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120<br />
A planet's strength is determined in relation to its place, direction,<br />
activity and time, and a planet in transit is spoken of as affected in<br />
nine ways: 'blazing' when it is in exaltation, 'at ease' when in its<br />
house, 'glad' when it is in its friend's house, 'quiet' in its auspicious<br />
position, 'powerful' when it is shining brightly, 'oppressed' when<br />
overwhelmed by another planet, 'frightened' when in depression,<br />
'impaired' when its light is lost in sun's light, and 'malefic' when in<br />
the midst of negative force.<br />
Indian astrology's main concerns are the range and influences of<br />
the twelve zodiac signs, the planets and the twelve astrological<br />
houses, of which the last is an important doctrine in the Indian<br />
system of casting horoscopes. Horoscopes are drawn in a square or<br />
a circle of twelve divisions, and are based on the lagna, or the sign<br />
rising on the horizon at the time of birth. Each of these houses<br />
indicates a specific function. A horoscope, however, is not an exact<br />
blueprint of an individual's future, but only forecasts the direction<br />
in which the events of his or her life might evolve.<br />
Astrological principles were also used in gem therapy. Gems are<br />
regarded as reservoirs of the energy concentrated from cosmic<br />
rays. As crystallized products of invisible rays, gems have the<br />
magnetic power to transmit cosmic rays through space and, in this<br />
way, they are on a par with the planets. However the planets may<br />
influence the human body, gems also exert such power; as<br />
condensations of energy, they constitute benefic forces to<br />
counteract the effect of badly aspected planetary conjunctions, and<br />
thus each of the planets is assigned its corresponding gem. It is said<br />
that by wearing certain gems the negative influence of planets can<br />
be substantially reduced or abated.<br />
Running parallel to astrology many different methods of<br />
divination, such as palmistry, different body signs, prognostication<br />
by observing the oneness in nature's phenomena, and others, were<br />
also practised, but astrology alone has withstood the weakening of<br />
time and is beginning to be considered as a science.<br />
If we are to comprehend scientifically the relationship between<br />
extra-terrestrial radiations and environs and biological and human<br />
life, it is essential that we have a complete picture of the invisible<br />
forces at work. Science has only very recently discovered the<br />
electro-magnetic spectrum to which our naked eye is sensitive in a<br />
very limited way. The discovery of the earth's magnetosphere,<br />
with its various layers which act as a screen against solar and cosmic<br />
vibrations, is also recent. The 'Van Allen Zone' placed between<br />
3,000 to 10,000 miles above the earth was discovered in 1958.<br />
Similarly, intense bursts of radio radiation from Jupiter were