Monthly Vedic Astrology Forecast

Saturn and Rahu Close In April 1 - June 4

At the beginning of April, Saturn and Rahu are the planets occupying the sign of Taurus. Rahu recently entered Taurus and will transit through it in retrograde motion, exiting that sign in September 2003. Rahu is the north node of the Moon, a point in space that marks where the Moon crosses the path of the Sun, hence marking the potential for an eclipse. Rahu is associated with worldly desires, psychological states, mental and nervous disorders or sensitivities, as well as foreign places and adversity. The energies represented by the nodes of the Moon often present difficulties which can be linked to their symbolic power to swallow or occlude the light of our two largest luminaries, the Sun and the Moon. Rahu is said to be the great enemy of the Moon, and when conjunct with the Moon can cause great mental imbalance, even insanity. Ketu, the south node, similarly has the power to darken the Sun and cause alienation, isolation, doubt, and negativity. They are difficult energies that each person must encounter somewhere in their life, and birth chart. Like any other difficult planetary energy, Rahu and Ketu can become balanced in our lives with conscious effort. Rahu's energy has been likened to a similar, but an even more malefic force as Saturn. Ketu is of the malefic order of Mars.

When conjunct with Saturn, Rahu can increase Saturn's negative qualities of fear and worry, and can cause us to feel unexplainably unhappy or discontent. This is in fact the situation in the sign of Taurus these days. Saturn and Rahu are moving toward one another, until they pass by one another at 23°58' Taurus at around high noon on June 4. As these two malefic planets close in on one another, don't be surprised if you encounter feelings of malaise surrounding the indications of the house that contains Taurus in your natal chart. Taurus represents material resources and physical objects that we use to make our lives more comfortable and beautiful. Ruled by Venus, Taurus also gives a sense of partnership and good communication. Saturn, reticent and serious in nature can cause loss or separation where he resides or casts his glances (aspects). This is Saturn's tried and true method to force humans to cultivate the discipline of detachment which allows us to see through the illusory appearances of life. When his lessons are learned and integrated in a balanced way in our lives, he affords us stability, authority, structure, and concentration. This placement may cause feelings of isolation and loneliness, from which we must also develop detachment, for in truth none of us is ever truly alone, provided that "All are One" and "Unity of Life" stuff is true.

Saturn is now in the nakshatra, or lunar mansion of Rohini, which means "the red one" "the red cow" or "the growing one." Here the principles of growth, creativity, and abundance are represented. The limiting force of Saturn may put a damper on our feelings of abundance and growth, and may make an especially difficult growing season for crops. Although this poses a difficulty for our sense of comfort and progress, one way of going with the energy of Saturn in this position would be to use this period of time to eliminate extraneous possessions, comforts, and habits. Concentrating more on what we don't really need in our lives, rather than bemoaning the fact that business is not exactly booming at the moment, could help us to feel a bit more clear about the somewhat bleak state of the world economy. This too, shall pass.

Venus and Mars Exchange Signs April 5 - April 21

Perhaps we can use the disruptive shift from standard to daylight savings time on Sunday, April 7 as a wake up call. There is quite a lot of movement in the universal backdrop of the stars in April. The signs of Aries (ruled by Mars) and Taurus (ruled by Venus) are the major fields of activity this month. Aries is a fire sign that is the ground for action, power, drive, design, and aggression. Mars rules such things as courage, adventure, independence, conflict, accidents, the military, and oppression. It, along with Venus, is also a planet of sexuality. Venus expresses herself in the realms of beauty, art, devotion, creativity, harmony, contentment, and partnership. Where Mars tends to think of the self, Venus reaches out to the other. As mentioned above, from April 5-21, Venus and Mars will be in exchange of signs, meaning that Venus will be in Mars' sign (Aries) while Mars is in Venus' sign (Taurus). This kind of exchange affords a special relationship of mutual understanding to the planets involved. In this case, it may be somewhat of a balance between conflict and harmony. It's as if Venus is in Aries attempting to decorate the battlefield that Mars just burned through, while Mars is making new fortifications in Venus' art gallery. Venus makes it into her own sign of Taurus on April 21, hopefully not too late to cool down impatient and fiery Mars.

Mars Enters Taurus April 5

As if this Saturn-Rahu combination isn't challenging enough on it's own, Mars is blazing into Taurus on April 5, and will move into Rohini nakshatra on April 20. It's always interesting to get Saturn and Mars in the same room at a party. Stop, detach, and obstruct (Saturn) meets drive, engage, and engineer (Mars). Venus, almost as if she's rushing to make peace in her own house, enters Taurus on April 21, and hopefully can shed some of her love and ability to harmonize on the formidable gathering. We could all stand well advised to act out our own Venus energy during this potentially volatile time. When things are looking bleak, and a feeling of confrontation and anger sets in as well, pull what you can of your ability to see the beauty in life, and to express your human understanding through relationship out of your heart and let it dissolve the feelings of isolation and aggressive independence.

Mercury Enters Taurus April 26

On April 26, everybody's friend, the great messenger, translator, and communicator Mercury will also join in the party/fray. Mercury has general good intentions, but can get a bit scattered and unbalanced. He tends to take on the energy of surrounding influences. His proximity to Venus may help to increase our power to relate through communication. When so many planets are in the same sign, the planetary energies can become confused and may act in an unpredictable manner. Pouring energy into communication and understanding this month could truly aid in averting situations of conflict/and or despondency. By month's end there are five planets in Taurus, which is a mere preview of a conjunction of seven planets in Venus' fixed earth sign on May 14.