How it all started
Once upon a time (about 22+ years ago) in the far far land (specifically, in Serbia in the heart of the Balkan region), I got my first book on Vedic astrology. I remember I did not sleep that night until I read the whole book. I read it with my horoscope printed out next to me, and a highlighter in my hand. Anything that was mentioned in that book that I could see in my horoscope, I was reading as it is a ready-made prediction and a final truth of life (not for the faint of heart). There was no understanding of my doing, or principle; in fact, that book did not aim to provide understanding; it aimed to spell out the meaning of various combinations. Later, I learned that I was supposed to already have that structure and foundation covered, and then that book would make sense. But something inside of me kept reading that book until the last page; something in me knew that there was more to this.
Not long after that, my friends invited me to join them for an introductory lesson on Jyotish. I remember debating if I should attend a fitness class or this Jyotish class, weighing the pros and cons in my head. The Jyotish lesson won over, and that event ended up being something akin to a “date with destiny.” I was blown away by how much I could learn about myself just with some basic Lagna principles. I knew for sure that not even my closest circle of the family would know these things about me, and even I did not know to name some of the things that were true about me. It is sufficient to say that I got hooked and obsessed with Jyotish from that day forward. And the rest is history.
The Journey
But how was that journey, and what were the struggles along that journey? What kept me awake at night in those early days? What were the main causes of frustration and struggle? The hills and valleys of that journey are what set me on a path to create books, teach, and create learning resources of various kinds.
Here is one of the beliefs that have benefited me over time in my Jyotish study and all other areas of my life. I trusted that if this is how I feel/experience life, others are likely to as well. One of my favorite philosophers I like to quote has said: “What is most personal is most universal.” Carl Rodgers.
BOOKS
So, it was an instinctive next step for me to make an internal decision to translate all of my teachers’ books from English to my mother tongue. At that time, the most frustrating thing that was evident to all of us students was that there was not much on the topic available in the Serbian language. That is how five of my Gurujis books got translated, published, and made available to my community. Then came more books, translated as well as authored.
WEEKLY JYOTISH NEWSLETTER
Once I moved to a different country and much of my study was happening online via various forums and groups, it became abundantly clear there was so much information sharing, hence the subsequent frustration. This felt like that experience with my first book; students were meant to consume and not understand. Statements were made that had no backing or logic behind them. That inspired my next project. I started writing my weekly Jyotish lessons with simple principles and explanations. This focused on creating a safe space for sharing knowledge and translating that knowledge into everyday life. In doing so, I wanted to inspire, motivate and remind people of the value of small steps on this journey. As a wise man once said: “Little bit of light can disperse the darkness of ignorance.”
JYOTISH LIBRARY
Over several years, so much of teaching and writing resulted in interactions with students. As I sought interaction to resolve my doubts, so did my students and subscribers. And I love to do that, but I could not keep up with the overwhelming number of one-on-one interactions. The turning point was when I realized I had forgotten some of the courses, topics, or resources I had created and shared over time. This inspired me to create a Jyotish Library, where you can post your questions for the benefit of all, a library of Jyotish resources – archived and new and a playground for various lessons.
This is a full-on joy project, a calling with a deep sense of repaying my debt to my community. Its purpose is to make knowledge available, remove doubts and gain clarity, building strong foundations that offer an understanding of various Jyotish principles.
And one last and not the least important thing. I was often asked how come Vedic astrology, which leads me to say this: Regardless of age, cultural or religious/spiritual background, skin color, mother tongue, level of knowledge, life path, sexual orientation, or technical skills. All are welcome, and I mean that with all my heart.
p.s. The Jyotish Library opens twice a year, during spring and autumn. The current enrollment period ends on May 1st. But don’t worry, if you miss out on the enrolment period, you can sign up for a waitlist to get notified of the next time our doors are open.
