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Title: Light on Life: An Introduction to the Astrology of India by Hart De Fouw, Robert Svoboda ISBN: 0-940985-69-1 Publisher: Lotus Press (WI) Pub. Date: 01 December, 2003 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $19.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.71 (14 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: The Definitive Resource on Jyotish in English
Comment: This is a book I use daily in my study of Jyotish (the astrology of India), as well as in more clearly discerning my clients' evident and also more hidden talents, possibilities and challenges in my work as a life coach. Firmly established within the growing collection of erudite and excellent books on Indian astrology and other Vedic vidyas (traditional sciences) by Robert E. Svoboda and Hart deFouw, this volume sets the benchmark for the kind of resource one will want to use over a lifetime.
_Light on Life_ is the original kind of "hypertext" book - not in a literal sense, but because its thousands of key insights perpetually inform one another as the attentive reader is guided in his or her ability to stitch concepts like threads back and forth across distinct but interrelated themes. For this reason, the contents of the book become nearly endless in their immediate richness, and yet the *implications* of the astrological concepts the book proffers and demonstrates for all facets of experience, secular and spiritual, simply *are* endless.
There will indeed be some percentage of readers for whom this is a good place to begin Vedic astrological studies. But I think generally if one carefully reserves this volume as one's second or third book on Jyotish, the educational dividends will be far greater. The Jyotish worldview will change your life, doubtless, and some will advocate simply diving in, in which case if you make this book the equivalent of your Bible or overall intellectual and spiritual companion -- and also treat it as the textbook for a class you have to pass -- over the course of, say, the span of a semester, it will likely bear fruit. However, there are alternate paths that include the same long-term relationship without that immediate commitment! I feel odd writing these words because I in no way want to diminish my praise. deFouw and Svoboda are among my favorite authors, period. (By the way, please note that Svoboda is a full co-author and not merely a contributor.) Nonetheless, since this book is for me unequivocally a powerful dose or very rich meal, to invoke just a couple of images, I do not think all will benefit from simply a sample from its pages. It somehow does not encourage such sampling for the really raw beginner-- and yet other *equally valuable* primers indeed do permit such sampling, toe-dipping, etc. with no loss to the full experience. I say all this simply based on my own experience and that of many friends and associates in the Vedic astrological community. There is no hierarchy here, no affront to either _Light on Life_ or its alternatives as choices for first books. The choices are just elementally different, different kinds of entities or beings.
_Light on Life_'s sections on nakshatras (lunar mansions); bhava (house), graha (planet) and rashi (constellation or "sign") significations; numerous and thorough traditional taxonomies that group many sectors of phenomena and experience in categories according to the authority of nakshatra, rashi, graha, etc.; and absorbing and instructive case studies of well-known subjects comprise some of the best pages you will read on Jyotish anywhere. **This material will enrich and deftly partner with any other superb books and articles you may possess on Vedic Astrology (e.g., the contemporary writings of Sanjay Rath, Sat Siri Khalsa, Ernst Wilhelm and William Levacy to name just a few; older modern standards by, say, B.V. Raman and K.S. Krishnamurti; and naturally classics such as the Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra, the Brihat Jataka, etc.)**
In few words, this is one you should get your hands on -- it has gone out of print in the past, so snatch it up now -- even if you heed my advice and get to it after building a simple foundation elsewhere.
Rating: 4
Summary: From darkness to partial light - with help from this book
Comment: I bought this book in India having pored over several good, but hard to read Indian books on Jyotish ( Vedic Astrology). Defouw and Svoboda have put much effort into making this book read well for the serious enquirer into this ancient art.
It certainly helped me gain a greater understanding of the subject while sitting on a South Indian beach, and even after my return home I find it useful and informative.
Highly recommended if you want to learn the subject properly.
Rating: 5
Summary: Best book on Vedic Astrology(Jyotish)
Comment: This is the best book on Vedic Astrology (Jyotish) available in the market today. It provides a very strong foundation for a serious student of Jyotish.
The authors have taken great efforts to explain various aspects of this vast field in a very comprehensive manner. The book is very well organised. It first introduces the reader to the philosophy of Jyotish and how it relates to the Law of Karma and other apsects of Indian thought. I think getting an insight of how jyotish integrates with vedic world view in general is very important for an in depth understanding.
Then it builds on the basics of Jyotish. Grahas, Rashis, Bhavas, Panchanga, Nashaktras and so on. The authors not merely mention the attributes and characterstics of each of these building blocks, but also mention where and how these characterstics could be practically applied while interpreting a horroscope.
For instance, while mentioning the gender of Nakshatras, the authors explain how this knowledge could be used to predict whether a person will be blessed with a baby girl or a boy.
The authors have maintained a good balance among traditional Jyotish Principles, the distinctions as taught by their Jyotish Guru and as derived by their own experience.
Trying to learn Jyotish by directly reading the original Jyotish texts (or their translations) can leave a beginner student quite confused as these texts were not written for students, but, for teachers who would orally transmit this knowledge to their students.
The authors have taken care not just to reproduce the original texts, but have tried to emulate the oral tradition of teaching Jyoish through their unique approach to the subject and lucid writing style. I would say, they are pretty successful at that.
After creating a solid foundation on the building blocks of Jyotish, the book moves on to teach how to apply the knowledge of those building blocks to interpret a horroscope. The authors have abstratced eighteen basic criteria for horroscope interpretation out of a vast sea of documented Jyotish principles. This is simply brilliant and a saving grace for a Jyotish novice like me who was about to drown in the vast sea of innumerable and often contradicting Jyotish principles. In fact, many of these more complex rules can be derived from these eighteen basic criteria.
Then the book moves on to more advanced concepts like Graha Yogas, Dashas and Gocharas. Finally the book has a chapter on Example Charts illustrating how to apply Jyotish to real horrscopes.
Although the book has been promoted as an introductory text on Jyotisha, the reader will benifit more from the book if (s)he starts with a more preliminary book on Vedic Astrology and then studies this book as an intermediate level book. The reader can directly start with this book if (s)he already has some basic knowledge of Jyotish.
One more advise to the reader. The subject matter in this book should be digested slowly and patiently. It took me multiple reading sessions to finish a single chapter, but this really helped me fully comprehending the subject matter.
I myself started with "Beneath a Vedic Sky" by William Levacy (See my review) and then read 'Light on Life'. Profound thanks to Hart De Fouw and Robert Svoboda for sharing their knowledge and expericence of Jyotisha through this book.
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Title: Light on Relationships: The Synatry of Indian Astrology by Hart Defouw, Robert E. Svoboda ISBN: 1578631483 Publisher: Weiser Books Pub. Date: 01 October, 2000 List Price(USD): $16.95 |
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Title: Astrology of the Seers by David Frawley ISBN: 0914955896 Publisher: National Book Network Pub. Date: 15 April, 2000 List Price(USD): $17.95 |
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Title: Nakshatras by Dennis M. Harness Ph.D., David, Dr Frawley ISBN: 0914955837 Publisher: Lotus Press (WI) Pub. Date: 01 December, 1999 List Price(USD): $15.95 |
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Title: Beneath a Vedic Sky: A Beginner's Guide to the Astrology of Ancient India by William R. Levacy ISBN: 1561705241 Publisher: Hay House Pub. Date: 01 February, 1999 List Price(USD): $19.95 |
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Title: Elements of Vedic Astrology (2 Volume Set) by Dr. K S Charak ISBN: 8190100807 Publisher: Institute of Vedic Astrology Pub. Date: 01 September, 1998 List Price(USD): $32.00 |
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