Prasannan had a fascination for Astronomy from an early age, having built his own reflector telescope, and spent his teenage years studying the stars and planets. In high school, he was the president of the Astronomy and Photography Clubs. He always understood that what we see is only a tiny portion of the totality*.
At Easter, in 1987, he attended a retreat which resulted in a spiritual awakening, leading him to the awareness that he had always been on a spiritual path. As a result, he adopted a celibate (brahmacharya) lifestyle.
Having studied the teachings of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, Ramana Maharshi, and Swami Sivananda, he heard about Mata Amritanandamayi (Amma), and met her during her 1990 North American tour. At the time, he held a senior management position in corporate finance.
He had a natural motivation towards engaging in serving selflessly (Seva). The Sanskrit word "Seva" means helping others out of compassion, without a conscious thought of receiving personal benefit. Seva is understood to advance a person's spiritual growth and development.
Prasannan moved to Amritapuri, India in 1992; he sold his house in North Vancouver, and donated the proceeds to Amma. On arriving he was placed in charge of the computer room, and developed a new accounting system, training the brahmacharins (monks) in its use; at the same time a Jyotish software program was acquired, which Prasannan became responsible for. Thus began his practice of Jyotish, which continues to this day.
He travelled with Amma to Europe, Japan, Australia, and USA/Canada, providing Jyotish interpretations during her programs. At other times he conducted sessions in India, and organised Amma's foreign tours, as well as his own tours, raising funds for Amma charities.
After 19 years in India, he returned to Canada, establishing his independent Jyotish practice. After more than 2 decades of brahmacharya, he married Maya, the love of his life!
* According to modern Astronomers, only 5% of the universe is made up of normal matter; the other 95% is invisible, which is labelled: "dark matter" (27%), and "dark energy" (68%). Physicists claim we are not living in a universe, rather in a multiverse, meaning several universes superimposed upon each other. The only thing shared between these parallel universes is gravity.
The Vedic view is that All is Brahma, nothing is not Brahma, that everything, seen and unseen, is only Brahma. This is the Unbroken Whole, or Boundless Energy, which religions call by various names.
There is no separate "space," or separate "time," there is only "spacetime," illumined through Jyotish. Scientists postulate a multi-dimensional universe, filled with mysterious invisible matter and energy, in order to explain what IS, which, in the end, is unexplainable and experienced only in Liberation.