Rahu and Ketu: the lunar nodes

The lunar nodes, or Rahu and Ketu, are two sensitive points on the ecliptic at which the projection of the Moon's orbit crosses the projection of the Sun's orbit. They always stand 180° apart and play no less important a part in astrology than the other planets. The nodes give the results of the lords of the signs they occupy, or of the planets with which they are connected in one way or another. Malefic by nature, they become benefics if they come under a favourable influence.

Rahu and Ketu are shadow planets. Rahu is a cold planet and behaves like Saturn. Ketu is a hot planet and behaves like Mars.

The Sun, the Moon and Mars are enemies of the lunar nodes. The nodes, in their turn, are at enmity with the Sun but remain neutral to the Moon and Mars. Rahu is friendly with Mercury but at enmity with Jupiter. Ketu is friendly with Jupiter but hostile to Mercury. Mutual friendship arises for Rahu and Ketu only with Venus and Saturn. Rahu is least friendly towards the Sun, and Ketu towards the Moon.

The nature of the lunar nodes

Rahu is said to point to the misdeeds a person committed in past incarnations, while Ketu acts as a balancing force and helps to be rid of the negative consequences of past transgressions. Rahu is more taken up with worldly cares and bestows material well-being, while Ketu is responsible for the salvation of human souls. Rahu represents attachments, Ketu renunciation. All the main events of life, its vicissitudes and the turns of a person's destiny are bound up with the two houses in which the nodes stand. Rahu is a planet of tamas, while Ketu is the karaka of wisdom and of Moksha.

[The position of Rahu in a particular house points to the spheres of life where there is a certain «blockage», one that will most likely not be broken through and cleared at the first attempt — that is, these are precisely the themes to be developed, though they will come only with great difficulty; while the position of Ketu points to the themes that have already been worked through in a past life, and Ketu clamps them down, «shuts them off», as if to say «you do not need this any more» — ed.]

There are various opinions about the status of Rahu in the different signs. Below are the views of the authors of various classical texts:

The 1st view: Rahu is exalted in Taurus; favourable in Capricorn, Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces; unfavourable in the signs of Aries, Virgo, Libra, Gemini, Leo and Aquarius; the sign of debilitation is Sagittarius.

The 2nd view: Rahu is exalted in Taurus; moolatrikona in Gemini and Cancer; rules Virgo; favourable in the sign of Aries; the sign of debilitation is Sagittarius.

The 3rd view: Rahu is exalted in Taurus; moolatrikona in Aries and Cancer; favourable in Virgo; mixed results in the sign of Sagittarius; the sign of debilitation is Scorpio.

The 4th view: Rahu is exalted in Taurus; good results in Virgo; moolatrikona in Gemini and Virgo; rules the sign of Aquarius; friendly signs — Sagittarius and Pisces; hostile sign — Scorpio.

The 5th view: Rahu is exalted in Gemini; favourable in Taurus, Scorpio, Virgo, Capricorn and Aquarius; unfavourable in Leo, Cancer, Aries, Libra and Pisces; the sign of debilitation is Sagittarius.

The 6th view: Rahu is favourable when placed in the signs of Taurus, Leo or Aquarius and in the 3rd, 6th or 11th houses.

Most authors agree on the following characteristics:

	Rahu	Ketu
Sign of exaltation:	Gemini, Taurus	Sagittarius, Scorpio
Sign of debilitation:	Scorpio	Taurus
Own sign:	Virgo	Aquarius, Pisces
Moolatrikona:	Gemini, Cancer, Sagittarius	Capricorn
Friendly sign:	Aries	Libra
Sign of fall	Sagittarius	Gemini
Unfavourable sign:	Pisces	Virgo
Harmonious sign:	Aries, Libra	Libra, Aries

Note: Ketu always stands in the sign opposite to Rahu. The condition of Rahu in the various signs given above therefore also describes Ketu in the 7th house from Rahu.

Rahu and Ketu (the lunar nodes) and the other planets

Rahu and Ketu with the Moon and the Sun

The Sun and the Moon suffer most of all from close contact with Rahu or Ketu. Rahu eclipses the Sun when it stands near it. Such a combination leads to the loss of work and of standing, makes life less happy and shortens it, and also affects the father's well-being badly. For every Ascendant except Scorpio, a conjunction of Rahu with the Moon in the absence of any favourable aspects causes hysteria, depressive states, madness or religious mania, and tells badly on the mother. A person with this combination in the chart may fall ill with schizophrenia or a split personality.

Rahu and Ketu with Mars

A conjunction of Mars with the lunar nodes gives the person a hot-tempered, aggressive disposition and cruelty. Such a person cannot control his anger, is prone to rash decisions and actions, and at times becomes bloodthirsty. There is a risk of accidents. A conjunction of Rahu or Ketu with Mars in any sign provokes hernia, hydrocele or defects of the bladder.

Rahu and Ketu with Mercury

With a conjunction of Mercury with Rahu or Ketu the person is tormented by an illness that cannot be diagnosed exactly or cured. Nervous breakdowns and even derangement are possible. This combination distorts the perception of reality and makes the person eccentric, cunning, treacherous and light-fingered.

Rahu and Ketu with Jupiter

The lunar nodes destroy the sattvic qualities of Jupiter. The person does not follow generally accepted rules and mocks religion; he cannot be relied upon.

Rahu and Ketu with Venus

The placement of Venus near the nodes in the horoscope gives an unconventional sexual orientation. The person lacks aesthetic taste and a feeling for beauty. This combination affects the character and the state of health badly. In a female chart it points to widowhood.

Rahu and Ketu with Saturn

An indicator of a melancholy disposition and a pessimistic mood, of suicidal or criminal leanings. Under an aspect of Jupiter this combination can endow the person with immense spiritual strength and extraordinary abilities. If the influences of malefic planets are present, the person becomes coarse, spiteful and quarrelsome, and suffers from impotence and frequent accidents.

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Observations on Rahu and Ketu (the lunar nodes)

• The nodes in angular houses together with the lords of trines, or placed in trines with the lords of kendras, take on the status of Yoga karaka and give positive results.
• A conjunction of the nodes with the lord of a trikona house is always favourable.
• Rahu or Ketu in the 2nd or 7th house together with the lord of the 5th or 9th house, or under its aspect, bestows a long life, wealth and solid standing.
• If Rahu or Ketu stands in the 2nd or the 7th house and a malefic joins the lord of that house, death may come in the period of that malefic planet.
• When one of the nodes occupies the 2nd or the 7th house and forms a connection (a conjunction or an aspect) with the lord of the 2nd or the 7th, the person may die in the dasha of that node.
• The dasha of a Rahu or Ketu that stands in the 5th or 9th house under the aspect of the lord of the 2nd or the 7th may be the person's last.
• The nodes in the maraka houses (the 2nd or the 7th) in conjunction with the lord of the 5th or the 9th, or under its aspect, do not take the person's life.
• Rahu and Ketu in the 9th or the 10th house together with the lord of a trikona become benefic.
• When the nodes stand in the 1st, 3rd, 4th, 7th or 10th house in the company of a Yoga karaka, they promise the person happiness, good offspring and means.
• When the nodes stand in Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius or Pisces together with the lords of the 1st, 4th, 5th, 7th, 9th or 10th houses, the person has money and enjoys life in the periods of Rahu and Ketu.
• Rahu or Ketu in the same position in Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius or Pisces together with the lords of the 1st, 4th, 5th, 7th, 9th or 10th houses, where the lord of its sign also rules a kendra or a trikona, bestows advancement in service and prosperity in its dasha.
• If the nodes stand in mutable signs under the aspect of, or in the company of, the lords of the 6th, 8th or 12th houses, the person will lose his elder brother or his father.
• A person in whose chart the nodes stand in movable or fixed signs in conjunction with the lords of kendras or trikonas, or under their aspects, possesses strength and wealth.
• Rahu in Gemini in a kendra or a trikona endows the person with political power and bestows prosperity.
• The periods of nodes that occupy dual signs and come under the influence of the lords of kendras or trikonas are generous with material gains and fame.
• Rahu in Aries, Taurus or Cancer gives a good education, means, the favour of the authorities and a spouse of beautiful appearance and pleasant character.
• If Rahu stands in the signs of Virgo, Scorpio or Pisces while its dispositor is in a kendra or a trikona from its own sign, remarkable results are to be expected.
• As a rule, the nodes are uncomfortable in the signs of Leo and Cancer.
• When Rahu or Ketu transits the 4th house from the lord of the current dasha, disorder, turmoil and unpleasant events arise in the person's life.
• If the nodes take part in a good yoga, they contribute to material success exclusively.
• Rahu in the 6th house foretells a long life free of want, while Ketu in the 12th house helps to attain Moksha after the person has enjoyed material blessings to the full.
• The Sun with the nodes in the 8th house tells badly on the length of life.
• In a female chart, the placement of the Ascendant or of the Navamsha Lagna on the Rahu/Ketu axis foretells a caesarean section.
• The karmic planets: the dispositors of Rahu and Ketu are called the karmic planets. If they join one another and stand in a good house, a Raja yoga is formed. The placement of Rahu and Ketu in the 6th, 8th or 12th from their own dispositors has an extremely unfavourable influence on the person's life. If the dispositors stand in a mutual 5/9 relationship, this says that excellent karma from past incarnations will affect the present life. In a 3/11 relationship the action of ordinary good karma takes place. A 4/10 position says that the person will be able to draw on his store of positive karma only after trials and hard work. The positions 2/12 and 6/8 point to a person who has not accumulated good karma in his past incarnations.
• A person in whose horoscope the nodes stand in the 1st, 2nd, 10th or 11th houses knows how to handle currency and to earn on exchange rates [if there are no other harmful factors — ed.].

(Source: Sri Govind Swarup Agarwal — «Vedic Astrology»)

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE DISPOSITORS OF RAHU AND KETU

The dispositor of any planet (Rahu and Ketu included) is the lord of the sign in which that planet stands. When Ketu is in Taurus, for instance, its dispositor is Venus.

Every planet thus has its own dispositor, and it is a constant one, since the planet will not move out of that sign in the course of a life.

The better the dispositor is placed, the better it will be for the planet standing in its sign.

The dispositor planet behaves like a landlord who does or does not look after the house he lets to another tenant (the planet standing in his sign in the horoscope).

It is especially important to consider the condition of the dispositors in the case of the lunar nodes, since they make the themes of the karmic lessons of this incarnation more precise.

One must remember that Rahu and Ketu act not only through the houses they stand in, but also through the houses where their dispositor planets stand.

The dispositor of Ketu, for example, makes it clear through what, or in what way, or with whose help the person gathered a certain experience in the past, developed or wanted to develop his talents in that area (that house of the Rashi chart) where Ketu stands.

Suppose Ketu stands in the 5th house while its dispositor is in the 3rd house.

One possible reading: in the past the person actively developed his intellect and talents through his own efforts, his will and so on.

The dispositor of Rahu shows through what, or with whose help, or with what force the person will be able to realise his ambitions and desires in the present, and will seek to develop or strengthen that area (that house of the Rashi chart) where Rahu stands.

Suppose Rahu is in the 10th house while its lord is in the 7th house. The person may develop his career actively with the help of marriage or after entering into marriage, or may be a successful politician or businessman.

THE STRENGTH OF THE DISPOSITOR of Rahu and Ketu is the chief guarantee of success in their affairs

It is first of all the condition of the dispositor planets of the lunar nodes that determines how favourably the nodes are placed in the chart.

The stronger and the better placed they are, the better the effects Rahu and Ketu will give.

If the dispositor of Ketu stands in the sign of its exaltation, for instance, the person was successful in the past in the experience that Ketu shows in the chart.

If the dispositor of Ketu stands in the house of an enemy, the position of Ketu is no longer so firm. In this incarnation there will still be serious lessons through the sign and the house where Ketu stands.

Other examples.

Say the dispositor of Rahu stands in the house of a great friend. This means that in the present incarnation the person will have more strength and energy to realise his ideas and ambitions, and it will also be easier for him to develop his consciousness through the themes of the sign and the house where Rahu stands.

If the dispositor planet of Rahu stands in debilitation, then in the present incarnation there will be much stress, dissatisfaction and trouble on the material level in the place where Rahu stands.

Look also at the house in which the dispositor of Rahu or of Ketu stands. In a trikona house it is one thing, in a dusthana quite another.

If there are influences of benefics on the dispositor planet of Rahu or Ketu (by conjunction or by aspect), such influence helps; if there are influences from malefics, the reverse.

A. Tubin

The karmic task along the Rahu—Ketu line in relation to the signs of the Zodiac

Translator's note: where the texts below speak of Rahu or Ketu acting through their higher or lower vibrations or aspects, the key to understanding this lies in the position of the dispositors of Rahu and Ketu. If the planet that is the lord of the sign and the house in which Rahu or Ketu stands is itself strongly placed in the Rashi and in the Navamsha, this means that Rahu or Ketu is strong and will act through its higher vibrations, bringing positive indications. If their dispositors are weak, then Rahu and Ketu will show their lower nature, spoiling the indications of the house and the sign.

Ketu in Aries — Rahu in Libra

The presence of Ketu in the impulsive sign of Aries says that Martian tendencies and talents come naturally to the person. He practised this in the past and was focused on himself. The core of such a person's character is therefore made up of the Aries qualities: independence, self-expression, initiative, innovation, impulsiveness, and a leaning towards struggle and rivalry.

Ketu feels well in Aries, since it partly shares the qualities of Mars. This means that Ketu will cause no particular trouble in this sign during its period or sub-period, except where Ketu is burdened by bad aspects.

This position is rather inflammable, however, since Ketu is a fiery planet and Aries a fiery sign. Both Ketu and Aries stand for unconscious primordial forces, and the actions of such a person will therefore not always be guided by logic and reason. Such a person may fall into extreme anger and may have unusual ideas, tastes or personal qualities. If these energies work creatively, good inventiveness will be seen.

Rahu in Libra gives great diplomacy. In this life the person will try to develop the indications of Libra — balance, harmony, sociability, a sense of justice, partnership.

With this combination the person learns to find a balance between self-sufficiency and dependence on others. Such a person seeks to hide his strong individuality in order to appear friendlier and more open to the views of others. He strives towards spirituality through ethical action and reflection, and karma yoga and jnana yoga therefore suit him particularly well.

The position of Mars points to the sphere in which the person has to pay for the actions of his past life, while the position of Venus points to the sphere in which he receives help in carrying out the tasks of this one.

Examples: Abraham Lincoln and Thomas Edison (the inventor). Edison's Ketu in Aries in the 11th house gave him his brilliant inventiveness. But the position of Rahu in Libra in the 5th house shows that he had to work in partnership with others in order to realise his creative potential.

Ketu in Taurus — Rahu in Scorpio

The presence of Ketu in the earthy sign of Taurus points to artistic talents or to a strong Venusian admixture in the person's character. He has an aesthetic approach to life and a heightened sensitivity to the subtle things of this world.

Such a person's past life was stable as far as material security goes. In this life, however, he will have to pass through a period of material uncertainty, especially in the first half of life. Success comes only after some struggle. Nothing works out at the first attempt. The second half of life is as a rule more successful than the first.

In this sign Ketu holds a neutral position. In the period and the sub-period of Ketu the person receives no particular material blessings. It gives him a certain spiritual vision that allows him to see the material world in the right perspective. In this sign Ketu teaches: «do not be too attached to the material world».

The core of such a person's character is made up of the Taurus qualities: constancy, stubbornness, stability, conservatism, accumulation, refinement, idealism in love, aesthetics, the building of relationships.

Rahu in Scorpio is neutral. In this life Rahu unfolds the qualities of Scorpio and brings them to the surface. A tendency towards renewal through the destruction of old forms shows itself. This position gives reformers, revolutionaries, soldiers, social workers, spies, detectives, researchers, astrologers, philosophers, occultists and people of other unusual professions. It points to a sphere in which there is an element of risk or of danger.

To balance the extremes represented by the 2nd and 8th houses in the natal chart is the karmic task of this position. It is one of the most difficult positions. The position of Venus points to hidden talents from the past life, while the position of Mars points to the sphere where effort is to be applied and to the opportunities of this life.

Example: Swami Vivekananda embodies the struggle and the victory connected with this position. His Rahu in Scorpio in the 12th house led him through a series of painful transformations that meant great austerities and denying himself many things. But the same Rahu gave him success abroad, so that he could share his experience with others.

Ketu in Gemini — Rahu in Sagittarius

The presence of Ketu in Gemini moves the person to strive towards Mercurial aims. Such a person seeks to gather information. Often he is unable to go into anything in depth. In our age of the information boom, an overdose of information is a typical diagnosis for people with this position. Such a person often takes on everything and is properly good at nothing.

He has to spend much time with younger relatives. He often sacrifices his own interests to help others. The ability to communicate and a good sense of humour are the strong sides of such people.

For Ketu this is a neutral sign. In the periods and sub-periods of Ketu, therefore, no great material blessings should be expected. Numerous abrupt changes are possible in those periods. In this restless time one must keep a restrained and philosophical approach to life.

Rahu in the optimistic sign of Sagittarius brings the indications of the 9th house onto the stage of life: religion, philosophy, psychology, ethics, the universal laws of development. Such a person has to learn to see the whole picture of the world, since he tends to get lost in details (he cannot see the wood for the trees). He also needs to develop respect for the opinions of others and openness in relationships.

Such people develop their own philosophy of life, but it should not be imposed on everyone. This position of Rahu and Ketu has produced many intellectuals, philosophers, researchers and media workers.

It is a good position for study and for spreading knowledge, but a balance has to be found between physics (the 3rd house, Gemini) and metaphysics (the 9th house, Sagittarius). Such people are as a rule interested in various occult paths on the intellectual level, but they refrain from practice. In some cases, when the houses of devotion (the 4th, 5th, 8th, 12th) are involved in this axis, devotion to one's work grows, or devotion to the Deity through which the person strives for salvation.

The position of Jupiter points to the sphere where effort is to be applied in this life, while the position of Mercury points to past talents.

There will be certain problems with the material indications of the house in which Ketu stands. In Gemini Ketu is weakened, and this is bad for offspring. When Ketu falls into the 5th house, boys are usually not born.

Sagittarius is the sign of weakness for Rahu, and this position therefore does not favour material prosperity (except where other indications point otherwise). But Rahu behaves most quietly in this sign. It strengthens the living indications of the house in which it stands. Rahu in Sagittarius in the 4th house, for instance, increases the good fortune and the length of life of the mother and points to strong relations with the mother or with mother figures.

Example: Napoleon Bonaparte. In his chart this axis fell on the 3rd and 9th houses, and communication became a key element in his life. Various episodes of his life showed how his oratory saved his position more than once. What concerned him in life were action and knowledge.

Ketu in Cancer — Rahu in Capricorn

The presence of Ketu in Cancer points to a sensitive nature. The feeling of home and family is very important to such people. They have the wish and the urge to feel and to create domestic and emotional comfort. They love to be within the family circle or some small social circle where family traditions hold sway.

They have a strong attachment to home, to family and to their native land; they do not like to step outside their family or native circle. Outwardly they may seem calm and relaxed, yet inwardly they may be tense. The second half of their life is considerably better than the first.

Ketu in Cancer always deprives the person of happiness in such spheres as home, domestic comfort, relations with the mother, the basic emotional needs, happiness in childhood and the ownership of property. Such people can hardly succeed in fields such as agriculture, the dairy industry, work as a nanny, the running of transport, the restaurant business and anything that calls for an admixture of the nature of Cancer.

They tend to be lazy and to indulge their feelings if outward circumstances allow it.

Rahu in Capricorn, on the other hand, makes the person step beyond his immediate surroundings and reach concrete aims in the outer world. This energy pushes the person to build a career, and it is like the placement of Rahu in the 10th house.

In the lives of such people there is a struggle between family life and career. These two themes need to be brought into harmony. It is important for such people to give the family enough emotional attention. They hide their feelings and may seem shy, secretive and even suspicious.

There is success in their career if their family affairs go well. If things are not in order at home, they become almost impossible to deal with in the outer world. As a rule their circle of contacts is rather narrow and they do not seek a wide public. Rahu in Capricorn can make a person very enterprising once he has sorted out his emotions.

Such people need a long time to come out of their shell. As a rule they find their role in society only in the second half of life. Success never comes to them quickly, since Capricorn is a slow sign. They need to lay in a store of patience and persistence to achieve outward success, since they tend to crawl back into their shell if things in the outer world do not work out.

On the one hand, then, this position gives the world very successful people who have achieved success against all obstacles. On the other, it gives hermits and recluses who have withdrawn from the world and found peace in the heart. In some cases both tendencies may show themselves in a single life.

For Ketu, Cancer is a hostile sign (the Moon is Ketu's worst enemy), and it will therefore not give material prosperity in its period, though it may give a very deep understanding of psychology. For Rahu, Capricorn is a friendly sign and may give material success in its period. The road to success is long, but the results are stable.

The position of the Moon points to past talents, while Saturn points to the field of activity in which the opportunities of this incarnation lie.

Example: the life of Albert Einstein symbolises the struggle and the eventual success of this position. His family life (Ketu in the 2nd house) suffered because he was completely absorbed in scientific research (Rahu in the 8th house). The position of Saturn (the dispositor of Rahu) in the 10th house helped him to influence the outer world profoundly.

Ketu in Leo — Rahu in Aquarius

The presence of Ketu in the sign of Leo points to a well-developed solar nature as a result of the experience of past lives. This means that the person attaches great importance to his individuality. Such people may be somewhat proud and full of a sense of their own dignity. Their actions are often motivated by the wish to win respect and authority. They never do anything that would cast a shadow on their reputation. It matters to them how those around them see them. They do not like to be clowns or the butt of jokes. They like to keep the last word in settling matters. They like to be reckoned with and taken seriously.

They radiate light and warmth around them. They know how to inspire others with deep wisdom.

The presence of the fiery planet Ketu in the fiery sign of Leo may make the person excessively prone to anger and overfull of ambition. Such people have strongly marked likes and dislikes and a very keen sense of right and wrong. They tend to set their own rules about how things should be and follow those rules very strictly.

Rahu feels at home in Aquarius, since it is its own sign. This is the ideal position for the eccentric and innovative qualities of Rahu to show themselves at their best. Here Rahu gives a revolutionary but idealistic view of things. This position of Rahu favours collective activity perfectly. It helps the person to overcome his ego and pride and helps him to work in a team. It usually makes the person somewhat ascetic and detached from worldly affairs. In this sign Rahu is unable to show its materialism in full, and it therefore does not give great material success. This position of Rahu makes the person something of a philosopher.

A person with this position of Rahu is receptive to new ideas. On the material level this lets him master new technologies easily. On the spiritual level it points to a readiness to immerse himself in astrology and other occult sciences, which give an understanding of the universal laws of the universe.

The energies of this Rahu—Ketu axis are hard to balance, since on the one hand Ketu in Leo moves the person to be self-centred, while Rahu in Aquarius pushes him to work in a group as an equal. Such people need to work on themselves in order to temper their ego and to be able to get on with others. The development of humility is the key link in solving this problem.

For Ketu, Leo is a hostile sign (though Ketu is less of an enemy to the Sun than to the Moon). In some cases, when it is under an aspect of Jupiter, or when the Sun stands with Jupiter or comes under its aspect, Ketu may give prosperity in its period.

The position of the Sun points to past talents, while the position of Saturn points to the potential of this life.

Example: Krishnamurti. His teaching puts the individual above all else, and that is a manifestation of Ketu in Leo. On the other hand, he is one of the messiahs of the coming age of Aquarius — thus did Rahu in Aquarius in his 1st house show itself.

Ketu in Virgo — Rahu in Pisces

Ketu in the sign of Virgo gives the person a clear understanding of everything connected with the 6th house: health, hygiene, healing, practices of purification, attention to detail, discipline, analysis, routine activity, service, structure, order (the structuring and ordering of information), organisation, and the striving for perfection.

People with this position of Ketu went through the school of the sign of Virgo in their past life, and in this life they therefore try to put everything around them in order. But their striving for cleanliness, order and perfection may take extreme forms. It may therefore make the person a hypochondriac — that is, someone with a manic urge for cleanliness — or of an excessively critical nature. Such people may get lost in details. Virgo does not give the ability to balance things, but it does give a sense of proportion, and this sense of proportion can regulate the Virgo tendencies named above.

Ketu stands for the past, and the influence of the sign of Virgo therefore has to be overcome rather than indulged in this life. They should, however, set an example to others by showing the wisdom contained in the esoteric sign of Virgo.

The presence of Rahu in Pisces implies that in this life the person must develop in himself the qualities of the sign of Pisces: all-embracing consciousness, abstract thinking, imagination, spontaneity, fantasy, intuition, inspiration, compassion, idealisation (utopianism).

Though this is difficult, it is possible. A musician, for instance, learns to play from the score (these are the marks of Virgo), but in the end he must move on to spontaneous, natural performance (and that is a mark of Pisces).

This Rahu—Ketu combination gives people of the following bent: physicians, healers, artists, mediums, workers in charitable and medical (pharmaceutical) organisations, and workers in cinema — everything that calls for creative fantasy and intuition.

The position of Mercury points to past talents, while the position of Jupiter shows the sphere of new opportunities in this life.

For Ketu, Virgo is a neutral sign, and in the period and sub-periods of Ketu one will therefore see not so much material prosperity as a spiritual understanding of reality.

For Rahu, Pisces is a neutral sign, but the period of Rahu may bear good material fruit if other supporting factors are present in the chart. Rahu cannot do much harm in Pisces, except where other bad aspects fall on this sign — and that harm will concern the living indications of the house in which the badly aspected Rahu stands.

Rahu in Pisces (the last sign of the Zodiac) may mean the summing up of karma and an understanding of the road that leads to liberation.

If Rahu draws out the negative side of Pisces, this may produce a radical religious fundamentalist.

Examples: Queen Victoria gained an immense empire thanks to the presence of Rahu in Pisces in the 11th house. Rahu in Pisces gives the energy of expansion, but in her horoscope this principle worked only on the material level, since it was connected with Mars and Saturn. Ketu in Virgo in the 5th house showed itself as the puritan temper in keeping with that age.

Osho, on the other hand, showed the philosophical aspect of this position (Rahu in the 11th house in Pisces). He clearly rose above the puritan tendency of Virgo from his past life and demonstrated the expansive nature of Rahu by his whole way of living.

Ketu in Libra — Rahu in Aries

Ketu in Libra usually gives a balanced personality who spontaneously shows the Libran qualities: social adaptability, diplomacy, a striving for harmony, the ability to look after one's appearance well, the ability to judge things in a measured way, a gift for commerce, and sociability. An active social life is very important to them.

Their past life taught such people the basic things of the Libran sphere: law, sex, money and social hierarchy. The compromising nature of Libra moves them in this life to please everyone and to behave with excessive tact and diplomacy — though at times this shows itself as a complete inability to take a concrete decision. These people spontaneously try to follow the Libran tendencies, but this life has another scenario in store for them.

This is caused by the position of Rahu in Aries, which moves the person to immerse himself in such themes as independence, courage, innovation, leadership, the quick taking of responsible decisions, the opening up of new fields, voluntarism, impulsiveness, risk.

Libra dissolves a person's «ego», and this creates the danger of losing oneself. Rahu in Aries therefore offers a programme for growing the ego. The positive side of Libra is that the person is able to look at things from the position of other people, which is very important for gaining new knowledge and experience; but one must not lose oneself in the process, for that knowledge has to be made one's own personal experience. Rahu in Aries helps with this.

A person with this position of Rahu and Ketu needs to learn consciously to develop the qualities proper to Aries. He needs to learn to rely on himself rather than to depend on those around him. He needs to learn to listen to himself and not only to others. He needs to learn to stand up for his own opinion, which is rather hard for the compliant Libran. Such people are afraid of being thought selfish and of failing to win the approval of public opinion. This tendency in oneself has to be fought.

Aries is the sign that makes a person like a child who does not care about the opinions of others. He cares only about selfish urges that know no bounds. Libra, by contrast, puts everything within a frame, since balance cannot be kept without a sense of proportion and certain limits.

Balancing the energies of these signs is like bringing the energies of the first and the seventh houses into harmony, which means establishing harmony between oneself and others. One must hold back from the excessive selfishness of Rahu in Aries and from the excessive superficiality of Libra.

Ketu in a Venusian sign usually means some artistic talent from the past. But in this life it has to be crossed with the freedom-loving and innovative spirit of Aries.

The position of Venus points to talents from the past, while the position of Mars points to the sphere in which the opportunities of this life are hidden.

This position of Rahu and Ketu often gives people of such professions as psychologists, lawyers, sexologists, artists, discoverers, photographic models, actors, media workers and consultants of every sort — that is, this position helps a person to work where his own person is directly involved.

Ketu feels poorly in Libra, a sign hostile to it. It therefore bears no good material fruit in its period. The exception is a chart in which Venus is strongly placed.

Rahu stands in neutral relations with Aries and may therefore bear good material fruit if it is in such degrees as 0.00—3.20 and 6.40—10.00. Spiritual results it gives in the degrees 16.40—20.00 and 23.20—26.40.

Examples: Sigmund Freud has Ketu in the 1st house in Libra and Rahu in the 7th in Aries. It is natural that he devoted his life to studying the nature of human relationships and the nature of sexuality.

Paramahamsa Yogananda (Ketu in the 3rd house in Libra, Rahu in the 9th in Aries). He used the principle of Love (Libra) in the sphere of relationships (the 3rd house), while Rahu in Aries in the 9th house helped him to sow the seeds of his teaching in a distant land (in America).

Ketu in Scorpio — Rahu in Taurus

Ketu in Scorpio points to a person who in his past life kept meeting the themes bound up with this sign: the problem of death, of recovery, of losses, of separations, of the vicissitudes of fate, of chronic illnesses, of accidents, of sexuality, of the mysteries of life, of research, of journeys overseas, of unusual adventures and so on.

Clearly the past life of such people was full of various changes and transformations. It is therefore quite natural that in this life the person strives for stability on the physical, the mental and the spiritual plane.

As a rule people with this position of Rahu and Ketu are seldom harmonious personalities: they are either dyed-in-the-wool materialists (Rahu in Taurus) or spiritual radicals (Ketu in Scorpio).

Rahu in Taurus moves the person to strive towards the themes bound up with Taurus: physical beauty, the activity of the senses, perception, luxury, tastes, the ability to express oneself, speech, the search for material resources, savings, property, security, stability, social prestige, logic, common sense, rationalism.

It is important to bring past spiritual experience into the present situation. That will save the person from the extreme materialism towards which Rahu in Taurus inclines him. In that case he will be able to see the divine manifestations within matter.

Ketu is a friend of Mars and therefore feels well in Scorpio. But if Ketu acts through its lower aspects, this will make the person extremely suspicious, for he will constantly be looking for some hidden motive behind all the actions and words of others.

The position of Mars points to past talents, while the position of Venus points to the spheres of opportunity in this life.

Examples: Ramakrishna Paramahamsa embodies the spiritual side of this position of Rahu and Ketu. In his chart both dispositors of Rahu and Ketu stand in exaltation, thus purifying and elevating the energies of Rahu and Ketu. On the material level he was quite well provided for — not because he was rich, but because his material needs were minimal. Rahu in his case showed itself on the philosophical and spiritual plane, since it stands in Aquarius in the Navamsha.

Another example is the notorious serial killer Theodore Bundy. In his case Rahu and Ketu stood in the worst degrees of these signs. In the Navamsha Rahu fell into Cancer together with a damaged Mercury, and Ketu fell into Capricorn with an exalted Mars. Even in the Rashi chart both dispositors of Rahu and Ketu stand in materialistic signs.

Ketu in Sagittarius — Rahu in Gemini

Ketu in Sagittarius means a fruitful past life which the person spent in travel and philosophical search, developing ethics, meeting various foreign influences, striving for self-realisation and for the development of his inner life; he received spiritual initiation and found freedom, happiness, faith and optimism.

Naturally, one who lived a good life in the past will be full of optimism and light-heartedness in this incarnation. When Ketu acts in this optimistic key, the person has nothing to worry about.

The only obstacle is that this optimism may grow into excessive self-confidence and expansionism and may lead to a fall.

Usually such people give the world love, joy and freedom in this life. Their mission is to spread the indications of the sign of Sagittarius to the people around them, to lift their spirits and to give hope to the hopeless.

This is a very philosophical position of Ketu, and when it acts through its higher vibrations the person may possess an all-embracing spiritual vision of the world. But if Ketu acts through its lower aspect, the person is concerned with material expansion alone.

In this case Ketu needs communicative ability in order to pass the spiritual message on to other people, and Rahu in Gemini gives that opportunity. It will not come so easily, but it is precisely this ability that has to be developed in this life. Fate constantly places such people in situations where they are obliged to develop their communication skills, whether they like it or not. With the years these abilities grow.

Besides this, they need to work on the other indications of Gemini as well: co-operation, comradeship, the co-ordination of mental and physical effort, the ability to adapt quickly to a new situation, flexibility, oratorical ability, scientific rational thinking and a gift for writing.

This position of Rahu and Ketu calls for the energies of the 3rd and 9th houses to be brought into harmony. That is a balance of materialism and spirituality, of logic and faith, of common sense and spiritual revelation. This balance cannot be reached without conscious effort.

This position of Rahu and Ketu gives the world writers, spiritual and religious leaders, philosophers, teachers, dictators, inveterate gamblers, politicians, stock jobbers, brokers, discoverers, philanthropists and sportsmen of every sort.

When Rahu acts through its higher aspects, it moves the person to be a channel of the universal mind and to work for the good of others, though his methods will be unconventional and will not always accord with generally accepted ethics and rules. If Rahu acts through its lower aspects, this may give excessive selfishness and a leaning towards manipulation and lies.

The position of Jupiter points to talents of the past, while the position of Mercury points to the present sphere where effort is to be applied.

Examples: Adolf Hitler had Ketu in Sagittarius in the 3rd house together with Jupiter, and Rahu in Gemini in the 9th. This made him an ambitious conqueror whose expansionist spirit knew no bounds. He actively manipulated the opinions of others and did not scruple to deceive in order to reach his aims. He broke every peace treaty he had himself signed. Such is the manifestation of Rahu in Gemini.

Another example is Krishna. He used his diplomatic genius to unleash a world war, but in his case this served no selfish aim. He did it to free the earth of corrupt and tyrannical kings. By His divine plan He arranged everything so that in the end good would win victory over evil.

Ketu in Capricorn — Rahu in Cancer

Ketu in the sign of material perfection points to a past life spent in attaining the following aims: career, social standing, organisation, pragmatism, purposeful effort, practical experience, the winning of recognition.

Such people show great practicality and seek to take on responsibility from the earliest age. They approach matters very thoroughly and carefully and do not like haste. On the whole, however, their attitude to life is somewhat pessimistic. They are decidedly conservative and take in new ideas with difficulty. Their appearance is somewhat severe and they tend to hide their emotions. Yet if such persons are sufficiently developed, this position gives them a perfect understanding of the cosmic laws. They understand the nature of this world and perform their karma without attachment, not trying to avoid their prescribed duties.

For inwardly less developed persons this position means dyed-in-the-wool materialism, heightened ambition and a strong need to be in the thick of events.

The position of Rahu in Cancer, however, pushes them in this life towards another sphere — domestic life, family, material relations, real estate, aesthetics, intuition, the development of psychic abilities, the development of subtle emotions, inner peace. This means that such a person's task is to find peace within himself rather than in the outer environment. They need to learn to respect their own emotions and to develop inner gentleness. It has been observed that in the second half of life such people become very caring, compassionate and sensitive to subtle emotions. To succeed in a career, such individuals need to choose a gentle and humane approach to people. The transformation they have to go through may be compared to turning stone into water. Clearly this does not happen easily, and it calls for great sacrifices. The life of such people is full of inner and outer struggle. Sometimes such struggle may break a person inwardly, and sometimes a true humanist comes out of it. Since both Cancer and Capricorn are conservative signs, this position of Rahu and Ketu makes the person very suspicious and sceptical.

Ketu feels poorly in Capricorn and cannot give prosperity in its period, except where Saturn is well placed in the chart from the material point of view.

In Parashara's view, Rahu in Cancer somewhat resembles Ketu in Leo and may bear good fruit.

The position of Saturn points to past talents, while the position of the Moon points to the sphere of potential opportunity in this life.

Examples: Mahatma Gandhi, the fighter for India's independence, has this placement in the 4th and 10th houses. Although he was a true humanist, he nevertheless showed extreme conservatism. He was a brilliant popular leader (the 10th house), and his leadership and popularity rested on his humane qualities (the 4th house). The Moon in the 10th house gave him high social standing.

Another example: Jim Morrison represents the other side of this combination. He was not conservative in the least, and his whole life was a protest against the artificial values of a selfish society now built on the qualities of practical, pragmatic Capricorn.

Ketu in Aquarius — Rahu in Leo

Ketu in the humane sign of Aquarius points to a person who spent his past life developing such spheres as knowledge, charity, philosophy, wisdom, friendship, teamwork and humanitarian activity. A leaning towards these things therefore comes naturally to such people.

They are usually very shy in childhood and try not to stand out from the crowd. This quality stays with them to some extent in adult life as well. They never refuse others and are always ready to come to the rescue. To other people they seem entirely impractical, but that is usually not so. With the years they become more self-centred and shift their attention from others to themselves. It is the position of Rahu in Leo that pushes them to this. Rahu wants them to develop a sense of their own dignity, self-confidence, authority, self-respect, personal creativity and an active attitude to life.

The task in the present incarnation is to pass the wisdom of Aquarius on to others through the creative energy of Leo. The danger of this position is that with the years such people become ever more absorbed in themselves and lose the ability to be of use to others. This position of Rahu and Ketu therefore calls for personal interests to be brought into harmony with care for others. To have a favourable influence on the people around one, one must oneself be in a state of positive self-esteem. But excessive attention to oneself may kill the wish to help others.

It has been observed that such people go through two serious transformations in their lives. First they need to raise their standing in their own eyes by overcoming the spirit of self-abasement in themselves. The second stage is to use their inner dignity in order to return to their humanitarian activity for the common good.

Many elevated souls are born with this position of Rahu and Ketu, because it allows love, joy, knowledge and wisdom to be spread. They are able to inspire people to self-respect and to compassion for others at one and the same time. The importance of this position grows as the Age of Aquarius approaches and as the influence of the Aquarian energy strengthens.

If Rahu and Ketu act through their lower aspects, this position produces rebels and eccentrics with no particular aim in life, who merely shock the public.

This position gives artists, spiritual leaders, philosophers, revolutionaries, social workers, philanthropists, astrologers who work on the Internet, spreaders of New Age ideas, and people who work with electricity and new technologies. In a word, this position of Rahu and Ketu is highly characteristic of unusual professions.

For Ketu, Aquarius is a neutral and in part a friendly sign, and Ketu may therefore bear good material and spiritual fruit in its period if this is confirmed by other indications in the chart.

Leo is a hostile sign for Rahu, since Rahu is more hostile to the Sun and Ketu to the Moon. The period of Rahu therefore gives no particular material result, except where other positive factors of the horoscope outweigh it.

Experience shows that Rahu in Leo creates Bhagya yoga (Good Fortune) when it falls into the 5th, 9th or 10th house.

The position of Saturn points to talents of the past, while the position of the Sun shows the sphere of opportunity in this life.

Examples: Jimi Hendrix and Helena Blavatsky. Both carry the features of the New Age culture. Both had to overcome their natural shyness, and they appeared before people as thoroughly self-confident personalities. Both have this Rahu—Ketu axis in the 3rd and 9th houses. The only difference is that Blavatsky showed her talent through writing and Hendrix through the electric guitar — in both cases indications of the 3rd house. Blavatsky's Sun is in the 2nd house, strengthening the ability to develop esoteric knowledge, while Hendrix's is in the 12th, giving him success abroad.

Ketu in Pisces — Rahu in Virgo

Ketu in the mystical sign of Pisces speaks of a past life spent either in luxury or else devoted to seclusion and to the study of spiritual and occult themes. The qualities of Pisces are very well developed in the consciousness of such people: intuition, creativity, a striving for mysteries, for synthesis, for dreams, fantasies, idealism and utopia.

Pisces, as is known, is a dual sign, which implies the presence of extreme tendencies in the person's behaviour. On the one hand this position may make the person tolerant, compassionate and understanding; on the other it may produce such tendencies as complete delusion, narrow-mindedness and intolerance of the opinions of others. It depends on whether Ketu conveys the higher or the lower vibrations of Pisces.

This position of Ketu gives the person the ability to see the whole picture, while the position of Rahu in Virgo moves him not to lose sight of the details. In this life such people will have to meet the areas for which Virgo is responsible: health, hygiene, healing, cleanliness, attention to small things, analysis, discipline, routine activity, service, structuring, putting things in order, the striving for perfection, the building of an organisation and so on.

For some this transformation may be quite painful. It is the same as trying to turn a poet into an office clerk. It is the task of balancing the energies of the 6th and the 12th houses. Since both these houses are problematic, solving this problem is a challenge to such an individual. Those who manage to find a balance between the energies of Virgo and Pisces become saviours for themselves and for those around them.

This position of Rahu and Ketu gives the person numerous opportunities for inner growth and for material success, but it never comes without a struggle. Usually the lives of such people are full of sharp turns and unexpected events. Many changes take place both within and without.

Following the middle path is the best solution, one leading to the enlightenment and liberation indicated by the position of Ketu in Pisces. They need to find a healthy balance between the intellectuality of Virgo and the emotionality of Pisces, between the material and the spiritual, between worldly duties and spiritual expectations, between human and universal laws, between moral norms and personal freedom. In a certain sense it is a fortunate combination, since Ketu in Pisces cares for the spiritual side of life and Rahu in Virgo for the material one.

This position favours artists, intellectuals, philosophers, politicians, media workers, ordinary employees and experts of every kind.

Ketu feels well in Pisces and may bring prosperity in its period if other factors of the horoscope confirm it. When Ketu acts through its lower aspects, this may lead to religious narrow-mindedness and intolerance, which are a true scourge of modern society.

Rahu in Virgo, too, may give very good material results along with the ability to defeat one's competitors, if Mercury is strong in the chart. If, however, Rahu acts through its lower aspects, this may turn the person into a cunning schemer who pursues selfish aims or does harm to others.

The position of Jupiter points to past talents, while the position of Mercury points to the sphere where effort is to be applied in this life.

Examples: the martial arts legend Bruce Lee (Rahu in the 6th house in Virgo, Ketu in the 12th in Pisces). The coincidence in his chart of the ordinal numbers of the signs and of the houses reduced to a minimum the confusion that usually reigns in the minds of people with this position of Rahu and Ketu. On the contrary, this coincidence brought clarity to the aim of his life. Rahu in the 6th house brought him fame in the martial arts (fighting is an indication of the 6th house) and gave him the ability to defeat his rivals, but people did not also see in him the profound philosopher striving for spiritual perfection (which Ketu in the 12th in Pisces gave him). Jupiter in the 1st house pointed to his talent lying in his own body, while Mercury in the 7th house in Libra gave him the chance to reach a wide public through the art of cinema.

Another example: Bob Dylan, the legendary singer and poet, has this placement in the 2nd and 8th houses. Rahu in the 2nd (the house of speech and poetry) in Virgo gave him the ability to speak concisely and expressively on the somewhat surreal and abstract themes dictated by the presence of Ketu in Pisces in the 8th house.

Rahu and Ketu in the houses of the horoscope

Note: it has been observed that the placement of the Rahu—Ketu axis in the various houses closely resembles the placement of Rahu and Ketu in the signs whose ordinal numbers match those of the houses. Rahu in the 3rd house and Ketu in the 9th, for instance, is similar to Rahu in Gemini and Ketu in Sagittarius. When studying the placement of Rahu and Ketu in the houses, therefore, one must also add the indications of the signs of the Zodiac in which the lunar nodes stand.

Rahu in the 1st house, Ketu in the 7th:

This position is considered fortunate in the sense that it allows the person to project his personality onto the world around him successfully. This comes from the position of Rahu in the 1st house, which is as good as the position of Rahu in the 9th and 10th houses.

Rahu in the 1st house gives great weight in the person's life to the indications of the 1st house: appearance, constitution, health, vitality, self-esteem, career, fame, recognition. If Rahu stands exactly on or close to the degree of the Ascendant, this makes the person's appearance, or his very individuality, highly unconventional. Usually such people are tall and have a commanding streak, which those around them do not always like. Often they have an inflated self-esteem that passes into pride, which moves them to act rather thoughtlessly quite often.

If Rahu shows its higher vibrations in this position, it often gives the person a leaning towards self-analysis and an understanding of the nature of the personality. Many philosophers and saints therefore have this placement of Rahu. They understand the psychology of the masses and the trends of society's development well.

This position of Rahu often makes the person a scientist, an inventor, a pioneer, an adventurer or a traveller. Independence is what they hold dearest in life. Rahu in the 1st house makes the person hardy and strong, which at times moves him to take risks or to take up some extreme sport.

Such people can remain alone for a long time, and it does not weigh on them. Their individuality does not depend on social interaction.

The presence of Ketu in the 7th house hinders the building of any lasting relationships. It is not a very good position for a happy family life, except where other indications in the chart outweigh it. This position often gives confirmed bachelors or good brahmacharis.

One can get along with such people only if they are given enough space in which to feel somewhat independent. It cannot be said that such people do not know how to behave. In fact they are quite humble and pleasant company, except where Rahu and Ketu are badly spoiled by bad aspects.

They always express their feelings and thoughts frankly and are quite consistent in their attitude to life. Their friends can only be those who understand their inner intentions, and there are not many such people. Although in ordinary life they are quite shy, they speak in public with ease.

This position of Rahu and Ketu calls for a balance between the indications of the 1st and the 7th houses. Such people need to shift their attention from themselves to others, in order to understand them better and to deal with them better.

It is usually hard for such people to understand why so much attention and so much effort should be spent on relations with the outer world when the whole universe is contained within one's own «I». This is often the reason why they pay no attention to the outer world at all — though more developed souls do not make this mistake, understanding that self-realisation is meaningless if it is not shared with those around them.

Examples: Krishnamurti, Nietzsche.

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Ketu in the 1st house, Rahu in the 7th house

What distinguishes this position of Rahu and Ketu is that those around such a person consider him wise. This comes from the presence of Rahu in the 7th, which is responsible for social standing and reputation at roughly the age of 24 to 42, if there are no other damaging factors.

Rahu highlights all the indications of the 7th house — harmony, relationships, love, passion, the marriage partner, long-term relationships, the sublimation of one's self, justice, open enemies, one's own enterprise, image.

The 7th house stands for the age at which a person, having established himself, starts a family and with it a certain permanence in life.

Rahu in the 7th helps to build these relationships, which are nothing other than another way of understanding oneself.

If other indications of the chart confirm it, the spouse turns out to be the more mature person, and this brings good fortune after the marriage. If Rahu works through its lower vibrations, this leads to misunderstanding and even to a break-up. As a rule the main cause of quarrels in that case is a lack of moderation in sex.

Professions with Rahu in the 7th house (work with people): counselling, psychology, management, the co-ordination of projects; they prefer to run their own business rather than to work under someone else's direction.

Ketu in the 1st gives a short stature (if Ketu is very close to the degree of the Ascendant), heightens psychic sensitivity and inclines the person to self-abasement. An aspect or a yoga with Jupiter eases the problems of this position of Ketu by 90%. A strong position of the lord of the 1st house saves the situation.

Ketu in the 1st usually gives a poor appetite and unusual tastes and preferences in food. It tends to direct the energies inward and gives good chances of spiritual development. As a rule the spiritual transformation begins in the second half of life with the onset of Ketu's period.

Such a person needs to learn to be independent of relations with others. Usually such people feel their «I» only in dealings with others. Alone with themselves they lose their «I», and they need company in order to actualise it. Dependence on this tendency must be overcome, otherwise such a person will suffer in solitude.

Example: Sigmund Freud, Sri Krishna.

See in more detail about Ketu in the 1st house and Rahu in the 7th house

Rahu in the 2nd, Ketu in the 8th:

Rahu in the 2nd favours the wise management of material and spiritual resources (provided Rahu is undamaged). If Rahu is damaged, a time of want will follow a spell of abundance.

The indications of the 2nd house gain: the face, the feelings, perception, refinement, tastes, expression, speech, early childhood, the reading of books, resources, desires, personal earnings, property, prestige, mathematical ability, rationality.

It is a good combination for material well-being, but the trouble is that it also means that the stream of material desires has no end — and they are quite intense. A person born with this combination has to deal with the illusory force of Maya in the matters of the 2nd house, which in Vedic astrology is held to be one of the two houses ruled by Maya herself. Satisfaction, or the lack of it, becomes the main theme of such a person's life.

On the physical plane Rahu in the 2nd gives a beautiful appearance (especially to women, if other factors favour it). This beauty is quite unusual and gives the person a particular attractiveness. From an early age a stamp of maturity can be seen on such a face.

Although these people may take up all sorts of work, this combination particularly favours such professions as mathematicians, linguists, astrologers, economists, financiers, bankers, discoverers, researchers, singers and musicians. Rahu in the 2nd also shapes the mind of a capitalist, provided it is not damaged by an aspect of Saturn. If this Rahu is damaged by a negative influence, it moves the native to lose his sense of measure and proportion and to earn by fraud, blackmail and theft and by taking bribes. Statistically, many drug dealers have this position. Usually money earned in such ways is likewise spent on the excessive indulgence of the senses. Such people easily develop an addiction to smoking, alcohol and other intoxicants.

An aspect of or a conjunction with Jupiter eases this position. If Rahu shows its higher vibrations, this position may give a love of truth and a leaning towards charity.

Ketu in the 8th favours deep research in any field. If Ketu acts through its higher principle, it may free the native from the fear of death. It is important for such a person to understand the beauty, the power and the renewing force of death.

If Ketu is sufficiently strong and more materially oriented, it promises an inheritance and the resources of other people. In the second half of life sudden changes of fortune may occur. If Ketu is weak, it gives only hopes and expectations in this sphere and does not fulfil the wishes. This position is held to be not very favourable for the birth of boys to the native. If Ketu is damaged, this may give diseases of the reproductive system, and the native is advised to be careful and to guard against sexually transmitted diseases.

With this position of Rahu and Ketu the native needs to find a balance between the indications of the 2nd and the 8th houses. He needs to learn to take gains and losses lightly. It is also important to find a balance between the practicality bound up with the element of earth and the 2nd house (Taurus) and the emotional side of life bound up with the element of water and the 8th house (Scorpio). This is no simple task, since the indications of these houses are as opposite as life and death.

Example: Bangalore Venkata Raman.

See in more detail about Rahu in the 2nd house and Ketu in the 8th house

Ketu in the 2nd, Rahu in the 8th

If there are no negative factors, this placement gives a long life. But Ketu in the 2nd does not favour financial stability. Stable finances will come only if Ketu stands in Sagittarius or Pisces — and even then the native will have to live through a significant financial loss at least once in his life.

Such a person has one oddity in handling money: stinginess in small things and thoughtless spending on large purchases. An addiction to games of chance is possible. Such people have no luck on the stock exchange, yet the pull of gambling is very strong. Such a person may lose literally everything. Many people with this position of Ketu have squandered their parents' entire inheritance.

Such people love to wander and find pleasure in it. They are not much inclined to follow a traditional religion and often invent a philosophy of their own.

Ketu in the 2nd brings bitterness to family life and calls for the development of patience. In most cases the native comes under the influence of the marriage partner.

Ketu in the 2nd gives the voice a sarcastic tone and makes the person a cynic, or moves him to use foul language. An aspect of Jupiter on Ketu can smooth out most of the negative effects of Ketu in the 2nd.

Rahu in the 8th promises to bring an inheritance and profit through the partner. The size of these profits depends on the strength of Rahu and of the lord of the 8th house. Sometimes such a person has to learn to accept means from other people humbly.

Rahu in the 8th strengthens all the indications of the 8th house: inheritance, joint resources, losses, separation, the vicissitudes of fate, chronic illnesses, accidents, death, the length of life, sexuality, recovery, transformation, mysteries, occultism, metaphysics, deep reflection, research, discovery, journeys abroad, strange adventures and unusual events.

Rahu in this position patronises scientists, researchers, travelling discoverers, seekers of adventure, insurance agents, bankers, spies, detectives, writers of mystery stories, occultists and those interested in antiquity.

If Rahu works through its lower energies, it may move the native to commit terrible deeds, just as in the case where Rahu occupies the 2nd house. This may happen because the dark side of life which the 8th house represents can, under the influence of Rahu, show its full destructive force. There is therefore a fine line between the use and the abuse of the energies of the 8th house.

The karmic task corresponds to levelling the balance between the affairs of the 2nd and the 8th houses (as discussed above), with the sole difference that the native tends either to neglect the affairs of the 2nd house entirely, or to settle them in a very strange manner.

It is important for such people to learn to control their speech. It is easier for them to deal with others through the printed word, since otherwise they are poorly understood. It is also important to develop optimism, since Ketu in the 2nd gives the person pessimism.

Example: Albert Einstein

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Rahu in the 3rd, Ketu in the 9th

All astrologers consider this placement of the nodes favourable, since the 3rd, 6th, 10th and 11th houses are Upachaya houses, in which malefics (here Rahu) behave favourably. Ketu, too, feels well in the 9th house (although it is a trine), since Ketu is naturally well disposed towards the 9th sign of the zodiac, Sagittarius. A native with this placement of the nodes should receive the best of both worlds: Rahu will give material success, and Ketu will take care of the inner life.

This placement of the nodes has its negative side, however: Rahu in the 3rd gives courage but often hinders understanding with younger relatives. As with natural malefics, the living indications of the 3rd house suffer (younger relatives, companions) while the non-living ones gain (mental and physical energy, passions, valour, leadership, oratorical ability, scientific rational thinking, a gift for writing). Sometimes, though, help from younger relatives is seen, thanks to which the person may advance in life; or the other way round, the native helps them.

Short journeys bring good fortune, though they are not always pleasant. Long journeys are less beneficial, except where Ketu is very strong, standing in a friendly sign together with a yoga karaka or an exalted planet.

People with this combination can wield either the sword or the pen with ease. Which of the two the native chooses depends on the general leaning of the chart.

This combination produces writers and orators, artists, sculptors, instrumentalists, soldiers, sportsmen (where strength and dexterity of hand are called for), generals, revolutionaries, and political and spiritual leaders. The psychic or mental force of this position of Rahu may be used in positive creativity if other indications of the chart point to an integrated personality.

This position of Rahu and Ketu produces many atheists devoted to science. This happens because they have a strong bias towards the indications of the 3rd house, and this blocks the energies of the 9th house completely. But later in life they throw themselves in the opposite direction and cast aside everything material.

This placement of the nodes sets the native the task of balancing the indications of the 3rd and the 9th houses (physics and religion, aggression and compassion, energy and the path, matter and spirit). Only elevated souls are able to solve this task.

In most cases the first half of life is more productive for such people than the second. If a native with this combination won fame and fortune in his youth, more than likely he will lose it at the age of Ketu (47 to 54).

The age of 47 is an important one for such people, since a new stage of their life begins then. Those whose life has not been particularly full of events until then are given the chance to leave their mark on history — but for that Ketu has to be sufficiently strong. Such a Ketu brings out those indications of the 9th house, such as religion and good fortune, which had not shown themselves before. For those who have achieved material success, the age of Ketu (47 to 54) will bring much bitterness and suffering unless they themselves wish to change the direction of their life.

Examples: Napoleon, Blavatsky.

See in more detail about Rahu in the 3rd house and Ketu in the 9th house

Ketu in the 3rd, Rahu in the 9th

This placement of the nodes is likewise considered favourable, but to a lesser degree, because the 9th house is traditionally linked with Sagittarius and Rahu is not very good in Sagittarius.

Ketu, like the other fiery planets (the Sun and Mars), gives good results in the 3rd house. Rahu in the 9th, too, gives many opportunities for good fortune. A native with this position of Rahu usually meets his fortune either in distant lands or through foreigners.

Although this position moves the native to take an interest in the indications of the 9th house, it often has an unconventional colouring. But since the position of Rahu points to the sphere where effort is to be applied in this life, the native strives one way or another towards such themes as long journeys, philosophy, the inner life, the development of ethics, spiritual initiation and self-realisation.

Ketu in the 3rd points to skills of the 3rd house brought from a past life (a gift for writing or for art, an ability to communicate and to conclude agreements). But for this to show itself in the outer world, a good aspect on Ketu or a conjunction with it is needed.

Ketu is more dangerous to the living indications of the 3rd house (such as younger relatives) than Rahu.

Another important point about the placement of Ketu in the first half of the horoscope is an unlucky first half of life. This concerns above all an unhappy childhood that lives up to no expectations. When Ketu is badly placed in the 3rd house, it makes the person like a homeless dog and brings much fruitless travel and wandering into his life.

Whether the person recovers from the deep wounds of such a childhood or becomes a vengeful maniac depends on the general strength of the chart and on the native's leanings. An aspect of or a conjunction with Jupiter or with the dispositor of Ketu allows an orderly release of the energy that Ketu suppressed. Harmonious relations of Ketu with Jupiter and with its own dispositor are the key to a normal course of events.

The karmic task with this placement of the nodes resembles the one with Rahu in the 3rd, with the sole difference that with Rahu in the 9th house the 9th house becomes the main point of application. The native may have to overcome difficulties in finding a teacher, in receiving initiation, in relations with the father and so on.

Examples: Adolf Hitler, Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison

See in more detail about Rahu in the 9th house and Ketu in the 3rd house

Rahu in the 4th, Ketu in the 10th

If a person has no particular ambitions about his social standing and profession, this placement of the nodes is quite bearable. Contentment with one's position is the key to solving the problems this placement of Rahu and Ketu creates.

The presence of Rahu in the 4th house says that themes such as the mother, domestic life, family, property, aesthetics, refined emotions and peace of mind are of primary importance to the person. As with a conjunction of Rahu with the Moon, this position gives a strong attachment to the mother or to a mother figure.

Great help from the mother is also seen. The role of the father is considerably smaller, since he either dies in the native's youth or the native ignores him.

Usually such people do not like work that involves travel. They prefer to have a permanent place of residence, mostly in a village or a small town, where they spend the greater part of their lives. Large cities they do not like.

Rahu in the 4th favours such professions as trade in real estate, agriculture, the driving of vehicles, child psychology, writing for children, interior design, architecture and construction.

Ketu in the 10th makes the person change profession more than once, yet this brings no satisfaction in his work. For such a person it is more important to reach a state of inner peace and contentment than to gain practical fruits in outward activity. Sudden collapse and disappointment are inevitable if the native develops excessive ambitions about the indications of the 10th house. Such people therefore need to learn to find harmony between the emotions (the element of water) and practicality (the element of earth). Any attempt to suppress their inner emotions for the sake of outward success will bring emptiness and sorrow into their lives.

Examples: Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, John Kennedy.

See in more detail about Rahu in the 4th house and Ketu in the 10th house

Ketu in the 4th, Rahu in the 10th

This placement of the nodes puts the person into various extreme situations throughout life. The position of Ketu in the 4th house implies that the first half of life, and childhood especially, is full of unpleasant experiences. This may leave deep scars on the person's psyche. The 4th house has to do with a person's emotional life, which is laid down in childhood. A wrong attitude on the part of parents, friends or teachers may lead to mental disorders which can show themselves in later years.

Those whose Ketu is strong are tempered by these difficulties and develop a very penetrating mind, while those whose Ketu is weak become highly susceptible to outside influences.

A strong position of Ketu in the 4th house gives psychic abilities, but to use them rightly for the good of others the person has to be a strong personality.

This combination of the nodes gives none too smooth relations with the parents, but there is a strong bond with one of the grandparents. The native may receive financial support from relatives, but there is always some misunderstanding. This position of Ketu gives a strong psychic contact with the mother, though relations with her may not always be pleasant because of a tendency to go to extremes. In this position the misunderstanding between the generations shows itself most strongly, and the sooner the native leaves the parental home, therefore, the better it will be for everyone.

This combination best of all favours going out into the world and leaving one's mark on history. Such a person has the ability to head a large organisation or mission. It is a very favourable position for outward success, especially if Rahu is somehow connected with the other vital centres of the horoscope. The closer Rahu stands to the middle of the 10th house, the more it can help the native to carry out his plans. Usually Rahu in the 10th helps the person to come to the fore in the second half of life. In this position Rahu gives the person a strong sense of the aim of life and of his own calling.

Ketu in the 4th, a house of Moksha, gives the person the sense of the presence of higher forces that create and sustain the universe. Immature souls may give themselves over to these feelings too strongly and forget the practical side of life, which is what one has to learn to avoid. Once again, one has to understand where the harmony lies between the elements of water (the emotions) and of earth (practicality). A good analogy helps in grasping this principle: «the earth needs water in order to yield a harvest. Too much water, however, will cause a flood, and too little will cause a drought.»

Besides its own major period, Rahu bears its fruit at the ages of 19, 38 and 42.

This position of Rahu often requires the person to sacrifice his private life for the sake of public life. The native must treat this very carefully and understand that a complete neglect of the affairs of the 4th house may bring him to deep inner dissatisfaction even after fame has been attained.

Rahu in the 10th gives the person qualities of leadership which may be used either for his own exaltation or for the good of those around him. Such a Rahu moves the person to think and to do a great deal for the sake of his standing in society, and endows him with pragmatism, ambition and a striving for recognition.

Ketu in the 4th usually gives the person a deep knowledge of his roots and an attachment to them. One has to learn to use the wisdom of the past (the 4th house) for the good of the people around one (the 10th house).

Examples: Genghis Khan and Mahatma Gandhi.

See in more detail about Rahu in the 10th house and Ketu in the 4th house

Rahu in the 5th, Ketu in the 11th

This placement of the nodes may produce the best or the worst of people, since the 5th and 11th houses bear directly on the mentality of the person (the 5th) and on dealings with others (the 11th). This position of Rahu gives an excess of mental energy which may be applied for good or for ill. Rahu in the 5th also strengthens the other indications of the 5th house: the reasoning mind, creativity, self-awareness, the merits and failings of the past, children, love of oneself and of others, confidence, activity, education (informal), printed works, mantras, the chosen Deity and so on.

This house also governs the media, cinema, photography and the mass entertainment industry. That is why many prominent actors and people connected with film and theatre have this placement of the nodes in their charts. Under a bad influence, Rahu in the 5th may produce megalomania, if the Sun and Mars are also involved in this combination. This need not concern dictators who torment whole nations, but any petty tyrant who may be a mini-despot at home or at work.

This position may produce swindlers, rogues, thieves and robbers if Mercury is damaged or involved in the combination. The energy of Rahu in the 5th house therefore has to be directed towards the common good — that is, towards the sphere of the 11th house.

People with this position of Rahu usually have a break in their formal education. Such people prefer practical training to a classical education.

If Ketu in the 11th house works through its higher principle, the affairs of the 11th house prosper. If Ketu is damaged, the 11th house is blocked, and the native therefore has few friends and takes part in no humanitarian or public programmes. The result of this is a self-centred life.

The karmic task for people with this position is to balance their own interests with the interests of the group. From a narrow self-awareness the person must move to a collective awareness. This must become a stage on the road of the destruction of selfishness, before the person can rise to the level of universal consciousness.

The 5th house is connected with the element of fire (the sign of Leo), and the 11th house with the element of air (the sign of Aquarius). Fire, as we know, cannot burn without air, and air cannot be warm without fire. The fire produced by the 5th house must be distributed through the air of the 11th house to those who need that warmth. Such is the task for people with this combination.

Ketu in the 11th often produces misunderstanding with elder brothers and is not very favourable for them in most cases. The native also has much anxiety about the birth and the development of children. If the native has children, he is a very anxious parent.

Examples: Thomas Edison, Nostradamus.

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Ketu in the 5th, Rahu in the 11th

This combination, too, moves the person to rush from one extreme to another. The Phoenix rising from the ashes may serve as an illustration of this placement of the nodes.

As often happens with Ketu in the first half of the horoscope, the first half of life brings little joy. As a rule there is a break in the course of formal education, even if under social pressure the native successfully completes some educational institution.

When Ketu is strong, it gives the person a very penetrating mind. Such people receive knowledge from within, through some mystical process, rather than from without.

If the lord of the Lagna joins Ketu in the 5th house, the native prefers platonic love to all other kinds. As a rule the native meets with disappointment in love in his youth, which moves him to take a negative attitude to love as such.

This position of Ketu is not very favourable for the birth and raising of offspring, except where the 5th house is very strong and receives favourable aspects, especially from Jupiter. In female charts Ketu in the 5th points to a difficult labour.

The position of Rahu in the 11th house is considered favourable, since it allows all the native's desires to be fulfilled in this life — though as a rule this happens after the age of 40.

Rahu in the 11th makes the native ambitious, and if something does not work out he is greatly upset. On the whole, however, Rahu in this position strengthens such indications of the 11th house as purposefulness, expectations, elder relatives or friends, sources of income, philanthropy, idealism, the ability to share, and relations within a group.

Elder brothers and sisters (if there are any) as a rule become a source of income for the native (or the other way round, he helps them to gain profit), if other indications of the horoscope confirm it. Rahu in the 11th is a source of large incomes, but other indications of the chart must confirm this.

The karmic task with this placement of the nodes is to balance selfishness and the interests of the group, personal ambitions and public aims; to learn to achieve results and to share them. Friendship is the key link in the lives of such people, and it should help to overcome excessive selfishness. If that selfishness is not transformed, it may strike the native himself, since those who help him to reach his aims may become disappointed in him and part with him because of his selfishness. It has been observed that if such a person receives large profits by dishonest means, they are quickly spent in less than the best way.

Examples: Osho Rajneesh, Queen Victoria.

See in more detail about Rahu in the 11th house and Ketu in the 5th house

Rahu in the 6th, Ketu in the 12th

This position is considered favourable, since malefic planets give benefic results in the Upachaya houses (the 3rd, 6th, 10th, 11th). The position of Ketu in the 12th is also good, since Ketu, the karaka of Moksha, accords with the indications of the 12th house and of the sign of Pisces. On the other hand, this combination may bring great difficulties in life.

Rahu in the 6th house brings to the forefront of life such themes as work, service, health, the struggle with enemies, purifying practices, diets, the ability to analyse, discipline, austerity, accidents, illnesses, the struggle with opposition, court proceedings, power, medicine, healing practices and help to others.

Clearly most people would prefer to avoid many of these themes, but those with this position have to get used to these things to a fair degree.

The 6th house is connected with youth (Virgo), and in this sensitive period Rahu gives the person a clear understanding of the aim of life. This helps the native to develop remarkable discipline and orderliness in life from his youth, if other indications of the chart likewise confirm it.

On the other hand, if Rahu is damaged, it may move the native to engage thoughtlessly in activity harmful both to himself and to others, which the person will later regret.

This position of Rahu gives good physicians and healers, and all the other professions directly or indirectly connected with medicine. It also involves the native in various dealings with foreigners, which prove quite profitable. This may include such fields as tourism, import and export, the transport of goods and so on. This position of Rahu also makes the person capable of hard labour and endows him with fearlessness.

The presence of Ketu in the 12th house endows the native with visions or dreams of every kind, in which he receives some psychic experience. It also inclines the native to spiritual practice, if other indications confirm it and if Ketu is strong and acts through its higher vibrations. More often such people simply become aware of some divine forces but interpret that experience in their own way.

This position of Ketu also usually brings the person some unpleasant experience in the form of imprisonment, isolation or accidents. But this is to the native's benefit, since through it he is freed of bad karma. All forms of isolation may be of use to the person, since they help him to realise the talents lying dormant in him, earned by the experience of past lives. After that Rahu in the 6th moves the person to work intensively in order to bring all this into life.

What is particular about this position is that the native cannot avoid enemies, however hard he tries. Enemies and enviers follow on his heels. One of the karmic tasks is to learn to deal with enemies, and the key to solving it is the development of the ability to forgive.

That is precisely why this placement of the nodes gives so many politicians in our time. They often have to deal with the behind-the-scenes manoeuvres of their opponents. Although in most cases the person manages to overcome his enemies, failures and even death at the hand of an opponent also happen with this placement of the nodes.

Usually such people have a strong build, but if the nodes are damaged in some way, this may give some serious illnesses or strange disorders that are hard to diagnose. If there are other confirming factors, this position may lead to a sudden death without any particularly obvious illness.

Recognition and outward success come to such people as a rule after a long struggle. Usually such people are very strongly set on building a career. Their natural stubbornness sometimes moves them to abuse their strength and power — and as a rule this leads to Ketu in the 12th bringing them to ruin.

This placement of the nodes sets the person the task of balancing the excessive practicality of the 6th house, bound up with the element of earth, and the emotionality of the element of water in the 12th house. The native needs to guard against excessive rigidity, which springs from over-discipline and a manic leaning towards order. He also needs to avoid the other extreme: squandering his life in indulging his emotions and neglecting all discipline.

In the financial sphere the person needs to beware of the extremes of excessive stinginess and of an excessive tendency to spend money without control. At times the native may become excessively ascetic, and at times he may turn into an unrestrained spendthrift. One must try, with the help of wisdom, to find the middle path between these extremes.

Examples: Bruce Lee, Indira Gandhi.

See in more detail about Rahu in the 6th house and Ketu in the 12th house

Ketu in the 6th, Rahu in the 12th

This placement of the nodes, more than any other, can throw a person from one extreme to the other. It makes the line between genius and madness, between self-awareness and paranoia, almost imperceptible. Balancing these extremes is rather difficult, and such people often bear the stamp of an inescapable predestination.

Rahu in the 12th house underlines the importance for the person of the indications of the 12th house, such as receptivity, imaginings, seclusion, destiny, past lives, karma, escape from reality, excessive indulgence of the senses, a striving for luxury, losses, expenses, charity, links with foreign countries, limitations, imprisonment, a link with the subtle planes of being, fantasy, paranoia, the subconscious, dreams, visions, sorrow, renunciation, liberation.

If one takes all the indications of the 12th house named above and imagines that they will become the basis of the field of activity for such a person, it becomes clear why even elevated souls cope with this combination of the nodes only with difficulty.

Usually such people take easily to intoxicants of every kind, and smoking is a true scourge for them. They often have the wish to dissolve their ego in the sea of illusions brought on by excessive indulgence of the senses. A strong Ascendant can lessen the bad results of this placement of the nodes. Half the problems can be solved if such a person is able to abstain from alcohol and drugs. He must also not follow the instructions of religious organisations blindly.

The positive side of this combination is the native's frequent interest in supernatural forces, which allows him to look beyond the bounds of our everyday reality.

People with this position often become doctors, healers, nurses, mediums, preachers, counsellors, lawyers, social workers, politicians, investigators and legislators. Rahu in the 12th also brings in some foreign influence, connected with the indications of the dispositor of Rahu or of the planets linked with Rahu. This placement of the nodes also gives the strangest illnesses and disorders.

Ketu in the 6th gives worldly riches and power. The likelihood of this grows if Jupiter is connected with Ketu by aspect or conjunction.

Ketu in the 6th moves the person to expect too much of his subordinates. He also finds it hard to follow the orders of others and feels poorly in an ordinary nine-to-six job. Independent enterprise suits his mentality better.

The native is advised not to immerse himself particularly in the themes of the 6th house — illnesses, servants, enemies and so on — since he has such a leaning. Such people have no lack of enemies, created by themselves or sent by fate, and they often lack diplomacy in dealings with their opponents.

Ketu in the 6th gives the person clear notions about work ethics, cleanliness and morality, and this moves the native to pass his judgements and to impose his ideas on others.

The strength of will proper to such a person allows him to reach his aims sooner or later. But he needs to restrain his urges to extend his influence over everything around him.

The karmic task for this position is to learn to direct the fruits of the 6th house (intensive work, the service of subordinates, the overcoming of difficulties) into the channel of the 12th house — that is, to connect all of it with the higher aim of life and to try to make it all serve the final liberation.

See in more detail about Rahu in the 12th house and Ketu in the 6th house

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RAHU AND KETU IN THE HOUSES AND SIGNS OF THE ZODIAC

Rahu in the houses of the horoscope

RAHU IN THE 1st HOUSE: renown, eccentricity, inconstancy, several marriages, a critical turn of mind, strong feelings, many desires, sexuality.

RAHU IN THE 2nd HOUSE: poverty, sickliness, indiscriminate eating, debts, unlawful means of earning, a leaning towards intoxicants, talkativeness, proneness to anger, diseases of the mouth or of the face.

RAHU IN THE 3rd HOUSE: courage, resolve, persistence in reaching one's aim, firmness of character, wealth, honour and respect, hostile relations with relatives.

RAHU IN THE 4th HOUSE: trouble with the mother is possible, materialism, dissoluteness, life far from the place of birth, family discord, several marriages.

RAHU IN THE 5th HOUSE: heightened emotionality, an atheistic frame of mind, a critical turn of mind, enviousness, a leaning towards intoxicants, few children or childlessness; abortions or miscarriages are possible.

RAHU IN THE 6th HOUSE: much struggle in life, powerful enemies, victory over enemies, a long life, courage, a strong character, links abroad.

RAHU IN THE 7th HOUSE: trouble in family life, several marriages, an independent character, eccentric behaviour. Marriage to a foreigner or to a person of another faith or culture is possible.

RAHU IN THE 8th HOUSE: a short life, sickliness, trouble in the family, a leaning towards deceit, fault-finding, quarrelsomeness, dubious means of earning, harmful habits, an interest in occultism.

RAHU IN THE 9th HOUSE: dubious morals, atheism, much travel abroad, few children, enterprise, extreme independence, a rebellious character. Conflicts with the authorities are possible.

RAHU IN THE 10th HOUSE: success in the career, great ability, talents, cruelty, trouble with the mother, wealth, fame.

RAHU IN THE 11th HOUSE: wealth, prosperity, renown, success, the fulfilment of desires, few children, a long life, high patrons, good fortune through foreigners.

RAHU IN THE 12th HOUSE: wastefulness, much spending, unrighteous deeds, good fortune abroad, much travel, an interest in occultism.

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Ketu in the houses of the horoscope

KETU IN THE 1st HOUSE: an interest in spiritual development and in esoteric knowledge, persistence, trouble in family life.

KETU IN THE 2nd HOUSE: weak eyesight, stammering or another speech defect, earning a living by unusual means, spells of dependence on others, trouble in family life, bad eating habits, poverty.

KETU IN THE 3rd HOUSE: resolve, courage, bravery, a large store of vital force, the ability to overcome obstacles and to defeat enemies, help from relatives, a long life, renown, a good reputation. The loss of brothers and sisters is possible.

KETU IN THE 4th HOUSE: separation from the mother, life in another's house or far from the place of birth, misfortunes, the loss of landed property, few friends and close people.

KETU IN THE 5th HOUSE: few children, the loss of money through bad investments, much anxiety, strong emotions.

KETU IN THE 6th HOUSE: resolve, authority, fame, good health, victory over enemies and the overcoming of obstacles, persistence in reaching one's aim.

KETU IN THE 7th HOUSE: several marriages, renown, much travel, a love of solitude, dubious morals, humiliations from the opposite sex.

KETU IN THE 8th HOUSE: obstacles in one's undertakings, chronic illnesses, an average length of life, the loss of an inheritance is possible, spells of poverty, a leaning towards unlawful and scandalous actions, a hot temper, dangerous enemies.

KETU IN THE 9th HOUSE: resolve, a hot temper, disputes with the authorities, much travel, business with foreigners, trouble with children, unrighteousness, separation from the father, failures in life.

KETU IN THE 10th HOUSE: hard work, ability, ambition, renown, a hard character, failures, a spoiled reputation, visits to holy places, meetings with unusual people.

KETU IN THE 11th HOUSE: wealth, success in one's undertakings, dreams come true, influence and high patrons, kindness, a leaning towards charity, trouble with children.

KETU IN THE 12th HOUSE: an interest in the spiritual side of life, victory over enemies, travel, much spending, a leaning towards charity. Insomnia and diseases of the eyes are possible.

Rahu and Ketu are known as aprakasha, the shadow planets. The classical texts therefore give no description of the placement of these planets in the signs of the zodiac. Since their nature is a shadow one, Rahu and Ketu often take on the properties of the lords of the sign in which they stand. One must therefore look at how the lord of the sign occupied by Rahu and Ketu is placed. If it is strong, the possibilities of the shadow planets will be great as well, and the other way round.

Jyotish says that Rahu acts like Saturn and Ketu like Mars.

Parashara Muni, one of the founders of Jyotish, says that Rahu is exalted in Taurus and Ketu in Scorpio. The exaltation of the shadow planets may result in wealth and renown, and mystical abilities may show themselves. Rahu in Virgo and Ketu in Pisces are held to be strong positions. Rahu becomes stronger still when it stands in its own sign, Aquarius, and Ketu in Leo. The other signs are not considered favourable for these planets. In the general case we must read the influence of these planets from the strength of the lord of the sign in which they stand.

Indubala