Rahu in 2nd House / Ketu in 8th House

Dear ardent readers here comes the second in series of Rahu / Ketu (The Nodes) in 2nd House / 8th House, these articles focus mainly on mental, behavioral & thought planes rather than material level. The earlier series on Rahu / Ketu in Signs published in 2007 also is equally important & worthwhile reading, however care should be taken not apply these writings verbatim on any chart, as there are many other factors which need to be studied always before coming to any conclusion

Rahu in 2nd House / Ketu in 8th House

The Rahu in the second house is fortunate for the native’s personal worth; his/her business will prosper, he will accumulate wealth fairly rapidly, and many strokes of luck will urge him onward. It also favours a rich marriage for love, with an intellectual partner, of tall stature, gentle disposition and clear complexion.

The Ketu in the eighth house will bring trouble connected with the sense; abuse of the animal passions. It is also a sign of a peculiar death, often connected with a relative, or the marriage partner, or his/her parents, who may suffer from heart trouble. This position also implies trouble in connection with inheritance.

Emphasis is on developing personal resources. Can attract money, and needs to do so in order to develop ‘attracting’ power. The ability to attract (Venus), whether it is material or spiritual, is to be built in. Reliance on other people’s resources or other people’s money must go.

The person having the Rahu in the 2^nd will be faced with the problem of earning and managing his/her own resources. It is instructive for him/her to depend upon others’ finances and resources. He must build his/her own if his/her destiny is to be fulfilled. This nodal position needs to develop practicality, physical endurance, and perseverance. Rahu here must relate loyalty to sex, and must bring it down to earth and reality.

Ketu in the eighth is secretive. There is an innate knowledge or extreme interest in sexual matters as a true regenerative force. It gives a natural talent for the occult arts. Ketu in the eighth gives a desire to be supported by another, or the partner’s money is extremely important to him. It gives a knowledge and talent for handling other people’s money. This person needs to lose reliance on partner’s finances. He/she is not afraid of the thought of death or dying. It gives an extreme hunger for knowledge of the hereafter, coupled with an innate wisdom of our connection with the cosmic forces. Death seems to play an important part as a rejuvenative force in his/her life. There is a preoccupation with his/her sexual knowledge and prowess. however, he/she is very considerate of his/her partner’s satisfaction in sex. Ketu in the eighth can bring fame after death, depending on aspects to the Sun and Moon.

This condition often signifies unusual financial activities, or abilities to deal with resources successfully or unsuccessfully in this life. They have to learn to abide by their resources rather than others’ possessions. Tricky affairs with others’ resources in the past life would have taught them strong lessons. Thus, in this life, they try to stay away from credit matters and others’ resources as much as possible. Their partner’s money or possessions become a ‘headache’ for many of these individuals. Another significant lesson they have to learn in this life is to understand and diagnose the occult or hidden influences in their judgments and actions.

The individual with these Nodes spends a good amount of his/her current-life energies on the darker side of life. From past incarnations he has secrets which he now spends most of his/her time guarding carefully. His/her greatest difficulty is in attempting to lead a life which is beyond reproach, for his/her lower self is powerfully strong.

He/she desires light, but with every step he takes toward it the aching of his/her guilt-ridden subconscious blocks the road.

He/shehas had much prior-life experience behind closed doors, where the eyes of open society failed to look. He/she is even accustomed to creating deceitful circumstances where there were none before.

Actually, he/she is testing the limits of other people’s values; and while many may know him/her closely, none will know him/her well.

Inside, he/she is highly nervous for fear of others unlocking his/her secret doors; for well he knows that he is undermining nearly everything he/she touches. Yet he/she has the self-assuredness to believe that all will go well no matter where his/her sometimes immoral adventures continue to lead him/her.

Because this individual has not yet established his/her own sense of values, he/she tries desperately to study the values of others. In so doing, he/she inadvertently pushes others off their track and therefore can be a threat to all that others hold near and dear. In former incarnations he/she destroyed much of his/her own value systems, so now he finds it difficult to understand why others cherish the things they do. He/she doesn’t have his/her own stake in this life, so with nothing to lose he/she feels free to claim-jump the stakes of others. Usually, this is accomplished in such subtle fashion that it is extremely difficult to recognize.

There is also strong past-life residue of sexual misuse. He/she has learned to think of his/her sexuality as his/her strength, using it as foothold to gain possession of others. In the female, this is the story of Delilah Mata Hari, whose unusual sexual powers lured the strongest of men from their appointed missions. In the male, much of the life energy is dissipated on sexual thoughts. He doesn’t use it for power in the same sense as the female, but it is for him the reassurance that all is going well with his ego.

The interesting thing is that sex is never the end but always the means. In the give and take barter system, sexual allure or responsiveness becomes the payment in exchange for another’s values.

Individuals with these Nodal position become jealous easily. Constantly they wish to trade places with whoever seems to have a greater backyard; and all too often they feel the sex is a fair price to pay for all the honors they may eventually receive.

From past incarnations, this individual feels shunned by society. Now, on the outskirts of acceptance, he is like a little lost child, peeking into the window of a brightly lit cabin with the hope that somebody will come and let him out of the night.

He/she is less than discriminating, for he/she desires such an immediate release from his/her current pain that it hardly matters to him/her whether he/she is jumping from the frying pan into the fire.

He/she turns to wherever solace is available, for his/her loyalties have not yet reached the state of evolution at which they may be considered totally trustworthy.

In his/her current-life childhood, he/she experiences fear of death, almost as if death itself would be the logical punishment for all his/her misdeeds in past incarnations.

He/she keeps feeling that he/she has to fight for the things he/she needs, for he/she has no sense of having yet earned them. When he/she falls short of reaching the brighter side of life, he/she secretly blames others for his/her misfortunes.

In a few rare cases, this individual must overcome past life criminal tendencies or residue of witchcraft. Only through a proper assessment of his/her second house Rahu can he establish the substance that will lead to a new rebirth.

Here the memory of past lives has to be brought to the surface and then eliminated completely in this/her eighth house of death before the soul can progress into a new set of values.

The individual must learn to develop and build that which is sincerely meaningful to him/her, understanding clearly that that which is dishonorably obtained is highly difficult to preserve. He/she cannot expect to grow through other people’s efforts, for if he/she wishes to cross the bridge, he must pay the toll out of his/her own pocket.

As soon as he grows to this realization, the lighted door cabin swings open for him/her not through the goodness of others, but because he/she has earned it!

The sign which contains the Ketu indicates the ways in which former incarnations have brought the individual to be too preoccupied with the business of others.

The sign which contains the Rahu shows the ways in which he/she can now build a substantially new and meaningful life for himself by establishing his/her own value systems.

Conflicts: Personal worth vs. worth to others. Practicality vs. sensuality. Ability to influence others vs. ability to be influenced by others.

Extravagance. Involvement in shady dealings. Creation of false values. Lack of discrimination. Misuse of sex, occult knowledge or joint resources.

Earn what you accept. Seek possessions for their practicality or intrinsic beauty rather than for their value as status symbols. Keep some strength in reserve for your own needs rather than using it all in pleasing others. Invest in known commodities rather than high-risk ventures. Keep spending slightly behind income.

When the Rahu is in the second house, there’s a hang-up about security. According to what stage of the balancing act the person is in, he or she can exhibit wild extravagance or greed and parsimony. In either case, there’s an emphasis on possessions as status symbols. The actual possessions may take various forms - from ultra-expensive to the recycled bargain. In any case, they’re only a symptom of the cause, which in reality is a perverted or underdeveloped spirit of enterprise. Sometimes possessions are used to assuage feelings of inadequacy caused by a constitutional weakness; other times they’re a means of providing some measure of present security to compensate for a childhood lack. There’s a strong tendency to trust to luck or be attracted to get-rich-quick schemes. Often, possessions are gained only to be lost again through extravagance or blind generosity. Sometimes there’s a tendency to gamble, with disgrace or disaster ensuing.

Chances are that some important form of security was withheld in childhood. Clients with this placing invariably complain of some traumatic lack of privacy. Having to share a room with several siblings, having to conform to stifling regulations while in boarding school, a parent who listened in on ‘phone conversations, opened mail, read diaries etc. - these are some of the most common experiences mentioned. As a result, these people have come to feel that they have nothing to truly call their own. Thus, even if they should acquire great wealth, they’re afraid to give even a little for fear that others will demand more and more until once again everything they have is gone.

This last form of expression may also result from a surfeit of negative eighth house Ketu experiences in the adult years.

Rahu in the second house wants assurance that his/her or her financial needs will always be met. He or she may dream of great wealth, but more commonly just wants enough to provide the basic necessities plus an allowance for indulgence in one major luxury - expensive beauty treatments, antiques, books, or whatever. (This luxury in itself doesn’t seem to have any bearing on the nodal sign; it’s more often connected with a rising or otherwise predominant planet.) Peace and harmony are also important components of the dream. In contrast, this person is often subject to feelings of strangeness or bouts of moodiness that hinder harmony and successful attainment of dreams. It’s interesting to note that there’s often marked psychic ability that’s repressed or totally denied. When this is channeled, moods often improve. In extreme cases, there’s compulsiveness that can lead to underhanded methods of obtaining goals. Again, this sabotages the need for harmony.

One tends to protect personal secrets, perhaps associated with feelings of undefined guilt and insecurity. An example of your self-protective needs could be your tendency to weave misleading webs around yourself as a form of ‘disguise’, or possibly from a fear of anyone coming too close emotionally. This insecurity influences relationships, and you may fear social condemnation if your attitudes and hidden personality are exposed. These fears may be unfounded, yet they exert inner stress and pressure, shaping communication and often causing you to withdraw from more intimate contacts.

You tend to undermine things unconsciously, having an unsettling and sometimes disturbing influence on events and people, as well as on your own life. A firm stand of personal values is probably missing; and this can have a negative effect on your identity. Intentionally or not, you can challenge the values of others in a manner which weakens them, as your impact can shake their foundations. As you lack firm values, you can fail to appreciate their worth or understand how others may rely on them for support through investing in beliefs, attitudes, and ideals which provide personal meaning.

You may feel socially unacceptable, although your isolationist stance contributes to this, as do deeper insecurities. Simultaneously, however, you may want to be part of the same society which another part of you is rejecting. Pain may come from fearful feelings of social rejection. The danger is that these unresolved, wounded feelings can make you want to undermine people and society deliberately, to blame and punish them for your lack of social adaptation and integration. The feeling that you deserve more than you receive, coupled with a knowledge that you are failing to make sufficient effort, can create contradictions which generate suffering, inner discord, and dissatisfaction.

Sexuality will have a high profile, and much attention will be devoted to your adult needs. Yet attitude change may be required, especially if you prefer domination and power over others or use sexuality as a means of releasing aggressive energies. Through deeper sexual experience, a path toward enhanced harmony with others could be discovered - a path whereby relationship negativity and confusion could eventually be transformed.

You need to learn how to build foundations based on your values and worldview, on what is personally important and holds meaning and purpose. Look honestly at yourself, define these important values, and seek to apply them in daily life. Once you learn self-respect and honor these values, you will cease to undermine those of others, and instead will respect them too. As you begin to recreate yourself, relationships will also improve and become more satisfying. You will discover a new social affinity; and thorough acceptance, self-rejection and disruptive pain will dissolve. You can benefit from self-directed changes along these guidelines, and they will transform your life. Human nature is more flexible and amenable to change than is often realized. Choosing to change will provide considerable insights into your nature. You could offer yourself as an example and help others by encouraging their transformation into a more meaningful life.

Essentially, with Rahu in the 2^nd house, we are concerned with exploiting our capital resources. We must learn to use the possessions, capabilities, and knowledge we have acquired or partly acquired. There is no need to rely on others for their help or financial assistance. We ourselves have sufficient strength and funds to play our part in life.

The 2^nd house has to do with personal possessions. It is an ownership house. The individual who has the Node in the 2^nd house must use what he or she owns in order to make progress. One becomes effective only when one begins to employ one’s capabilities, talents, or whatever one has - material as well as intellectual. Generosity, too, is important to cultivate, because as a rule there is a reluctance to give; or, depending on the sign, there is not enough self-knowledge and self-confidence in what one has. In which case, one must start to create this/her sense of security by continuing to build up one’s resources.

The area of life concerned is one in which, over a fairly long period in early youth, substantial acquisitions are being made. It does not matter if these are material, intellectual, or spiritual, provided they are solid. Then comes a second period, in which these solid values are put to work. Here, too, the key question is that of generosity - of whether or not one is prepared to give. If so, the discovery is made that abundant giving yields an abundant return.

When charts have this placement, one sometimes finds a poor self-image, especially when the Nodes receive hard or in conjunct aspects. The native underestimates his/her personal merit, which, in the 2^nd house, is judged by possessions. Consequently there can be a determination to hold on to these possessions without sharing them; also a desire to collect more. On the other hand, the native can become dependent on the wealth of others.

With the Rahu in the 2^nd house, the vital assets are sound, but this/her fact is left out of account until it registers in the conscious mind. The complaint is made that one is being exploited, or that others are earning more or are better off than oneself. But when the influence of the Moon’s Node enters consciousness, it brings with it a belief in one’s intrinsic worth.

If the Rahu is in the second house, the person’s greatest growth, evolution and fulfillment come through appreciation and enjoyment of earthly pleasures. In past lives, the person has been preoccupied with the profundity of life, mysticism, spiritual development, and helping others find their values and self-worth. It is not time to expand the practical side of being, and cherish God’s creation to the fullest. The person should focus on wealth, comforts, the arts etc.. Collections of any kind are very much to be favored. The person must let go of patterns of detachment and indifference, and engage fully and passionately in life. Enjoyment of the physical universe is his/her path to happiness, spiritual integration, and higher realms of awareness.

The person should concern himself/herself with personal security. He/she needs to take jobs that are steady and stable, and that allow him to cultivate a conservative, systematic manner. Endeavors involving agriculture, gardening, or archaeology will bring satisfaction and delight. The person should surround himself/herself with beauty, and take his/her appearance very seriously. He must honor the qualities of patience, consistency, firmness, and determination. Above all, he/she must learn to acknowledge and value his/her own personal needs and desires. He/she should seek out the real and tangible, and remain somewhat skeptical of that which he cannot see, smell, hear, touch, or taste. Self-identity is extremely important during this/her lifetime; and the person is developing loyalty, balance, and equanimity.

Sex may be enjoyed for the sensuality and sheer pleasure of the experience, but not as a means of gaining power, indulging in passion, or losing his/her identity to another. Unless other aspects of the birthchart indicate otherwise, the person may have little desire for the occult or mystical side of life. He/she is not much concerned with psychological transformation and spiritual methods of evolutionary growth. The Ketu in the eighth house is good for intuition and psychic ability.

Rahu in 1st House / Ketu in 7th House

Rahu in 1^st House / Ketu in 7^th House

Dear ardent readers here comes first in the series of Rahu/Ketu in Houses. The earlier series on Rahu/Ketu in Signs published in 2007 also is equally important and 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 a conclusion.     

The Rahu in the First House is good for the native; it brings him a measure of support which will enable him to succeed in life. It is also a sign of wealth from the intellectual standpoint: a practical imagination, an inventive and fruitful mind. This position is good for the health.

The Ketu, being in the Seventh House, signifies worries and troubles regarding partners. It often indicates a very material union, so that if the planets are well-placed in the Horoscope this position will be fortunate for money and material things, but where marriage is concerned, not for the emotions.

Person must develop his/her own initiative and their own personal power. They would have relied too much on other people in the past, and have been dependent on or dominated by others. Now they must work and carve out their own destiny. Through their own efforts and own actions, they will gain the confidence and self-reliance they need.

This person tends to learn to do things for himself/herself, to rely on their own initiative. Life seems to force them constantly into situations where they will have to act under their own volition. He/she should develop a personality that the public identifies as being individual; and he/she needs to take a personal stand on things. Rahu in the first is forced constantly to project himself, depending upon the sign position. The sign would indicate the reason for the projection of self. He/she will need to accomplish things through the power of his personality, and to develop self-sufficiency.

Ketu in the seventh is self-negation. There is danger here that the individual will try to indulge in all kinds of relationships. His/her partnerships can become so involved that he/she may lose his/her individuality in other. This gives the probability that the person will marry successfully later in life. There is always a secret fear of losing the marriage partner. It gives innate knowledge and talent of how to be a good partner. Along with this comes dissatisfaction because of the Ketu person’s overly idealistic image of a partner. Marriage in this ideal sense may be tried many times and many times denied. He/she is not rational where partnerships are concerned, especially when Ketu is in the sign of Libra. Ketu in Scorpio in the seventh is troubled with sexual idealism and / or the partner’s financial status. The person is capable of councelling others despite his own personal problems, or more probably because of them.

This condition signifies that the personal values are more important than general public or partnership(s). Individuality is self-propelled; and this person may or may not take heavy partnership responsibility. In reality, the partnership activities are often a drag for them in many ways, but they have to learn to cope with that. Strong aggressive tendencies are displayed, and the personality can be action-oriented. Other people or partnerships become a medium of learning experiences with or without choice. In their recent past life, they have been too much marriage-oriented or in deeper public involvement.

This individual is here to go through experiences which challenge the self. In former incarnations, he/she fell into the trap of depending upon undependable people.

Spending too much time trying to help others understand themselves, he/she never stopped to reflect on how their same situations and circumstances played an important role in his/her own identity. As a result of putting the accent outside the self, it now becomes difficult for him/her to see who he/she really is.

These Nodes indicate past incarnations in which the individual submerged his identity in the affairs of others. Marriage and partnerships are so deeply rooted in his/her way of doing things that his quest of self is constantly viewed through other people’s eyes. He/she therefore allows their thoughts and opinions of him to influence his own sense of identity.

Ultimately he/she must come out of the bondage of trying to be all things to all people, and, in the light of his own singular vibration, establish who he/she really is. He/she must escape from living in the shadow of other people’s lives.

His/her soul memories of co-operation and teamwork are so strong that every time he/she falls back on them, he/she actually extinguishes himself/herself in the causes of others.

His/her first house Rahu now brings to him/her the awareness that somehow he/she has lost his identity. Submerged in the desire to please, he/she has made himself a reflection of an ideal peculiarly opposite to his own basic nature. This causes him much current-life pain as he/she desires to come out of himself/herself while at the same time not inflict hurt upon those near him/her.

He/she must ultimately learn how to assume gracefully the role of leadership. This is extremely difficult, because he/she has had so much prior-life experience in being submissive. He/she has sacrificed himself/herself so that others could achieve their goals.

All of his important experiences revolved around docile acquiescence. Now the highest growth potential is to establish a sense of self without shutting off completely the benefits of marriage and partnerships. Too often when he/she becomes aware of all he/she has sacrificed through his Ketu, he/she becomes an extremist, feeling that one state of existence inhibits the other. He/she starts focusing every part of the life energy around the desire to lead rather than to be led. Through an instinctive knowledge that his/her Achilles heel or weak spot is in the ways that he/she can allow himself to be put into the position of being taken advantage of in marriage, he/she develops the tendency to become too over-assertive. He/she tries too hard to make up for what he/she feels he/she has lost.

To achieve happiness in the current life, he/she must learn how to balance equally his/her own needs with those around him. He/she must deliberately try not to rush his/her own growth and independence, with the understanding that the most beautiful flower takes time to blossom, while only the weed grows quickly!

The sign which contains the Ketu indicates the ways in which the individual during former incarnations submerged himself/herself in others. The sign which contains the Rahu shows the ways in which he/she can now establish his own sense of identity.

Good self-projection in terms of being true to self vs. good projection in terms of appealing to others. Excessive worry about partner’s well-being vs. attention to your own well-being. Self-generated vitality vs. dependency on others for stimulating vitality.

Possible results of sacrificing Rahu: You become dependent on the co-operation of others. You lose awareness of your own feelings about things. You lose your identity. You sacrifice yourself so that others can achieve their goals.

Possible ways to integrate Rahu: Learn to accept leadership roles occasionally. Remain sensitive to your environment, but try to avoid being overly influenced by it. Travel - preferably on your own. Seek direct, honest contact with others. Seek out new experiences.

In the first house, there’s a hang-up about leadership. This person is inherently strong and probably highly motivated, but often lacks moderation in his/her attempts to fulfill a leadership role. There’s a fluctuation between playing the dictator - which invariably proves unsuccessful - and a strong lack of confidence in your abilities. You feel if you can’t be the ultimate leader you may as well just put your life in other people’s hands. Either extreme produces clashes with others, since neither the dictator nor the pawn proves to be a totally comfortable role.

A less common tendency is to not care about how you look. This person, rightly or wrongly, wants to be accepted on the basis of his or her inner qualities. However, again rightly or wrongly, in our society relationships are often initiated on the basis of an attractive appearance. For this reason, those who neglect to develop this facet of their personality quite often don’t get to first base when it comes to forming relationships.

It’s interesting to note that in the process of balancing the first / seventh nodal axis, the person may for a time develop an almost narcissistic preoccupation with grooming and appearance.

Rahu in the first house wants to be thought of as ambitious, energetic, and lucky. In contrast, ambitions may have been thwarted by an early marriage or an unfortunate marriage that was based more on transitory romantic feelings than real love. Feelings about relationships and life in general are changeable, and often make a drain on energy, so that when opportunities arise, motivation to act on them is lacking. Sometimes there are problems from laziness or passivity.

Your focus for personal development will concern identity and relationship issues. You may become dependent on others and, in so doing, submerge your identity in the process, perhaps by displaying a passivity to their will, desires, and needs. You may lack self-esteem, as your self-image often reflects others’ perceptions and evaluations of you. This can be misleading, perhaps creating a distorted self-perception, particularly since you allow others’ views and opinions to influence your actions and behavior. Yet relationships will be important, and you can devote much time trying to satisfy these partnership needs.

You need freedom from dependency on others. Learn how to be more independent and forge a unique identity, instead of relying on others to define it for you. Through self-understanding, you can live by your own light. But, until this is achieved, you probably will remain too influenced by another’s persuasion. What may occur is that, through your desire to please others, you deny and repress your own identity, needs and desires; and through misplaced self-sacrifice, lose contact with your deeper being.

While you recognize the value of relationship co-operation and harmony, being too passive and submissive to more assertive personalities becomes damaging. There are alternate ways of relating, however, which can benefit all concerned. Discovering this alternate path is your challenge. You may have to assert your needs and desires in a way which does not create conflict. Perhaps due to previously relying on others to decide actions, when you become more assertive, you encounter friction with those who have almost taken you for granted. They may find it difficult to deal with the emerging ‘new you’. Such difficulties must be faced, and relationships must be rebalanced and adjusted; reverting to a submissive or passive attitude will be detrimental to inner growth.

Ideally, this developing self-expression will be balanced with an opennes to experience the richness and complexity offered by relationships. Initially, this may cause relationship challenges; and your assertiveness may be inappropriate at times. Careful moderation may be necessary, especially if you suddenly at as a ‘new you’ overnight, or try to dominate others. You need awareness of how you are treating others as you move from a passive to an active role in your relationships. Care is required as you unfold your personality, and when harmonizing your needs with those of partners. For some, the transition could involve dissolving older relationships and later forming new ones more suitable to the old phase. Growth rarely happens overnight; it will come slowly and with considerable effort. But retain faith that your struggles will create great personal benefit and freedom.

Here the individual stands out against the backdrop of his or her environment. In the 1^st house, the native introduces himself or herself. The 1^st house is an extrovert house. The native seeks recognition and makes an effort to be noticed. With the Node in the 1^st house, what is required is the courage to stand up and say, ‘This is what I am, and I am not going to change for anyone’.

When the chart is examined as a whole, it is usually found that the ego has problems in sufficiently being itself, and that this is something the Moon’s Node urges us to work at. If, with the Node in the 1^st house, I run into difficulties, the most likely reason is an inability to say, ‘Whatever happens, I am going to be myself; and it is for me to decide whether or not I can do it or want to do it’. With the Node in the 1^st house, we must learn to stick to our point of view.

Also, it is important to be aware of the opposite Node, as there is a tendency to be ruled by the opinions of others, and to wait for them to tell us what to do. The Ketu is, of course, in the 7^th house. But reliance on someone else, and hoping that another person will put our chestnuts out of the fire for us, so that we have no need to fight for ourselves, amounts to stagnation or falling back in development.

In hard aspects to the 1^st-house Node, the tendency is to use the Ketu reflex by currying favor with the other person; we get on well with this person because we are friendly and hide the less amiable side of our character. Thus a false picture of yourself is presented, which considerably blocks our development. Certainly, in the 1^st house, one has to cultivate one’s image, but it should be presented as honestly as possible.

If the Node in the 1^st house receives soft aspects, the partner, represented by the 7^th house, will be very supportive without having to be asked. This is not as bad as when the native asks for support. The motivation is what matters. If the native tries to help himself or herself, the partner may also come along and help. That is not stagnation. Action has been taken. As the Node is on the Ascendant itself, the whole 1^st-house theme must be taken very seriously. In soft aspects, and very much more so in inconjunct, it is observable that often the native does not care to emphasize the ego, because it is not the ‘done thing’. This can be a big mistake, since without parading our ego we have no real chance in the world. The world will not know who we are. It is preferable to try and make the best possible impression on people than to make none at all. The Node on the Ascendant is a placement in which the native almost always has to call attention to himself or herself. The world has to be made to look at him or her. It is very important to put the self forward and to keep on improving the personal image.

Rahu in the first house. If the Rahu is in the first house, the person’s greatest growth, evolution, and fulfillment come through developing his/her own personality and personal power. He/she has been too dependent on marriage partners in past lives, and has relinquished his individuality and authority to his/her mates. The person must follow his/her instincts and impulses, and learn to care for his/her own destiny. He/she must not allow himself to be dominated, manipulated, or overshadowed by the feelings and wishes of others. There is a great likelihood that the person will become enmeshed in early marriage and soon feel smothered and controlled. He/she may (with great effort, pain, and struggle) eventually free himself in order to develop and nurture his own personality, ambitions, and self-expression. Then the possibility of growth, satisfaction, and a sense of accomplishment becomes a reality.

The person should beware of compromising too quickly and easily. He/she must work on confidence and self-reliance, and use his/her own judgement. He/she will be happier and healthier when he/she learns to value his own opinions and stand up for himself. The person gains a great deal from decisiveness and dynamic action, and should therefore take the initiative as much as possible. Men or women with this Rahu placement are well-advised to cultivate and nurture their masculine side. The person should be more assertive, and express his/her emotions when provoked. He/she must not, in the event of anger or irritability, give in to his habitual patterns of suppression and self-denial. In this lifetime, his individuality, self-esteem, and ego needs are of the essence.

The person must let go of his compulsion to create peace and harmony in the environment. Toward this end, he/she will be forever thrust into circumstances where he/she feels compelled to declare his convictions and take appropriate action. The person should focus on his/her physical body, be more daring, and allow the fiery element of his personality to come through more often. In ancient Hindu astrology, the Rahu in the first house and the Ketu in the seventh indicates a beautiful and powerful appearance, serious ups and downs in married life, and a strange, eccentric, or highly spiritual spouse. Sign positions of the nodes are of much higher significance as well

New Series on Rahu/Ketu

Dear All Ardent Readers
First of all I apologize for not posting articles for quite sometime now. But that was with a reason, where a preparation of new series of articles was taking shape, yes, this is the series on Rahu/Ketu in Houses. Earlier series was on the effects of Rahu/Ketu in Rashi's or Signs. My sincere request to all is not to apply these articles verbatim on charts, but to take them only as a reference, as the very same meaning of what is given in the explanation could change drastically with the different planetary dispositions. Basically these articles are only for the purpose of learning vedic astrology and again I would sincerely request readers not to request for "Readings" as these would not be entertained.
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Reterogrades in Transit - An Overall Analytical View

Even if one does not have natal planets in retrograde, one can still experience them during their retrograde transit. They can temporarily block the elements and create problems in the subconscious if we are not aware of them. The two most difficult retrogrades are Mercury and Saturn. Mercury as it happens so often and Saturn as it can transit over one point of the chart again and again; and create lots of problems. It is important to know retrogression of planets in a given year. The retrograde motion of one's dasha ruler can change the direction of events. Retrogrades indicate a concentration of energy in the part of the zodiac where they are active. If one has planets in that area then they will have major impact which could be both positive or negative depending on the overall chart status. Retrogrades make life appear to be stuck either for good or bad, or sometimes neither moving forward or backward.

Saturn and Jupiter retrograde once a year.

Mars and Venus once every two years.

Mercury retrogrades at least three times a year.

While analysing the transit effect of the retrograde planets remember the following:

One should be aware of Mercury retrograde. They are stress points in the year. Mercury retrograde creates communication problems and makes life uncomfortable. Stress, arguments, delayed journeys - all can make life troublesome during the Mercury retrograde. So do problems with computers, Internet, and other technologies. Double check all appointments, travel programme and journeys- remember not to stop your life. Decisions made during Mercury retrograde can be changed after it goes direct. Stress levels can climb sky high. Arguments can result from crossed wires. Mercury retrogrades at least 3 times a year so its awareness has a huge say in the quality of one's life. Gemini and Virgo need to be doubly conscious, it will make their life a lot easier.

If a natal planet is on the same degree as Saturn stations, then we should expect that to be a major issue to contend with. This becomes even more important during difficult Saturn transits like Sade Sati, which is itself a troublesome transit(Exceptions are there for this as it could be positive for some). Saturn stationing over the exact degree of the Moon will bring untold mental stress. The house rulership and placement of the Moon will show where the problem is about. Also Saturn can transit over the same point three times, which concentrates the energy of its difficult influence.

The stationary points of Jupiter can positively enhance good qualities. It can make people think in wrong ways. Or encourage the possibility of getting wrong advice. Traditionally in India, marriage, auspicious events and new ventures are not planned when Jupiter is retrograde.

The stationary points of Mars. This can lead to war or aggressive tendencies. Mars retrograde can increase stubbornness and can herald a time for war. The impact on dasha, antar and prayantara dasha rulers. Past issues can become dominant. There can be a change in the direction of life. When your Lagna ruler retrogrades, it will have a major impact on your inner self. Venus retrograde indicates a focus on past relationships. Venus brings problems with relationships. It is not a good time to marry