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August 31, 2007
Want to learn astrology?
I have met only 3 kinds of people – the one who don’t know any thing about astrology, and doesn’t believe in it, the one who knows a bit of astrology and believes in it, and third who doesn’t know anything about astrology but still believes in it. I am yet to find someone who knows astrology and then doesn’t believe in it.
In the last 5-7 years I have met many astrologers – they are of different kinds too. People who don’t know any thing about astrology – but then still are famous astrologers, the people who are technically sound but bad at predictions, the people who are very good astrologers with excellent predictive capability but who underplay their talents, and few who are good astrologers and who demand their part of credit, fame and money. End of the day it depends on your destiny - whom you will consult, and what kind of prediction you will get in the process.
These days few of my clients ask me whether I can teach them astrology. And ironically most of my clients and people around me talk more astrology than me these days. Recently I had visited my native place, and the topic of astrology came up. And some 4-5 people surrounding me kept bombarding me with astrological rules, astrological principles, gems, the remedial measures and what not. The best bet for me was to keep my mouth shut, which I always do. Well it is good in a way that the divine science of astrology is getting a facelift in the 21st Century, and this kind of incidents assures me that astrology is here to stay forever. No matter how far human technological developments go, our Holy Saints, Rishis, and Ancestors can outsmart any educated and literate nut of today’s world. And the trust is with our materialistic outlook we can only discover truths about life, but can never invent them!
From the list of astrologers I have met, I prefer the one which say – “the people who are very good astrologers with excellent predictive capability but who underplay their talents.” And I would strongly suggest my clients to learn astrology from – my teacher K Gopalakrishnan (http://www.sathyaprema.com ) or Dr Prajarao (http://www.sify.com/astrology). I can assure you that they are the best astrologers in India as on date. And you will understand once you learn astrology from them.
As far as I am concerned, I am in my batting stage and will teach only when I retire as a batsman and become a coach. There is still lots to learn, lots to know, and lot many years to go before I handover this beautiful divine science to the right candidate. And in my case – I will be selecting the student to whom I will be teaching astrology.
Posted by Kenni at 08:52 AM | Comments (0)
August 27, 2007
A difficult client!
I had read a Zen story long back. A seeker reaches a master and asks him - if he can help him get enlightened. The master quietly reaches out for a jug and a glass full of water. He pours water into the already full glass. The glass kept overflowing. The seeker, a bit confused, asks the master, why are you trying to fill the already filled glass. And the master replies, you are already full with your own ideologies, dogmas and scriptures, how can I help you get enlightened? Now the master empties the glass and then pours water into it - and says, first go and empty yourself, only then I will be able to help you in the process of getting enlightenment!
I did a honest astrological reading for a person recently referred by another client of mine, and unfortunately the person knew a bit of astrology. It is always easy to deal with people who don’t know astrology than people who have half-baked knowledge about the same. The truth about life is everyone can do anything. If you have a camera, you can shoot. If you have pencil, you can draw. If you have a hammer, you can drill a nail. But then there are specific nuances that only the expert knows and that which come only through experience. I know many people who claim to know astrology after reading Linda Goodman’s sun sign book, and to know Vaasthu Shastra after reading one or two books on the same subject.
I personally base my prediction on factors like – God’s voice, technique and intuition – in the given order. And also I never get into any astrological debate with clients, when it comes to techniques. The rule is simple - if you know astrology then there is no need for you to consult any astrologer. If you seek guidance from any astrologer, then it is always better to keep your mouth shut.
In my experience – I have seen many a rules given in modern books not working at all. Have met many divorced couple, whose chart were matched for marriage. Have come across many childless couples, when the horoscope doesn’t have any affliction from bookish principles.
A client recently started to debate on a rule, which didn’t work in her chart – and I was right about the analysis. And I replied clearly that I don’t get into any astrological debates on techniques, and here is what I got as reply –
“Mr. Kennedi.... do u adhere to the principle of people blindly believing you and that too for a hefty sum like the one you have charged us???
Of course, the fact that you do not want to or maybe not competent enough to answer my questions seem more of an explanation rather than you saying that you do not get into astrological debates. For there was no debate on the issue, on the contrary it was just a clarification on a
point.
However one thing has become clear that you do not have any answers to my questions. I believe that the knowledge of astrology is a gift and to equate everything in terms of money is pure insult to this divine science.
Regards,
Ms X
My reply -
Hi Ms X,
Thanks for your mail. I did a reading for you only because Smitha wanted me to do it for you. Or else I do readings only when people get in touch with me directly.
Also you had told me -
For instance, true... Saturn and Ketu placed in the 4th house is considered ill luck in the birth country but is it not true that Guru in the 12th house aspects the 4th house completely and therefore nullifies the ill effects of Saturn??? Then, in that situation, where do we stand?
This is right according to the principles of astrology. Now tell me one thing, if Jupiter nullifies the bad luck you have in your birth country, then why the F*** are you living in Belgium now and not in your birthplace? Give me the astrological reason.
PS – Ms Y - kindly send me your bank account info. I would want to refund the complete amount you had deposited for Ms X and her husband. Don't consider this to be a request - I just want the details. Also if you don't take the money back, I would never do a reading for you.
And Ms X, you need not tell me about how I am working for money. God knows the truth - he will punish me accordingly. So you bother only about your money.
God Bless You
G. Kennedi
And I never got a reply from her. May be her half-baked knowledge was not good enough to defend her argument. She didn’t even send her bank info, till I sent her a reminder just yesterday, for which she replied –
Hello!
Do gift the money to some poor and needy if you please, that would be good enough. We do not wish to continue dialogue on this aspect anymore.
Thanks.
Ms X
If someone is not happy with my reading, I can only return the fees I charge them. I don’t want anyone to make losses who invest on me – and I want to stick to that principle always.
Well I am not going to donate Ms X’s 'HEFTY' fees to any poor or needy. But will donate it to some temple, and get a bill in Ms X’s name. So that the reading remains free for her - always.
May God bless her with some civility to deal with people who want to help her.
Posted by Kenni at 05:24 PM | Comments (0)
August 26, 2007
Wear helmet or pay fine!
Tamil Nadu government made helmet compulsory a couple of months back. It indeed is a welcome move. Helmet saves you from head injuries - which happen to be one of the major reasons for death in bike accidents. The day had come, and I spotted 90 per cent of the people wearing a helmet. The traffic police were all excited to catch all those who didn’t wear one – so that they can make some quick bucks in the process. And the next day the government said – the police should not harass people for not wearing a helmet - and the number of helmet users reduced.
I personally am for wearing helmet, and have never rode a bike with out wearing one. But then recently I spotted many traffic police assembling in groups on ECR, and few other important roads – fining people left, right and center for not wearing a helmet.
I ‘admire’ the way Tamil Nadu government cares about people’s well being. The Hindu reported recently that some 8000 cases were registered for non-usage of helmets, and Rupees 1.4 lakhs was collected as fine – officially. But I don’t know whether these buffoons still remember that the same government had also made usage of Meters compulsory in Auto Rickshaws a couple of months back! Does the Hindu have any idea about the money collected from these politician-run-auto-stands in Chennai? Why is that it is always the innocent citizen made the scapegoat for policies announced by the government of one of the largest democracy?
People slog their butts day and in day out, pay their taxes, buy vehicles on installments, pay their road taxes and these buggers stand at the corner of the road and fine them for not wearing a helmet. Of course it is their duty, but then why don’t they do something that helps a layman – fine autos for not using meters, clear traffic efficiently, fine over-speeding vehicles, fine vehicles overloaded with animals, and help people crossing roads - the roads that doesn’t have pedestrian crossing lane for kilometers together!
I think it is high time we stopped asking, what have we done for the government. We have done enough. Now we need to ask what has the government done for us?
Posted by Kenni at 02:02 PM | Comments (0)
August 23, 2007
Civilization stopped me!
I had been using Sify Broadband for nearly 2 years, and I never had any complaint about the speed it provided. But then the problem always started when it rained in Chennai. May be Sify’s technology was made adaptable only for Chennai’s weather. The moment it drizzles, which rarely happens in Chennai, the net will get disconnected. Normally it would take at least 10 days for me to get it rectified but this time it took 2 long months, and it never got rectified.
As a moron I kept calling the customer care, mailed them about my problem, sent repeated request mails, sent stinkers – but then they proved to be real thick skinned. They never got back to me. The last mail I sent to them was – ‘if you cannot provide me uninterrupted Internet service, kindly let me know so that I can go in for other ISP.’ They never replied to this mail too.
I paid for a month, went without the service for 20 days, and exactly after 30 days I have a person at my door asking for money for the coming month. I tried not to lose my temper, and thankfully I didn’t. My sister had done the job, before I could reach the spot.
The next day someone else from Sify reached my house. I thought probably someone has finally arrived to rectify my problem. He asked me – “are you using Sify Broadband now?” I said NO. He said, in that case he would want to take the cable back. I said if he gets into my house I would cut his legs into 2 pieces. He went off. The next day morning I could see the cut Sify cable hanging from my terrace!
I was just wondering, why did this bugger cut my cable even without asking whether I will use it in future? Or why didn’t he even bother to ask me why was I not using the Sify Broadband, which primarily was because there was no connectivity? The answer was simple – there is a non-refundable charge of Rs 1000, which they collect whenever you go in for a new Sify connection. So by cutting my existing connection, they can ask the same money once again if I needed a new connection – good business plan.
After my connection was cut without my permission - I kept getting SMSs to renew my account for 4-5 days. So many illiterate people are involved in the whole chain of providing someone a net connection that one day they won’t know who is sleeping with their own wives.
I was so pissed off that I wanted to go to my terrace and break the Sify Internet hub they have placed in my apartment and cut all those cables that emerge from it. But then civilization stopped me. I went in for Hathway net connection instead.
Posted by Kenni at 10:07 AM | Comments (0)