Ritual

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A planet's strength is determined in relation to its place, direction,
activity and time, and a planet in transit is spoken of as affected in
nine ways: 'blazing' when it is in exaltation, 'at ease' when in its
house, 'glad' when it is in its friend's house, 'quiet' in its auspicious
position, 'powerful' when it is shining brightly, 'oppressed' when
overwhelmed by another planet, 'frightened' when in depression,
'impaired' when its light is lost in sun's light, and 'malefic' when in
the midst of negative force.
Indian astrology's main concerns are the range and influences of
the twelve zodiac signs, the planets and the twelve astrological
houses, of which the last is an important doctrine in the Indian
system of casting horoscopes. Horoscopes are drawn in a square or
a circle of twelve divisions, and are based on the lagna, or the sign
rising on the horizon at the time of birth. Each of these houses
indicates a specific function. A horoscope, however, is not an exact
blueprint of an individual's future, but only forecasts the direction
in which the events of his or her life might evolve.
Astrological principles were also used in gem therapy. Gems are
regarded as reservoirs of the energy concentrated from cosmic
rays. As crystallized products of invisible rays, gems have the
magnetic power to transmit cosmic rays through space and, in this
way, they are on a par with the planets. However the planets may
influence the human body, gems also exert such power; as
condensations of energy, they constitute benefic forces to
counteract the effect of badly aspected planetary conjunctions, and
thus each of the planets is assigned its corresponding gem. It is said
that by wearing certain gems the negative influence of planets can
be substantially reduced or abated.
Running parallel to astrology many different methods of
divination, such as palmistry, different body signs, prognostication
by observing the oneness in nature's phenomena, and others, were
also practised, but astrology alone has withstood the weakening of
time and is beginning to be considered as a science.
If we are to comprehend scientifically the relationship between
extra-terrestrial radiations and environs and biological and human
life, it is essential that we have a complete picture of the invisible
forces at work. Science has only very recently discovered the
electro-magnetic spectrum to which our naked eye is sensitive in a
very limited way. The discovery of the earth's magnetosphere,
with its various layers which act as a screen against solar and cosmic
vibrations, is also recent. The 'Van Allen Zone' placed between
3,000 to 10,000 miles above the earth was discovered in 1958.
Similarly, intense bursts of radio radiation from Jupiter were