Jupiter moves away from Rahu, beyond the orb of influence – good news. Mars and Saturn share Lordship of Scorpio (well, co-Lordship for Saturn) – interesting news. The New Moon is in Ashlesha nakshatra, ruled by Sarpa, the snake god, and Lord Siva – an opportunity for transformation. We practice a little neo-Vedic Astrology and look to the significance of the present location of Uranus, an outer planet, sometimes called upagraha.
With Mars sandhi (on the borders between signs), creativity seems to be on rise and we are free to be efficient, available and effective; carpe diem (seize the day) seems to be the motto, and so we do look into the charts. This day being Gayatri Jayanti (celebration of the birth of Gayatri), we bring you some reflections on Gayatri Ma, the mother of the Gods. Read more →
A full moon occurs in Sidereal Scorpio this day, conjunct Mars and Saturn. All three planets have important influence on the human, whoever they are, wherever they are. Loka seva – service to all who live on this realm is important. In this message, we seek to unlock how one might do service. Read more →
Saturn and Mars aspect one another mutually from 2nd May. Both Saturn and Mars are natural malefic planets and cannot help each other with this 7th opposition aspect. Taurus and Scorpio are both fixed signs – so the results from these signs and aspects are said to be inescapable. We look to the opposition of Saturn and Mars and to what the effect is within the human, and the external effects on our planet.
This coming Full Moon on 9 September is one of three "super" moons in a row. Perhaps these full (super) Moons salute the three gods of Hinduism, Brahma, Vishnu and Maheswara! As the Hierarchy – in the messages of Cosmic Sai Baba, Jalarm and Alcheringa – tell that group meditation for World Peace is particularly effective on full moon days, we offer a reflection on this coming "full moon" and the astrological significance surrounding this.
Planet Saturn, retrograde since early March 2014 in Libra, will cease retrograde motion on 20 July, and then go direct. Planets represent concentrations of life force. Their placement in different signs represents the exertions of life-force in those areas which are signified by the planet's occupation. Retrograde means "do-good". Saturn ceases retrograde motion and resumes its slow forward motion. We look to some aspects of this Saturn direct movement as Saturn is seven times more powerful than the Sun.
Guru Purnima is on 12 July. This year, the Guru Purnima occurs with a Full Moon in Sagittarius. What is unique this year, and only happens every 12 years, is that Jupiter will be exalted in the 8th house of transcendence in 2014. We look to the significance of this event, and consider the spiritual energies around this event and the following days.
Promoting or being involved in a one-way trip to the Red Planet is prohibited in Islam, a fatwa committee under the General Authority of Islamic Affairs and Endowment in the UAE has ruled.
“Such a one-way journey poses a real risk to life, and that can never be justified in Islam,” the committee said. “There is a possibility that an individual who travels to planet Mars may not be able to remain alive there, and is more vulnerable to death.”
We have noticed further questions about Ketu raised by search engines which bring visitors to this site, so we will engage in more discussion about Ketu and address some of the questions raised: Ketu in various nakshatras, Ketu and the Moon, Ketu and Mars conjunction. And if there is time, we may address Ketu and Spirituality. We keep in mind that Ketu is a shadow planet, a karmic repository and an important agent on the journey toward the goal of life. Ketu (which means flag) actually flags important staging posts on the human journey of return to the Source.
Ketu, the opposite node to Rahu, came into being during the churning of the Ocean of Milk. The last gift of that churning was the emergence of the God of Healing, Dhanvantari, with the pot of amrit, the nectar of immortality. Ketu and Rahu were whole at that time, in the form of a demon known as Swabharnu, who engaged in subterfuge to obtain the nectar whilst it was being served out by the enchantress Mohini. The deception was discovered by the Sun and Moon, who ran tale-telling to the great God Maha Vishnu, who promptly sent his discus and separated the head from the body; the body is today known as Lord Ketu, South Node of the Moon.
Mars is a planet and a planetary deity. Remedies for Mars may include mantras, asktakam, gayatri mantra, and other prayers, such as Ashtottara Shatanamavali - 108 names. One of the 108 Names of Mars is Om sharanagata poshanaya namaha. We surrender to and seek the protection, the fostering of Mars. What protection does Mars offer, and why would one seek that protection and surrender?
The Planet Mars – sometimes known in Vedic Astrology as Mangala or Kuja, is son of the Earth, and is a focus of energy or shakti of the Earth. Mars is said to be of a fiery nature, and has the Vedic fire god Agni as its ruling deity. The mythological tales of the Puranas gives the son of Lord Shiva, Karthikeya (also known as Skanda, Murugan, Subramaniam) as the deity behind Planet Mars. What then is the purpose of these deities and how do they contribute to the light and energies that emanate from Mars?
Today is the third day of the Navaratri celebrations which are held for nine nights. All festivals are meant to remind mankind that they should cultivate noble qualities by engaging themselves in activities beneficial to one’s own self and society. Sai Baba made this reference to Navaratri and the Nine Planets:
As part of Navaratri celebrations, people worship different forms of divinity. You should develop sacred feelings and experience divinity. What is the inner meaning of Navaratri celebrations? These nine nights represent nine planets. Each planet has its own significance. However, these planets are not outside, they are within. If your feelings are impure and unsacred, the result also will be the same. You are responsible for the good and bad you think and experience.
As the nine nights represent the nine planets, we will be focussing on Navaratri and the nine planets with an account of one or another the planets for nine nights. For the third night of Navaratri, we will take the planet Mars. The third day of Navratri is Sindoor Tritya. The colour for the third day of Navaratri is RED, so we scribe in RED for this third day observance of Navaratri.
Human Values and Astrology
Value:Peace; Sub-value: Inner Strength
Planet (graha) Mars – Lord Kuja
The Planet Mars – sometimes known in Vedic Astrology as Mangala, is son of the Earth, and is a focus of energy or shakti of the Earth. Mars is told to be of Pitta dosha – of a fiery nature, and rules two fire signs, Aries and Scorpio. Mars is lord of the Third House and – in debilitated aspect, is Lord of the Eighth House.
Mars is the chieftain, the commander, the leader. He is found frequently in occupations where there is protection of the community – such as the defence forces, the policing forces, the security forces. In these roles, Mars can be tamasic in nature and appearance, but this obscures what is beneath the surface – extensive skills, acquisition of skills relevant to duty (to the extent of bringing order out of chaos) and inner strength.
(This is a letter to my friend, Gandhi. Gandhi is his nickname due his remarkable resemblance to the late Mahatama Gandhi. Gandhi lives in Puttparthi, and asked me about the forthcoming Solar New Year. So I have cast a vedic chart (called kundali) and write to explain to him what the chart means – especially in the light of the new dimensions, the 4th dimension, of which Gandhi knows little.)
Human Values and Astrology
Value:Peace; Sub-value: Fearlessness
Planet (graha) Mars – Lord Kuja
Om veeradhwajaaya vidmahe
vighna hastaaya dheemahi
tanno bhooma prachodayaat
Mars is ambitious, energetic, firm, brave, ardent, resolute, resourceful, enterprising and inspiring. Mars also empowers Fearlessness, a sub-value of Peace.
Om veeradhwajaaya vidmahe
vighna hastaaya dheemahi
tanno bhooma prachodayaat
Mars is a planet of strength. The sloka for Mars describes this planetary deity has having the (weapon) (instrument) Shakti in his hand. So we may take strength, power, energy and force as signatures of the planet Mars.