1. Avid Astrologer
By Paul Kekai Manansala
Always spiritually inclined, especially starting in my late teens, at a relatively late age (in my
early 30s), I became attracted to the mystical art and, some would say, science of the Vedic
astrology of India.
Learning mostly on my own at first, I started to correspond with a well-known astrologer from
India, R. Santhanam, the founder, publisher and editor of The Times of Astrology magazine, and
of numerous popular books on the subject. After becoming sufficiently versed in the art, I began
to write articles for The Times of Astrology, often comparing Jyotisha (or Jyotish), the Indian
system, to other astrological traditions around the world. These articles and other writings were
published from the early 1990s to about 1998. At the time, I even read charts and fancied taking
the practice up as a profession! Here's one of my ads from the Nov-Dec 1994 issue of Yoga
Journal:

2. R. Santhanam was ready to publish a book I had written titled "The Sakadweepa System of Astrology,"
but the bureaucratic paperwork and hoops for overseas contracts in India became too much so it never
came to fruition.
As things happen, the need to make more money forced me away from pursuing serious
astrology especially after Sri Santhanam passed away early due to illness in 1997. The interest,
though, never waned too much and I tried to maintain my skills in the art. Let me use my own
birth chart to demonstrate some of my knowledge in this area:

3. Chart Indications
Sanyasa Yoga
This combination (yoga) occurs when four or more planets are in the same sign/house. In
Vedic astrology, the houses are made of whole signs. According to the highly regarded
sage Parasara, at least one planet must be strong among this combination. If the strong
planets are combust, then the person takes on the nature of the strongest planet. In my
case, all the other planets are combust (Mars and Jupiter are strong), so I take on the
Sanyasa Yoga of the Sun, i.e., that of a tapasvi, a practitioner of austerities with the idea
of accumulating a type of energy known as tapas, or a vanaprastha, who takes to roaming
in the forests.
If a number of planets are endowed with strength, the holy order of the one, strongest
amongst them, is accepted. . . If the other planets lose their strength as a result of
combustion with the Sun, the native will enter the holy order, as signified by the Sun,
that is, he will become a Tapasvi.
- Brihat Parasara Horasastra: chapter 79, slokas 2-6
There is also a second Sanyasa Yoga, according to Parasara, in that Moon, occupying a
drekkana (divisional sign) of Saturn is also aspected on the birth chart by Saturn. In this
case, my Moon is in Capricorn in drekkana and receives Saturn's 10th
house aspect in the
birth chart. This yoga urges the person to take on the sanyasa (renunciation) of Saturn
such as that of a Naga sadhu.

4. Note that in the first yoga, the four planets are in Scorpio, one of the moksha-trikona or
spiritual triangle of signs in Vedic astrology. The Moon is also in the fourth house with
Venus, and the fourth house is in the moksha-trikona of the astrological houses for the
second Sanyasa Yoga. The term "sanyasa" refers to a person who renounces worldly
material things for a spiritual life. It is considered an "auspicious" yoga in India, which
highly values people who dedicate themselves spiritually.
Other spiritual indications include Ketu (south lunar node), the spiritual planet,
occupying Pisces, another of the moksha-trikona of signs (rasis). Ketu is in the 10th
house, an angle (kendra), and receives beneficial aspects from Jupiter, Venus and the
Moon. Ketu is also in the eighth house from a special spiritual point known as the
karakamsa and aspects the 12th
house from this point. Both the 8th
and 12th
are part of the
moksha-trikona of houses (bhavas).
Ketu, itself, aspects the Sanyasa Yoga conjunction (mutual aspect with Jupiter) in
Scorpio and the Moon-Venus conjunction in the 4th
house further indicating deep
spiritual urges toward moksha. Of the moksha houses, Venus, the lord of 12th
house is in
the 4th
house and Saturn, lord of the 8th
house, aspects the 4th
house. All four planets in
Scorpio aspect the 12th
house. Jupiter, a natural benefic and also a functional benefic for
Gemini ascendant, casts a sole aspect on the spiritual karakamsa sign.
Raja Yogas
According to Parasara, if "the lord of a kona [trine] is in a kendra [angle], or vice a
versa," there is a mutual association (sambandha) for Raja Yoga, a combination that can
bring worldly success, fame and recognition.
In my chart, you can see the angular 4th
house is occupied by Venus, the lord of the trinal
9th
house. A similar Raja Yoga comes from Saturn, lord of the trinal 5th
house,
occupying the angular 7th
house.
Furthermore, the sage gives a way of finding out the states (avasthas) of these Raja Yoga
planets by looking into the divisional charts to see if they are in their dignities or if they
occupy angles to a materialistic central point known as the Arudha Lagna. If two of these
planets achieve matching states they form a special yoga. In the case of Saturn and
Jupiter, they reach the avastha of Simhasana of which Parasara states:
. . . in Simhasana, [the person] will be an emperor, ruling over the entire earth. With the
said Raja Yoga relationship of the said planets in Simhasana were born Harischandra,
Manu, Bali, Agnideva and many emperors. In the present age so born is Yudhishtira
(Dharmraja of Mahabharata). Salivahana's birth and that of others will also come
with this yoga.

5. However, while Jupiter and Saturn are both strong, the Raja Yogas is compromised as
Jupiter is combust. Mercury is also combust in the other Raja Yoga. Well, maybe next
time.
According to sage Parasara, if Rahu or Ketu is in an angle/kendra and is aspected or in
association with the lord of a trine/trikona, there is Raja Yoga. In this chart, Ketu is in
the 10th
and Rahu in the 4th
. Ketu receives an aspect from Venus, the lord of the trinal 5th
house. Rahu is in mutual association with Venus. Furthermore, Rahu has a full 10th
house aspect from Saturn, the lord of the 9th
trikona house. In this case, all the planets in
Raja Yoga are free from combustion and high in Shadbala (six-fold strength). The
Sanyasa Yoga, though, overrules Raja Yogas. The latter, though, can still lead to a
certain type of success and fame, though.
The chart also reveals a Raja Yoga from the Jaimini system of astrology. The conjoined
Moon and Venus give Raja Yoga, and this is especially strong when the the Atmakaraka,
Venus in this case, is also present.
Another type of Raja Yoga involves the cancellation of the debilitation of a planet
(Neechabhanga Rajayoga). In this chart, Venus is debilitated in Virgo in the 4th
house.
According to some authorities, just being in an angular house will cancel debility.
However, Venus also gets Neechabhanga Rajayoga as the lords of the exaltation and
debility signs of the planet are in mutual kendras as they are conjoined in Scorpio.
Additionally, three planets having directional strength (digbala) -- the Moon and Venus
in the 4th
and Saturn in the 7th
– give Raja Yoga. These planets are all free from
combustion and strong in Shadbala, and Saturn has a particularly excellent avastha
(Phaladeepika) in the divisional charts from having friendly relationships with the other
planets. Parasara states that the 9th
house lord, Saturn in this case, in Simhasana avastha
"will be mighty and truthful, conqueror of his senses and will concentrate only on the
Brahman, giving up all religions."
As with any chart, there are both favorable and unfavorable indications. Life is always a
combination of struggle and success. While I have never felt compelled to become a naked
sadhu, maybe if I was raised and living in India, I would [wink].
Raja yogas existing at the same time as Sanyasa Yogas is not a rare situation. They may
manifest differently depending on one's culture and environment along with the family that one
is born into in this world.
However, while I may not take to the forests, river banks or mountains eating roots and nuts like
a vanaprastha of the solar Sanyasa Yoga, my interests do include the forest and the environment
in general. Four planets in the 6th
house, the house of animals and pets, ruled by Mars, the planet

6. of animals, pets and forests, would agree with the strong influence of pets, animals, wildlife and
nature in my life.
From the Moon, the Sanyasa Yoga takes place in the 3rd
house of communication, including
writing, which is the "career" path that I chose. Not writing of novels or textbooks, but I leaned
much more toward a role of activism and advocacy on a range of issues with a strong bias toward
healing our planet. Mars is the final "dispositor" of all the planets and his natural significations
have been strong in my life history so far. Additionally, Saturn and Ketu stand for animals,
particularly dogs, which have also played a huge role. Both these planets are quite strong and
well-positioned for worldly activities, and the can also stand for the forest as well as the terra
firma.
Saturn and Ketu also signify the common person and democracy and it has been in line with this
focus that I have directed my political activity.
All the planets were under the horizon when I was born on Thanksgiving night, Nov. 26, 1959,
except for the invisible lunar node Ketu , which was placed right near the Mid-Heaven. The
physician from the Clark Air Force Base hospital, Dr. Henry Wrede, had his holiday dinner
interrupted and it was a long labor. I was already delayed quite a number of days past my
expected arrival. According to my baby book under "Birthmarks" it says "he has a dimple on his
back shoulder," although it actually is a mole on the backbone between the shoulders.
If we look at one diurnal cycle as representing the whole lifetime, then my visible planets would
starting "rising" over the horizon about a quarter of the way through my life. By the midpoint of
my life all the main seven planets would be above the horizon with the maximum clustering
around the Mid-Heaven short of the ¾ point. That could explain why I was very much a "late
bloomer," who really started getting active in a worldly way starting at about 29 years old. What
I would attribute to my "successes," though, would have a strong spiritual basis, and even my
public persona is more separated from the orthodox, conventional or even "acceptable." The
nature of the separation and transgression might come from the influence of Saturn and Ketu in
my chart.
According to Western astrology, my chart can be described as well "at home." Four planets are
in their own signs starting with Venus in Libra, then Mars in Saturn, Jupiter in Sagittarius and
Saturn in Capricorn. Both of the luminaries and Mercury are in peregrine (neutral) signs. The
Moon and Venus are in the angular 4th
house and angles as the best houses in the Western
system. The Sun, Mars and Mercury are in the trinal 5th
house with trines being the second best
houses. Jupiter and Saturn are in the 6th
, which does not hold the same malefic indications as in
the Vedic system.
Therefore, in terms of placement against the fixed stars and ascendant, the situation is quite
enviable. Of course, three planets are still combust keeping things "real" throughout life. The
Sun sign is Sagittarius, Moon sign is Libra and Ascendant is in Cancer.

7. Astrology and Family History
Now, some in the extended clan wonder whether astrology can tell us anything about our sacred
lineage given its history.
Astrology has a way of correlating with mundane events or so it is claimed. One thing in
deciphering geographic and history-based astrology is finding the "center" or the "lagna" as they
would say in the Vedic system. Now, any type of rationale can be used to determine the center.
Different types of astrological systems from around the world have assigned their own centers
depending on their specific worldviews.
The region around the Philippines has quite a good argument of its own for being the
starting/ending point. In this region is found the maximum marine biodiversity, and the ocean is
considered primal in terms of life on Earth. There are also various aspects of the global
gravitational and magnetic forces; the ocean currents and winds; the migration routes of animals
and humans; the trade routes and ocean connections; and other factors that would justify the area
as the "lagna." Indeed, I have argued in my writings that the ancients considered this region as
the "Yamakoti" or "Fusang Tree" or "Kangdez" of the ancients (http://sambali.blogspot.com).
Let's place Pinatubo as center based on its primacy among a wide range of peoples in the area.
Using the astrological signs, you could position the first point of Aries at this meridian. Now,
taking astrologer Varahamihira's cue, we would then count the signs going toward the east from
this degree.
We can see some clue toward this even in the astronomical systems used by the indigenous tribes
currently in the region. The position of Orion's Belt (Balatik) is particularly important. For
example, this asterism is often used to determine the start of the year or seasons depending on its
elevation above the horizon. Back in ancient times, for example, during the early spring, Orion's
Belt would be about 45 degrees above the eastern horizon at sunrise. The start of Aries and the
lunar asterism Ashwini (Horse's Head), then, would be near the zenith, which in the usage of
celestial navigators would align it geographically with this precise area.
Now counting from that meridian and going toward the east, we arrive in Sacramento, California
at about 120 degrees across the zodiac. This would be a trine aspect and align with the sign Leo
and the Vedic asterism Magha (Regulus). You can also count the signs in the same way going
along the latitudes instead of the longitudes toward the north as the Sun travels from spring to
summer. Arriving in Sacramento, you again travel across to the latitudes corresponding to the
sign Leo.

8. Pedro and his son Agapito (Pete) arrived in Honolulu, a U.S. territory at the time, on April 21,
1953 where they got their passports stamped. This marked the beginning of a new age for this
line of the family. Here is the chart for the day using the sidereal reckoning of Vedic astrology:
Avid astrologers will quickly note that the Sun, Saturn and Venus are in exaltation while
Mercury is in debilitation. In the Vedic system, exaltation, debilitation and other dignities are by
sign more than degree as in the Western system. However, in some Indian schools they also
recognize a degree of maximum exaltation and debilitation. The Sun and Venus are near the
maximum exaltation with the Sun the closest. Saturn has just entered his exaltation phase.
Mercury is near the point of maximum debilitation.

9. One can see that the lunar nodes Rahu and Ketu have formed a near perfect axis between Aries
where the Sun is posited and Libra where Saturn sits. The Sun can represent the father and
Saturn is the son of the Sun. So, we can see the Sun exalted at the "top" representing the
Skyworld, which in esoteric thinking can also stand for the old homeland.
Saturn as the son of the Sun is just entering exaltation in Libra on "Earth" having arrived in a
new homeland. The nodes can stand for the karmic connections that link the past, present and
future. From the Moon in its own sign in Cancer along the Rahu-Ketu axis, Saturn is in the
fourth house of home and land (Earth). Saturn is in the tenth representing the Mid-Heaven.
The Sun is hemmed in by Venus, Mercury on the left and Jupiter and Mars on the right
representing the entire old clan. Debilitated Mercury might stand for the sadness of one's
brothers and sisters as Mercury is the natural significator, and also rules the third house from
Moon, which would stand for one's siblings and cousins.
However, the planet's debility might be cancelled by its association with exalted Venus. Both
Saturn and Venus are retrograde, and this could stand for the start of a new union with a new
land and the beginning of new families.
Eventually, Pete would help in bringing most of his immediate family to the United States
starting with Uncle Jack.
War between the United States and Spain ultimately opened up the door for the family
immigration to America. The fateful moment may have been the Battle of Manila Bay won in
one day on May 1, 1898.

10. Looking for any indications of conflict in this chart, we can immediately note two oppositions.
Venus in its own sign of Taurus is opposed to Saturn and Mars opposes Jupiter. Now, we can
also notice a kind of polarization here with the lunar nodes as the axis. On one side is the exalted
Sun in Aries, presumably the winning side, with Mars, Mercury and Venus; and the Moon is on
the other side of the axis with Jupiter and Saturn. Interestingly, the Moon is placed in Leo
making the Sun its "lord" (dispositor).
In the Vedic system, Venus is the only natural friend of Saturn. When they have mutual
association with each other together with Ketu it forms the auspicious Tapasvi Yoga. Mars and
Jupiter are also natural friends and when they are conjunct it constitutes the favorable Guru
Mangala Yoga in personal horoscopes.
However, in this chart Venus opposes Saturn, and Mars opposes Jupiter. Maybe this means that
natural allies were moved to war in this particular situation.
America's involvement stymied the aspirations of native Filipinos for a new nation of their own
when the United States annexed the country later that year. A colonial period started that ended
after World War II officially, but continued on as massive military bases remained in the country

11. as part of a mutual defense treaty. It more than four decades before the US military would close
Clark Air Force Base, on November 26, 1991. Subic Naval Base, the last American military
facility, held a closing ceremony on November 24, 1992, and the last U.S. naval personnel, the
post operations officer, Capt. Steven Gagne secured from duty on Thanksgiving Day, November
26, 1992 (http://www.subicbaypi.com/subic_message_naval00.htm).
However, the Philippines proved unable or unwilling to properly provide for its own national
defense, and more than two decades later on April 28, 2014 the two countries signed a new
military bases pact. However, this time the agreement was only for the presence of "rotational
forces."
Debilitated Mars is in the 8th
house from the Moon signifying endings, closure, finality while
Mercury, the lord of the 7th
house (agreements) and the Sun, lord of the 9th
house (fortune) are
posited in the 12th
house of endings. Saturn in its own house of Capricorn, the sign of new
beginnings (winter solstice), opposes Mars.

12. The new defense agreement was signed on Monday at Camp Aguinaldo in Metro Manila at
about 10 a.m. The New Moon day was to start on Monday and on Tuesday shortly after noon, an
annular solar eclipse occurred although it was visible only south of the Philippines.
Exalted Sun in Aries is together with the south lunar node and Mercury in the 11th
house from
the ascendant, which is conjunct with Jupiter, lord of the 7th
house (agreements) and 10th
house
(worldly matters). The Sun is lord of the 3rd
house, which can also signify agreements as a result
of negotiations (communication). The Moon is with exalted Venus in the 9th
house of fortune,
and exalted Saturn is in Libra with the north lunar node in the 5th
house of punya (good karma) in
mutual aspect with the Sun. Mars, the lord of the 6th
house that can represent foreigners is in the
4th
house of home (and homeland) in mutual aspect with Venus and the Moon.