January is really an awkward time to welcome a new year; the Hindu panchangam has us beginning a new year (samvatsara) at various markings of the Sun entering Aries. Nonetheless, we begin a new month and there are matters we should be taking notice of, particularly some important transits which only occur every 18 months. At this time, Jupiter stations and then turns retrograde. There may be issues arising for one and all.
The Civil New Year
At the beginning of the New Year, the brightest star in the night sky ~ Sirius, the Dog Star ~ reaches its highest annual point overhead and beams down right through our crown chakras around midnight. At the same time, we are at perihelion, when the Earth is closer to the Sun than it will be all year long. In this yearly astronomical lineup, Sirius, the mystical Sun behind our Sun and our solar system's spiritual light bearer, now has an open channel through which to blast us with a new infusion of cosmic light. This explains the deeper esoteric reason for the civil New Year celebration around January 1, as it is a time of true spiritual rebirth. Make your affirmations at midnight on New Year's Eve while using this annual cosmic attunement to power your intentions.
See more: http://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/star-sirius-torchbearer-of-the-new-year
The Vedic Sky and Borders
One set of transits that mirrors the transitional energy of the end of the year can be seen in the current zodiacal movements of Jupiter and the lunar nodes Rahu and Ketu. Jupiter and the lunar nodes are now at the edges of their respective signs: Jupiter is at 29 degrees Leo, and Rahu, the Moon’s True North Node is at 0+ degrees Virgo; and the Moon’s True South Node Ketu is at 0+ degrees Pisces. The last or first degree of a sign is known as “sandhi” in Vedic astrology, and refers to a critical juncture, hinge or boundary between the signs.
Sandhi planets are considered weak and depleted in terms of what they can offer. Their energy is unclear or nebulous due to the intermingling of different energies between the two signs they span. Sometimes their effect feels like neither here nor there, similar to what we feel moving across the edge between the old and the new year. A sandhi+sandhi situation is also like a crevice where there is not a whole lot of action: we feel suspended in time and activity. Here, we need to fall back to our basic discipline, our basic grounding activity, to ensure that we are in control of ourselves and not clouded by the depleted energies. If you have a mantra, a meditation, a spiritual practice, it would be good to take this up whenever inaction overtakes. Grounding ourselves spiritually at this time, day by day, will lay a good foundation for what is to come.
On the other hand, the beauty of sandhi planets is that they can open us up to other realms and alternate viewpoints when we are willing to ride the waves of uncertainty that they can represent. One example that is often given for understanding this potential refers us to the liminal (sandhi) times of day ~ dawn and dusk ~ when the veil between the worlds is lifted and we can access more “spiritual” power, perhaps, the inner resonances of the 5th Dimension - sometimes called The Golden Age. It is all up to you, the Cosmic Hierarchy repeatedly tell, "everything in human life is a choice".
Peyarchi: Transit of Nodes,
Jupiter and Rahu join
Jupiter Retrograde
Rahu and Ketu are always moving "backwards" what is called retrograde. Rahu will join Jupiter in Leo on January 6, and Jupiter will turn retrograde at that time. We will have two retrograde planets in Leo and the period of retrograde will last until Jupiter goes direct, on 20th March.
When Jupiter conjunct Rahu share a sign, this pair will have a very strong influence on four houses -- one third of the total real estate of the zodiac. They have so much influence because both Jupiter and Rahu cast 5-7-9 aspects, drishti. For example, if Jupiter conjunct Rahu occupy the 8th house, they would both cast aspect or drishti upon houses 12, 2, and 4. More importantly, Rahu amplifies both His lord, and any co-tenants. Rahu will amplify and expand Jupiter. Jupiter is by nature the planet of wisdom and expansion. So, there is a lot of expansion, optimism and Sun-driven expansion; in this expansion there is a need to manage the ego.
The diabetic patients or those with liver disorders are likely to have more problems up to end of March, 2016. This time will also be filled with worries about male children, difficulty for teachers, legal advisors, astrologers and religious leaders. The situation becomes more difficult for those who have Jupiter weak and afflicted in their birth charts.
These areas are highlighted for several reasons: Jupiter in astrology represents wisdom, morals, beliefs, finances, children, fortune, long distant travels, higher education, benevolence, protection, advisors, spiritual preceptors, compassion, generosity and speech. Rahu, on the other hand, represents desire and getting to the goals by any means available, preferably by distracting others from what is right and proper, and using smoke and mirrors to display a pristine pure countenance.
Another issue with Jupiter conjunct Rahu, is that of integrity. Jupiter is guru of higher knowledge, para vidya. Jupiter the the preceptor, a proper guru and hence, engages in dharmasamstaphana, the restoration of dharma on a firm footing. Rahu hates to follow dharma, and will avoid right conduct any-which-way, come what may. This is a time when there will be internal tensions to take shortcuts, to lose patience and misguide others pleading expediency, the demands of the moment, like this. Once we let go of our basic discipline, our basic foundation of spirituality, we begin to ignore the voice of conscience, the buddhi, the intellect within, which is nearest the atma (soul) and derives over 80% of its light from the soul. Big problem, ignoring or rushing past the intellect, which Rahu will push and shove like billyo, all the time during its conjunction with Jupiter. So you can see that integrity will be a key issue with Rahu's conjunction with Jupiter.
This combination is called Guru Chandala Yoga which is said to point toward corruption, self-indulgence, and misguided spirituality. As we began earlier in this message, if you have a inner spiritual practice now, then multiply it, do not give it up for expediency nor the bum's rush coming from Rahu. We live in time and space.
The Cosmic Hierarchy - through the light-beings we know as Cosmic Sai Baba, Jalarm and Alcheringa have also shared with us that time is speeding up. This is because of the return to the 5th Dimension, what is sometimes called the " inbreaking of the Golden Age". As other spiritual teachers have shared, carbon dating is not an accurate measure of time past, for time was of a different vibration in millennia past, and it was marked differently, what we might call faster or slower. So our marking of history according to some current measures, is somewhat awkward. However, the Hierarchy recently shared that if we ask for time to slow down, we will be given this gift of time to use profitably. We may take time.
This entrance to 2016 and the retrograde of Jupiter and Rahu may present personal challenges during a time of disturbance on Earth. There is great opportunity to contribute to human transformation - nay - transformation of all life on Earth.
We may take time, do not haste, waste, worry, remember our true nature as a Soul forever in contact with Source, and calmly examine the situation within, without, and discriminate right from wrong. Recall that the planets are all expressions, manifestations of the Source, and may raise us up, they may pull us down. It is up to us - we always have a choice - to use the planets for our betterment, whatever the situation we find ourselves in. This entrance into 2016 is an opportunity to maintain our self-awareness, take our own time and consider each activity we engage carefully, and proceed with slow deliberation rather than haste.
Grand Prize and Nature Winner. Photo and caption James Smart / National Geographic 2015 Photo Contest. “DIRT” Jaw-dropping, rare anti-cyclonic tornado tracks in open farm land narrowly missing a home near Simla, Colorado. Image copyright National Geographic.
The tornado with dirt may signify Rahu - who is desire, who is intemperate action, unwise choices surging across the smooth plain of our lives. While there are storm-clouds above, there can be a strong foundation of serenity and peace, which Jupiter offers foundation therefore.
