What is Rahu and Ketu in Vedic or Sidereal Astrology?
Rahu and Ketu in Sidereal Astrology
Rahu (Lunar North node) and Ketu (Lunar South node) is an Astronomical points in the space.
Astronomically, Rahu and Ketu denotes the point of intersection of the paths of Sun and Moon. Rahu is responsible for causing Solar Eclipse. While Ketu is responsible for causing Lunar Eclipse.
Above image: Astronomical points Rahu and Ketu
When Moon is closer to Earth, it is called Perigee and when it is farthest away from the Earth, it is called Apogee.
Perigee (when Moon is closer towards Earth) represents “Materialism” (Earth) and Apogee (Moon away from Earth) represents “non-materialistic” (spirituality). It is in symbolic terms.
Moon in Astrology represents mind, Sun represents consciousness. The Solar Eclipse caused by Rahu is said to symbolise “Rahu” blocking the consciousness (represented by Sun). Rahu has characteristics more like that of a Saturn (Shani) and Ketu has characteristics of Mars (Mangal or Kuja).
Rahu in Vedic Astrology or Sidereal Astrology represents Egoism and illusion. Rahu is considered as Maya(illusion). Rahu is represented by head without body, while Ketu (Lunar South node) is represented by headless body. While Ketu represents egoless and detachment.
Above image: left is Rahu and right is Ketu
Rahu represents materialism and Ketu represents spirituality.
Rahu represents Air, Ketu represents Earth. Rahu and Ketu is not a planet, but considered as “Shadow planets” due to its influence on human mind. Rahu and Ketu is 180 degrees apart and rotate in anti-clockwise direction.
These have retrograde motion in the Zodiac at the rate of 19°20' per year.
According to Hindu mythology, Rahu is the head and Ketu is the body of a demon (Asura) “Swarnabhanu”. According to the legend, Devas(Celestial beings) and Asuras(demons) were always at war and fought to take control over the heavenly kingdom. “Samudra Manthan” is one of the most popular story in Hindu Mythology, where 54 Asuras and 54 Devas churn out nectar out of ocean of milk (54+54=108).
To cut a long story short, both “Devas” and “Asuras” decides to churn nectar which makes them immortal from “Ksheer Sagar” (Ksheer means milk and Sagar means ocean) which refers to Milky way galaxy.
In the process, Nectar was churned out. When the nectar was being served to “Devas”, a demon named “Swarnabhanu” disguises himself as Deva and tries to take the nectar being served. The Sun god and Moon god recognised that demon Swarnabhanu is doing this cunning deed, whom they inform the god Vishnu who has come in the guise of Mohini (a beautiful woman) to serve the nectar.
God Vishnu in the form of Mohini upon knowing this, chops off the head of demon Swarnabhanu, the head becomes Rahu and body becomes Ketu.
Geomagnetic disturbances are particularly correlated with solar storms discharging large clouds of ionic plasma. These solar eddies generally impinge upon the Earth’s magnetosphere about two days after the solar flare causing polar lights, radio interference, and compression of the Earth’s magnetic lines of flux. Fluctuations in solar storm activity follow a cycle averaging 11.2 years and varying from about nine to thirteen years in length. Scientists have correlated solar storm activity to rates of heart attacks, lung disease, eclampsias, and the activity of microbes. (see the book “Effect of Solar Activity on the Frequency of Functional Leukopenias and Relative Lymphocytoses” (NASA). Epidemics of diphtheria, typhus, cholera, and smallpox have also been correlated with solar activity. Much of this work was done between the two world wars by the Russian Scientist Alexander Chizhevsky.
In a huge study he drew up lists of wars, epidemics, revolutions, and population movements from 500 BC to 1900 and plotted them against curves of solar activity. He found that 78 percent of these outbreaks correlated with peaks of solar activity. He also found an amazing assortment of correlating phenomena ranging from locust hordes in Russia to succession of liberal and conservative governments in England from 1830 to 1930. Sturgeon in the Caspian Sea reproduce and then die in masses following cycles of 11 and 33 years which occur during periods of many sunspots (solar storms). The great financial crisis of 1929 coincided with a peak in solar activity. Other research has shown correlations between solar activity and the number of road accidents and mining disasters reported. This may be due to delayed or inaccurate human reactions in conjunction with very violent solar activity.
I will describe my own experiences based on my observations. During July 17th, 2019 there was a Lunar Eclipse (Chandra Grahan), my grandmother who is a diabetic patient was admitted in hospital and she recovered from her problem (not cured from diabetes—there is no cure for diabetes, cure not found). But on July 20th, 2019 at 01:30 AM (IST) she passed away due to Cardiac arrest.
In another incident, my Mother’s friend who is a dialysis patient (Kidney) passed away in December month end(don’t remember date correctly). On December 26th, 2019 there was a Solar Eclipse (10:47 AM IST), she passed away from Heart attack.
It is said that the nodal points are psychosomatic which govern not only the stress level of our mind but also the activities of hormones, blood circulation and function of the heart.
If you have heard of Psychiatrist Dr. Mitchell E. Gibson, M.D., who has written a book “Signs of mental illness: an Astrological and Psychiatric breakthrough”.
Dr. Mitchell E. Gibson has done a study of more than 400 Astrological birth charts and through the use of scientific statistical research models, discovered a new technique for predicting mental illness. He discovered that the average person's birth chart contains about three marker aspects of depression. The birth chart of someone with major depression contains an average of ten such markers. Even with no previous astrological experience, a person can spot the indicators for mental illness through the declinations and multiple planet aspects that form the basis of this pioneering work. All of the patients were diagnosed according to the DSM-IV, the gold standard of psychiatric diagnostic criteria. The diagnostic groups represented include major depression, anxiety, addictive disorder, schizophrenia, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Psychiatrist Dr. Mitchell E. Gibson has included all these in his book.
Electrical Engineer and Scientist Maurice Cotterell who has researched Astrology explains how Sun is responsible for Schizophrenia.
Above image: Electrical Engineer Maurice Cotterell
In 1989 engineer and scientist Maurice Cotterell found a way of calculating the duration of long-term magnetic reversals on the Sun. Using this knowledge he was able to break the codes of ancient sun-worshipping civilizations, first the Mayas of Central America, those of Tutankhamun of Egypt, and the Viracochas’ of South America, before cracking the codes of the Terracotta Warriors of China and the European Celts.
His research explains how our 28-day spinning Sun regulates fertility in females and how it determines personality of the foetus in the womb [sun-sign astrology]. It explains how the Sun causes schizophrenia, how mobile phones and overhead power lines cause cancer and how VDU's [TV and computer screens] cause miscarriages. And it explains how the Sun brings periodic catastrophic destruction to Earth every few thousand years.
Rahu represents your subconscious desires and your unknown shadowy nature. While Ketu represents your subconscious detached mind, what Rahu lures you towards a path, Ketu does the opposite.
Refer the below article:
https://link.medium.com/oE5SSMB3Gob
**References
https://www.mauricecotterell.com/
Above link: Electrical Engineer Maurice Cotterell’s website
https://near-death.com/scientific-evidence-suggestive-of-astrology/&ved=2ahUKEwjG8KWBiuL2AhUbR2wGHfe9C4YQFnoECAgQAQ&usg=AOvVaw3leJrQPraSxu2k4dmvx_gj
Above link: Scientific evidence suggestive of Astrology
Note: The copyright of the mentioned images and links doesn’t belong to me. Only used as a reference for my article.