Using Yogas

MOON & MERCURYS DEBILITATION/EXALTATION Many yogas require a planet to be debilitated. In respect to the Moon and Mercury, the Moon is considered debilitated by Brihat Parashara Hora Sastra not in the whole of Scorpio, but only in the first three degrees of Scorpio and Mercury is considered debilitated not in the whole of Pisces, but only in the first 15 degrees. Other classical texts make no mention of these two planets being debilitated in only part of their debilitation rasi, but instead consider them debilitated throughout the whole rasi. It has been found that if the Moon and Mercury are in their debilitation rasis, the yogas requiring them to be debilitated become effective and no concern need be made regarding their degrees in their debilitation rasis. Therefore, when debilitation is required take that to mean debilitation rasi. Similarly, when it is required for them to be exalted, consider their exaltation rasis, not their exaltation degrees as specified in Brihat Parashara Hora Sastra. MALEFIC AND BENEFIC MOON & MERCURY Many yogas require the Moon to be waning, weak, dark, or malefic. While waning specifically means that the Moon is moving from Full Moon to New Moon, in practice, it has been found that the effects of the yogas come to pass if the Moon is 60 degrees in front of or behind the Sun. At this time the Moons paksha bala is 20 or less, at which point it is a malefic, considered weak, and quite dark. The word generally used in the classics is ksheena, meaning wasted or emaciated, but it has generally been translated as waning, which is not quite accurate. Therefore, whenever a yoga requires the Moon to be waning, weak, dark or malefic, consider it so if it is within 60 degrees of the Sun. Similarly, other yogas require the Moon to be waxing, strong, bright, full, or a benefic. Consider the Moon to be so if it is from 120-240 degrees from the Sun, at which point its paksha bala is 40 or greater, the amount required for the Moon to create normal growth and progress. When it is actually required for the Moon to be waning, classics usually ask for birth in the Krishna Paksha, or dark half of the month, and when it is required for the