Vedic Astrology & Indian Music
Nāda Nakṣatra Upāsana:
Nāda Nakṣatra Upāsana,is a practice that links Vedic Astrology and Indian Music. It arises from the Temples of Tamil Nadu in South India.
Nāda = Sound
Nakṣatra = Constellation
Upāsana = Practice
Each of the 27 nakṣatras or lunar constellations are aligned with an Indian rāga, a scale or a song that creates a specific emotional response in the listener. You can work the song or scale that is best suited for you based on your natal birth chart.
The Sufi mystic Hazrat Inayat Khan used this upāya, as did Rukmini Devi from Kalakshetra School in Madras, Tamil Nadu.
Sarod maestro K. Sridhar has been sharing this technique with Allison since 2010. He descends from 14 generations of temple musicians and 20 generations of Jyotiși's . His mother was a famous Brahmin singer in the temples and Sridhar's lineage is the Brīhadīśvara Temple of Thanjur, connected to Mannargudi Raja Gopala Śastri and Tyagaraja, the Father of Carnatic Music. Sridhar learned directly from the Senior Dagar Brothers, Ali Akbar Khan, and Ravi Shankar.
Aligning emotions with sound
How does Nāda Nakșatra Upāsana work?
Listening to music and singing are easy and accessible ways to uplift our mood, honor our felt experience, and give voice to our emotional life. In your private sessions you will learn the rāga (a scale) connected to the star the moon was in when you were born. This is an ancient Vedic upaya (remedy) that astrologers, musicians, dancers, and shamans have used as a way to help someone feel more aligned and in tune with Reality.
Private sessions will focus on sound practices with your birth chart as a guidepost. Group classes will teach you the practices.
What singing can do for your wellbeing:
- increased focus and attention
- mood regulation
- decreased effects of anxiety and depression
- increased levels of serotonin, dopamine, and GABA in the brain
- stimulates the vagus nerve and activates the parasympathetic nervous system functions of rest and digest
- social cohesion and strengthening of community
- aid in our ability to overcome emotional challenges
Working with the rāga as a mantra of non syllabic vibration can be a powerful tool for calming the mind and easing worry, doubt, and frustration. If you've already worked with Allison on your moon's raga for at least one year we can begin to work with other rāgas connected to other planetary positions in your birth chart.
2026 Schedule: Finalized dates and times TBA
Tentative Dates: January 2 - April 1, 2026
I'd love to have our practice classes on the 15th tithi, the actual day of the new and full moon. This means we would meet relative to the Lunar cycle which is changeful instead of the Solar calendar which is straight-forward.
In addition to live classes and pre recorded material, you have 4 hours with me privately and ongoing access in WhatsApp to send voice memos for building your practice with your rāga.
Proposed practice class schedule is on the day of the Full and New Moon:
Class 1: Jan 2, 5pm ET Friday - Full Moon in Ārdrā
Class 2: Jan 18, 10am ET Sunday - New Moon in Uttarā Aṣāḍhā
Class 3: Feb 1, 10am ET Sunday - Full Moon in Āśleṣā
Class 4: Feb 16, 5pm ET Monday - New Moon Solar Eclipse in Dhaniṣṭha
Class 5: March 3, 12pm ET, Tuesday - Full Moon Lunar Eclipse in Pūrvā Phalgunī
Class 6: March 18, 12pm ET, Wednesday - New Moon Uttarā Bhādrapadā
Class 7: April 1, 12pm ET, Wednesday - Full Moon Hasta
In the live classes we will work with the rāgas for each of the above mentioned Nakṣatras.
Those classes are 30 minutes in length and include practice only.
Allison is happy to stick around after class to answer questions, so class time can be significantly longer depending on how long Q&A takes. You can submit questions by email or WhatsApp if unable to attend the live classes. Classes will be posted on Teachable.
Lecture classes and Q&A:
In addition to the 30 minute live practice classes there are videos in the Teachable portal with an assigned schedule for viewing. You may watch them ahead of time, but once the schedule is announced, try to watch one hour a week for the first 5 weeks of the year.
Assigned videos are about 5 hours total of classes to watch in January - February but you'll have access to almost 30 hours of content should you want to explore deeper.