Details of Rahu in Aquarius (Kumbh) and Ketu in Leo (Simh)

Rahu in Aquarius is fortunate for the native from the moral and emotional standpoint. He is benevolent, faithful and sincere, and will be fortunate in his affections. Many friends will try to help him, and he may expect to progress. He may take up politics, or become the leader of a school, or the head of an association.

This position mitigates the evil influence which other planetary aspects may exert over marriage and the stability of wedlock. In the third decanate of Aquarius, especially, the lofty and noble sentiments of the native will procure for him universal esteem and love.

Ketu in Leo gives rashness and fighting proclivities which may often bring trouble. The native is, however, endowed with courage, and will know how to defend himself; he is noble-hearted, and, though quick-tempered, not vindictive.

Worries and troubles may be caused through gossip and over-readiness to confide his plans, so that others may take advantage of them. There is also an instinctive tendency to meddle with other people’s affairs, and over-confidence, which lead to difficulties.

Rahu in Aquarius shows the path of spiritual progress is the pathway of service to the group, through an understanding of the unity of all life. Field of activity should be one that affects society and not an individual. Science, medicine, research and philosophical or educational fields would be the avenues that could be used magnificently.

Ketu in Leo is the indication that the person misused his power and developed far too much ego in the past. This time there must be concern for others instead of a concern for self-aggrandizement.

These Nodes represent the struggle between the personal life and an impersonal dedication to humanity. The Leo Ketu symbolizes prior lives where much revolved around the self. The Rahu in Aquarius points to a future of service for mankind, where the individual will assume the role of the ‘waterbearer’, so that he may be an instrument in the crusade for world evolution. Before he can do this, the enormous power of the Leo Ketu must be dealt with.

From past incarnations, he has a tendency to look down on other people and to be condescending of their thoughts and ideas. There is an intense pride which leads him toward name-dropping, as well as designing his life so that he is seen and known to be in the company of special people. He separates between royalty and the common man, setting himself or others close to him on pedestals. Seeing himself as the central point of the universe, he views his powerful will as the means of obtaining his ends, rather than adjusting to a fair acceptance of life.

His karma now is to learn how to walk lightly, without leaving footsteps, for in essence he is the ruler making ready to abdicate his throne.

Constantly his past-life ego rears its ugly head, preventing him from achieving the very happiness he seeks.

These Nodes cause great difficulties in marriage for the individual experiences a strong tendency to dominate those close to him. When he can’t do this, he becomes a complete hermit, freeing himself of all responsibility out of sheer disgust.

While he asks others for advice, he still must do things his own way.

His biggest conflicts center around what is artificial and what is real. There is so much martyr-like romanticism in his Leo Ketu that he finds it easy to slip into the role of Don Quixote chasing windmills!

He must learn how to shed masks, ultimately discovering that ego-centered displays of dignity are coming from past-life habits and do very little now toward bringing him any lasting happiness.

For those whom he does hold near and dear, he is highly protective; and yet he has a strange tendency to wander, finding on his journeys many of the waifs and strays of society. In these outermost regions where society overlooks its existential possibilities, he discovers new horizons to explore and conquer.

He is destined to spend part of his life alone, for his unique character is too overbearing to be readily acceptable by most people. Although he enjoys having others recognize and applaud his grandiose achievements, he cannot stoop to chase people. His soul remembers a sense of pride which now forbids him to compromise his dignity.

If given the right cause, he will sacrifice his entire life for it. It is not the sympathy of others that interests him so much as their admiration for his glorious deeds.

He is repulsed by mediocrity, seeing it as a threat to his ever-present drive to reach the top, to burst the bubble, to grab for the brass ring.

If he is of the negative type, he may even use people to achieve his ends. Friends, neighbors and relatives become stepping stones on the rungs of his success ladder.

Through the Aquarius Rahu he learns to overcome his past-life sense of prestige, and develops the concept of Universal Brotherhood. He must ultimately come to see himself as part of a larger cosmic sphere, in which his role is to share in the burden of human evolution. He will reach his greatest happiness when he is able to set aside his own needs and substitute in their place a new humanitarian attitude toward all he sees around him.

He is to forget pride and reach for new original horizons, no matter how eccentric his ideas seem to others. Through his Rahu he is given the promise of a unique adventure, through which he can make an important contribution to the progress of civilization.

The house position of the Ketu indicates the area in life that is too burdened with the desire for personal achievement. The house position of the Rahu shows how the individual can set himself free from the shackles of his past-life ego by realizing the mission for humanity for which he is destined to pick up his cross.

Previous incarnation for this person was very individualized, and he had no time for others. Often his status in that life was pretty high, and others had great respect for his powers in the society. In this lifetime, he has to learn to mix with others at all levels, and solve their problems, whether he likes it or not. Interests and abilities regarding the occult and uncommon spectrum of knowledge are given at his disposal. His innovations and abilities to tackle situations are quite amazing. He may be considered quite uncommon by others; or his goals are at least far from normal. Others may like him for his abilities, but not necessarily what he is trying to achieve in life. Unpredictability is always on his side, though he has difficulty dealing with it in this lifetime.

His lovers should also be friends. The Leo Ketu may reply: ‘Yeah, but that’s not romantic’.

The individual's problem is a lack of detachment.

Possible reasons: An excessive craving for warmth. A tendency to close your eyes to unpleasant truths. Misuse of power potential. A tendency to attach strings to any help you give. Self-concern blinds you to other people’s needs. Or maybe you use romantic courtship rituals as a means of postponing having to display the real you.

Possible solutions: Give off yourself without demanding anything in return. Channel your imagination into beneficial group activities, reform work, etc.. Display the courage of your convictions. Worry excessively about the impression you make.

Leo Ketu craves involvement - in fun, in creative projects, in love, whatever. But without your developing the Aquarius Rahu’s potential for detachment, the end result is quantity without quality. Leo Ketu finds it virtually impossible to come into contact with another person without getting involved. Since these involvements tend to be made in the heat of the moment, however, they often prove unfulfilling in the long-run. The solution is to develop the Aquarius Rahu’s detachment, rationality and independence.

Some typical indications of an over-balanced Leo Ketu are: exaggeration; a need to be the center of attention; many acquaintances, few real friends; a tendency to show off his or her body or wardrobe; a ‘what will people think?’ approach to things; dependency on others to reinforce confidence; smugness; a belief that some people are just plain inferior, no matter what they do; much artsy dabbling; a theatrical or melodramatic type of self-projection.

Rahu in Aquarius dreams of freedom, of transcending the limitations of his or her structure environment and being able to do whatever he or she wants without interference. He or she might dream of self-employment in a career in science, teaching, or some other humanitarian field. This person dreams of the day when he or she can be independent of others except on his or her terms. In contrast, this person is inclined to be rather star-struck or at least in awe of authority figures. At the same time, he or she has very definite opinions which are swayed only on the basis of irrevocable evidence that they’re wrong. This person is outgoing and inclined to get out and socialize as much as possible. The needs for independence conflict, and often sabotage each end of the nodal need scale. Only when the needs are reconciled will fulfillment be found.

Antidote for Aquarius Imbalance: Any type of scientific study for which the client shows aptitude would be a good antidote. Public speaking should be encouraged, with history, literature, art, and opinion being good areas to explore. Writing is an excellent antidote, with the areas of law, cultures and astrology being ideal if there’s aptitude in this direction. Poetry is also a good choice. Music - both playing and listening - can be very helpful. Naturally, astrology will come to your mind as an antidote. It can be a good one provided the client has the aptitude and motivation necessary for its proper use. Independence should be encouraged.

These clients must be made aware of the potentials into which they were born, since many are inclined to feel they have only one talent, and can become very discouraged if circumstances close doors or block paths in that direction. Fixity must be dealt with positively. The client must be made aware of his or her untapped originality and be encouraged to use it.

You may need to move away from self-preoccupation toward a greater social connectedness and contribution. You may see yourself as ‘the center of the universe’, with everything revolving around you as the ‘sun’, so this challenging attitude shift can be difficult. Your egocentric nature may need transforming. You may need to break down superiority attitudes and hidden assumptions that, by ‘feeling special’, your ideas, opinions, and beliefs are more correct than those of others.

You may enjoy public recognition and attention, even if this simply involves being in the company of people who have celebrity and fame, as this reinforces your belief in being special. Eventually, self-imposed masks of pride and dignity may become restrictive for you, obstructing the experience of feelings of connectedness with life. You may, however, prefer to direct willpower to achieve desires and ambitions for self-gratification and personal advantage alone. The Ketu’s house position will indicate the likely nature of personal desires and endeavors.

Self-assertion comes naturally, but you may create problems in relationships by being overly dominating. Unless your assertiveness can be matched by an equally strong partner whom you learn to respect, conflict will occur. This could come from attempting to impose your will. If this becomes excessive, a fragmenting of your partner’s individuality could occur, which may force him or her either to submit passively or to leave the relationship in order to reconnect to him- or herself. This dominating energy may not be expressed in a deliberately conscious manner by you, but may be ‘received’ by a partner through psychological transfer in a purely subjective manner. Pay attention to your influence; note also those times when your will is resisted by others or by circumstances; and observe how your reaction is rarely graceful in defeat. You will probably brood in resentment and wonder why your ‘magical will’ failed to work.

Discover your essential life values, so that you stop wasting energy in futile directions, and apply it instead toward whatever offers personal meaning and benefits others too. Sometimes you may chase romantic dreams, but recognizing what is important must be your first priority. once you know what is personally important, this insight can serve as a guide. To reach this stage, though, may require confronting experiencins that starkly reveal the consequences of previous unsatisfactory choices, unclear values, and uncertain directions.

A fundamental conflict can arise between pursuing personal desires and the contribution you could make to help create a more caring and humanitarian society. This is the Aquarius pull, encouraging you to join the worldwide work by using your talents and energies to benefit others, rather than just for personal aims. Once you succeed in releasing whatever is personally unessential and limiting, and manage to refocus your attitudes, opportunity exists for freedom to explore new horizons. This is the real direction which can satisfy your need to feel ‘special’, as you are suited to exploring the uncharted lands of the future.

The image of a ‘pathfinder’ is appropriate and indicates your intended way. You need to find the cause which inwardly summons you to follow the Aquarian impulse, because this gives life meaning and purpose, much more so than just chasing desires. This cause will reflect the vision of a new society based upon universal brotherhood, and you can contribute to his. Your main task is to share in the group work. Aquarius promises you a special adventure, and this challenges your will and belief in being special. The Aquarian path is quite capable of satisfying your ambitious drives and making full use of your potential and resources, yet it will also be a uniquely personal experience.

In the fixed Air sign, Aquarius, we are once more concerned with the establishment and maintenance of a position in life. In Aquarius, conscious attitudes in thought, ethics, and philosophy, come to the fore. Primary importance is attached to the rule of reason; practical living is secondary.

Aquarians know something about everything, and revel in logical argument, in which a certain proposition may be deduced from given premises. In other words, they have a strong urge to view the world rationally and to work out a system by which things can be reshaped in everyday life. They tend to build castles in the air. If the Node receives an inconjunct, for instance, Utopian plans are laid without reference to what may reasonably be achieved.

At their best, Aquarians strive to think clearly in order to see the world as it is. Because the Aquarian mind is mostly occupied with this world and with the social order, it looks for an unambiguous, usable form of ethics that offers solutions for contemporary problems. In that respect, Aquarius is like the previous fixed sign, Scorpio. The natives of both these signs are interested in creating an ideal system.

Now, in striving for a perfect social order, the first task is to keep order inside one’s own head. With the Aquarian Node, the feelings often intervene and muddle the thoughts to some extent. Therefore order must first be established in the conscious mind, in the personal world of thought, before any crusading is done in the big world outside.

In the extreme case, there is a proneness to be dogmatic, and to admonish all and sundry who do not share one’s ideals. This power-play is reminiscent of Leo; and, of course, the Descending Node is in Leo at the opposite pole of the axis.

To Be Continued ...