Vedic Astrological Monthly Newsletter: October 2024

Mars Takes a Complex Transit Path For the Next Several Months into 2025:

     In September's newsletter, I discussed and accurately predicted the implications of Mars transiting through Gemini, including the heightened potential for hurricane formation while Mars transited through Ardra nakshatra between 9/6 - 9/29. Hurricane Helene did in fact hit the U.S. southern states from the Gulf and the flooding was particularly massive and caused extensive destruction, much more than expected. Remember, Ardra's deity is Rudra, the Hindu god of storms and Ardra is symbolized by a "teardrop." This is a nakshatra that is often associated with calamities, crying, water, emotions,  distress, storms (both inner and outer), unconventionality, and also with healing and hopefully, "awareness" and cleansing that comes after the pain and storms have passed.

     Terrorist activity, destructive protests, hostilities and disrespect for the rule of law were also mentioned. We can now add widespread fires, war breaking out, chemical/gas plant fires, and a major worker strike (protests) along the entire U.S. eastern seaboard, that potentially could create havoc, shortages and reignite inflation in the U.S. and around the world. These various problems are far from over and some of these issues will extend well into 2025.  

The Timing of this Long, Convoluted Mars Transit:

     Normally, when Mars does not retrograde, Mars will spend roughly 6 weeks transiting a given zodiac sign. However, this month Mars begins a convoluted, long retrograde pattern back to 22 degrees of Gemini, from its debilitated position of Cancer. Then, Mars will move (forward) through Gemini for a third time and then back into Cancer for a second time. This is an unusual movement for Mars. Mars is not a patient planet, and its energy gets frustrated intensely when it slows down or is restricted. This is a harsh transit pattern and it will last until Mars leaves Cancer on 6-06-2025 (that's not a typo). Mars will be in this challenging transit pattern for the next 8 months! 

      This is highly unusual, and worth studying. I really don't like it, as I see few positives reflected in this Mars transit for the world at large, especially in the U.S. (as I explain below).  Sorry to rock the boat, to those few people who chastise me for reporting on upsetting transit patterns.  I am not angry or upset about your disagreements. This happens all of the time among Astrologers.   I will always communicate what I see and interpret from my vantage point and sense of astrological understanding.  If it bothers you, you can delete or unsubscribe from these newsletters anytime.  I will never be offended.  No one is forcing you to read them or agree. You can take the time each month to write your own, intelligent newsletter for the world to see and critique, as I have done religiously every month over the past 20 years. I am old and these newsletters won't be coming to your inbox for many more years to come. So you won't have to suffer reading upsetting transit news from me much longer. Every so often, my Scorpionic stinger emerges.   Blame it on the Mars transit. But, I digress----

      We all have to learn to live with struggles and emotional reactions in our own personal and interpersonal lives, or we will remain stagnated and not evolve or develop and advance to a higher level.  Learning to handle harsh, painful and delicate information is an important life lesson for the young and old, myself included.  That is the true measure of a spiritually advanced person-- learning to live alongside disappointments, not getting your way, pain and suffering and not falling apart, resisting it, or wishing it were different.   We can't continue to cling to the desires for only happiness, gains, successes and pleasure, or longevity, as these are uncontrollable, fleeting experiences. This is not easy, by any measure. If you still react and cling, then you have a long way to go, no matter how many decades you've meditated, chanted mantras and lived at the ashram-- so says Ram Dass.  You will never escape from yourself, lifetime after lifetime. That's the spiritual measuring stick. Period.  Perhaps, that is one of the deeper messages coming from this very slow moving Mars transit, stirring the boiling pot particularly for those with Aries, Scorpio, Gemini, and soon Cancer Lagnas and planets. 

Back to The Mars Pathway Story:

      Mars continues to transit through Gemini this month until 10/20 when Mars then moves into its weakest, debilitated position of Cancer. Mars left Ardra nakshatra on 9/29 and entered its current position in Gemini now in Punarvasu nakshatra, which gives Mars a different flavor for expression. Mars turns retrograde in Cancer on 12/6 at 11:57 degrees (Pushya). Then, on 1-20-2025, Mars continues to retrograde back into the sign of Gemini (where Mars is transiting now). Mars continues its retrograde Gemini transit until 2-23-2025, when it then turns direct. Mars stays in Gemini until 4-2-2025, when it then returns to the debilitated sign of Cancer. 

     Both Gemini and Cancer transit positions for Mars are not optimal, since both constellations are uncomfortable for Mars. With Mars spending so much time in these two challenging signs, and retrograding over again and retracing the entire path twice, we can anticipate similar problems recurring during the next 8 month time frame. It is also possible that after the second Mars transit pass, some solutions or resolutions are revealed and then repair, recovery and healing can take place, after all the storms (literally and figuratively) have manifested under its transit period. 

The U.S.A. Rahu Mahadasha situation in relation to this Mars Transit: 

For those who want to study the USA chart, I employ the brilliant, well-researched James Kelleher's birth data he provided:     

7-04-1776, Philadelphia, PA, 6:30 P.M. E.S.T.

     Readers may recall that I have previously discussed the current Rahu mahadasha that the U.S.A. has been experiencing since 10-01-2015 (9 years now) and there are 9 more years to go, totaling 18 years! Currently the U.S. is in the Rahu/Mercury/Sun period since 8-18-24 and will enter Rahu/Mercury/Moon on 10-5-2024 through 12-21-2024. Then the U.S. will go into Rahu/Mercury/Mars until 2-14-2025. After that, the U.S. moves to Rahu/Mercury/Rahuthrough 7-3-2025. For most of these antaradashas, the transit of Mars will concurrently deeply influence bothMercury and Rahu in the U.S. 8th house, as well as the Sun and Moon, by aspect. 

     Mercury is retrograde, at 3:26 degrees Cancer and Rahu is conjunct at 15:51 degrees Cancer in that 8th house. As noted in previous writings. Rahu in the 8th house position brings extreme ups and downs, exposes deep chronic problems in the country during its period, brings enormous upheavals, transformation of the country in every way. The 8th house has its higher and lower levels of expression. 

When functioning on the lower end of the spectrum, Rahu reflects an ignorant mob mentality, lack of balanced thinking, as  well as extremism, prejudice, lacking a broad and deeper knowledgable, educated understanding of complex issues. 

      This is being demonstrated at U.S. Universities across the entire country, through expanding, threatening, destructive, intimidating protests that promote and defend Islamic terrorism and terrorists aimed directly at harming and destroying the U.S. and its ally Israel.  This is not a political perspective, rather these events reflect the astrology in force. These protests have taken place and continue with no end in sight, at least in the near term, clearly reflecting the Rahu/Mercury cycle in the U.S. These protests are based on a mob mentality of historical ignorance, stupidity and restlessness.   Random shootings and assassination attempts also come under this transit. The Mars transit fuels the fire in October 2024 and beyond, not a pretty site.

      With both Rahu and Mercury (the planet of logic, analysis and communications)   afflicted in the dusthana 8th house of the U.S. chart, and both about to be harmed by the transit of Mars, then what can be expected? Both Rahu and Mercury strongly influence each other in this case. The 8th house can reflect much destruction and damage, so much so that the situation or entity is completely demolished and unrecognizable.  That is what 8th house transformation infers.   However, it can also reflect enormous power, will, courage, deep and penetrating insight, complete transformation, rising from the ashes, experiencing death and rebirth. 

      So, there is the opportunity and potential to rise out of the devastation, and create an entirely new entity, having dissolved the previous form of existence. First, we have to stumble and fall and work through the myriad of entanglements and problems. Then remove the destruction and try again. This is what the U.S.A. is experiencing in Rahu mahadasha for 9 more years, and for the past 9 years in a nutshell. 

      This particular Rahu/Mercury period has both the major dasha lord and sub-lord planets together in the 8th house now and through 4-1-2026. Of all the 9 sub-periods, this is the most controversial and challenging phase due to the combined 8th house placement of Rahu and Mercury. Therefore, we can anticipate more extremes, sudden shifts, endings, protests, storms, destruction, aggression, and chronic problems that are not going away rapidly in the U.S. 

     With the Mars transit moving through the U.S. 7th house recently in September and forming conjunctions with the U.S. Mars, Venus, Jupiter and then the Sun (during October), respectively, we can see through recent events, how that has already played itself out. Just look back over the events over the past month for a taste of it.  

     Transiting Mars in debilitated Cancer, moving over the U.S. Mercury and Rahu in the 8th house is bound to confer rough results. We will have to try our best collectively, to employ intelligence, logic and personal discipline during such a time. We have already witnessed the horrific results of anarchist, extremist impulsive behaviors and ignorance permeating the country at large, from every direction.  There are times when a situation is so dire, that it boils up and explodes. It has to finally come to an end, as there is no other exit. Once that happens, then the transformation takes place and a new start can begin again, as a completely new entity, from a very different level of awareness and experience. That might be what is to come over the next few years. 

     This Mars transit, moving through both signs of Gemini and Cancer, is quite stimulative for events to take place, even if the events are problematic. It does shine a light on a situation, as well as irritate different people and situations, to evoke a response. This type of Mars transit acts first and thinks later, which is not always the best approach, unless you are running away from a wildfire, gunfire, a missile attack or a terrorist attack, where speed is paramount for survival. 

      Mars transiting through Cancer is debilitated because a water sign is emotionally-based and Mars is a more rational, pragmatic, objective planet by nature, driven for results and not by feelings.  For that reason, Mars is exalted in Capricorn, the opposite sign of Cancer. 

     Keep in mind two more points in regard to the U.S. chart. The first is that the current bhukti period ruler, Mercury, rules the 7th and 10th houses of that chart and it is in the 8th house with Rahu.  We experienced President Biden's humiliating experience of dropping out of the election for the presidency. The 10th house in a country's chart represents the CEO, the head of the country, the government as a whole and the presidency. Planets in the 8th house brings loss, endings and complications when the planet there is afflicted. Even if a planet is not afflicted, there are always some deeper, complex problems involved with planets in the dusthana 8th house.

      For example, during Rahu/Mercury, this major controversy came to light about Biden's hidden (8th house) health status and his cognitive function. Afflicted Mercury in the 8th house reflects the weakness of the government and the President during Rahu/Mercury. This is a weak time for the heads of U.S. government under Rahu/Mercury due to their 8th house positions and rulerships. 

     Finally, the second point: it is noteworthy that transiting Saturn is moving through Aquarius and continues to do so until 3-29-2025. The U.S. has the Moon in the 3rd house of Aquarius at 7 degrees. The 3rd house is  8th from the 8th and has 8th house ramifications. The Moon rules the sign of Cancer, the 8th house in this chart, where Rahu and Mercury reside, and the Moon is the dispositing planet for Rahu and Mercury.  You could make the case that the Moon is acting as if it too, is in the 8th house of the U.S. chart. The U.S. is also experiencing its own version of sade sati, especially as Saturn transits in the house of the Moon itself, this year into 2025. Combining the influence of both Mars and Saturn transits  in these areas is creating challenges, sense of worry, fear, restlessness, insecurity, and a desire to act or do something/anything to change the current situation. The restrictiveness of Saturn and the irritability of Mars to act and get out of it, is another theme that is permeating the atmosphere during such transits.