Abhijita Kulshreshtha solves problems, saves lives and wows with her magnetic mysticism

This story is a part of Mia Women Series, sponsored by Tanishq, where we showcase bold, beautiful and colorful stories of inspiring women. (HerStory exercises full editorial control over all the posts.) 

Abhijita Kulshreshtha, director and senior Astro-Gemologist at GemStoneUniverse is a phenomenal woman. From an ethereal childhood to a diverse platitudes of careers, she has finally found her calling in astrology and gem therapy.

An accomplished scholar and a certified NLP Practitioner, the soft spoken Abhijita merges her knowledge of stars, planets, gems and the intrinsic nature of the person to derive a solution that is uniquely suited to the individual.

She has had a long stint as a writer and has worked with some big names in the media industry like Bennett & Coleman, R K Swamy BBDO and MICA. She is also a certified AJP by GIA and a PGA (Planetary Gemologists Association, Thailand) certified planetary gem advisor.

Her life, journey and wisdom are a treasure trove of advice on how to champion the art of being human. Her story, in her words:

I grew up in the hills. It was wild. In the winter vacations, all the other children would go off to visit their grandparents in the warmer places. Kasauli is a very cold place. I would be left to my own machinations. No neighbours, no friends, just lots of wilderness around. Kasauli being such a small place, especially way back then, was barely a few houses strung together and called a town. I would roam around in the jungles all day, eating wild berries and just being crazy in general. Today if you tell me to do that, I would be too scared of snakes and what not among the wild. But I lived in a different world back then.

I moved to Chandigarh for higher studies and did my masters in Mass Communication from Punjab University. From there I was recruited as a journalist. I was young, idealistic and wanted to change the world.

Around that time the sleepy hills of Kasauli were shaken with a particularly jolting crime. By default, I was the only correspondent posted there (even though my job had not even officially begun). My editor would not take no for an answer and cajoled me into covering the story. It made the front page. Thus my journalism career began with a bang, but ended just as abruptly.

In colleges we are fed all this fairy-tale about what a noble profession it is and how we are the watchdogs of society and gatekeepers of democracy. I would not have been so keenly disappointed had education prepared me for the realities of life rather than spinning my fantasies further.

I am a very learning oriented person. I thrive in an academic environment. So I joined MICA and assisted the professor in communications research. I would liaise with academics from all over India, travel and be exposed to path breaking ideas from the brightest minds in the country. Eventually I also started taking classes.

It was intimidating because I was twenty four and the oldest student in my class was twenty eight. But putting yourself in challenging situations is the one true way to grow.

I will always cherish my time at MICA, but it was time to move on. I got married and moved to Bangalore to embark on a new life here. It was a love marriage. But for me what makes a marriage rock solid is respect. It is a partnership between equals and unless you can truly respect your partner for the human being he is and all that he stands for, however you much you love him will not make a difference.

My son was born within a year of marriage. I stopped working full time for a while because being a new mother is no joke. I kept on writing for magazines, freelancing, publishing in international peer reviewed journals and copy writing. I am thankful for that period because it allowed me to explore a bunch of different options and I realize that writing is a true passion that I have harboured from my journalism days to now my full-fledged astrology career. It allowed me to explore a bunch of different options and I realize that writing is a true passion that I have harboured from my journalism days to now my full-fledged astrology career. My intention is to write a book someday. Though life keeps me busy, I will do it one day.

I had always been fascinated by the field of neuro linguistic programming. It is a science but it involves every facet of art and communication and is a window into the complex being that a human is.

I started my studies in NLP once I got the hang of motherhood and immensely enjoyed cultivating that knowledge. Now I am looking to begin my master’s credits in NLP, but once again that too will have to wait. For now, I have found my calling in astrology.

When I first started my astrology consultation on a lark, I saw change happen with the very first person who came to my door. With astrology I make a meaningful difference to people’s lives, one individual at a time. It sounds less glamorous but is infinitely more satisfying and enriching. Clients come to me distress and ravaged and leave as completely different persons. To witness such miracles up close is why I love doing what I do. Changing the world is just as important when you do it one person at a time.

Astrology is not a superstition but a finely honed and complex science that holds the powers of the universe at its disposal. My guru said,

Astrologers may not always be right. But astrology always is.

If I encounter a client who is sceptical or someone who doesn’t believe in it but are here only because they have been forced to come, I do not take them on. I am not here to pander to the client’s demands. I am here only to serve the ‘Vidya’ of astrology. This is sacred to me and I will not lower it by trying to sell it to someone who clearly does not believe in it.

Astrological and planetary gem therapy solutions are part of our vast ancient Indian wisdom that has been passed on from our ancients through the Vedas but lost in the fabric of time and the age of modern consumerism. Rubies, emeralds and sapphires are known as the big three of the gem world.

Ruby is the gem of the sun, a very good gem for professions that involve a position of high authority. It is also a good gem for doctors and corporate leaders. Emeralds are suited to individuals with creative and artistic expression. Yellow sapphire is the gem of Jupiter and is also my personal favourite as it was the first gem I wore.

What makes you who you are is what matters the most. I dress for myself, anything that makes me feel good. In terms of elegance nothing compares to a saree. But for comfort, there is nothing like a good fitting pair of jeans and shirt. Classic and casual. A lot of people associate your spirituality with how you project your exterior. Especially in my profession if I dress to break stereotypes it causes confusion. But what matters is what is in your DNA, your essential fabric.

I believe astrology has the power to transform lives. In the course of my work, I see people at various stages of their lives. I see their happiness and their regrets. There are some things I have learnt from their mistakes.

Never sell yourself to a notion. Never sell yourself to a relationship. You have to be true to yourself. You have to keep a piece of yourself sacred and worship it every single day. That core should be powerful, strong and solid.

Whether a relationship is working or not, that core should be untouched. Do this and it will be the source of your strength. But you have to nurture it. Keep your spine straight, stand on your own two feet and be ever so comfortable with yourself.

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