Kaarl Sarp

While searching for information for a future post I came across mention of Kaal Sarpa Yoga. It comes from vedic astrology. Basically, it occurs in a natal chart when all the traditional planets (which excludes Uranus, Neptune and Pluto) lie between the north and south Nodes of the Moon, then Kaal Sarp or Kala Sarpa (the name varies from source to source) comes into play.
Wikipedia has a fairly clear explanation.

I'm not sure whether to take its interpretations/ predictions with a pinch or two of salt, as I do with most ancient interpretations relating to the Fixed Stars, or whether to consider Kaal Sarp more seriously.

In my own natal chart all traditional planets lie between Moon's north and south nodes, aka Rahu and Ketu. Only Pluto and Neptune lie outside that span. I have noted, and there's a post about it somewhere, that some of the important events of my life have coincided with times when the Moon's nodes are in natal position or directly opposite that, or, sometimes in line with the vertex or opposite.

As Wiki also tells us, there are "different types of Kala sarpa yogas. Since Rahu and Ketu are placed at 180° to one another, they can form twelve different types of Kala sarpa yogas." The different types depend upon house position. I'm not sure how nearly house positions translate from vedic to western astrology. If they are more or less the same, Moon's node positions in my chart are: north node in 5th in Scorpio, south node in 11th in Taurus. That combination = something called Padma Kalasarpa Yoga.

Oh my! Most of the interpretation doesn't fit, the only direct hits are "no progeny" and "death in a foreign land" (but not yet!!) Suffering will be up to 48 years... okay, I'm in the clear now then, and though I've had a few ups and downs I haven't suffered unduly. I did have to undergo a major operation (hysterectomy) at age 46, which sort of ties in with north node in 5th house (Scorpio). South node is conjunct Uranus, maybe that has significance too.

However, perhaps it's unwise to mix eastern with western astrology. Taking one stray concept and attaching it to an entirely different "system" is likely not to be recommended. Any thoughts on that, or on Kaal Sarp generally ?

The B in the Beat of Life

In the April/May 2007 issue of Mountain Astrologer there was a re-print of a very good article by astrologer Bill Herbst: "On Coincidence". He related a real life event to planetary positions and transits in his natal chart. He warned:

"Don't presume that a certain combination of symbols means what you read in a textbook or hear from some hot-shot astrologer at a conference. Instead, file away the insight as a "possible" meaning and let your own real-life experience gradually confirm or deny that particular interpretive slant".

That was as good advice as I'd ever read !

Whether or not we realise it, our lives unfold to a particular "rhythm", depending on how the planets and points were aligned when we were born. One's "signature" rhythm can be clearly identified only with hindsight. What an astrology textbook states may or may not be true for each individual, only personal experience confirms or denies accepted astrological lore.

Get Rhythm

In my own case, at the times of most pivotal events in my life I had no means of investigating their astrological connection - quite unaware, then, which transits were occurring.

 North/South

I've found now, looking back on my life history with a little more astrological knowledge,  that there has been a distinct rhythm. At the times when important turning points took place, the Lunar nodes were involved. Either my Taurus/Scorpio nodal axis had returned to its position at my birth, or to its inverse position, and/or a planet had conjoined one of the nodes. Perhaps this rhythm is more significant for me due to my Cancer ascendant, ruled by the Moon, and further intensified because Uranus (natal Sun's ruler) is conjunct natal South node. Another intertwined rhythm for me is connected to the vertex, which, if my birth time is correct, is conjunct natal Mars, also in Scorpio.

The Beat Goes On (Sonny & Cher 1967)

Scorpio/Taurus is definitely the 'b' of the beat in the rhythm of my life. Both my marriages, important career changes, and all the significant love-related first meetings have these connections. Another important event - my only stay in hospital so far , also followed this rhythm.(I'm using only real celestial events, no progressions or directions.) In August 1985 I was admitted to hospital for, first, investigative procedures, then, in early September for a major operation (hysterectomy). The nodal axis was in the inverse natal position, exact when I entered hospital in August. On the day of surgery, in September, Jupiter was one degree away from my natal Sun (6.46 Aquarius). A couple of days after the operation the surgeon described me as his "star patient", because my recovery had been so much faster than that of other women who had the same operation on the same day! I was obviously under a benign sky! Transiting Saturn conjoined natal Mars, in Scorpio, a short time later , just as I returned to work, in November, good as new, after several very pleasant weeks off on full pay. Had I been in a position to look at my own chart in those days I'd have expected November to be the problematic time....you never can tell!

Several astro rhythms or cycles are simultaneously occurring for us all, some too subtle to notice. One's individual signature rhythm will be constant though, but the beat can change. Beat = emphasis. When a planet importantly placed at a person's time of birth reaches a significant point, alignment or conjunction, the beat to which that person has grown accustomed might be emphasised or could change temporarily, or permanently.

Sammy Davis Jnr & Rythm of Life from Sweet Charity

Nodal rhythm exists for all of us to some extent, though other rhythms could override it, depending on natal chart configuration. Another commonly noted planetary rhythm, perhaps the most common of all, is Saturn's cycle, culminating as Saturn returns to its natal position every 27/28 years.


Cue Waylon...."Gimme a beat boys and free my soul....."

"The Rhythm Of Life is a Powerful Beat,"

Whether or not we realise it, our lives unfold to a particular "rhythm", depending on how the planets and points were aligned when we were born. One's "signature" rhythm can be clearly identified only with hindsight. What an astrology textbook states may or may not be true for each individual, only experience confirms or denies accepted astrological lore. We each have opportunity to discover our own unique "rhythm" - and to notice any "beat" changes, if astrologically inclined.

Several astro rhythms or cycles are going on simultaneously for us all, some too subtle to notice. One's individual signature rhythm will be constant though - but the beat can change. Beat = emphasis. When a planet importantly placed at a person's time of birth reaches a significant point, alignment or conjunction, the beat to which that person has grown accustomed might be emphasised or change temporarily - or permanently.

At the times of most pivotal events in my own life I had no means of investigating their astrological connection. Back then I was quite unaware which transits were occurring, although I did have a rough idea of some planetary positions in my natal chart. In a way this ignorance was a good thing, it meant that I had no part in chosing dates, manipulating events, so as to coincide with astrological positions.

I've found, looking back on my life history, that there has been a distinct rhythm. Important turning points have taken place in time with the cycle of the lunar nodes. The Moon's nodes, points where the orbit of the Moon crosses the ecliptic, take around 19 years to complete a full cycle. Significant events have coincided with the Taurus/Scorpio nodal axis returning to its position at my birth, or to its inverse position, and/or with a transiting planet conjoining one of the nodes. Perhaps, in my case, this rhythm is intensified because of my Cancer ascendant, ruled by the Moon; or because Uranus (natal Sun's ruler) is conjunct natal South lunar node. Both my marriages, important career changes, a major operation, and significant love-related first meetings have these connections.

Nodal rhythm exists for all of us to some extent, but other rhythms could override it, depending on natal chart configuration. Another commonly noted planetary rhythm - perhaps the most common of all - is Saturn's cycle, culminating as Saturn returns to its natal position every 27/28 years. The lunar cycles, mentioned in yesterday's post, present another commonly noted "beat" in the rhythm of our lives.

When Jupiter pulled into a North Node station...

On Jonathan Cainer's page yesterday, Saturday 31 March, in his "Thought for the Day" section, before the forecasts, he said this:
"This month though, Saturn and Jupiter are both standing still. It is as if they have been frozen in space, exactly at the moment when they have started to form their angle. If anyone, anywhere, needs to build a bridge, deepen a bond, proffer an olive branch, pour oil on troubled waters, heal a wound and create a climate of stronger mutual respect they stand a good chance of developing it in April".
Dharmarucci also talked about the Jupiter (and other) stations at Astrotabletalk on 30 March.

I saw a little bit of related, real life, astrology yesterday!

The telephone rang, HeWhoKnows answered from what he laughingly called his "office", a cross between junk shop and techno-store. I could hear part of the conversation from where I sat at my computer in another room but couldn't work out whether he was speaking to a daughter, a son, a brother or a cousin. I gradually eliminated each by the content of the conversation as it progressed, amid much laughter, and was left puzzled. The call lasted over an hour. As it finished, HeWhoKnows bounced in to me with a look of glee mixed with triumph across his face.

A lifelong friend with whom contact had somehow been lost, for more than seven years, despite many attempts to trace him had at last re-surfaced in that phone call. The friend, nicknamed "Zee", retired early, sold everything he possessed and went on the road with his wife and a "5th wheel" mobile home. I've heard so many hilarious tales about this friend of my husband that I feel I almost know him. We feared that ill health had befallen him, as indeed it has, but he is surviving quite well by all accounts, and still "on the road" somewhere in Louisianna. More at husband's blog HERE

The astrology I saw working yesterday was this. In my husband's natal chart North node of the Moon is at 19.15* Sagittarius (5th house). Yesterday Jupiter lay at 19.44* Sagittarius. (Coincidentally Venus in my own chart is at 19.59* Sagittarius.)
Astrologers' opinions on the significance of the Moon's Nodes vary. I've never been able to stomach the karmic path or life/soul purpose theories, though that's not to say they are of no value. I've found the Nodes to be sensitive points in the chart, no more, no less.

A bridge has appeared now for HeWhoKnows and his friend "Zee", after too many years.
Who said astrology doesn't work? It may not work exactly according to text books, astrologers' predictions, or expectations, but it works.

The Rhythm of (Real) Life

In the April/May issue of Mountain Astrologer there's a re-print of a very good article by Bill Herbst "On Coincidence". He relates a real life event to planetary positions and transits in his natal chart. He warns "Don't presume that a certain combination of symbols means what you read in a textbook or hear from some hot-shot astrologer at a conference. Instead, file away the insight as a "possible" meaning and let your own real-life experience gradually confirm or deny that particular interpretive slant".

That is as good advice as I've ever read !

At the times of most pivotal events in my life I had no means of investigating their astrological connection - I was quite unaware which transits were occurring, although I did have a rough idea of some planetary positions in my natal chart. In a way this was a good thing, because it proves that I had no part in chosing dates or manipulating events to coincide with the planets' movements.

I've found, looking back on my life history, that there has been a distinct rhythm. At the times important turning points took place, the Moon's nodes were involved. Either the Taurus/Scorpio nodal axis had returned to its position at my birth, or to its inverse position, and/or a planet had conjoined one of the nodes. Perhaps this rhythm is governed by my Cancer ascendant, ruled by the Moon, intensified because Uranus (natal Sun's ruler) is conjunct natal South node. Another, intertwined, rhythm is connected with the vertex, which, if my birth time is correct, is conjunct natal Mars, also in Scorpio.

Scorpio/Taurus is definitely the 'b' of the beat in the rhythm of my life. Both my marriages, important career changes, and all the significant love-related first meetings have these connections.

Another important event - my only stay in hospital so far , also followed this rhythm.(I'm using only real celestial events, no progressions or directions.) In August 1985 I was admitted to hospital for, first, investigative procedures, then, in early September for a major operation (hysterectomy). The nodal axis was in the inverse natal position, exact when I entered hospital in August. On the day of surgery, in September, Jupiter was one degree away from my natal Sun (6.46 Aquarius). A couple of days after the operation the surgeon described me as his "star patient", because my recovery had been so much faster than that of other women who had the same operation on the same day! I was obviously under a benign sky! Transiting Saturn conjoined natal Mars, in Scorpio, a short time later , just as I returned to work, in November, good as new, after several very pleasant weeks off on full pay. Had I been in a position to look at my own chart in those days I'd have expected November to be the problematic time....you never can tell!