Week of February 28th
Rahu-Uranus square: addicted to freedom?
Week of February 28th
Rahu-Uranus square: addicted to freedom?
Can addictions be healthy? Drugs, alcohol, sex are the most common forms of addictive behaviour and create a negative image of addiction. Addictions have such a bad reputation that even formerly ennobling activities like work can be seen as unhealthy if taken too far. If you work too much to the exclusion of most other things then you’re a workaholic. Of course, "too much" is a subjective notion and one person’s workaholic is another person’s go-getter.
Our understanding of addictions and obsessive behaviours may be in the spotlight this week as there is a fairly strong Rahu influence through the close square aspect between Rahu and Uranus that is exact on Friday March 4th. Rahu deserves a brief introduction since it is not one of those familiar, observable planets in the night sky. Rahu is the traditional Sanskrit name for the North Node of the Moon. (Ketu is the name given to the South Node.) Just in case you were wondering, a node isn’t actually a planet but is merely a calculated astronomical point. Specifically, the Moon’s Nodes are two opposite points that mark where the orbits of the Moon and the Earth intersect. These points move backwards at a rate of one and a half degrees a month. While they are not actual planets, empirical observation through the centuries suggests that these points are nonetheless quite powerful in their effects. The most obvious instance is during solar eclipses where Rahu lines up in conjunction with the Sun and the Moon. This association with eclipses and the interruption of the Sun’s light is the main reason why the Moon’s nodes are seen as inherently malefic in Vedic astrology.
Like most planets, Rahu has both good and bad sides. Although it is considered a natural malefic, Rahu can be quite positive when it is well aspected. Since Rahu symbolizes attachment and power-seeking behaviour, it is often very strong in the charts of people who seek material gains or social status. Since it is a restless energy, Rahu does not respect tradition and has a tendency to break with the status quo. Researchers and scientists who discover new ways of doing things and focus on technological innovation often have a strong Rahu in their horoscope. Similarly, unconventional people who like to do things their own way often have Rahu in a prominent place in their chart.
When Rahu is poorly-placed in the chart, however, its negative side comes out. It can be quite a disruptive influence as it seeks change for its own sake. Since Rahu is rarely content to stand still, it can often translate into restlessness and an unhealthy acquisitiveness which may express itself as a ‘shopaholic". A rich person who focuses solely on making money to the exclusion of everything else is another example of this problematic side of Rahu. The person may be wealthy, but the Rahu influence will make them unhappy with what they have as they constantly seek to acquire more. Rahu can get obsessive in its interests and when it gets really intense, it can manifest as an all-out addiction.
What’s interesting this week is that Rahu forms a close alignment with Uranus, the planet of change, originality and freedom. To be sure, there are some overlapping symbolisms between these two planets since both reject the status quo and established order and crave novelty and change. We don’t have to look too far to see how this rejection of tradition might be playing out in the Middle East these days. Some of the reason for the ongoing unrest may well be linked to this Rahu-Uranus aspect, although as I noted in a recent post on my website, the larger wave of rebellion that is sweeping that region is more likely traceable back to the solar eclipse of January 4th, as well as the afflictions to the charts of the specific countries involved.
The take away here is that the Rahu-Uranus aspect has the potential to be a very destabilizing and unsettling energy. Since both planets aim to disrupt routines, there could be a lot of distraction out there that may divert our attention away from our responsibilities. In limited amounts, this shift in emphasis is probably a good thing since it prevents getting trapped in the inertia of dead-end situations. Change can be a good thing when it occurs in a measured way. So it’s definitely a good idea to get out there and feed your inner radical this week. Check out and see what the cutting edge people are up to and eavesdrop on the in crowd.
The trick may be to avoid going overboard and running away from one’s life in the quest for some imagined greener pasture. The Rahu-Uranus pairing puts a high premium on freedom and doing one’s own thing, even if it generates some nasty consequences. This Rahu-Uranus influence may even generate an addictive or obsessive approach to freedom and breaking boundaries. Trotsky’s notion of Permanent Revolution might be the historic manifestation of this combination, but the downside here is pretty obvious given how the Russian Revolution ate its young. On a more individual level, this restless urge to break out and may be more akin to the movie Thelma and Louise or Jack Kerouac’s depiction of compulsive traveling in On the Road. This restless impulse towards personal freedom could be a good thing if you are opposing a thuggish Middle Eastern dictator, but perhaps less so if you work in a large organization with formal rules and a boss with a limited tolerance for creativity.
Have a great week,
Chris