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Vedic Astrological Monthly Newsletter: April 2025
The Bigger Picture for the U.S.A. in 2025:
It's important to keep in mind that the United States is experiencing the Rahu/Mercury planetary cycle (Dasha/Bhukti) sequence all through 2025 until April 1, 2026. This planetary cycle influence takes priority over all other planetary transits in force. No doubt that the transits stimulate and promote certain events, but the planetary cycle has the greatest weight. In Vedic Astrology, we may evaluate the chart of a country, state or city, just as an individual's chart is assessed. Since the U.S. is in Rahu/Mercury for this year, and both Rahu and Mercury are in the 8th house of that chart, this year will go down as one of the rockiest years on historic record, with extreme ups and downs, great uncertainty, major changes, transformations and upheavals on many levels, experiencing unconventionality and unexpected, uncontrollable situations. Some endings of what was standard practice in government and in the country at large will take place that will never return again in the future.
This would be the case no matter "who" would be president during this time in history. During this particular Rahu/Mercury cycle that the U.S. is experiencing, Donald Trump fits this presidential role perfectly, due to the nature of his own personality structure. This discussion is not about whether you agree, disagree, love or hate the man and his decisions. The main point, is that he is completely unafraid to stir up the pot, make huge transformational changes, break from the status quo, and not care about how other people react or if they agree or disagree with his perspective. This is the way the 8th house works, and we are currently in a major and minor planetary cycle of two 8th house planets during 2025.
Vedic Astrology maps out and reflects the energetic patterns, the events, situations and historical patterns over time, and this year is no exception. We could not have a president in power who did not follow along these "8th house" lines. It could be either party, but the person would have to be willing and motivated to break free from everything that "was" before, and be willing to completely demolish, destroy and dissolve the past and create a new reality. This is rarely a "clean" experience, or an easy one. A lot of destruction and new problems may result in the process. On the other hand, it creates a new opportunity to "start over," clean out and remove what is necessary or dead wood. Destruction is generally not a pretty picture. It is similar to the after effects of a hurricane sweeping through an entire country.
Another theme of the 8th house is "power and control." The greatest lesson of the 8th house is learning how to work with having great powers, while also learning how to let go and not force situations to go exactly your way, and believe one has to direct and control every person and situation surrounding him. It is not so easy for an 8th house person to learn this, but it is the evolutionary need of that soul to try to do so. If the person does not learn this lesson well, then pain and suffering is often the result. The 8th house is considered a "dusthana" house, and planets in the 8th can reflect serious problems or issues that arise. Planets there are also more subject to losses, pain, suffering and deep seated issues or chronic problems that the person has to live with and can't escape. Letting go of the intense need to control everything allows the person (or the country) to get free of the bondage indicated by the 8th house. Again, this is not so easy to achieve.
Rahu itself is considered a "planet" of revolutionary change, of upheavals, extremes, breaking out of conventionality and it also brings in new ideas, new approaches, governs new, advanced, technologies, as well as material gains. Rahu also breaks rules, does not follow societal boundaries and customs, and reflects anarchy, protests, which can be destructive. So, we are dealing with the intense energy of Rahu mahadasha, on top of a strong focus on the 8th house themes this year. Mercury is there in Cancer in the 8th house with Rahu in the U.S. chart. Mercury rules partnerships (7th house) and the entire government structure in the U.S. (10th house rulership) in the U.S. chart.
Therefore, one can deduce that partnerships with other countries as we have known them, will change dramatically. When the ruler of the 7th goes to the 8th house, divorce is often the result, or loss of the partner through death or other separations. The government structure is undergoing dramatic changes, loss of government positions, and the general way that the administration conducts itself is completely against the status quo of the past. This is all in keeping with the 8th house positions of Rahu and Mercury.
For this particular year 2025, in the U.S.A., we are living in the 8th house temporarily, reflecting a world of uncertainty, shock, surprises, upheavals, changes in everything, laws, procedures, expectations, dealing with who has "power," "control," and a transformation of the society, pushing for a new way and then retreating back for fear of losing control of what was once familiar. We are charting new territory this year, and we don't know exactly where this is all going and how it will end.
The best way to deal with this 8th house Rahu/Mercury period is to be neutral, and not try to force situations or outcomes to be a certain way. We have to accept the uncertainty of not knowing the end result, that surrounds us for the time being. This can be refreshing in many ways. Cleaning out and removing the old and making room for new experiences and situations can be quite positive and uplifting, if we remain less attached and take a less rigid attitude to what "was" and the expectation that life has to stay the same way to be comfortable and secure. This requires a certain suspension of expectations and an openness to change. We all judge and have opinions. At times, change is necessary and this is one of those times in history, for better or worse...
The Transit of Mars into Cancer (U.S. 8th house):
On 4/2, Mars entered the weak, debilitated sign of Cancer and will transit there until 6-6-2025. Transiting Mars will conjunct the U.S. Mercury on 4/11 at 3 degrees Cancer and transiting Mars will conjunct the U.S. Rahu at 15:51 degrees Cancer on 5/9. Whereas Mars is a malefic influence and this Mars transit is taking place in the U.S. 8th house, these are periods where some extreme upheavals involving the U.S. relationship with other countries (such as the tariff conflict taking place) and major upheavals in the government itself, will take place. The 8th house is the most private of all houses and governs secrets. It is also a house of solitude, going it alone.
The U.S. could become completely cut off and isolated from trade with other countries, or separated by losing its alliances with other countries during this year. The 8th house can also indicate scandals that take place, as well as secrets. Some of this may come out in the open during this Mars transit. There are likely to be more disagreements, separations and irritability involving other countries and the U.S. The trade wars involving other countries are likely to persist into 2026. Then the U.S. enters Rahu/Jupiter, which is likely to be a period when the U.S. will mend some of the discord with other countries.
In general, this is a weak time for Mars, but at least Mars is not getting the Saturn aspect, as it will be trine to Saturn during this time frame. The combination of Mars in Cancer and Saturn in Pisces can possibly indicate the extreme combination of strong storm activity, especially while Mars transits through Ashlesha nakshatra (between 5/12 - 6/6). Conversely, there may also be unusual bouts of extreme drought in some locations, and then heavy massive flooding, rain events, in other location, happening simultaneously.
When Mars is debilitated, it often reflects a strong desire to fight, compete, debate and to win at all costs. The great women's tennis player, Serena Williams, has this combination in her chart. Even though Mars is considered weak in Cancer, an individual may rise to the occasion (often unconsciously), to strengthen and improve their Mars and bring it up to extraordinary levels.
Over two decades ago, I published a journal paper on the topic of Debilitated planets in the ACVA Journal. Refer to: dgoldsteinphd.com/debilitated-planets%3A-2002 In that paper, I discussed the psychological and behavioral reactions that a person may exhibit based on having a debilitated natal planet in his or her chart. The premise is that some individuals sense that something is weak within themselves and they devote the current lifetime to resolving and improving that domain and many of its significations. For example, Mars rules sports, competition, aggression, assertiveness, motivation, power, speed, mechanics, engineering, construction and independence. The caveat with this concept is that the overall chart has to exhibit other areas of strength to compensate for the weaker debilitated planet. It turns out that this hypothesis appears to be accurate, as it plays itself out in many individual lives', as I have observed over the past 30 years correlating charts with debilitated planets and clients' life experiences.
Hence, during the next two months, we are likely to witness heightened competitiveness in sports and other domains, more aggression, extreme forcefulness, desire for rapid results, fearlessness and less desire to cooperate with others. The desire to win at all costs will be high in the atmosphere.
Finally, in last month's newsletter, I had mentioned the important transit of Saturn which moved into the sign of Pisces on 3/29. This transit will be discussed in deeper detail the next newsletter.
