2016 Rahu-Ketu Eclipse Report for the 12 Vedic Rising Signs What you need to know about the lunar nodes! Why Vedic Astrology ? Do you sometimes feel like you’re being tossed about by the whims of the universe with no control? Do you get confused about the seemingly out-of-nowhere shifts and changes that happen in your life? Are you a deeply sensitive and intuitive person, who feels affected cycles of the moon, the seasons, and the planets? Do you sometimes feel stuck in understanding your own emotional currents and those of the greater world around you? Do you want to examine your own shadows in order to dissolve them and achieve a thriving existence, but have not known where to begin? Do you feel fear holding you back from letting go and reaching your full potential? Vedic Astrology can help you to turbo boost your process of self inquiry and spiritual development. This ancient science is tried-and-true, utilized Vedic Astrology can help you to even by saints and sages for thousands of years turbo boost your process of self to gain more insight into existence. inquiry and spiritual development. Called “Jyotisha” in sanskrit (the “science of light”), this knowledge will help to illuminate This ancient science is tried- your understanding of both the spiritual and and-true, utilized even by material worlds. saints and sages for thousands of years to gain more insight The light of Jyotisha is especially indispensable into existence. around eclipse times, when shadows are appearing and a bright light is needed to help us Called “Jyotisha” in sanskrit to see through them. (the “science of light”), this knowledge will help to Where a light shines, the shadows disappear! illuminate your understanding of both the spiritual and material worlds. The light of Jyotisha is especially indispensable around eclipse times, when shadows are appearing a bright light is needed to help us to see through them. Where the light shines, the shadows disappear. Who Are Rahu and Ketu? Rahu and Ketu are the Vedic names for the grahas (literally, “the grabbers,” or planetary energies), known as the ascending and descending nodes of the Moon in western astronomy (north and south nodes in western astrology). The lunar nodes are physical points in the sky that align with Sun, Moon and Earth when we experience eclipses. The energy of these “shadow planets” grabs our subconscious and drives us hard in one direction, often unknowingly. That direction is determined both by their position at the time of your birth, and the area of the sky in which they presently reside. Mythology of Rahu and Ketu In Vedic mythology, Rahu and Ketu were once a single being called an asura, or demon, who wanted to drink some of the amrit (immortality nectar) released by the churning of the milk ocean. Though the devas (Gods) and the asuras had worked together in churning the ocean, Lord Vishnu avoided distributing the amrit to any of the demons, lest they become immortal too. The shrewd asura (Svarbhanu) noticed this and disguised himself as a deva in order to sneak some. The Sun and Moon observed the ploy and ran to tell Vishnu, who in turn severed the demon’s head with his discus, but not before Svarbhanu had sipped a drop of the holy nectar. He therefore attained immortality in the heavens, and took his seat in two places--as Rahu, the demon’s head, and Ketu, his headless body. Seeking revenge after being ratted out by Sun and Moon, Rahu and Ketu endlessly chase them around the heavens, trying to block out their light. They succeed at this only for a few moments each year, which is when we experience the solar and lunar eclipses. Energy of the Nodes: Rahu Rahu is a head without a body that can never be satisfied by ingesting through the senses. Rahu pushes us compulsively, almost obsessively, to have experiences in the area of life where he lies (relating to both sign and house energy). Where he sits in the birthchart is the area of life where we have the least wisdom and will be zealously driven to learn and experience throughout life. Rahu can bring stress, fear, obsession, lust, greed, addiction, and deception, as well as sudden change, esoteric knowledge, and innovation. Rahu is the node of the future and where we are going. He is the burning desire that keeps us in this world. He gives us the energy of an immature child with insatiable desire for something, but through practice and self-knowledge we can grow greatly, studying this tendency to become free from its grips. Ketu Ketu is the body without a head who experiences sensations without knowing from where they arise. Ketu lies in a place where we have innate wisdom, psychic ability, and spiritual awareness, yet hold everything to a high perfectionist standard that can seemingly never be reached. He is the node of the past and from where we are coming, which can bring a strong critical tendency and a “been-there, done-that” attitude. This often creates a strong desire to avoid the karma of wherever he lies or transits in our chart, but it is karma that still must be completed. Ketu can bring doubt, criticism, aversion, stubbornness, separation, accidents, fear, and destruction. It is necessary to look at our most deeply ingrained belief systems, where we think we already know something, and open up to new possibilities beyond that. If we do so and break free of old patterns to complete our karma, we can attain much spiritual growth and wisdom. Both nodes can cause fear They are often depicted and confusion because of with the head and the tail their unseeable shadowy of a snake, and are related nature, and because they to the dormant kundalini usually operate on a energy that lies within, subconscious level. waiting to awaken. They also bring a great The influence of Rahu and opportunity for spiritual Ketu can feel like an growth when we apply the awakening of light of consciousness, self- consciousness as we inquiry and awareness to become aware of our emotional and previously latent drives psychological patterns. and urges. Where are they now…? Leo-Aquarius Rahu and Ketu recently transited into sidereal Leo and Aquarius, respectively, on January 29th, 2016. They will traverse this sign for the next year-and-a-half, through August of 2017. You will feel the effects personally in different areas of life depending on your Vedic rising sign and what houses these are for you. What does this mean for you? Power vs. Service Collectively, Rahu’s lust will draw us towards the With Ketu in Aquarius we may feel some energy of Leo during this transit--exploring aversion to acts of universal service. The themes of personal power, duty, responsibility, humility of Aquarius could be corrupted by the leadership, and soul connection. This is arrogance that Ketu can bring, believing amplified by the presence of Jupiter, also in Leo strongly that he has already conquered the until August. Left unchecked, this could result in quest for wisdom. We may doubt our a quest for greed and dominance, dogmatic commitment to service, or face self-criticism belief crusades, and lots of power struggles. about it. We may feel called to draw in our (This is clearly demonstrated by the polarized power in areas where we feel we have over- campaigning of this election year!) As the given or neglected self-care in the past. It is shadows come to light, we will be able to see time to clear any old karma especially if we anywhere we are a bit power-hungry or discover that we are holding onto resentment. dogmatic. Now is the time to explore your shadows. What You Can Do Through rigorous self-study around the dichotomy of Leo and Aquarius, we can inquire within and explore how to create a balance between self love and universal love. Both are necessary for a truly peaceful and loving existence. We have the chance to explore what it means to be loving and responsible with our power, while upholding a practice of universal love and service that is not self- negating. Everyone will experience this energy on subtle levels in different areas of life depending on your Vedic birth chart. Book a Personal Reading to See Your Karma! When to Watch Out Around the eclipses, these shadows become visible, literally, as we see shadows fall across the Sun and the Moon. The personal shadows of our subconscious come to light at this time, as well as the potentially disruptive or transformative energy of the nodes. This energy can feel “insane” as it departs from the regular conscious energy patterns we experience. We usually start feeling this eclipse energy for a couple of weeks leading up to the first eclipse (they come in pairs), and then things tend to settle down more after the second (this window is “the eclipse cycle”). Be especially aware at these times, and observe diligent self-inquiry and a dedicated sadhana (spiritual practice -- meditation, mantra, prayer, etc.). This will help you to bring to light and clear any subconscious beliefs and patterns that are keeping you from living to your highest potential. Eclipse Dates to Remember: March 8th, 2016, 6:00 pm PST, Total Solar Eclipse Visible from South/East Asia, North/West Australia, Pacific, Indian Ocean March 23rd, 2016, 4:47 am PST, Penumbral Lunar Eclipse Visible from India, Asia, Australia, Pacific, North America, most of South America, Pacific, Arctic, Antarctica September 1st, 2016, 2:01 am PST, Annular Solar Eclipse Visible from most of Africa, the southern Atlantic, Indian Ocean, western Australia September 16th, 2016, 11:54 am PST, Penumbral Lunar Eclipse Visible from Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, western Brazil and Greenland, Pacific, Atlantic, Indian Ocean, Arctic, Antarctica February 10th, 2017, 4:43 pm PST, Penumbral Lunar Eclipse Visible from North & South America, Europe, Africa, most of Asia, Atlantic, Arctic, Antarctica February 26th, 2017, Annular Solar Eclipse Visible from much of South America & Africa, southern Atlantic & Pacific, Antarctica What Each Vedic Rising Sign Can Expect: Aries Rahu and Ketu are now transiting your 5th and 11th houses.