Vedic Predictive Astrology

#43
Mr. Toad's Wild Ride
February 14, 2004

(Forecasts underlined and in maroon are links to previous Forecasts.) 

Note for subscribers:  I recently updated an antiquated Toshiba laptop with a new Compaq, and while this is a huge improvement, a two week transition resulted.  This, along with some karmic challenge from the Mars/Rahu conjunction, has disallowed new Forecasts since the last one on January 24.  Hopefully, this Forecast catches up with events, and also hopefully, several planned Forecasts can be expeditiously published.  Also, I will be traveling home to Sarasota, Florida from February 20 to March 3, but I'll be able to monitor incoming e-mail and telephone calls during this brief escape from Sedona.

Forecast Review
     The first 3 Forecasts of 2004 tracked emerging planetary karmas now unfolding.  These have initiated a third Forecast series, entitled, Forecast Series III - The Journey To Regain Liberty.  See the index for these 3 Forecast Series on the Subscriber Archive page.
 
     The January 10 Forecast, The Planetary Winds Have Shifted, alerted subscribers to the world regain- ing mental clarity and understanding by stating, We begin to grasp now that corporate profits gained by exporting (outsourcing) jobs have been the engine driving up stock prices.  The destructi- veness of huge and continuing deficits is finally being seen.  The natural consequences of Bush's Iraq lies are being revealed...  Events since that Forecast have confirmed these predictions -- to the great relief of those who had believed media and polling reports that the administration was gaining on all fronts, making Bush invincible.

     The January 18 Forecast, The Presidential Candidates -- An Early Look, correctly identified Kerry, Clark and Dean as the viable candidates.  Already, Gephardt and Lieberman have withdrawn, as predicted, and Kucinich stays in the race more to articulate his positions than to be a viable candidate. Clark also withdrew earlier this week, which may be premature.  John Edwards' birth time remains unknown, and the 7:02 AM time reported on Astrodatabank yields a Gemini rising chart that fits him like a three piece suit on a gorilla.  Aries rising (birth time from 2:20 AM to 3:45 AM) gives Edwards strong chart with powerfully advantageous Dasas (planetary cycles) explaining his political rise.  Edwards' birth time will be further rectified as appropriate during the unfolding of the primaries and newsworthy events.
  
     The January 24 Forecast, Mars' Transit Through Aries, discussed in detail how violent and discordant Mars was held in check since June, 2003 and releases this pent up energy during its transit through Aries from January 27 to March 11.  That Rahu (an eclipse point and head of a snake in Hindu mythology) is also in Aries serves to both intensify and degrade Mars during this thorny interval.  The anticipated heightened Mideast violence, terrorist acts, injury to Bush's reputation and a heated Democratic primary contests are all coming to pass.  Additionally, since Mars is sex, Rahu's impact heightens this area. It has already brought abuse to females (the murdered Florida girl and polygamy problems in Arizona) and stimulates conservative concerns about gay marriage, Janet Jackson's breast baring an even renewed debate about abortion.  These planets together can also bring infectious disease but also technological advance.  (See the September 30 Forecast, A Technological Breakthrough.)  Mr. Toad's Wild Ride is a fashionable term in the Vedic Astrology community for Rahu, and Mars exacerbates. 

     A schedule of sensitive dates for this Mars transit is repeated here:  January 27, 28, 29.  February 2, 3, 11, 12, 14, 23-29, March 1.  As Mars/Rahu energy influences world events and our individual experiences, mark you calendars for these dates to minimize and be prepared for challenges.  

Potent Astrological Influences -- Illustrated By Economics
     There are 2 overriding planetary influences driving present events and circumstances through the spring.

     First, the much discussed Mars/Rahu conjunction in Aries continues to be the dominant action influence through the beginning of March.  Many of this combination's characteristics have been previously explained, including the sex issues noted above.  Another fundamental way of understanding this combination is to view Mars as courage and Rahu as psychology (the unconscious mind).  These combine for outward courage and inner fear.  This view explains how and why Mars/Rahu truly is so virulent and dangerous in stimulating bitter antagonism, meanness, spite and violent abuse, as well as desire so intense that being blocked brings fury, even temper tantrums. 

     A final perspective on Mars/Rahu is through their brutal but contrasting natures.  Mars' violence is precipitated by anger or risky actions.  Because these can be thwarted, Mars-inspired harms may sometimes be avoided using prudence and repressing reflexive impulse.  Rahu's evils, however, are undeniable and more potently karmic.  Rahu events are thereby intense, uncontrollable and unexpected.  Mars and Rahu  together must bring the most virulent and unavoidable harms that can overwhelm, akin to earth events like avalanches and earthquakes.

     Second, the big planets, Jupiter and Saturn, are always dominant and also opposing influences, and their retrograde motions are pivotal for Saturn's poverty and contraction and Jupiter's wealth and expansion.  This discussion focuses upon the economic impacts of these retrogrades to illustrate how the energies work, as well as discuss an pressing current topic. 

     Saturn went retrograde October 26, 2003 and begins forward motion again on March 8.  As retrograde reduces a planet's significations by making it less outgoing and more latent, retrograde decreases Saturn's poverty and contraction, encouraging economic growth.  Concomitantly, Saturn's retrograde releases Jupiter's wealth from its usual restriction, giving a second influence for economic increase.

     Jupiter was in strong forward motion until January 4, and with Saturn's retrograde on October 26, the economy and stock markets took off from late October through New Years.  However, when Jupiter went retrograde January 4th, its wealth and expansion were reduced, and since that date, the economy and stock markets have leveled off, even sputtered.

     Jupiter remains retrograde until May 5, suggesting the economy and securities markets will continue an uncertain path.  Saturn will regain forward motion March 8, and with its restrictions restored, the nascent economic recovery will surely be further stifled.  Only when Jupiter regains its forward motion in early May will economic growth resume, and with both Saturn and Jupiter then forward, the economy will hopefully respond in a balanced, albeit conservative, manner.  Following is a listing of these 4 intervals:

Strong Growth  Saturn retrograde October 26 and Jupiter forward until January 4 
Uncertain Growth  Jupiter retrograde January 4 and Saturn retrograde until March 8
No Growth  Saturn forward March 8 and Jupiter retrograde until May 5
Conservative Growth  Jupiter forward May 5 and Saturn continues forward motion.

     To complete the economic analysis by including the Mars/Rahu conjunction, the above presented concept of outer courage and inner fear describes well the current uncertain economic climate.  Corporate America reports optimism, while at the same time, corporations are leery of hiring and continue to cut costs through automation and outsourcing jobs.  Executives have a gut fear of the administration's economic policies and Mideast instability.  On the public side, consumers and investors are similarly conservative, and as Mars/Rahu creates havoc now, this threatens to destabilize the economy.

     With the Mars/Rahu conjunction and the Saturn and Jupiter retrogrades explained and illustrated by analyzing the economy, we can apply this information to other current topics -- the democratic presidential candidates, President Bush and personal experiences.

The Democratic Presidential Candidates
     Both the January 18  The Presidential Candidates -- An Early Look and the January 24 Mars' Transit through Aries are referenced here.

     John Kerry has Mars/Rahu in his 6th house of enemies, indicating he will fight hard but also encounter a backlash of some type.  Already the conservative Drudge Report accuses Kerry of an illicit relationship.  Kerry's birth chart and transit Saturn are both in his 8th house of scandal, and Saturn resuming forward motion on March 8 could fatally injure his reputation.  John Kerry's new Mercury planetary cycle is dangerous because, Mercury rules difficult houses for this chart, making it a destructive influence due to impulse and aggression.  Don't believe, then, that this candidate race is over.

     Howard Dean is running his 19 year Saturn cycle, and his subcycle since February 2001 has been his fallen, and thereby weak, Venus.  These are not auspicious Dasa planets for a presidential campaign, but his powerful Sun replaces Venus on April 15, indicating that if his candidacy survives until mid April, he could persevere, especially if Kerry encounters scandal and/or is injured by aggressive attacks by the administration.  Mars/Rahu are in his 11th house of goals, opportunities and friends, suggesting he is highly motivated but will lose friends or be harmed by them.

President Bush
     Only a month ago, the media were reporting on Bush's meteoric rise in the opinion polls due to improvements in Iraq, capturing Saddam and a growing economy.  In the January 10, The Planetary Winds Have Shifted, I stated, This Jupiter retrograde rips the petals of good fortune off Bush's blooming yellow Texas rose, and history has already proving this Forecast accurate.  

     It's worthwhile to reiterate Bush's planetary cycles (Dasas) and transits.  (Note: Dasas are like the river of life upon which we travel in our little personal boats.  These then, are the underlying karmic influences upon our lives.  Transits are like weather on that river, bringing more worldly and temporary effects.  In Vedic Astrology, when Dasas match with transits, the karmas are maximized, allowing accurate and effective predictions.)  

     Bush's first 3 Dasa planets are Saturn/Jupiter/Jupiter from November 1, 2003 to March 4, 2004.  These planetary cycles were favorable to Bush, especially with restrictive Saturn retrograde and Jupiter forward until January 4.  Since then, his Jupiterian good fortune has dissipated.  Adding in the difficult Mars/Rahu transit through his 10th house of career and reputation, together with Bush's the fourth level Dasa planet being Mars from February 7 to 14 and Rahu from February 14 to March 4, Bush loses prestige by being attacked from all sides for many reasons.

     From March 4 to July 28, Bush's planetary cycles will be Saturn/Jupiter/Saturn, and considering that Saturn resumes restrictive forward motion March 8 and Jupiter continues retrograde until May 5, Bush must experience mounting challenges and an inability to overcome these.  

     A further transit effect for Bush is Saturn transiting across his Sun (power and reputation) in his 12th house of loss.  Saturn approached the Sun within 1 1/3 degrees last October (before it went retrograde), and this corresponded to his tribulations in October and November.  When Saturn resumes forward motion March 8, it will again move towards Bush's Sun, this time to actually cross the Sun, effectively blocking it.  The dates for this transit are June 13 to 20.  Look then, for Bush to experience continuing problems this winter and spring, and although he will fight back, he will not have the power to overcome, and his combativeness will even injure his reputation further.

     For those of you who find this astrology too complex, consider that misfortunes Bush experiences during the Mars/Rahu transit through Aries bear the fruit of disgrace in June.

Personal Experiences
     Mars/Rahu extremes with Jupiter retrograde unable to balance with luck and fortune has caused many people problems since late January.

     Some examples I've seen are:  an electric window on my car seized up during a cold snap, and the repair is a truly Rahu amount of $350; a friend cracked molar, requiring a $400 dental bill; another friend sprained a toe.  None of these events could be avoided or controlled and each was abnormally destructive.  However, because any difficult karma can stimulate a compensatory benefit, an open mind can perceive a gain.  I benefited by doing some needed walking while the auto parts were ordered, and my toothy friend chose to see a dentist in Mexico for less money and thereby visits her family.  The final tally on the toe-impaired woman is not out yet, but she is sincerely searching for the silver lining while still painfully limping.

     Mars/Rahu, because of the intensity and karmic power of their conjunction, cannot be countered, and like Bush, combativeness tends to make the situation worse.  It is better to understand this as a period of surrender, care for yourself and extending yourself to others.  It is particularly important not to be drawn into dangerous situations, especially if you feel weakened or vulnerable, and the people involved are Rahu types -- overly aggressive, mentally unbalanced, sexually deviant, ill with infectious disease, excessive talkers....  Too much exposure to mass media and high tech environments can also be disturbing.  A quiet and natural environment, good diet, moderate exercise and spiritual practice are good preventatives and  antidotes.