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A new look at astrology, medical science and psychological counselling

Special Correspondent

JAIPUR: Experts are considering bringing together medical science, psychology and astrology for a user-friendly applied teaching programme here in the Rajasthan capital. It would be worth while for the academics in the city, where many rulers in the past patronised astronomy building Jantar Mantars, to seek concurrence from the University Grants Commission for setting up a chair or appointing a professor for a combined discipline of this kind, it is being suggested.

The application of astrology in medical science and psychological counselling came in for threadbare discussion at a one-day workshop on "inter-relation between astrology and psychology" held under the joint auspices of Rajasthan University and Bharatiya Prachya Jyotish Sansathan here. Rajasthan University Vice-Chancellor N. K. Jain presided over the inaugural session.

Monika Mohan, assistant professor in the Psychology Department, said she had tried using astrological horoscopes in 30 case studies her students had taken up.

Once she went through their files using techniques of psychology, the horoscopes of the individuals were handed over to Akhilesh Kumar Sharma, Director of Bharatiya Prachya Jyotish Sansthan. Mr. Sharma was not told about the purpose of reading the horoscopes or their case history.

"The findings were enough for us to decide that both the sciences should be brought together," Dr. Mohan said.

"The Department of Psychology is keen to utilise astrological findings for counselling and for imparting psychological help," said Manju Mehta, head of the Psychology Department.

The Principal of Sawai Man Singh Medical College, Ashok Pangaria, who is a well-known neurologist and champion of holistic medicine, revealed trying out astrology successfully on his patients. He often read the horoscopes of his patients to decide on the prescriptions, he said. The role of the Sun, Jupiter, Mars and Moon was quite determining in the choice of medicines and methodology of treatment, Dr. Pangaria added.

Well-known astrologers, including Ramchandra Pandeya, former dean of Banaras Hindu University, Umashanker Shukla, head of the Department of Astrology at Sampoornanand University, Varanasi, and Deviprasad Tripathi of Lal Bahadur Sanskrit University, New Delhi, carried out a horoscope-reading session on laptops marking a perfect match of a traditional science with a modern tool.

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A new look at astrology, medical science and psychological counselling

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