Nakshatra Padas Course

The 108 steps of the Lunar Mansions: The pathway of the Vedic Devatas

Nakshatra is a unit of measure of space. The smaller the unit the more precise the prediction.

“The nakshatras are the abodes of the 27 gods delegated with the duties of guarding and guiding the cosmic and solar evolutions.” from Nakshatra by K.T. Shubhakaran

An online course that explores the effects on the deeper nature and psychology of an individual by understanding each Nakshatra, it’s pada and it’s deity. The 27 nakshatras have 4 parts or padas - the 4 purusharthas (aims of life) known as Dharma, Artha, Kama, Moksha.

This teaching of the padas we are presenting is found in Ravana Samhita, taught to Ravana by his grandfather, Sage Pulastya, one of the Saptarishis (the forefathers, the 7 sages) in the first manvantara. (time cycle)

Learning how these 108 padas influence the grahas gives insight into deeper layers of our mental makeup with it’s quirks and dilemmas as well as capabilities and talents.

In these nine weeks we will study the rich array of behaviors, purposes and goals of the devatas (givers of light) and how such energies will or might play out in us.

Tutor: SueAnn McKean

Course Pre-requisite

The basics of Jyotish like the navagrahas, rasis, bhavas and a familiarity with the nakshatras

Course Stucture

Our aim in this 9 classes course is to cover 6 nakshatras per weekend following the vimshottari sequence: Ketu nakshatras, followed by Venus, Sun, Moon, Mars, Rahu, Jupiter, Saturn, Mercury nakshatras.
Learn the origin, nature, use and distinctions of the 4 purusharthas represented by the padas, and how they relate to the 4 elements (chatur-tattvas).
Understand how the elemental energies of the nakshatra’s padas influence the mind in distinctive ways.
Explore the essence of each nakshatra lord or deity.
Study, with example charts, how the nava-grahas, as the representatives of the different aspects of consciousness, are influenced by the deity (according to which of the 108 padas it inhabits).
Blend the meanings of deity, pada and graha for deeper insight into the mental and emotional experiences of our human dramas.
Observe charts that exemplify the subtle differences between the various combinations of grahas, deities and padas.
Examine and discuss the imbalances of energy in well known people.

Course Materials

Pdf of the power point presentation every week.
Recordings of every class.
Homework practices to help integrate the concepts with feedback from the instructors.
Tables for practice, illustrations, stories from the Puranas and other sources and references for further study.
A Facebook forum to discuss, clear doubts, share charts.
Handout on the graha karakatwa
Comprehensive preread on gunas, purusharthas, traits of deities
Key words for each nakshatra and nakshatra deity