The symposium was an historic event that symbolized the birth of a new era of
Vedic astrology in the West. Since that time, interest in Vedic astrology has continued
to flourish. Five annual international symposiums on Vedic astrology have followed,
with attendance growing each year. The conferences not only stimulated the interest
of individual students of astrology throughout the Western world, but it also led in
1993 to the formation of the American Council of Vedic Astrology (ACVA), a non-
profit organization devoted to the promotion of Vedic astrology in the West.
Throughout this century, several individuals have played prominent roles in
bringing Indian astrological knowledge into the Western world. The most important
has been Raman. In his classic book Hindu Astrology and the West,Raman recounted
his many visits to America and Europe. He has written more than 30 books and was
the chief editor of the Astrological Magazine.Some of his famous predictions include
the fall of Adolf Hitler and Richard Nixon as well as India’s independence. Raman
had contact with many of the great political and social leaders of the twentieth centu-
ry. He even commented that Hitler had once written to him asking for his astrological
advice. And in September 1947, Raman received a letter received from Carl G. Jung,
in which the prominent Swiss psychiatrist gave his opinon of astrology:
Since you want to know my opinion of astrology I can tell you that I’ve
been interested in this particular activity of the human mind for more
than 30 years. As I am a psychologist, I am chiefly interested in the
particular light the horoscope sheds on certain complications in the
character. In cases of difficult psychological diagnosis, I usually get a
horoscope in order to have a further point of view form an entirely dif-
ferent angle. I must say that I often found that the astrological data elu-
cidated certain points which I otherwise would have been unable to
understand. From such experiences I formed the opinion that astrology
is of particular interest to the psychologist, since it contains a sort of
psychological experience which we call “projected”—this means that
we find the psychological facts as it were in the constellations. This
originally gave rise to the idea that these factors derive from the stars,
whereas they are merely in a relation of synchronicity with them. I
admit that this a very curious fact which throws a peculiar light on the
structure of the human mind.
What I miss in the astrological literature is chiefly the statistical
method by which certain fundamental facts could be scientifically
established. Hoping that this answer meets your request.
It is interesting to note that Jung often used astrology as a diagnostic tool in his
clinical psychology practice. Psychotherapy and counseling astrology share a common
goal of assisting the unconscious aspects of self to become more conscious. As Jung
once stated, “That which we do not face in the unconscious, we will live as fate.”
World-renowned astrologer Chakrapani Ullal is perhaps the most important
astrologer to move to from India to America to spread the word on Vedic astrology.
From Kerala, South India, Chakrapani was born into a family of illustrious astrologers
and has had continuous contact with many of the leading spiritual teachers of India.Vedic Astrology in the West
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