kira astro

These are the notesheets I built for myself on the Graha Maitri (as per the Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra which I'm currently still on, there are other forms that arrange the alliances a bit differently)

I'm sure there are plenty of people who already know how it works, but I'm going to reiterate it for the sake of my online notes and for those who haven't gotten to it yet.

The Graha Maitri is a method of measuring how harmonious a planetary combination is and understanding how two planets will interact in a chart.

The planets have relationships that are inherent/permanent/natural to them (Naisargika Maitri). And there are stories that shed additional light on the nature and manifestations of these inherent relationships in the puranas and other texts.

Planets who are friends produce harmonious results when in combination

Planets who are neutral produce neutral or mild or mixed results

Planets who are enemies produce strenuous results, create friction, and result in obstacles/trouble

Then they have "temporary" relationships (Tatkalika Maitri) that are determinant on house placement. This is dependent on the individual chart.

Friends 🤗 Planets become temporary friends if they are placed in the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 10th, 11th, and 12th house from eachother

Enemies 😡 Planets become temporary enemies if they are placed in the 1st, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, or 9th house from eachother.

Now, in order to get the final relationship (Panchadha Maitri), we add the temporary and permanent relationship together, like a math problem.

Permanent relationship + Temporary relationship = Final relationship

And this final relationship shows how the two planets will harmonize together in a chart. Yay

And remember that we have to do this for both planets in an aspect, since some have friendship/enemy status in their Permanent Relationships that isn't reciprocated.

Popularly, the Gemini sign is seen as bipolar; its natives are characterized as dual. Modern (Western) astrology believes that this sign is represented by two identical figures, twin brothers. When I was a follower of tropical astrology, I heard an explanation for why Geminis carried this dual characteristic: it has to do with two twin brothers where one dies and the other goes to the underworld and asks to switch places with his brother (some versions say that the brother asks for his brother to return to life). The lord of the underworld accepts on the following condition: while your brother is back, you stay, and vice versa. This is how the energy of Gemini is explained.

In Jyotish, the duality of Gemini is something much deeper, involving energies and tantra. Gemini in hinduism is Mithuna, which comes from Maithuna. Maithuna/Mithuna is a sanskrit term representing a sexual union ritual. I won't post images here due to Tumblr's policy, but when searching for images of Mithuna on Google, you'll come across pictures of statues of a man and a woman in erotic poses.

Mithuna is a representation of a man and a woman, side by side, each touching the other's genitals. They are not engaging in sexual intercourse, there is no penetration, but they are in contact with regions that carry the symbolism of the primordial energy of both man and woman. Therefore, Mithuna (Gemini) is the representation of the symbiosis between masculine and feminine energy.

Gemini is dual because it carries two energies: masculine and feminine. Regardless of gender, Gemini natives are able to be expansive because they possess both energies. Living in a society where they have to choose a side is a big problem for Geminis. Gemini is not dual to the point of separation, but rather of integration, and that is why natives are indecisive and do not make quick decisions: they don't want to choose between one or the other, they want both, they want everything.

I previously spoke about the Ardra nakshatra and its rebellious nature, but I believe that Gemini in general carries this rebellious air, of being different and not fitting into a social pattern due to the integration of two opposing energies, the feminine and the masculine. Their worldview is not separated between what is feminine and what is masculine since they possess this natural integration. Gemini women, for example, usually exhibit tomboyish characteristics from childhood, or dislike girly games like playing house.

Mithuna is the perfect symbiosis between masculine and feminine energy; they possess the ability to understand the difference between the two sides and become indecisive when choosing only one. I believe it's a mistake to describe Gemini as dual because even when they choose a side, they don't remain faithful to their choice and keep fluctuating, leading others to describe them as deceitful. Gemini unites, it doesn't separate. It is symbiosis of duality, not separation.

Their dual nature, between feminine and masculine, is reflected in their appearance. It is described that those born under the sign of Gemini typically possess androgynous characteristics, which is a blend of masculine and feminine physical traits resulting in an ethereal appearance.