starworlds: Election Day

Thursday, October 30, 2008

Election Day

Election Day in the US is the day set by law for the election of public officials. Currently it occurs on the first Tuesday following the first Monday of November--so the earliest possible date is November 2 and the latest November 8.

Since 1792, the U.S. Congress permitted the states to conduct their presidential elections any time in a 34-day period before the first Wednesday of December, which was the day set for the meeting of the the Electoral College. For the early colonials, an election date in November ensured that the harvest would have been completed and the winter storms would not interrupt travel. In 1845 Tuesday was selected as the day of voting, so that farmers and people traveling by horse and buggy could get to the county seat, have a day to vote, and a day to return home without interfering with the Sabbath. As Wednesday was market Day, Tuesday was the final choice. Tuesday is ruled by Mars, and Mars rules the 10th house -- the house of the public -- in the Scorpionic America chart.

Initially I thought it inauspicious that we would select our leaders on a day in which the planetary karaka, or significator, for the leader of our country, the Sun, is debilitated. The Sun is debilitated in the sign of Libra, for the time period between October 16 and November 15. As I mentioned in my previous post the Sun signifies the self, authority, the government, and royalty. It is uncomfortable in the sign of Libra which confers an accommodating nature that is useful when dealing with groups and relationships, but not for taking its right place of authority. The Libra Sun of election day annually conjoins the exhalted chart ruler, Saturn, of the Scorpionic US chart. This intriguing configuration reveals the underlying source of power in the US -- the people. It is indicative of a democracy in which the majority of the people rule through negotiation and checks and balances (Libra). Our leaders are public servants, not kings, who enact the will of the people.

Today we have many choices around how and when to vote, making it a little tricky for Vedic Astrologers to cast an event, or Prashna chart. But for the Presidential elections, I always like to set the chart data for election day at the time that the polls open in Washington, DC. As this event chart always has the Sun and Ascendant rising in the constellation of Libra, the key to interpreting the chart comes from the Moon which to me represents the the public, the will of the people. On November 4, 2008 the moon will just barely be in the sign of Capricorn and the nakshatra Uttara Ashada. This moon is within 4 degrees of John McCain's natal moon and within 2 degrees of Barack Obama's chart ruler, Saturn, and 7 degrees of dasha Lord Jupiter.

Uttara Ashada is called the "universal star" that reflects its humanitarian influence. Abraham Lincoln had his moon in this nakshatra which is ruled by the Vishvadevas, the ten sons of the god Dharma. The power of this asterism is to grant an unchallengable victory (apradhrisya shakti); so which candidate will this energy bless?

I believe the stars favor Barack Obama, with his chart ruler AND dasha lord in Uttara Ashada. In addition Obama's natal Moon in the 5th house of past life karma is within one degree of the exhalted Moon in Taurus in the US chart. The Moon is a karaka indicator for the public as well as an individual's mind, so Obama's mind and karma is tied to that of the US. And he is running Jupiter-Moon Dasha. Jupiter is the great benefic, and it's dasha brings much success. Currently Jupiter is in its own sign of Sagittarius, but it will shift to Capricorn, its sign of debilitation on December 9, 2008, the day the Electoral College meets for the Determination of Controversy as to Appointment of Electors.

Obama's rising sign, chart ruler Saturn and Jupiter are all in Capricorn. Usually Jupiter is debilitated in Capricorn, but in this case its retrograde motion reverses the debilitation in what's called a Neecha Banga Raja Yoga. Jupiter also gets dik bala or what's called directional strength in the first house AND I believe its placement in the first house also confers a Hamsa Yoga. A Hamsa Yoga is formed when Jupiter is in its own sign or exhalted (in this case through a Neecha Banga Raja Yoga) in a Kendra House (angle 1,4,7,10) and it confers fairness, philosophical nature, and very good luck.

In addition, it is conjunct the chart ruler Saturn in its own sign or mulatrikona in the first house, an angle, giving another Pancha Mahapurusha raja yoga -- "yoga of very important people". A Shashya Yoga is formed when Saturn is in its own sign or exhalted in a Kendra House and it confers power, discipline and authority. These Pancha Mahapurusha Raja Yogas elevate Barack Obama's chart, and since he is currently Jupiter's grand cycle, all of this energy lines up at a very significant moment. It means that the Electoral College will have a clear winner that day: Barack Obama.

No comments:

Aum saraswateye vidmahe, bramputriye dhi-mahi, tanno sarawati prachodayat

Saraswati is the Goddess of leaming, knowledge, and wisdom. The Sanskrit word sara means "essence" and swa means "self." Thus Saraswati means "the essence of the self." Saraswati is represented in Hindu mythology as the divine consort of Lord Brahma, the Creator of the universe. Since knowledge is necessary for creation, Saraswati symbolizes the creative power of Brahma. Goddess Saraswati is worshipped by all persons interested in knowledge, especially students, teachers, scholars, and scientists.

What is the Difference between Vedic and Western Astrology: 23 Degrees, Nakshatras, and Sidereal

Twenty-three is my quick answer to the question: "what is the difference between Vedic Astrology and Western astrology?" I don't mean to be cryptic, but 23 degrees is literally the difference between the Tropical and Sidereal zodiacs. It is called the Ayanamsha -- in Sanskrit ayana meaning solstice and amsha meaning portion -- and it refers to the difference between Tropical and Sidereal zodiacs.

The zodiac is a ring of constellations often referred to as signs, such as Aquarius, Leo, Scorpio and Taurus. It is a cosmic clock around which our solar systems operates and how astrologers measure cycles of time. Most people do not realize that there are two distinct zodiacs. Vedic astrologers use the Sidereal zodiac and Western astrologers use the Tropical zodiac. The Sidereal zodiac is based on observations of planets lining up against the backdrop of the fixed stars. It is oriented to the center of the galaxy. On the other hand, the Tropical zodiac is based on the relationship between the sun and earth. It is oriented to the equinoxes. In Western astrology the spring equinox sets the beginning of the Tropical zodiac at 1 degree Aries, even though the sun is astronomically traveling in the light fields of Pisces. In other words, it does not correspond to observable position. Vedic astrology is called Jyotisha in Sanskrit, meaning the science of light, and Vedic astrology describes how the light emitted from the stars effects us. When Western astrology was in its early stages, the two zodiacs may have lined up; but over time the two moved apart approximately 50 seconds per year to the current 23 degrees of separation (even that number is debated, but the standard of India, the Lahiri ayanamsha is 23 degrees 10 seconds).

Vedic astrology is considered by scholars to pre-date Western astrology and is the only system that has accounted for the precession of the equinoxes. What is the precession of the equinoxes? The answer to that involves another occurrence of the number 23 (those familiar with the enigma of 23, like LOST and RAW fans, may find this amusing). Because Earth's axis is tilted 23° 27' in its orbit around the sun, its equatorial plane is tilted with respect to the ecliptic plane, the plane created by Earth's orbit. These two intersecting planes create an intersecting line called the vernal axis that occurs on the first day of spring, or Vernal equinox. As the Earth spins on its axis, its axis wobbles (precesses 50.3 seconds of arc per year or 1 degree every 71.6 years) very slowly over a period of about 24,000 to 26,000 years. As this occurs, the pole of the Earth inscribes an arc in the heavens called the precessional arc. The Earth's pole aligns with different stars throughout the precessional period. The current pole star is Polaris. Approximately 13,000 year ago it was Vega, one of my favorite stars. Earth's precessional cycle is also referred to as Earth's Great Year in the alchemical tradition, World Ages, or Yugas in the Vedas. David Frawley describes it a one year in the life of humanity.

In Vedic astrology there is a line of thought that suggests this 24,000-26,000 cycle (and even wobble of the earth itself) maybe be generated by a grand cycle of our sun with a companion dark star. Modern astronomy is studying this possibility as well. The ancient Vedic seers divided up the cycle into four world ages: the Satya(Truth or Golden), Treta (Third or Silver), Dwapara (Third or Bronze) and Kali (first or Iron) Ages. Each age describes a stage of awareness for mankind in which consciousness ascends, descends, and ascends in unending cycles perhaps due to the influence of this yet to be discovered companion star. Although New Age philosophers have described humanity as entering the Age of Aquarius, astronomically speaking that will not happen for approximately 300-400 years.

According to Vedic thought, the cycles of ascending and descending consciousness are connected not only to our rotation around a companion star, but also our cycle around the galactic center. According to David Frawley, "Vedic astrology orients the zodiac to the galactic center, or the central galactic sun, whose influence comes to us through fixed stars of the constellation Sagittarius." The galactic center is like our cosmic belly button -- it is sometimes called Vishnunabhi, or the navel of Vishnu-- the point from which our galaxy grew and expanded. Many ancient cultures studied and recorded their observations about this area of the night sky, including the Mayans whose calendar marks an astronomical event of our winter solstice aligning with the galactic center in 2012. It's like the earth's pole or antenna will be aligned and open to receive message from the source itself. [H]ohm is calling.

One of the most brilliant developments of the ancient Vedic seers was to further divide the zodiac into more identifiable parts. They did this by creating the Nakshatra system. In Sanskrit Nakshatra means lunar mansion. As the moon travels through the entire zodiac in 27-28 days, the ancient seers ascribed a Nakshatra for each day simplifying its location. Although too vast a subject to go into in this post, it is interesting to point out that the name for the Nakstratra that marks the galactic center is Mula, meaning root or source.

Another difference between Western and Vedic astrology is the modern use of non-observable planets and asteroids. As a Neo-Vedic astrologer I do consider some of the outer planets when I look at a chart, but I tend to be more interested in the fixed stars and Nakshatras. I marvel at how Western astrologers bring in new astronomical discoveries to their chart interpretations. Basically I see Western charts as a map of the same terrain as a Vedic chart, but indicating different types or levels of information. It's like comparing a topological map with a road map. I don't need to know the difference of elevation between Broadway and 3rd Avenue, but I might like to know the street number of Benaroya Hall. It all depends on what type of information one is seeking. Vedic astrologers come from a tradition and philosophy that focuses on the four aims of life: dharma (purpose), arthra (attainment), kama (desire),and the most important moksha (liberation). Western astrology is enriched by many diverse traditions and the information gleaned from it may be quite extensive and more suited for the modern mind. But for me, I've always been drawn to the stars in the night sky and have felt them speak to me in the language of light. And as Jyotisha is the science of light, it is the tool and filter I use to translate this information.

For a good video overview on precession click here.