Rahu in 12th House and Ketu in 6th House

Dear ardent readers some of the earlier posts got deleted hence reposting them, The earlier series on Rahu / Ketu in Signs also is equally important & worthwhile reading, however care should be taken not to apply these writings verbatim on any chart, as there are many other factors, combinations, aspects etc which need to be studied always before coming to any conclusion. At some places masculine gender has been used only for ease of writing.


This position of the Rahu in the Twelfth House, though not very fortunate, nevertheless brings relief in trouble. It gives Faith, and enables the native to convince himself that all is not lost. He will have to struggle and defend himself; there will be difficult periods in his life; but he/she will conquer with the aid of the benefic planets, and more prosperous times will come in the course of the revolutions of the Rahu.

In the Sixth House, the Ketu will cause serious disorders in health, and countless difficulties with subordinates, some of whom will try to harm the native; and may even rob him or endeavor to deprive him of his position. It is also a sign of disagreements with relatives and friends.

Has ability to clear payments due from past karma by self-initiated channel of service. Work with those limited and afflicted would be fulfilling and integrative. Illness anxiety disorder tendencies could be there which must be overcome. Subconscious tendency to identify with negative conditions needs eliminating through positive and uplifting emotions. In other lifetimes, negativity might have been brought on disharmony and disease in the physical body. In this life, helping others achieve a new and happier outlook is the way for this person to find fulfillment and peace of mind.

Rahu in twelfth house takes self-sacrifice. It is helping those less fortunate, those handicapped or afflicted. This is done in a quiet, unassuming way. The person must learn compassion, learn to accept others as they are, and to help them in spite of any differences. This is the position of karma, and seems to call for some kind of payment. Many times this position produces doctors and nurses, and would seem to be an excellent way to fulfill this twelfth house position. Since this is the house of the subconscious mind, the person needs to develop and release these vast resources, bringing them to the threshold of the conscious mind by expanding his ability to meditate. In its lighter vein, this is the sign of the poet, indicating another means of liberating the storehouse of the subconscious mind and its vast inspirations. The degree of success would depend upon its connection with Mercury, Jupiter, and the third and ninth houses.

Ketu in the sixth is the critic or the worker. Here the Ketu gives an instinctive knowledge on health matters and a drive to learn more concerning this. It gives a desire to serve others and a constant changing of working conditions. There is great attention to detail with the ability to weed out. This individual knows how to work, and much more so when this Ketu is favorably aspected by Mars. Ketu here denotes mysterious illnesses, those difficult to diagnose. Many doctors and nurses have Ketu in the sixth. The tendency to be critical and to take everything apart is strong with Ketu in this location, and can be, to some extent, severe, the sign involved considered.

Rahu in the 12th house often signifies that one has a lot to learn in this lifetime, with or without individual choice. The work area is often a confining issue for them. However, it is a part of their lifestyle that they cannot get rid of. Working with institutions or dealing with behind-the-scenes activities is quite significant for them in this lifetime. They use considerable amounts of psychic sensitivity in their routine lifestyle. In their work, they are quite methodical, practical, punctual and steady. The digestive system or problems with circulation need(s) attention in this case. Physical health, in general, may not be necessarily weak. Their tendency to daydreaming on the job or uncommon work hours is significant; and sometimes they even get to like that schedule. Affairs of Karma or life as a continuous process are significant for them; and their interest in reincarnation is amazingly worth noting.

Here the individual undergoes a crisis in consciousness. Whether he is actually aware of it or not, much of his life is spent in deep thought.He finds the physical world exhausting. From time to time, he has to deal with illnesses which take him out of the competitive arena, strongly affecting his abilities to work.

When he is working, he finds conditions intolerable. He feels either underpaid or, at the very least, unappreciated for all he has to offer. He becomes so wrapped up in the circumstances surrounding whatever he is doing that he allows his attitudes toward his job to permeate all areas of his life.
He has much prior-life memories of order and organization; yet everywhere he goes, he sees chaos.
In past incarnations, he could have been a perfectionist, critical of the world around him. Now the imperfections he sees weaken him to the point that he feels unable to cope. The world is perceived as not quite giving him all that it could.

Some with these Nodes tend to dwell in self-pity, while others nourish an embittered resentment. There are feelings of jealousy directed toward other people’s well-being, which they perceive as being less earned than their own. Usually there is an inflated sense of ego at the source of the problem. The self as developed in past incarnations is now seen as a perfected ideal, stationed above the rest of humanity. In his own private thoughts, this individual will rarely admit that he has a tendency to look down upon others. Yet, secretly he sees everyone as less perfect than himself.

He would sooner go unemployed than work at a job which he feels is beneath him. It is certain, however, that circumstances will force him to do such work even though it is against his every principle.
Having tendencies to internalize his anger, he creates one very real illness after another, until ultimately he reaches the point that he feels justified in blaming his work conditions for his poor state of health.
Carrying a past incarnation feeling that society has shut him out, he sees himself as a neglected child deprived of the central core of richness in life which is there for others but somehow not for himself. He spends too much energy trying to impress others, and not enough in developing a fullness within himself. More than anything else, he must learn to look inside, where he will find the answers to all of his problems.
Many with these Nodes watch life pass them by, spending all too much of their time and energy wrapped up in petty thoughts. There is a strong residue of past-life nervousness in the sixth house Ketu, wherein this individual literally eats away at himself by trying to digest into his system of order every tiny detail that comes to his attention.

He must learn how to discriminate between what is important in terms of his life’s values and what are just transitory upsets which will pass in due time. Through his constant questioning, he creates for himself a sexual problem, rooting itself deeply in fears of failure. And so unable is he to face his fears that he will compound the problem by developing a pattern of abnormal sexual response designed to mask his feelings of inadequacy.

Though he tries not to, he keeps seeing himself as a helpless pebble on the beach of thousands. In prior lives, he would have managed to control his universe. Now the world seems larger than he would like, and he does all he can to prevent himself from feeling too small by comparison.

His growth starts the moment he begins to see himself not only as part of a greater whole but as containing within himself the essence of the entire universe. He must break his past-incarnation tendency to put the world in little boxes; and instead search for the seed of all within himself: here he will find the abundant richness he has been so desperately seeking.

Periods of forced isolation help to bring him to a higher consciousness through which he ultimately learns that things can be different without one necessarily being better or worse than the other.
By going deep into himself, he will realize that all of life’s conditions depend entirely on how much he can relinquish his hold on trying to overturn the world and re-channel his energies toward overturning himself.
He does well by immersing himself in the works of a large institution where he can develop a group-consciousness, focusing on the collective good of the whole rather than dwelling in the collected residue of his past-life bitterness.

He will be tested many times in areas which help him to develop compassion, until he ultimately sees that judging others actually prevents his own happiness. His past-life karma is erased when he learns how to flow rather than allow his life to keep interrupting itself by petty distractions. He must attune himself to the essence of the universe rather than attempt to sort everything into neat little compartments. The compartments are like a house of cards, and only after they topple does he realize that his purpose in life is very far from what he originally thought.

He can then learn how to loosen up and bathe in the beauty of all God’s creation, rather than seeing only a part of God and calling the part he sees ‘All’. As soon as he can greet change willingly, bending while the winds of circumstance flow through his being, he is on the path.
Eventually he will leave the world where people manipulate each other and walk through the doorway to a higher harmony. In preparation, he must transcend the subconscious past-life memories of physical problems that still weigh him down, and start to climb the cosmic ladder which leads to the realization of his soul. He must learn how to appreciate the wonder of all he sees without enmeshing himself in the details of why or how. When he accepts this, his life’s work can be a great culmination of all that has come before him.
Although his work may bring him behind the scenes, there is a good possibility that it can come to public attention. He must also learn that the physical state of his health is totally dependent upon the purity and stability of his inner mind.

Truly this is the Nodal position of mind over matter; and the life will be a karmic transition from the world of matter into the consciousness of infinite spirit. The sign which contains the Ketu indicates the ways in which former incarnations brought the individual to preoccupy himself with physical matter. The sign which contains the Rahu shows how he can now transform his soul into the pure essence of Divine Mind.
In the twelfth house, the hang-up is connected with self-understanding. The problem often stems from a combination of fatalism and a lack of determination. Because of a lack of appreciation for self, this person craves appreciation from others to foster self-worth. But because self-worth can only be gained from within, external appreciation seldom changes this person’s perceptions. Self-sabotaging and illnesses are manifestations of this confused, inferior concept of self-potential.

Sometimes this nodal position manifests in an inability to share feelings, or just plain shyness. Quite often in childhood this person suffered experiences that made him or her withdrawn or unreachable. Sometimes these involve parents; other times they took place in the early school environment. Sulking, brooding and depression are common. Rahu in the twelfth house dreams of feeling at ease with others when in a group or one-to-one encounter, but also wants to be able to spend quite a bit of time alone. He or she wants to be something of an enigma. This person is changeable in moods and work habits. This affects his or her ability to take advantage of opportunities for dream fulfillment. While actual physical or mental health may be good, the person may allude to some mysterious tragic flaw or skeleton in the closet that prevents success. Less frequently, there’s a tangible problem in this respect. The person is highly self-critical and equally critical of others, thus preventing successful interaction with others as well as with the subconscious.

The realm of work influences his sense of well-being; but the implication is that he will feel restricted and limited, creating feelings of dissatisfaction and resistance. This can come from earning a living from work that fails to interest him, or that does not utilize his talents and constricts opportunities for personal development. His employment can be felt as boring, stagnating, and stultifying, offering little job satisfaction; these frustrations will cast a dark shadow over the rest of his life. If this is his experience, his need to invest more effort and attention to changing his working environment, perhaps pursuing an alternative career or changing his life priorities.

He would prefer to see order in the world, and should adjust lifestyle accordingly, failing to comprehend why much of life appears chaotic, illogical, or unnecessary, and why people make the most of their suffering as a consequence of their attitudes and choices. Sometimes he would assume a ‘superior’ attitude in this respect, although, if his work sphere is not satisfying, he would be creating his own suffering instead of changing it.
Inner pressures can build from repressing feelings of anger and resentment, and he may sometimes believe that life does not reward his efforts. Try to avoid this buildup, or else he may create health problems caused by festering emotional energies, which can result in physical or psychological illness.

Attempting to impress people will make him uncomfortable and generate feelings of ‘selling himself out’. It will be valuable to explore his inner self, because, by looking within, he will discover answers. He needs to determine what is truly important and discriminate between whatever is meaningful and lasting and that which is only temporary and passing. Deciding priorities can be revealing; and an important step is to make his life-style harmonize with his nature which this can lead to radical changes.

Instead of reacting against facts of life with which he disagrees, he should re-channel his energies to enable self-understanding in order to build a suitable lifestyle, one which draws out those qualities, talents and abilities that he knew were there, but which had not been allowed expression. If this can be achieved, then satisfaction and fulfillment will be great. The key to this lies in yourself, as it is likely that the world will not easily give you opportunities, and you may have to act independently. The richness found within can satisfy his search.

Avoid fragmenting life if possible; try to see and experience it as a unity; move freely with the winds of change. Provided this can be done with compassion and understanding for others, potential exists to realize more meaning and purpose. It may require releasing assumed values and substituting more appropriate ones. Then his life can be adjusted to accord with the new values. He will have the character to succeed if he can make those changes revealed necessary by an inner examination of priorities. Just feeling dissatisfied is not the answer. Unless one deals with the feeling, it will only create more resentment; turning within and changing can provide new signposts and directions for him to follow.

The 12th house is the one furthest removed from the outside world. In addition, it is a very introvert house and corresponds to the passive sign of Pisces(When we look at it from the Signs perspective the 12^th Sign is Pisces). The native waits for someone with initiative to make a move. It is the place of turning inward and of self-discovery. The Node in the 12th house means that this person needs, from time to time, to withdraw from active life for the purpose of self-remembering.

Here we do not exhibit ourselves to the world, but keep some space between it and us for the sake of being wholly ourselves. Being ourselves implies knowing and accepting ourselves for the ones we really are. Self-observation, self-knowledge, and self-discovery are tasks to be undertaken here. In addition, there is something greater and more pivotal we can do. We can discover our membership of the greater, or cosmic Whole, our relationship to humanity, and to God. This transcendental experience which is of generally the prime focus and importance to the 12^th Rahu enables us to feel woven into an all-embracing Reality. Even though we are separate individuals, we are nevertheless parts of a macrocosm, the whole of creation. We do not perceive this in its unimaginable wealth of details, but can experience it as a unity.
The individual would not survive without being part of a whole. Incorporation of the self in a greater whole is the object of the 12th house, and the Rahu present here invites us to make that object our aim. Union with reality, which it can help us to attain, is the best and surest source of health.

There is no substitute for the basic confidence provided by discernment in the 12th house. It gives an awareness of infinite being in which all things are contained. Here, too, is the area of religion, where the experience of God transcends theory. And it includes the religious experience of someone who does not have a religion but is occupied (for example) with the cosmos as the infinite totality of space, and has much the same experience as a believer, although still understanding it differently.

Anyone who has this position of the Rahu/Ketu must learn not to regard abstract ideas as real entities. The place for these is the 6th house, which is the depository of those 12th-house creations that are useful for everyday life. But this experience of an infinity in which everything is contained, this experience of God or the Cosmos as a vast expanse, cannot be put into words; for in the 12th house we leave behind the area of the imaginable. Indeed, only by doing so can we have a genuine, deep, and all-embracing experience. Yet, because of its character, the experience is strange and unsettling, since all categories of thought, feeling, and doing are abandoned. On catching sight of this expanse, we are afraid of disintegrating, or of falling uncontrollably into a yawning abyss. It is a leap into nothingness, and resembles death.

We need to understand the Node in the 12th house in such a way that we are able, from time to time, to retire into this space that belongs to all created beings in the universe and yet is completely individual to us. We can learn to withdraw into ourselves; far enough, indeed, to become the Whole again. We can learn to pray, meditate, and contemplate.. Each of us will do this in our own way: one goes to church, another contemplates the starry sky. Getting results does not depend on the objective space with which one identifies, or on a given place, but depends on the capacity and the will to expand and direct one’s awareness.
If the Rahu is in the twelfth house, the person’s greatest growth, evolution, and fulfillment come through serving others in a profound way. In past lives, the person would have concentrated on daily work, mundane tasks, and his own perfection and self-improvement. Now he is to devote his energy to idealistic callings, benevolent endeavors, and the betterment of humankind. He may be drawn to medicine, psychology, metaphysics, mysticism, religion, or any activity which heals or uplifts others. Or he may relieve the pain and suffering of the masses through heartfelt artistic expression. The person is learning to let go of his old patterns of criticizing, evaluating, and picking things apart. Now he must be as generous as he can be. He should give, give, and then give more. He should live from the heart, not the mind. Happiness comes from working to further the highest vision of human life, with no thought of personal gain. The more noble and virtuous the person’s motives, the faster and greater his evolution will be.

The person should cultivate faith and develop his spiritual nature. His main task is to transcend self-interest. He should adopt a lifestyle of love, compassion, and understanding. Above all, he must never condemn or judge others, even the worst of the human race. The higher part of his being simple, will not tolerate small and narrow behavior. The person should champion the cause of peace, harmony, and brotherhood. He must look for the best in others and refrain from gossip, negativity, and pessimism. Of all possible life paths, his is the highest and most majestic. He should consider the spirit behind people’s actions, and bear in mind the complexity and rigor of human life.

The person is not here to be cautious, careful, and sensible. He is seeking enlightenment and ultimate freedom. He wants to live a life of purity, devotion, and union with the infinite. He must pursue his ideals, visions, and inspirations. Material comforts are of little importance. The person may wish to perform major service. He may work in hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, or other institutions which aid society. He must follow his intuition and feelings. He will be happy living near the sea. Artistic endeavors are favored.
In Hindu astrology, the Rahu in the twelfth indicates cravings for spiritual growth and ‘moksha’ - final liberation. There may also be intense sexual enjoyment. The Ketu in the sixth reveals very strong health, excellent ability to defeat enemies and competitors, and daily work involving metaphysical healing techniques.