Skyscript Astrology Forum

Hi everyone,

Recently I was reading a book called "The truth is," which is a compilation of spontaneous "satsangs" (the meaning of which is something like "association with the truth") with the spiritual teacher H.W.L Poonja. The satsangs were compiled by some of his students. Poonja was a direct disciple of Ramana Maharshi, who was known to be a great sage in India.
Anyway, I came across something that may be of interest to astrologers, and perhaps something astrologers may have already been aware of.
In one part of the book, Poonja mentions that traditionally students usually have to spend at least twelve years with a spiritual master before the teacher gives the student his/her blessings to go out and teach on their own. I found this comment interesting in light of the fact the Jupiter cycle is twelve years, and that Jupiter is considered to be the great philosopher-teacher of the planets. I also found Poonja's comment interesting because I do not think Poonja was at all a serious student of astrology.
Have any of you read/heard about this phenomenon?

Peter

I'm familiar with it through the interview that Kommilla Sutton gave. (Which is very interesting BTW, and well worth a read). It's at http://www.skyscript.co.uk/komilla.html

It starts off as follows:

Q: I know that, in Eastern spiritual traditions, there's a lot of emphasis placed on the relationship between teacher and student; how central is that to jyotish?

Actually, in India the whole concept of jyotish was from teacher to student. Nowadays there are some recognised schools in Delhi and other areas, but traditionally you had a teacher (guru) - somebody who taught you the rudiments, gave you the secrets and nurtured you. They saw what you were able to take; what they could reveal to you, and what not.

It is a long process. I was reading recently that, really to try to learn anything, you need to have a minimum twelve years' effort - and that is the cycle of Jupiter, the planet of knowledge.

Traditionally, jyotish is handed down within the family; you are born into a family that is practising it, so from birth you are picking up knowledge. But, in the twentieth century, more and more people who don't belong to a jyotish family are learning jyotish, so there are quite a few changes taking place. Still, I suppose, the only way to learn jyotish is to learn it through an individual.