Vedic Astrology differs from the popular western sun-sign astrology in that it not only has more to offer, but also shadow planets, known as Ketu and Rahu. These shadow planets are significators of what we cannot see within, but which emerges sporadically, that which is called the shadow self. When shadow planets change signs, the shadow self is evoked.
The shadow planets of Vedic Astrology – called Rahu and Ketu, represent the head and body of a demon from legendary times when beings lived in higher dimensions and the gods were known to freely interact with humans. There was the churning of the ocean; the precious gifts emerged, such as the wish-fulfiling-cow and the nectar of immortality. The demons obtained this nectar by trickery and the Creator God took an enchanting form and doled out the nectar to those who expected it. Even here, the shadow self emerged and the demons were fooled, all but one, Swarbharnu, who changed lines and managed to sip the nectar before he was decapitated and sent spinning into the ethers forever separated, head from body.
Now, this separated head and body – these are shadow planets of Vedic Astrology, and go by names of Rahu and Ketu. Rahu is the name for the head – the North Node of the Moon – and ever seeks to fulfil desire by any means, including fraud and outright trickery. Ketu is the name given to the headless body, and is known as the South Node of the Moon. Ketu is also known as moksha-karaka, the giver of liberation or moksha from the eternal round of birth-death-rebirth.
In Vedic Astrology, Rahu and Ketu have important functions with respect to maya, the veil of illusion, and karma, the repository of actions done in the past. We are all born with Maya, illusion. We cannot see our true selves, we do not know what actions we undertook in the past and how we came to be born again. Ketu is thought of as the karmic repository, the cauldron of selected past karma we have chosen to consume and expire in this life. Rahu is the principle of desire, action-reaction which causes karma to be delivered, right on time, according to the schedule.
Karma is of many kinds, and has several kinds of “density” as it were. For our discussion today, we will speak of fixed, mutable and movable karmas. Fixed karmas are those events which are consequences of past actions of ours that we will experience in this life. Mutable karma can often be ameliorated by wearing of certain gems in special places on the body, and offering of prayers and sacred offerings to the planets. Movable karma can be spent or reduced by way of penance, prayer, puja, offering and most especially, selfless service to any other life form in need of alms, aid, food or clothing.
In this area of past karmas, the shadow planets Rahu and Ketu get busy. They may bring rewards of past good actions – some placements of Rahu and Ketu are brilliant for this. They may may give a certain wash of temperament of character to an entire lifetime by way of the Rahu-Ketu axis in the birth chart. These planets may also have effect when Karla sarpa yoga is present in the birth chart – that is to say, all the planets are located between the positions of Rahu and Ketu. Therein emerges captivity to the shadow self of the past. That is the duty of the planets.
Transits
Another time, another place where the influence of the shadow planets is felt is during transits, that is to say, the movement of the shadow planets from one sign to another. And one such transit is occurring at present and will take up to mid-March to be completed. Rahu, currently in Virgo, is sandhi (on the border, on the time of change) below 1° and within the orb of influence of Jupiter, in Leo. Rahu will transit to Leo on or around 15 January, and continue in sandhi location, directly conjunct Jupiter within 1° of Jupiter’s location for some time.
Ketu, on the other side of the birth chart, is presently in Pisces, and also within 1° of the border between Pisces and Aquarius, and will also transit to Aquarius at the time of Rahu’s transit. Ketu will continue in sandhi until its location is greater than 1° Aquarius; ditto for Rahu.
Rahu and Ketu are the causes of eclipses of the Sun and the Moon. Eclipses are the obstruction or diminution of light – both externally on our planet and in the skies – and within the human body itself. The shadow planets bedim the light of the Soul within at certain times. Times of transit. When there are shadows across the Sun and the Moon, the shadows within the human are present and active, also. Astrologers have long known that eclipses are harbingers of significant change within the human. The location of the eclipse vis-a-vis the birth chart is revealing and a pointer to how this change will be experienced.
Moving on from eclipses, this time of transit from one sign to another (sometimes called peyarchi) is also a time of heightened delivery of karma and the shadow effects within the human. These will be felt externally and internally, and often, astrologers would advise the community to restrain all activity to the bare minimum for the needful sustenance, only. Avoiding travel was recommended, avoiding unnecessary purchases and interactions with others are also other examples of advice. In this day and age, the astrologer might say, “Take care of your job, health and loved ones. There can be multiple concerns. Avoid unnecessary travel and driving. For countries rising with Taurus ascendant like India, the time is for high alert.” As we do not have access to your chart, we do not give this advice, but offer it as a worthy caution for your reflection and choices.
In these days of the 5th Dimension and Ascension
Since 21 December 2012, our planet has experienced changes – the stargates are opening slowly, higher energies are coming from the Central Sun of our galaxy and the Grand Central Sun, and the beyond – the Creative Source of All. These are times of the return of Earth and who who live upon her and within her to the 4th, 5th and 6th Dimensions. Higher vibration and frequencies of light are being transmitted to Earth, and all life forms are ascending to these higher dimensions, to the level of their capacity.
These are also times of heightened awareness of the astral and higher dimensions of life. These are times when the soul within glows brighter due the higher level-density-frequency of light being present within. The DNA are awakening, and like the movie tells, The Force Awakens – for mankind and all life on Earth has basically been asleep to its higher faculties and capabilities since the Fall of Atlantis.
These heightened capacities and faculties are sometimes called psychic skills, or ‘greater awareness’. All have these capacities. And the Hierarchy often tell us, “human life is always a choice’, meaning, what we experience is a product of what we choose. And that, all too often, is due unthinking action from our ego, which seeks to defend its boundaries, its own territory, its own comfort level. The ego directs energies to its own ends, which are self-seeking and self-serving and above all, self-protecting.
And the shadow within the human is something the ego frequently represses, keeps out of sight, has it locked away and buried deep within the internal basement of the unconscious, far away from everyday exposure and blemish. And the shadow may revolt unconsciously, and the shadow may extract it revenge in emotion, unconscious motives, and self-expression unintended. It may cause extreme discomfort, and needless self-abasement and self destruction. There is a solution, however.
In these days of the access to the 5th Dimension and Ascension, there is heightened access to our guides, our angels, our saints, our gods, nay, even God, the Creative Source of All. We may ask for help, and the Creative Source of All will come – or send assistants and angels – to help us. Every call for help is answered. Angels have no abode – they exist at any time, any place, any when. They may respond from universes away in the blink of an eyelid to render assistance, aid and help.
We have been told by the Creative Source of All that these times of Ascension can also be a time of soul rebirth. The slate may be wiped clean. We can start again, while in this body. We cite the Creative Source of All, 2nd June 2015:
And you have lived many lives before – and in the future. And not just in an earthly body, but in other bodies that exist in other worlds, and other races. There is much in you – that you can explore – if you like. Or, you can choose to let that all go … and ask for the Source of Creation to help you let it go … and begin afresh – shall we say – with the slate wiped clean.
Because, it is a time of change; it is a time that is happening now – for all peoples to walk forward – with a weight lifted away from them – from the past karmic debt that they have – and move forward into a New Age – The Golden Age, that has been prophesied for a long time, now.
Now is the time. It is coming upon you – your consciousness is raising – people are much more open now to things of an esoteric nature than they were in the past. This is no coincidence. It is because the energy of the consciousness is lifting. It is actually operating a little faster as it gets closer to the soul consciousness of who you are.
So in these times of consciousness raising, the opportunity to clean the slate is there. All we need to do is ask for help to let it all go.
There is another aspect to the Soul being bedimmed. The negative emotions can bedim the Soul and lessen the light within. And these negative emotions conveniently buried by the ego and emerge as the Shadow can also be cleaned out. We can also ask for help, or pray to the Creative Source of All for help to take this away. Again, from the Creative Source of All, 5 January 2016:
It is only when you allow emotions to take over you that it becomes an energy that is the Shadow. And blocks the light … … … to some degree.
So my message today – is to ask you to free yourself of the emotions that are negative – in that they are like a shadow that hold back the brightness of your natural light which can be related to things like positivity – or a creative thought – and emotion.
… … Just ask God to release you from all the negative emotions that you hold within so that the shadow is released and your light will shine.
It will shine brightly!
And people will notice this it see it. But that is not the only thing, they will feel the Love that comes from the Source of All Creation
The Shadow Planets
All the planets have a task, a function, a service they do to the human; they serve the Creative Source of All in delivering light to surround the soul, the body, the aura. They send vibration, lessening and brightening of light to ensure that the karmas of this lifetime are expiated according to the Divine Law and the Universal laws. They may raise us up, they may pull us down. But we are not helpless lemmings rushing to the cliff and over into the crashing waters below. We may do penance, we may offer flowers and sacred offerings and we may take up our Soul consciousness, and open the direct channels to the world of light, and ask for help. The planets have a function – and we have the capacity to see help, to take our rightful place in Ascension and the higher 5th and 6th Dimensions. We need not be victims of the Shadow.
this material recently appeared on narayanaoracle.com and is © Chris Parnell