According to Vedic wisdom, there are four distinct kinds of karma.  All of them can be changed except one: the position of the planets at the time of our birth. This planetary blueprint is with us for life. Yet even this karmic pattern can be affected. There are mantras which work with the vibrations of the planets and the effect they have upon us. These mantras can soften the effects of those vibrations by changing the way they interact with our own vibrations.

 
American Swami Donald Waters, also known as Swami Kriyananda, has been quoted as saying that it can be our karma to fall down a flight of stairs and break a leg. Yet, he says, we can change the way we receive that vibration through spiritual discipline so that when that moment arrives, we only stub a toe.  Planetary mantras are used to soften the effects of planetary karma.

Western Astrology is a solar-based system that charts the relationships of the planets to one another at the time of our birth. This planetary configuration becomes our astrological DNA, if you will. All subsequent alignments and angles that progress through our lifetime are measured against the initial position of the planets at our birth.

The Eastern system charts our astrological DNA using a lunar-centered system. The Indian system, called Vedic Astrology or Jyotish, is thousands of years old. Today many Westerners are studying the ancient Vedic Astrological methods.

Ultimately, it does not matter which method one uses.  What matters most is what you do with the information that is provided. With regard to mantra, the Eastern method has long-standing and built in superiority because it is a proactive mechanism. While the Western model will make certain predictions and provide reliable analysis of tendencies of potential events and circumstances, there is no remedy provided for mitigation of events or circumstance.  In the East, there are plenty of tools for mitigation. Most of them are mantras.

Since 1973, I have used a variety of Planetary Mantras as tools of mitigation for potential conditions and manifested circumstances in my life. The results have been nothing short of spectacular, even though my mantra practices were based upon the Western, Sun-centered model. Thus, I can recommend mantras to relieve astrological tensions and potentialities because they have worked for me.

There are a couple of ways one may approach using mantra for this purpose. First, have your astrological horoscope cast according to the method of your choice, then start to work with mantra for difficult alignments or "periods" that exist in your natal chart.  Additionally, one may decide to do a planetary puja or have one done for you.

One can perform a puja that heightens the positive aspects of the planets and softens the more difficult alignments.  Usually a planetary puja will consist of a collection of 108 names or powers of each of the planets commonly propitiated in planetary pujas.  If you are doing your own puja,Volume II of The Ancient Power of Sanskrit Mantra And Ceremony contains 108 mantras for each of the planets.  Volume III has a puja template you can follow or modify.