Astrological conflicts

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kng
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Astrological conflicts

Post by kng »

Hi everyone

During the last webcast Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche mentioned, that if someone has a difficult year from astrological point of view, he can use lungtas to be able to overcome those difficulties. Somehow I can not understand how this is supposed to work. I mean, I put some prayer flags with auspicious symbols and good wishes on trees and assuming that I did this on appropriate day, I shall be able to overcome problems and otherwise not? Seems a little bit odd to me.

Besides, I do not have very much trust in astrology, be it even Kalachakra based astrology. Is there a statement in the root of this astrological teaching, that it aplies for the whole earth? You know, the earth is a sphere and there is different constelation on different places on earth. Rinpoche issued one calendar for whole earth. I am not sure what to think about this. But let's suppose for a while, that this callendar works for the whole earth. How is it than, that hanging out lungtas on some days is inauspicious? How can a good thing done with good motivation bring negative influence?

Maybe Rinpoche only wants us to check if we are really able to go in the essence of the teaching instead of arranging some outer things?

But on the other hand, when I was reading Dorje Gotrab terma text, it states that it relieves from astrological oppositions and bad omens related to unfavorable fourth year as well as all eighty bad omens. But, maybe this is stated in Dorje Gotrab terma only because people were too obsessed with astrology and in order to give them peace of mind these words are inherited in the terma. In any case it seems that producing function of D.G. mantra could provide protection from all kinds of astrological conflicts. ;) But till now I did not have an opportunity to do such a retreat.

One more thing, I am not sure if I remember well, but according to my memories Rinpoche had 2 horoscopes done in his lifetime(by some of his teachers, Changchub Dorje and …?) and both said he will die in certain year and in that year Rinpoche almost died and survived only thanks to Mandarava long life practice.

I myself got 1 year horoscope done and the statements in it were very general and I did not find any connection to my real life.

Maybe if you get a horoscope done, you start to believe these things and as it goes through your mind over and over and it finally happens.

Since more than a half year I stopped checking astrological constelations in calendar, I got rid of many tensions, I exprience every day more or less the same, I just pay attention to 4 important days of lunar calendar.

I will appreciate your feedback and experience.

Thank you

kng
They all are buddhas, they just don't tell me, because they feel ashamed, that I am not.
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Soap-Bubble
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Re: Astrological conflicts

Post by Soap-Bubble »

kng wrote:Maybe Rinpoche only wants us to check if we are really able to go in the essence of the teaching instead of arranging some outer things?
As far as I understand, astrology is not directly a part of dzogchen teaching. It's traditional Tibetan astrology. Lungta is not a dzogchen practice, either. They're given to us as supplements, and if we deem them necessary for our situation or if we like them, we can use them. If not, there's no problem.

I understand your concerns, but I think the reason for all of this is tradition. In general I think that asking about days for lungta is the same as about days for ganapuja. Why do we do it on particular days? Who knows. Tradition. It must be true that some days are better than others, after all, people designated these days as more beneficial for some reason. But we don't know why they did it and what knowledge they used to choose them.

I do believe in the elements, as I've observed how strengthening elements that were weak greatly changes your behavior and well-being. Various practices can be effective for that, and even though I never tried lungta specifically, I don't see why it shouldn't work. But if you don't like it or can't believe in it, it's no big loss for you, there are other methods anyway.

About astrology I don't know, I certainly don't believe in Western one, though. At least not in Western year signs or zodiac, it's enough to say that my parents are of the same zodiac sign and they're completely different from each other, like earth and sky, and neither of them matches that sign's description! But I'm not very concerned with it and don't really deal with horoscopes very often. Maybe Tibetan ones are more accurate. I only went as far as to see what element corresponds to my year of birth in it, and what I saw can't be true (unless somehow I got born with energy so imbalanced that an opposite element heavily prevailed over the natural one since birth).

I hope it helps you in one way or another :smile:
a soap-bubble represents radiant emptiness
Agnikan
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Re: Astrological conflicts

Post by Agnikan »

Soap-Bubble wrote:it's enough to say that my parents are of the same zodiac sign and they're completely different from each other....
If by "same zodiac sign", you're referring to the "sun sign" (in general, the sign that includes all persons born within a 30-day span), then two people having the same zodiac sign can indeed be very different, because even though they have the same "sun sign" (that is, both of them have their sun in, say, Taurus), they can have very different "moon signs" (one might have his moon in Leo; the other having her moon in Capricorn, e.g.), "ascendant signs", planetary aspects, planetary strengths, and so forth. Newspaper horoscopes are notorious for presuming that all people of the same sun sign have the same personality.
Simon E.
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Re: Astrological conflicts

Post by Simon E. »

Wheres Kevin ? :smile:
“You don’t know it. You just know about it. That is not the same thing.”

Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche to me.
Malcolm
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Re: Astrological conflicts

Post by Malcolm »

kng wrote:Hi everyone

During the last webcast Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche mentioned, that if someone has a difficult year from astrological point of view, he can use lungtas to be able to overcome those difficulties. Somehow I can not understand how this is supposed to work. I mean, I put some prayer flags with auspicious symbols and good wishes on trees and assuming that I did this on appropriate day, I shall be able to overcome problems and otherwise not? Seems a little bit odd to me.
One, Tibetan "astrology" is not astrology in the sense you understand it. The term in Tibetan is "calculation", so here we are calculating the cycle of the phases in the five elements— wood, fire, earth, metal and water— through the year, through the month and through the day.

Tibetan elemental calculation is very general, and it serves only as a sort of weather report, i.e., when rain is predicted, it may not necessarily rain in your area, but you are wise to bring an umbrella. It is the same with elemental calculation, if it indicates that this or that person will have obstacles in a given year, it is sound to make do practices to prevent this.

Lungta flags are blessed by you, and there is a mantra, so there is a definite connection between your energy and the flags themselves. They also harmonize the five elements of a place because they are consecrated to do so. Whenever you see them, you should also recite that mantra, since it is increases their benefit for you.
hop.pala
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Re: Astrological conflicts

Post by hop.pala »

You know, the earth is a sphere and there is different constelation on different places on earth
But the personal astrology is the constellation for the place of rebirth.The mundane astrology for the nations predicts.When somebody see some of nations horoscope,can make predictions about the world.In this case the date of the founding of the state of birth the constellation.(and place)
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kng
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Re: Astrological conflicts

Post by kng »

Thank you for your answers. I would like to ask one more question, is it necessary that I hang out lungtas by myself or is it ok to ask some monastery or sangha friend to do it for me?
They all are buddhas, they just don't tell me, because they feel ashamed, that I am not.
Lama Ole Nydahl
Malcolm
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Re: Astrological conflicts

Post by Malcolm »

kng wrote:Thank you for your answers. I would like to ask one more question, is it necessary that I hang out lungtas by myself or is it ok to ask some monastery or sangha friend to do it for me?

Generally you would do it yourself.
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