Gifts of the 8th House: Transformation and Change By Vaughn Paul Manley, M.A. Copyright 2010. All Rights Reserved.
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This article appeared in The CVA Journal - Spring/Summer 2009 www.councilvedicastrology.org
(Revised for publication from Aug 2005 online version)
The 8th house has earned the dubious reputation as the ugliest house in the Jyotish
neighborhood. It’s the one capable of wrecking the most damage, even death, and it’s hard to get more morbid than that. It can be summed up as the house of change - sudden, dramatic and intense change. As a society we love the kind of drama that the 8th house provides, as long as it’s happening to somebody else! Just consider our obsession with sensational news, reality TV shows, and thriller movies, like The Dark Night, which recently broke all records at the box office. It’s just when change affects us personally that we fear and resist it. Nobody wants to lose anything they value: health, wealth, job, loved ones, etc. So when we do, it’s understandable to blame it on the 8th house, its lord, or its karaka, Saturn. But do we really need another scapegoat for our woes? I mean, in addition to the boss who fired us, or the husband who left us? This article explores different perspectives about the 8th house, and the gifts that can be discovered alongside its typical wreckage. It also discusses careers and events of the 8th house that are not merely ruinous.
Change and The 8th House
In Vedic astrology undesirable change is associated with influences of the malefic planets Saturn, Mars, Rahu, and Ketu (secondarily the Sun) and the dusthana houses, the 6th, 8th, and 12th (secondarily the 3rd). Of the dusthanas the 8th house is maligned as the most malefic because it’s the 12th house (loss) from the 9th house (fortune), which makes it the house of misfortunes - change, death (the ultimate change), obstacles, disappointments, upheavals, scandals, reversals, chronic illness, among other typically undesirable outcomes. The classic text, Laghu Parashari says, “The Lord of the 8th house by virtue of being the 12th from the 9th does not produce good results.(Ch 1 shloka 9)” For instance, M.S. Mehta quotes K.N. Rao in his book, Analyzing Horoscopes Through Modern Technique, as saying, "In the ending of any marriage the role of the 8th house or planet in the 8th is well known."
The malefic influences in our chart generally deliver to us our negative, undesirable karma during the times of their dashas and transits. They fall into the category of tamas or decay in terms of the three gunas: rajas (creation/Brahma), sattva (maintenance/Vishnu), and tamas (destruction/Shiva). Their role is to do the astrological dirty work by passing on the negative effects of our past actions. Therefore, during 8th house influenced time periods, such as the dasha of 8th lord or planet placed in the 8th house, a variety of difficulties are likely to occur: pursuits resulting in disappointment, losses of things you value, etc. You don’t need to be creating negative karma at the time. Bad things can happen to nice people, due to their past, unseen karma.
Even though it’s valid, from an astrological standpoint, to define the effects of the 8th house as malefic, it's our attitude about change that's important. Our happiness is internally based, not externally. “People are disturbed not by things, but by the view they take of them,” writes Greek philosopher Epictetus in the 1st century B.C. Astrology reveals the likely outcome of our external situation but not our internal reaction to it. That is our choice, moment to moment. We either choose to be 'victims of our fate' or we rise above it. We either look for the 'silver lining', the 'blessing in disguise', the 'opportunity for growth,' or we continue to feel like our situation really, totally and justifiably 'sucks.'
Blessings in Disguise
If we don't look beyond our surface frustrations to the depths of our life lessons we're
missing the greatest gift of the 8th house - spiritual transformation. The 8th house is not only a dusthana house, but a house of moksha or liberation along with the 4th and 12th houses. Isn't it interesting that the most malefic house is also a house of liberation? The 8th house takes us to our edge where transformation and rebirth are just on the other side of despair and death. It’s a house of transition from one state to the next. Its role is not just to create upheaval that leaves us in a sobbing heap on the floor, but to liberate us. The destructive principle of tamas paves the way for new creation (rajas), just as compost provides fertile soil for new seeds to grow.
Just like compost takes time to transform from waste, the blessing that the 8th house invariably gives, may take time to be revealed. A rebirth is guaranteed following any kind of death, but there may be a gestation period. The Dalai Lama says, “Sometimes not getting what you want is a wonderful stroke of luck.” We all know of people who’ve lost their dream only to find that something better was around the corner, if not immediately, then eventually. A Course in Miracles says, “All things work together for good. There are no exceptions except in the ego’s judgment.” Often letting go of our judgments and learning to trust the process are the most important lessons of the 8th house.
Slaying Demons
The change of an external situation, like transitioning from a job or marriage, are obvious kinds of transformation but what about spiritual, inner transformation? The 8th house, like its karaka Saturn, often represent the hardest life lessons in the chart, yet also the most
rewarding. It’s the house of intense transformation because it corresponds to the 8th sign of Scorpio, the most intense sign. The last moksha house, the 12th house, represents the ultimate dissolution of the ego, but the 8th house is often where the battle between the ego and the soul takes place. Mars, the planet of war, rules Scorpio. It’s where we face our demons and slay them. Our demons are our compulsions, obsessions, phobias, and fears, with death being the ultimate fear. This is our psychological baggage, which is why the 8th house is a house of psychology. The moksha houses correspond to the water signs, and the water element represents our past psychological conditioning, and the unconscious mind.
We slay our demons by facing them and making them conscious. The great psychologist Carl Jung said, “Whatever is not conscious will be experienced as fate.” Just like history tends to repeats itself, we’re doomed to repeat our personal history until we learn from our mistakes. Therefore, it's valuable to take the time for reflection during the transitional periods of the 8th house, so we can learn from our past. "Where the wound is, is also where the gift is," says Sobonfu Somé, author of The Spirit of Intimacy. When we take the time to dive for those pearls we are able to transform our lives the most. We may choose to make a resolve (vrata), like committing to a mantra practice for a specific length of time, that significantly changes our karma from that point forward.
Crisis Counseling and the 8th House
A crisis is the most potent time for transformation, because it’s during a transition that new seeds are sown. Albert Einstein said, “In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.” However, making a major shift, especially inner, is not easy. After all, we’re creatures of habit, and usually defend against changing them. Harville Hendrix, the author of the best selling book, Getting the Love You Want, talked about his experience of counseling couples for over 25 years in a TV interview. He said, “When it gets really bad that’s when it’s about to change. And most people leave when it’s really bad, so they never get to the change. I think that’s such a tragedy.”
We frequently play the role of crisis counselors as astrologers, because clients often come for a reading while in a transition. This makes it a unique opportunity to facilitate positive change.
This is the chart of a woman who tried for more than two years to heal her marriage but was unsuccessful.
Natal Chart
She came for a reading during her three year Rahu-Venus dasha. Notice how Venus is placed in the 8th house, and retrograde. It’s also in a tight conjunction with the 8th house karaka, Saturn, which is debilitated in Aries. In the year since starting her Venus sub dasha she had separated from her husband, moved to another state, and had her second child. Needless to say, it had been a tumultuous time as a single mom.
However, it had always been an unstable relationship with her husband. They had met and married while she was in her Rahu-Mercury dasha, with Mercury being closely aspected by Mars, the 8th lord from the lagna and the Moon. Mercury is also in the 8th house in the Navamsha chart, conjunct debilitated Saturn and Venus in Aries.
Navamsha Chart
They had separated in her Rahu-Ketu dasha, but she was still determined to work things out. However, by the time Venus began it was clear he wasn’t willing. This made it necessary for her to make a major shift even though she was pregnant with their second child.
In typical 8th house fashion, her sub dasha of Venus has been extremely difficult, yet has also led to very positive transformation. The reason she wanted a reading was to understand the karmic reasons why she married her husband, as well as to get clarity about how to avoid this situation in the future. She had been spending much time studying the psychology of relationships since Venus began. Venus is not only in the 8th house of psychology, but it’s the 9th lord and conjunct the 5th lord Saturn. This reveals that her Venus dasha was not only been a time of intense change due to its position in the 8th house, but also of acquiring knowledge and wisdom due to the influence of the trinal lords.
It’s important to assess the strength of the planets causing the malefic influences of the 8th house. In her case, Saturn and Venus are natural friends, and are both vargottama. In addition, Saturn’s debility is cancelled by its association with Venus, its exaltation lord. These factors soften the malefic influence during her Venus sub dasha.
Here’s the chart of a woman who came for a reading shortly after starting her 1½ year Moon-Saturn dasha.
Natal chart
Notice how Saturn is the 8th lord from various lagnas in the chart: the ascendant, Moon, Sun and the dasha lord, also the Moon. Major areas of her life were in flux: job, home, and
relationship. She was about to quit her job, and could either move to a foreign country she’d never been to with her boyfriend, or face being alone. What made it even more challenging was that she’d normally use her intellect to solve problems, but since starting her Moon dasha she’d been very emotional and withdrawn. Notice how Saturn is aspected by the 7th lord, Jupiter, and also aspects and rules the 7th house from the Moon. This combination of being in a Moon dasha and the sub dasha of the 8th lord, revealed that this was not just about the potential move with her boyfriend, but about past unresolved relationship issues that were preventing her from moving forward with clarity.
Astrologers, Dur Yogas and the 8th House
Since a major role of astrologers is to assist clients through transitions, it’s not surprising that the profession itself attracts people with 8th house connections in their own charts. Usually the 8th house or 8th lord will be connected with either the 10th house (career), the 1st house (self, identity), the Moon (mind, emotions), or the Sun (personality).
Natal chart of professional Vedic astrologer
Notice how Marc’s 10th lord, Mercury, is in the 8th house, and conjunct the 8th lord, Mars. His other profession is as a management consultant, where he assists high powered
executives through transitions in the work place. This is shown by the 10th lord conjunct the exalted Sun in Aries. Both of Marc’s professions, astrology and management consulting, can be explained by the 10th lord’s placement in the 8th house, since they both assist client’s through transitions.
However, this interpretation can be confusing because his 10th lord is involved in a Dur Yoga, which is defined by the 10th lord being placed in a dusthana house. “Dur” means difficult and a Dur Yoga is characterized as giving difficulty to one’s career. Is this always the case? No. The 8th house represents breaks and separations, as well as breaks from
convention. An innocuous effect of a Dur Yoga involving the 8th house is having a
profession with a work schedule with built in breaks. For instance, consultants who take time off once they’ve completed a contract, or a session with a client. They work independently and create their own hours, instead of having a conventional forty hour a week job.
Astrologers fit into this category and often have Dur Yogas involving the 8th house, as in Marc’s case.
Here’s the chart of a professional psychic, with a successful practice for over 30 years. Notice that he has a Dur Yoga formed by a Parivartana Yoga (exchange of signs) between the 8th and 10th lords, the Sun and Venus.
Natal chart of professional psychic
It’s during 8th house influenced dashas that people often get interested in astrology and metaphysical subjects. The 8th house is a house of depth, seeing beyond the obvious to the causal level, to the hidden meaning. This is why astrology, psychology, metaphysics as well as research are all associated with the 8th house. It is the most mysterious and the least tangible house.
When I first went to India in 1992 I studied with R. Santhanam, the translator of many classic Jyotish texts. After reviewing my chart he said, "I see you began studying astrology during the sub dasha of your 8th lord. This also happened to me. I took up astrology in the dasha of my 8th lord." Since beginning the sub dasha of my 8th lord, my life had changed radically. My mother died suddenly, I was in a career transition, and I began studying astrology
intensively to find answers. After getting my first reading I became hooked, and began taking as many classes as I could. Within a year I was in India studying with R. Santhanam.
R. Santhanam and Vaughn Paul, Dec 1992 Research and the 8th House
The 8th house is a house depth, seeing beyond the obvious to the hidden meaning at the causal level. This is why astrology, psychology, and metaphysics are all associated with the 8th house. However, any profession that explores hidden knowledge, like research, could have combinations involving the 8th house.
Here’s the chart of a woman who has a conventional job doing research on public policy for a state legislature.
Natal chart of researcher in state legislature
Notice how she has the 8th lord Moon placed in the 10th house. As the 8th lord, the Moon represents sleuthing into unexplored regions, while being placed in the sign of Virgo makes
her work very practical, analytical and detailed. The Moon is also aspected by Mars, the 12th lord, and Jupiter the 4th lord from the sign of Pisces. Any moksha house or water sign contributes to the field of research since they represent hidden, deep, and secret pursuits. Here’s another example of a researcher, but in the field of physics.
Natal chart of researcher in physics
Notice how the ascendant lord, the Sun, is placed in the 8th house with Ketu. In addition, the Sun is a karaka of the 10th house, and it’s conjunction with the 12th house karaka, Ketu, in the 12th sign of Pisces further contribute to his skill in probing to profound depths of insight. Other People's Money and the 8th House
A more tangible gift of the 8th house is receiving money from inheritances, grants, insurance policies, or simply snatching it from your wife’s purse! The 8th house is the 2nd house (gains) from the 7th house (relationships) and represents other people's money in general, especially one's spouse.
Natal Chart
Her father had passed away and left her with a fortune that changed her life completely. She had been working as a therapist and suddenly didn't have to work another day in her life. Notice in her chart that Venus, a natural benefic and a temporal benefic for Libra rising, is in the 8th house in its own sign of Taurus. Venus is also in the 11th house (gains) from the Moon and in the 2nd house from the Sun. From many angles, Venus certainly represents the possibility of receiving a large sum of money in her Venus dasha. The 8th house, as previously mentioned, is the house of death and is also the 12th house (loss) from the 9th house (father). The inheritance came while Jupiter was transiting through her 2nd house of wealth and aspecting both her mahadasha planet, Venus, and her sub dasha planet, the Moon.
This was, of course, a mixed blessing since she had the experience of grief and a new found financial freedom simultaneously. This demonstrates how our lives are complicated and why we can't just evaluate a dasha period in simplistic terms like 'good' or 'bad'.
Here’s another example chart of a man who worked with other people’s money for over 35 years as a tax accountant.
Natal chart of tax accountant
Notice how his 10th lord, Moon, combines with the 8th lord Venus, and Jupiter. The other important combination is his raja yoga in the 8th house between the 9th lord Mercury and the 4th lord Saturn. This powerful yoga was activated during his consecutive Saturn and Mercury dashas, which spanned the most successful years of his practice.
Ultimate Lessons of the 8th House
The 8th house represents many things, but it can’t be underestimated for its ability to create change during its dasha. When we're going though intense change it can be helpful to think of the wheel of samsara or illusion as being an actual wheel. The closer we get to the center or hub the less spinning actually takes place. This is why meditation and spiritual practices are so important because they pull us back into the peaceful center of our beings so we can stop spinning out with our minds. The way out is in.
In Marianne Williamson's book, The Gift of Change, she says, "The most important thing to remember during times of great change is to fix our eyes anew on the things that don't change. Eternal things become our compass during times of rapid transition, binding us emotionally to a steady and firm course." The 8th house is where we face our extreme vulnerabilities and where we realize our invulnerable Self.
In Paramahansa Yogananda's classic book, The Autobiography of a Yogi, he writes about his meeting with Anandamayi Ma in his chapter entitled, 'The Joy-Permeated Mother.' He asks her, "Please tell me something of your life." She replied, "Father, there is little to tell. My consciousness has never associated itself with this temporary body. Before I came on this earth, Father, I was the same. I grew into womanhood, but still I was the same. When the family in which I had been born made arrangements to have this body married, I was the
same. And Father, in front of you now, I am the same. Even afterwards, though the dance of creation changes around me in the hall of eternity, I shall be the same."
Anandamayi Ma
This is one of my favorite quotes and something valuable to remember when we're going through major transitions in our lives, or counseling someone else who is.
Conclusion
It’s easy to jump to negative conclusions when analyzing malefic influences in a chart, especially involving the 8th house. However, it’s helpful to remember that no planetary combination in the chart is all malefic or benefic, and therefore can’t be summed up as simply good or bad. It’s always a mixed blessing, just like the material world is a mixture of the three gunas. As astrologers we can be of the most service when we help clients find the gifts amidst whatever challenges they’re facing, especially the gifts of the most malefic house, the 8th house.
Important Clues From the Previous Dasha By Vaughn Paul Manley, M.A.
Copyright 2010. All Rights Reserved. Printer Friendly Version | Japanese Version | Email Author
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This article appeared in Express Star Teller - July 2007 www.starteller.com
A professional psychic friend of mine once told me, "The future foreshadows itself. If you want to know the future, look at the present and the past." In dasha analysis this concept is often neglected. We usually try to understand the upcoming dasha in isolation, without seeing it as a link in a developmental sequence, where one dasha builds upon the previous one. If you consider how we naturally develop this makes good sense. Our formative years of childhood, for instance, set the trend for our adult life. Likewise, the current dasha needs to be seen as a continuation from the previous dasha.
The following chart of the spiritual leader, Elizabeth Clare Prophet, is a rather dramatic example of how wrong we can be in our interpretation if we don't consider the previous dasha. She's currently in the mahadasha of Rahu, which began on September 20, 2000. Rahu is in the 5th house, aspected by Jupiter, the 7th and 10th lord. This forms a raja yoga, or royal combination, between Rahu and Jupiter, because Rahu is in a trinal house aspected by an angular lord, which has been discussed in the article, Rahu and Ketu Giving Raja Yoga. You may be inclined to conclude that this is a good period for her career or marriage if you just look at Rahu in isolation. Jupiter rules the 7th house of marriage and 10th house of career. Or it may be logical to think that this is a creative period where she would be doing a lot of teaching. Rahu is in the 5th house of creativity, disposited by Venus the karaka of creativity, and Jupiter is a teacher by nature.
Elizabeth Clare Prophet's Natal Chart
However, to get to her 18-year Rahu dasha she had to pass through her 7-year Mars dasha. Her Mars dasha tells the real story of her Rahu dasha. Notice how Mars is involved in an arishta yoga, or combination of misfortune, because Mars is a malefic planet aspecting the ascendant, and the ascendant lord Mercury. Mars also aspects the Sun, the significator of health, and is in a mutual aspect with Saturn, the 8th lord. In addition, Mars rules the 6th house of illness and conflict from both the ascendant and the Moon.
This was an extremely difficult 7-year period for her. She was involved in a number of lawsuits, the organization she led went through a major overhaul with many members leaving, and perhaps more significantly she developed Alzheimer's Disease. She was formally diagnosed in 1999, but had shown signs since the beginning of her Mars dasha in 1993. By the time her Rahu dasha began in September 2000 she had stepped down from her position as the leader of her organization. She was already at an advanced stage of Alzheimer's where she could hardly speak or recognize her own family members.
Without looking at how debilitating her Mars dasha was you may not have been able to understand her Rahu dasha. The main clue for what she's
currently experiencing, if we were to look only at the Rahu dasha, comes from the fact that Rahu is in the 12th house from the Moon, representing isolation and seclusion. She's now living with around the clock care in a nursing home. Needless to say this is not a career-oriented or a marriage-oriented period, nor a period of creativity or teaching. She has done all that in previous dashas. Her organization at one time had many thousands of members worldwide, she published more than 75 books, and had four marriages and five children. The Mars dasha represented the beginning of the end.
Astro-Profile: Dr. Masaru Emoto -
The Hidden Messages of Water Signs By Vaughn Paul Manley, M.A.
Copyright 2010. All Rights Reserved. Printer Friendly Version | Email Author
This article appeared in The Mountain Astrologer - Feb/Mar 2006 www.mountainastrologer.com
Dr. Masaru Emoto
Vedic astrology has become popular in the West as an impressive predictive system, but that’s where its usefulness ends — at least as far as many people are concerned. The signs, for instance, are rarely mentioned in Vedic chart analysis; that territory is left to Western astrology. Recently, however, I came across a chart that strikingly demonstrates the relevancy of the signs in the Vedic system, better than any chart I’ve seen.
You may know of the Japanese scientist, Dr. Masaru Emoto, whose
groundbreaking research with water has earned him worldwide recognition. In his New York Times best-selling book, The Hidden Messages of Water,1 Dr.
Emoto presents his stunning photographs of water crystals, which
demonstrate how our thoughts, and even symbols of our thoughts, actually affect the molecular structure of water. By taking high-speed photographs of water frozen below –13o F, he discovered that the water crystals that formed vary in shape according to the specific thoughts, music, written words or even pictures that the water is exposed to. Beautiful, symmetrical water crystals develop when the water was exposed to positive vibrations, while the opposite was the case when exposed to negative vibrations. In February 2005, I met Dr. Emoto during one of his lecture tours in Hawaii and got up the nerve to ask him for his birth data. I had to — I couldn’t miss the opportunity to see his chart. “Sure, I love astrology,” Dr. Emoto said, as he wrote out his birth information. I felt like a kid with a new toy. I couldn’t wait to go home, punch in the data, and start playing.
What would the chart of someone devoted to researching water look like? When his chart coalesced on the screen, everything you might expect was there. To begin with, most of his planets are in the water signs Cancer and Pisces. Most of his planets are also in the 4th and 8th houses (see chart below). These are considered ‘water houses’ since they correspond to the water signs, Cancer and Scorpio respectively. Also, there is a tight trine between Jupiter and the Moon, two watery planets, and both are located in water signs! Furthermore, Neptune, another watery planet, is sitting close to his Midheaven. (However, the outer planets Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto are not recognized in classical Vedic astrology) And if this weren’t enough, Dr. Emoto has also been passing through a planetary period (dasha) of the Moon since about the time his first book on water was published. The Moon represents — you guessed it — the water element. My computer screen was fogging up from all the moisture!
The truly mysterious characteristic of his chart, however, is the density of planets in the 8th house. Five planets are crowded there, including Pluto and Rahu (the North Lunar Node). At first glance, this might confuse even a seasoned astrologer, since the 8th house is known as the house of death, losses, obstacles, upheavals, chronic illness, and so on. You wouldn’t typically expect this in the chart of
someone with widespread fame and profound influence, since the 8th house often represents challenges to career. In Vedic astrology, the 8th house is the most malefic of the three malefic houses (the 6th, 8th, and 12th), also known as the dusthana or trik houses. If I surprise you with the archaic word “malefic,” suffice it to say that the 8th house is generally not pretty. However, a deeper understanding of the 8th house, as we shall see, clearly explains Dr. Emoto’s transformational research with water, as it does his fascination with Hado, or the life force, and his spiritual mission to heal the Earth through “love and gratitude.”
Natal Chart of Dr. Masaru Emoto Sagittarius Rising
Dr. Emoto’s Ascendant is at 5°27’ Sagittarius in his Vedic chart. Conveniently, his Ascendant remains in Sagittarius in his Western chart as well. This sign certainly describes his adventurous spirit and willingness to explore
unknown territory through his research. Before Dr. Emoto’s pioneering work, no one had even ventured to photograph a water crystal even though our bodies and the Earth itself are comprised of approximately 70% water. He writes, “One day I casually opened a book to words that jumped off the page: ‘No two snow crystals are exactly the same.’ The next moment I thought, ‘If I freeze water and look at the crystals, each one will look totally unique.’ And that moment marked my first step on an adventure into a new and unexplored world.”2 He had just embarked on the proverbial “endless journey,” the ideal
situation for any Sagittarian.
Sagittarius is the sign of the visionary teacher. Anyone who has read one of Dr. Emoto’s books knows that it’s easy to come away inspired and uplifted, which is indicative of a Sagittarian job well done. He writes, “What you really know is possible in your heart is possible. We make it possible by our will. What we imagine in our minds becomes our world. That’s just one of the many things that I have learned from water.”3 Since Sagittarius is the mutable
fire sign, Sagittarians are good at exercising their creativity and will, and they like to encourage others to do so, too. They help us to adapt and mold
ourselves into better individuals. Of all the signs, Sagittarius is the least likely to become stuck. Jupiter, the ruler of Sagittarius, is a planet of expansive possibilities; it stretches us out of our ordinary mind-sets. Jupiter’s gift is to teach, inspire, and uplift. He is actually called guru in Sanskrit, the ancient language of India. Another of Jupiter’s names is jnana karaka, or significator of wisdom. With a Sagittarius Ascendant, and therefore ruled by Jupiter, Dr. Emoto certainly wears the hat of a visionary spiritual teacher as well as that of a scientist.
Six Planets in Water Signs
signs: the Moon, Jupiter, Mercury, the Sun, Rahu (the North Node of the Moon), and Pluto. This certainly explains his affinity with the water element — and I don’t just mean that he likes baths or jumping in the ocean. Dr. Emoto began researching water in 1989, ten years before his first book on water was even published.4 Think about it. For him to be able to sustain this kind of
interest over an extended period of time, you would expect to see strong influences in water signs in his chart. The two luminaries, the Sun and Moon, are the primary personality indicators, along with the Ascendant. The fact that the Sun, Moon, and the Ascendant lord, Jupiter, are all in water signs (and water houses, as we shall see) explains Dr. Emoto’s enduring interest in water research. Mercury, who represents our intellectual interests, is also located in a water sign. In Dr. Emoto’s case, Mercury also represents career, since it is the ruler of his 10th house.
The water signs are the subtlest and most intangible signs, opposite the physical and tangible earth signs in the zodiac. The water element takes us into the mysterious hidden realms of the imagination, intuition, feelings, and the unconscious. Just having the Sun and Moon in water signs would be enough to suggest someone with deep sensitivity, intuition, empathy, and receptivity. Adding Jupiter, Mercury, Rahu, and Pluto (as in Dr. Emoto’s case) means that these become exceptional character traits. Of these six planets, five are in the cardinal water sign of Cancer, which suggests Dr. Emoto’s ability to assert his sensitive Cancerian traits confidently in the world.
Of all the water signs, Pisces is the most sensitive and intuitive. Dr. Emoto’s Pisces Moon helps him to take his research in surprising directions. He writes, “When your heart is open to possibilities, you start to notice small things that can lead to enormous discoveries.”5 He reveals that his intuition carried him
through the early stages of his research: “There was nothing to assure us that our efforts would eventually pay off. Oddly enough, I never doubted that they would. I knew with certainty that my hypothesis was correct and that the experiments would go well — I just knew it.”6 I have since learned, from
someone who worked with Dr. Emoto, that he relies on intuitive guidance much of the time, especially when making decisions regarding his work. His Pisces Moon, receiving a trine from Jupiter in Cancer, reflects this ability to trust his intuition.
Six Planets in Water Houses
These six planets are not only in water signs, they are also in water houses. This is because they fall in either the 4th, 8th, or 12th houses, corresponding to the water signs Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces. If you thought Dr. Emoto’s watery qualities were already exceptional, they just got doubled — and then some. Every quality that can be ascribed to the water signs also applies to the water houses: subtle, intangible, hidden, mysterious, imaginative, intuitive, etc. This makes sense, because (as I pointed out earlier) the water houses are opposite the earth houses. I live in Hawaii, and each time I go snorkeling I’m amazed by another world that lies beneath the ocean — a world not seen from the surface. Likewise, the water houses are houses of depth, seeing beyond the obvious to a subtler level of profound insight. In Vedic astrology, these are also called moksha houses, or houses of liberation. They are the most mystical houses, and they relate to the
transformation of consciousness. With six planets in moksha houses, this is definitely Dr. Emoto’s realm.
Special Emphasis in the 8th House
Of these six planets in moksha or water houses, five line up in Dr. Emoto’s 8th house. We’ve already mentioned that the 8th house is considered the house of death, losses, obstacles, upheavals, chronic illness, and so on. Although this is true, these indications have little relevance to this analysis of Dr. Emoto’s chart. Therefore, let’s look beyond the ordinary. Within the water house trinity, the 8th house represents the greatest depth of insight,
corresponding to Scorpio, the most profound sign. It is the house of research because it is willing to explore the furthest beneath the surface, to seek out root causes. It’s bored with anything less. This is why the 8th house is associated with occult knowledge, metaphysics, and psychology. It also relates to the secrets of nature, some of which Dr. Emoto’s research reveals. The basic drive of the moksha, or water houses, is transformation; without this, there is no hope for liberation. The farther below the surface the water houses take you, the deeper the transformation. The job of the 8th house is to
take you the deepest. It is where we face our most profound fears and
psychological issues like the fear of death or separation, and issues of power and control. It is preparation for the final stages of ego dissolution
represented by the 12th house. The 8th is known as the house of change: intense, sudden, and dramatic change. But it doesn’t just create upheaval and leave us in a sobbing heap on the floor. Its purpose is to effect a deep shift of consciousness. The 8th house, therefore, relates to transformational healing of body and mind, such as vibrational medicine, that works on a subtle yet profound level. This is the level where Dr. Emoto operates.
Here’s another point: The 8th house is not only the house of death (mrityu bhava), it is also the house of life (ayu bhava). As long as there is life force, there is no death, which explains why the 8th house is known as the house of longevity. It is the house of subtle energy — chi, prana, and the life force. Quantum physics demonstrates that the highest concentration of energy lies at the subtlest level. Likewise, the most shakti, or energy, is associated with the subtlest house, the 8th house.
Dr. Emoto’s water research, in typical 8th-house fashion, was fueled by his fascination with Hado (rhymes with “shadow”), an old Japanese word
synonymous with chi, or life force. Dr. Emoto says, “Hado signifies the world of subtle energy related to consciousness.”7 His main interest in
photographing water was to make the intangible tangible, or as he says, “to try to put Hado energy into a visible form by using water crystals as material and canvas.”8 If one could demonstrate that our thoughts actually affect the
molecular structure of water, the implications would be vast. It would mean that we can literally transform ourselves and our world. This is exactly what Dr. Emoto’s work has proven.
Multiple Raja Yogas in the 8th House
If we seek an astrological explanation for Dr. Emoto’s success, we will find it in a very special union of planets in the 8th house. Jupiter, the Sun, and Mercury, (the rulers of the 1st, 4th, 9th, 7th and 10th houses, respectively) form several examples of what is called a raja yoga, or royal combination of planets. A raja yoga is formed when the ruler of a trinal house (1, 5, or 9) combines with the ruler of an angular house (1, 4, 7, or 10). Vedic astrology has hundreds of such yogas, or planetary combinations; each bestows
different effects. Raja yogas increase the success and status of the individual by enhancing the positive indications of any house in which they’re located. In Dr. Emoto’s case, this indicates an exceptional ability to succeed in 8th-house areas like research, psychology, occult studies, transformational healing, and vibrational medicine. It’s interesting that Dr. Emoto received his doctorate in alternative healing. His raja yogas in the 8th house would also indicate, on a personal level, that he has a strong life force, good longevity, and a profound sensitivity to subtle energy.
The Phenomenal Success of His Moon Dasha
If the raja yogas in the 8th house indicate Dr. Emoto’s overall success, then what accounts for the extraordinary heights of success he’s reached in just the past few years? Before the year 2000, he was virtually unknown,
especially outside of Japan. Now, he’s an international phenomenon. How can this be explained astrologically?
In Vedic astrology, the timing of events is indicated through the analysis of the dashas (planetary periods).9 The natal chart shows what is likely to
happen in one’s life; the dashas reveal when. A dasha represents a segment of time that is ruled by a specific planet, like a chapter in the book of one’s life. Each major chapter or mahadasha (great dasha) ranges from 6 to 20 years in duration. These are then broken down into sub-dashas (bhuktis) and sub-sub-dashas, which allow us to progressively define narrow ranges of time. Although transits and other methods also play a role in the timing of events, the dashas, as a unique predictive system, have contributed the most to the popularity of Vedic astrology in the West.
Dr. Emoto began his ten-year mahadasha of the Moon in March 2000, nine months after he published his first book on water research, Messages from Water. During this period, he has achieved phenomenal fame, wealth, and success. Think of the dasha planet as being turned on like a light switch. The planet’s general characteristics and what it represents in the chart become highly activated during this time. For instance, the Moon generally represents water, the mother, and the mind (manas) — our thoughts, feelings, and
perceptions. The Moon is a sensitive, care-giving planet, and Moon dashas are often periods of service to others. These general qualities are represented in Dr. Emoto’s Moon dasha period. His work involves water, is
service-oriented, and focuses on healing the mind.
The next step is to look at the Moon’s position in his chart and the aspects and yogas that it is involved in. The Moon is placed in the sensitive, intuitive, and spiritual sign of Pisces, in the 4th house of the mind and emotions. The Moon is the lord of the 8th house, receiving a tight trine by Jupiter, the planet of wisdom, from the 8th house. This brings in a strong influence from the 8th house during his Moon dasha, indicating a focus on research, psychology, spiritual transformation, and subtle vibrational healing. Jupiter’s influence also gives him abundant opportunities to travel and teach.
Jupiter and the Moon’s aspect is a phenomenal connection between these two benefic, watery planets. Not only are they in a tight trine within one degree, but Jupiter is also located in the Moon’s sign, while the Moon is located in Jupiter’s sign. This is called a mutual reception, or parivartana yoga in Vedic astrology. It creates a much closer connection, like a wedding, between the two planets. This is an extremely spiritual, positive, and
Water crystal photograph "Love and Gratitude"
But it gets even better. Jupiter is also in Cancer, the sign of its exaltation, which heightens Jupiter’s benefic qualities. Also, we can’t forget that Jupiter is in multiple raja yogas with Mercury and the Sun. Jupiter is a spiritual teacher or missionary, interested in the welfare of humanity. Dr. Emoto has been on a mission to share his message of love and gratitude during his Moon dasha. In a recent interview he was asked which water crystal photograph had the most profound effect on him. His answer was, “A water crystal after showing the word: "Love and Gratitude." I found this to be the most beautiful and it touched my heart immeasurably.”10 He writes, “Indeed, there is nothing more important than love and gratitude
in this world. Just by expressing love and gratitude, the water around us and in our bodies changes so beautifully.”11 Dr. Emoto’s message is of transformational healing, both personal
and planetary, which naturally comes about as we express love and gratitude toward everyone and everything, including ourselves.
An important technique in Vedic astrology is to analyze the chart from various alternate Ascendants. By placing the Ascendant where the Moon, Sun, or mahadasha planet is located gives a more complete picture of the likely effects of a dasha period. In Dr. Emoto’s chart, when you look at his connection between Jupiter and the Moon from each of these alternate Ascendants, you’ll see that they form raja yogas in every case (but not from the original Ascendant). For instance, when you make the Moon in Pisces the Ascendant, Jupiter becomes the ruler of the 1st and 10th houses and is placed in the 5th house. The special connection between the Moon and Jupiter (discussed above) then becomes a combination of the rulers of the 1st, 5th and 10th houses, which forms a raja yoga. This indicates that Dr. Emoto’s dramatic rise in success and status is strongly reinforced during his Moon dasha. Seeing these repeated patterns helps us to build solid conclusions regarding the results of a dasha period.
With this understanding of the Moon and Jupiter’s extraordinary connection in Dr. Emoto’s chart, is it any wonder that he was instantly catapulted into fame and fortune during the Jupiter bhukti of his Moon dasha? This 16-month period saw the release of the movie, What the Bleep Do We Know? which highlighted his water research. Shortly thereafter, his book, The Hidden Messages of Water, hit the New York Times best-seller list. When I met Dr.
Emoto, he had already passed from his Jupiter sub-dasha and was then in his sub-dasha of Saturn. He was on a world speaking tour; he mentioned that his health was suffering but that he felt guided intuitively to do the world tour anyway. Saturn is placed in his 6th house of illness, indicating the potential for health challenges during his Saturn sub-dasha.
Dr. Emoto’s Moon mahadasha represents a time when he is able to reap the benefits of the research and writing that he accomplished in his Sun mahadasha. During that six-year mahadasha period, from 1994 to 2000, he wrote many books on Hado and conducted his ongoing experiments with water. In his chart, the Sun is within 5 degrees of Mercury, the planet of writing. As I mentioned, the Sun joins Mercury and Jupiter to form several raja yogas in the 8th house of research, transformation, and subtle energy.
Dr. Emoto will remain in his Moon mahadasha until March 2010. January 2006 – June 2007 marks his sub-dasha of Mercury, which indicates an increasingly career-oriented time of writing, publishing, and public speaking.
Dr. Emoto and Vaughn Paul - Feb 2006, Maui, Hawaii Conclusion
By now, it should be abundantly obvious, from an astrological standpoint, why Dr. Emoto is engaged in water research of a transformational nature. He has many influences in water signs and water houses by watery planets, especially Jupiter and the Moon. We astrologers love to find repeating patterns like this. The more the merrier, since each one adds to a clearer interpretation.
Vedic astrology is a powerful predictive system that typically has little to say about the signs in chart interpretation. It emphasizes the houses, which is quite the opposite of Western astrology. As James Coleman points out, “[Western] astrology is heavily weighted toward signs and only makes a cursory nod toward houses.”12 These imbalances are certainly optional — not
eternal verities. The influences of the houses and the signs must certainly apply in both Vedic and Western systems, if there’s any validity to them, which there certainly is. I see them as untapped resources available to anyone who, like Dr. Emoto, cares to look beneath the surface, in typical 8th-house fashion.
Chart Data and Source
Dr. Masaru Emoto, July 22, 1943; 4:50 p.m. JST; Yokohama, Japan (35°N26'; 139°E39'); A: Author quotes Dr. Emoto as giving him the time of 4:45 p.m. after a lecture in Maui, Hawaii. Dr. Emoto asked author to contact his older sister to confirm. She later quoted the time of 4:50 p.m.
References and Notes
1. Masaru Emoto, The Hidden Messages of Water, Beyond Words Publishing, 2004.
2. Ibid., p. xx. 3. Ibid., p. xxii.
4. Masaru Emoto, Messages from Water, Hado Kyoikusha Co., Ltd. (Japan), 1999.
5. Emoto, Hidden Messages, p. xx. 6. Ibid., p. xxi.
7. Emoto, Messages from Water, p. 7. 8. Ibid., p. 115.
9. For further information about the dashas, see Linda Johnsen's article, "What's Your Dasha?" in The Mountain Astrologer, Oct./Nov. 2005. 10. “How Water reflects our Energy & Vibrational Frequency: The EDGE Interview with Dr. Masaru Emoto,” by Insiah Vawda Beckman, April 2004, http://www.edgenews.com/issues/2004/04/toc.html
11. Emoto, Messages from Water, p. 95.
12. James Coleman, “Introducing House Astrology,” in TMA, June/July 2005, p. 63.
Astro-Profile:
Venus Williams's Big Comeback By Vaughn Paul Manley, M.A. Copyright 2010. All Rights Reserved.
Printer Friendly Version | Japanese Version |Email Author "Excellent. Well done." - K.N. Rao
Venus Williams - Tennis Star Birth Data
Birth Name: Venus Ebone Starr Williams Birth Date: June 17, 1980
Birth Time: 2:12 PM PDT (+7:00) Birth Place: Lynwood, California USA Latitude: 33 N 55; Longitude: 118 W 12 Lahiri Ayanamsha: -23:34:53 Planetary Positions Asc 19° 57' Virgo Sun 3° 12' Gemini Moon 4° 05' Leo
Merc 27° 22' Gemini Venus 29° 09'R Taurus Mars 24° 21' Leo Jup 10° 31' Leo Sat 27° 12' Leo Rahu 27° 59' Cancer Ketu 27° 59' Capricorn
Over the last two years Venus Williams had become a disappointment. The former #1 women's tennis player in the world was on her way out, or so everyone thought. She hadn't won any major championships, her ranking had tumbled to #16, and she was plagued with numerous injuries. Fashion and interior design became her thing, not tennis.
That story recently changed. In May she won her first tournament in a year in Turkey, and then remarkably she went on to win the year's biggest tournament at Wimbledon on July 2nd! This was her 3rd Wimbledon singles championship, but this year she was hardly anyone's bet to win, being seeded a low #14. The year before she had lost in the 2nd round. This year, however, Venus was arguably the brightest planet in the sky again, practically overnight.
How can this dramatic comeback be explained astrologically? In order to understand what's happening now we have to first understand her natal horoscope. The dashas and transits, the main tools for prediction in Vedic astrology, activate the promises inherent in the natal horoscope. Let's first take a look at what the stars and planets say from the moment of birth.
Natal Chart Analysis
Bhadra Mahapurusha Yoga in the 10th house
Venus Williams has Virgo rising with the ruler of Virgo, Mercury, in the 10th house in it's own sign in Gemini. This gives her a career orientation and a powerful career at that. How
powerful? This is a Bhadra Mahapurusha Yoga ('yoga' here means planetary combination) because Mercury is on an angle in it's own or exalted sign. 'Maha' means great and
'purusha' means human being. This is a planetary combination that gives her exemplary qualities of Mercury.
The classical texts praise this yoga with descriptions like, "The person is physically strong and healthy, with long arms, commanding stature, a gait with the majesty of an elephant, face like a lion, broad chest and shoulders, and proportionate limbs. The voice is sweet and impressive. The person is virtuous and learned, of a stable mind and very intelligent.
Independent in all undertakings, judicious, extremely wealthy, blessed with comforts etc." This certainly describes her quite well.
This yoga happens to fall in the 10th house elevating her career, status and bringing fame. And if this wasn't enough Mercury is also Vargottama, meaning it stays in Gemini in the Navamsha chart (9th divisional chart), which further strengthens Mercury. Gemini is an agile, versatile and quick sign, which describe her athletic ability.
Mercury is also conjunct with the Sun, a royal planet, but not too closely so it does not combust (burn up) Mercury. The Sun gains directional strength or 'Dik Bala' in the 10th house, which further enhances the status, recognition, leadership, domination and career success.
The Sun is also the 12th lord in the 10th house, which can indicate a number of things - success in foreign countries, or a career that changes frequently, or goes in spurts. For Venus it looks like a combination of these. It can also indicate working for oneself because of the need for a flexible, independent work schedule. She's recently started her own interior design company.
Malavya Mahapurusha Yoga in the 10th house from the Moon
Overall she will become successful quite easily at whatever she does because of the strength of Mercury in her chart, which again is the 1st and 10th lord in the 10th house. Her success is reinforced by Venus being in it's own sign of Taurus in the 9th house, which
is also the 10th house from the Moon, an important alternate ascendant. This creates another Mahapurusha Yoga, Malavya Mahapurusha Yoga, from the Moon, which further enhances her potential for career success. This is significant because she has been in a Venus mahadasha or planetary period for most of her life, from age 5-25. She has been quite accustomed to being successful from an early age and became a professional tennis player at age 14. Venus in it's own sign in the 9th house gives her a strong sense of her dharma or life purpose, in her Venus mahadasha. The 9th house is a house of 'dharma' along with the 1st and 5th houses.
Venus is also her 'Atmakaraka' or indicator of her soul since Venus is the planet with the highest degrees in any sign. For so many reasons is it any wonder that she's so interested in fashion and design and that her name is Venus?!
Vipareeta Raja Yoga
You'll notice that she has 4 planets in the 12th house. At first glance you may be surprised to see this in the chart of a world class celebrity. The 12th house is a house of loss,
expenditure, isolation, and planets placed there are generally considered weak. However, this is actually a special Raja Yoga or 'Royal' Yoga called Vipareeta Raja Yoga formed when the ruler of a dusthana house, the 6, 8, or 12th house, is placed in another dusthana house. The classical texts praise this yoga as well by saying, "This confers learning, longevity, fame and prosperity. The person will have illustrious friends, be successful in all ventures, a conqueror of foes, and a great celebrity." Again you could say that this describes Venus to a "T."
Raja Yoga, Chandra-Mangala Yoga and Gajakesari Yoga
This Vipareeta Raja Yoga is enhanced significantly because the Moon is one of the four planets in the 12th house. When you make the Moon the ascendant, several Raja Yogas are formed, by the combining of the lords of the 4th, 5th, 7th and 9th houses. Raja Yogas give career rise and overall success.
This also forms a Chandra-Mangala Yoga because Mars and the Moon mutually aspect one another, being conjunct in the 12th house. This contributes to her ability to earn money easily and accumulate wealth even though it is in the 12th house of losses.
Moon, being conjunct in the 12th house. 'Gaja' means elephant and 'kesari' means lion - the two kings of the forest. This yoga gives strength and leadership.
Jupiter, Mars and the Moon are also natural and temporal friends with the Sun, the ruler of Leo in the 10th house, so these yogas increase in strength by virtue of being placed in the sign of Leo.
Leo, the Royal Sign of Leadership
Another important point is that Leo is a sign of royalty, authority and leadership and is the best sign for competitors according to K.N. Rao. Often times you'll see athletes with strong planets in Leo. Venus's 4 planets placed here give her a tough competitive edge and ability to dominate. Interestingly, if you look at Venus's 3rd house of younger siblings (the sign of Scorpio) you'll see that the 4 planets in Leo are in the 10th house from the 3rd house. This shows that her younger sibling, Serena, also has a powerful career and is a tough
competitor. Both Venus and her sister Serena have their Moon's placed in Leo in their natal charts.
The Drekkana Chart (3rd Divisional Chart)
Incidentally, I believe that Venus must be born at least 14 seconds after 2:12 pm because this would change her Drekkana chart (3rd divisional chart) ascendant from Capricorn to Taurus. This is the divisional chart that describes siblings. From Taurus rising Cancer is the 3rd house, which becomes the ascendant of Serena, her next younger sibling. From Cancer, Mars is in the 10th house in its own sign of Aries forming a Ruchaka Mahapurusha Yoga. Mars is also conjunct Saturn and aspected by Jupiter which is placed in its own fire sign of Sagittarius. These strong influences in fire signs describe Serena's fierce competitive drive very well. In one interview Venus said, "I want to become as tough a fighter as Serena." Below are the two Drekkana charts with before 2:12:13 pm on the left and after 2:12:13 pm on the right:
Venus and Serena on the cover of Time Magazine - Sep. 3, 2001 Dasha and Transit Analysis
By this natal chart analysis you'll see that it is because of the strength of these planetary positions that she has the confidence and inherent ability to dominate and be successful. In a recent interview she said, "I knew it was my destiny to be in the winner's circle. There were times along the way when I didn't make it there. But I felt my destiny was definitely to win big titles, win lots of titles." If this is the case then what happened over the last two years? Why the slump? What planetary indications represent this? First let's step back and see the big picture of her dasha scheme and then focus in on the last two years.
Venus Mahadasha - Getting Established As a Leader 20 years: April 1985 to April 2005
Venus is a temporal benefic for Virgo rising because it rules the trinal 9th house. It is also in the 9th house in it's own sign of Taurus as mentioned. The 9th lord and/or the 9th house gives progress, growth, learning, travel, and fortune. From the Moon, Venus is in the 10th house giving Malavya Mahapurusha Yoga as previously discussed. Venus is also aspected closely by Saturn the 5th lord forming a Dana Yoga between the 2nd, 5th and 9th lords who are all wealth giving planets (the 5th and 9th houses are houses of Lakshmi, the Goddess of wealth). This gives her focus, discipline, perseverance, and helps her get established as a leader. Saturn aspecting Venus also reveals the tension with her father, her tennis coach, because Saturn is also the 6th lord representing conflict with the 9th lord, representing the father.
Venus/Sat and Venus/Mer Sub Dashas - Achievements 6 yrs: Feb 1998 to Feb 2004
These have been her two most successful sub periods yet, resulting in wealth, fame and success. Why? Saturn and Mercury are both involved in beneficial yogas, as discussed, that
will become activated in their sub dashas within the Venus mahadasha. They are both natural friends of Venus when you consider the two families of planetary friendships: Venus, Saturn, Mercury as opposed to Jupiter, Mars, Sun and the Moon. Both Saturn and Mercury's ruler or dispositor is placed in the 10th house of career success. Saturn in Leo is ruled, or disposited by the Sun who is placed in the 10th house. Mercury is its own dispositor, since it's in its own sign of Gemini in the 10th house along with the Sun.
Looking at the mahadasha lord as an alternate ascendant is an important method taught by my teacher, K.N. Rao. In this case, when you make Venus in Taurus an alternate ascendant, then Venus becomes the 1st lord in the 1st house, with both Mercury and Saturn ruling the 5th and 9th trinal houses respectively. This makes them both temporal benefics from Venus in Taurus and indicates that these sub dashas will be very beneficial.
Saturn's aspect onto Venus from Leo then becomes the 9th and 10th lord aspect to the 1st lord. This forms a spectacular Raja Yoga between Venus and Saturn. Her Venus/Saturn dasha from Feb 1998 - April 2001 was her best period ever. In 2000 she had a 32 match winning streak and won both the singles and doubles (with her sister Serena) at Wimbledon, the US Open, and the Olympics! Venus summed up her 2000 triumphs well by saying, "I guess I've graduated to a different level where I can be like some of the greats."
Transit of Saturn in Gemini - Injuries 34 months: July 2002 to May 2005
This transit of Saturn through Gemini conjunct the Sun and later Mercury represented facing her own limitations (Saturn) regarding her body which is represented by the Sun, significator of the 1st house and the ruler of the 1st house, Mercury. Injuries plagued her - her wrist, stomach and shoulder. Saturn from Gemini also aspects, with it's special 3rd aspect (sextile), to Leo and her 4 planets - Moon, Jupiter, Mars and Saturn. This aspect especially to Mars, the 8th lord, and Saturn, her 6th lord, represented accidents and injuries in addition to the challenges presented by Saturn's transit through Gemini over the Sun and Mercury. She went against the advice of her father and played with injuries and later regretted it because it only served to prolong her recovery.
The sign of Gemini, her 10th house, receives 42 sarvashtakavarga points in the
ashtakavarga system, which is phenomenally high. Below 20 points is considered weak, above 30 strong, and above 40 very strong. This generally strengthens her 10th house and indicates that transits will be very beneficial through her career house. Saturn's transit in Gemini contributes 6 of the 42 points, which is a very high number (8 is the highest possible which is very rare) and represents that overall this was not as detrimental a transit over the Sun and Mercury as it could have been. This is a clue that this time period during Saturn's transit in Gemini did not represent the end of her tennis career as many speculated.
Venus/Mer/Sat and Venus/Ketu Sub Dasha - Worst Slump September 13, 2003 to April 25 2005
These were the hardest sub dashas of all. The day after she started Venus/Mercury/Saturn her half-sister, who was her 3rd oldest sister, was shot and killed. The 7th house, the sign of Pisces, represents the 3rd oldest sister because the 11th is the next oldest, the 9th the 2nd oldest, and the 7th the 3rd oldest. From the 7th house Venus, the dasha lord rules the 8th house, the house of death. Mercury the sub dasha lord rules the 7th house, which is a maraka (killer) house. Saturn the sub sub dasha lord rules the 12th house, the house of loss and is conjunct Mars, the planet of violence in the 6th house of accidents.
Venus/Mercury/Saturn could not be a good dasha for her 3rd oldest sister.
This began a cycle for Venus of grief and disillusionment. Saturn represents grief and its transit in Gemini was approaching her Mercury in her 10th house causing her to evaluate and question herself (1st lord) and her career (10th lord). A few months later she began her 14-month sub dasha of Ketu, which began in February 2004. The press during this time speculated that she had lost her motivation, confidence and desire to win. She seriously contemplated retirement. These are typical traits of a Ketu dasha. We become disillusioned with the status quo and begin looking outside of our normal experience. She became
attracted to other life directions like interior decorating and fashion while her injuries required her to convalesce.
Sun Mahadasha Sun Sub Dasha- The Big Comeback April 25 2005 to Aug 13 2005
The first sign of a significant astrological event that could indicate a comeback was simply the ending of the Venus/Ketu sub dasha at the end of April, 2005. Ketu is a reflective, contemplative planet. It is the moksha karaka or significator of spritual liberation and is not interested in worldy fame and success. Usually people's level of motivation and drive is at an all time low. Ketu dashas often lead people into simplifying their lives, convalescence,
retreat, isolation, exploring in unusual directions etc. It is often a time of inner work or inner preparation for a creative phase that follows Ketu dashas. This is because Venus dashas (creativity) always follow Ketu dashas (unless it's a Venus/Ketu sub dasha which is followed by Sun mahadasha).
The second indication of a comeback is that the 6-year Sun Dasha came next. The Sun, as we have seen in our natal interpretation, is conjunct the 10th lord Mercury in the 10th house where it gets directional strength. Because of this the focus shifts again to career success. The Sun benefits by association with such a strong Mercury as explained earlier. There are modifications to this because the Sun rules the 12th house but let's save that discussion for later.
The third indication is that on May 27th Saturn left the sign of Gemini by transit. The influence of Saturn in the 10th house tightly conjunct Mercury her 1st and 10th lord and aspecting Mars and Saturn in the 12th house was heavy and burdensome especially in a reflective Ketu sub dasha. She felt the pressure to recover her health to 100% so she could return to her old form. This became a huge weight that was lifted at the end of May. In an interview after winning Wimbledon she said, "I have to thank God for letting me be healthy."
The fourth indication is that on June 5th Jupiter went direct by transit in her ascendant after being retrograde for 4 1/2 months. Jupiter was now approaching her ascendant degree, which is one indication for improved health, happiness, and overall success. Jupiter also receives an extremely high 7 ashtakavarga points in Virgo, which further enhances the positive qualities of this transit.
The 5th indication is that the double transit of Jupiter and Saturn (click here to read my article on the subject) was now in her ascendant and 5th house, two dharma houses that fuel her to progress and move forward in her life purpose, because Jupiter and Saturn were both aspecting these houses by transit. This improves her health and self-confidence (1st house) and creative, dynamic self-expression (5th house).
Having the dashas and major transits lining up to indicate a comeback allows us to now look more deeply at the other transits, particularly of the mahadasha lord, the Sun, or to the Sun by other planets. This is a subtler consideration that shouldn't be emphasized early in one's analysis because it doesn't carry the weight as do the dashas and major transits.
Here's the 6th indication. Isn't it amazing that on the day of her Wimbledon final with Lindsey Davenport that the Sun was transiting in Gemini, her 10th house?! As mentioned earlier, her 10th house of Gemini gets an incredible 42 sarvashtakavarga points, the most of any of her houses. This strengthens transits through this house tremendously. The Sun contributes a very high 6 binnashtakavarga points making the Sun's transit between June 15th and July 16th in Gemini very powerful and helpful for her to win a major Grand Slam event. It's interesting to note that the Wimbledon tournament is always scheduled while the Sun is in Gemini, which is one reason she's had such a history of success there. She won it in 2000, 2001 and was runner up to her sister in 2002, 2003. 2004 was her Ketu sub dasha with a difficult transit of Saturn as we’ve discussed. And now she's won again in 2005.
"You never know what life is going to throw at you, and each and every day I just expect the Sun to come up, that's all, these days," she said.
I understand Venus! Spoken well by someone with the Sun overhead at birth in the 10th house! Now your Sun dasha is also up for the next 6 years!
Will the Big Comeback Really Last?
Is Venus really back as the brightest star in the firmament? Or was this just the luck of a few good transits? No, the Sun dasha is significant. She will be more in the media. The Sun is with Mercury in the 3rd sign of Gemini. Did you know that her and Serena have started their own reality TV show and will have cameras following them off the court? They've also written their own book entitled 'Venus and Serena: Serving From the Hip: 10 Rules for Living,
Loving, and Winning.' These are all Gemini and Mercurial activities. She will be more and more in the visible limelight again.
What about being on the top of the tennis ranks again? What concerns me is that the Sun is the 12th lord and debilitated in the Navamsha chart. She is also in the beginning of a Sadhe Saati period (Saturn within 45 degrees° of the Moon). These are the modifications of the Sun dasha time period that I mentioned earlier. Sun as the 12th lord indicates that in her Sun dasha there would be a break in her career, and her public image would change. I don't see her completing her Sun dasha as a tennis pro.
I think this is a short lived comeback actually. In her Sun Mars dasha after February 2006 she could revisit some old injuries. Why? Because the Sun is the 12th lord and debilitated in the Navamsa, as mentioned, which could generally indicate challenges with health in her 6 year Sun dasha. In addition, Mars is the planet of injury and accidents and is the 8th lord conjunct with the 6th lord Saturn. Looking at it from the dasha lord, the Sun, as the
ascendant, Mars is the 6th and 11th lord, which are both houses of injury (the 11th house is the 6th house from the 6th house), and is conjunct Saturn the 8th lord.
Saturn's transit at this time will also be aspecting her ascendant degree more closely from Cancer by transit which could indicate challenges with injuries. Saturn's transit is also in the 12th house from her Moon, which could represent being held up and frustrated. I don't think it's a major setback however, because Mars is involved in exceptional yogas in the sign of Leo, which is a strong sign for Mars as discussed earlier.
If I were to make a prediction I'd say she will retire from tennis in her Sun Saturn dasha after March 2008. Saturn will be transiting through Leo, her 12th house of loss, where it receives a very weak 0 ashtakavarga points and will be aspecting her natal Moon, Jupiter, Mars and Saturn. She will be experiencing both her Saturn return and her Sadhe Saati period as previously mentioned.
The Dashamsha Chart (10th Divisional Chart)
This can also be seen in her Dashamsha chart (10th divisional chart), which is the divisional chart pertaining to one's career. In this chart, her current dasha lord, the Sun, happens to also be her 10th lord of career for Scorpio rising. This is in addition to the Sun being the significator of the 10th house (career) as well as the 1st house (body) in any chart. The Sun is placed in the benefic 9th house aspected by Jupiter, which indicates progress in her career in her Sun dasha. However, the Sun is also aspected by two malefics, Mars and Saturn. Mar's aspect, as the 1st and 6th lord in its own sign in the 6th house, could help her defeat her competitors in her Mars sub dasha. However, as the 6th lord it can also represent injuries. It's not extreme because Mars is strong on its own sign and creates a Raja Yoga with the Sun, being a combination of the 1st and 10th lord. Saturn's aspect is more
challenging because it is a natural enemy of the Sun and is a temporal malefic for Scorpio ascendant, in addition to being a natural malefic in any chart. This again confirms that her Saturn sub dasha after March 2008 could represent a break or change in her career.
