Details of Rahu in Cancer (Kark) and Ketu in Capricorn (Makar)

Rahu is favourably situated in the Moon’s domicile. It brings light in the darkness which may surround the native, helps him to see clearly into his affairs, and to act judiciously without hesitating. If inimical people (or events) encompass him, he will soon discover their weak point, and thus conquer them. The position is a lucky one. It gives the opportunity of extricating oneself from trouble and of overcoming difficulties through one’s own good management. It is a sure protection, and a promise of progress without strife or violence.

Ketu in Capricorn is a very evil position. It brings with it sorrow, and a tendency to neurasthenia, which it is difficult to overcome. It gives the native a character or disposition which is subject to constant changes; it is also a sign of disappointment in love through the native’s own fault, as he has not the gift of attracting love. It is not always detrimental to the worldly position, but the native will not know how to enjoy life; he is ever seeking trouble, and this does not help to create a cheerful atmosphere for those who come into contact with him.

Rahu in Cancer gives domesticity and a mothering nature. Integration comes through furthering these qualities. Great sensitivity toward the suffering of others. Homekeeping would be an integrating force in the life.

Ketu in Capricorn would show past habits of selfish ambition and a desire for power for self and to dominate over others. This tendency would have to be faced and overcome.

Here the soul enters the current life with much inner pride. The individual finds it difficult to understand why others do not show him the strong respect he has been accustomed to in past incarnations. As a result, prestige and the pursuit of dignity continue to be the motivators of all actions.

Some with these Nodes will even marry to achieve the social status of the subconscious Capricorn memory.

In past incarnations this soul worked hard for recognition. Without losing self-respect, he would have been the original ham, going far out of his way to attract attention. At times this would even mean imposing undue punishment upon himself if he knew others were observing. Now he would like the world to know how burdened he has been so that others can see him as a martyr.

He continues to make his work harder than it actually is, never seeming quite able to finish meeting his current life responsibilities and obligations.

Since he is always living in the past, he has a habit of bringing the consciousness of all his past burdens with him into the present. This makes his present life much heavier than it need be.

The one thing he has not yet learned to tolerate is failure in himself. He is well-practised at actually making himself physically or emotionally ill in order to avoid coping with situations in which he expects to feel inadequate.

He sees the world through an attitude of self-righteousness, whereby the actions of others are rarely condoned but often condemned. He keeps this to himself, however, for it would damage his sense of personal esteem should others know that he has been fitting them into his secretly devised caste system.

In prior lives he was highly opinionated and strongly resistant to taking advice that would affect him personally. Now he still believs that one’s personal life is strictly a private matter. Consequently, around all things which relate directly to himself, he builds the ‘Wall of China’. It would be futile for anyone to try ot break in, for at the slightest personal criticism, he starts adding more bricks to the wall.

Lifetimes of materialism make him an opportunist, placing himself wherever there is something to be gained. At the same time, he is ‘penny-wise and pound-foolish’, for he is known to be stingy in the midst of emotional bursts of extravagance.

When he sees advantage, he will turn cold and calculating so that no weakness within himself will prevent the attainment of a goal on which he has his sights. He will turn weakness in others to his own advantage. Wherever there are loopholes in the law, he can find ways to squeeze through. So intent is he on managing all he sees around him that his entire current life becomes a personal crusade to prove his worthy capabilities.

In past incarnations, his soul learned the art of accomplishment. In order to do this, there was little regard developed for others. Now through the Cancer Rahu, he must learn how to give nourishment as well as receive it. Many with these Nodes experience strong family burdens so that they may come to know the emotional needs of others.

Sexually, the soul is learning how to take on the feminine role in this life. The karmic transition is from coldness to warmth - from age to youth. Many with these Nodes appear to grow younger as each year in their lives passes.

Rigid Capricorn attitudes are dropped one by one. The indiviudal finds new security in relating his emotions more honestly. In this life, he must learn how to apologize sincerely when he is wrong, as well as not to seek advantage over others when he is right. Eventually he will see that all of his depressions, fears and worries are no more than part of a self-created martyr complex which bears little relation to current life circumstances.

He must slowly learn how to divorce himself from an insatiable need to manage everything around him.

In this life, he will go through a chain of experiences which will slowly open up his Cancerian sensitivities. Eventually, he will start to value nature more than money, emotion more than power, and new growth rather than the collecting of dead wood! When the changes start to occur, he will be brought out of the cold of winter into the bright sunlight of early summer. But he must develop a totally new emotional response pattern if he is to adjust to the new direction in which his soul is destined to go.

His highest achievement in this life is nourishing others. To reach this, he must do much work on himself, until he becomes a natural cornucopia of spiritual food to those who are hungry. The more he is able to fill people, the more happiness he will feel himself. He should see that God also favors those who stand out and wait, and that His highest blessing is especially reserved for those who seek nothing for themselves but to be available as His constant servant. In past lives, this soul was able to benefit greatly by receiving. Now, he is here to give.

The house which contians the Ketu shows the area in life in which the bowl of abundance is overfull. The house which contains the Rahu symbolizes the empty bowls of others waiting for food.

Previous incarnation for this person was spent in many difficult and confining situations. Life at that point really did not have sufficient domestication; or he lacked stability at home. in this lifetime, his ideals and energies converge to establish a solid home base. Enjoyment from being the key family person is significant for him in this life. The ability to deal with sensitivity and emotionalism is noticed. He has a lot of imagination that is properly used towards creativity. In his previous life, he did neglect responsibility of older folks. Now he is extra-cautious in this life not to do the same. Thus, family cohesion is important for him. He may show a colder exterior, but you can get to him through proper emotionalism.

You need to develop your domestic and nurturing abilities. Your Capricorn Ketu replies: ‘Yeah, but I can’t take time out from my career’.

Your problem is that you tend to try to fulfill your need for public acclaim without relating it to your inner needs.

Possible reasons for this problem include: that you have developed your logic at the expense of your emotions; that you lacked sympathy, nurturing or material security as a child, or had these things taken away from you at a crucial time in your life; that an ingrained philosophy of ‘look out for yourself first’ has encouraged a misguided sort of selfishness; that lack of recognition as a child has led to an ‘I’ll show them’ attitude’; or an overpowering need to dominate at all costs.

Possible solutions include learning to view your emotional needs as keys to increased self-esteem; learning to adapt your wants to your needs; having a nervous breakdown; developing an ulcer; and blaming your parents for your hang-ups.

Cancer Rahu seems to often coincide with institutionalization in childhood. Sometimes this means an orphanage or hospital has played a major role in the development. Other times it indicates a long stint in a boarding school. Sometimes there’s a very regimented home life for one reson or another. Or the parents have been cold and strict. Occasionally the Cancer Rahur has had uncaring or unfit parents, and consequently became a ward of the court. But more often the parents were merely more concerned with the Cancer Rahur as a status symbol than as an emotional being. Usually the parents were very judgmental and placed a heavy emphasis on doing the right thing in terms of living up to other people’s expectations. Thus the Cancer Rahur is conditioned to view the game of life materially. But regardless of his or her successes or failures, he or she often feels a great sense of something missing until the Cancer potential for emotional self-preservation and caring is tapped.

Signs of an over-developed Capricorn Ketu include: dislike of domesticity; a stubbornly narrow outlook; self-consciousness; prudishness; unapproachability; a tendency to constantly test others in some way; nervousness; dislike of new or different ideas; a desire for respect and honor at any cost; and a tendency to curry favors or social-climb.

Rahu in Cancer consciously or subconsciously feels that his or her strong emotions will act as a deterrent to his or her happiness, so a primary dream theme involves keeping emotions under control or else finding someone who will appreciate his or her emotionality so that it will no longer be a threat. He or she wants to be attached to someone else who will offer protection from the cold, cruel world and guarantee a measure of emotional security. This person generally represses emotions. He or she is often confused about his or her feelings and finds it difficult to relate to others an an emotional level. Sometimes the tendency to fear emotions comes out as a cynical or pessimistic streak designed to camouflage the person’s vulnerability.

Antidotes for Cancer imbalance: If career advice is sought, the client should be steered into a nurturing profession. Nursing, acting, dressmaking, pilot or stewardess, gynecology or child care would be logical choices if other areas of the chart are in agreement. Creativity should be channeled. Painting, interior decorating, weaving, and poetry-writing are particularly recommended. In cases where the Rahu has been repressed to the point of blockage, psychodrama could prove helpful. If the client has adequate understanding of astrology, a dramatization of the nodal dialogues (or the troublesome nodal configuration) could be beneficial, provided you feel comfortable about this technique yourself.

A thorough health check-up should be advised if the client complains of lethargy or any other physical symptoms, since health problems seem to be slightly more frequent than normal with these placings. Both reading and writing can be beneficial antidotes. The Cancer need to protect and nurture must be satisfied. Housekeeping can often prove to be an effective antidote, as can anything connected with land maintenance. History and genealogy often satisfy the Rahu’s need to preserve and protect. On another level, swimming, calisthenics, or yoga could appeal by giving the client a feeling of doing something beneficial in terms of self-preservation.

The more rigid Capricorn influence may shape your personality, especially expectations of respect from others which come from inwardly hidden feelings of self-importance and superiority. Your sense of identity is connected to social relationships, feelings of personal prestige, and attitudes and actions shaped by hopes of achieving higher social status - a need that may determine choices. Your acquaintances and relationships are similarly influenced by needs for social status.

It is the social ‘image and face’ that must be upheld. Any public loss of dignity or self-respect would be extremely traumatic. In several ways, you hide personal insecurity, relying on others to define your identity. This personality dependency is often fragile; and your self-image is shaped by reflections from others rather than from an inner strength. Remove the attention and respect of others, and you may rapidly deflate. You like to feel wanted and important, and may assumre responsibilities that are too great and then stagger under the weight of this self-imposed burden, becoming a martyr and expecting both admiration and sympathy from others.

You see failure as anathema, and hate to admit any personal shortcomings, as this diminishes self-respect. Intolerance of failure affects the rest of your attitudes; and your standards may lack an understanding of fallible human nature, even though you may not always attain those standards yourself.

You try to avoid situations where failure may occur or inadequacy may be exposed, even to the point of experiencing psychosomatic illness when inner stress and outer pressures accumulate. You prefer to control life and those around you; and this can cause family tension whenever it becomes oppressive.

Your worldview tends to be fixed and preconceived; you evalutate others through self-imposed filters of social opinion, attitudes, beliefs, values, and standards. Many fail to match your purist and self-righteous ideals, which perhaps secretly pleases and satisfies your superiority attitude.

The question is: Does this life perspective fulfill you? Or is it a struggle to maintain a protective barrier that supports a less self-assured personality? You dislike anyone probing your persona life beyond established boundaries, and become highly sensitive to any criticism, often withdrawing into your armored ‘shell’, evading open and honest confrontation. Do those barriers really help, or do they actually imprison you, restricting life enjoyment within rigid personality structures that you have raised?

The Cancer Rahu indicates a way out of the impasse. Attitudes of superiority always result in diminishing contact with life, restricting relationships and often ending in distorted self-images and exaggerated personal importance - the delusions of an inflated ego, especially if power over others has been achieved. These self-imposed barriers between yourself and others need relaxing. Learn how to give more; acknowledge the needs of others instead of just taking their approval and admiration.

The more emotionally sensitive aspects of your nature need fuller expression. Be more receptive, value relationship and communication, and feel compassionate to the struggles of humanity instead of ignoring this as weakness. Once you can accept and express emotions more easily and honestly, personal integration can occur, and the rigidity of misapplied Capricorn can dissolve. Admitting that even you can be wrong sometimes is progress. You need emotion to transform and heal; and life would then become more enriched and relaxed, free from needing to control, manage, and manipulate obsessively. If you can make this change, great benefits become available, and with them the opportunity for a more satisfying life.

Manifestation processes come to the fore again in the cardinal sign Cancer. In its manifestation, Cancer is oriented toward the collective as a whole. The native wants access to a home or ‘nest’. He or she needs to be part of a family, and hates to be alone. Group membership gives a sense of protection and warmth. If the Node is in Cancer, the individual should try to join in. Very often, a Node with this placement occurs in strong-minded individuals who are much inclined to do their own thing and withdraw from the crowd. In the extreme case, they live like hermits because they believe they are better or more exalted than others.

The Node in a collective sign indicates that one should become involved in a collective, in order to feel part of a family, group, local community, or nation, or the whole human race. The native could become the center of a hive perhaps. For his, a measure of industry and activity is required - as befits a cardinal sign. People with the Node in cancer cannot laze about and do nothing; they must become involved in the creation of a collective relationship for their own benefit, and preferably for the benefit of others also.

The easiest way for them to do this is to found a family. With the Node in Cancer, it is important to be able to achieve emotional harmony with those around. Any tendency toward solitude and isolation opposes this placement of the Node. The emotional experience of community and belonging has a big role to play here.

To Be Continued