1. When did your interest in astrology first begin? Did you always envision yourself becoming an astrologer?

I did not always envision myself as an astrologer. My older brother had brought astrology to my attention in my early 20s, to which I chided him for studying such nonsense. Decades later, I have published thousands of articles on Vedic astrology, written five books, and produced about 500 videos, and created  40 courses on Vedic astrology.

In 1985, during a tough time, I had my first reading with Chakrapani Ullal. It filled me with light and hope for a shift in my life. Soon after, during a Sun period (lord of the 10th in the 5th connected to Jupiter in the 8th). I suddenly started studying astrology with my friends in the Transcendental Meditation movement and reading every book I could get my hands on. At that time, the TM community in Fairfield, IA, had a tremendous new-age bookstore, and they were getting all of B.V. Raman’s books. I was studying and memorizing Pundit Ojha’s book, Predictive Astrology of the Hindus. Then, the Western Vedic authors started publishing, and Tom Hopke and James Braha had an early influence on me.

At the same time, I was fascinated by investments and commodity trading. I was fascinated watching the Financial News Network (the predecessor to CNBC). I was curious why different markets went up and down every day, quietly knowing there had to be an astrological component.

2. Your journey into Vedic wisdom began in 1973, and you’ve dedicated over 25 years to Vedic astrology. What first drew you to this path, and how did your early experiences shape your understanding of astrology and spiritual practice?

It was destined to happen, with natal Rahu in Mula Nakshatra owned by Ketu is an obsession with spiritual knowledge and Vedic Astrology. I have Jupiter and Ketu in the 8th House in Purnavasu, and Jupiter is stationary. I like to explain Rahu as enthusiasm, passion, and creativity to generate something fresh while changing traditional ways of doing things.

As it influences my astrological orientation, I seek new ways to express, modernize, and spiritualize this knowledge of Jyotish and living with Vedic wisdom. The challenges of grappling with complex ancient astrological texts ignited my passion to make these profound insights accessible.

It’s incredibly fulfilling to focus on educating and clarifying the remarkable interconnections in astrology, showcasing its beauty and elegance!   My journey into teaching Vedic wisdom was fueled by an earnest desire to simplify Jyotish for everyone. I am drawn to developing new and innovative classes, “boutique classes.” My classes force me to bring out and express new knowledge, as has been the case with my Money Karma class. In developing my class on Secrets of the House, I realized that hardly a good book offered depth on the Houses. I have also been fascinated by developing courses on spiritual astrology and its connection to chakras, yoga, and enlightenment.

2. (B) How did you start with financial astrology?

I had a good friend who was a mathematician and trader. He was also a W.D. Gann scholar and he knew that Gann used astrology and went to India. He taught me Gann and trading, and I started teaching him astrology.  I began by watching the daily transits of the markets and seeing how the stock market reacted daily. If you get attuned to the planets, they start talking to you; that is what happens. One’s intuition starts to grow.

I learned a lot from the Western Financial Astrologers and went to early Financial Astrology conferences in Chicago in 1988 and later spoke at those offered by Grace Morris. J.P. Morgan, the founder of the Morgan Bank, was fond of saying that millionaires do not use astrology; billionaires do. He had a private astrologer, Evangeline Adams, who helped him tremendously. I got to purchase rare books in Financial Astrology from the Evangeline Adams library that was purchased by an early colleague of mine, Norman Winski. One of the local investment companies had a Vedic astrologer who would call the markets for them. In 1990-1, I was hired to research them, was given a research budget, and collected many rare books on Financial Astrology.

I knew Muhurtha, and in 1992, I incorporated a Leo rising chart with the Sun in Aries. Jupiter was in the 1st in Leo, and when my Sun period hit in 1993, my company took off. I have since used Muhurtha to support people in starting companies and using Vedic Astrology for marketing and supporting business growth. My company is still here 33 years later, (see www.fortucast.com and www.commoditytimers.com.

3. You’ve studied with renowned teachers like Komilla Sutton, Marc Boney, Robert Koch, and Sanjay Rath. Can you share how their guidance influenced your approach to astrology and personal growth?

I am profoundly grateful for the clarity, coherence, and generosity of Komilla Sutton. Her courses have  greatly influenced my teaching style and helped me revive and understand complex topics.

Sanjay Rath’s deep insights have also played a pivotal role in shaping my understanding of Jaimini astrology, and I was fortunate to attend some of his weekend webinars in London. Their mentorship has inspired me to provide clear, modern interpretations of Jyotish, enriching my growth and helping me impart knowledge to others.

Robert Koch has been a great tutor, helping me understand obscure dashas like Narayana Dasha, and he has shared my passion for getting the correct calculations and the perfect settings so that the timing works.

Marc Boney is an old friend from our spiritual time in Evanston, IL. His insights into Jaimini and Chara Dasha have been very supportive, as I do feel that the Rashi Dashas are essential for timing the practical events in people’s lives that they are most concerned about.

4. Let’s talk about your travels to India and your background in meditation and yoga. They have deeply informed your astrological teachings and writings. How do these disciplines intersect, and how have they enriched your insights into astrology?

I began Transcendental Meditation when I was 18 at the University of Illinois and became obsessed with enlightenment, the Bhagavad Gita and went on to become a meditation teacher and work for the University and was able to study the Vedas as part of a graduate program at Maharishi International University. It was a golden time of my life. I have been fascinated by Vedic literature since I was 19 and studied the Bhagavad Gita in detail. I have been to Bangalore five times, where one of my Gurus has an ashram, and I always feel magically at home in India. The last time I was there on a Vedic Wisdom program, I got to teach Vedic astrology to a group of 150 participants. I even introduced them to Jaimini astrology, which is more about the development and karma of the soul and its purpose.

I have colleagues who remember my life as a Vedic Pundit, and my Jupiter and Ketu in Gemini in the 8th house seem to support that. I think that is why Vedic astrology has come to me very easily—as if I was remembering the past.

Throughout my lifetime, I have enjoyed many spiritual practices. Currently, I have been blessed with the wisdom of Sri Bhagwan and the Golden Age movement and receive weekly Deeksha and guidance on shedding the upper level of ego that blocks our full realization of God.

5. Many people see astrology as either purely predictive or abstractly spiritual. You focus on the psychological and spiritual dimensions of Vedic astrology. Can you explain how understanding emotional and mental patterns in a natal chart helps individuals navigate their lives?

I have always wanted to move Vedic astrology beyond “fortune telling.” Vedic Astrology was intended to help people with difficult karma, and that involves bringing insight into the karma. The planets are like puppet masters, manipulating our emotions. If we can understand the puppet master’s manipulation, we can cut the strings and move into freedom. I have always wanted to help people understand that their fear or anger is some transit of Saturn or Mars or some dasha period so that they can rise above it. I teach yoga practices specific for the planets to help us move the energies through our body and have taught the connections between the chakras and the planets and how they influence us. Ultimately, Vedic astrology should help us set ourselves free from our karma by understanding it and transforming it and not being a victim.

I believe it’s crucial to move beyond viewing astrological influences as

simply “good” or “bad.” Instead, the planets act as helpful guides that support our growth. By understanding the emotional and mental patterns in a natal chart, individuals gain valuable insights that empower them to navigate their life’s journey with clarity and intention. I am developing a new evolutionary model of Vedic Astrology where I focus on planetary dignity and archetypal patterns. For example, the dark side of Mars is about ego and being right, and fighting for one’s position and seems evolved, whereas the highest aspect of Mars is about service. There is a big difference between Mars in Taurus, which wants to look good and build muscles and wear great clothes, and Mars in Aries in the 6th, where service and humility can take over for a greater cause.

6. As the author of five books on Vedic astrology, what has been your motivation for writing? Is there a particular theme or message that runs through your work?

I have a stationary Jupiter in the 8th in Gemini aspecting Mercury, and I have the Vena yoga for having seven planets in 7 houses, which the ancient Vedic text says creates poets.

I often awaken at 4 am, filled with thoughts and feeling the planetary energies.With this gift connecting me to the fine feeling level of the planets and nakshatras, I have been blessed with the ability to write about them and inspire many spiritual aspirants. To transmit the downloads I receive from the divine into the keyboard is a joy for me.

My motivation for writing springs from a deep desire to share my knowledge and clarify complex astrological concepts. Through my books, I aim to make Jyotish accessible, continually exploring new ways to express its wisdom for a modern audience eager to embrace its insights. I’m a born teacher, and synthesizing the complexity of ancient or poorly translated texts into modern English is what I aspire to gift my students with.

7. Karma plays a significant role in Vedic astrology. How do you guide your students and clients in understanding and transcending karmic influences through astrology?

I like to remind my students that life is like the movie Groundhog Day

(1993)  with Bill Murray reliving a nightmarish day. If you are not familiar with the movie, Bill Murray plays a weatherman who goes to Pennsylvania every February to see if the groundhog will see his shadow. Bill is boorish and rude and insults his staff. He gets trapped in a nightmare where he cannot leave the town. Murray wakes up at the same tim eto the same silly tune on the clock radio and has to relive the same day. Since he cannot die, he keeps making bad choices at first, like overeating or driving a car off of a cliff. But as the movie goes on, he takes up piano, saves people’s lives, and becomes an incredible romantic, and the whole town suddenly looks up to him as a model citizen.

The movie is a cinematic seminar on learning to be a kind, artistic, and creative humanitarian. It becomes a metaphor for reincarnation and overcoming our negative qualities of selfishness, addiction, and rudeness.

When we have a poorly placed planet or afflicted planet in our chart, it is as if we have not learned the lessons of that school. If it is Jupiter, it may be around children, respect for Gurus, judgment, or wisdom. When the planet goes weak in transit, it brings up lessons for that school. Are we going to do it differently this time? Are we going to bring out the planet’s higher values? We are here to work on our weak planets, and our strong ones are our talents, which we are here to share with the world. People sometimes boast they have an exalted or well-placed planet, and if that is the case, you have learned the lessons of that planet, and it’s become a talent and a gift to be shared with others, meant to be shared as our service to humanity.

8. What’s one defining moment in your career—whether in astrology, writing, or personal growth—that profoundly shifted your perspective or practice?

Many years ago on Facebook, when I was wrong about a prediction, I had an “aha” moment. I realized that being an astrologer was not about being right in order to puff up one’s ego. —it was about genuinely being of service to people, helping with their problems, and being very practical with remedies that they could relate to. Most of my clients are not going to do pujas or chant Vedic mantras. I have developed a network of healers and medical intuitives to help people who are frustrated with doctors; I have programs to help people with self-esteem which is at the heart of so many problems, and try to be practical and caring always.

9. With decades of experience in astrology, what are some of the biggest misconceptions people have about it, and how do you help them see its deeper, practical applications?

One common misconception I encounter is the tendency to classify astrological influences solely as “good” or “bad.” Every challenge teaches us something, and we have to be open to the teachings –even when our coach, Saturn, is creating havoc in our lives. I strive to demystify astrology by encouraging a deeper understanding and focusing on its practical applications, guiding individuals to see how these teachings can positively impact their lives!

I also like working with 5-6 major dashes, as the basic ones often do not work and are often wrong. For example, if  you have a moon in the 2, 6, 8, 12, 3, or 11th houses, you have to adjust the starting position of the dasha period, and hence, ½ of people’s dashas are not calculated correctly, and prediction is often off. These were taught by Sanjay Rath as Kshema Vimshottari Dasha, Adhana Vimshottari Dashas, and Uptama Vimshottari Dasha. I have an article on these on my website.

10. Are there any current projects, books, or teachings you’re working on that you’re particularly excited about?

Yes, I have recently started a Panchanga, Advanced Transit, and Muhurtha course, which gives students the opportunity to understand the art and science of creating Muhurtha charts as well as understanding in depth the core of daily transits in terms of lunar day, daily nakshatras, Nithya yogas etc.

I have developed a class that combines Ayurveda, Hatha Yoga and Jyotish. They were intimately connected thousands of years ago and have become separated. I studied with Ed Tarabilda, a radical astrologer who worked with Dr. Vasant Lad and developed a class on prescribing yoga postures for emotional, psychological, and physical problems.

Young people do yoga today, but many will not get involved in Vedic mantras and yagyas if their cultural heritage is different. We can prescribe cures for afflicted planets using specific postures and having them done in the direction of the planet involved.

I am most fascinated by developing an entire course on the eight types of planetary Atmakarkas governing our soul and offering us the most difficult lessons of karma. I have one lesson on Saturn on YouTube.

11. How can our readers stay connected with your latest work?

www.AppliedVedicAstrology.com

I have a free weekly newsletter that you can sign up for on my website at www.appliedvedicastrology.com . I have over 40 courses available to study at your own pace on everything from Ayurvedic astrology to Dashas and Transits in-depth Spiritual astrology, Vargas, financial astrology, and relationship astrology.

12. What piece of wisdom would you like to share with those on a spiritual journey—whether about self-discovery, overcoming obstacles, or understanding life’s deeper patterns?

The abundance of the universe is open to all who pursue it. You must have good karma or create good karma by tithing, doing service work, and helping others. We all must dedicate our lives to more service and helping make the planet a better place. I am very concerned that our new generation is losing the spiritual focus that our generation was blessed with growing up in the 60s and 70s. With the US in a Rahu major period, we all have to do our best to bring spirituality and astrology to the new generation and beyond the technological distraction of gadgets, apps, and scrolling.