I’m back from India! Actually I’ve been back for almost two months, but it’s been a little hectic. Let me tell you about one of the places I went to in India before diving back into your regularly scheduled astrology :) In September, I went to Gomukh. Gomukh means mouth of the cow, and is the glacial source of the Ganges river. It is mentioned in the Puranas - once upon a time, a shepherd boy got lost while looking for his sheep, and stumbled upon the source of the Ganges. He described it as looking like a cow’s mouth, and the name stuck. I’ve been told 50 years ago it really did look like a cow’s mouth, but now I can’t really see the resemblance because the glacier has melted significantly in recent years. The Ganges river is considered the most holy river of India. It is said that bathing in the waters wash away your sins, and bring you closer to liberation. There is a story that explains her source, and starts with a king’s sacrifice. Once, there was a king named Sagar, and he undertook an Ashwamedha Yagya (horse sacrifice). This is the sacrifice where a chosen horse is allowed to roam wherever it pleases for a year, and wherever it goes, the people must pledge loyalty to the throne (either willingly or nudged “gently” by the king’s army). It was all going well until Indra, the king of the Devas, got jealous. Indra hid the horse near a powerful sage’s ashram, and when King Sagar’s army / sons found the horse, the sage was disturbed and annoyed. Imagine leaving civilization to meditate in the mountains and being disturbed by an army! Well, the powerful sage cursed King Sagar’s sons, and when they begged for forgiveness, the sage said everything would be forgiven if they managed to bring the holy river Ganges down from the heavens. After a few obstacles, King Sagar’s grandson was successful, and Brahma ordered Ganga (the Ganges river) to flow down to Earth. As the legend goes, she flows from heaven down one of Shiva’s locks and onto the Earth to purify our sins. If you are ever in India (upstream from Rishikesh is cleaner), it’ll be cold but make sure you take a dip in her holy waters! The journey to Gomukh involved a 14km hike through the mountains to government accommodations in Bhojbasa, then a 4km day hike to Gomukh and back the next day, then a 14km hike back to Gangotri the day after. It was especially challenging because of the altitude and thin air - the hike begins at 3,400 meters (11,000 feet), and reaches its highest point at Gomukh at 4,000+ meters (13,200 feet). I have never been on a hike like that before and found it very cleansing and meditative. Jupiter in Sagittarius Earlier this month on November 5th, Jupiter moved into Sagittarius. Jupiter’s original name is Brihaspati, and he symbolizes abundance, religion, and knowledge. In the Vedas, there is a class of beings called the Devas, and Brihaspati was their teacher. The Devas are higher beings, and battle demons for control of our universe. Brihaspati guides them through their endeavors by giving them knowledge, and reminding them of their dharma and spiritual path. In fact, Brihaspati was the first Jyotish teacher, the originator of the light that illuminates our future. Sagittarius, being the sign of truth, religion, and knowledge, is one of Jupiter’s home signs. This is where Jupiter’s energy can be expressed more clearly. Jupiter usually stays in a sign for about a year. However, this year it’s a little bit more complicated. Because Saturn is also in Sagittarius currently (leaving in January), Jupiter’s energy is still somewhat suppressed till Saturn leaves. Also, Jupiter will leave Sagittarius next year for a couple of months. So to modify my earlier statement, Jupiter’s energy is expressed more clearly for the next year or so, and is expressed most clearly during these dates:
The last time Jupiter was in Sagittarius was from Nov 23rd 2007 to Dec 11th 2008. This was a tough time economically for the world. The US stock market had just peaked on October 9th 2007, and existing home sales peaked in the US during October 2007 also. In the years preceding 2007, greedy bankers had encouraged home owners to borrow as much as they could, and funded those loans using other investor’s money. Because the banks were being funded by someone else, there was not a lot of incentive for risk management. The bankers sold risky loans to investors and earned big bonuses in the process. Well, as Jupiter began its transit, the truth was revealed, and it didn’t look pretty! It was like someone turned on the lights - Brihaspati had reminded the Deva energy within us to clean this mess up, and returned us on our paths of dharma.
Mini-Predictions So, enough economy talk - how does Jupiter in Sagittarius affect you personally? I’ve written out some mini-predictions to try and answer this question. Of course, there are many other things that fill out the picture of your life (most of it individualized from your birth chart), but this transit will show one small perspective. I have arranged these mini predictions according to your Vedic Sun signs; you can find your Vedic Sun sign by finding which date range includes your birthday. Please read the birth times carefully as your Vedic Sun sign can be different from your Western one (reason here). Aries (April 14th to May 14th): This transit is supportive for greater wealth, and will bring you experiences of learning and knowledge. It is also helpful for your relationship with your father. Jupiter in this position is also supportive for travel and spiritual growth. Taurus (May 15th to June 14th): Jupiter is transiting your house of change. While most of us dislike change, this period will tend to bring you positive changes that will be pleasant and helpful in your life. Gemini (June 14th to July 16th): This transit is supportive of your relationships. This will make your partner optimistic, knowledgeable, and even wealthy, or will bring you a partner with those characteristics if you are single. Cancer (July 17th to August 16th): Jupiter is transiting your house of health. On one hand, this is positive and helps you recover from any existing ailments. On the other hand, this may make you a little bit lazy and indulgent with matters related to health, so remember to keep up your health regime! Leo (August 17th to September 16th): This is supportive of all areas of creativity. This is a good time to learn things and create new projects. If you are looking to have a baby, this transit will produce a knowledgeable and intelligent child. Virgo (September 17th to October 16th): This transit is supportive for all matters related to your home and vehicles. If you’ve been putting off a renovation or buying a house, now is the time to start thinking about it. This transit is also helpful for your relationship with your mother. Libra (October 17th to November 15th): Jupiter is transiting your house of communication. This will make your communication style more positive and more effective. It is also supportive for your relationship with your siblings. Scorpio (November 16th to December 15th): This transit will bring you nice experiences related to your family. Jupiter brings a sense of bonding and wellbeing when everyone is together. It will also bring you good experiences with food, but be careful as this transit may also make you a bit of a glutton! Sagittarius (December 16th to January 14th): Jupiter is transiting your Sun sign, which brings wellbeing across your life. It will make you less susceptible to falling ill, and make you recover more easily from existing ailments. This transit also generates wealth and may allow you to buy a house or a car. Capricorn (January 15th to February 12th): This transit is very supportive of your spiritual growth. It will bring you spiritual knowledge, and a greater depth to your meditation practice. Jupiter in this position also brings you good experiences with travel to distant places, so maybe book a holiday to a spiritual / yoga retreat somewhere! Aquarius (Feb 13th March 14th): Jupiter in this position forms a wealth combination, and so this period is supportive of you getting a raise or a promotion. This is also a good transit for your networking - time to put yourself out there and get to know more people! Pisces (March 15th to April 13th): Jupiter is transiting your house of the career, and is very supportive of your job. This transit will boost your chances of a promotion, and may bring you important projects that are positive to your career. I hope you find these mini-predictions useful. Till next time! |
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