By

Joni Patry, USA

his was my first trip to India. I

was finally going to the land I had
deeply yearned to go my entire
life because it is known for it spiritual
traditions.
The trip was a mystical
adventure. It is a land of opposites, and
total dichotomies. India is a democratic
society, with the heaviest population,
poverty, but has a space program and most
people have cell phones.

Joni has been a practicing astrologer and teacher

for over 30 years and founder of the Galactic
Center in Dallas. She has been the online Vedic
Instructor for the On Line College, for the
American College of Vedic astrology on line
program, is a faculty member for ACVA
(American Council of Vedic Astrology), and
served as the executive secretary for CVA (Council
of Vedic Astrology), where she published and
distributed the International CVA Journal. As a
writer she has published three books and many
articles and research for Vedic astrology. Her book
Eastern Astrology for Western Minds is a complete
manual to learn Vedic astrology. Joni has organized
International Symposiums and is a keynote speaker
for national and international conferences. She has
been on national television and radio programs as
an authority on both Western and Vedic astrology.
Her clientele includes the whos who of America
and Hollywood celebrities. www.galacticcenter.org
is her website having a lot of goodies from beginner
to advanced pupils. She can be contacted at
joni@galacticcenter.org

I was asked to speak at the 36TH Oriental

Heritage Conference in Kolkata, formally
known as Calcutta. This was quite an
experience, with much honor and accolades
distributed within the ceremony of this
conference. I was honored as a supreme
being of knowledge and even asked for my
autograph. There were over 500 hundred
Jyotishis (Vedic astrologers) who came up
to the stage to state their name and place of
study. I spoke of the Rahu and Saturn
conjunction and how it will affect the
world and particularly India.
The crowning glory was the entrance of a
great master yogi in which everyone
become hysterical for he was a spiritual
saint. You would have thought the greatest
rock star was entering the room with the
mass hysteria and pictures being flashed. I
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was told it is a blessing to be in his presence.

India is rich and deep with history and feeling. I am still processing what I saw and
experienced. One thing for sure India has an effect on your life and will change you no
matter what you think of your experience. There is a spirit or energy that moves India. The
people are in tune with this energy so no matter what conditions appear on the outside there
is a connection of Divine reverence that directs the spirit of the people.
So many people will warn you of the extremes of poverty. I was mentally prepared for the
devastation, but my love of travel and adventure made India my number one travel
destinations. When asked what was most shocking about India my initial response is the
traffic and the driving. It was beyond belief but somehow defying all logic I felt safe. Really
you cannot imagine it. There are no lanes in the streets and in the roads were cars, buses,
bicycles, rickshaws, people on foot, dogs and cows all going a different direction. Amazingly,
if a cow decided to sleep in the middle of the road, all traffic diverted around the sleeping
cow. It was mass pandemonium with cars constantly and continually honking. Every second
everything is coming towards you, but you would just miss what appeared as an oncoming
accident by a hair. I actually never saw one incident of an accident while there. It was like a
ride at an amusement park, worse and more terrifying than any rollercoaster ride.
The other thing that got me was the trash, rubbish and garbage everywhere on the streets.
Nothing was ever cleaned up or sweep including the cow dung that was revered as sacred.
This was a shocker, but the Indians looked at it as normal.
While in Kolkata we visited important temples while there. The Kali temple, Rama Krishna
and Swami Vivekanandas Mission, and the Dakshineswar Temple.
The Kali temple appeared so barbaric and chaotic. We experienced the sacrifice of a goat and
the pushing and shoving in front of the eyes of Kali as we threw our red flowers and ran.
But this is exactly what Kali the god of destruction is about. I must say I had some of my
greatest fears race through my head that evening which exemplified the process of Kali.
Then we visited the Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission, twin organizations
which form the core of a worldwide spiritual movement (known as Ramakrishna Movement
or Vedanta Movement), which aims at the harmony of religions, harmony of the East and
the West, harmony of the ancient and the modern, spiritual fulfillment, all-round
development of human faculties, social equality, and peace for all humanity, without any
distinctions of creed, caste, race or nationality.
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In stark contrast The Ramakrishna Mission had a sense of peace, beauty and serenity to the
opposite destructive powers of the temples of Kali. The destructive powers of Kali cannot be
denied in our lives. In a sense I believe it a part of our shadow side.
The last temple Dakhineswar Temple was very vivid with color and intensity. It is also a
devotional temple to Kali. There was actually a scene from Bollywood being filmed there.
The people would come up and stare relentlessly at us. I thought I was doing something
wrong till they wanted to take a picture with us. They had not seen a white skinned blueeyed blond in person.
At another point a group of school children all stopped to look at us. I told my son now I
know what it feels like to be a zoo animal with groups of children all starring at you.
The last spiritual grounds we visited in Varanasi were the place Buddha began his spiritual
teachings. This holy place had a complete sense of peace. There were many monks dressed in
the orange robes gathered meditating. This was a special place to be and we were so glad to
finalize the spiritual pilgrimage with this one special ground.
Our main destination was the oldest ongoing inhabited city in the world, Varanasi, India.
Varanasi is situated on the Ganges River and is believed to be the most spiritual place of the
planet. It is believed to die in Varanasi and be cremated with your ashes emerged in the
Ganges river means you receive Moksha. This is spiritual liberation from this world, free of
the karma breaking the cycle of rebirth.
We were there for one the most powerful spiritual festivals Maha Shivaratri dedicated to
lord Shiva. March 10th was the day of this celebration and we were there on March 9th.
Incidentally my son Christians birthday is March 10th which many raised their eyebrows in
belief that he was very blessed and special to be born on this day and there at that time. The
ghats are where the people bathe in Ganges, and on this special time were full of prayer and
colorful with beautiful sari that the woman wore. It was reminiscent of a national
geographic type pictures of the naga sadhus which are the holy men that renunciate the
material world, including their clothes. Their naked bodies were smeared with white ashes of
cremated people. Some are holy men but some are not and are high on the ganja (marijuana)
and want money if you take a picture of them.
We took a boat ride in the morning sunrise and again at sunset on this most spiritual day. It
was captivating as we made wishes and set free the lit candles on the Ganges.
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But the part I found humorous was the boat of Chinese tourist with the white masks over
their nose and mouths as if to say we are allergic to the world. It appeared they were not
apart of the experience. Any maybe I was at fault with my questioning mind.

dear friend Saptarishis Astrology (SA) Magazine that I write for arranged a
reading for me with one of the most gifted astrologers/palmist in Varanasi 80 year
old Pandit Shastri ji. SA publisher had a couple both husband, Rahul and wife
Priya, pick us up from our hotel and journey through the unbelievable traffic to see the great
Pandit. They were so gracious and excited to meet us. They were just as interested in our
Western ways as we were with their Indian way of life. We shared many of our differences.
As Priya wanted to know what I thought of their religion of Hindus, I exclaimed that I
believed in all religions, she had such a look of satisfaction and connection because this was
her belief as well.
We journeyed though the traffic and walked through the small streets lined with people,
trash, cows, dogs, avoiding the cow dung and the cobras in baskets. Finally we arrived to the
astrologer/palmist, only to get the message that we were too late and must come back 6
hours later. Meanwhile, the family took us to their home where we partook in a traditional
Indian lunch and shared ideas. I read the charts of the family members in which there was
so much respect and honor towards my astrological gifts. The family was so loving,
hospitable and open hearted. You really come to understand the heart and soul of India
through their families and relationships. Family is so important in India, and the children
are so curious and open-minded. The oldest boy took a liking to my son Christian taking
him into his room and asking him very inquisitive questions such as, Have you ever eaten
meat? What does it taste like? They were a Brahmin family with a beautiful home and
family. We were most fortunate to have the opportunity to meet with them in this way.
Then we were off again to see the astrologer/palmist. After the journey to find him, the
astrologer took my palm and was able to tell placement of planets in my chart from studying
my palm. He drew out my chart from my palm. He gave me explicit references I knew about
my chart. He said my Mars was the problem, (which I knew) and that the red coral ring I
was wearing was of great benefit. He gave me predictions that confirmed what I already
knew but was very reassuring. I would live a long and happy life to the age of 90. The timing
of events in my life was exactly correct. Plus that a particular problem would end in one
year and 4 months, that is the time that Rahu is in Libra. It was a fascinating experience!
Then back to the traffic as the couple took us back to our hotel.
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The next morning Rahul brought a beautiful red sari from Pria I will cherish forever.
In India you will see overpopulation, poverty, dirt and filth everywhere, but the feeling is
what you tap into if you are open to it. With all the extremes there is a sense of tranquility,
peace, and happiness. The people are content with their life and conditions. So even through
the British came and showed them how to create order and civilization into their culture the
Indians are happy with their way of life. I thought if the people are content, who are we to
try to change their way of life to our way of life.
More than any culture in the world the Indians combine a love of the spiritual and science.
This was a defining point at the conference I was brought to teach. The diverse temples were
the most fascinating feature of India. The entire culture revolves around their spiritual
beliefs. This is the spiritual connection of India. Each temple is dedicated to certain god or
deity. These concepts were not foreign to me being entrenched in Indian or Vedic astrology
for each god represented in astrology is an attribute of the planets representing human nature
and experience on earth. This is also characterized in Greek mythology. The planets and
myths Indian, Greek and Persia connect to our soul and life. In reality all religions and
cultures have a Divine connection to the Universe and individual souls. Every culture has
their beliefs and their astrology, which connects us individually and cosmically. It is our way
to understand symbolically our connection to the Universe, world, soul and spirit. It is what
gives our life meaning and purpose.
Many Christians of today believe worshiping the deities adore false gods, but they are
missing the point of this deeply spiritual culture not understanding their heritage and past.
Who are we to define a culture from our views? As I struggled with the many of thoughts of
a Westerner that maybe their adherence to these gods and rituals keep them stuck in the past
and away from growth and western civilization. As my analytical mind continued to try to
make sense of the many deities I made the connection of the many saints prayed to in
Christianity. Each saint has a purpose and could help in a specific way. If you lost something
Saint Anthony did wonders to help you retrieve it. And all the spiritual rituals of the
Catholic Church were symbolic just like the Indian rituals. It is fascinating to see the
Universal use of fire, water, earth and air in these rituals. I all religions rituals use fire to
cleanse, and lighting of candles, to burning of bodies in cremation, and waters that heal and
cleanse the soul. As in Baptism water washes away the sins or bathing in the Ganges, the
healing powers of the waters Lourdes, France to the Ganges of India. The relevance of the
ash of the cremated bodies the Sadhus of India rub on their bodies is the same representation
of the ash that is applied to the forehead in the churches in mass on Ashe Wednesday. The
smoke is symbolic of the rising spirit to the next world.
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My thoughts were so analytical and not a part of the flow of the experience. My judgments
were definitely getting in the way of the experience. I kept thinking how fanaticism of their
beliefs was the same as the fanaticism of the Christians. As I expressed these thoughts with
my son Christian who accompanied me on this trip his simple response made more sense
than any of my processing. He said so poignantly It doesnt matter what your religion or
rituals are as long as it brings you closer to God. This simple sentence made sense of every
experience we were to see and experienced on this trip. It definitely quieted down my mental
chatter. From the Muslims Hindus, Christians or any religion this was the only thing that
mattered.
The most interesting aspect is you dont realize the relevance till after you have the time to
contemplate what you just experiences. As the spirit moves through you it is an experience
that cannot be mentally conceived at the time. Some may need the mental awareness and
awakening to realize the importance of experience but some dont. Those who dont are
devotional but I am the thought provoking one that must make sense on an intellectual level.
I came to realize India is it a place of spiritual reverence to many gods and deities, which are
our lessons of this world that lead to enlightenment.
In all the rituals and gods the final outcome is the detachment and Moksha . Moksha is the
final liberation of this world. To be liberated from the material desires that cause all of lifes
misery is the root and lesson of Indian philosophy. Moksha is the lesson of Vedic astrology
and essentially all religions.
The mass confusion of the diversity of India but the extreme devotion to finding Moksha is
felt in this land of mystery. You will not initially see the spirituality in the onset of filth,
poverty and chaos but you will feel it as you come home and contemplate the effects this
land of age-old wisdom has on your soul. India has a spirit you cannot deny and as you
return you will never be the same for it is a sense that is unexplainable and cannot be put
into words but must be experienced. As the words of my dear friend Juliana said, India will
change you, and your idea of what you think you went there for is different than what you
will take home. You cant wait to go to India, and you cant wait to get home from India
but once you return home you find yourself planning your next trip there. So true Juliana!
But still sifting through and understanding more about my trip to India I had a revelation
that in essence gave my trip meaning on while on the grueling 14 hours airplane ride home. I
watched the movie The Life of Pi, which I knew nothing about and it actually summed up my
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whole journey to India. This movie is a must see for everyone. It begins with the message of
India, to find enlightenment through detachment of this world. An Indian boys journey of
life as he loses his entire family, and his struggles to find courage and a reason to live. In the
eyes of animals he sees both the soul and the refection of ourselves. I believe life is the
reflection of ourselves, and what we choose to see. There are many symbols of our life and
our illusions but we come to find own power and strength from our beliefs through what we
choose to see.
It is in our spirit and our desire of what we want to believe that is our life and what we are
here to experience. We have the free will to choose. We have the power to choose our
destiny and only we can make it happen. This is my understanding and realization from
India and in more ways than anyone can know what I have come to understand from my
teacher, my son Christian. This trip taught me the meaning of life, thank you Christian and
thank you India.