Time Requirements:
Each week there is about 5+ hours of required online video/audio to listen to, along with a chapter to read, a two hour live class and various studying/memorizing. Students should plan to devote at least 10 hours a week to this course. Some who are new to Sanskrit words may require more time.
There is about 20-30 hours of recorded material a week for those who choose to watch the previous years. Many students come back to the additional material after the year is complete to strengthen their foundations (Course material access is for the life of the site as long as payment is completed).
Software:
We use two different software which were built by individuals studying within this tradition:
1. A cross-platform cloud based software called Deva.guru, which has two membership tiers.
2. A free downloadable PC software called Jagannath Hora that does not require you to be online.
There is NO need to buy expensive software.
In-person (Live) Class:
Live classes for Course 1 are on zoom 6-8pm at Pacific Time zone. The live class is not required to complete the course. Students may arrange a practicum time for their time zone to complete the interactive requirements of the practicum. Most students find the live classes highly beneficial. In the past, students from Australia, Russia, South Africa, South America, etc have joined from various time zones throughout the world.
What if I cannot make online classes because of my time zone? This applies mostly to European and African students. In the past, some students have gotten up in the night to join us. If this is not possible, we recommend to join us for the first few classes to introduce yourself and meet your cohort. Then ensure to join the three intensive classes (Argala, Dasha, and Practicum) which last all day long for 4 to 6 days as they will fit into some beneficial time.
Class Intensives:
There are three intensive classes that last a majority of the day. These classes last 3 to 6 days to allow each student to apply their learning and have direct feedback. These intensives are some of the most transformation classes as students spend hours directly applying techniques with a live subject who gives live feedback and teachers who guide and correct the process.
June 12- Argalā
June 19, 20, (21)-Argalā
June 26, 27, (28)- Argalā
Above is a 2025 schedule example of the intensive classes. The first day (June 12) is a normal 6-8pm class teaching the technique. Then the next four classes will start at 9 or 10 am and go till 7 or 8pm. The dates in parenthesis are noted in case more time is needed to be scheduled to make space for all students who wish to participate. These classes are similar to an internship or apprenticeship level of learning and enhance the students application by watching live application.
Memorization:
The first 7 chapters have a lot of memorization to create a strong foundation as we move through the later chapters. If you sign up for the course before it begins, we ask that you focus on the material from the first 7 chapters, as this is where much of the new concepts and terminology is presented which requires memorization.
Teaching Assistants:
If you need further assistance when working through the course materials, there are graduate students who support as Teacher Assistants (TA) in the Facebook group- they answer group questions within the forum. It is required before you reach out for a T.A., to make sure you have read the chapter and listened to the chapter audio.
For those who need more support, there are advanced teachers who offer paid tutoring sessions. A list of active tutors is available within the group forum each year. Authorized tutors have completed successfully SOL 1 and 2 and are actively engaged in continuing education in the tradition and actively reading charts.
For those thinking about taking level one who have no background, the 6 week Introduction is great to get to know your own chart and the 12 week class is very beneficial to get started with a good foundation. Also in Spanish.
Social Media Interaction:
There is a Private Facebook Group for each of the Science of Light courses. This is a part of creating a supportive community environment and cultivating familiarity amongst the students. This is also a place to share any questions, comments, or insights as you work through the chapter material each week. There are previous graduates and Teacher Assistants in the FB group that will help answer your questions. This page is also where any updates will be posted about the class (Zoom link, date changes, etc.)
What if I don’t like Facebook? Facebook has bought out all other similar technology, and it saves a lot of difficulty to use them instead of trying to build out what they do. Hence it is our preference. We appreciate their nested feeds, which make staying on topics and following certain ideas very organized.
We suggest organizing Facebook to be more efficient. Facebook monetizes people who spend random time reading and clicking on junk stories and advertisements. Facebook allows you to select 30 profiles or groups to “show first”. It also allows you to unfollow anyone you don’t want to see. We suggest unfollowing random people, selecting Science of Light and any other Jyotish, Ayurveda, Yoga groups as show first, and you will only see Jyotish, Yoga and Ayurveda material for a wonderful experience.
Book for the Course:
Students buy the text book for the course on Amazon before it begins and are encouraged to start reading. Level one uses the latest edition of
Introduction to Vedic Astrology , make sure to get the new edition for class, the Kindle version available at the same link. Level 2 uses the Foundations of Vedic Astrology Science of Light book.
People often ask if there is more in the course than in the book. There is a lot more. For each chapter, there are 5 to 30 hours of online recordings discussing the material in the chapter. Students are expected to read the chapter and listen to at least the first 5 hours of recorded material before the live class. In class, there is discussion of the topic and question and answer which a student will be lost without proper preparation. Sometimes certain topics not covered as in depth in the book or previous classes are discussed to broaden the online archives. Other times, depending on topic, there is practical chart application to ensure proper understanding and application of techniques. Intensive classes (often 2 full days for Argala, Dasha and the Practicum) insure that every student correctly applies the the lessons and is given interactive feedback.
Consultations during the Course:
For students to not mix the student/teacher relationship with client/practitioner relationship, Freedom will not provide readings to students during the course time. You are welcome to schedule a consultation with Freedom once you have completed the course or seek out one of the advanced students for a reading.
How long do students have access the material:
There are hundreds of hours of recordings and material available inside the course. Once the course has been paid for, there is no time limit. Freedom is committed to students learning Jyotish. New material is constantly added and past students continue to have access to all material of the level in which they are qualified. Graduates of level one have access to monthly graduate classes to support continuing education, and a graduate forum to support beginning a practice as a professional astrologer. Lifetime access means for the life of our school.
Payment Details and Questions
Make sure to click on the +Payment Details link at the bottom of the Course 1 page. There are details of the methods of payment and other related financial details.
Is the 6- or 12-week program required for Course 1?
1. No. Neither program is required.
2. The 6-week course is designed to help you understand your own chart, while the 12-week course provides both a general introduction and an excellent primer for the year-long program.
3. If you have already studied Vedic Astrology through another source, have been reading books, or have an Āyurveda background, you should be well-prepared to join Course 1 directly.
4. If you have no background in Astrology or the Sanskrit sciences, either introductory class will be very supportive before starting Course 1. However, it is not required—you can still join and stay on track with a bit of extra study.
What if I am in Europe and the live classes are too late at night?
1. Yes- the standard class time unfortunately falls in the middle of the night for students in Europe.
2. All classes are posted online by the weekend after they are held. There are also classes from previous years (15–40 hours for each week in the archives), so you can always find a year you enjoy and follow along in several ways.
3. We ask that European students attend at least the first live introductory class—there will often be other European students you can connect with as study partners.
4. There are three intensives (Argala, Dasha, and the Practicum) in which classes run all day, making them accessible at reasonable times in Europe. These live intensives are very important for ensuring you develop practical application skills.
5. For Spanish speakers, the Spanish track is scheduled at a more convenient time.
How is SOL level 1 and 2 different than PJC
Freedom teaches both Science of Light (SOL) and the Parashara Jyotish Course (PJC).
These courses are not the same and have a very different structure. The Science of Light (SOL) Course is two one-year courses designed to lay a strong foundation in a step by step process. There is live interactive feedback for each individual student, with interactive competency exercises and testing. There is a large group of authorized tutors for those who need extra help. All topics in this tradition of Jyotish are covered in a general way to understand how these techniques work together to be able to properly read a chart. This course is intended to give the framework and skills for a student to become a practicing astrologer.
The Parashara Jyotish Course (PJC) is a five-year course that goes very deep into specific topics to create advanced understanding of techniques. For example, the saptāṁśa (D7) chart is covered in two pages in the Science of Light book, one hour in the audio material, and contrasted with multiple other divisional charts for the purpose of usability. In the PJC course, there is an entire 8 hour day devoted to the saptāṁśa, with multiple examples to help make the student mature their skills with this chart. Similarly, many topics are gone into deeper analysis than contained in the Science of Light Course. There is not direct feedback for each student, nor competency testing. The learning material moves quickly. Those who are not already well-studied practicing astrologers may find the PJC overwhelming or confusing and regularly drop out. Those who have completed Science of Light course experience the PJC as a culmination that deepens the system of astrology they have learned in a profound way. To get the best benefit from PJC, we recommend at least completing the first year of Science of Light, if not both years.
What if I am already well-known in professional practice ?
Because of the quality and integrity of this course, we regularly get Yoga studio owners, well-known Āyurveda teachers, people that are top of their field in other sciences, spiritual gurus, and well-known professional astrologers joining us. Occasionally, these people have requested to use pseudonyms in class to differentiate their public practice from their private studies and we respect that. The educational space holds a respectful space for whatever background an individual comes from and values that aspect of you. Whether you wish to share your background so others can appreciate it, or wish to use a pseudonym, we respect that choice. No advanced astrologer has ever not praised the course after joining.
Course 1 starts February-March: Syllabus is found on the Course page