expressed probably in terms of what we crudely call ‘planetary influences’. Usually we forget what we do, and it is only long afterward that the results catch up with us. By then we are unable to connect them with their causes. Imagine an eagle. It is flying high in the sky. It casts no shadow. Nothing shows that it is there. Then suddenly it spies its prey, dives, and swoops to the ground.   And as it drops, its menacing shadow appears.

The results of our actions are often delayed, even into future lifetimes; we cannot pin down the cause, because any event can be an extremely complicated mixture of many karmas ripening together. Planets, therefore, indicate consequences of previous karma and hence there is nothing like fate or destiny in its absolute sense controlling us. The future is a reflection of the past. The horoscope simply indicates the future.

There are a multitude of valid astrological methods, however, what makes the difference is the actual view or wisdom behind them. The ancient Vedic wisdom distinguished between four guiding principles that penetrate our existence:

our ethics and the responsibility we decide to take ( dharma );

the merit or wealth we accrue ( artha );

the pleasures we enjoy ( kama );

and finally the freedom that transcends ( moksha ) 

Each of these was never an end in itself. After all, life is only a means to reach the highest spiritual attainment.