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The Celestial Wheel World societal, economic and political forecasting since 2002
An In-depth Forecast
April 8, 2007
Doug Riemer Back To: Celestial Wheel Archives |
#69
A Springtime Tempest
Part 1
April 8, 2007
Introduction
This Part 1 of A Springtime Tempest describes the planetary karmas involved with the upcoming Mars/Rahu conjunction, April 20-25. Please read through this narrative in an easy way, for the intention is to give readers an overall understanding of the planetary energies, not to make this a study in Vedic Astrology.
Part 2 will discuss the conjunction's impacts upon the World Transit Chart, charts of nations and leaders and your own personal experiences.
The conjunction is disturbing because this combination stimulates exceptionally dangerous planetary karma during an obviously delicate interval for the U.S. and the world. (See the chart in the next section.) Taking together the Mideast Culmination, the Bush administration's misuse of power coming back to haunt it and the economy teetering, any significant Mars/Rahu shock can have significant consequences.
To illustrate the nature of this conjunction, these planets last conjoined July 7, 2005, when the London terrorist bombing occurred. {Ref: June 5, 2005 In-depth Forecast #63, Mars' Summer & Fall Of Discontent.)
Research and composition for this forecast has been underway for weeks, but predictive insights have been elusive. While this sometimes occurs, the process has been more difficult since Mars first transited into Aquarius with Rahu March 29 -- because this combination naturally unsettles the mind. Still, there's a nagging disruptive disquiet that cannot be fully accounted for by these transiting planets' dispositions and the astrologer's own chart. In discussions with others, a common thread emerges that everyone is upset, or off balance, in one way or the other.
This view, being an application of collective consciousness, suggests this astrologer's concern is valid. Still, it's vital to not overreact and just read the charts. Let's see what is unveiled. Being forewarned is forearmed.
The 2007 Mars/Rahu Conjunction
Mars, the planet of destruction conflict, athletics, desire and courage, comes together with Rahu, the worldly cravings and desire eclipse point, on or about April 20 -- 25.
The Mars/Rahu combination brings multiple significations. Although other planetary combinations naturally do this as well, Mars/Rahu effects are striking. Following are five primary effects:
Rahu's intensifying influence upon Mars stimulates overwhelming desire, which manifests in conquering rivals, including Mars' sports. Bicyclist Lance Armstrong and the great basketball player, Michael Jordan, are classic examples of having this combination in their birth charts. Their achievements are unequaled, for each prevailed over all the talent on the globe.
Yet, Mars is also the most dangerous malefic, being the planet of war. Combined with Rahu, with its serpent bite symbolism, this planetary duo stimulates attacks, accidents and infections. Armstrong had testicular cancer and Jordan suffered his father's murder.
As Mars is impulse, and Rahu the unexpected, events are unexpected and uncontrollable.
Mars/Rahu also brings a psychological malady, stimulating both outer courage and inner fear. Intensifying Rahu naturally elevates Mars' courage. Concurrently, Rahu as an eclipse point, throws a fearful shadow on Mars.
Another quality evidencing from this psychology is fury when blocked, for the desire nature floods consciousness, excluding all reason and detachment. This can result in eruptions of violence.
These key words for major Mars/Rahu qualities are listed to better enable readers' grasp of this potent combination.
conquering rivals attacks, accidents and infections events are unexpected and uncontrollable outer courage and inner fear fury when blocked eruptions of violence |
A weather analogy, that of a tornado, engenders the Mars/Rahu nature: A rotating column of air ranging in width from a few yards to more than a mile and whirling at destructively high speeds.
Another factor is important in understanding this conjunction. Mars circles the zodiac in forward motion every two years, and Rahu moves very slowly backwards. Thereby, they conjoin (every 20 months) in a head-on collision, further aggravating their harms.
Finally, we can gain further information about this conjunction by considering the Lunar Nakshatras* in which the conjunction occurs. Mars is already in Shatabbhisha, and will continue there until just before it reaches Rahu. Rahu stays in Purva Bhadrapada during the entire interval. For brevity, here's a snapshot of these Nakshatra's meanings:
| Shatabhisha literally means “hundred stars,” giving persons with this lunar mansion a regal quality, and all powerful vital force and the courage for victory. It also means he “veiling star,” indicating certain aspects of the self are often kept hidden from view. Yet, the blossoming of inner potential through arousal of the kundalini force via opening the crown Chakra is also given. Shatabhisha indicates a healing crisis that revitalizes. Professions include dealings with the sky like astronomers and aircraft industry workers; people connected with advanced forms of energy like electricity and nuclear scientists; those involved with advanced treatment of difficult to cure diseases; hunters and others who use traps to catch prey. |
| Purva Bhadrapada is associated with fire, heat and combustion, relating to its symbol, the front of the funeral cot and its deity, Rudra the storm god of destruction and dissolution. The man with two faces is the other meaning of the funeral cot, sometimes indicating facing this world and the next. Yet, this can also simply indicate there is another side to the person, which is rarely shown. Purva Bhadrapada has a fascination with the darker side of life, including life after death. Ascetics, who deny themselves worldly pleasures in their quest for the non-attachment leading to enlightenment, are often born under this Nakshatra. Yet, there’s a universal view for goals uplifting humanity, originality in thought and an independent nature. Passion and impetuousness are hallmarks, and searing pains, falls and accidents are given. |
(*The Moon circles the earth every 27 days, and it is the primary planet in Vedic Astrology, symbolizing both perception and the benefits in life. These 27 lunar days are called Lunar Mansions, or, in Sanskrit, Lunar Nakshatras. They are unique to India's astrology. As Nakshatra means, that which does not decay, the word refers to individual stars or star clusters, which do not move from the vantage point of the earth. The star specificity of the Nakshatras gives specific information from deep in the cosmos. The placement of planets in the Nakshatras thereby often reveals unique information.)
As mentioned above, the last such conjunction was July 7, 2005, when the London terrorist bombing occurred. At that time, devout Jupiter was also involved, which brought that religious-inspired violence.
This 2007 conjunction of Mars/Rahu does not include Jupiter's religiosity. This year, Saturn, the planet of death, loss and suffering is the operative planetary complement.
| This World Transit Chart for April 24 shows
Mars/Rahu very close together -- and the all-important Moon conjunct Saturn on Tuesday, Mars' day of the week. It is thereby the most sensitive of the six days from April 20 through 25 Notice also the Mars/Rahu aspect (glance) to Ketu -- the otherworldly and dissolving tail-of-the-dragon eclipse point. Because Rahu and Ketu are always opposite each other, Mars/Rahu conjunctions also throw a destructive aspect upon Ketu -- bringing further harmful planetary karma. Jupiter, the great benefic, can't express itself well because Jupiter went retrograde April 6 and continues in this latent condition until early August. Thereby, Jupiter's aspects to Venus and Saturn provide little protection. |
World Transits April 24, 2007 |
As stated above, Saturn is the third player in this dicey game -- for four malevolent reasons. First, Mars/Rahu are in Aquarius, ruled by Saturn. Operating in this Saturn sign exacerbates Mars/Rahu harms.
Second, Saturn will end its retrograde April 20, at which time it will become tremendously powerful as Saturn brakes to a stop and begins forward motion. As Saturn accelerates very gradually, it will remain powerfully stationary through the entire Mars/Rahu conjunction -- April 20 -- 25. The March 8 Celestial Wheel explained that ... when Saturn turns forward April 20, it will push this debris pile forward and also pick up any dirt it missed previously -- combing the floor to catch every bit of karmic rubble, including secrets previously swept under the rug. This, then, is how the old broom sweeps clean.
Third, Saturn is transiting the terrible Lunar Nakshatra of Ashlesha, which brought Gandhi's assassination and Muhammad Ali's Parkinson's Disease. There's also been a notable spike in cancers and people passing -- both related to Ashlesha's energy. If readers need a refresher on Saturn in Ashlesha, this was detailed in the February 5 Celestial Wheel.
Fourth, this will be Saturn's finale in Cancer, and Saturn always waits until the very end of its transit to do its worst. This was also discussed in detail in the March 8 Celestial Wheel. Again, there's the old broom sweeps clean quality.
Saturn's connection to Mars/Rahu and its powerfully difficult disposition in Cancer in Ashlesha combine to make this Mars/Rahu conjunction truly virulent. Basically, whatever harms Mars/Rahu brings, Saturn will accentuate with loss, misfortune and suffering.
A final measure of the Mars/Rahu conjunction is that all four malefic planets are involved: Mars, Rahu, Ketu and Saturn.
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And Ketu The Moon's Nodes
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Rahu, and its companion Ketu are unique planets to Vedic Astrology. These hard to understand Eastern symbols are basically intensifying influences. Malefics Rahu and Ketu, are the Moon's Nodes, the astronomical points calculated to pinpoint eclipses. As they block the light, Rahu and Ketu are called the shadow planets -- in Sanskrit the exotic sounding Chaya Grahas. That they normally move backward, called retrograde, is indicative of the Nodes' unique natures. A rich mythology underlies all of Vedic Astrology, describing the deep meanings behind complex Eastern symbolism. This ancient story tells how Rahu and Ketu became the shadow planets. Lord Vishnu, the creator and preserver, gathered the planetary gods together and offered them a vial of Amrita so they could live forever in the solar system. Lord Vishnu then left the room, and a shadow serpent crept in to drink from the vial. Alerted by the Sun and the Moon, Lord Vishnu quickly returned and cut the demon in two, but too late to deny the two pieces, Rahu the head and Ketu the tail, immortality. The shadow planets thus joined the solar system as great enemies of the Luminaries. Rahu and Ketu powerfully swallow -up the Sun and Moon in eclipses. Then the stars can be seen, revealing deep knowledge from the dawning of time.
Ketu, the mystical brainless bottom half, intensifies by dissolving materiality into spirit, creating insight and perception. Ketu is unconscious desires, and while it is a superlative mystical influence, its otherworldly energies can also bring the most devious and weird effects into the real world. Ketu is the past. |
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